Purushartha Drshti (पुरुषार्थदृष्टिः)

Purushartha Drshti (Samskrit : पुरुषार्थदृष्टिः) refers to the perspectives of life based on the four Purusharthas (पुरुषार्थाः) namely, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. The modern perspectives of life, instead of focusing about integral growth, focuses on escaping from the realities of life. These are the days of Dvivarga (two vargas), people belonging to one of the extreme sets of Artha and Kama or Dharma and Moksha. Purusharthas are the human values, an essential distinct concept, evolved only by Sanatana Dharmis.  The order of the Purusharthas is Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. One can but clearly notice that Dharma at one end and Moksha (both are unlimited) at the other are like two wrappers of a book, boundaries within which are squeezed Artha and Kama (whose boundaries are defined).

Dharma on the ground level defines the limits in which a man leads his life, enjoying desires of Artha and Kama within these limits, and then evolves intellectually to get a release from narrowmindedness, and from ignorance, thereby leading to Moksha. Thus, Vedas and shastras have set down ways for holistic living; Dharma is a word which these days does not portray the implied meaning. All these purusharthas, the desires of men are ultimately satisfied, nothing is denied. These age old concepts of Purusharthas, the very foundations of Sanatana Dharmas, were in practice since time immemorial; unrelated to theories propounded by Karl Marx or Sigmond Freud as acclaimed. Both Dharma and Moksha are arthaika para and kamaika para. Today the world abounds with people who crave to satisfy Artha and Kama and denied the other two purusharthas namely Dharma and Moksha. This is exactly what we at Dharmawiki have recognized as one of the problems of the society and would like to take correctional steps by introducing the limits to thinking process (Sashastriya Samalochana) and bring back balanced life influenced by Purushartha Drsthi.

Man has to be satisfied in physical bodily terms, so there is marriage, an institution where both man and woman require and complement each other. But Sanatana Dharma does not end here as seen in modern practices. They laid binding dharmika principles for both man and woman to be householders and devote themselves for practice and evolution of Dharma. Then once satiated on the materialistic front (by Artha and Kama) they move on to the higher plane of thought and action. At the intellectual level, they devote themselves to realize the Self (to attain Moksha).

So, Kama and artha are required for worldly progress upto a certain stage. They are like steps in the ladder; unless Dharma is the basis of Karma, Artha and Kama will create havoc. With Dharma being the foundation, these three purusharthas are called Trivarga (three vargas). They are the common minimum program in our lives; Dharma, Artha and Kama, working together in tandem the three constitute for the progress of the world. In the fourth leg there is Moksha which is an individual path, none, not even the government can meddle with it.

Rashtra Nirmana through Purusharthas

Video Courtesy : RG Media, Mumbai

Purushartha concept has a special place in the activities laid out by the Sanatana Dharma. Buddhism and Jainism abandoned Artha and Kama, they stressed on life based on the two extreme Purusharthas, Dharma and Moksha. They abandoned the warrior's duty, to protect the country, one of the activities involving Artha. Artha plays a role in building a rashtra. As Kautilya says, a land, filled with healthy people actively involved in various vocations (called vrtti), is called bhumi, or Rashtra. The duty of the Raja is to protect it. This duty was neglected when kshatriyas themselves became sannyasis. Buddha and Mahavira came from kshatriya families. Once the protectors of rashtra deviated from their duty, as the Artha purushartha declined, people became easy prey to proselytizing.

In the Sanatana Dharma scheme, the whole class of people is groomed for the protection of the country says Aurobindo. These special classes of people arose based on the particular vocations or activities. Brahmins were formed the adhyatmika group, the kshatriyas for the protection of the land and the rest of the people formed the section of society involved in commercial and other transactions. This stratification of society, being attacked today, played a pivotal role in the smooth conduct of the Rashtra till the recent centuries. This system was ridiculed, defamed and derided during the colonial era as the colonial rulers barely understood this concept and used it to divide people and fan communal differences.