Difference between revisions of "Purushartha (पुरुषार्थ:)"
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== परिचयः ॥ Introduction == | == परिचयः ॥ Introduction == | ||
| − | All human beings work towards the following things as their goals | + | "What is the purpose of my life? What is the aim of my life? What am I born?" - these are a set of common ultimate vocal or silent questions that plague the minds of human beings. All other questions that are raised reduce down to these basic questions.<ref name=":0">[https://groups.google.com/g/bvparishat/c/wgDtTe85EU0 What is the Purpose of our Life?] By Vishal Agarwal in Bharatiya Vidvat Parishad post.</ref> |
| + | |||
| + | All human beings are driven by some or the other form of desire to work, to perform [[Karma (कर्म)|Karma]], towards the following things as their goals | ||
# Basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter; thus education and livelihood is a prime desire for self sustenance | # Basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter; thus education and livelihood is a prime desire for self sustenance | ||
| Line 10: | Line 12: | ||
# Perpetuation of family and lineage; work towards in-life and after-life happiness | # Perpetuation of family and lineage; work towards in-life and after-life happiness | ||
# Duties and responsibilities to family members and society | # Duties and responsibilities to family members and society | ||
| − | # Attaining wisdom, knowledge, limitlessness. | + | # Attaining happiness, wisdom, knowledge, limitlessness. |
| + | These desires are fulfilled when we perform Karma in our everyday lives, such as eating food, working in an office, watching sports, buying groceries, visiting Mandirs or perform pujas, perform danas, perform activities for the sake of family members etc.<ref name=":0" /> All these activities ultimately progress with certain limitations within a personal and societal framework primarily with an aim to achieve happiness and freedom and overcome fear, sorrow, ignorance etc. And this well defined framework as per the principles of Sanatana Dharma lead us to the four Purusharthas or life goals, namely [[Dharma (धर्मः)]], [[Artha (अर्थः)]], [[Kama (कामः)]] and [[Moksha (मोक्षः)]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
== व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology == | == व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology == | ||
| − | The term Purushartha पुरुषार्थ: is derived from the dhatu "पूः" in the sense of पुरं शरीरं च । one who resides in, enters in पुरि शेते इति। sleeps in the pura (city) or body, i.e., refers to the conscious Jiva who occupies the body is called Purusha (पुरुषः)। The derived meaning of the word Purusha is thus the Jiva or the embodied Atman. In the Bhagavata Purana we see that in the following shlokas पुरुषत्वे च मां धीराः (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.21) बह्व्यः सन्ति पुरः सृष्टास्तासां मे पौरुषी प्रिया २२। (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.22) and पुरं पुरुषमात्मवान् । (Bhag. Pura. 3.20.50) the term Purusha is used mainly to denote "a man", "a person". Thus when mentioned in shastras this term is used to designate not | + | The term Purushartha (पुरुषार्थ:) is a compound word consisting of the terms "पुरुषः (''purusha)''" and "अर्थः (''artha)''". The term Purusha in the word Purushartha, is derived from the dhatu "पूः" used in the sense of पुरं शरीरं च । one who resides in, enters in पुरि शेते इति। sleeps in the pura (city) or body, i.e., refers to the conscious Jiva who occupies the body is called Purusha (पुरुषः)। The derived meaning of the word Purusha is thus the Jiva or the embodied Atman. In the Bhagavata Purana we see that in the following shlokas पुरुषत्वे च मां धीराः (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.21) बह्व्यः सन्ति पुरः सृष्टास्तासां मे पौरुषी प्रिया २२। (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.22) and पुरं पुरुषमात्मवान् । (Bhag. Pura. 3.20.50) the term Purusha is used mainly to denote "a man", "a person". Thus when mentioned in shastras this term is used to designate not the beings or creatures in general but refers particularly to a human being. In this context the "Purusha" in the term "Purushartha" refers particularly to a human being, specifically to the man and woman.<ref name=":1">Tripathi, Prem Vallabh. (1970) ''Purushartha Chatushtaya.'' Varanasi: Rajvidya Granthamala. (Pages 5 -)</ref> |
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| + | The term "artha" in the word Purushartha, has a been explained in the sense of अर्थ्यते प्रार्थ्यते सर्वैः। where it means the "desired fruits" or "desired objects." It can be expanded as पुरुषाणाम् अर्थः। and पुरुषैः अर्थ्थते इति पुरुषार्थः। it means those (results) which are wanted by the Purusha or Purusharthas are those fruits (of efforts) desired by a person.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
| + | |||
| + | From these perspectives it can be said in essence that almost everything that we see in this world are the objects that are either to be "known" or "desired" by a Purusha. However, in the view of the shastras, the Vedas or for that matter in the whole body of Samskrit literature it is said that the results of any effort by a man falls into any one of the four categories. Thus Purusharthas are etymologically said to be the four primary desirables or objectives (Chaturvarga) of human pursuits.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
| + | |||
| + | As per Shabdakalpadhruma Purushartha is explained as धर्मार्थकाममोक्षरूपेषु पुरुषस्य इष्टेषु । | ||
| + | |||
| + | Agni Purana states them explicitly as धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाश्च पुरुषार्था उदाहृताः ।<ref>Shabdakalpadhruma (See under [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%9F पुरुषार्थ])</ref> | ||
| − | == | + | == Why Purusha is the only designate? == |
== Trivarga is secondary to Moksha == | == Trivarga is secondary to Moksha == | ||
Revision as of 17:17, 1 September 2022
Purushartha (Samskrit: पुरुषार्थ:) refers to the four principal categories of pursuits in human life namely, Dharma (धर्मः), Artha (अर्थः), Kama (कामः) and Moksha (मोक्षः). The life of a human being was set in the framework of these four Purusharthas by our ancient seers. The whole body of Bharatiya texts and parampara have all aspects of life and after-life events seen through the lens of the purusharthas. Thus Purushartha drsthi is the most unique of the principles of Sanatana Dharma. While a vast majority of people in the world live a life to fulfil Artha (अर्थः) and Kama (कामः) a few adhering to Dharma framework, very few pursue the Moksha purushartha.
