| Vol 02.007 | Pre-SaraNAgati Issues |
16 January, 1997
|
| In this Issue:
1. NOTE FROM THE EDITOR 2. CHAPTER 12: OBJECTIVES OF LIFE | ||
Dear Bhagavatas,
We present the first of the two parts on Purusharthas (Objectives of
Life) being excerpts from Chapter 12 of "Hinduism Rediscovered". Hope you
will enjoy it. Please feel free to offer your comments and constructive
criticism, so that the final draft can be error-free and oblige.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
2. CHAPTER 12 OBJECTIVES OF LIFE (PURUSHARTHAS)
SECTION 1 : GENERAL
What is the purpose of life? Are there any goals to be achieved? Does
life consist only of the routine of eating, mating, dating and muting that
lies between birth and death? Is there anything beyond what meets the eye?
What are the objectives of life here? Where do we go from here? Quo Vadis?.
These are some of the questions that have engaged the earnest consideration of thinkers all over the world from time immemorial. In fact, long before others could even comprehend the depth and dimensions of these questions, Hinduism had not only arrived at the answers but had formulated the objectives in clear terms.
Annapurna Upanishad I.40 raises these questions and avers that the answers to these inquiries would confer great benefits." Who am I? How come this World? What is it? How come death and birth?
Inquire these within yourself. Great will be the benefit accruing from
such inquiry."
Ko Aham? Katham Idam? Kim Vaa Katham Marana- Janmaani? ||
Vichaaryaantare Vedtham Mahat Tat Phalam Yesyati" ||
Still some Westernized Indians themselves in their 'holier than thou' attitude gleefully criticize Hinduism as a religion of abnegation, of escapism, a negative religion of the recluse which always emphasized on the 'other worldly' with scant regard for what we need 'right here and now in this world'. They fancy that Hinduism is a religion of rigor, regret, remorse, repentance and renunciation that takes away all the joy out of life rendering it a saga of 'sack cloth and ashes' all the way.
Nothing can be farther from truth. Hinduism is the first and foremost religion which had the practical wisdom and pragmatism to recognize the purpose of life both 'here and the hereafter'. It is Hinduism that has laid down the principles and practices to make life on earth enjoyable, meaningful and worthwhile - while unfolding the 'after-life' scenario in equally vivid expressions.
The people of India enjoyed life and delight in 'Sensual things' as much as in ' things Spiritual'. They were a cheerful lot who achieved higher level of gentleness and mutual respect than any other community of antiquity.
Hinduism had classified and labeled the four fold objectives viz. Dharma,
(Virtue- Duties and obligations) Artha,(Success, Wealth), Kama (Hedonic
pleasure) and Moksha .(Liberation, salvation) They are called the 'Purusharthas'
- objectives of human existence. "Dharma" is that activity which sustains
and relates to moral activity. "Artha" refers to 'interested activity'
(i.e.) regulation of the means to earn the wherewithal so necessary to
live well and enjoy wealth, property etc.
"Kama" refers to regulation of 'playful activity' and includes from
simple desire at the one end of the continuum to lust and intemperance
at the other.
"Moksha" refers to liberation from the circle of births and deaths.
It can be noticed that the secondary objectives of Artha and Kama have been adroitly sandwiched between the primary objectives of Dharma and Moksha. This is to indicate that human life while no doubt progressing towards death and therefore its primary objective should be to seek release from 'Samsara' (i.e.) Moksha, so long as one is destined to live in this world Artha and Kama are not taboo and can be enjoyed but regulated by Dharmic principles consistent with law, justice , customs, traditions, heritage, ethics, morals and manners - in the same way as they talk of ' justice being tempered with mercy.'
DHARMA
No commandments had proved more profound, more soul stirring and more
soul ennobling than the Manu Dharma Sastra, the Vidhura Neethi and the
Bhishma Samvada which explained the whys and hows of spiritual elevation
while living in this world
ARTHA
No literature in the world has delved deep into the means of acquisition,
maintenance and utilization of wealth and all it stands for, and the various
activities of the Government including Defense, law, judiciary etc., more
than what KAUTILYA had dealt with in 15 Adhikaras of' his Arthasastra'.
All the defense experts of the day pale into insignificance before the
exquisite exposition of state craft and the intricacies of what goes by
the names of military intelligence and strategic espionage in the modern
world, than what is gleaned form the Rama-Bharata Samvada in the Srimad
Ramayana which is also otherwise known as "Ramageetha". One is wonderstruck
at the scientific formulae underlying the art of weaponry including Agni
Astra, Vayu Astra, Varuna Astra and myriad other warheads culminating in
the famous formidable Brahmastra.
