History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c96.s1.41

v7.c96.s1.41

Hindu thought on the three goals of human life came to this 'do your duty, do not fall into temptations, perform duties for their own sake (Gītā II. 47, III. 19), do unto others as you would be done by (Gītā VI. 32, Anuśāsanaparva 113. 8–9, Śānti 259. 20. = Cr. ed 251. 19), earn wealth but without conflict with dharma and without injury to others and lead a chaste sexual life and enjoy aesthetic pleasures. These summarise the teachings underlying the conceptions of the three puruṣārthas. There was hardly any real pessimism²⁶¹⁴ in the principal Dharmaśāstra works except perhaps here and there in the Mahābhārata. They consider life to be worth living, provided all actions are informed by the dictates of Dharma Manu (XII. 88-89) provides that Karma (conduct or actions) prescribed by the Veda is of two kinds, viz. *pravṛtta* and *nivṛtta*, the former leading to happiness in this world and to *svarga*, and the latter to niḥśreyasa (mokṣa) and requiring complete absence of all hankerings preceded by realization of *brahma*. The Anuśāsanaparva (chap 146. 76-80) divides Dharma into pravṛttilakṣaṇa (characterized by persistent activity) and nivṛttilakṣaṇa (characterised by abstention from worldly activities and desires), which latter is to be followed for mokṣa and lays down certain practical and salutary rules viz. one should constantly make gifts according to one's ability, constantly offer sacrifices and perform rites to secure one's prosperity. One should collect wealth following what is right and such wealth obtained righteously should be divided into three parts; one should secure both dharma and artha with one-third of the wealth acquired, one-third should be spent on Kāma (i. e. chaste sexual life and enjoyment of other pleasures not in conflict with dharma) and one-third he should increase Manu (VII. 99 and 101) prescribes similar rules for the king. The same parvan (Anuśāsana chap. 144 10-25 and 31-39) dwells at length upon those actions that lead men to heaven (the phrase 'te narāḥ svarga-gāminaḥ' is repeated in each verse). These provisions are meant for all ordinary people. The Rāmāyaṇa²⁶¹⁵ quotes a popular verse that man is not condemned to never-ending misery but joy comes to a man even after a hundred years if he be alive.