ON THE ACQUISITION OF DHARMA, ARTHA

MAN, the period of whose life is one hundred years,
should practise Dharma, Artha and Kama at different
times and in such a manner that they may harmonize
together and not clash in any way. He should acquire
learning in his childhood, in his youth and middle age he
should attend to Artha and Kama, and in his old age he
should perform Dharma, and thus seek to gain Moksha,
i.e. release from further transmigration. Or, on account of
the uncertainty of life, he may practise them at times
when they are enjoined to be practised. But one thing is to
be noted, he should lead the life of a religious student
until he finishes his education.
Dharma is obedience to the command of the Shastra or
Holy Writ of the Hindoos to do certain things, such as the
performance of sacrifices, which are not generally done,
because they do not belong to this world, and produce no
visible effect; and not to do other things, such as eating
meat, which is often done because it belongs to this world,
and has visible effects.
Dharma should be learnt from the Shruti (Holy Writ),
and from those conversant with it.
Artha is the acquisition of arts, land, gold, cattle,
wealth, equipages and friends. It is, further, the protection
of what is acquired, and the increase of what is protected.
Artha should be learnt from the king’s officers, and
from merchants who may be versed in the ways of
commerce.
Kama is the enjoyment of appropriate objects by the
five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting and
smelling, assisted by the mind together with the soul. The
ingredient in this is a peculiar contact between the organ
of sense and its object, and the consciousness of pleasure
which arises from that contact is called Kama.
Kama is to be learnt from the Kama Sutra (aphorisms
on love) and from the practice of citizens.
When all the three, viz. Dharma, Artha and Kama, come
together, the former is better than the one which follows
it, i.e. Dharma is better than Artha, and Artha is better
than Kama. But Artha should always be first practised by
the king for the livelihood of men is to be obtained from
it only. Again, Kama being the occupation of public
women, they should prefer it to the other two, and these
are exceptions to the general rule.
Objection 1
Some learned men say that as Dharma is connected
with things not belonging to this world, it is appropriately
treated of in a book; and so also is Artha, because it is
practised only by the application of proper means, and a
knowledge of those means can only be obtained by study
and from books. But Kama being a thing which is
practised even by the brute creation, and which is to be
found everywhere, does not want any work on the subject.
Answer
This is not so. Sexual intercourse being a thing
dependent on man and woman requires the application of
proper means by them, and those means are to be learnt
from the Kama Shastra. The non-application of proper
means, which we see in the brute creation, is caused by
their being unrestrained, and by the females among them
only being fit for sexual intercourse at certain seasons and
no more, and by their intercourse not being preceded by
thought of any kind.
Objection 2
The Lokayatikas1 say: Religious ordinances should not
be observed, for they bear a future fruit, and at the same
time it is also doubtful whether they will bear any fruit at
all. What foolish person will give away that which is in
his own hands into the hands of another? Moreover, it is
better to have a pigeon today than a peacock tomorrow;
and a copper coin which we have the certainty of
obtaining, is better than a gold coin, the possession of
which is doubtful.
Answer
It is not so. 1st. Holy Writ, which ordains the practice
of Dharma, does not admit of a doubt.
2nd. Sacrifices such as those made for the destruction
of enemies, or for the fall of rain, are seen to bear fruit.
3rd. The sun, moon, stars, planets and other heavenly
bodies appear to work intentionally for the good of the
world.
4th. the existence of this world is effected by the
observance of the rules respecting the four classes of men
and their four stages of life.
5th. We see that seed is thrown into the ground with the
hope of future crops. Vatsyayana is therefore of opinion
that the ordinances of religion must be obeyed.
Objection 3
Those who believe that destiny is the prime mover of all
things say: We should not exert ourselves to acquire
wealth, for sometimes it is not acquired although we strive
to get it, while at other times it comes to us of itself
without any exertion on our part. Everything is therefore
in the power of destiny, who is the lord of gain and loss,
of success and defeat, of pleasure and pain. Thus we see
that Bali3 was raised to the throne of Indra by destiny,
and was also put down by the same power, and it is
destiny only that call reinstate him.
Answer
It is not right to say so. As the acquisition of every
object presupposes at all events some exertion on the part
of man, the application of proper means may be said to be
the cause of gaining all our ends, and this application of
proper means being thus necessary (even where a thing is
destined to happen), it follows that a person who does
nothing will enjoy no happiness.
Objection 4
Those who are inclined to think that Artha is the chief
object to be obtained argue thus. Pleasures should not be
sought for, because they are obstacles to the practice of
Dharma and Artha, which are both superior to them, and
are also disliked by meritorious persons. Pleasures also
bring a man into distress, and into contact with low
persons; they cause him to commit unrighteous deeds, and
produce impurity in him; they make him regardless of the
future, and encourage carelessness and levity. And lastly,
they cause him to be disbelieved by all, received by none,
and despised by everybody, including himself. It is
notorious, moreover, that many men who have given
themselves up to pleasure alone, have been ruined along
with their families and relations. Thus, king Dandakya, of
the Bhoja dynasty, carried off a Brahman’s daughter with
evil intent, and was eventually ruined and lost his
kingdom. Indra, too, having violated the chastity of
Ahalya, was made to suffer for it. In a like manner the
mighty Kichaka, who tried to seduce Draupadi, and
Ravana, who attempted to gain over Sita, were punished
for their crimes. These and many others fell by reason of
their pleasures
Answer
This objection cannot be sustained, for pleasures, being
as necessary for the existence and well being of the body
as food, are consequently equally required. They are,
moreover, the results of Dharma and Artha. Pleasures are,
therefore, to be followed with moderation and caution. No
one refrains from cooking food because there are beggars
to ask for it, or from sowing seed because there are deer to
destroy the corn when it is grown up.
Thus a man practising Dharma, Artha and Kama enjoys
happiness both in this world and in the world to come.
The good perform those actions in which there is no fear
as to what is to result from them in the next world, and in
which there is no danger to their welfare.
Any action which conduces to the practice of Dharma,
Artha and Kama together, or of any two, or even one of
them, should be performed, but an action which conduces
to the practice of one of them at the expense of theremaining two should not be performed.