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Line 136: − − == Importance of the Four Pious Obligations == − The Vedas laid down that every individual should discharge three pious obligations. This concept of pious obligations emanated from one of the basic values of life evolved as part of Dharma, namely, "Gratitude", in that every individual has an obligation to the source from which every type of benefit was received by him including his own coming into existence. The three pious obligations were − # Towards God (Devaruna) − # Towards Parents (Pitruruna) − # Towards Rishis (Rishi Runa) − In fact the entire ancient law evolved in this country was based upon the principle of three debts. − − Subsequently, Vyasa added the fourth pious obligation namely towards Human Society (Manavaruna). The relevant verses in Mahabharata, in which these four pious obligations have been indicated are in Adiparva Ch. 120- 17-20:<blockquote>ऋणैश्चतुर्भिः संयुक्ता जायन्ते मानवा भुवि | पितृदेवर्षिमनुजैर्देयं तेभ्यश्च धर्मतः ||</blockquote><blockquote>यज्ञैस्तु देवान् प्रीणाति स्वाध्यायतपसा मुनीन् | पुत्रैः श्राद्धैः पितृंश्चापि आनृशंस्येन मानवान् || </blockquote><blockquote>''r̥ṇaiścaturbhiḥ saṁyuktā jāyante mānavā bhuvi | pitr̥devarṣimanujairdeyaṁ tebhyaśca dharmataḥ ||''</blockquote><blockquote>''yajñaistu devān prīṇāti svādhyāyatapasā munīn | putraiḥ śrāddhaiḥ pitr̥ṁścāpi ānr̥śaṁsyena mānavān ||''</blockquote>Meaning: Every individual should discharge four pious obligations. They are Devaruna (towards God), Pitruruna (towards parents), Rishiruna (towards teachers) and Manavaruna (towards humanity). A man should discharge Pitruruna by maintaining continuity of the family, Devaruna by worship of God, Rishiruna by the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, and Manavaruna by every type of social service. − − Thus the method by which the [[Rna (ऋणम्)|four pious obligations]] were required to be discharged were also indicated. − − It is on account of this pious obligation, Service and Sacrifice (Seva and Tyaga) have become our National Ideals. Everyone of the laws laid down in ancient India was meant to give effect to the pious obligations. Highlighting this aspect K.L. Sarkar stated thus:-<blockquote>''In interpreting texts relating to the duties and rights of the Hindus, these principles must always be kept in view, and it should be presumed that all the texts are more or less intended to promote these three classes of duties.''</blockquote><blockquote>''The civil law of the Hindus is at every step marked with the influence of the three-debt obligation. Matters of right and status are mixed up with the debt to the gods., viz., that of sacrifice. Privileges are unsparingly conferred on men of learning. Gifts to them are praised as being acts of the greatest merit.''</blockquote><blockquote>''Therefore it is clear that whenever two constructions of a text are possible, one tending to the discharge of one or other of the three debts, and the other inconsistent with such discharge, the former construction is to be adopted and not the later.''</blockquote>In order to impress upon every individual as to how he should conduct himself, at the end of Shikshavalli, (Ch. 1, Lesson-11 ) advice is given to the outgoing students. − − Excerpts from it are reproduced below, which give an idea about the good conduct expected from them throughout their life.<blockquote>सत्यं वद | धर्मं चर | सत्यान्न प्रमदितव्यम् | धर्मान्न प्रमदितव्यम् |</blockquote><blockquote>मातृदेवो भव | पितृदेवो भव | आचार्यदोवो भव | अतिथिदेवो भव |</blockquote><blockquote>यान्यनवद्यानि कर्माणि | तानि सेवितव्यानि | नो इतराणि |</blockquote><blockquote>एष आदेश: | एष उपदेश: एतदनुशासनम् | (Taittiriyopanishad)</blockquote><blockquote>''satyaṁ vada | dharmaṁ cara | satyānna pramaditavyam | dharmānna pramaditavyam |''</blockquote><blockquote>''mātr̥devo bhava | pitr̥devo bhava | ācāryadovo bhava | atithidevo bhava |''</blockquote><blockquote>''yānyanavadyāni karmāṇi | tāni sevitavyāni | no itarāṇi |''</blockquote><blockquote>''eṣa ādeśa: | eṣa upadeśa: etadanuśāsanam | (Taittiriyopanishad)''</blockquote>Meaning: Speak the truth; follow the prescribed conduct; Do not fail to pay attention to truth; Never fail to perform duty Do not disregard what is proper and good Treat your Mother, Father and Teacher as equal to God So also, treat your guest as God Those acts that are irreproachable alone are to be performed, and not those that are forbidden This is the directive. This is the advice. This is the discipline to be observed throughout life. − − A reading of every one of the directive given to students is highly inspiring and it concludes with the statement that it is the advice (Upadehsa) and it is the directive (Adesha). It is not only a specific injunction to an outgoing student but also a direction to every human being. Thus the directive to every individual to discharge the four pious obligations is one of the most important values of life which forms part of 'Dharma'.
Values Based On Dharma (धर्माधिष्ठितगुणाः) (view source)
Revision as of 15:43, 18 August 2020
, 15:43, 18 August 2020→Importance of the Four Pious Obligations: Editing
To have a feeling of gratitude towards people and other living beings who have been helpful to us, is another value of our national life. It is this feeling which is the basis of the custom of worshipping animals, plants as also Ayudha Pooja, i.e. worshipping, one day in year, all the implements or instruments through which we earn our livelihood. It is the same feeling of Krtajnata that also led to the prohibition of slaughter of cows, calves, oxen and bullocks. Because cows give milk that sustains us from childhood till death. This is one of the reason that the cow is worshipped as 'Gomata' (Mother Cow). In fact, Kautilya in his Arthashastra has made a specific provision banning cow slaughter. It reads,<blockquote>वत्सो वृषो धेनुश्चैषामवध्याः | ''vatso vr̥ṣo dhenuścaiṣāmavadhyāḥ |''</blockquote>Meaning: Cattle such as calves, bulls or cows, shall not be slaughtered.
