What are the six systems of Indian Philosophy?

Philosophy is a set of ideals, standards or beliefs used to describe behavior and thought.

Philosophy is an academic discipline that exercises reason and logic in an attempt to understand reality
and answer fundamental questions about knowledge, life, morality and human nature.

The ancient Greeks, who were among the first to practice philosophy, coined the term, which means
“love of wisdom.” Those who study philosophy are called philosophers. Through the ages, philosophers
have sought to answer such questions as, what is the meaning and purpose of life? How do we know
what we know? Does God exist? What does it mean to possess consciousness? And, what is the value of
morals?

Although each school of philosophy is unique, they all have some common characteristics. Some of the
important ones are -

Direct experience: All systems of Indian philosophy claim to be derived from the Veda but the Veda itself
is a record of the sages who realized the truth within. To solve life’s questions related to nature of life,
death, birth, and cosmic or individual existence, they started making rational inquiries and observations.
Unable to find satisfactory answers, they discovered various methods of meditation that help one attain
higher levels of consciousness in which one may directly experience the truth. Each school originated
with an enlightened teacher who described his experiences of the truth and method of attaining it.

Acceptance of authority: Respect for sages and ancient scriptures is a strong tradition in India. When a
teacher advocates a new philosophical system, he cites established scriptures or the writings of
authorized sages to support his statements. The Astika or orthodox schools always refer to the Veda to
support their theories. The Nastika or unorthodox schools follow the authority of their founder. Buddha,
for example, reiterated many things said in the Veda but did not cite the Veda as the source of his views.
Hence, the tendency to rely on the work of a realized teacher is maintained in Buddhism, too.

Scholar and former President of India Dr S Radhakrishnan wrote in volume 1 of Indian Philosophy about
what is common to Upanishadic and Buddhist thought. He also said that the four noble truths of
Buddhism correspond to the four truths of Samkhya.

Harmony among schools: All systems of Indian philosophy have a unique quality of cooperating with
one another. During a debate, the intent is not to destroy another’s philosophy but to clarify one’s own
theories and thoughts. This has enabled various schools to live in harmony. Indian philosophers realized
that every human mind is unique and it must be allowed to follow a philosophy of its choice.

Parallel growth and coexistence of various schools: The various systems of philosophy flourished and
grew simultaneously. The reason is that the open-minded approach attracted students of various hues
who were impressed with the practical aspects of that system of philosophy. When a particular teacher
delivered a message, it was studied and teachings were put into practice by a group of people whom it
suited. Thus, was formed a School of Philosophy. Each system continued to coexist because it provided a
theoretical and practical philosophy to meet intellectual and emotional needs of the students at
different levels of realization.
There is Saivism in Kashmir and Kerala, and Vaishnavism, Shaktism, and Yoga throughout India. These
five schools of Vedanta exist till date. All these systems continue to undergo change and grow to meet
the needs of modern man without deviating from the basic teachings of their founders. Followers of a
sect do not fight with each other. Instead a student of another school is to be defeated on the strength
of intellectual arguments rather than by using a gun.

Open-mindedness: A broad outlook that reflects its unflinching devotion to truth distinguishes Indian
philosophy. Each school is open to views of all other schools. It was nothing like there is a best way to
achieve self-realization. The established system of philosophical exposition in the Indian tradition
involves explaining and criticizing the prior view of the subject, then refuting the view and describing a
subsequent view that takes you to a higher level or final theory. Because of a continuous exchange of
ideas, the philosophical systems have with time, become more sophisticated and complete.

Simply put, an individual who enters into a discussion with an open mind and is willing to listen to
another person’s point of view is likely to have a better understanding of the situation. It is one of the
reasons why Indians have taken to Western culture so easily. We are able to adjust in just about any
environment, be it U.S., Australia, Britain or South Africa.

Support of logic and reasoning: Direct experience is the foundation of Indian philosophy, but reason and
logic are the chief tools that enable the system to develop and grow. The theories are presented in a
way that a rational mind can easily accept. All systems of Indian philosophy apply the methods of logic
to argue their points of view and protect themselves from criticism. This reason only justifies what
intuition or experience has already revealed. By virtue of being an important part of our philosophy,
logic got ingrained in the Indian mind. Since computer software uses logic extensively, it has helped
India gain recognition as a potential global software power.

The Belief of Eternity: Each system of Indian philosophy proclaims that there is an eternal consciousness
in man and the realization of this consciousness is the goal of life. Imperfections are a result of
ignorance and are on the surface of our personality but what needs to be done is, discovery of Self
within, that lies in a perfect state of bliss. Man’s physical existence depends on his karma (actions) but
the center of his life is eternal.

The Law of Karma: Every Indian School accepts this law which states that for every effect there is a
cause, and for every action, there is a reaction. If a man becomes attached to the fruits of action, then
he becomes a victim of his own karma because it is the attachment to the results that motivate him to
perform future actions. The fruit has arisen out of the action and action out of the fruit. This cycle is the
wheel of karma.

When the only motivation to do something is enjoyment of the results, one is bound to be unhappy
because he will not always get what he wants. It is the act of being more worried about the results than
the act itself. All schools agree that the concept of karma is the only explanation for the existence of
suffering. Nothing in life is accidental, what we are today, is a result of our karma or deeds in this or past
life. A friend of mine has, with the help of astrology, been able to know about acts and omissions of his
previous life. After discovering a substantial part of his inner self, he is able to correlate the events of
this life with his past lives. By connecting between the past and present, births his perspective towards
life has changed.
Karma is not fate or kismat. Karma means that every human being controls his future. You reap what
you sow.

Moral and ethical teachings: Ancient seers realized that there must be some discipline in our lives with
relations to family, society, and nation for without law and order, the world becomes disorganized
resulting in misery. Eastern philosophers believed that for peace within, there had to be peace outside.
Lack of morality and discipline creates misunderstandings in one’s relationship with others and is the
cause of emotional problems. Emotions need to be disciplined and channelled correctly. Disciplines
related to the body and mind are generally known as moral and ethical laws. The practical systems of
Indian philosophy are based on these laws. These are commitments, not commandments, accepted to
create external peace without which there can be no internal tranquillity.

Acknowledgement of suffering: Most quests for self-realization start with the reason behind pain and
suffering. The goal of each system is to overcome suffering. Buddha began his philosophy by saying
there is suffering, next he dictated that there is a cause for it, there is a state in which suffering ceases
and finally there is a way to attain freedom from the pain. These statements are called the Four Noble
Truths. The pain and suffering is due to our inability to experience the inner self. One suffers because of
one’s attachment with worldly objects. The moment we start looking within, freedom from pain gets
initiated.

Thoroughness: Because of this broad outlook, there is an extreme thoroughness in Indian systems of
philosophy. It is like the river Ganga that originates from a glacier, runs down the hills of Garwhal onto
the plains of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal, collecting water from different sources before it reaches
the Bay of Bengal and merges itself with the all embracing sea.

Similarly, Indian philosophy started with simple levels of human understanding, incorporated the direct
experiences of sages down the centuries to become a vast and thorough body of knowledge. Tradition,
respect for ancient sages, and infinite quest for knowledge make Indian philosophy so vast that it is
difficult for people of other countries to fathom how a group of men could have delved so deep into
human nature.

Practicality: All systems of Indian philosophy contain a practical aspect called Sadhana. Thus, the
theoretical aspects of philosophy can be applied to everyday life. The ancient sages believed that any
philosophy that did not enable man to handle the problems of day to day to life was of no use. People
who have read the Bhagwad Gita would agree that the holy book is not just about religion, but tells us
how to handle the crests and troughs of life.

Self-realization, the direct experience of ones inner nature is the goal of all systems of Indian philosophy.
Every system prescribed its own way of overcoming pain to achieve the ultimate goal. Thus, every
human being has to look within, understand his own nature, and figure out his path to self-realization.
It’s not like this is the only way. It’s all about direct experience, as referred above.

The way to reach this goal include selfless love, service to others, purification, and self-control. Because
of their usefulness and practicality, each system of Indian philosophy is as relevant today as it was when
written thousands of years ago. It is this quality of our philosophy that has enabled India to survive
through dark periods.
During later Vedic period, the concepts related to nature of soul and cosmic principle, or the Atman and
Brahman developed in form of six different schools of philosophies. these are known as ‘Shada
Darshan‘. Apart from these orthodox systems which consider the Vedas as the final authority, there is
another school of philosophy which developed prior to these six schools.

Note that, in total there are three Nastika Schools in Indian Philosophy – Charvaka, Jaina, and Buddhism.

Charvaka School :

 It is an Nastika system, which do not believe in the Vedas and the God.
 Charvaka system believes only in materialism.
 Brihaspati is considered as the founder of Charvaka School.
 It is mentioned in Vedas and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
 It is also known as Lokayata Philosophy or the philosophy of the masses.
 It considers that there no other world after death. Therefore, there is no existence other than
this material world.
 Charvaka does not recognises God, soul and heaven since they cannot be perceived.
 They consider the whole universe as consisting only 4 elements: earth, water, fire and air.

Other Nastika Philosophy systems are: Jain and Buddhism, which also do not recognize the authority of
Veda and presence of God.

Here, we are giving basic characteristics details of the 6 (Six) ‘Aastika’ schools of Indian Philosophy.
These are:

1. Samkhya School of Indian Philosophy

 Its propounder was Kapila, who authored Samkhya Sutra.

 Samkhya System considers reality to be constituted by two principle: Purush(male) and
Prakriti(female).
 Prakriti and Purusha are supposed to be completely independent and absolute.
 Purusha: is mere consciousness and cannot be changed or modified.
 Prakriti has three attributes- Thought, movement and change/transformation.
 Samkhya philosophy establishes relationship between Purusha nad Prakriti to explain creation
of Universe.
 It also explains phenomenon of evolution.

2. Yoga School of Indian Philosophy

 This system was described in Yogasutra written by Patanjali around 2nd century BC.
 Yoga means the union of two principal entities.
 It works towards systematic release of Purusha from Prakriti by purifying and controlling
changes in mental mechanism.
 The techniques of Yoga control mind, body and sense organs. Hence, it is considered a means to
attain mukti/ freedom.
 Yoga admits existence of God as a guide and teacher.
  It says that freedom can be attained by practicing yama(self-control), niyama(observation of
rules), asana(fixed postures), pranayama(breath control), pratyahara(choosin an object),
dharna(fixing the mind), dhyana(concentration), Samadhi(complete dissolution of self by
merging mind and object).

3. Nyaya School of Philosophy

 It is described in Nyaya Sutras authored by Gautama.

 It is a technique of logical thinking.
 It considered valid knowledge as real knowledge, that is knowledge of an object as it exists.
 Nyaya system considers God as one who creates, sustains and destroys the universe.

4. Vaisheshika School of Indian Philosophy

 The propounder of this system of philosophy was Kanada.

 A significant work on Vaisheshika is “Prashastapada“.
 It is a realistic and objective philosophy of universe.
 It considers the reality to have many bases or categories, which are attribute, action, substance,
genus, distinct quality and inference.
 Vaisheshika believe that objects of universe are composed of 5 elements: earth, water, air, fire
and ether.
 It considers God to be the guiding principle.
 It considers that living beings are rewarded or punished according to law of karma.
 Vaisheshika considers the creation and destruction of universe is a cyclic process and occurs
according to the wishes of God.
 It explains the phenomenon of the universe by the atomic theory, where the combination of
atoms and molecules into matter. It explains the mechanical process of formation of universe.

5. Mimansa School of Indian Philosophy

 Sabar Swami and Kumarila Bhatta are associated with Mimansa school.
 The main text of Mimansa is Sutra of Gaimini, written around 3rd century BC.
 It is based on analysis of interpretation, application and use of the text of the Samhita and
Brahmana portions of the Veda.
 It considers the philosophy of Vedas to be eternal and processes all knowledge, and religion
means fulfillment of duties prescribed by the Vedas.
 Mimansa encompasses the Nyaya-Vaisheshika system.
 It emphasizes the concept of valid knowledge.
 The essence of the system is Dharma, considered to be a dispenser of fruits of actions.
 Mimansa lays stress on ritualistic parts of Vedas.

6. Vedanta School of Indian Philosophy

 It refers to the philosophy of the Upnishad(concluding part of Vedas).

