IKS07 Purushartha and the Chakras: Life's Goals in Indian Thought

Core Concepts of the Indian Knowledge System (Brahmanda Purana & Related Ideas)

Dr Sudheendra S G drawing heavily from the Brahmanda Purana and broader Indian knowledge systems, outlines a sophisticated framework for understanding human purpose, action, and the very nature of existence. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of the individual, the universe, and the pursuit of meaningful goals.

1. Purushaartha: The Learner's Goal in Life

Central to the Indian knowledge system is the concept of Purushaartha, defined as "the learners motive or goal in life." This goal-oriented approach is fundamental to Vedic learning, tailoring education to what the student aims to achieve. The Brahmanda Purana posits that a person's purushaartha is linked to the "level of purusha in his body."

2. Purusha, Maya, and the Nature of Motion (Kriye vs. Karma)

• Purusha and Maya: Purusha (the soul/consciousness) enters the body through the mooladhara chakra. Its ascent is hindered by maaya, "the illusion created due to the interaction of purusha with prakrithi ie the matters in this universe."
• Kriye (Motion without Interference of Purusha): Any motion in the universe "without the interference of purusha is called kriye." This includes external phenomena like "sun rise, sun set, wind blowing, rain" (bahyika kriye) and internal bodily processes such as "heartbeat, digestion, blood flow, new cell creations" (antarika kriye).
• Karma (Motion with Interference of Purusha): In contrast, "any motion that happens in this world with the interference of purusha is called as karma." Karma is conscious action, stemming "from our mind. From our consciousness." Examples include wanting to run, sleep, or fight.

3. The Body as a Universe: The Role of the Soul and Tripartite Functions

The Brahmanda Purana offers a profound metaphor: "Our body itself is an universe." It describes nearly 64,000 internal processes and "around 64 lakh creatures that are living inside our body." Just as God controls the universe, "the god or the controller of our body is our soul. Our consciousness."

The internal kriyes (processes) within the body are divided into three major divisions, akin to factory departments:

• Vaata: Related to energy generation. "This vaata process is driven by a god called Vaayu the air," involving oxygen intake, conversion to carbon dioxide, and blood circulation.
• Pitta: Linked to metabolism and manufacturing. "Pitta is all about metabolosim it can be compared to a manufacturing line in a factory," responsible for "creates new cells, enzymes, acids for digestion and also manages waste." It is "driven by the god called agni. The fire."
• Kalpa: Pertains to lubrication and temperature regulation. "Kalpa is all about body lubrication. It maintains the temperature of the body," and its representing deity is "jala. Jala means water."

These three functions (Vaayu, Agni, Jala) depend on Pancha Boothas (five basic ingredients): Vaayu (air), Agni (fire), Jala (water), Prithvi (ground), and Aakash (space).

4. Three Destinations of Conscious Karma: Artha, Dharma, Moksha (and their Counterparts)

While Pancha Bootha processes run autonomously, the soul (consciousness) performs actions (karma) directed towards three destinies:

• Artha: "Doing all the work for himself. Doing something for our own benefit."
• Dharma: "Doing some work of action for the benefit of others."
• Moksha: "Doing something to contribute to the creator or god."

The text also highlights the negative counterparts:

• Anartha: "If we do anything that creates harm to ourself."
• Adharma: "If we do something that harms our society."
• Naraka: "If we do something against the god."

5. Purushaartha and the Chakra System: From Survival to Materialism

A person's purushaartha is linked to where the atma (soul/consciousness) is "stuck in the seven energy centers of our body." The text details the first two levels:

• Mooladhara Chakra (Survival - Jijivisha/Shudra):
• Obstacle: Fear. This creates an instinct for survival.
• Purushaartha: Jijivisha – the goal is "just to survive. All he needs is food, shelter and cloth."
• Category: Those whose purusha is stuck here are called Shudras. The text explicitly states, "shudra is not a caste. shudra defines a man’s ambition in life." These individuals are trained to be "a helping hand to other purushas who are aiming high above him," performing basic tasks like cleaning ("clearing and keeping the environment clean"). Bhagavad Gita is cited: "every man is born as shudra," his initial instinct being survival.
• Swadishtadhara Chakra (Pleasure/Materialism - Artha/Vaishya):
• Obstacle: Guilt, arising from "love for materialistic world." The purusha "starts to fall in love with things" (tasty food, big houses, extraordinary clothes) and feels guilt from comparing themselves to others.
• Purushaartha: Artha – "to attain all the materialistic comforts of life," focusing on "money."
• Category: These individuals are called Vaishyas. The Indian knowledge system trains them in "artha which is nothing but the business management, trade and commerce of today." The text proudly asserts that "the world’s best businessmen, traders and people who created wealth are from our vedic learning system," pointing to the art of wealth creation mastered by ancient Indian civilization.

6. Historical Context: Vedic Learning and Ancient Indian Commerce

The text briefly touches upon the historical impact of the Vedic learning system:

• It claims that Homo sapiens in India, influenced by Vedic learning "around 55,000 years back," built advanced cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
• It introduces the Sangama Literature (200 BCE to 200 CE), particularly Tamil texts, as evidence of extensive trade by Southern Indian kingdoms (Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas) with the Roman Empire and Southeast Asia. This literature is presented as crucial for understanding India's historical strength in trade and business, emphasizing its importance akin to "working in the field of computers today without knowing about apple and steve jobs." The "Dravidians" are identified as the original settlers in India, including figures from Indian mythology like Rama and Krishna.

In essence, the document presents a holistic view where individual purpose (purushaartha) is deeply intertwined with a sophisticated understanding of the body, mind, and universe, all supported by a rich historical tradition of knowledge and practical application, including wealth creation.