The Hindu Article - Goal of human birth

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Date:15/08/2003 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2003/08/15/stories/2003081500060800.htm

 

Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Goal of human birth

 

CHENNAI AUG.15 . The Upanishads, which are the concluding section of

the Vedas, deal with the ultimate good of human life in the world—

liberation from bondage. The Vedic way of life envisages four

pursuits for man to lead a fulfilled life. These four ends termed as

Purusharathas are Dharma, Kama, Artha and Moksha. While the first

three values are exhaustively dealt with in the Vedas the shift of

emphasis to liberation is seen in the Upanishads. It is natural for a

person to pursue those desires, which are familiar to him. As the

first three objectives relate to the world of day-to-day experience

everyone is able to relate to them and pursue them while it is not so

as far as Moksha is concerned. So, the majority are even unaware

about the goal of liberation, which is the very purpose of human

birth.

 

Then it becomes imperative for every person fortunate to be born as a

human being to know how to develop interest in spiritual life so that

he can utilise this birth to his advantage. The important

prerequisite is purity of mind— a mind that is not distracted by

sensory attractions. How is it possible to control the senses? The

scriptures have prescribed certain obligatory duties, which must be

performed everyday, the performance of which will lead to control of

the mind. The Taittiriya Upanishad explains the subject of

spirituality in three sections. The progression of the study in this

text is tailored to enable even a beginner on the spiritual path to

understand the importance of the subject matter, said Sri Mani Dravid

Sastri in his discourse.

 

The first section explains how to worship the different deities for

scriptural study to be successful. This is necessary because just as

in any worldly enterprise even in the pursuit of the spiritual goal

there are bound to be obstacles. And, in the matter of Self-knowledge

it is said that the celestials pose difficulties for one who

seriously pursues it as interest in spirituality and the desire for

liberation are very rare to be found. To ward off such snags it is

essential to pray to them so that they will instead aid the spiritual

aspirant in his quest.

 

Another topic taken for treatment right at the outset in this

Upanishad is the importance of proper recitation as even a small

mistake in pronunciation gives a different meaning. Why should this

topic be taken up here? This is to dispel the wrong notion that may

arise that enunciation of the text is not important in the case of

the Upanishad as it is for the Vedic Mantras.

 

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