History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.194

v7.c95.194

The gist of these two passages is that works and conduct done in this life fashion a man's future life and that the present birth of a man depends on his actions and conduct in a past life or lives. But works and conduct are the result of volition or will and this last is due to desires. A man may have several desires, he may curb some of them, but may make a resolve to consummate some of his desires. Therefore, desires (*kāma*) are the root of volition, of works and conduct and ultimately of the cycle of birth and deaths (that is called '*saṃsāra*'). Hence Śaṅkarācārya, following the idea of the verse '*yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā*' (in Br. Up. IV. 5. 7) says '*Kāmo mūlaṃ saṃsārasya*' (Kāma is the root of saṃsāra).