Philosophy of Ramanuja-concluding part

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Jai Srimannarayana!

Chapter 6- PurushaarTha

 

Purushartha is defined as the objective of human life, or the goal of

endeavour, while the Thatthva is the nature of reality and the Hitha is the path

to attain the ultimate reality.

 

The goals or purushartha according to Vedic tradition are four, namely, dharma,

the ethical values, artha, the economoical values, kaama, seeking pleasures and

moksha, liberation.

 

Moksha is the ultimate goal of human life which means the liberation

from the bondage of karma which leads one to the cycle of birth and

deaths. The other three are only subsidiary values which must be

pursued in such a manner as to lead to the final goal of moksha. The

Lord says in the Bhagavatgita `dharma aviruddha kaamo asmi,' I

am the kama or desire which is unopposed to dharma. It implies that

the kama or sensual enjoyment must be with in the limits of dharma for His sake

and for Him only. To fulfil the desires and also to follow the precepts of

dharma one should earn wealth or go for the objects of desire, again in a manner

not opposed to dharma. The word artha means both wealth and objects of desire.

Since the ultimate aim is moksha all the other purusharthas should be conducive

to that.

 

This interpretation of purushartha:s is accepted by all vedantic

thinkers while each one differs regarding the concept of moksha. The

desire for release from the woes of samsa:ra is deeply implanted in the mind of

men which is why they seek to acquire the knowledge, brahmajijnasa, of the

ultimate reality.

 

Ramanuja writing on the concept of moksha says that it is not the annihilation

of `I' as some profess because in that case no one will wish for release.

 

However this `I' should not be confused with the egotistic self, but the natural

state of the self. Release or moksha therefore consists in the manifestation of

the true self free from sin and the state of infinite joy, and knowledge which

have been obscured by karma.

 

In mukthi the individual soul is not identical with Brahman but attains its real

nature of being inseparable from Brahman. That is, the individual soul is

separate yet united with Brahman and is in the relation of body to soul,

sarira-sariribhava.

 

In chandhogya upanishat it is declared `sa svara:t bhavathi, thasya

sarve:shu lo:ke:shu kama charo: bhavathi, he is self-ruler and moves in all the

worlds according to his desire.'

 

The meaning of the passage beginning with 'sa svara:t bhavathi saya

Ramanuja, is that the released soul, conscious of Brahman and His glories

experiences the objects which lie within the limited spheres of Hiranyagarbha

and the like and does not indicate the powers of controlling the universe on the

part of the individual soul, because they exclusively belong to the Lord. The

equality in attaining the state of mukthi is in enjoyment of bliss. The

individual soul however can assume any form at will and wander all over the

universe.

 

Mukthi is not only the freedom from bondage but also regaining of Paramapadha,

the realm of bliss which the individual soul is entitled to, as its natural

state. Paramapadha is the self luminous suddhasathva and shines in its own

light. This is the world of Brahman, the eternal joy of service, from which

there is no return.

 

Jai Srimannarayana!