Plural of asrama; multiple stages of spiritual life in Hindu philosophy, or the hermitages where such stages are practiced.
From Sanskrit 'āśramas' (plural), the plural form of asrama. The Sanskrit grammatical plural was retained when the word entered English, following the pattern of other Sanskrit loanwords in English academic and religious contexts.
The plural form 'asramas' became standardized in English academic writing about Hinduism, though colloquial English sometimes uses 'ashrams' (the Hindi version) more loosely to mean any spiritual retreat center, showing how Sanskrit words shift meaning when translated into new cultural contexts.
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