परिचयः ॥ Introduction
"What is the purpose of my life? What is the aim of my life? What am I born?" - these are a set of common ultimate vocal or silent questions that plague the minds of human beings. All other questions that are raised reduce down to these basic questions.[1]
All human beings are driven by some or the other form of desire to work, to perform Karma, towards the following things as their goals
- Basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter; thus education and livelihood is a prime desire for self sustenance
- Providing safety and security for themselves and family. Here the fear and insecurity of the future are addressed.
- Supplementing mental and physical wants such as entertainment, investment and so on. Wants can be innumerable.
- Morality and ethical goals such as following principles for healthy mental and physical well-being, charity, meditation etc
- Perpetuation of family and lineage; work towards in-life and after-life happiness
- Duties and responsibilities to family members and society
- Attaining happiness, wisdom, knowledge, limitlessness.
These desires are fulfilled when we perform Karma in our everyday lives, such as eating food, working in an office, watching sports, buying groceries, visiting Mandirs or perform pujas, perform danas, perform activities for the sake of family members etc.[1] All these activities ultimately progress with certain limitations within a personal and societal framework primarily with an aim to achieve happiness and freedom and overcome fear, sorrow, ignorance etc. And this well defined framework as per the principles of Sanatana Dharma lead us to the four Purusharthas or life goals, namely Dharma (धर्मः), Artha (अर्थः), Kama (कामः) and Moksha (मोक्षः).[1]
व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology
The term Purushartha (पुरुषार्थ:) is a compound word consisting of the terms "पुरुषः (purusha)" and "अर्थः (artha)". The term Purusha in the word Purushartha, is derived from the dhatu "पूः" used in the sense of पुरं शरीरं च । one who resides in, enters in पुरि शेते इति। sleeps in the pura (city) or body, i.e., refers to the conscious Jiva who occupies the body is called Purusha (पुरुषः)। The derived meaning of the word Purusha is thus the Jiva or the embodied Atman. In the Bhagavata Purana we see that in the following shlokas पुरुषत्वे च मां धीराः (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.21) बह्व्यः सन्ति पुरः सृष्टास्तासां मे पौरुषी प्रिया २२। (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.22) and पुरं पुरुषमात्मवान् । (Bhag. Pura. 3.20.50) the term Purusha is used mainly to denote "a man", "a person". Thus when mentioned in shastras this term is used to designate not the beings or creatures in general but refers particularly to a human being. In this context the "Purusha" in the term "Purushartha" refers particularly to a human being, specifically to the man and woman.[2]
The term "artha" in the word Purushartha, has a been explained in the sense of अर्थ्यते प्रार्थ्यते सर्वैः। where it means the "desired fruits" or "desired objects." It can be expanded as पुरुषाणाम् अर्थः। and पुरुषैः अर्थ्थते इति पुरुषार्थः। it means those (results) which are wanted by the Purusha or Purusharthas are those fruits (of efforts) desired by a person.[2]
From these perspectives it can be said in essence that almost everything that we see in this world are the objects that are either to be "known" or "desired" by a Purusha. However, in the view of the shastras, the Vedas or for that matter in the whole body of Samskrit literature it is said that the results of any effort by a man falls into any one of the four categories. Thus Purusharthas are etymologically said to be the four primary desirables or objectives (Chaturvarga) of human pursuits.[2]
As per Shabdakalpadhruma Purushartha is explained as धर्मार्थकाममोक्षरूपेषु पुरुषस्य इष्टेषु ।
Agni Purana states them explicitly as धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाश्च पुरुषार्था उदाहृताः ।[3]
Why Purusha is the only designate?
Trivarga is secondary to Moksha
Dharma
Artha
Artha Paribhasha
Artha is sanctified by Dana
Role of Artha in achieving Dharma
Kama
Kama Paribhasha