 The propounder of Vedanta is Shankaracharya, who wrote commentaries on Upnishads,
BrahmaSutras and Bhagvad Gita.
  His philosophical views are known as Advaita Vedanta. Advaita means non-dualism(belief in one
reality).
 Ramanuja is considered another important Advaita Scholar.
 Shankaracharya said that ultimate reality is Brahman. And there is no distinction between self
and Brahman.
 Brahama is considered to be existent and unchanging highest truth and knowledge. The
knowledge of Brahman is the essence of all things and ultimate existence.
 Vedanta denies the existence of apparent ego, this makes Vedanta unique in all the philosophies
in World.
 Vedanta philosophy believes that different religions lead to same goal.
 Its core message is that every action has to be governed by intellect. The mistakes are made by
the mind but the intellect tells that action is in our interest or not.
 Vedanta allows practitioner to access the realm of spirit through the means of intellect.

What is Ramanuja’s contribution to Indian Philosophy?

Hindu Theologian and Philosopher

Ramanuja, also called Ramanujacharya, or Ilaiya Perumal (Tamil: Ageless Perumal [God]), (born c. 1017,
Shriperumbudur, India—died 1137, Shrirangam), South Indian Brahman theologian and philosopher, the
single most influential thinker of devotional Hinduism. After a long pilgrimage, Ramanuja settled in
Shrirangam, where he organized temple worship and founded centres to disseminate his doctrine of
devotion to the god Vishnu and his consort Shri (Lakshmi). He provided an intellectual basis for the
practice of bhakti (devotional worship) in three major commentaries: the Vedartha-samgraha (on the
Vedas, the earliest scriptures of Hinduism), the Shri-bhashya (on the Brahma-sutras), and the
Bhagavadgita-bhashya (on the Bhagavadgita).

Life

Information on the life of Ramanuja consists only of the accounts given in the legendary biographies
about him, in which a pious imagination has embroidered historical details. According to tradition, he
was born in southern India, in what is now Tamil Nadu (formerly Madras) state. He showed early signs of
theological acumen and was sent to Kanchi (Kanchipuram) for schooling, under the teacher
Yadavaprakasha, who was a follower of the monistic (Advaita) system of the Vedanta of Shankara, the
famous 8th-century philosopher. Ramanuja’s profoundly religious nature was soon at odds with a
doctrine that offered no room for a personal god. After falling out with his teacher he had a vision of the
god Vishnu and his consort Shri and instituted a daily worship ritual at the place where he beheld them.

He became a temple priest at the Varadaraja temple at Kanchi, where he began to expound the doctrine
that the goal of those who aspire to final release (moksha) from transmigration is not the impersonal
brahmanbut rather brahman as identified with the personal god Vishnu. In Kanchi, as well as
Shrirangam, where he was to become associated with the Ranganatha temple, he developed the
teaching that the worship of a personal god and the soul’s union with him is an essential part of the
doctrines of the Upanishads (speculative commentaries on the Vedas) on which the system of Vedanta
is built; therefore, the teachings of the Vaishnavas and Bhagavatas (worshippers and ardent devotees of
Vishnu) are not heterodox. In this he continued the teachings of Yamuna (Yamunacharya; 10th century),
his predecessor at Shrirangam, to whom he was related on his mother’s side. He set forth this doctrine
in his three major commentaries.

Like many Hindu thinkers, he made an extended pilgrimage, circumambulating India from Rameswaram
(part of Adam’s Bridge), along the west coast to Badrinath, the source of the holy river Ganges, and
returning along the east coast. Tradition has it that later he suffered from the zeal of King Kulottunga of
the Chola dynasty, who adhered to the god Shiva, and withdrew to Mysore, in the west. There he
converted numbers of Jains, as well as King Bittideva of the Hoyshala dynasty; this led to the founding in
1099 of the town Milukote (Melcote, present Karnataka state) and the dedication of a temple to Shelva
Pillai (Sanskrit, Sampatkumara, the name of a form of Vishnu). He returned after 20 years to Shrirangam,
where he organized the temple worship, and, reputedly, he founded 74 centres to disseminate his
doctrine. After a life of 120 years, according to the tradition, he passed away in 1137.

Philosophy and Influence

Ramanuja’s chief contribution to philosophy was his insistence that discursive thought is necessary in
humanity’s search for the ultimate verities, that the phenomenal world is real and provides real
knowledge, and that the exigencies of daily life are not detrimental or even contrary to the life of the
spirit. In this emphasis he is the antithesis of Shankara, of whom he was sharply critical and whose
interpretation of the scriptures he disputed. Like other adherents of the Vedanta system, Ramanuja
accepted that any Vedanta system must base itself on the three “points of departure,” namely, the
Upanishads, the Brahma-sutras (brief exposition of the major tenets of the Upanishads), and the
Bhagavadgita, the colloquy of the deity Krishna and his friend Arjuna. He wrote no commentary on any
single Upanishad but explained in detail the method of understanding the Upanishads in his first major
work, the Vedartha-samgraha (“Summary of the Meaning of the Veda”). Much of this was incorporated
in his commentary on the Brahma-sutras, the Shri-bhashya, which presents his fully developed views.
His commentary on the Bhagavadgita, the Bhagavadgita-bhashya, dates from a later age.

Although Ramanuja’s contribution to Vedanta thought was highly significant, his influence on the course
of Hinduism as a religion has been even greater. By allowing the urge for devotional worship (bhakti)
into his doctrine of salvation, he aligned the popular religion with the pursuits of philosophy and gave
bhakti an intellectual basis. Ever since, bhakti has remained the major force in the religions of Hinduism.
His emphasis on the necessity of religious worship as a means of salvation continued in a more
systematic context the devotional effusions of the Alvars, the 7th–10th century poet-mystics of
southern India, whose verse became incorporated into temple worship. This bhakti devotionalism,
guided by Ramanuja, made its way into northern India, where its influence on religious thought and
practice has been profound.

Ramanuja’s worldview accepts the ontological reality of three distinct orders: matter, soul, and God.
Like Shankara and earlier Vedanta, he admits that there is nonduality (advaita), an ultimate identity of
the three orders, but this nonduality for him is asserted of God, who is modified (vishishta; literally
“qualified”) by the orders of matter and soul; hence, his doctrine is known as Vishishtadvaita (“qualified
nonduality”) as opposed to the unqualified nonduality of Shankara. Central to his organic conception of
the universe is the analogy of body and soul: just as the body modifies the soul, has no separate
existence from it, and yet is different from it, just so the orders of matter and soul constitute God’s
“body,” modifying it, yet having no separate existence from it. The goal of the human soul, therefore, is
to serve God just as the body serves the soul. Anything different from God is but a shesha of him, a
spilling from the plenitude of his being. All the phenomenal world is a manifestationof the glory of God
(vibhuti), and to detract from its reality is to detract from his glory. Ramanuja transformed the practice
of ritual action into the practice of divine worship and the way of meditation into a continuous loving
pondering of God’s qualities, both in turn a subservient to bhakti, the fully realized devotion that finds
God. Thus, release is not merely a shedding of the bonds of transmigration but a positive quest for the
contemplation of God, who is pictured as enthroned in his heaven, called Vaikuntha, with his consort
and attendants.

Ramanuja’s doctrine, which was passed on and augmented by later generations, still identifies a caste of
Brahmans in southern India, the Shrivaishnavas. They became divided into two subcastes, the northern,
or Vadakalai, and the southern, or Tenkalai. At issue between the two schools is the question of God’s
grace. According to the Vadakalai, who in this seem to follow Ramanuja’s intention more closely, God’s
grace is certainly active in man’s quest for him but does not supplant the necessity of man’s acting
toward God. The Tenkalai, on the other hand, hold that God’s grace is paramount and that the only
gesture needed from man is his total submission to God (prapatti).

The site of Ramanuja’s birthplace in Shriperumbudur is now commemorated by a temple and an active
Vishishtadvaita school. The doctrines he promulgated still inspire a lively intellectual tradition, and the
religious practices he emphasized are still carried on in the two most important Vaishnava centres in
southern India, the Ranganatha temple in Shrirangam, Tamil Nadu, and the Venkateshvara temple in
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

What are the four Vedas? How is each Veda classified? Why are Vedas
considered a perennial source of inspiration for Indians & their Cultural
Heritage?
The Vedas are the earliest known literature in India. The Vedas were written in Sanskrit and were
handed down orally from one generation to the other. Do you know thatpreservation of the Vedas till
today is one of our most remarkable achievements. To be able to keep such a literary wealth as the
Vedas intact when the art of writing was not there and there was a paucity of writing material is
unprecedented in world history.The word ‘Veda’ literally means knowledge. In Hindu culture, Vedas are
considered as eternal and divine revelations. They treat the whole world as one human family Vasudev
Kutumbakam.There are four Vedas, namely, the- Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva
Veda.Each Veda consists of the Brahmanas, the Upanishads and the Aranyakas. The Rig Veda, Sama
Veda and the Yajur Veda are collectively known an Traji. In later years the Atharava Veda was
incorporated in this group.
The Vedic literatures are divided into two parts: the srutis and the smrtis. The srutis are the four Vedas:
Rg, Sama, Atharva and Yajur, and the Upanisads, and the smrtis are the Puranas like the Mahabharata,
which includes Bhagavad-gita.

The Vedas are perhaps the oldest written text on our planet today. They date back to the beginning of
Indian civilization and are the earliest literary records of the whole Aryan race. They are supposed to
have been passed through oral tradition for over 100,000 years. They came to us in written form
between 4-6,000 years ago.. The Vedas are a collection of hymns that were received by the ancient
rishis (sages) as shruti, divine revelation. As hymns and mantras, these works were actively recited out
loud to both praise and invoke the powers of the spiritual realms, and had been verbally passed on for
many generations before written down on delicate palm leaves. These Vedic mantras were utilized in
yagas and yajnas (ritual sacrifices and ceremonies) for promoting the well being of individuals, society
and the world.As the oldest texts in any Indo-European language, it’s astounding that within these
works the foundations of yoga are established, with yoga being defined as "yoking" and as a "discipline."
The Vedas provided the spiritual core and philosophical foundations for the future development of both
yoga and Hinduism.

Vedic literature means literature based on or derived from the Vedas. The texts which constitute the
Vedic literature are: 1. The four Vedas i.e. Samhitas, 2. the Brahmanas attached to each of the Samhitas,
3. the Aranyakas, and 4. the Upanishads.

Vedas:

The Vedas are probably the earliest documents of the human mind and said to have divine revelation. It
is divided as:

a)Rig Veda:

It is a collection of 1028 hyms.

Books II and VII are oldest while I, VIII and X were added later.

Consists of hyms in praises of different gods.

It contains the famous Purushasukta that explains that the four varnas (Castes) (Brahmana, Kshatriya,
Vaishya and Shudra) were born from the mouth, arms, belly and the legs of the Creator.

The universally famous Gayatri mantra (Savitri) is also in Rig-Veda.

b)Sam Veda:

It is a collection of melodies.

It contains stanzas taken from rig veda and set to the tune for the purpose of singing.
The Jha Samaveda is important in tracing the history of Indian music.

c)Yajur veda:

The Yajurveda prescribes the procedures to be adopted at the time of performing different sacrifices.

There are two main texts of the Yajurveda: Sukla Yajurveda or Vajasaneyi (Madhyandin and Kanva) and
Krsna-Yajurveda (Taittiriya, Kathaka, Maitrayani and Kapisthal) .

It is a collection of short magic spells used by a certain class of priests at the time of sacrifices.

d)Atharva veda:

It describes the popular beliefs and superstitions of the humble folk.

It contains charms and spells in verses to ward off diseases and evils.

The Brahmanas:

The Brahmanas explain the hymns of the Vedas. They act as the appendices to the Vedas. They are
written in prose and they elaborately describe the various sacrifices and rituals, along with their mystic
meanings.

Each Veda has several Brahmanas. The two Brahmanas attached to the Rig-Veda are Aitareya Brahmana
and Kausitaki Brahmana.

The Sukla Yajurveda is appended with Satapatha Brahmana which recommends 'one hundred sacred
paths' (Satapatha). It is the most exhaustive and important of all the Brahmanas. The Gopatha
Brahmana is appended to the Atharvaveda.

