Why men should practise Dharma, Artha, and Kama-Vatsyayana explained in Kamasutram

CHAPTER II.
ON THE ACQUISITION OF DHARMA, ARTHA AND KAMA.

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 Hindus 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 (vedas), 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  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 be always 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 Lokayatikas[4] 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 to-day than a peacock to-morrow; 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 the Bali[6] was raised to the throne of Indra by destiny, and was also put down by the same power, and it is destiny only that can re-instate him.

Answer.

It is not right to say so. As the acquisition of every object pre-supposes 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.

Sanskrit

त्रिवर्गप्रतिपत्तिः-

१.२.१- शतआयुर् वै पुरुषो विभज्य कालम् अन्योन्यअनुबद्धं परस्परस्यअनुपघातकं त्रिवर्गं सेवेत//

१.२.२- बाल्ये विद्याग्रहणआदीन् अर्थान्//

१.२.३- कामं च यौवने/

१.२.४- स्थाविरे धर्मं मोक्षं च/

१.२.५- अनित्यत्वाद् आयुषो यथाउपपादं वा सेवेत/

१.२.६- ब्रह्मचर्यम् एव त्व् आ विद्याग्रहणात्//(- ११)

१.२.७- अलौकिकत्वाद् अदृष्टअर्थत्वाद् अप्रवृत्तानां यज्ञाआदीनां शास्त्रात् प्रवर्तनम्, लौकिकत्वाद्अन्यत्र : लौकित्वाद्- दृष्टअर्थत्वाच् च प्रवृत्तेभ्यश् च मांसभक्षणआदिभ्यः शास्त्राद् एव निवारणं धर्मः/

१.२.८- तं श्रुतेर् धर्मज्ञसमवायाच् च प्रतिपद्येत/

१.२.९- विद्याभूमिहिरण्यपशुधान्यभाण्डौपस्करमित्रआदीनाम् अर्जनम् अर्जितस्य विवर्धनम् अर्थः/

१.२.१०- तम् अध्यक्षप्रचाराद् वार्तासमयविद्भ्यो वणिग्भ्यश् चैति/

१.२.११- स्रोत्रत्वक्चक्षुर्जिह्वाघ्राणानाम् आत्मसंयुक्तेन मनसाअधिष्ठितानां स्वेषु स्वेषु विषयेष्व् आनुकूल्यतः प्रवृत्तिः कामः/

१.२.१२- स्पर्शविशेषविषयात् त्व् अस्यअभिमानिकसुखअनुविद्धा फलवत्य् अर्थप्रतीतिः प्राधान्यात् कामः/

१.२.१३- तं कामसूत्रान् नागरिकजनसमवायाच् च प्रतिपद्येत/

१.२.१४- एषां समवाये पूर्वः पूर्वो गरीयान्//(- १५)

१.२.१५- अर्थश् च राज्ञः/ तन्मूलत्वाल् लोकयात्रायाः/ वेश्यायाश् चैति त्रिवर्गप्रतिपत्तिः/

१.२.१६- धर्मस्यअलौकिकत्वात् तदभिधायकं शास्त्रं युक्तम्/ उपायपूर्वकत्वाद् अर्थसिद्धेः/ उपायप्रतिपत्तिः शास्त्रात्//

१.२.१७- तिर्यग्योनिष्व् अपि तु स्वयं प्रवृत्तत्वात् कामस्य नित्यत्वाच् च न शास्त्रेण कृत्यम् अस्तिइत्य् आचार्याः//

१.२.१८- संप्रयोगपराधीनत्वात् स्त्रीपुंसयोर् उपायम् अपेक्षते//(- १६)

१.२.१९- सा चौपायप्रतिपत्तिः कामसूत्राद् इति वात्स्यायनः//(- १७)

१.२.२०- त्रियग्योनिषु पुनर् अनावृतत्वात् स्त्रीजातेश् च, ऋतौ यावद् अर्थं प्रवृत्तेर् अबुद्धिपूर्वकत्वाच् च प्रवृत्तीनाम् अनुपायः प्रत्ययः//(- १७)

१.२.२१- न धर्मांश् चरेत्/ एष्यत्फलत्वात्, सांशयिकत्वाच् च//(- १८)

१.२.२२- को ह्य् अबालिशो हस्तगतं परगतं कुर्यात्//(- १८)