KAMA
Sigmund Freud, Havelock Ellis and Marie Stopes have not even touched
the fringe of the subject of Kama when compared to VATSYAYANA'S Kamasutra
( Science of Erotics) which has revealed all upto the frontiers of satisfaction
of the umpteen facets in the pursuit of pleasure.
"Far from treating the subject with levity as Ovid Boccacio and other western authors have done the Indian author has taken the opposite view, and it is impossible not to admire the delicacy with which he has handled an indelicate theme. As he assures his readers, his object is not to encourage mere sensual indulgence but to prevent disharmony between the husband and the wife"1
"The Kama sutras contain full directions for sexual love with amazing lists: Sixty four arts auxiliary to the joys of love, six classes of signs for lovers, fifteen excellent go betweens, eight signs which reveal the dawn of love, twelve noncoital forms of embrace, ten kinds of kisses, eight kinds of scratchings, eight types of bitings, twenty six categories of men who are successful with women, thirty four types of women who are easy prey to men, seventeen signs a woman has lost interest in a man, and eighty four coital positions! Many of the directions are intended more for the wooing of a young bride than for illicit love"2
MOKSHA
As for the ultimate viz., MOKSHA , which refers to liberation, freedom,
release, salvation, deliverance, fulfillment and realization, the eternal
truths expounded in our scriptures stand non-pareil to any religious literature
in the world. And, the world is slowly but steadily recognizing this fact
and have begun to look forward to India with awe and wonder.
If we Indians have not cared to acquaint ourselves with these, it is only a reflection on our own failure, apathy, indifference and utter bankruptcy in application and does not detract from the intrinsic worth of the invaluable treasures bequeathed to us. To cite a biblical example, it is like pearls scattered in front of pigs that could hardly appreciate their value. In the ultimate analysis, it is we who are the losers, not the scriptures nor the western thinkers who have seized the opportunity to study them (like the Germans) and have commenced incorporating them in their philosophy and life.
SECTION 2 : HINDUISM IS A VIBRANT, POSITIVE RELIGION
Hinduism teaches you not only to live but also how to live hopefully
and die peacefully. It believes that being born as a human being affords
immense opportunities for the evolution of the soul.
Our daily prayers express this hope and confidence that we be blessed with a lifespan of 100 years.
Pasyema saratah satam Let us see 100 Autumns Jeevema saratah satam Let us live for 100 Autumns Nandama saratah satam Let us Play for 100 Autumns Modama saratah satam Let us rejoice for 100 Autumns Bhavama saratah satam Let us shine for 100 Autumns Srunuvama saratah satam Let us hear for 100 Autumns Prapravama saratah satam Let us speak good things for 100 Autumns Ajiite syama saratah satam Let us remain unconquered for 100 Autumns
This centenarian concept is in contrast with the four score and
ten of other religions(3). The same sentiment is expressed by Sri ANDAL
when she calls the fellow folks as 'Vaiyathu Vazhveergal" meaning "you
who have come to live and prosper in this world" - 4
This emphasis of 'living and prospering' is in sharp contrast to the call to the sinners. Swami Vivekananda thundered, "In the presence of God, it is a sin to call you a sinner". The daily prayer of the Hindus is "Sarve Janaah Sukhino Bhavanthu" meaning that the Hindu always aspired for the welfare not only of his own self, family, or community but also of the welfare of all living beings. Janah : incidentally, means those that are born (or having life) and not merely 'people' as popularly understood.5
Hinduism is the one religion that gives an action plan for a 'healthy mind in a healthy body' - without which nothing can be achieved during this life. 'Ayurveda' is part of a religious exercise that deals with the prophylactic, preventive and curative aspects of bodily and mental ailment. The 'body-clock' ensures regularity and punctuality most essential for a disciplined body and a disciplined mind and for health in general. Our ancestors never took ill seriously and shunned medication. Yet, 'DHANVANTRI' the divine physician had devised curatives for all known ailments through 'Ayurveda'. Food habits and sex were the two major causes of ill health.
According to Ayurveda, there are three main bodily humors that condition the constitutions of individuals. viz., ' vata ' ( gastric ) which regulates mobile energy, 'pitha' (burning) which regulates anabolic energy and "kapha' ( mucus) which regulates metabolic energy. Vata governs all motions- breathing, circulation, elimination and the flow of nerve impulses to and from the brain. Vata is cold and always mobile by nature. Pitha governs digestion- processing of food, air and water throughout the body. Pitha is hot by nature. When extreme imbalance occurs, it can lead to 'Paithya'-(insanity) .'Kapha' governs structure and fluid balance- forming muscle, fat, bone and sinew. Kapha is solid and steady by nature. The ten body types comprise of : Vata, Pitha, Kapha, Vata-Pitha, Pitha-Vatha, Kapha-Pitha, Vata-Kapha, Pitha-Kapha, Kapha-Vata and Vata-Pitha-Kapha.
