Dharma, artha, kaama & moksha. Discover an empowering meaning and sequence!

We are seekers

In the land of seekers, not believers, that is Bharat, which literally means, bhayam (light) ratam (pursuit) iti bharatam! The land where people are in pursuit of enlightenment!

Let's see how!

We have always heard of dharma artha kaama and moksha in that sequence. To get the meaning right, one has to understand both, the meaning and the sequence. Somehow, this is usually interpreted as follows.

These are 4 purshurthas, meaning goals you can achieve with you own efforts, not because of someone's grace, blessings or fate.

Dyneshwar mauli says, alshi mandamati kevi tare. Meaning the one who is dumb and lazy can not cross the ocean of Maya or illusion or samsara or simply put, the world of attachement and aversions!

Let's see meaning of each term as commonly understood.

Dharma

Dharma is rituals or donations or daan or doing good karma. This is usually to done to get punya or get a better life and better lokas like swarga loka etc in after life, leading to a better life in rebirth etc.

Artha

Artha is earning money. This commonly comes from arthshastra, a book on finance, arth mantri as finance minister.

Kaama

Kaama is enjoyment of the money you earn through artha. Often also associated with lust.

Moksha

Moksha is something that you will get sometime in this life or next life. It's very difficult to get. Only one in a million gets it and so on. It's out of reach of most people.

Seeking answers

This gives rise to many questions in the mind. Which are unresolved. Many look for answers in the holy books, gurus, meditation etc.

Today, as i sat in silence, i relaized, I got it all wrong, not just the sequence, but the meaning as well. Today, it struck me that, the real meaning and sequence could be as follows

Moksha. Liberation is first. Jeevanmukta. You are free right here and right now. You only have to realise it. This is being free from attachements and aversions. There is no need to die for this.

Click here to read more....

https://www.limaye.org/post/nirvana-shatakam-6-verses-to-nirvana-freedom-you-only-have-to-realize-that-you-are-already-free

Dharma the actions taken for the role

Dharma is then followed as per roles as there is no attachement or aversions anymore. Actions related to dharma are unattached as you they are related to roles and you are not the role. It is your role. When you do your dharma, there is no karma! You are now out of the papa punya, rebirth circle! There is no fear in taking action. As you know what is right or the role has to be done.

Click here to read more....

https://www.limaye.org/post/being-free-of-karma-instantly

Kaama is the desire associated with the role

Kaama arises as the desire to give. This desire attracts resources to fulfill the mission of giving. Other personal desires and needs are less prominent now. The desires are without attachement as they are of the role. It is natural for the mind to have desires related to roles. The key is again that desires are linked to roles. You are not the role. It's your role!

To Read more....click here!

https://www.limaye.org/post/silencing-the-ego-minds-driver-creator-of-desires-and-generator-of-emotions-by-the-mind-model

Artha is the returns of the action

Artha is the returns or fulfillment you get when people see value in your work. This is richness of relationship, money, etc. in his book, think and grow with rich, the author describes 13 riches. Even when you have all these riches, you are not attached, to having more. This gets rid of the greed aspect.

Click here to read more..

https://www.limaye.org/post/fulfillment-comes-from-giving-not-having-but-what-is-giving-giving-away-your-wealth-is-that-all

Sequence

Moksha dharma kaama artha is the right sequence as per the above interpretation.

Goal of life.

This brings me to the goal of life. Which is liberation for the self, right now and well-being for all.

जीवनस्य प्रयोजनं द्विविधं

जीवन्मुक्तिः सर्वलोककल्याणं च l

Guiding light ahead...This is the dual purpose of life. Self liberation when alive, (not after death) and well being for all....

Bringing this into awareness easily.

A simple group aum chanting excercise has lead me to path that is getting better, day by day...

https://www.limaye.org/post/group-aum-chanting-reveals-surrendering-to-supreme-consciousness-being-a-witness-without-desires

Blessing:

This is the meaning and sequence that makes more sense! This was the defining moment of the day. I thought, i would share with you as well! May you be in the right path of dharma, liberated, fulfilling the ultimate desire to give, while creating richness in all spheres of life! All this, as you immerse yourself in eternal aum at all times!