The Aranyakas:

These are called the forest books mainly written for the hermits and students living in the jungle. They
are appendices to Brahmanas.

They deal with mysticism and symbolism. They form the natural transition of the Upanishads. They
offer the bridge between Karma marga (way of deeds) which was the sole concern of the Brahmanas
and the jnana marga (way of knowledge) which the Upanishads advocated.

The Upanishads:

It criticizes the rituals and lay stresses on the value of right belief and knowledge. The language of
Upanishads was classical Sanskrit not the vedic Sanskrit. It states that goal of the life is to attain
salvation which is possible through self control.

The philosophical principles of Sankara, Ramanuja, Ramakrishna Paramahans, Aurobindo and others are
derived from Upanishads and, by and large, all the philosophical doctrines of subsequent and large, all
the philosophical doctrines of subsequent days have borrowed something or the other from them.
There are 108 Upanishads classified according to the Vedas, and were composed by several learned
saints between 800 BC and 500 BC. Some of the most renowned Upanishads are Aitareya, Kausitaki,
Taittariya, Brhadaranyaka, Chhandogya and Kena. Our nation's motto Satyameva jayate is taken from
the Mundakopanishad.

The Unique Glory Of The Vedas

The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an
agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are
revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special
messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are
themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.

Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or Seers. The Rishis disseminated
the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of
Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of
religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their
inspiration.

The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived
from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion.
The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine
origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.

The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man, may say how a book can
be without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the
Lord. They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They
are eternal and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are
eternal spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed,
but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.

‘Vande Mataram’ – Explain the significance of this song in the Indian Freedom
Movement?
Vande Mataram (IAST: Vande Mātaram) is a Bengali poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in
1870s, which he included in his 1881 novel Anandamath. The poem was composed into song by
Rabindranath Tagore.[1] The first two verses of the song were adopted as the National Song of India in
October 1937 by Congress Working Committee prior to the end of colonial rule in August 1947.[

An ode to Durga as the Mother goddess, it was written in Bengali script in the novel Anandmath. The
title 'Vande Mataram' means "I praise thee, Mother" or "I praise to thee, Mother".[1][6] The "mother
goddess" in later verses of the song has been interpreted as the motherland of the people – Bangamata
(Mother Bengal) and Bharat Mata (Mother India) though the text does not mention this explicitly.

It played a vital role in the Indian independence movement, first sung in a political context by
Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.[9] It became a popular
marching song for political activism and Indian freedom movement in 1905.[1] Spiritual Indian
nationalist and philosopher Sri Aurobindo referred it as "National Anthem of Bengal". The song and the
novel containing it was banned by the British government, but workers and general public defied the
ban, many went to colonial prisons repeatedly for singing it, and the ban was overturned by the Indians
after they gained independence from the colonial rule.

In 1950 (after India's independence), the first two verses of the song were declared the "national song"
of the Republic of India, distinct from the national anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana. The first two
verses of the song are an abstract reference to mother and motherland, they do not mention any Hindu
deity by name, unlike later verses that do explicitly mention goddesses such as Durga.There is no time
limit or circumstantial specification for the rendition of this song [unlike the national anthem Jana Gana
Mana that specifies 52 seconds].

The root of the Sanskrit word Vande is Vand, which appears in Rigveda and other Vedic texts.[16][note
1] According to Monier Monier-Williams, depending on the context, vand means "to praise, celebrate,
laud, extol, to show honour, do homage, salute respectfully", or "deferentially, venerate, worship,
adore", or "to offer anything respectfully to". The word Mātaram has Indo-European roots in mātár-
(Sanskrit), méter (Greek), mâter (Latin) which mean "mother".

History and significance

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the earliest graduates of the newly established Calcutta
University. After his BA, he joined the British Indian government as a civil servant, becoming a District
Magistrate and later a District Collector. Chattopadhyay was very interested in recent events in Indian
and Bengali history, particularly the Revolt of 1857 and the previous century's Sanyasi Rebellion.[29]
Around the same time, the administration was trying to promote "God Save the Queen" as the anthem
for Indian subjects, which Indian nationalists disliked. It is generally believed that the concept of Vande
Mataram came to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay when he was still a government official, around
1876.[30] He wrote Vande Mataram at Chinsurah, there is a white colour house of Adhya Family near
river Hooghly (near Mallik Ghat).

Chattopadhyay wrote the poem in a spontaneous session using words from Sanskrit and Bengali. The
poem was published in Chattopadhyay's book Anandamatha (pronounced Anondomôţh in Bengali) in
1882, which is set in the events of the Sannyasi Rebellion.[29][30] Jadunath Bhattacharya was asked to
set a tune for this poem just after it was written.
Indian Independence Movement

"Vande Mataram" was the whole nation's thought and motto for independence [from British rule]
during the Indian independence movement. Large rallies, fermenting initially in Bengal, in the major
metropolis of Calcutta, would work themselves up into a patriotic fervour by shouting the slogan "Vande
Mataram", or "I praise the Mother(land)!" The British, fearful of the potential danger of an incited Indian
populace, banned the book and made the recital of the song a crime.[11] The British colonial
government imprisoned many independence activists for disobeying the order, but workers and general
public repeatedly violated the ban many times by gathering together before British officials and singing
it.[11] Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram in 1896 at the Calcutta Congress Session held at
Beadon Square. Dakhina Charan Sen sang it five years later in 1901 at another session of the Congress at
Calcutta. Poet Sarala Devi Chaudurani sang the song in the Benares Congress Session in 1905. Lala Lajpat
Rai started a journal called Vande Mataram from Lahore.[30] Hiralal Sen made India's first political film
in 1905 which ended with the chant. Matangini Hazra's last words as she was shot to death by the
Crown police were Vande Mataram.[31]

Mahatma Gandhi supported the first two verses of Vande Mataram as a national song.[2]

In 1907, Bhikaiji Cama (1861–1936) created the first version of India's national flag (the Tiranga) in
Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907. It had Vande Mataram written on it in the middle band.[32]

A book titled Kranti Geetanjali published by Arya Printing Press (Lahore) and Bharatiya Press (Dehradun)
in 1929 contains first two stanzas of this lyric on page 11[33] as Matra Vandana and a ghazal (Vande
Mataram) composed by Bismil was also given on its back, i.e. page 12.[34] The book written by the
famous martyr of Kakori Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil was proscribed by the then British government of
India.

Mahatama Gandhi supported adoption and the singing of the Vande Mataram song. In January 1946, in
a speech in Gauhati (Assam), he urged that "Jai Hind should not replace Vande-mataram". He reminded
everyone present that Vande-mataram was being sung since the inception of the Congress. He
supported the "Jai Hind" greeting, but remanded that this greeting should not be to the exclusion of
Vande Mataram. Gandhi was concerned that those who discarded Vande Mataram given the tradition of
sacrifice behind it, one day would discard “Jai Hind” also.

Adoption as "National Song"

Parts of the Vande Mataram was chosen as the "national song" in 1937 by the Indian National Congress
as it pursued independence of India from the British colonial rule, after a committee consisting of
Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Bose, Acharya Deva and Rabrindanath Tagore recommended
the adoption.[37] The entire song was not selected by Hindu leaders in order to respect the sentiments
of non-Hindus, and the gathering agreed that anyone should be free to sing an alternate
"unobjectionable song" at a national gathering if they do not want to sing Vande Mataram because they
find it "objectionable" for a personal reason.[37] According to the gathered leaders, including the Nobel
Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, though the first two stanzas began with an unexceptionable evocation of
the beauty of the motherland, in later stanzas there are references to the Hindu goddess Durga. The
Muslim League and Muhammad Ali Jinnah opposed the song. Thereafter, with the support of Mahatma
Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Indian National Congress decided to adopt only the first two stanzas
as the national song to be sung at public gatherings, and other verses that included references to Durga
and Lakshmi were expunged.

Rajendra Prasad, who was presiding the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950, made the following
statement which was also adopted as the final decision on the issue:

...The composition consisting of words and music known as Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of
India, subject to such alterations as the Government may authorise as occasion arises, and the song
Vande Mataram, which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured
equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it. (Applause) I hope this will satisfy
members.

—Constituent Assembly of India, Vol. XII, 24-1-1950

The Supreme Court of India has declared that there is no national song of India as per the Constitution.

What is the place of a Mother in the Hindu scheme of life?

One "ideal" that binds us all in the society beyond the limitations of time and space, beyond any bounds
of geographical and cultural practices or of time and age is the ideal of the all-glorified mother.

The simple, yet perpetual fact that we all have our mother who creates, nurtures and protects is the
common thread which binds the society. It is also the perceptible string that binds humanity to divinity.

Worshipping God as mother has been an inherent part of ancient cultures. Here in India, it has been a
part of our unbroken living traditions in which the ideals of universal divinity seamlessly transcend
physically as our personal mother.

And so it did for Adi Shankaracharaya, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda or Raman Maharishi.
Mother being the last of the emotional bonds and a constant thread to divinity, be it perceptive or
experiential. Most researchers currently accept the belief that modern humans originated in Africa
about 200,000 to 250,000 years ago.

And by about 8000 BC, our ancestors organised themselves into hunter-gatherer societies. The female
life-giving principle was considered divine and a great mystery. Although many consider the concept of
worshipping God as mother being the central point of the most evolved ancient religious/cultural
practices, some debate otherwise.
However, none can deny that this idea was prevalent from ancient times and the civilisations among
Pagans as well as Neopagans. In 300 CE, Virgin Mary was worshipped as a mother goddess in the
Christian sect Collyridianism, which was then found throughout Saudi Arabia.

Followers of Collyridianism were known to make bread and wheat offerings to the Virgin Mary, along
with other sacrificial practices. The cult was heavily condemned as heretical and schismatic by the
Roman Catholic Church.

As Judaism, Christianity eventually Islam evolved, Pagan religions were suppressed and the female
principle was gradually driven out of religion. Probably, this loss of the mother and feminity as god-head
led to a natural social demise of emotions and probably the loss of "bhava" in these religious practices.

This did not affect India too much where divinity has been worshipped from pre-historic times. The Rig
vedic DeviSukta or Ratri Sukrta are the earliest references of her exalted status. By worshipping God as
the Divine Mother, a Hindu does not only attribute motherly traits to the Lord, such as tenderness and
forgivingness, but also significantly, is blessed by her graciousness and love.

The continuous "Sanatan" culture of India does not only consider divinity as motherhood but also
considers the living mother as a God for each of us. This is a significant point.

Catholics and most orthodox and Anglican Christians today regard Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus, as
the Theotokos or "Mother of THE God".

However, that limits divinity to the mother of a God, unlike "Sanatan" Hindu culture which elevates
whole motherhood as the divine principle, in itself. Nature as Goddess - the mother who nourishes,
preserves, protects and destroys is an idea which inherently all can relate to, and has been true from
ancient times.

The divine Mother, Devi Adi parashakti, manifests herself in various forms, representing the universal
force - both creative and destructive. She becomes mother nature (Mula Prakriti), who gives birth to all
life forms as plants or animals and sustains and nourishes them through her body.

Ultimately she re-absorbs all life forms back into herself, or "devours" them to sustain herself as the
power of death. She also gives rise to Maya and to prakriti. She is the one who creates bonds at the
same time being the one who leads to divinity.

As a mother, she creates a physical body in her womb nurturing the consciousness, and providing a
starting point of worldly relations and bondages and also providing "Samskars" leading to divnity ,
breaking karmic bondages of "Moh-Maya"; being "MahaMaya" herself.

The Sanatan culture itself is the mother of various religions and sects. It has several branches of diverse
philosophies emerging out with several disagreements on the concept of divinity.
However, the constant idea is the mother as divine for all. She is revered even by the gods themselves in
mortal body, be it Sri Ram or Sri Krishna. Be it puranic heroes or Adi Shankaracharya, the redeemer and
establisher of Advaita or "Gyan" yogis such as Swami Vivekananda or Ramana Maharishi, mother is their
only 'bond' and perceptive divinity too.

Sri Ramakrishna ties down all different paths and philosophy to one eternal point - The Mother: "A
mother provides food that suits each stomach. She cooks fish differently for each of her five children.

She doesn't make pulao and kalia for all of them because their digestions are different. For some she
makes fish curry. But she loves all her children equally."