१.२.२३- वरम् अद्य कपोतः श्वो मयूरात्/

१.२.२४- वरं सांशयिकान् निष्काद् असांशयिकः कार्षापणः/ इति *लौकायतिकाःअन्यत्र : लौकायातिकाः-//(- १९)

१.२.२५- शास्त्रस्यअनभिशङ्क्यत्वाद् अभिचारअनुव्याहारयोश् च क्वचित् फलदर्शनान् नक्षत्रचन्द्रसूर्यताराग्रहचक्रस्य लोकअर्थं बुद्धिपूर्वकम् इव प्रवृत्तेर् दर्शनाद् वर्णआश्रमआचारस्थितिलक्षणत्वाच् च लोकयात्राया हस्तगतस्य च बीजस्य भविष्यतः सस्यअर्थे त्यागदर्शनाच् चरेद् धर्मान् इति वात्स्यायनः//(- १९)

१.२.२६- नअर्थांश् चरेत्/ प्रयत्नतो अपि ह्य् एते अनुष्ठीयमाना नएव कदाचित् स्युः// अननुष्ठीयमाना अपि यदृच्छया भवेयुः//( २१)

१.२.२७- तत्सर्वं कालकारितम् इति//(- २१)

१.२.२८- काल एव हि पुरुषान् अर्थअनर्थयोर् जयपराजययोः सुखदुःखयोश् च स्थापयति//(- २१)

१.२.२९- कालेन बलिर् इन्द्रः कृतः/ कालेन व्यवरोपितःअन्यत्र : व्यपरोपितः-/ काल एव पुनर् अप्य् एनं कर्ताइति कालकारणिकाः//(- २२)

१.२.३०- पुरुषकारपूर्वकत्वात् सर्वप्रवृत्तीनाम् उपायः प्रत्ययः/

१.२.३१- अवश्यं भाविनो +अप्य् अर्थस्यौपायपूर्वकत्वाद् एव/ न निष्कर्मणो भद्रम् अस्तिइति वात्स्यायनः//(- २३)

१.२.३२- न कामांश् चरेत्/ धर्मअर्थयोः प्रधानयोर् एवम् अन्येषां च सतां प्रत्यनीकत्वात्/ अनर्थजनसंसर्गम् असद्व्यवसायम् अशौचम् अनायतिं चएते पुरुषस्य जनयन्ति//(- २३)

१.२.३३- तथा प्रमादं लाघवम् अप्रत्ययम् अग्राह्यतां च/(- २३)

१.२.३४- बहवश् च कामवशगाः सगणा एव विनष्टाः श्रूयन्ते//(- २४)

१.२.३५- यथा दाण्डक्यो नाम भोजः कामाद् ब्राह्मणकन्याम् अभिमन्यमानः सबन्धुराष्ट्रो विननाश//(- २४)

१.२.३६- देवराजश् चअहल्याम् अतिबलश् च कीचको द्रौपदीं रावणश् च सीताम् अपरे चअन्ये च बहवो दृश्यन्ते कामवशगा विनष्टा इत्य् अर्थचिन्तकाः//(- २४)

१.२.३७- शरीरस्थितिहेतुत्वाद् आहारसधर्माणो हि कामाः/ फलभूताश् च धर्मअर्थयोः//(- २५)

१.२.३८- बोद्धव्यं तु दोषेष्व् इव/ न हि भिक्षुकाः सन्तिइति स्थाल्यो नअधिश्रीयन्ते/ न हि मृगाः सन्तिइति यवा नौपयन्त इति वात्स्यायनः//

it is said :-

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 the remaining two should not be performed.

भवन्ति चअत्र श्लोकाः॒ —

एवम् अर्थं च कामं च धर्मं चौपाचरन् नरः- इहअमुत्र च निःशल्यम् अत्यन्तं सुखम् अश्नुते//

किं स्यात् परत्रैत्य् आशङ्का कार्ये यस्मिन् न जायते-  न चअर्थघ्नं सुखं चैति शिष्टास् तत्र व्यवस्थिताः//

त्रिवर्गसाधकं यत् स्याद् द्वयोर् एकस्य वा पुनः-१.२.४१कार्यं तद् अपि कुर्वीत न त्व् एकअर्थं द्विबाधकम्//