Ayurveda is an exhaustive compendium dealing with all aspects of health (both general and specialized - a holistic approach ) as can be seen from the topics it covers: -
The modern specialists with all their degrees like M.D., M.S. and with all the gadgets like Catscan, X- ray, ECG, EEG and what not, and with numerous tests like blood, urine, sputum etch and other modern diagnostic appurtenances - remain where they started probably because their knowledge is zero in their fields of specialization and much less than zero in the General physician's realm.
Cases of wrong diagnosis, faulty treatment and over-medication for existing and non- existent conditions have become the order of the day and several cases of operating healthy organs instead of the diseased ones have been reported because the surgeon proceeded on the basis of an X-ray of some other patients as it happened in the case of Ms. Rajeswari Ayyappan, mother of India's top movie star whose healthy right lobe was operated instead of her left lobe by Dr. Ehud Arbit, Chief of the neurological service at the Memorial Sloan - Kettering Cancer Center ( Vide News reported in "Morning Call", September 1995 (p.A17).
And, it is amazing how they cash in on their ignorance and apathy!. What an amount of rip off they indulge in !. For all this, the importance of doctors has been blown out of proportion in the USA. No wonder, cases of malpractice and insurance therefor have come to stay. And along with the medical profession, the Insurance business has also been a pampered lot in the US. It has become necessary these days to diagnose the doctor before you allow the doctor to diagnose your disease. They seem to be adepts in diagnosing your ability to pay than their own ability to diagnose your health problem and have proved more capable of relieving you of your money than relieving you of your pain!.
Here was a Guruswamy Mudaliar. Where comes such another?
Ayurveda (Science of life) and Yogasastra ( Science of fitness) have between them laid down rules relating to dietary practices and physical exercise practices. The conclusion was that if you don't want to learn a lesson by intellect, experience will teach you the same lesson in due course which you will never be able to forget. They emphasize that the body-clock ensures regularity and punctuality as most essential for a disciplined body and a disciplined mind. 'Sangita' (music) and Nritya'(Dance) Sastras sublimate the soul and are part of the 64 arts which Hinduism has prescribed for experiencing ecstasy and enjoyment even during the present life without any debasing or degrading elements in them. Hinduism has taken kindly to wordily pleasures because it declares that there is a time for everything - and that sooner or later one would realize that one has had enough of the pursuit of pleasure and worldly achievements when they would also follow the 'law of diminishing utility'.
Hinduism believes that there is a time for everything. The writings of the Ecclisiasts seem to reflect this belief as shown below:6
" To everything there is a season and
A time to every purpose under the Heaven
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to breakdown and a time to build up
A time to weep and a time to laugh
A time to mourn and a time to dance
A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing
A time to seek and a time to lose
A time to keep and a time to cast away
A time to rend and a time to sew
A time to keep silence and a time to speak
A time to love and a time to hate
A time for war and a time for peace"
Thus, Hinduism is not a religion of abnegation. Wealth is no doubt absolutely
necessary for a comfortable life. But, how long does one seek wealth? How
long can one pursue pleasure? Where is the dividing line where they become
excessive, that is, where the search starts hurting persons and society
while the accumulation and enjoyment start obeying the 'law of diminishing
returns'? Well, How long could one continue to be a happy-go lucky person?
Hinduism values all values which people may regard as valuable - comfort, wealth, delight, sex, family life, adventure, reputation. But, over and above all these 'pleasures'- as they really are - there is another kind of good which is spiritual, absolute and ultimate. One can enjoy 'pleasures' in its way - as a by-product may be in many life spans - but the real happiness lies beyond all these which man will ultimately yearn for.
Isavasya Upanishad advises us to enjoy through renunciation. Eckhart
echoes " It is permissible to take life's blessings with both hands, provided
thou dost know thyself prepared in the opposite event to leave them just
as gladly"
How much fame one goes after?. In the long run, one wants something
better, something beyond. Too much indulgence in the pursuit of Artha and
Kama will lead to what is known as the 'frustration syndrome'. A stage
of super - saturation will be reached (whether or not you have enjoyed
your wealth or pleasure to the fullest extent you would have hoped for).
The enjoyment would ere long turn out to be irksome, if not intolerable.
And, that is the point of time when one would naturally look to the final
goal - Moksha.