Sri Ramakrishna epitomizes the heights or spiritual realisations across different sects with Mother being
the constant thread. Be it his advice for the tantric devotee, his message for the Brahmo samaji or his
"give and take" spiritual realisations with Advaita guru Totapuri, worship of mother was his central and
constant chant.

He said "The Mother knows all. Cat holds the mouse in one way but its own kitten in quite another. Pray
to the Divine Mother with a longing heart. Her vision dries up all craving for the world and completely
destroys all attachment to lust and greed.

It happens instantly if you think of Her as your own mother. She is by no means a godmother. She is
your own mother. With a yearning heart persist in your demands on Her. The child holds to the skirt of
its mother and begs a penny of her to buy a kite, till she stops ignoring and pacifies him.

You too must force your demands on the Divine Mother. She will come to you without fail. One must
have for God the yearning of a child. The child sees nothing but confusion when his mother is away. You
may try to cajole him by putting sweetmeat in his hand, but he will not be fooled.

He only says, "No, I want to go to my mother." One must feel such yearning for God. Ah, what yearning!
How restless a child feels for his mother! Nothing can make him forget his mother. He to whom the
enjoyment of worldly happiness appears tasteless, he who takes no delight in anything of the world-
money, name, creature comforts, sense pleasure-becomes sincerely grief-stricken for the vision of the
Mother.

And to him alone the Mother comes running, leaving all Her other duties.That which is Brahman is verily
Shakti. I address That, again, as the Mother. I call It Brahman when It is inactive, and Shakti when It
creates, preserves and destroys. It is like water, sometimes still and sometimes covered with waves. The
Incarnation of God is a part of the lila (play) of Shakti.

The purpose of the Divine Incarnation is to teach man ecstatic love for God. Brahman alone is addressed
as the Mother. This is because a mother is an object of great love. One is able to realize God just through
love. Ecstasy of feeling, devotion, love, and faith-these are the means."
Sri Ramakrishna had tasted multiple states of Samadhi and described the experience as a salt-doll
tasting seawater. He prescribed "bhakti" describing gyanis and bhakt with the attitude of kitten and the
monkey's baby. Although Swami Vivekananda later tasted Samadhi by a mere touch of Sri Ramakrishna,
his cynical disregard of "Mother-Bhadrakali" was faithfully answered by Thakur.

When Swami Vivekananda called Sri Ramakrishna's spiritual experiences as hallucinations, Sri
Ramakrishna did not unlock him to trance or tried convincing him by any mysticism or philosophical
debate. Sri Ramakrishna went to the temple, came back and told Swamiji: "I have asked Mother. She
says she is there, you are wrong."

That is faith - unflinching, unblemished, pure and untouched by even an iota of cynicism. Sri
Ramakrishna was probably the favourite son of the Kali of this age. For him, both the paths, either of
perceptible formless God or for the personal God, "ishta" in idol converge at the idea of the perceptible
Mother.

The idea of personal God is a "relatable perceptive" to be experienced by all and not merely by a few
realised ones who could just confine "Brahman" as "neti-neti". Who can be a better ideal of this
perceptive divinity than our mothers?

Sri Ramakrishna considered his mother Chandramani Devi as Mother of the Universe. Everyday, he
would go to see her, take the dust of her feet and ask about her well-being. Thakur went on pilgrimage
twice. During the first one, he took his mother with him. The 85-year-old Mother Chandramani passed
away on Sri Ramakrishna's birthday in 1876. He served her till her last day.

Thakur joyfully discussed his younger days. She was the only one who could scold Sri Ramakrishna and
that she did till her last days. On her cremation, Sri Ramakrishna cried like an ordinary man.

She is the living, personal god for each of us. Look at the torture the mother bears in bringing up the
baby.

Does she enjoy it? Surely, fasting and praying and watching. She loves it better than anything else. Why?
Because there is no selfishness. Wife and children may desert a man, but his mother will never desert
him.

A mother loves her child perhaps a little more. Mother represents colourless love that knows no barter,
love that never dies. Who can have such love? Only mother, not son, nor daughter, nor wife.

Mother is not a relation like others. Our consciousness and every other relations originates from our
mother.

As Swami Vivekananda further expresses:

"Our mother!-- we want to die with our head on her lap once more, if we die before her. Where is she?
Is woman a name to be coupled with the physical body only? Ay! the Hindu mind fears all those ideals
which say that the flesh must cling unto the flesh. No, no!Woman!thou shalt not be coupled with
anything connected with the flesh.

The name has been called holy once and for ever, for what name is there which no lust can ever
approach, no carnality ever come near, than the one word mother? That is the ideal in India."

Does anybody teach an infant to identify his mother? She is the one who gives names to faces and
relations. Her touch even comforts the ones whose senses are still under development. She teaches and
it is her "samskaras" that lead to evolution of the faculty of discrimination.

In 1900, two years before he passed away, Swamiji wrote in a letter from America, "As for my mother, I
am going back to her - for my last days and hers, all my life I have been a torture to my poor mother. Her
whole life has been one of continuous misery. If it be possible, my last attempt should be to make her a
little happy. I have planned it all out."

Swamiji returned to India in late 1900 with his health taking a turn for the worse. But yet, he did not
abandon any of the duties that he considered sacred. He continued to visit his mother and tried to solve
her family affairs as best as he could.

He also did his best to fulfill his devotion to his mother by doing things close to her spiritual heart. He
performed pujas at his mother's house. He fulfilled his mother's wish of completing her old vow at the
Kali temple of Kalighat and performed all the necessary rituals there.

Despite his bad health, he took her on a pilgrimage to many places in East Bengal in 1901, thus also
fulfilling her desire to go on a pilgrimage with him.

Swamiji never tired of extolling the virtues of motherhood and of his mother.

In a lecture in Pasadena, California in 1900 he said: "From motherhood comes tremendous

responsibility. Why should mother be worshipped? Because she made herself pure; she underwent
harsh penances sometimes to keep herself as pure as purity can be, prayed for years and years, so that I
would be born.

She was a saint to bring me into the world; she kept her body pure, her food pure, her clothes pure, her
imagination pure, for years, because I would be born. Because she did that, she deserves worship."

Adi Shankaracharya too, as promised, returned to Kaladi during the last days of his mother. As a monk is
not eligible to conduct funeral rites, the villagers refused to help Sankara. Unperturbed, Sankara
cremated her himself, thus fulling his promise made to his mother.

These giants of spirituality, fountains of wisdom and preceptor of sat-chittaanand displayed great
human emotional bonds with their mothers without any distinction perceiving the "sat chittanada" as
the Mother too.
A child perceives mother as source of all affection, love, care, beauty, security, protection, nourishment,
happiness and knowledge. The same characteristic principles are attributed to universal divine Mother
in "Durga-Saptashati".

As Adi Shankaracharya expresses in his "kshama mantra": neither do you feel fear or guilt,you know you
are always acceptable, safe and loved.

"O God, Thou art my Mother and I am Thy child"- this is the last word in spirituality- Thus spake Sri
Ramakrishna.

According to Hinduism, God creates, maintains and destroys the universe but the power with which
these functions are performed is called Shakti (universal energy), the Divine Mother. This is the origin of
mother worship and thus the idea that the human mother is worthy of reverence and worship just as
the Divine Mother or Shakti. The saying, “Maatri Devo Bhavah” is therefore a maxim that speaks to the
seemingly boundless, endless and all-encompassing power of the earthly or biological mother, a power
that equates with that of Divinity.

In Hinduism, mother is the one person who is considered to be the most exalted and worthy of respect
and service. She is one of the five mothers worthy of worship, according to scriptural injunctions. The
unparalleled love possessed by a mother for her children are the subject of praise and reverence in
numerous stotras and other scriptural verses. No doubt, mother is the very embodiment of qualities
such as love, sacrifice, forbearance and selfless service to her children.

The powerful ideals exemplified by outstanding mothers through the ages and pages of Hindu scriptures
have very clearly demonstrated that women, and more so, mothers, have been given a pedestal position
in a world of many different relationships. And why not? The example of Shri Raam as a child, as a young
adult, a married householder and even as king, gives credence to the saying that Mother is the first
Guru; she is indeed the first God. He taught by example that Mother’s blessing is integral to success. His
first action as he arose early in the morning was seeking His mother’s blessings. He needed her good
wishes and benediction before going to the forest. On His return from exile, one of His first actions was
to bow at the feet of His mothers. The mere presence of the mother invests one with protection; the
reverse deprives one of sustenance and fulfilment. Indeed, such an example of Shri Raam, God in human
form, teaches the world that the source of bliss and blessings is at the feet of “Maa” – mother.

The word “Maa” comprises the Hindi consonant “Ma” and vowel “aa”. This consonant pertains to the
heart which evokes the emotions of love, joy and happiness while the vowel relates to “aanand shakti”
or the power of bliss. It is not by chance, then, that one’s mother is the treasure-house of all bliss, love
and success. Like Durga Maataa, the essence of “ichha shakti” (power of will), like Lakshmi Maa, “gyaan
shakti” (the power of knowledge) and Saraswati Maataa, “kriyaa shakti” (power of activity), the earthly
mother ensures that her child is a well-nourished child, whose activities are directed by her will and with
proper knowledge.
The power wielded by mothers on their children’s lives spread far beyond worldly experiences and the
impact created by them starts from the womb. Even before a child is born the mother’s impressions
strike deep roots within his consciousness. The example of Prahalad is phenomenal as he was engrained
with devotion to Lord Vishnu while still within his mother’s womb. Maha Shiv Puraan also records how
Bhagavan Shiva appeared to fulfil the request of child Upamanyu who was taught devotion using the
“Panchakshar Mantra” by his mother. Many are the scriptural episodes that prove the unique and
effective role of the earthly mother in a child’s upbringing. None can assume her role. She is
irreplaceable. The importance of the mother in her role as educator is aptly summed up in the following
scriptural quote: “From the point of view of reverence due, a teacher is ten-fold superior to a mere
lecturer, a father a hundredfold to a teacher and a mother a thousand-fold to a father.”

As special emphasis is placed on the earthly mother this month, in celebrating Mothers’ Day, it may be
worthwhile for all to reflect on the contribution of mothers since, for seven life-times, one can never
repay the debt one owes to one’s parents.

“Satyamev Jayate” – Explain this reference to the source from which it is taken?

Where is ‘Satyameva Jayate' coming from...

Many of us think that the motto ‘Satyameva Jayate' is part of the Ashoka Lions emblem, which is not
true. The statement ‘Satyameva Jayate' is actually in the opening line of a four-line mantra from the
'MUNDAKA Upanishad' which is found in the Atharva Veda. In the massive library of sacred literature
from India, the Mundaka Upanishad is like a collector's handbook. It is a sacred text meant for sincere
seekers and especially for Sanyaasis who judiciously renounce all hankering of happiness from the
world. The Mundaka Upanishad is a principal text dealing with transcendental wisdom - though simple
but serious and authoritative.

The striking part of the Mundaka Upanishad is in the beginning, with Rishi Shaunaka asking his teacher
Angiras to teach him 'THAT knowing which everything becomes known' (1.1.3). This is a significant
spiritual question in the path of knowledge by a disciple to his Guru. It shows the caliber of students in
an era when India was a knowledge society. In answering this question, a wide range of methods are
employed to reveal the identity between God and the individual with some superb metaphors and
analogies.

Why is the sourcebook Mundaka Upanishad important...

Remember the Hindi word 'Mundan' for shaven head...well this is what 'Mundaka' is supposed to mean.
The word Mundaka is significant because it literally means a person with a shaven head but implies a
monk or a sanyaasi. About this Upanishad, the very learned scholar and teacher Swami Krishnananda of
the Divine Life society writes:
"Among the Upanishads, the Mundaka Upanishad is regarded as one the most important. It throws a
flood of light on the path of Knowledge and leads the aspirant to the highest rung in the ladder of
knowledge...Mundaka means shaving, "mund", and so the word ‘Mundaka’ seems to imply that this
Upanishad is intended only for Sanyaasis."

How ‘Satyameva Jayate' became world famous in modern India...

