What is our next goal after meeting our basic survival needs?

Try feeding a hungry man, a dry loaf of bread. He will bless you for life. When the hunger is thus contained, he is sure to look up to you for some butter and jam to go with, as a dry loaf is no more good enough!’ That is the very nature of human-beings, and what makes us depart from all other life-forms. We are the seekers of pleasure.

This is the next purushārtha, known as ‘kāma’, the need for enjoyment.

The point to remember is that while ‘arthā’ is the right for everyone and the humanity must ensure such equity, ‘kāma’ is a privilege, a luxury that almost has no limits in its scope. What is wrong with that? Why should we live for bare necessities! Absolutely! There is nothing wrong and Veda does encourage us to uplift our comforts in life. The problem is unlike ‘arthā’, which soon subsides, ‘kāma’ is ceaseless and it multiplies to completely reorient our life into a vicious cycle of dread and despair.

So, Vedas give, along with the first two goals ‘arthā’ and ‘kāma’, a third goal, but to be treated as the foremost of purushārtha. This is what makes the world to function for all. What is that?

(to be continued – Mee. Rajagopalan – 18/05/2017)