Animals live their lives bound by the cycles of nature. Only a human being can think, explore and experience the ultimate Truth. Human birth is a gift, but how to make the best use of it, live meaningfully, and fulfil life’s purpose? Our ancient shastras consider the purpose of life to be fourfold: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Revered Gurudev Anandmurti Gurumaa unveils their true meaning, outlining a map of a life well-lived.
Dharma, the Foundation
A revered Mahatma used to say that if parents don’t teach their child dharma and introduce them to the Guru and shastras, they become their offspring’s greatest enemies. The father who doesn’t put a rosary bead into their child’s hands, the mother who doesn’t narrate the invaluable stories of Dhruva and Prahlada to her child are doing them a great disservice. For one who doesn’t cultivate dharma, in the end, death is the only reality of such a life. Such a person is likely to be greedy, ill-tempered, attached and blind to Truth.
Become an engineer, a doctor, or a lawyer – there is no restriction. But the question is whether the foundation of your learning was dharma or bhoga (worldly indulgence). Ninety-nine per cent of parents raise their children to become bhogis, not dharmic individuals. Even if they were to bring their children to the Master, the training remains the same. This happens here, too. They come seeking blessings for exams, and later return with sweets, saying, “Guruji, I got a job because of your blessings.” I always say, “Dear child, you studied and got the job with your competence.” After that, I never see their faces again! They get caught up in earning money and spending it on designer clothes, restaurants, and foreign travel.
So, is the foundation and aim of your education dharma or adharma? Without dharma in place, knowledge becomes harmful. Dharma does not simply mean going to the temple and doing a pranam – it should be part of your life. It’s about how you eat, speak and interact, even how you enjoy pleasures. Once the foundation of dharma becomes strong, the person is fit to pursue artha.
Artha, Leading A Meaningful Life
Artha also means money, but there is a deeper connotation to it: don’t do meaningless (arthaheen) things! Waking up, running around the whole day, making money, eating and drinking and going to sleep – only to repeat the same cycle the next day. Yes, the money aspect of artha is achieved, but what is the meaning of doing all this? Instead of browsing Facebook for two hours, the child could read a good book. They could learn, say, about Acharya Chanakya, how King Vikramaditya ruled, Kashmir’s Shaiva tradition, or about the life of Adi Shankaracharya, who completed all his important spiritual writings by the age of sixteen! But when your children turn sixteen, they start running after the opposite sex, and you begin planning their marriage. Once they get married, they bear two to four more children. Where is the meaning, the artha, in this?
Artha signifies giving meaning to whatever you do. Act with purpose and resolve (sankalpa). Reflect on your actions: does this elevate my inner self? Does it make me pious, or bring ekagrata to my mind? Does it make me a peaceful, calm, patient and considerate person, helping me fulfil my responsibilities efficiently? Was the wealth earned solely for the selfish desire of enjoyment or with the resolve to grow into a yogi?
Remember, sages say that money earned through fraudulent means will be spent on fighting legal battles or paying hospital bills. Or the progeny may be crooked and squander your wealth.
Kama, Fulfilling One’s Wishes
After dharma and artha comes kama. Our shastras don’t ask you to abstain from fulfilling your desires. Make money, and enjoy yourself, too. However, they guide us scientifically on how to enjoy wisely. For example, after preparing food, offer it to God first. If you eat after mentally offering it – prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate – your food becomes prasad.
If a husband and wife enjoy each other according to the regulations laid down in the shastras, there is surely no objection to it. Wearing good clothes is fine, as is building a beautiful house. But one who is solely inclined to indulgence gradually drifts off the path. That’s why shastras emphasise that the foundation of dharma should be strong before engaging in kama, sensory pleasures.
Moksha, Final Emancipation
Following dharma, artha and kama comes moksha. I hardly get to see people desiring moksha; most are interested only in bhoga, indulgence. Attaining moksha is possible only in a human birth, but only those who feel bound seek liberation, not those who find comfort (sukha) in mundane life.