It is from this Upanishad that the 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' slogan was adopted as the national motto of
India on 26th January 1950 and inscribed in Sanskrit at the base of the Indian national emblem. This
inscription of "Satyameva Jayate" is also found on one side of all Indian currency. The credit goes to
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the great Indian educationist, founder of Banaras Hindu University and
freedom fighter as he popularised this slogan in 1918 during India’s freedom struggle whilst serving as
President of the Indian National Congress.

There have also been some other uses of this slogan when a Hindi movie was made with the same name
in 1987. Even the Rolling Stone legend Mick Jagger sang ‘Satyameva Jayate' collaborating with music
maestro A.R.Rahman last year. And now it's Aamir Khan's turn to reinvent the wheel giving it a totally
social spin. This TV show is probably the only television programme which has had a title with words
directly from the Upanishads.

The satya about 'Satyam'...

The full stanza of the 'Satyameva Jayate' slogan from the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.6) goes this way:
"Satyameva Jayate Na-anrtam - satyena panthaa vitato devayaanah |
Yen-aakramanty-rsayo hyaapta-kaamaa - Yatra tat satyasya paramam nidhaanam ||".

Meaning
"Truth alone wins, not untruth. By truth is laid out the divine path, which the seers who are free from
desires, reach to the supreme abode of truth".

So the phrase ‘Satyameva Jayate Na-anrtam ' is not about social justice nor is it a slogan meant for
constitutional adoption. It encompasses all truth and a life based on truth and truthfulness. The Satyam
in the "Satyam-Eva Jayate" is not just about speaking the truth about social evils and malpractices. The
great Acharya Shankara commenting on this very stanza writes "Truth alone wins and not the
untruth...It is well known in the world that he who utters falsehood is defeated by him who speaks the
truth: not the converse". A consistent way of living based on the superiority of truth and values of
intellectual truthfulness, says Acharya Shankara, widens the path to spiritual success.

So the truth about the 'Satyameva Jayate' statement is that it has now become an iconic slogan for
social change rather than for spiritual upliftment. These Upanishad mantras have thus journeyed from
the esoteric realm of the Guru to the social arena. The wisdom of India has always found new avenues
to manifest such 'Truth' affirming statements. Truth never dies - television or no television. "Truth alone
wins (Satyameva Jayate) not Falsehood (Na-anrtam)".
Write a short essay on the debate going on in the country on intolerance?
To make a [Muslim], therefore, to abstain from cow-killing under compulsion would amount in my
opinion to converting him to Hinduism by force.” – Mahatma Gandhi in his book Hind Swaraj
The nation, which gave rise to four religions and has secularism and free speech both enshrined in it’s
constitution, of late seems to be involved in the “intolerance debate”. The crux of this has been some
elements of the society claiming that India as a nation is tolerant of all religion, caste, creed etc. while
another school claiming the contrary.

The debate started making headlines with the Dadri Lynching incident where Mohammad Akhlaq was
lynched and his son, Danish, was brutally beaten up for allegedly having beef on the eve of Eid and
storing the same in their house for later consumption. This incident lead to widespread outage through
out the country and a protest popularly termed “award wapsi” was started wherein Bollywood
celebrities started returning their national awards in protest to the rising intolerance in the country.
Prior to this, even Sahitya akademi recipients had started returning their awards for the similar reason
of growing intolerance and government inaction to the same.
The debate reached a boiling point where it all turned ugly, rather uglier than it already was, when
renowned Bollywood actor Amir khan claimed that the India as a nation is intolerant and that his wife
was scared for her kids and was considering shifting to another country. This enraged people to such an
extent that a Hindu outfit (Hindu Sena) even booked tickets for Aamir Khan to Pakistan, while another
outfit and political party (Shiv Sena) claimed to reward Rupees one crore to anyone who slaps Aamir
khan.

It even went on to the extent where Advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha, from Bihar, a self acclaimed custodian
of justice who has filed more than 500 cases against celebrities starting from Anna Hazare to even
Shahrukh Khan and his wife Guari Khan, went on to lodge a FIR against the actor and his wife at the
Town police station under the Muzaffarpur district under the sections 153 (Wantonly giving provocation
with intent to cause riot), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion,
race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-
integration) and 154 (Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code.
Now this is highly ironic given the fact that the attitude shown towards the “intolerant remark” was in
itself intolerant and went on to prove how right he was, but does it go on to prove that the nation is
really intolerant?

To understand the same, it is important to note what the word intolerant actually means and why the
debate is pertinent to the nation and further more is this debate politically motivated or have we
actually reached a point of epitome of intolerance.

The word intolerance means not accepting any views or opinion that is different from your own, in the
present case scenario of India the debate largely revolves around the notion of intolerance to religious
beliefs, for e.g. having beef. While it is fundamentally fine in Islam to have beef the same is not true for
a Hindu as the cow is holy in Hindu belief system. Now this is an issue which is really important to India
which, though, is a Hindu majority country but the Muslim population too is very significant, 175 million
to be specific, which is higher than the population of Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia combined. Therefore in
a country which is so high on plurality of cultures it is only natural that there be occasional inter-cultural
dissent and the answer to the same is not politicizing it or to use it as a political propaganda for
elections as has been done because doing so has a two fold problem.

First, it creates an unwanted pandemonium and second it gives visibility to the cultural instability in the
country at a global stage which is problematic for the economy as a whole as it would be perceived to be
a bottleneck in obtaining foreign investment.

The unwanted pandemonium can be catastrophic in the sense that once a particular sect feels
unwanted or deprived in a nation it is generally seen that they lose faith in all institutions of the society
such as the judiciary and the legislation and starts taking law into their own hands, and this happens
when the issue is highlighted to an extent where it is being portrayed worse than it actually is, as it is
being done now. However, if the same is not done then precedent shows that there might be an
occasional break out of conflicts between two religions, and the same can be said to be in the course of
nature, but in the long run it is settled amicably. Take the case of Gujarat – the state which witnessed
one of the worst communal riots, the Godhra riot, has never, after that incident, seen anything even
remotely close to the same. The act of politicizing the issue thus actually leads to what can be termed as
a state sponsored communal divide for nothing other than their political benefit.

The second problem is that of the economic implications. When a country’s political instability gains a
global visibility it is a direct impediment to the foreign investment. The case for India is even more
serious given the fact that such intolerant comments are made by lawmakers from the ruling party. For
e.g. when a member of the BJP makes a comment such as killing of cow and using its product won’t be
tolerated in India it directly discourages any leather based industry or any industry which uses cow
products to invest in India. The negativity in mentality can already be said to have been initiated as
many foreign leaders and foreign media houses have already started questioning Modi’s silence on such
issues.

And highlighting the “intolerance debate” and propagating it to be worse than it actually is thus not
helping the country’s case both in bringing internal peace nor in putting up a good global image.

The comment made by Aamir Khan may be appropriate in terms of its content but definitely not in
terms of the audience to which it was made and the reason behind it is both logical and practical, the
68-year-old democracy is yet to come to terms with complete secularism – it is not a problem with the
country but a part of the longer journey towards nearing a complete secularism. Countries such as the
United States and the United Kingdom has even higher rates of hate crimes, for e.g. islamophobia and
discrimination against blacks, when compared to that of India and the fact that such issues get more
attention and create greater agitation than its “developed” counterparts only goes on to show that India
even though has its problem in accommodating the multiplitude of cultures but it is definitely above par
than others when compared to its age.

Thus the most definite conclusion to the debate can be that yes there are some intolerant persons in the
society and even though they may be loud but they are definitely not significant, both in terms of their
content and their numbers, and hence does not represent the tolerance index of the country as a whole.
India and the ‘Intolerance’ debate

The intolerance debate in India seems to continue in one form or the other. While on one hand it has
brought many citizens to come out and speak in the open, on the other hand, it has created an
atmosphere of fear where people are scared to speak anything in public. The incidents like dadri
lynching, celebrities and national gems returning their awards, the legendary Shahrukh Khan refusing to
do so and now actor Aamir Khan confessing about his wife thinking to move out of India. The latter was
the latest incident and has stirred a nationwide wave with people throwing in all sorts of reactions and
not to forget the media having its own take on the issue. Blogging probably was a way in which many
bloggers managed to relieve their minds and also put forth their perspectives. Here are some of
perspectives that are worth reading.

Manjulika Pramod takes on the statements made by Aamir. She evaluates the dialogues as a mother,
Indian and a responsible citizen. Read an excerpt.

“If a mother feels uncomfortable in the society. If she is not happy with the growing atmosphere of
intolerance and insecurity, why can’t she say it the way she wants it? If you are a citizen of a country and
you feel affected by certain incidences, you have all the right to speak about it. Open the newspapers,
scan the television channels or just go through your social media platforms, I bet you will find the
reasons for concern. Seriously, if you don’t see it, there is something really wrong with you. Okay, I
assume that you do not have any concerns but those who have, please don’t term them as traitors or
unpatriotic. Calling names simply proves Aamir’s point very well.”

Vinod Narayan talks about how the topic of intolerance remains dissected and less of a collective voice
in the right direction. He is of the opinion that freedom is a subjective matter to individuals and each has
a right to his own.

“Intolerance comes in different flavors..

The one that many people in India face when the Govt tries to decide what people should eat and when
idiots like Togadia and Sakshi puking venom and their cronies unleashing terror.. Intolerance is also
Kalburgi’s and Dabolkar’s killings; Intolerance is the death threat against Salman Rushdie… Intolerance is
MF Hussain having to leave the nation… Intolerance is Sanal Edamaruku having to live in Finland
Intolerance is also chopping hands of Prof TJ Joseph by the insane people belonging to Popular Front of
India, a Muslim fundamentalist group… Intolerance is also people being against Taslima for writing
Lajja… Intolerance is banning the book Da Vinci Code…. Intolerance is many such things…

Intolerance is also the people who tell me that when I speak against Aamir’s comment ‘I am Spreading
hatred’…… To them I say, I write for my conscience not yours…

I am an atheist and humanist and for me intolerance is there with every religion. I want you to be
tolerant not because you are muslim or hindu or christian or sikh… I want you to be tolerant because
you are a human being and I am one too.. You are nothing different from me or from the guy next to
me….
 And to those who say wah on my post when I talk against Modi but do boo when I talk against Aamir….

If you have a selective tolerance or selective intolerance problem that is your problem not mine…

There is an intolerance issue which has people from all religions hand in hand in India and Aamir is just
an opportunist acting like an intellect and many hailing him like he is great… Again just my (in)tolerant

opinion..

And FYI Aamir Khan has his right to his opinion but he is no poster boy for India’s tolerance or
intolerance….. Any issues with that….???”

Arnab Ray who is a contributor to New York Times is of the view that India has been a victim of a broken
system for long. It is thus unfair to blame the current scenario calling it ‘Intolerance under Modi’ and
several other dicey reasons

“In India that system has been broken. For ages.

Which is why every political party harnesses the power of the mob from Mamata to Modi, from Amma
to the Gandhis. It is the easiest way to make their constituents feel “powerful”, supply them a narrative
around which they may coalesce to form a violent swarm. This narrative may be “beef” or “love jihaad”
or “Tasleema Nasreen” or “cell-phone carrying bar-going women” or “CPM cadres” or “Bhaiyyas taking
our jobs” or “Africans doing things not done in decent localities”. All that changes is the context, the rest
remains the same.

This is the basic problem. The rest is all politics. Every political group creates its own prism, lights up the
part that is aligned with its philosophy and darkens the rest. So the “seculars” would concentrate on one
form of violence and ignore the other (or provide a justification citing “context” and yes you know who I
am talking about), while the “Bhakts” would do exactly the opposite, and each would then accuse the
other of “selective memory” or “whataboutery”.”

Partha Sadhukhan makes a realistic presentation about the intolerance situation, the personality that
Aamir Khan is and why we need to keep in mind the fact that a celebrity making such a remark means so
much for the general public.

“I knew it was coming. It ought to be. Now here’s why he needed that response and I am one of those
who did give him back on his remark –

 Aamir’s supporters say that violent / rabid remarks confirm that India is intolerant – The reason anti
nationals can get away with such remarks, such hate speech against the mainstream population and the
majority of people, the reason they can play around with people’s sentiment is this article. In fact, his
publicity seeking stunts in all aspects are caught by people and such reaction is only to tell him, dude be
in your place, we have caught your lies and fake tears.
 Experiences are personal and not borrowed from others – When a celebrity says he is insecure in a
country and wanted to leave, that means A LOT for ordinary people. That means ordinary common men
have no life in the country. That is creation of insecurity among the masses – that is creation of a sense
of false emergency.