To have a feeling of gratitude towards people and other living beings who have been helpful to us, is another value of our national life. It is this feeling which is the basis of the custom of worshipping animals, plants as also Ayudha Pooja, i.e. worshipping, one day in year, all the implements or instruments through which we earn our livelihood. It is the same feeling of Krtajnata that also led to the prohibition of slaughter of cows, calves, oxen and bullocks. Because cows give milk that sustains us from childhood till death. This is one of the reason that the cow is worshipped as 'Gomata' (Mother Cow). In fact, Kautilya in his Arthashastra has made a specific provision banning cow slaughter. It reads,<blockquote>वत्सो वृषो धेनुश्चैषामवध्याः | ''vatso vr̥ṣo dhenuścaiṣāmavadhyāḥ |''</blockquote>Meaning: Cattle such as calves, bulls or cows, shall not be slaughtered.
The Yajnavalkya Smrti has also declared Govadha (killing of a cow) as an offence.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>गोवधो व्रात्यता स्तेयं ऋणानां चानपाक्रिया । अनाहिताग्नितापण्य विक्रयः परिदेवनम् । । ३.२३४ । ।<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti, Prayashchitta Adhyaya, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Prayashchitta Prakarana.]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''govadho vrātyatā steyaṁ r̥ṇānāṁ cānapākriyā । anāhitāgnitāpaṇya vikrayaḥ paridevanam । । 3.234 । ।''</blockquote>
The Yajnavalkya Smrti has also declared Govadha (killing of a cow) as an offence.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>गोवधो व्रात्यता स्तेयं ऋणानां चानपाक्रिया । अनाहिताग्नितापण्य विक्रयः परिदेवनम् । । ३.२३४ । ।<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti, Prayashchitta Adhyaya, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Prayashchitta Prakarana.]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''govadho vrātyatā steyaṁ r̥ṇānāṁ cānapākriyā । anāhitāgnitāpaṇya vikrayaḥ paridevanam । । 3.234 । ।''</blockquote>Another concept that emanates from this basic value of life evolved as part of Dharma is the concept of Rna or Pious Obligations. The Vedas laid down that every individual should discharge three pious obligations namely,
# Towards God (Devaruna)
# Towards Parents (Pitruruna)
# Towards Rishis (Rishi Runa)
In that every individual has an obligation to the source from which every type of benefit was received by him including his own coming into existence. Thus the directive to every individual to discharge the four pious obligations is one of the most important values of life which forms part of 'Dharma'. Subsequently, Vyasa added the fourth pious obligation namely towards Human Society (Manavaruna). Thus, the method by which the [[Rna (ऋणम्)|four pious obligations]] were required to be discharged were also indicated. It is on account of this pious obligation, Service and Sacrifice (Seva and Tyaga) have become our National Ideals.<ref name=":2" />
=== करुणा || Compassion<ref name=":2" /> ===
=== करुणा || Compassion<ref name=":2" /> ===
To have compassion towards all living beings, including human beings is considered as the root of Dharma. Everyone was asked to look towards other living beings as one's own Self ie. आत्मवत् सर्वभूतानाम् | ''ātmavat sarvabhūtānām''. The Smrtis even declared cruelty to animals as a punishable offence. In fact, there was a custom to give a weekly holiday to bullocks. Epitomizing this virtue of Karuna, in the Mahabharata, Raja Rantideva declares,<blockquote>कामये दुःखतप्तानां प्राणिनामार्तिनाशनम् | ''kāmaye duḥkhataptānāṁ prāṇināmārtināśanam |''</blockquote>Meaning: My desire (as the) highest Dharma is to wipe out the tears from the eyes of living beings in distress.
To have compassion towards all living beings, including human beings is considered as the root of Dharma. Everyone was asked to look towards other living beings as one's own Self ie. आत्मवत् सर्वभूतानाम् | ''ātmavat sarvabhūtānām''. The Smrtis even declared cruelty to animals as a punishable offence. In fact, there was a custom to give a weekly holiday to bullocks. Epitomizing this virtue of Karuna, in the Mahabharata, Raja Rantideva declares,<blockquote>कामये दुःखतप्तानां प्राणिनामार्तिनाशनम् | ''kāmaye duḥkhataptānāṁ prāṇināmārtināśanam |''</blockquote>Meaning: My desire (as the) highest Dharma is to wipe out the tears from the eyes of living beings in distress.
If the people constituting different nations understand this value, and act in that spirit, there will be friendly and harmonious relationship among the nations of the world and humanity will enjoy greater happiness.
If the people constituting different nations understand this value, and act in that spirit, there will be friendly and harmonious relationship among the nations of the world and humanity will enjoy greater happiness.
== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
Thus our national stream continued to flow even during foreign rule, because for us national idealism was primary, and statehood, political power was secondary. It is through this cultural bond that we the people of this country became a nation and are surviving as a nation.
Thus our national stream continued to flow even during foreign rule, because for us national idealism was primary, and statehood, political power was secondary. It is through this cultural bond that we the people of this country became a nation and are surviving as a nation.