In Hinduism, one of the four stages of life (student, householder, forest dweller, and renunciate) that structure a person's spiritual journey.
From Sanskrit āśrama, derived from the root śram meaning 'to exert' or 'to tire.' The concept developed in the Vedic period as a systematic framework for organizing life's spiritual development.
The ashrama system influenced how people planned their entire lives in traditional Hindu society—imagine if modern careers were replaced by four mandatory life phases, each with different spiritual goals!
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