Now, if the country has shown any intolerant behaviour again the celebrities like him are responsible for
that. The videos like “I am not a woman” by Rajit Kapoor or “Boys Don’t Cry” by Madhuri Dixit fuels that
insecurity. The TV shows like Satya Mev Jayate based on false data is responsible for creating and
propagating this false sense of insecurity, his irresponsible comment like the one he has made is
responsible for that. This is because if such a statement comes from a celebrity that means a lot for
ordinary people. Yes, he is also responsible for fueling this false sense of insecurity in this country
through his TV show SMJ that was supposed to create social awareness, but based one sided awareness,
based on fake data. So all he wanted was money and fame and he didn’t mind undermining his nation
and his own fellow countrymen for that.”

Karan Desai talks about the great Indian intolerance debate. He is of the view that the media often plays
a key role in defining the sentiment of general people.

“Indians show huge tolerance in everything. Remember, India has majority of tolerant people and little
amount of criminals. The only irony is that our media projects this little proportion so intensely that we
all overshadows and sees the evil over wisdom. Be wise and understand that intolerance is the attribute
of weaker and India’s children are not weak. See the history, India has shown tolerance and acceptance
to all invaded dynasties, religions and kingdoms. The secularism is not only on papers, it is in India’s DNA
and so, if some big mouths, some big news channels and few small random crime incidents make you
feel insecure, then I think, you are intolerant and not the country. therefore, everyone has right to speak
and express but the platform, stage and audience must also be considered.”

Satya Vijayi has a post made by a Kashmiri Pandit who talks about how issues all over the country get a
biased attention that have no relevance to their priorities. He asserts in his writings that Indians show
the highest level of tolerance. He finds Aamir Khan’s statement as a highly irresponsible remark
considering he is an idol that is looked upon by many of his ardent fans.

“When we Kashmiri Pandits faced Genocide in India and when our own neighbors were with guns on
streets against us, demolishing our temples, burning our homes, raping us – India remained silent. So
who should be thinking about leaving India – we living in migrant camps or you making millions in
Intolerant India? Even if we face genocide again, we will never think or talk about leaving India.
Let me tell you those neighbors & rioters were Muslims. Such was an intolerant Indian living inside me
that you, a Muslim, were my super star, my role model, a person I would fight for with my friends, a
person I looked up to. If India was intolerant and if I was intolerant, I would have generalized the
community and never made you my role model. I will never do that, that is not how tolerant India is,
never will it be.

Even after 26 years, we haven’t given up on India. Each day we think on how to make it a better place.
Each day we think that Indians will come forward to help. That India is not what we faced in India. Those
neighbors and friends don’t represent the minority population of India nor do you.
I didn’t question your double standards when you questioned going to a Hindu temple and then yourself
went happily to Hajj. I should have. But I was too tolerant.

I just wanted to tell you that I am restless, I am restless not because I am a Narendra Modi supporter, I
am restless because I regret that I wasted my two decades for a man who was not worth being my Hero.
I will never forget that. Never ever.”

Vishal Kale deeply analyses the intolerance debate and the situation that a typical citizen is into. The
responsible factors are many apart from the main role players and one must exercise introspection and
patience while reacting to such deep issues.

“The big question in front of us as a nation is how do we proceed, given the recent spate of events
around tolerance and intolerance perceptions? We are seeing the emergence of two clear camps –
which I prefer to call The Tolerance Brigade and The Intolerance Brigade. Each sides sees no merit in the
others’ position, with one side actually pulling out all sorts of tactics- both logical & cogent, as well as
illogical and insultingly extreme bordering on direct personal verbal and written abuse. At times, this
abuse goes beyond all controls to become extreme and personally targeted and attacking on Social
Media as well.”

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay shares his views on the Aamir Khan statement. He calls it an over hyped issue
just because he is a celebrity. He also talks about how some Indians faced a threat to their lives on issues
they were simply not a part of.

“What is worrisome is that the view that Aamir Khan should not have spoken in public on the issue was
articulated by someone who is otherwise not a storm trooper of the Hindutva brigade is a symptom of a
deep malaise that is affecting Indian society. The dividing lines are sharper and deeper than before, an
odd election setback to the BJP notwithstanding.

For the past several months certain categories of Indians have faced threat to their existence. This
danger to their lives has two causes: their names and their views. MJ Akbar, acclaimed journalist and
writer, former Congressman turned BJP spokesperson and lawmaker berated Aamir Khan the other day.
“When the azaan calls given from mosques resonate harmoniously with temple and church bells in
India,” Akbar began; “you want to be in London or Washington where you will never hear the call of the
azaan.”

Dilip Semon’s blog has his take on the intolerance debate. He cites this issue as a huge concern for a
patriot and no one else. We all are citizens and to ensure peace and harmony is a responsibility of each
one and not just celebrities or people with high standards.

“Aamir Khan soberly articulated an angst that many citizens feel. It is easy for many of us to identify with
that angst. It would be helpful if those who attacked him bothered to read what he actually said. The
worries he expressed about growing intolerance and, more specifically, the helplessness that the lack of
a proper political response from those in highest positions of authority produces, are spot on. Even the
homely conversation gesturing at the question of whether our children will live in an environment
where they feel secure, protected by liberal values, has a familiar ring.
But it would be presumptuous to say that Aamir’s angst is my angst. He is a celebrity. In this age, one
twisted act of retribution is to teach celebrities a lesson to put them in their place. There are many
disturbing aspects to the response to Aamir Khan. One is the idea that because he is a celebrity, he
deserves even more odium: To the sin of political transgression we can add the charge of
ungratefulness. How can he, we intone, be so ungrateful to the country that made him a star? Once you
are a celebrity, you forfeit the luxury of voicing concerns as an ordinary citizen.”

Nikhil Chandra has his take on the three very important factors of a society that shape the general
societal environment: Celebrities, Social Media and Indian TV channels. Words get tweaked and are
presented out of context creating an imbalance in the minds of people or his fans.

“There were a many ministers present at the awards ceremony on Tuesday when Aamir Khan made that
remark. I wonder why Arun Jaitley, the senior-most minister in the audience, instead of being angry and
making observation about how busy one could be in his job to think about other issues – in this case
issue that concern our nation and its secular spirit as imbibed in our constitution – did not stand up and
say he understood Aamir’s anxiety and that his government would take what he said into consideration
and guarantee that every Indian, irrespective of his belief, was safe? Isn’t that intolerance?

Have you seen the state of our news channels…Just contrast them with Western media like BBC, CNN,
RT or AL Jazeera and you’d know what kind of farce and cheap entertainment and not news is presented
by most of our news channels save Doordarshan.”

What are the goals of life, according to Hindu Dharma?

Classic Hinduism promotes four different goals. Like other aspects of Hinduism, the goals are split
between those emphasized by the "life is good" perspective and those emphasized by the "life is bad"
perspective. The three life-affirming goals are Dharma (virtue), Artha (success) and Kama (pleasure),
while the life-negating goal is that of moksha (release).

The three "life is good" goals can be pursued all at once or at different times in one's life. Some goals
seem more suited to different stages of life than others.

Dharma is the practice of virtue, the living of an ethical and ritually correct life. The definition of what is
virtuous, however, varies, depending on a person's caste and jati membership. The primary virtue is to
fulfill the duties assigned to one's caste. Thus a brahmin should offer sacrifices and do them to the best
of his ability, while a Vaishya silversmith should create his plates and bowls as strong and beautiful as
possible. If either person tried to do the other's job, that would be seen as violating their caste duty. The
dharma a person is expected to fulfill also varies depending on their stage of life. A student, for instance,
becomes virtuous through a different set of actions than a householder.

Artha is the working for and achieving of success, in terms of both wealth and power. This means it is
religiously important to be a successful businessman, to sell a lot of carpets for instance, or to manage a
successful restaurant. It also means that it is religiously good to serve on the city council, to be active in
civic organizations, or even to become a politician. This kind of success is most easily achieved at the
householder stage of life.

Kama is pleasure, usually understood as aesthetic pleasure of all kinds. This includes: the producing and
enjoyment of art, music, dance, drama, literature, poetry, and sex. (The "Kama Sutra," which may be
one of the best known Hindu texts in the West, is about the aesthetic pleasure of men and women; it
discusses beauty, music, dance and sexual activity.) It is thus religiously praiseworthy to take part, to
support, or just to appreciate any form of pleasure. This should always be done, of course, within the
realm of dharma (i.e., in a virtuous manner).

The "life is bad" goal is moksha. It is the striving for release from life (since, after all, it is bad). To achieve
this, a person must turn their back on life and strive to live without the things that make up life. At first,
it requires the turning away from the first three goals, of rejecting family, comforts, pleasure, education,
and so on. It also requires one to become an ascetic, a hermit, and to spend one's time in
contemplation. This contemplation should be directed towards overcoming the maya that clouds human
perception of reality and towards realizing the true nature of the cosmos and one's place in it (that
atman and Brahman are one). (For further discussion, see The Cosmos.)

Purusha means either God or a human being. Artha means, purpose, an object or objective.
"Purusharthas" means objectives of a person or a human being. Purusha does not mean male in the
physical sense, but any individual soul or Self in its purest, undifferentiated aspect. So the Purusharthas
are applicable to both men and women equally.

However, the Hindu law books place greater emphasis upon men in performing their obligatory duties
and associative roles for women. Sons in a family may have emotional attachment with their mother but
have an obligatory duty towards their father, who is responsible for their birth since, as per Hindu
beliefs, he carries them in his semen before he transfer them to his wife. A father also lives through his
sons. He transmits his powers, name and fame, to his eldest son before he departs from this world.
Thus, the Vedic tradition, as is the case with many ancient religious traditions, is predominantly men
oriented.

The Purusharthas serve as pointers in the life of a human being. They are based on the vision of God
which is evident in the creation He manifested and which can be followed by man to be part of that
vision and in harmony with His aims. His worlds are established on the principles of dharma. They are
filled with the abundance of material and spiritual beings and energies, who seek fulfillment by
achieving their desires and liberation. Since man is God in his microcosmic aspect, he too should
emulate God and manifest the same reality in his own little world. He should pursue the same aims,
experience life in its fullness and be an instrument of God by serving the purpose for which he has been
created. The four chief aims or Purusharthas are:
1. Dharma (righteousness),
2. Artha (wealth),
3. Kama (desire) and
4. Moksha (salvation or liberation).
The rationale behind these Purusharthas becomes clear when we consider the basic tenets of Hinduism.
Man is an aspect of God. He is God's objective reality in creation. He exists in relationship with God like a
reflection in the mirror that is somewhat different yet inseparable and somewhat similar. Veiled in him
is the true self by the influence and involvement of Prakriti or primordial nature. The purpose of his life
upon earth is to follow the law (dharma) of God and achieve salvation (moksha) or freedom from his
false self (ahamkara) by leading a balanced life in which both material comforts and human passions
have their own place and legitimacy. The four aims are essential for the continuity of life upon earth and
for the order and regularity of the world. They provide structure and meaning to human life and give us
a reason to live with a sense of duty, moral obligation and responsibility.
Man cannot simply take birth on earth and start working for his salvation right away by means of just
dharma alone. If that is so man would never realize why he would have to seek liberation in the first
place. As he passes through the rigors of life and experiences the problem of human suffering, he learns
to appreciate the value of liberation. He becomes sincere in his quest for salvation. So we have the four
goals, instead of just one, whose pursuit provides us with an opportunity to learn important lessons and
move forward on the spiritual path. What the Purusharthas characterize is not a life of self-negation, but
of balance, complexity, richness, opportunities and moderation in a cosmic drama of immense
proportions in which man ultimately envisions and experiences his true grandeur and fulfills the very
purpose of his creation.
Every individual in Hindu society is expected to achieve these four objectives with detachment, without
any expectation and as a sacrificial offering to God in the ritual of human life. They have to be pursued
selflessly for a higher and greater cause. Depending upon the attitude and the manner in which we
pursue them, they either set us free or entangle us deeper with the allurements of human life.
Dharma

