All posts in this series
- Life Guidance through Niti Chalisa
- Key to Happiness
- Seeking Fulfilment
- Greatness of Acharyas & The Purusharthas
- Road to Abundance
- Value of Time
- Free Yourself from Rina
- Cow Slaughter Is Prohibited
- Steps Towards Moksha
- Dharmic Distribution of Wealth
- Development – The Hindu Way
- Source of Great Punyas
- Five Important J’s
- Preserving the Virtuous
- Protect Cows & Bless Yourself
- Cows as Integral Part of Yajnas
- Importance of Rinamukti
कामस्य नेन्द्रियप्रीतिर्लाभो जीवेत यावता । जीवस्य तत्त्वजिज्ञासा नार्थो यश्चेह कर्मभिः ।।
(श्रीमद्भागवत १.२.१०)
विषयोपभोगरूप कामकी सार्थकता स्वस्थ तथा प्रिय, मोद, प्रमोदकर सुखद जीवनकी समुपलब्धिमें सन्निहित है, न कि इन्द्रियप्रीतिमें। अभीष्ट विषयकी समुपलब्धिसे सुलभ आह्लाद प्रिय है। उसके सेवनसे सुलभ उन्नत आह्लाद मोद है। उसके यथेच्छ उपभोगसे सुलभ आह्लाद प्रमोद है। इन्द्रियप्रीतिरूपा निर्मलता की सार्थकता इन्द्रियसमुदायरूप करणग्राम से स्वयं को विविक्त और इनका प्रयोक्ता जीवरूप समझनेमें है। ऐसे जीवकी सार्थकता भी जीवनधन अद्वय विज्ञानघन ब्रह्मसंज्ञक परमात्मस्वरूप भगवत्तत्त्वकी जिज्ञासा में सन्निहित है, न कि कर्मानुष्ठानके द्वारा लौकिक अर्थ, कामादिकी समुपलब्धिमें और देहपातके पश्चात् स्वर्गादि लोकोंमें उत्क्रमण और पुनर्भवकी प्राप्तिमे सन्निहित है।।
Essence
The fulfilment of desires lies in the attainment of a healthy, delightful, pleasurable and comfortable life, and not in sensual pleasures. The joy that comes from the complete attainment of the desired object is dear to us. Pleasure is heightened by the consumption of the object of our desire. There is joy and happiness that can be achieved by consuming it as per your wish.
Our senses can attain purity when we attempt to understand ourselves as separate from the sense organs that are engaged in gaining temporary fulfilment through consumption of what is desired.
The significance and the true wealth of life lies in the curiosity and enquiry to the Supreme Godhead, the Brahman, the non-dual science, and not in the worldly pleasures, including the sensual pleasures, and the attainment of transformation and rebirth in the heavenly worlds after the fall of the body.
The aim of kāma is not just the satisfaction of the senses.
One must consume only as much as one can manage in one’s life. We, as humans, sometime exceed our limits and suffer heavily from it. The only solution to manage this is by the control of senses. That is, one should enjoy only as much material things as is sufficient to live one’s life.
The aim of life of human beings is not the attainment of just heavenly fruits through rituals (since there is a still scope from falling from that elevated position), but the objective is to inquire into the essence of Self and attain ultimate freedom.
The fruit of enjoyment (kāma) is not to satisfy the senses, but to enjoy only as much as is enough to sustain life. The fruit of life is in the spirit of enquiry into the Brahman i.e, tatvajijñāsa & not the attainment of heaven through deeds, writes Śrīdharācārya in his commentary.
Saṃskṛta meanings in context: kāma- consumption of bhojñasāmagri, tattvajijñāsā – curiosity to know about the Supreme Truth or Brahman (in vedānta), Brahma/brahman : the Supreme godhead/ Supreme Truth.
Note: Read about Our Objectives & Greatness of Acharyas for further understanding of puruṣārtha’s