PURUSHAARTHAS

 PURUSHAARTHAS : THE GOALS OF LIFE

While we study the discourse of Vedanta, one of the Shadarshanas, it is very important for one to inculcate the concepts associated with this school of thought. Hence Adi Shankaracharya Bhagavatapada’s treatise , Tattvabodha itself is a very good introductory text to understand the basic paradigms of Vedanata during one’s adhyaya of other seminal texts of the Prasanthatrayi namely the Bhagavad Githa , Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Hence in the  series of many articles we will be exploring the basic terminologies associated with the text in specific and Santhana Dharma in general and the first term we will be looking at is Purushaarthas

ETYMOLOGY

The word “Purushaartha” means the goals of human life (both male and female inclusive) and hence can be interchanged with the term Manushyaartha too. However , the word Artha has many different connotations in the Sanskrit Language. It could mean wealth or meaning of a word etc however in this context it refers to a goal or an objective.

Arthyate Sarvaihi Manushyaihi Prārthyate Iti Artha

(That which is sought after by every human being)

Thus from the above shlokha one infers that the word aartha itself can be used to denote a human goal.

Shastras also ascribe secondary meanings to the word “purushaartha” which means free will , choice , volition or effort or endeavour (prayathanaha).

PURUSHAARTHAS AS A DIFFERIENTIATING FACTOR

A very interesting verse from the Hitopadesha helps us understand how the concept of Purushaartha is that factor which differentiates us from other living beings:

आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं च

समानमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् |

धर्मो हि तेषामधिको विशेषो

धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥

The Shastras themselves declare that there are many similarities between animals and human beings (Sadharmyam) like the need for feed , rest , fear of one’s security and propagation of one’s own species but the special ability that human possess which make them unique is the faculty of intellect or their ability to logically reason and make rational judgement (Buddhi). It is the seat of reason and intellect which makes us self-conscious of one’s action and we are capable of self-judgement and self-introspection. This leads to thinking of improving oneself in the future and hence one plans for the future which are marked by the attainment of certain short , intermediate and long term goals.

Contrasting to that of the life of an animal which is very instinctive in nature. While humans also have the aspect of instinct and intuition exercising considerable control over certain aspects of their life,the capability of them to ponder about, choose and plan for the future is something which differentiates them from other living beings. To exercise this choice , the elements of attainments of goals or Purushaarthas become an inevitable necessity.

ARTHA : PURUSTHA-1

The idea of artha has been discussed in the form of a goal before but the concept is multi-dimensional. Anything that provides a sense of security and safety to human life is called artha. Hence the fulfilment of artha is the first and foremost in the purushaartha hierarchy of goals. The achievement of artha starts from the very beginning of one’s life as right from birth every living being has the urge to survive and live and anything procured to enhance physical survival and promote security like food , clothes , shelter and good health comes under the ambit of Artha. Artha isn’t restrictive to only the pursuit of the security of the present but also thinking and acting in the pursuit of the security for the future. For example , many people save a part of their income to support themselves during old age when their ability to work may not be sufficient enough as it is in the present. Once security for the self is attained , the next phase or layer includes security for one’s family , one’s community which is also incorporated under the dimension of artha. One strives to also being secure throughout one’s life and thus anything done in the pursuit is in the context of Aartha Purushaartha or Abhaya Prathapam – freedom from fear.  A very important seminal text on this Purushaartha includes Kautilya’s Arthasastra which deals with the security of a larger entity of a Mahajanapada or a kingdom and how the roles administration and polity is required in maintaining proper security and law and order in a much bigger scale for bigger territories like a kingdom.

In the case of animals , though they urge to survive , their tactics of survival is more instinctive and reactionary and not planned and thought out like humans.

Once artha is satisfied, the human being moves on the next set of goals called Kama.

