[Advaita-l] Discussion on Chaturvidha Purushartha

[srikanta at nie.ac.in]

This is with reference to the Email(August 16,2007) by Sri.C.Gunnala on
the "Chaturvidha Purushartha".Our Shastras prscribe the four fold tenets
in the Hindu Dharma."The Dharma","Artha","Kama" and "Moksha" which are
called the 'Chaturvidha Purusharthas".By the qualification"Purushartha" it
means that human beings can attain these as the human requirements.Above
all "the Dharma" is placed highest.Dharma means it is the principal
requirement for one the right to fulfil oneself without harming the
other.To fulfill oneself one requires "Artha",and this is got by following
one's Dharma.One has to obtain the Artha by Dharma.As a being born into
this world one has the "Kama",that includes all the desires one may
rightly wish to fulfill.Ultimately 'Moksha" was prescribed as the "Parama
Purushartha" to free oneself from the 'Kama".Hence the
"gruhasthashrama"was prescribed as an aid to fulfill oneself.In the
Ramayana SriRama says"Dhanyo gruhasthashramah"(Glad indeed is the
gruhasthashrama).The whole of BhagavadGita is on the conflict of oneself
with the "Artha" and "Kama".
                                                      N.Srikanta.