[ā-śram ādhāre ghañ vṛddhya bhāvaḥ] 1 A hermitage, hut, cell, dwelling or abode of ascetics.

2 A stage, order, or period of the (reli gious) life of a Brāhmaṇa. (These are four: brahmacarya the life of a student; gārhasthya the life of a house holder: vānaprasya the life of an anchorite or hermit, and saṃnyāsa the life of a [Page0265-b+ 58] Bhikṣu or beggar. Kṣatriyas (and Vaiśyas also) can enter upon the first...