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Written by Sri Swami Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati |
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Dharma, artha, kama and moksa are the four purusarthas, the four aims
of life. The first of them, dharma, is a lifelong objective. The pursuit
of
artha (material welfare) and kama (desire, love) must be given up at a
certain stage in a man's life. But so long as such a pursuit lasts, it
must be
based on dharma. When a man renounces the world and becomes an
ascetic, he transcends dharma, but he does not go contrary to it nor
speak against it. Indeed, his life is governed by the dharma of sannyasa.
I have alreAdy spoken about Purvamimamsa (karmakanda) and
Uttaramimamsa (jnanakanda). The Purvamimamsa-sutra opens with
"Athato dharmajignasa", meaning "starting the inquiry into Dharma". The
"Uttaramimamsa-sutra" (or Bramhasutra), on the other hand, starts with
"Athato Bramhajignasa", "meaning"starting the inquiry into the
Brahman".
When you inquire into the Brahmin and meditate on it you are not
conscious of the Dharma. Dharma is for the dualistic world of karma.
Since the phenomenal world does not exist in non-dualistic jnana there
is
no consideration of dharma in it. But this does not mean that [nondualistic
jnana]is contrary or opposed to dharma; and all that is meant is
that it goes beyond dharma. Bhagwan declares in theGita:
"Sarvadharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja" (Forsaking all
dharmas come to me alone for refuge). Are we to construe that the Lord
asks us to go to him for refuge as perpetrators of adharma? The true
meaning of the words of the Lord is this: "Give up all inquiry into
dharma
and adharma. Go beyond them and comprehend the Object that is the
source of both". What is sought is an inward experience. The actions
performed by the jnanins who have their inner realisation will naturally
be in conformity with the dharma. The doings of the high-souled ascetics
may not be consciously based on dharma, but, nevertheless, they would
be nothing but dharmic.
All told, dharma is always a part of man's life. When he reaches a high
spiritual state, he may not be conscious of it, but dharma will abide
him
and will keep shining as a light in all that he does.
The pursuit of the second of the four aims of life, artha, must be based
on
dharma. The same applies to the third aim, that of kama. Kalidasa
expresses the same thought in his Raghuvamsam when he speaks in
praise of Dilipa: "Abhyarthakamau tasyastam dharma eva manisinah"
(With Dilipa, the wise, even artha and kama were of the nature of
dharma). The householder's stage of life commences with marriage. In it
both material wellbeing
and desire have their source in dharma. The
student-bachelor and the ascetic are not concerned with the acquisition
of wealth or carnal pleasure. The householder's stage of life, or,
grhasthasrama, is a bridge between the two and in it both are permitted
[within the bounds of dharma]
A man needs money and material goods to live in this world. As for kama
or carnal desire, it is needed so that children may be born according to
their past karma. Until we have lived out our karma we too will have to
be in this world. In this way if we want to give a "chance" to others,
we
have to earn money and experience kama so that they [these others] may
be born again. We need householders to feed sannyasins who have given
up karma. It would not be practical for all people in this world to
become
ascetics. The sastras extol householders as the backbone of the society
since they live, or are expected to live, according to the dictates of
the
dharma and fulfil the requirements of student-bachelors and ascetics.
After completing one's student-bachelorhood and acquiring learning and
good qualities, one must marry so as to perform religious rites and live
a
life guided by dharma. Marriage is included among the forty samskaras,
which fact shows that it is a sacred rite that sanctifies life. Just as
upanayana is preliminary (purvanga) to the student-bachelor's stage of
life, marriage is preliminary to that of the householder. Its purpose is
disciplining the senses and the basis for the performance of various
duties.
The householder's life is not to be taken to mean merely the enjoyment
of sensual pleasure along with the carrying out of duties that mean good
to the world. The fact is that the sastras have formulated this stage of
life
in such a way as to make kama itself instinct with dharma. "Dharma"
means essentially bringing everything within certain limits, under a
certain discipline and decorum. Kama must be inspired by dharma, that is
one must bridle one's passions in one's conjugal life, so that, step by
step,
the carnal urge will lose its keenness and eventually one will gain
mellowness to graduate to sannyasa. That stage, though, comes later. But
at first, even now, in the householder's stage of life, the passions
have to
be curbed, little by little, but not forcibly. In the gurukula the
celibatestudent
is brought under strict discipline. That saves him from being
swept away by animal passion.
Though we talk of animal passion, we must note that animals mate only
during a particular season. They have the sexual urge only when the
female of the species is ready for pregnancy. Man is baser in such
matters. Brahmacarya helps to control the carnal urge as it first shows
up.
Then, in the householder's life, since kama is made subservient to
dharma, the passions are kept under check.
What is the sastric method to control the carnal urge? From the day of a
women's period there should be no intercourse for four days. Then it is
permitted for twelve days. Again there should be no intercourse until
the
women has her next period. Even during the twelve days mentioned
above the couple should not meet during the new moon, on days
conjoined by certain asterisms, etc., If such rules are followed the
couple
will remain healthy mentally as well as physically. |
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