Purushartha (पुरुषार्थ:)

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.

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

1. Basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter; thus education and livelihood is a prime desire for self sustenance
2. Providing safety and security for themselves and family. Here the fear and insecurity of the future are addressed.
3. Supplementing mental and physical wants such as entertainment, investment and so on. Wants can be innumerable.
4. Morality and ethical goals such as following principles for healthy mental and physical well-being, charity, meditation etc
5. Perpetuation of family and lineage; work towards in-life and after-life happiness
6. Duties and responsibilities to family members and society
7. 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. 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).

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.

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.

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. The ability to fulfill them is solely vested in the human beings and no other being, and hence they are called Purusharthas. After a human being is born, whatever desires (Kama) he has, the activities (Karma) they incite him or her to perform and the results so obtained (karma phala) can be categorized under any of these four goals only. Chaturvarga Phalaprapti is the only logical end for any desire of a human being, as explained clearly in Bhagavata Purana.

पुंसां अमायिनां सम्यक् भजतां भाववर्धनः । श्रेयो दिशत्यभिमतं यद्धर्मादिषु देहिनाम् । ॥ ६० ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 4.8.60)

Hence in this universe the lakshya or goal of all activities of man are Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

As per Shabdakalpadhruma Purushartha is explained as धर्मार्थकाममोक्षरूपेषु पुरुषस्य इष्टेषु । The desires of a person in the form of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

Agni Purana states the four Purusharthas explicitly as धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाश्च पुरुषार्था उदाहृताः । The Purusharthas are exemplified by Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

Adhikari of Chaturvarga

A human being alone is designated to fulfil the chaturvarga, even though the universe is created with beings of all kinds of specialties - all powerful devatas, daityas, danavas etc. Even though they have all the abilities to live and conduct their lives on this earth, they all have one great deficiency. The Bhagavata Purana mentions the following

बुद्धीन्द्रियमनःप्राणान् जनानां असृजत् प्रभुः । मात्रार्थं च भवार्थं च आत्मनेऽकल्पनाय च ॥ २ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 10.87.2)

Meaning: Paramatma created beings with Buddhi (intellect), Indriyas (sense-organs), Manas (mind), and Prana (vital energy). Through the Pranas, the beings become alive, through the indriyas they hear the shastras, through the Manas they deliberate on the Atma tattva and finally by Manana and by using buddhi they arrive at what the tattva is pointing to, to attain Atma.

The last of the four intended purposes, the means to fulfil the purpose of being one with Atma, is not fully developed in other beings. Observing this one deficiency, the Creator created man having the quality to discern and seek Atmavidya. Because of this one exceptional quality - understanding and discerning power of the humans, man became the adhikari to Chaturvargas which cannot be performed by any other beings.

Artha

Artha Paribhasha

Artha is sanctified by Dana

Role of Artha in achieving Dharma

Kama

Kama Paribhasha