One who earns wealth on the foundation of dharma and uses it to satiate their kamana (desires), will soon feel, “I have seen everything, only to find it hollow. I have wandered enough in ignorance, whereas the essence lies in God. How can I attain God, the supreme Self, and be free from this darkness? From now on, I will contemplate only this.” Moksha is for the one who has seen and experienced the world and strives to be freed from the clutches of samsara, from the mind.
Some rare ones, endowed with wisdom and a refined intellect, understand this even at a young age. Others waste their entire lives consumed by the pursuit of wealth and family, only to say in old age, “Why chase after this world?” Such a statement stems from regret, not wisdom. If this realisation did not arise earlier, it is merely the result of disappointment, hopelessness, and frustration.
These four pearls of dharma, artha, kama and moksha, should become a part of your life. For that, vichara (contemplation on scriptural truisms) is needed. Refine your intellect through the study of the Bhagavad Gita.
Yoga Is The Art of Working Skilfully
Sri Krishna says in Chapter Two:
buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduśhkṛte |
tasmādyogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam || 50 ||
First, understand what is virtue and vice (punya and papa), then rise above these dualities. Attain a distilled intellect and become established in yoga, yujyasva yogah. Then, whatever you do will be done with proficiency – yogah karmasu kaushalam.
In our lives, there will be some beautifully completed actions, whereas others will not meet our expectations. No problem, just don’t be attached to them. Our actions turn out poorly only when we don’t do them skilfully. Perform them beautifully, with a focused mind. Then, such an act will not remain incomplete; it will give satisfaction.
See, after receiving gyāna from Sri Krishna, did Arjuna become a Babaji? No, he picked up his weapons to fight a war for dharma. When it comes to the protection of the vulnerable and dharma, there is no sin in picking up a sword. Fighting against a tyrant is part of dharma and does not violate ahimsa, non-violence.
After being engaged in actions for many years, a time came when he felt it was enough. Then the five Pandavas and Draupadi went to Badrinath for vanaprastha, doing tapasya. Then, moving up into higher regions of the Himalayas, one by one, they left their bodies.
Had it been today’s times and the Pandavas carrying any inclination for bhoga, then after becoming old and sick, they would lie in some expensive hospital on ventilator support. But long before this could have happened, the Pandavas renounced worldly life, practised tapasya in solitude and left their bodies in dignity. And this is not only the story of Pandavas – even Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti decided to embrace vanaprastha after the kingdom was handed over to Yudhishthira. To perform spiritual practices, they resided in the jungle near the ashrams of Rishis. Even Dhritarashtra had enough intelligence to understand that the final part of his life should be devoted to sadhana, rather than entanglement in worldly affairs, sons and grandsons.
Towards a Higher Understanding
Making our life beautiful and excellent is in our hands. If we remain trapped in the quagmire of bondage, we will never understand this. The way is to mould our minds towards dharma and equip them with viveka, performing actions selflessly (nishkama). All this will happen only when you listen to the supreme wisdom, brahmavidya – Who am I? Who is Paramatman?
“Yo māṁ paśhyati sarvatra sarvaṁ cha mayi paśhyati.” If you gain the perspective that God is in everyone, whatever action you perform will be done well – yogah karmasu kaushalam. Again, wearing a loincloth and sitting on the banks of the Ganga doesn’t make you a yogi. The likes of Arjuna, Yudhishthira, King Janaka, or Sri Ram are ideals for us to remember. They were gyanis, liberated. But as long as required, they performed all their virtuous deeds, without doership. An ignorant person brings their I into every act they do. A devotee says You in every act, whereas a gyani says neither I nor You; for them, everything is happening, and whatever happens is good.
Bringing the foundation of dharma into one’s life is most important. This is the secret of karma. If this understanding arises, life will be blessed. Study the Gita again and again. It reveals the mahamantra: act skillfully, but without ego or attachment. Those who truly hear this song of God, the Gita, become godly themselves. Strive to understand these secrets of karma so that your life becomes meaningful. And through you, let this understanding reach your near and dear ones, too.
