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Dharma, Artha and Kama are like the three legs of a stool. The absence of anyoné of them would render life to be futile. Even so, the legitimacy of both Artha and Kama depends on both conforming in entirety on Dharma. The scriptures therefore call the first three purusharsthas as Trivarga. Trivarga, when it is balanced, enriches life, filling it with a sense of fulfillment.

Dharma, Artha and Kama are like the three legs of a stool. The absence of anyoné of them would render life to be futile. Even so, the legitimacy of both Artha and Kama depends on both conforming in entirety on Dharma. The scriptures therefore call the first three purusharsthas as Trivarga. Trivarga, when it is balanced, enriches life, filling it with a sense of fulfillment.

Indian philosophy considers ‘Kama’ and ‘Artha’ the means to ‘Kama, as valid human pursuits. But it considers ‘Lobha’ (greed) and ‘Moha’ (delusion) arising from unchecked desires as unethical because they incline to work against social interests. To restrain these two pursuits from becoming anti social, Indian Philosophy presents a third vital human pursui namely ““‘Dharma’’. It is Dharma that helps all people to have the opportunity of experiencing maximum sensual satisfaction by acquisition of wealth and other material objects through right actions. Even Sri Krishna, the human manifestation of the Divine Self in all beings, endorses this validity of Kama in the Bhagavad Gita.<ref name=":0" /> He says,<blockquote>धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ॥७- ११॥<ref>Bhagavad Gita, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83 Chapter 7].</ref> ''dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo'smi bharatarṣabha ॥7- 11॥''</blockquote>Meaning: I am that Kama (Sensual desire) in all beings, which is not opposed to Dharma. But this pursuit of satisfaction of desires and earning of money should be disciplined and regulated by an ethical sense, so that all persons in a society may get the opportunity to satisfy their urge for them.<blockquote>धर्माथावुच्यते श्रेयः कामार्थो धर्म एव च । अर्थ एवेह वा श्रेयस्त्रिवर्ग इति तु स्थितिः ॥ २.२२४ ॥<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Chapter 2].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''dharmāthāvucyate śreyaḥ kāmārtho dharma eva ca । artha eveha vā śreyastrivarga iti tu sthitiḥ ॥ 2.224 ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: To achieve welfare and happiness some declare Dharma and Artha are good. Others declare that Artha and Kama are better. Still others declare that Dharma is the best. There are also persons who declare Artha alone secures happiness. But the correct view is that Trivarga, the aggregate of Dharma, Artha and Kama secures welfare and happiness.<ref name=":0">M.Rama Jois (2004), Trivarga, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.</ref><blockquote>परित्यजेदर्थकामौ यौ स्यातां धर्मवर्जितौ । ४.१७६ ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Chapter 4].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''parityajedarthakāmau yau syātāṁ dharmavarjitau । 4.176 ।''</blockquote>Meaning: However, the desire (kama) and material wealth (Artha) must be rejected if contrary to Dharma.

Indian philosophy considers ‘Kama’ and ‘Artha’ the means to ‘Kama, as valid human pursuits. But it considers ‘Lobha’ (greed) and ‘Moha’ (delusion) arising from unchecked desires as unethical because they incline to work against social interests. To restrain these two pursuits from becoming anti social, Indian Philosophy presents a third vital human pursui namely ““‘Dharma’’. It is Dharma that helps all people to have the opportunity of experiencing maximum sensual satisfaction by acquisition of wealth and other material objects through right actions. Even Sri Krishna, the human manifestation of the Divine Self in all beings, endorses this validity of Kama in the Bhagavad Gita.<ref name=":0" /> He says,<blockquote>धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ॥७- ११॥<ref>Bhagavad Gita, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83 Chapter 7].</ref> ''dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo'smi bharatarṣabha ॥7- 11॥''</blockquote>Meaning: I am that Kama (Sensual desire) in all beings, which is not opposed to Dharma. But this pursuit of satisfaction of desires and earning of money should be disciplined and regulated by an ethical sense, so that all persons in a society may get the opportunity to satisfy their urge for them.<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>धर्माथावुच्यते श्रेयः कामार्थो धर्म एव च । अर्थ एवेह वा श्रेयस्त्रिवर्ग इति तु स्थितिः ॥ २.२२४ ॥<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Chapter 2].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''dharmāthāvucyate śreyaḥ kāmārtho dharma eva ca । artha eveha vā śreyastrivarga iti tu sthitiḥ ॥ 2.224 ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: To achieve welfare and happiness some declare Dharma and Artha are good. Others declare that Artha and Kama are better. Still others declare that Dharma is the best. There are also persons who declare Artha alone secures happiness. But the correct view is that Trivarga, the aggregate of Dharma, Artha and Kama secures welfare and happiness.<ref name=":0">M.Rama Jois (2004), Trivarga, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.</ref><blockquote>परित्यजेदर्थकामौ यौ स्यातां धर्मवर्जितौ । ४.१७६ ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Chapter 4].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''parityajedarthakāmau yau syātāṁ dharmavarjitau । 4.176 ।''</blockquote>Meaning: However, the desire (kama) and material wealth (Artha) must be rejected if contrary to Dharma.

According to Bharataratna C. Subramanyam,<blockquote>''“Indian philosophy refers to Dharma, Artha and Kama as TRIVARGA, the inseparable group of three treats them as the warp and woof of ordered human society.”<ref name=":0" />'' </blockquote>

According to Bharataratna C. Subramanyam,<blockquote>''“Indian philosophy refers to Dharma, Artha and Kama as TRIVARGA, the inseparable group of three treats them as the warp and woof of ordered human society.”<ref name=":0" />'' </blockquote>

== References ==

== References ==