Ashram

Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Hinduism. Today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Hindu cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, similar to a studio, yeshiva, iʿtikāf or dojo.

Etymology

The word ashram (also ashrama) comes from the Sanskrit root srama which means "to toil", the a prefix indicates the negative, therefore ashram means "not to toil".

Overview

An ashram would traditionally, but not necessarily in contemporary times, be located far from human habitation, in forests or mountainous regions, amidst refreshing natural surroundings conductive to spiritual instruction and meditation. The residents of an ashram regularly performed spiritual and physical exercises, such as the various forms of yoga. Other sacrifices and penances, such as yajnas were also performed. Many ashrams also served as gurukulas, residential schools for children under the guru-shishya tradition.

Sometimes, the goal of a pilgrimage to the ashram was not tranquility, but instruction in some art, especially warfare. In the Ramayana, the protagonist princes of ancient Ayodhya, Rama and Lakshmana, go to Vishvamitra's ashram to protect his yajnas from being defiled by emissary-demons of Ravana. After they prove their mettle, the princes receive martial instruction from the sage, especially in the use of divine weapons. In the Mahabharata, Krishna, in his youth, goes to the ashram of Sandipani to gain knowledge of both intellectual and spiritual matters.

Ashram (Balmiki)

A Balmiki temple is called an Ashram, which means a hermitage or monastery. It is the communal house for Balmikis. The function of the Ashram is to serve as a center for building up the commitment of devotee’s and for transmitting the Ramayana's message, and the focal point for the whole community to preserve their culture and traditions.

For Balmikis communal prayer is not restricted to the confines of the Ashram, but can in fact take place anywhere as long as The Ramayana is present. However, when an Ashram is not within traveling distance many Balmiki families will have a copy of the Ramayana in a special room at their house which can be used for worship.

When an Ashram is not available Balmikis will hire a public building or use an individual’s house as an Ashram.

Features

All Balmiki Ashram's have common features. For instance, the place of worship is always in a special room and there are a number of other rooms set-aside for special purposes. There is a Langar hall where all the devotees congregate for a meal, the community kitchen where devotees help to prepare food for the Langer. A classroom and library where the Ramayana is stocked for study and is used for teaching young children.

Ashrama (stage)

An Ashrama (āśrama) in Hinduism is one of four age-based life stages discussed in ancient and medieval era Indian texts. The four asramas are: Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (renunciation).

The Ashramas system is one facet of the Dharma concept in Hinduism. It is also a component of the ethical theories in Indian philosophy, where it is combined with four proper goals of human life (Purusartha), for fulfillment, happiness and spiritual liberation.

The Ashram system

Under the Ashram system, the human life was divided into four periods. The goal of each period was the fulfillment and development of the individual. While some Indian texts present these as sequential stages of human life and recommend age when one enters each stage, many texts state the Ashramas as four alternative ways of life and options available, but not as sequential stage that any individual must follow, nor do they place any age limits.

Asrama and Purushartha

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I hear the silence,
I close my eyes,
I want to run like a river flows
I feel the distance,
I stare at the space,
I want to fly where the wind can blow
Nevermore sorrow, no more pain, no more tears

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Ashram

Etymology

Overview

Ashram (Balmiki)

Features

Ashrama (stage)

The Ashram system

Asrama and Purushartha

Ashram

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