History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.266

v7.c93.266

Vidhis are also divided into *Kratvartha* (for the rite) and *Puruṣārtha* (for the man) They are concerned with 'Prayukti'. (motivating force) which is the subject of chapter IV of the P.M. S. P. M. S. IV. 1. 2 defines ²⁰⁰⁴ *puruṣārtha* and Śabara advances three interpretations of that sūtra, one of which is '(Puruṣārtha) is that matter on doing which follows the happiness of man, as its understanding is due to man's desire for obtaining it (happiness) and puruṣārtha (man's purpose) is not different (from happiness)'. From this rather obscure and clumsy definition it appears to follow that puruṣārtha is what a man ordinarily undertakes for securing the reward of happiness, while kratvartha is that which helps in the accomplishment of puruṣārtha and does not itself directly yield any reward to the performer. All principal sacrifices like Darśa-pūrṇamāsa are included under puruṣārtha, while under kratvartha are put all those auxiliary acts that have the purpose of accomplishing the principal rite itself e. g. the five²⁰⁰⁵ prayājas that are auxiliary to the Darśapūrṇamāsa are Kratvartha, while Darśapūrṇamāsa itself is puruṣārtha. The importance of this distinction lies in this that if what is kratvartha is not followed the rite itself becomes defective, while if what is puruṣārtha is not followed, the result is that the man-himself becomes blamable or sinful but the undertaking or rite does not become defective. One set of the three interpretations of P. M. S. IV. 1. 2 given by Śabara is that it refers to the rules about the acquisition of wealth viz. that a brāhmaṇa should earn wealth by receiving gifts, a kṣatriya by conquest and a vaiśya by agriculture and the like (vide Gaut X. 40-42, Manu X. 76-79). These are in the nature of niyamas. If the acquisition of wealth is kratvartha and, if one acquires wealth by means other than those prescribed by the Śāstra and performs a sacrifice with such wealth, the sacrifice itself would be defective and would not yield the desired reward. But if the acquisition of wealth be puruṣārtha, then, by whatever means wealth with which a yāga is to be performed be obtained, the sacrifice would not be affected. The Mit on²⁰⁰⁶ Yāj. II. 114 quotes a passage from Guru Prabhākara (vide note 1947) which is quoted by the Dāyabhāga also (II. 67) but without name, while the Sm. C. II. pp. 257-58), Madanaratna (on Vyavahāra pp. 324-325) and Vyavahāraprakāśa (p. 420) quote a similar passage from the Nayaviveka. Viśvarūpa also on Yāj. II. 144 holds that rules about acquisition of wealth are 'puruṣārtha'. To acquire wealth is natural to man and acquisition of wealth does not depend upon Śāstra. Besides, every one can directly perceive that wealth when earned confers pleasure on the acquirer. Therefore, wealth is puruṣārtha and sacrifices which are performed with wealth are also puruṣārtha. The general rule is that all aṅgas (auxiliary rites) are kratvartha and all principal rites (like Darśapūrnamāsa, Somayāga) are puruṣārtha; all texts prescribing the rewards of rites are puruṣārtha. Some individual examples may be given.