The first of the goals is dharma, a word which is difficult to translate in English. Since the same word is
used in many eastern religions, it means many things to many people and eludes a true definition. It has
been variously translated as duty, faith, religion, righteousness, sacred law, justice, ethics, morality and
so on. According to one school of Hinduism, dharma is an obligatory duty as prescribed by the Vedas to
be performed by an individual in accordance with the rules prescribed for the caste to which he or she
belongs. God is an upholder of dharma because he performs His duties even though they are not
obligatory and He is without desire or preference.
There is no word in Latin or English that can truly explain the complex meaning of dharma. Its first letter
"dha" is also the first letter of dharitri, the earth, which is suggestive of its connection with the earth or
earthly life. In a wider sense, dharma is the secret glue, the binding force, which upholds and regulates
this entire creation just as the gravitational force controls and holds the entire material universe as one
piece. It is the divine constitution that defines our roles and responsibilities, our social and moral order,
our purpose and goals and the rewards and punishments that are appropriate for our actions. It is the
law of God that is sacred, inviolable and pervasive. It is responsible for order, regularity, harmony,
control, predictability and accountability. According to Manusmriti, dharma is four footed in the Krita
age and loses one leg in each successive age. Thus in the fourth and last age of Kali, it becomes crippled
and rests upon just one leg.
Dharma exists in all planes, in all aspects and at all levels of creation. In the context of human life,
dharma consists of all that an individual undertakes in harmony with divine injunctions and his own
sense of morality and justice. However to comprehend the true nature of dharma is not an easy task.
The world is enveloped in illusion as our human minds are. What we see in the world and learn from it
may not be true and reliable. What we consider as right and wrong or dharma and adharma may not
stand the test of truth. Hence to practice dharma we are advised to rely upon the scriptures and follow
the injunctions contained there in.
The sources of dharma are the Vedas, the Vedangas, the Sutra literature of which the most important
are the Dharmashastras, and scriptures such as the Bhagavadgita. In ancient India Dharmashastras (law
books) played an important role in guiding people on the path of dharma. It is however difficult to say
how far they are relevant in the present age. One should also remember that dharma should not be
viewed as end in itself but the means to a still higher end, liberation.
Artha

Artha means wealth. Hinduism recognizes the importance of material wealth for the overall happiness
and well being of an individual. A house holder requires wealth, because he has to perform many duties
to uphold dharma and take care of the needs of his family and society. A person should not seek wealth
for wealth sake but to uphold dharma and help the members of his family and society achieve their
goals. Hinduism therefore rightly places material wealth as the second most important objective in
human life. While dharma and moksha are meant for oneself, wealth and sex are to be pursued for the
sake of others. Lord Vishnu is the best role model for any householder. He leads a luxurious life, served
by the goddess of wealth herself, but is very dutiful, helpful, responsive and righteous. So was Lord
Krishna while he was in human form. He lived a very luxurious life, but was righteous, detached and
balanced.
Hinduism advocates austerity, simplicity and detachment, but does not glorify poverty. Wealth is not an
impediment to self-realization, but attachment to wealth is. Desire for wealth is different from greed for
wealth. Selfless desire for wealth is preferable to selfish desire for wealth. Money and wealth are a form
of divine energy. God is abundance. He is endowed with eight kinds of wealth. But as Sri Aurobindo
pointed out we have negative attitude mostly about wealth because hostile and negative forces want us
believe so and thereby prevent its use for righteous reasons.
Seeking wealth through human actions is not discouraged in Hinduism. The Vedic hymns are mostly
invocations addressed to gods and goddesses by men desiring wealth and prosperity. However they also
emphasize the need for right intention, right means and moderation in the pursuit of wealth. Aiming for
wealth is a virtue, but greed is not. Amassing wealth for the family and for the welfare of oneself is not
sinful, but taking what does not belong to one is. Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism benefited greatly in
the past by the individual contribution of rich merchants, their wives and children.
Poverty has become a grotesque reality in present day Hindu society and erroneously considered by
many as a virtue. This is a Christian influence. Hindus have become so poverty conscious that if a saint or
a sage leads a comfortable life, they scoff at him, saying that he is not a true yogi. They have to remind
themselves of the simple fact that none of the Hindu gods and goddesses are really poor. While they
always help the poor and the needy, none of them glorify poverty as a virtue. According to Hinduism all
experiences are self created and provide an opportunity to learn. So is poverty and so is wealth.
Renunciation does not mean to leave aside wealth or denounce the wealthy. It means detachment from
wealth. To become indifferent to the comforts and discomforts of life caused by wealth.
Hinduism advocates moderation and balance in the pursuit of material and spiritual goals. Some Hindus
think otherwise, ignoring the fact that what is applicable to an ascetic does not apply to a householder.
Swami Vivekananda rightly said that religion was not for the empty stomachs. When a person is beset
with survival problems, he would hardly find any solace in religion. Soothing words would not comfort a
hungry soul as much as a morsel of food.
Kama

Kama in a broader sense means desire and in a narrow sense sexual desire. Both Hinduism and
Buddhism consider desire as the root cause of human suffering. According to the Bhagavadgita, desire
leads delusion and bondage to the cycle of births and deaths. The way out of suffering is to become
detached from the sense objects through such practices as yoga and meditation and perform desireless
actions as a sacrificial offerings to God with a sense of duty, accepting God as the doer and without
hankering after the fruit of one's actions. According to Manusmriti man performs sacrifices because of
the desire for rewards, with the expectation that his actions will bear fruit. Not a single act of him here
on earth appears ever to be done by a man free from desire. So he who performs his prescribed duties
out of desire in the right manner will obtain the fulfillment of all the desires and reach the deathless
state or even beyhond1. As we can see the right way to fulfill one's desire is by performing one's
obligatory duties in the right manner but not by neglecting them so that the way of the dharma also
becomes the way of fulfillment of desires.
Hinduism differs from other religions in its interpretation and approach to the subject of sex. Sex can be
either a means to liberation and happiness in life or a great hindrance and cause of suffering depending
upon how we approach it. In any case ultimately one has to overcome it to achieve salvation. It can be
done either by abstaining from it or by indulging in it. The former is the way of the Vedanta and the
latter the way of the Tantras. One is the way of suppression and the other the way of expression
through detachment and understanding in which sexual energy is sublimated and transformed into a
higher form of energy. It is just the way you learn to handle fire. In both cases the difficulties are way
too many and so are the risks. Sexual desire is the ultimate of all desires and unless it is overcome one is
not free from the taints of Maya.
In Hinduism there is permission for sexual activity up to a limit, so long as it is not in conflict with the
principles of dharma and used for the purposes of procreation, perpetuation of family and social order,
within the boundaries established by tradition, social norms and scriptures. Sexual activity is part of
obligatory duty and not to be misused for enjoyment as it would lead to attachment, delusion and one's
downfall. Sexual relationship outside marriage is not permitted except in special circumstances as laid
down in the Dharmashastras. Marriage is a sacred institution in which both the husband and wife join
their energies and destinies to promote each other's liberation by performing their respective obligatory
duties, which only married couple can perform. Through the bonds of marriage they also bind their
respective karmas.
While the law books draw a clear demarcation between legitimate and illegitimate sex, sex by itself is
not considered unclean or sinful. Sexual desire is an important and legitimate aspect of manava dharma
(human obligations) and is created by nature to perpetuate life in the material plane. Creation itself is a
continuation of the union between Purusha and Prakriti, the male and female aspects of the manifest
universe, which is symbolically represented in the form of Sivalinga. Creation ends when this union ends.
Sexual desire is also the last stronghold of Prakriti and the final refuge of our attachment with samsara.
It is the most difficult spiritual obstacle to be overcome. In most people it perpetuates the delusion of
the mind and serves as an important force of Prakriti by which she maintains her stranglehold upon
them and keeps them bound to the cycle of births and deaths.
The ambivalent attitude of Hinduism on the subject of sex is rooted in its historical growth during which
it assimilated divergent traditions and practices of which some were derived from ancient fertility cults.
It becomes evident as we go through the scriptures and find in them various stories related to the
libidinous activities of various gods and goddesses. While on the one hand we have an established
school of opinion that considers celibacy as a great virtue and a necessary condition for liberation, on
the other we have stories from the Hindu Puranas which depict the sexual exploits of gods and
goddesses and the odd situations that develop out of them.
Some of the stories give us an impression that the gods are oversexed beings who cannot control
themselves from temptation in the company of beautiful women. Besides sensuous gods, there are
celestial nymphs of indescribable beauty who add passion and drama to Hindu mythology through their
activities. At times they descend to earth to disturb and distract the minds of ascetic people who are
absorbed in deep meditation. Even Siva, Vishnu and Krishna are not above reproach. Many divinities and
legendary heroes, including Bharata the founder of the Indian race are born out of illegitimate sexual
conduct. Scholars however tend to consider these stories of sexual union to be symbolic in nature and
not to be taken literally.
Whatever may be the truth, sex constituted an important aspect of Hindu society from ancient times.
The Dharmashastras prescribed a definite code of conduct to safeguard the social and moral order.
Married women were not allowed to meet men in private when they were not accompanied by their
husbands or, in their absence, any other male member of their families. Women whose husbands died
were allowed to beget children through their brother-in-laws (Gautama 18.4). A marriageable maiden
who was not given in marriage had the freedom to choose her sexual partners after giving up the
ornaments she received from her family and parents (Gautama 18.20). To avoid misuse of this provision,
the scriptures recommended that girls should be married before they reached puberty. Adultery was a
punishable offence while killing an unchaste woman or a prostitute was not (Gautama 22.26&27).
Mental attitude, the state of mind and the dominant quality of Prakriti at the time of sexual union were
considered important because they impacted the children who were born out of such unions. Polygamy
was an accepted social norm. It bred intrigue and jealousy among women who shared a common
husband. Women were sold and brought in the market place. While sex with unmarried maidens was a
lesser taboo, adultery was a punishable offence. More so if it happened between a lower caste male and
higher caste female.
According to Hinduism, sex in an important aspect of human life, but lust is not. Lust is one of the chief
enemies of man. It is a demonic quality, just as greed and pride are, and one of the biggest hurdles on
the spiritual path. All lustful activity would result in sin with unhappy consequences for all those
involved in it directly or indirectly. Even gods are not spared from the consequences of lustful sex.
However, prostitutes and pleasure girls added color and zest to ancient Hindu society. Some of them
were highly skilled in the art and science of sex. They were patronized and frequented by men of repute.
They employed various tricks to attract men and keep them under their charm. Prostitution is still a
rampant problem in India and one of the chief concerns of women activists and welfare organizations
One of the notable developments within Hinduism during the post Mauryan period was the rise of
Tantrism which upheld sexual activity and considered it to be an expression of the divine. The Tantrics
indulged in various kinds of esoteric sexual rites to experience the blissful nature of God. They believed
in the possibility of sublimating sexual energy through austerities and penances to transcend one's
lower nature and achieve higher states of consciousness. They practiced various breathing and yoga
techniques to prolong their sexual prowess so that they could experiences higher states of blissful
consciousness during sexual union practiced with detachment. These sects continue to remain on the
fringes of society attracting ridicule and criticism and largely unknown and misunderstood by the
general public. For the vast majority of Hindus, sex is a taboo unless it is in tune with the social, moral
and religious laws.
Moksha

The pursuit of dharma regulates the life of a human being and keeps him on the righteous path. The
pursuit of artha and kama enrich his experience and impart to him valuable lesson. The pursuit of
moksha or salvation liberates him and lead him to the world Brahman. The pursuit of dharma usually
begins in the early age when one is initiated into religious studies. The pursuit of artha and kama begins
in most cases after one becomes a householder. The pursuit of moksha however is the most important
of all aims and can begin at any time. The other aims are preparatory for this final aim. However, in most
cases, though not correctly, moksha becomes an important pursuit in the old age during vanaprastha or
the age of retirement. Moksha is both a purushartha and a paramartha (transcendental aim), which is
important not only for men but also for the divine beings.
Moksha actually means absence of moha or delusion. Delusion is caused by the inter play of the triple
gunas, the activity of the senses, attachment with and desire for sense objects. A person achieves
liberation when he increases the quality of sattva, suppressing rajas and tamas and overcomes his desire
for sense objects by detachment, self control, surrender to god and offering of one's actions to God.
There are many paths to salvation and all of them lead to God. The main paths are the path of
knowledge, of action, of devotion and of renunciation. Each path has its own advantages and
disadvantages. whatever may be the path, the help and guidance of a guru is indispensable to one's
spiritual journey. A guru is God in human form whose his chief purpose is to remove the darkness
hidden in the hearts and minds of his disciples and help them find their true selves.
The purpose of Purusharthas is to ensure that people would not neglect their obligatory duties in their
deluded state by becoming obsessed with particular desires that may lead to moral and social
decadence and destruction of family values. The four Purusharthas are responsible for balance in human
life. They make life a rewarding and enriching experience. They cater to the spiritual and material
aspirations of human beings and lead them in the right direction on the path of liberation. The exemplify
the very functioning of God who, without any particular aim or desire, detached, seeks to establish
these four aims in the entire manifest creation through his trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha and
Himself as the highest and supreme aim of all. Thus by worshipping Brahma we can gain the knowledge
of dharma and perform our obligatory duties with precision and perfection. By worshipping Vishnu we
can gain material and spiritual wealth and work for the welfare of our families and society. By
worshipping Siva we can seek the fulfillment of our desires and overcome our delusion and finally by
pursuing Brahman, or any of these gods as Brahman, we can achieve liberation by becoming Brahman
Himself.

