The words maTham and ASramam.

[Guest guest]

This is in response to the question raised by Smt. Bhooma on the

difference between the words ASramam and maTham.

 

Purely based on the meanings given in the dictionary, and looking at

the derivation of the words from their roots, it seems that both the

words ASrama and maTham refer to hermitages of sages. The word

ASramam is derived from the root Srama – to be strained or fatigued.

One of the amara koSa vyAkhyAna-s describes that this is a place

where one rests as a result of the fatigue resulting from the

observance of one's sva-dharam (sva-dharma sAdhana kleSAt).

 

The dictionary meaning for ASramam is as follows:

 

ASramam – a hermitage, hut, cell, dwelling or abode of ascetics.

- a stage, order, or period, of the religious life

of a brAhmaNa.

- a wood or thicket where ascetics practice penance.

 

The word maTham is derived from the root maTh – nivAsayoh – to dwell,

to inhabit. The dictionary meaning given for the word math is as

follows:

 

maTham - The hut of an ascetic, a small cell or room,

A monastery, convent,

A seminary, college, place of learning

 

It is unclear to me as to why certain sanyAsins' dwelling or

hermitage has been called ASramam, and others have been called

maTham, based on the above.

 

-Krishnamachari

==============

> "gbhooma" <gbhooma

> Wed Nov 27, 2002 8:09 am

>Subject:

>Can someone explain the difference between madam and asramam, please.

>Regards

>Bhooma

[Guest guest]

Sir,

I think, coming to the Srishnavan usage, the

difference between Ahramam and Matham(Matam) is

basically of the lineage of the Pontiff.

A Matham is one established by one of our Acharyas and

which has got a lineage of Pontiffs. For example,

the Tirupati Jeeyar Mutt, which takes care of the

daily activities of the temple was established by Sri

Manavalamamunigal and service to Lord Srinivasa is the

only activity of the Jeeyars of the 2 Mutts in

Tirupati.

And most of the mutts are associated with a

temple(Divyadesam).

 

An Ashram, on the other hand, is the hermitage or

again a mutt of a Jeeyar who does not belong to any

Mutt which is already being established; any person

can take Sanyasam and after that he cannot continue to

live in his house. So, he takes up a life of a

Sanyasi. Thus his hermitage is called an Ahram. For

example the Tridandi Sriman Narayana Jeeyar took

Sanyasam; but he does not belong to any of the

established Mutts. So his hermitage is called an

Ashram. Andavan Ashramam is another example.

 

This is only my interpretation and I thought of just

sharing with the elders of the group and I request

them to correct me if I am wrong.

 

Regards

Chakravarthy

 

(Note from Moderator: I have always thought that many ASramam-s are

established lineages, such as the Srirangam ANDavan ASramam, the pouNDArIkapuram

ASramam, etc. It will help if someone who has contacts can approach our

AcArya-s and get clarification on the difference. Eveything, including maTh-s,

were established starting at some point in time. This is true of established

ASramam-s as well as established maTh-s).

 

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/Om namO nArAyaNAya |

 

/namaskArams to all.

 

An /AShram by definition of the meaning attached to it is self-sufficient with

labor attached to it. That is, the /AShram must have a garden for flowers, an

orchard for fruits, and grazeland and provisions for the cattle and animals.

 

This is true even of the four /Ashrams, where the definition is loosened to

allow for making a living by direct labor. Labor is not necessarily manual, but

exertion and effort.

 

Even in the case of a /brahma/caryaH, it is necesasry for the young person to do

chores to earn his or her living.

 

The main characteristic of an /AShram is the preservation of the individuality

of the person or persons living there. Each one makes a direct contribution.

 

A /matam on the other hand is a system of public orientation. No labor is

required per se. It is a system of beliefs and canons including /yamA and

/niyamA that are prescribed or encouraged.

 

In modern times Mahatma Gandhi implemened the philosophy of the /AShrams. His

ideas for independence had been experimented in a small scale in his /AShrams

Tolstoy Farm and

Phoenix Farm in South Africa. His problem was how to convert those ideas into

the public domain; that is, from small scale research into manufaturing on a

large scale. As we know, it is no mean task.

 

That brings out another comparison between the two concepts. /Ashrams are

research stations experimenting with public good on a small scale to convert the

successful ideas to /matam.

 

The more /Ashrams suvcceed, the better a counry will be. And Gandhiji was very

successful in /Warda and /Sabarmati Ashrams.

 

/vantanam.

 

Visu