When you go on staring at something like say T.V. for long hours, your eyes contract what is known as 'Optical fatigue'. Much in the same way, the 'fatigue syndrome' would motivate one to seek the final goal and follow the means to achieve the same.
When one reaches the Zenith of achievement, when almost everything one had aspired for had been realized, one does begin to sense the choking limits of ordinary life. What next? asks the mind. This question is an admission of the realization of the limit of the mundane dimensions. At the boundary of the limit one naturally looks forward to something beyond that might be wholly satisfying, not needing any further prognosis in the search for satisfaction.
The general impression is that the Upanishads enjoin world denial. Nothing can be farther from truth. They advise a spirit of detachment (Vairagya) which is different from indifference to the world. It is NOT giving up of the objects of the world but cultivation of a sense of Non attachment to them.
If one cannot give up attachment and feels incapable of doing so, there
is no bar to cultivate attachment provided that it should be an attachment
to all beings.
Tyaktavyo Mamakaarah, Tyaktum Yadi Sakhyate Na Asou // Kartavyo Mamakaarah,
Kim Tu Sarvatra Kartavyah //
It is a solid fact of life that anything that has a beginning must have an end. Artha and Kama and even Dharma are not exceptions. The only thing that is permanent is 'Moksha'. This is not a cynical statement but a realistic analysis of fact. As one can observe, pleasure is essentially evanescent and our selves are two small to experience everlasting enjoyment.
SECTION 3 : KAMA ( DESIRE )
Man desires happiness and peace of mind. He earns and builds up wealth
for enjoying the same. The more he seeks happiness through these, the more
the problems he faces. He creates complications for himself. He digs a
well and falls into it. He starts a business and burns his fingers. He
loves and languishes; he marries and begets children and suffers the problems
of family life. Life seems miserable from any angle. Therefore, he seeks
a refuge. Others do not listen to his woes or if they do, they seem to
be mighty happy about his predicament. That is when and why he turns to
God. Whether or not God listens to his pleadings in that effort, he seems
to secure some peace of mind which he so anxiously seeks.
SMITH invites us to run through what human wants are, the order in which they appear and how they end up - in these graphic words : "When it (desire) enters a human body, a Jiva wants nothing more than to taste widely of the sense delights its new physical equipment makes possible. With repetition, however, even the most static of these become monotonous, where upon the Jiva turns to social conquest to keep life from becoming insipid. These conquests of the various modes of wealth, fame and power can hold the individual's interest for a considerable time. The stakes are high and their attainment richly gratifying. Eventually, however, this entire program of personal ambition is seen for what it is: a game, a fabulous, exciting, history making game, but a game nonetheless... As long as it holds one's interest, it satisfies. But, as there is no other ground on which to recommend it, when its novelty wears off and the winner finds himself stepping forward to accept the same old laurels that have come his way before, he will find himself reaching out for something new and more deeply satisfying. Duty, the total dedication to one's life to the beloved community, can step in a while to fill the need, but the ironies and anomalies of history make this object too 'a revolving door'. Lean on it and it gives; in time, one discovers that one is going round and round. After social dedication, the only good that can satisfy is infinite and eternal whose realization can turn all experience, even the experience of time and apparent defeat to splendor, as storm clouds drifting down a valley look different viewed from the top of a high mountain bathed in sunshine. The bubble has reached the surface and demands final release"7.
The transitory, evanescent and impermanent nature of world's pleasures are realized by some very early in life and this realization leads them on the path of self evolution depending on their past Karma or Vasanas. In the case of others, it dawns rather too late when they will have not much of either time or energy left for an introspection during this life; While in the case of still others, it never dawns on them (also due to their Karma) entailing their being hurled head-long into the never ending quagmire of 'Samsara' without any hope of redemption.
"Hinduism is intended to interpret reality to Hindus , to make life more meaningful to them, to provide them with a theoretical and practical framework for their individual and corporate existence, to educate them intellectually and morally and finally, to fulfill their longing for ultimate freedom and salvation" -8
We saw that the divine state of man is his natural state but it is covered by the dirt of 'Vasanas' of Karma accumulated over countless lives and to get rid of the Vasanas, the only way is to follow the injunctions prescribed by the Sastras. While the 'natural' state constantly endeavors to lift up man to his divine self, the 'Vasanas' always try to pull him down to a beastly existence. While the former is 'in-built', the latter is 'cultivated' by associations and attachments in this life and past lives. The Sastric injunctions on Dharma leave man to decide for himself what and how he wants to become. Kama' means 'desire', love' not necessarily always of the derogatory type.
Sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches which gratify the senses are indicated in the concept of desire. Even in the case of touch, for example, it has such rich variety as smooth, rough, hot, cold, firm, soft, scratching, smarting, itching, tickling etc., - all that leads to sense of pleasure that makes a person a 'Bhokta'-consumer of pleasure. The desire for pleasure may vary from person to person and for the same person differently at different times and also in point of intensity. What gives pleasure to one may be painful to another. What one considers as an object of pleasure might turn out to be a source of pain in a different context. The intensity of desire may also vary from a mere 'wish' to 'frenzy', 'lust' or 'covetousness'. So long as desire is tempered with Dharma (i.e.) channeled on Dharmic lines, it may motivate a person to action within permissible limits. But, if desire is allowed to degenerate into 'ego' and 'obsession' (i.e.) attachment to the impermanent worldly objects like food, sex, fame, luxury etch - the mischief had already begun blinding the individual to engage in action that takes one on the downward path to destruction. Just like a tortoise which draws its limbs within itself on sensing danger one should learn to shun and insulate oneself when sensual 'pleasures' project a temptation.
Lord Krishna says:
"To the man who keeps on meditating on sense objects, there arises
abundant attachment to them. From such attachment desire is born and from
desire (when unfulfilled) springs anger all around. From anger comes great
confusion (about right and wrong) and from this great confusion loss of
memory. From loss of memory, there arises the destruction of the right
disposition of the mind and from this destruction of intellect, he is lost
and lost forever".9
That is why in our daily prayers, Sandhyavandana, we recite verses invoking God to help save us from Kama (desire) and Krodha (Anger) popularly known as the 'Kamokarsheeth Japa' - which most of us do (at least on the Upakarma day). This is because of all the vices which a human being is heir to - Kama and Krodha constitute the worst 'double jeopardy'.
Anger is sin. It is bad under all circumstances. It was Lakshmana's anger with Surpanaka that led to the abduction of Sita; it was Ravana's anger that led to the war. Most convicts are in jail mainly due to Kama and Krodha and their repercussions. Anger may seem to succeed in the first instance but ultimately it fails. Hinduism has spotted six evil tendencies that tempt and drag man downwards : Kama (Desire), Krodha (Anger) Loba (Miserliness), Moha (Attachments) Madha (Infatuation and self deceit) and Matsarya (Intolerance, Jealousy). We can even say that Krodha and Lobha are but different manifestations of Kama. If what you desire is not secured, it leads to krodha; if you get what you desire, it leads to lobha.
In military, nobody is allowed to lodge a complaint at once. Without anger, the docket explosion in courts will be extinguished; News papers and media will go out of work. We get angry when someone does something wrong (of course, from our subjective point of view) or someone insults us (real or imagined by us). Both are not occasions to get angry. Maybe we are capable of doing the wrong ourselves, if we were in the other person's shoes.
The MRA principle that when you point one finger of accusation against somebody, remember that three other fingers are pointing towards you, suggesting that you are at least three times as capable of committing the wrong you seek to accuse the other person of. Maybe, we deserve the insult. If we remember and consciously endeavor to incorporate these into our thought process - maybe we will not get angry at all.
It is said that 'Hatred does not kill your enemy'; only you will become tensed, only your blood pressure will shoot up. A person who gets angry all the time for anything and everything with or without provocation (which itself may be more imagined than real) will soon lose the sympathy of all. A person who cannot get on with his parents, siblings, spouse, children and other relatives and friends would do well to ponder over where the fault lies. A sensible introspection would reveal that the real culprit to blame for his discomfiture is none other than his own self. And, the sooner he corrects himself, the better for him.
The angry person should remember that the targeted person could not be treated as the speed -punching bag used in boxing exercises, with smug confidence that contrary to its name, the punching bag would never return the punch but would always be at the receiving end. Maybe, if you punch it too hard, and you are not very careful, the punching bag might pounce back upon you with equal speed and hurt you. The other person at the receiving end is not a dumb, feelingless and emotionless moron whom you could hurt with impunity to suit your mood swings and for long - but will be capable of hitting you twice as hard as you hit, but, nevertheless, keeps his cool more out of consideration for your immature antics and lets you let out all your steam than an inability to retort. Maybe, he is conscious of the dictum "Any fool can criticize and most fools do; It takes character and patience to be understanding and forgiving". And, in forgiving and forgetting, that person becomes larger than life-size and that much greater than the petulant, strutting, silly, stupid, stymied you!
Sage Tiruvalluvar cautions that if one does not control anger, it would kill the very person who is getting angry. 10
As Dale Carnegie puts it "If you want to reform somebody, it is a nice idea. But, why not start it on yourself?"11