What are Yogas? Explain the concepts of Jnana Yoga & Karma Yoga?
The Four Types of Yoga: Reaching Towards the Divine

In Hinduism, there are four main ways to reach towards the divine reality, whether the ultimate goal is a
better life, union with the divine, or a release from life. The ways are called yoga, a word similar to the
English term "yoke." And, just as yoke implies a burden or a discipline of actions, so too does yoga. Each
yoga puts on its followers a set of actions that help lead the practitioner towards their goal. The yogas
are: Jnana yoga, Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, and Raja yoga. The first three are discussed in the Bhagavad
Gita, while the fourth derives initially from the Yoga Sutra. These are all spiritual approaches to
understanding the divine world; what we in the west generally term yoga--forms of physical exercise
and control of the body--is properly known as Hatha yoga. It has no spiritual impact.

Janana Yoga

Janana means knowledge and this yoga is the path to understanding ultimate reality through
knowledge. Of course, the reality the yogi (a practitioner of yoga) is trying to comprehend is the identity
of atman (one's own soul) with Brahman (the creator and essence of the cosmos). And comprehension
of this identity must happen not just at the intellectual level, but with every fiber of a person's being.
There are three main steps in Jnana yoga. The first is learning. The initiate is taught about the identity of
atman and Brahman through instruction, study of holy writings, and so on. Once the intellectual
understanding of the concept has been achieved, the yogi moves to the next level.

The second step is that of thinking. The yogi is taught to embody the teaching he has received. The
teacher often encourages this process, for example, by pushing the student to think about the "I," "me,"
and "my" that always crop up in a person's speech. The goal of this stage is to bring the yogi to the
ability to separate his/her eternal soul (the Self) from the temporary self within which it is encased.

The third step is to differentiate oneself from oneself. In other words, once it is understood that each
individual's eternal atman is enclosed in a temporary body of maya, the goal is to relocate one's identity
in the atman, rather than in the body and its temporary accompanying emotions and thoughts. In the
initial stages of this process, the yogi begins to think of themselves in the third person. Rather than
thinking, "I am taking a bath," they think, "John is taking a bath." A person thus becomes an observer of
their temporary body, rather than its motivator. The ultimate aim is complete detachment of the eternal
Self from the temporary one. Once this is achieved, then there is nothing that separates the Self (the
atman) from Brahman.

Bhakti Yoga

This is the path of devotion to a god, or, more precisely, the path of the love of a god. A person thus
centers on a god or goddess (such as Vishnu, Parvati, Ganesha) and expresses their love for him or her.
The goal is not to just say "I love Shiva" or "I love Kali" or just to perform acts of love and worship, but to
actually love them, to devote oneself to them as if they were a lover, a parent or one's child.

Bhakti takes many forms. It can be the constant repetition of the god's/goddess' name throughout the
day to enhance a person's awareness of the divine being's role in life. It can be the giving of gifts to the
god at his temple, and the participation in worship of the god there. It can be pilgrimage to a site sacred
to the goddess' life. The goal is thus not identity or unity, but nearness. Lovers are not one person, they
are two people whose lives are intertwined. So too it is with the worshipper and their god.

Karma Yoga

This yoga aims to reverse the natural order workings of karma. Karma is generated by every action a
person performs during their lives, and, it is the working out of karma that requires rebirth after death.
So, Karma Yoga reasons, if a person could live without generating karma, then there would be nothing
to cause rebirth.

This task is accomplished by detachment, namely, the detachment of one's Self (one's atman) from
one's actions. This is done by removing all involvement, including one's intent, from their activity. This
can be accomplished either through the knowledge of one's true Self (like Jnana yoga) or by putting all
the actions onto one's god (following a path similar to Bhakti yog
 Raja Yoga

Raja means "royal," so this is the royal yoga. This is essentially the path of meditation, that is, of being
able to remove one's own consciousness from its awareness of this world of maya and to focus only on
the ultimate reality of the cosmos' unity. This is quite difficult to accomplish, and there are eight stages
that are designed as the simplest path. The difficulty is to overcome one's awareness first of their
surroundings, and then of their own body and its activities (such as breathing and the pumping of the
heart). Once this is accomplished then a person must take control of their mind and to focus it on one
thing only, Brahman. The goal is achieved when through concentration and meditation, all separateness
of the world of maya disappears and the unity of atman and Brahman appears.

Let’s look at each of the Paths of Yoga and see how we can incorporate them into our lives.

1. Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti is the yoga of devotion, ultimately to the Divine, but it can initially be a guru, your family, a friend,
or anything that creates strong emotional ties.

In today’s world with so much chaos and confusion, it is said that Bhakti is the easiest of the paths. It can
be practiced by anyone—regardless of mental or physical abilities—and doesn't involve
extensive yogic practices.

Bhakti is the path of love which removes jealousy, hatred, lust, anger, egoism, pride, and arrogance. It
replaces those feelings with feelings of joy, divine ecstasy, bliss, peace, and wisdom. The first line of a
Fleetwood Mac song says, “Drowning in a sea of love, where everyone would love to drown.” This is
Bhakti—drowning in love.

Vedanta says there is a fine thread made of Pure Love (Prem), which connects your heart with the
Divine. This thread is the essence of Bhakti. It’s been lying dormant in your heart since the beginning of
creation, hidden by layers of ignorance and suffering. However, no matter what you do or where you go,
this thread, our Divine connection, can never be broken. This is what creates the deep yearning of your
Soul for joy and bliss.

To be in love with someone or something creates separation. Bhakti is to be love—to be intoxicated with
Divine Love. It is the Unity of being in love with Love Itself. Vedanta says, put the emphasis where it
belongs—on the Divine Self within each person we encounter.

The Bhakti Yogi

 Asks what is it that I long for at the deepest level of my Being?

 Is pure in thoughts, words, and actions
 Looks for the Divinity in the ordinary
 Honors and respects all life
 Purifies the heart through devotion
 Sings, dances, chants, and listens to Divine verses
 Surrenders by being open to everything
 Acts as a servant, friend, or mother to the Divine in everyone

People often say they don’t have enough time for their spiritual practice because of family
commitments. Bhakti is to make serving your family your practice.

With Bhakti, all attachments end except the all-absorbing love for God—this is the only attachment that
frees rather than limits. Once the Divine is re-established in the temple of your heart, Its Love will serve
you for eternity. Bhakti is the journey to finally “rest in God.”

2. Karma Yoga

Karma means “action,” and Karma Yoga is performing action without attachment to the outcome. It is
the path of selfless service (Seva). You cease to identify with the ego and all action is seen as an offering
to the Divine.

The heart is purified so egoism, hatred, jealousy, selfishness, and similar negative qualities vanish,
creating space for humility, pure love, sympathy, tolerance, and compassion.

Karma Yoga is “doing the right thing,”—the process of achieving perfection in action. It means following
one’s dharma (true purpose) and acceptingwhatever comes, without expectation of payment, thanks, or
recognition.

The Karma Yogi

 Lives life with passion but remains dispassionate about the outcome
 Is effortless and graceful in all things
 Has a loving, friendly nature
 Is sympathetic, compassionate, and tolerant
 Rejoices in the success and happiness of others
 Feels neither above nor beneath anyone
 Speaks and acts truthfully

Vedanta also says that Karma Yoga is the Warriors Path and the Yogi should:

 Maintain a strong healthy body

 Bear insults and compliments, comfort and pain, equally
 Have faith in him/herself, knowing that the Divine will always love him/her
 Be adaptable to any situation and able to mix with everyone
 Have a calm mind
 Be fearless

With Karma Yoga, all desires eventually merge into one, which is to serve and ultimately serve the
Divine.
 3. Gyana (Jnana) Yoga

Gyana Yoga is the path of knowledge or, more correctly, wisdom. It is the means to Enlightenment
through the process of reason—particularly the process of discrimination between what is real and what
is not real, what is true and untrue—through study and self-inquiry.

It is said to be the most difficult path because it uses the mind and intellect to go beyond themselves to
finally realize you are One with the Divine. The Upanishads call it the “razor’s edge,” where the ego is
always trying to knock us off. It requires great strength of character, will power, and intellect.

When asked a question, Ramana Maharshi, a great Indian Saint and Gyana Yogi, would often reply, “First
ask yourself who is asking the question.” Gyana Yoga is the study of the ancient texts and teachings of
the Great Masters but, more importantly, it is the study of your own self.

The Gyana Yogi

 Studies the spiritual texts of his/her traditions

 Reads the words of the Great Masters
 Asks the heart the following questions and listens to the answers without judgement or evaluation:
o Who am I
o What do I want?
o What is my purpose?
o What am I grateful for?
 Is mindful of the surrounding world
 Listens, reflects, contemplates
 Practices discernment and detachment
 Meditates and takes time each day to be silent

The Gyana Yogi stops worrying about what is being seen but asks, “Why am I seeing it?” Life begins to be
seen as a dream.

4. Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga means the “Royal Path.” Just as a king maintains control over his kingdom, you must maintain
control over your own “kingdom”—the vast territory of your mind.

It’s the path of meditation, mantras, and techniques. The basic theme of Raja Yoga is that your
perception of the Divine Self is obscured by the disturbances of the mind. If the body and mind can be
made still and pure, the Self will instantaneously shine forth.

Raja Yoga is the path most favored by Westerners because it can be practiced by almost everyone
requiring no belief or particular faith. Raja Yoga says to believe only what you find out for yourself
through direct experience.

The Raja Yogi

 Maintains balance in sleep, diet, lifestyle, and work
 Is in harmony with nature’s rhythms
 Is pure and nonjudgmental
 Takes responsibility for his/her life
 Has control over his/her emotions and remains free from worries
 Avoids distractions
 Trains the mind through techniques of meditation

Although he didn’t call it Raja Yoga, this path was best summarized by the Indian Sage Patanjali in his
Yoga Sutras, under the title Astanga, or The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

The Eight Limbs

 Yama: Abstaining from harming others through wrong doing, including non-violence, truthfulness, non-
stealing, not wasting our energy, abstention from greed or hoarding
 Niyamas: Principles for our own daily lives, including purity or cleanliness, contentment, discipline,
study, devotion
 Asanas: Seat or posture, yoga poses
 Pranayama: Mastering and enlivening the life force
 Pratyahara: Inner reflection
 Dharana: Focused attention
 Dhyana: Meditation, continuous flow
 Samadhi: Freedom, liberation, enlightenment

In essence, Raja Yoga is a systematic process of molding our character and life to the experience of
Enlightenment.

The Four Paths

Even though these four paths appear different, there is really only one Yoga, one Union. We may be
drawn to one Path more than the others but they complement each other. As the saying goes, “All roads
lead to Rome,” so all Paths lead to Enlightenment.

The Paths are like four different strands woven together to form the same rope, each one strengthened
by the others. Choose whichever aspects of each path resonate with you and begin to incorporate them
into your life. Look for joy in your daily practice and let it guide you.