Line 31: |
Line 31: |
| | | |
| == Adhikari of Chaturvarga == | | == 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<blockquote>बुद्धीन्द्रियमनःप्राणान् जनानां असृजत् प्रभुः । मात्रार्थं च भवार्थं च आत्मनेऽकल्पनाय च ॥ २ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 10.87.2)<ref>Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6/%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%AD Skanda 10 Adhyaya 87])</ref></blockquote>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.<ref name=":1" /> | + | 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<blockquote>बुद्धीन्द्रियमनःप्राणान् जनानां असृजत् प्रभुः । मात्रार्थं च भवार्थं च आत्मनेऽकल्पनाय च ॥ २ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 10.87.2)<ref>Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6/%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%AD Skanda 10 Adhyaya 87])</ref></blockquote>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.<ref name=":1" /> |
| | | |
− | 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.<ref name=":1" /> | + | 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 Srshtikarta 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 these Chaturvargas which cannot be performed by any other beings. Thus the last for the four goals namely, moksha, cannot be the goal of any other being other than man because Buddhi or intelligence is the instrument functioning at its highest level only in the human. |
| + | |
| + | === Uniqueness of Upadhi of a Human being === |
| + | Hence it is said that being born as a human is highly desired for only in this Upadhi can the reflection of Paramatma be recognized in the Jiva. Shri Krishna in Bhagavat Gita clearly states that He is the Buddhi in the body of a man. In the Bhagavata Purana Shri Krishna mentions that in man, having a suitable body, using the the capabilities of Indriyas, Manas etc, an intelligent one can attain the Atman. For this reason, even though the creation has one, two, three, four, multiple and no legged creatures having different kinds of bodies, it is the human being (manushya sharira) which is most loved by the Him, for it is only in this Upadhi he can with focus and concentration reach the unreachable state of attaining that Ishvara which is different from Ahamkara (identification of body with Atma).<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>पुरुषत्वे च मां धीराः साङ्ख्ययोगविशारदाः। आविस्तरां प्रपश्यन्ति सर्वशक्त्युपबृंहितम् २१। |
| + | |
| + | एकद्वित्रिचतुष्पादो बहुपादस्तथापदः। बह्व्यः सन्ति पुरः सृष्टास्तासां मे पौरुषी प्रिया २२। |
| + | |
| + | अत्र मां मृगयन्त्यद्धा युक्ता हेतुभिरीश्वरम्। गृह्यमाणैर्गुणैर्लिङ्गैरग्राह्यमनुमानतः २३। (Bhag. Pura. 11.7.21-23)<ref>Shrimad Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD Skanda 11 Adhyaya 7])</ref></blockquote>Thus it is the Manushya Upadhi which is the most intelligent being among all creations in Jagat and capable of Atmasakshatkara and thus chosen as the Adhikari for the four pursuits. This identification of man as not just another animal but is capable of reaching unknown higher realms is the most unique power of man according to Sanatana Dharma. |
| | | |
| == Trivarga is secondary to Moksha == | | == Trivarga is secondary to Moksha == |
| + | All the instruments required for undertaking the path of Paravidya are given to man, such as the laukika Vidyas (Apara Vidya), the Indriyas, Buddhi etc hence man pursuing the "Alaukika अलौकिकम्" path is inherent in the human being. Everyone wants to be infinitely happy, yet one incessantly gets engaged in the worldly paths forgetting the goal of finding this elusive entity called Atman, which exists, is conscious and limitless. There are two natures of man in terms of his search for Sukha, loosely translated as happiness. |
| + | |
| + | # '''विषयसुखम् (Vishaya Sukha)''': It is that dukha (includes sadness, pain etc) mixed sukha generated when the karma-, jnana-indriyas come in contact with vishaya (objects in Jagat). It is the pleasure derived from the things around us. After finally getting tired of the unstable nature of such a kind of happiness, there arises in man the thought that these indriyas are limited to the body and I am not that. |
| + | # '''आत्मसुखम् Atma Sukha)''': After fulfilling the vasanas or samskaras from previous lives, in the form of eternal search for vishaya sukha in the outside world, the mind comes to a firm decision that there is something eternal called Atman, which is the original Self of a human and rejoices in this Jnana. Then he is said to be in the state of Atmasukha. It is the ultimate state of a human being only. |
| + | |
| + | To attain and remain in the state of Sukha, it appears that the most important desired purposes of all human beings (sadhya साध्य) are just two namely '''Kama''' (desires required to fulfil worldly pleasures) and '''Moksha''' and the instruments (sadhanam साधनं) to achieve these two goals are '''Dharma''' and '''Artha'''. Thus the two pursuits and their two instruments are generally felt necessary by every person. Since Moksha pertains to the domain of Self or Atma it is termed Adhyatma, and the chief instrument to achieve it is Dharma. Artha and Kama are essential instruments for fulfilling the needs in life. Dharma also supports these two needs, the Artha and Kama.<ref name=":1" /> |
| | | |
| + | Boundlessness or expansion beyond something perceptible is an innate causeless nature governing everyone’s life. Achieving freedom from embodiment is the culminating point of Moksha. All human endeavors are directed, to Moksha, consciously by a few and unconsciously by most people. This solo journey of a ''Mumukshu'', who is consumed by the desire to be unfettered, is unmediated by his own senses, the only leading light being the words of Shruti (heard from the Guru), the Shabdapramana. |
| + | Once a ''sadhaka'' starts the journey into the realms of the mind and consciousness, ''vrittis'' of the mind keep him busy within himself. |
| == Dharma == | | == Dharma == |
| | | |