The Purpose of Human Life — Purusharth
What is the Purpose of Life?
Why was human life created on this planet?
How to live, lead, meaningful life for the time one has on this earth?
What is Purushartha?
Purushartha’, (पुरुषार्थ), the only way to seek truth and attain salvation. Puruṣārtha literally means an “object of human pursuit”.
What is Dharma?
Dharma is the moral law governing individual conduct. In other words, dharma is the doctrine, the universal truth common to all individuals at all times. The basic principles of cosmic or individual existence: Divine law.
Let’s progress
1. Why Souls take human form?
It’s a blessing for a soul to get Human life and hence it’s should be appropriately used. A soul has to pass through 84 lacs life forms to attain human life.
3 reasons /purpose for attaining human life form.
1. To attain Gyan or knowledge. Gyan or knowledge can’t be attained by the soul and it needs a body (medium) to attain Gyan, post which one gets enlightenment, and then Moksha.
2. To attain Moksha, or for one to get out of the circle of life and death, after fulfilling ones Insatiated desires (kama) which are in line with Dharma (Not Dharma avirudh Kama)
3. To benefit every life form existing on this planet. (Question one should ask — Is one useful to someone or something beyond oneself?)
For Gyan and Moksha one needs to live a life of Karmayogis and Dharma.
2. Purshartha
There are four Purusharthas
a. Dharma — The right thing, the righteousness.
b. Artha — Money, Wealth
c. Kama — Desire
d. Moksha — Liberation of Soul, Unification of Soul with Parmatma, Breaking the Cycle of Birth, Life & death.
3. Mantra — धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः — Dharma Protects the Protector
Vows -
I will follow Dharma.
I will protect Dharma.
4. Levels of Dharma -
a. Vyakti Dharma — Swadharama — Individual Dharma
(I) Samanya Dharma — Common Dharma which each individual should pursue. One of the Samanya Dharma includes — Swasthya Dharma — Health Dharma
It’s of 3 kinds:
(i) Physical Health
(ii) Mental & Emotional Health
(iii) Spiritual Health
Health is important, as a healthy mind, a healthy body, and a healthy heart energize and enable Karma which can be beneficial for the family, community, society, or Nation.
One is only the trustee or custodian of one’s own body and this body belongs to the family, then society, and then nation as stated above.
(II) Vishesh Dharma — Specific to one’s profession, virtues, and position.
(III) Shreshtra Dharma — This is also the Dharma of Leaders. Not by position but by virtues. Practicing Shreshtra Dharma at any level will aid in attaining a leadership mindset and then the leadership itself.
It is of two types.
Behaviour Or Aacharan — A few of them include: Having Polite & Inspiring Language, Excellent behavior with everyone, being punctual, committed, sticking to ones words, etc.
Higher Standards of Actions and commitment as compared to other common humans.
b. Organisational Dharma — Dharma in relation to every stakeholder — Internal & External.
Internal includes, Shareholders, Employees, employees families, Board members, suppliers, vendors, distributors, wholesalers, customers and other internal stakeholders where the impact can be made directly.
External Includes, community, society, local ecology, nation, and Mother Nature at large.
c. Raj Dharama — Explained well in Ramayan — How should one take care of One’s kingdom and one’s Praja (its people). (Lord Ram’s Father King Dashrath explains him about Raj Dharma in EPIC Ramayan.)
d. Rashtra (Country) Dharma — This is Supreme and supersedes all other Dharma. Duty & Responsibility to Motherland is Foremost & Absolute.
e. Varna Ashram Dharma — Knowing and then transmitting the values & ethos to the forthcoming generations.
f. Jeeva Ashram Dharma — Dharma at various stages of Life. Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (renunciate)
When two Dharma clash, the Higher Dharma Should Prevail.
5. Duryodha’s Dilemma — (Dilemma of an evil man)
दुर्योधन उवाच । — Duryodhan Speaks —
जानामि धर्मं न च मे प्रवृत्ति-
र्जानामि पापं न च मे निवृत्तिः ।
केनापि देवेन हृदि स्थितेन यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा करोमि
I know what dharma is, but I cannot abide by it. I know that adharma is, but I cannot revoke myself from it. I will do whatever I feel is right.
Duryodhan is pursuing Adharma as he can’t shed his EGO & FALSE SENSE of PRIDE.
6. Artha with Dharma -
Pursue Artha with Dharma so that Artha can stay, else Artha will come & will go away quickly or will bring unhappiness, illness and clashes.
a. Earn in a dharmic way.
b. Spend or invest for wholesome purposes.
7. Dharma aviruddha Kama -
Pursue desires which are in line with one’s Dharma so that one and everyone around one also benefits from that Kama.
Gradually reduce desires and use time and energy more for spiritual development.
ॐ गुरुर्ब्रह्मा ग्रुरुर्विष्णुः,गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः,गुरुः साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म, तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः!!
Om Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwarah, Gurur Saakshaat Parbrahma, Tasmai Shri Guruve Namah
Guru: Dispeller of Darkness; Gu=Darkness, Ru=Remover
Brahma: Creator; Personification of Creating Quality of God
Vishnu: Preserver; Personification of Preserving quality of God
Deva: God
Maheshwara: Destroyer; Personification of Destroying Quality of God
Saakshaat: Self/ Himself
ParaBrahma: He who is the highest Lord; Consciousness
Tasmai: To him/ To such
Sri: Holy, splendorous
Namaha: Salutations
Gratitude to our Guru Dharm Pracharak, Bheeshma Pitamah awardee Padma Bhushan, Dr. Mrityunjay Athreya and my fellow Advisory board members at Sarthak Educational trust for having this Satsang where knowledge could be imparted by our Guru and being shared by one and all.
Do write to me should you need any help to find your true-self if you are lost in this world.
