ARTHA and KAMA at different times and in such a manner that they may harmonize together
and not clash in any way. He should acquire learning in his childhood, in his youth and middle
age he should attend to Artha and Kama, and in his old age he should perform Dharma, and thus
seek to gain Moksha, i.e. release from further transmigration. Or, on account of the uncertainty of
life, he may practice them at times when they are enjoined to be practiced. But one thing is to be
noted, he should lead the life of a religious student until he finishes his education.
DHARMA is obedience to the command of the Shastra or Holy Writ of your particular religion to
do certain things, such as the performance of sacrifices, which are not generally done, because
they do not belong to this world, and produce no visible effect; and not to do other things, such as
eating meat, which is often done because it belongs to this world, and has visible effects. Dharma
should be learnt from the Shruti (Holy Writ / Hindu religious book), and from those conversant
with it.
ARTHA is the acquisition of arts, land, gold, cattle, wealth, equipages and friends. It is, further,
the protection of what is acquired, and the increase of what is protected. Artha should be learnt
from the king's officers, and from merchants who may be versed in the ways of commerce.
KAMA is the enjoyment of appropriate objects by the five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing,
tasting and smelling, assisted by the mind together with the soul. The ingredient in this is a
peculiar contact between the organ of sense and its object, and the consciousness of pleasure
which arises from that contact is called Kama.
When all the three, viz. Dharma, Artha and Kama, come together, the former is better than the
one which follows it, i.e. Dharma is better than Artha, and Artha is better than Kama. But
Artha should always be first practiced by the king for the livelihood of men is to be obtained from
it only. Again, Kama being the occupation of public women, they should prefer it to the other two,
and these are exceptions to the general rule.
Objection 1
People ask : Religious ordinances should not be observed, for they bear a future fruit, and at the
same time it is also doubtful whether they will bear any fruit at all. What foolish person will give
away that which is in his own hands into the hands of another? Moreover, it is better to have a
pigeon today than a peacock tomorrow; and a copper coin which we have the certainty of
obtaining, is better than a gold coin, the possession of which is doubtful.
Answer
It is not so.
1st. Holy Writ, which ordains the practice of Dharma, does not admit of a doubt.
2nd. Sacrifices such as those made for the destruction of enemies, or for the fall of rain, seen to
bear fruit.
3rd. The sun, moon, stars, planets and other heavenly bodies appear to work intentionally for the
good of the world.
4th. the existence of this world is affected by the observance of the rules respecting the four
classes of men and their four stages of life.
5th. We see that seed is thrown into the ground with the hope of future crops.
We are therefore of opinion that the ordinances of religion must be obeyed.
Objection 3
Those who believe that destiny is the prime mover of all things say: We should not exert
ourselves to acquire wealth, for sometimes it is not acquired although we strive to get it, while at
other times it comes to us of itself without any exertion on our part. Everything is therefore in the
power of destiny, who is the lord of gain and loss, of success and defeat, of pleasure and pain.
Answer
It is not right to say so. As the acquisition of every object presupposes at all events some exertion
on the part of man, the application of proper means may be said to be the cause of gaining all our
ends, and this application of proper means being thus necessary (even where a thing is destined
to happen), it follows that a person who does nothing will enjoy no happiness.
Objection 4
Those who are inclined to think that Artha is the chief object to be obtained argue thus. Pleasures
should not be sought for, because they are obstacles to the practice of Dharma and Artha, which
are both superior to them, and are also disliked by meritorious persons. Pleasures also bring a
man into distress, and into contact with low persons; they cause him to commit unrighteous
deeds, and produce impurity in him; they make him regardless of the future, and encourage
carelessness and levity. And lastly, they cause him to be disbelieved by all, received by none,
and despised by everybody, including himself. It is notorious, moreover, that many men who have
given themselves up to pleasure alone, have been ruined along with their families and relations.
Answer
This objection cannot be sustained, for pleasures, being as necessary for the existence and well
being of the body as food, are consequently equally required. They are, moreover, the results of
Dharma and Artha. Pleasures are, therefore, to be followed with moderation and caution. No one
refrains from cooking food because there are beggars to ask for it, or from sowing seed
because there are deer to destroy the corn when it is grown up. Thus a man practicing Dharma,
Artha and Kama enjoys happiness both in this world and in the world to come. The good perform
those actions in which there is no fear as to what is to result from them in the next world, and in
which there is no danger to their welfare. Any action which conduces to the practice
of Dharma, Artha and Kama together, or of any two, or even one of them,
should be performed, but an action which conduces to the practice of one
of them at the expense of the remaining two should not be performed.
