Ashrama | June 17, 2004

The Sanskrit term means "a stage in which one exerts oneself". In ones life a Hindu goes through 4 stages: 1. the student, 2. the householder, 3. the forest-dweller and 4. the renouncer. In each stage of life the Hindu exerts himself in different sets of religious and moral goals. First he learns. Upon marriage he becomes a householder. After raising his children he dedicates himself to his spiritual growth, studies the Vedas and withdraws from all desires. After reaching sufficient nonattachment he enters the final stage in which he seeks to achieve a condition of desirelessness within himself.