There are four different stages in which man finds himself and God gives different but appropriate help to each: first are those persons who are in distress, second are those desiring prosperity, third are those engaged in enquiry as to what is truth and fourth are the wise ones. (CWBSSB, p. 31)
There are four classes of people in the world. First, those who call everything they see as good. Second, those who call wrong as wrong, and good as good. Third, those who do not make a judgement. In each of these some reason can be seen. The fourth class is those to whom everyone and everything is evil; they do not see any good. (CWBSSB, p. 109)
The four states - Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa may be different but in the aspect of Brahman, they are one and the same.
atur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtino rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha
(Bhagavad Gita, 7:16)
The four have taken the paths, arthi, jijnasu, artharthi and jnani and by journeying on these four different paths, they all reach the same goal. When one aspires to reach the right destination, God is always ready to respond to everyone with the same attitude. He is even prepared to lead them to the destination. God does not have different thoughts or opinions about different people. Such differences arise only from the different ideas, which we have. It is wrong to attribute differences to God. (SSB 1974, p. 65)
Without Satya, Dharma, Prema and shanti whatever education you may have, the value of that education is zero. Without satya, dharma, prema, and shanti, whatever gifts you may give, their value is zero. Without Satya, dharma, prema and shanti, whatever position of authority you may occupy, the result is zero. For the mansion of Sanathana Dharma, Satya, Dharma, Prema and Shanti constitute the four pillars of foundation. What other can I convey to you good people, who have assembled here. (SSB 1978, p. 218)
The four phases of spiritual advancement are Salokya, samipya, sarupya, and sayujya. Salokya is entrance to the field of theocentric reality. Samipya is proximity to the fundamental spiritual substance of the Universe. Sarupya is the assimilation of the form of the deity. Sayujya is liberation and ultimate union with the Godhead. ‘Sattvika’ food is conducive to the progressive attainment of these four states of spirituality. (SSB 1979, p. 93)
A wily servant, a greedy, miserly and evil-minded wife or husband, a false friend - these four make life painful, as when pierced by spears and spikes. (RKRV Part II, p. 92)
There are four ‘F’s that you will have to fix before your attention. (i) Follow the Master (ii) Face the Devil (iii) Fight to the end and (iv) Finish the Game.
Follow the Master means, observe Dharma. Face the Devil means overcome the temptations that beset you when you try to earn Artha or Wealth or the wherewithal to live in comfort. Fight to the End, means, struggle ceaselessly, wage war against the six enemies that are led by Kama and Lust. And, finally, finish the game means, do not stop until the Goal of Moksha or Liberation from Ignorance and Delusion is reached. The F’s are fundamental for the pursuit of the four Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. (SSS Vol.9, p. 221)