Goals of Life- Concept of Purusharthas

Our ancient philosophers, spiritual guides and saints studied what should be the purpose and
meaning of human existence. Indian philosophers pursued the quest of having a vision of life,
universe and our relationship with the higher powers. They believed that there existed a supreme
consciousness named Brahman. They spoke about the existence of the soul, Atman as the
essence of human personality. According to our ancient sages the ultimate aim of human life was
to attain moksha wherein the Atman joins the Brahman, breaking free from the karmic life cycles.
The word “Purusharta” means ‘objectives of human life’. Purusha means man and artha means an
object or objective. They serve as guides in the life of man to attain spiritual perfection.
'Purushartha' means, the aims and purposes of life or the Fundamental Aspirations of man. These
values are critical if we want to meet our ultimate goal. The four Fundamental objectives/values
of Life or purushartas are-

Dharma (rightful duty), Artha (material prosperity), Kama (enjoyment), moksha (salvation)

Dharmaartha-kaama-mokshashcha Purushartha Udaahrithah. This Purushartha classification is so

well-established that it forms part of the Samkalpa which is recited by every Hindu supposedly
before any ritual, ceremony or other religious or charitable act is begun. It is evident that all
rituals, ceremony and religious act is performed for the purpose of enabling the individual who
performs it to realize these four Purusharthas of life. Whenever these are mentioned the order
has always been that Dharma was the first, Artha was the second, Kama was the third and the
fourth and last was Moksha. The order of these purushartas remains the same for all Hindus. The
sequence, in which they are referred to has meaning behind it. A change in the arrangement of
these objectives may alter the importance of these four objects of life, and may prove to be
disastrous in consequence. “The attainment of spiritual perfection is like a gradual ascent in the
form of a pyramid. It has a base and it rises gradually, step by step, until the apex at the top is
reached. This pyramidical structure of human life is constituted of four aspects of life, the fourfold
requirements for the very existence of a person.” (Swami Krishnananda). The purushartas
advocate a life of balance and richness and it is important to go through these systematically to
achieve salvation. i.e, we cannot skip artha and kama and move directly into moksha. All the four
objectives have to be pursued in accordance with certain principles. Depending on the way we
pursue them, it relieves us from karmic cycles or entangles us in more cycles.

Dharma –It’s the law of nature, the right deed of individual that leads to contentment in life. It is
an ultimate law that keeps the universe in balance, keeps the body, the mind, reasoning and
society in a state of integration. It’s the law that governs human behavior and at each stage or
phase of life, guides us in the right path and right karma that will help us reach salvation. It is
the law prevailing eternally in the universe everywhere, in every aspect of creation, in every
degree of expression, including our own individual existence.

Artha – This literally means material wealth. The acquisition of wealth is regarded as the
primary purpose of life, as without it, human existence is impossible. The basic needs have to be
met if we have to think about the higher purpose of self-actualization or spiritual growth and
salvation. Artha is the foundation upon which the whole structure of life has been built and all the
other Purusharthas can be achieved only by the fulfillment of this primary purpose in life.
Kaama- This means desire. Desires can be of different kinds. Artha and Kama satisfy the basic
needs of man and often form the two fundamental aspirations of every individual. The material
needs of the body are a significant concern especially in certain stages of human personality
development. As long as we experience our body, it is quite difficult to ignore its requirements.
Everyone, even an advanced spiritual seeker, has certain needs concerning the physical body,
like protection against heat and cold, hunger and thirst, sun and rain, etc. if neglected these
desires can suddenly manifest in forms that may turn aggressive or violent.

Moksha- finally there is the aesthetic longing of the human personality. Now the word Moksha
literally, means deliverance i.e relieving the soul from bondage. Our great philosophers argue
that, so long as the soul is imprisoned in the body, subject to the human tendencies, it will not be
free from misery, pain and suffering of the three kinds. These suffering is Adhi-bhautika
(bodily),Adhi-atmika( mental), and Adhi- daivika( God-made). When birth is at an end, sorrow
ceases and Moksha is attained where the soul is free from the cycle of births and deaths. Hence
according to our Hindu saints and sages, moksha is that ideal state of supreme delight where
there is the cessation of the effects of karma.

These four features of life have to be brought together into a focus of attention at the same time.
These are known as the purusharthas, or objectives of existence, the final objectives of life
known popularly as dharma, artha, kama and moksha, i.e., moral value, economic value, vital
value and eternal value. None of these aspects can be ignored in our life. If we emphasize on one
objective and forget the three others then its likely to stunt the individual growth. All the
purushartas are the foundation that facilitates our ultimate goal towards spiritual perfection. We
may think that moksha comes afterwards since it’s the last of the purrushartas. However,
moksha is not literally the end; it’s present in dharma, artha and kama also, in each stage of our
life we acquire the right karma through the right action, so moksha is ever present in our daily
living. For e.g., as a teacher my dharma would be to help you reach the objectives of this unit by
facilitating an understanding of the concepts in a manner that is easy for you to comprehend and
relate to. If I am able to meet this dharma of mine then in a minute way I have accumulated a
good karam which will add to my moksha. Moksha is not an intangible concept to be achieved by
great sages or evolved beings, you and I and every other human being has equal opportunities to
attain this because we are already connected to a higher being. As we strive towards our greatest
potential and fulfill the larger purpose of our existence, we move closer to the higher power. It is
for us to consider the ways of bringing together the aspirations which are dharma, artha, kama
and moksha in our practical life, in all the different roles we play.

References

Jayaram, V. Purushartas or the Four Aims of Hindu Life. Hinduwebsite.com

Krishnananda, CHAPTER 7: DHARMA, ARTHA, KAMA, MOKSHA—BRAHMACHARYA, GARHASTHYA,

VANAPRASTHA, SANYASA. E- Book.