Purvashrama

{{Short description|Sanskrit term for prior stage of life}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Unreferenced|date=December 2009}}

Purvashrama ({{langx|sa|पूर्वाश्रम}}, {{IAST|Pūrvāśrama}}), is a Hindu term used with reference to Sannyasis (the fourth life stage in Hinduism). The word 'Purvashrama' is a compound of the words pūrva (meaning before, prior to) and āśrama (stage of life), thus referring to the stage of life of a Sannyasi before his Sannyasa.

The word is also used to address family relationships before taking vows of Sanyasis (example - purvashrama father). This is to give emphasis to the nature of poorna-sannyas (complete sannyas) phase, where the pre-monastic life family relationships cease to be considered cosmically binding.