Ashrama (stage)
Encyclopedia
- Ashrama redirects here. See Ashram (disambiguation)Ashram (disambiguation)The term Ashram comes from the Hindu term for hermitage, and can refer to a number of different ideas, including:*Ashram, an isolated Hindu site designed for spiritual instruction and meditation.*Ashram , the main site of worship in the Balmiki faith....
for other uses.
An Ashrama (āśrama) in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
is one of four stages in an age-based social system as laid out in the Manu Smrti and later Classical Sanskrit texts.
The Ashram system
Under the Ashram system, the average human life was regarded as one hundred years, consisting of four periods of twenty-five years each. The goal of each period was the ideal fulfillment of four consecutive life stages.| Ashram or stage | Age | Description | Rituals of transition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahmacharya Brahmacharya Brahmacharya is one of the four stages of life in an age-based social system as laid out in the Manu Smrti and later Classical Sanskrit texts in Hinduism. It refers to an educational period of 14–20 years which starts before the age of puberty. During this time the traditional vedic sciences are... (student life) |
5-24 | The child would live with his family till he was at the age of 5. He would then be sent to a Gurukul Gurukul A gurukul is a type of school in India, residential in nature, with shishyas living in proximity to the guru, often within the same house... (house of the guru) and typically would live with a Guru Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... (teacher), acquiring knowledge of science, philosophy, scriptures and logic, practicing self-discipline and celibacy, learning to live a life of dharma Dharma Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender... (righteousness). |
Upanayana Upanayana Upanayana is the initiation ritual by which initiates are invested with a sacred thread, to symbolize the transference of spiritual knowledge .- Significance of the sacred thread :... at entry. |
| Grihastha Grihastha Grihasthya refers to the second phase of an individual's life in the Vedic ashram system. It is often called 'the householders life' revolving as it does around the duties of maintaining a household and leading a family-centred life.-Usage:... (household life) |
25-49 | The ideal householder life is spent in enjoying family life, carrying out one's duties to family and society, and gainful labor. | Samavartana at entry. Other rituals of Hindu marriage later. |
| Vanaprastha Vanaprastha A Vanaprastha is a person who is living in the forest as a hermit after partially giving up material desires. Vanaprastha ashram is the stage of life in the Vedic ashram system, when a person one gradually withdraws from the world... (retired life) |
50-74 | After the completion of one's householder duties, one gradually withdraws from the world, freely shares wisdom with others, and prepares for the complete renunciation of the final stage. | |
| Sannyasa Sannyasa Sannyasa is the order of life of the renouncer within the Hindu scheme of āśramas, or life stages. It is considered the topmost and final stage of the ashram systems and is traditionally taken by men or women at or beyond the age of fifty years old or by young monks who wish to renounce worldly... (renounced life) |
75-100 | Completely withdrawing from the world, this is a time of complete dedication to spiritual pursuits, the seeking of moksha Moksha Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in... (freedom from the cycle of rebirth), and practicing meditation to that end. |
The Ashram system is believed by the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s to lead to a fulfillment of the four aims of life namely, Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
(righteousness), Artha
Artha
Artha is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose, cause, motive, meaning, notion".It refers to the idea of material prosperity. In Hinduism, artha is one of the four goals of life, known as purusharthas. It is considered to be a noble goal as long as it follows the dictates of Vedic morality...
(wealth), Kama
Kama
Kāma is often translated from Sanskrit as sexual desire, sexual pleasure, sensual gratification, sexual fulfillment, or eros54654564+more broadly mean desire, wish, passion, longing, pleasure of the senses, the aesthetic enjoyment of life, affection, or love, without sexual connotations.-Kama in...
(pleasure), and Moksha
Moksha
Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in...
(liberation).
| Period Periodic function In mathematics, a periodic function is a function that repeats its values in regular intervals or periods. The most important examples are the trigonometric functions, which repeat over intervals of length 2π radians. Periodic functions are used throughout science to describe oscillations,... |
Ashrama (stages of dutiful life) |
Purushartha (aims of life) |
Description Description Description is one of four rhetorical modes , along with exposition, argumentation, and narration. Each of the rhetorical modes is present in a variety of forms and each has its own purpose and conventions.... |
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| Saisava | 0–2 years | No moral codes during this period | |||||
| Balya Balya Balya is a town and district of Balıkesir Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. The mayor is Dündar Cengiz . It is located on the ancient greek city Pericharaxis.... |
3–12 years | Brahmacharya Brahmacharya Brahmacharya is one of the four stages of life in an age-based social system as laid out in the Manu Smrti and later Classical Sanskrit texts in Hinduism. It refers to an educational period of 14–20 years which starts before the age of puberty. During this time the traditional vedic sciences are... |
Dharma Dharma Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender... |
Vidyarambha, Learning of alphabets, arithmetic, basic education according to varna | |||
| Kaumara (13 - 19) |
Kaishora | 13–15 years | Brahmacharya | Dharma | |||
| Tarunya | 16–19 years | Brahmacharya | Dharma | ||||
| Yauvana (20 - 59) |
Yauvana-I (Tarunayauvana) |
20–29 years | Brahmacharya or Grihastha Grihastha Grihasthya refers to the second phase of an individual's life in the Vedic ashram system. It is often called 'the householders life' revolving as it does around the duties of maintaining a household and leading a family-centred life.-Usage:... |
Dharma and Artha Artha Artha is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose, cause, motive, meaning, notion".It refers to the idea of material prosperity. In Hinduism, artha is one of the four goals of life, known as purusharthas. It is considered to be a noble goal as long as it follows the dictates of Vedic morality... |
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| Youvana-II (Praudhayauvana) |
30–59 years | Grihastha | Dharma, Artha and Kama Kama Kāma is often translated from Sanskrit as sexual desire, sexual pleasure, sensual gratification, sexual fulfillment, or eros54654564+more broadly mean desire, wish, passion, longing, pleasure of the senses, the aesthetic enjoyment of life, affection, or love, without sexual connotations.-Kama in... |
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| Vardhakya (60+ ) |
Vardhakya (Period-I) |
60–79 years | Vanaprastha Vanaprastha A Vanaprastha is a person who is living in the forest as a hermit after partially giving up material desires. Vanaprastha ashram is the stage of life in the Vedic ashram system, when a person one gradually withdraws from the world... |
Dharma | |||
| Vardhakya (Period-II) |
80+ years | Sanyasa | Dharma and Moksha Moksha Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in... |
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