 

KAMA : PURUSHAARTHA-2

Kama often is a word which is misinterpreted in the discourse of Santhana Dharma where the immediate meaning people associate the word with is sensual or bodily pleasure. While it does form an aspect of this term, the idea of Kama is far more nuanced.  Any object whose primary role has nothing to done with the fulfilment of security but adds to one’s comfort of living is called a goal under the Kama Purushaarthas. For instance all forms of entertainment come under this category. One distinctive feature of Kama is that its mere absence or presence has no relevance in the survival needs of a human being.

Animals also urge in adding comfort to their lives but it is again not planned like in the case of human being. One of the important treatises of regarding the pursuit of Kama is Vatsyayana’s Kamashastra which though mostly deals with sexual comforts also deals with the idea of Kama under the subtext of a Purushaartha. Even the famous Tamil text Thirukkural discussed the concept of Inbam which is similarly to the idea of Kama.

DHARMA: PURUSHAARTHA – 3

Dharma , a very intrinsic concept to the Hindu canonical pantheon has several many layers. Very simply put dharma is that invisible wealth that contributes to one’s well being and it is not per se sought. Hence in Sanskrit it called Adhristam or Paroksha. Since dharma can be acquired through good and appropriate means , it also translated as Punya and it helps by contributing the betterment in the achievement of one’s goals under Artha and Kama too.

A mantra from the Brihadaryanka Upanishad highlights the importance of Dharma:

धर्मः तस्माद्धर्मात् परं नास्त्य् अथो अबलीयान्

बलीयाँसमाशँसते धर्मेण यथा राज्ञैवम् ।

यो वै स धर्मः सत्यं वै तत् तस्मात्सत्यं

वदन्तमाहुर् धर्मं वदतीति धर्मं वा व

दन्तँ सत्यं वदतीत्य् एतद्ध्येवैतदुभयं भवति ।।

(Nothing is higher than dharma. The weak overcomes the stronger by dharma, as over a king. Truly that dharma is the Truth (Satya); Therefore, when a man speaks the Truth, they say, "He speaks the Dharma"; and if he speaks Dharma, they say, "He speaks the Truth!" For both are one.)

Dharma also plays a significant role in contributing and determining the birth and nourishment of a child. Not only does it play an important role in one’s next life but also in determining the scope of the initial few years of that jiva’s next life like good food, good parents , a safe shelter etc. Since one’s childhood upbringing has an impact on one’s adult life , Dharma as a concept not only influences the present life of a being and the future childhood life of a jiva directly but also indirectly the adult life of the jiva. Dharma also signifies that behaviour or conduct of all objects in the universe which is essential in maintaining the order of the cosmos or rtam as mentioned in the Rig Veda. Dharma as a concept has extolled in the form of Smritis , Ithihasas and Puranas. These include Dharma-sutras (particularly by Gautama, Apastamba, Baudhayana and Vāsiṣṭha) and Dharma-sastras (particularly Manusmṛti, Yājñavalkya Smṛti, Nāradasmṛti and Viṣṇusmṛti).

The three Purushaarthas are collectively also called Preyas or anything that is acquired by deliberate and legitimate means. They are collectively also referred to as Bhoga

MOKSHA: PURUSHAARTHA-4

As translated by many scholars and bards, the idea of Moksha is do to with the ultimate inner freedom or liberation.  But freedom from what that enslaves us ?

For which one needs to understand the very process of how one gets enslaved by an object. 

An object can enslave one from it mere presence which causes strain , tension or burden. An object can also enslave one by its mere absence.

In Sanskrit it is said

        “Shūnyatā Dvārā Abhāvaha Badhnāti” – The lack of a particular object itself can cause a sense of vacuum in one’s manas.

An object can cause enslavement by both its excessive presence and absence like money.

Hence the enslavement referred in this context is to that of being enslaved by Preyas. Thus Moksha is that inner maturity and inner freedom with and without the utilization of Preyas. While Moksha is the primary Purushaarthas , the other three are secondary to the concept of Moksha. Moksha enables the jiva to leave the bondage of Samsara and that of birth, death and rebirth and attain a state of Samad