Anashram[1] (Sanskrit:आश्रम,āśrama) is a spiritualhermitage or amonastery inHinduism.[2][3]
The Sanskrit nounāśrama- is a thematic nominal derivative from the rootśrami 'toil' (<PIE *ḱremh2,cf.śramaṇa) with the prefixā 'towards.'[4] An ashram is a place where one strives towards a goal in a disciplined manner. Such a goal could beascetic,spiritual,yogic or otherwise.[5]
Traditionally, though not necessarily in contemporary times, an ashram would be located far from human habitation, in forests or mountainous regions, amidst refreshing natural surroundings conducive to spiritual instruction andmeditation. The residents of an ashram regularly performed spiritual and physical exercises, such as the various forms ofyoga. Other sacrifices and penances, such asyajnas, were also performed.[6] Many ashrams also served asgurukulas, residential schools for children under theguru-shishya tradition.
Sometimes, the goal of a pilgrimage to the ashram was not tranquility, but instruction in some art, especially warfare. In theRamayana, the princes of ancientAyodhya,Rama, andLakshmana, go toVishvamitra's ashram to protect his yajnas from being defiled by emissary-demons ofRavana. After they prove their mettle, the princes receive martial instruction from the sage, especially in the use of divine weapons. In theMahabharata,Krishna, in his youth, goes to the ashram ofSandipani to gain knowledge of both intellectual and spiritual matters.[citation needed]
Boarding schools, especially in the tribal areas ofMaharashtra and elsewhere inIndia, are calledashram shala or ashram schools. One such school is theLok Biradari Prakalp Ashram Shala.[7][8]
A number of ashrams have been established outside India. Typically, these ashrams are connected to Indian lineages,[9] focus on impartingYoga-related teachings, often inresidential retreats, and are headed by spiritual teachers of Indian or Western background.
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a place where a group of Hindus live together away from the rest of society, or a place where Hindus can go in order to pray
The dictionary definition ofYogada Ashram at Wiktionary The dictionary definition ofRishikesh at Wiktionary