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HandWiki. Puruṣārtha. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/29371 (accessed on 21 September 2026).
HandWiki. Puruṣārtha. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/29371. Accessed September 21, 2026.
HandWiki. "Puruṣārtha" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/29371 (accessed September 21, 2026).
HandWiki. (2022, October 14). Puruṣārtha. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/29371
HandWiki. "Puruṣārtha." Encyclopedia. Web. 14 October, 2022.
Puruṣārtha
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Puruṣārtha (Sanskrit: पुरुषार्थ) literally means an "object of human pursuit". It is a key concept in Hinduism, and refers to the four proper goals or aims of a human life. The four puruṣārthas are Dharma (righteousness, moral values), Artha (prosperity, economic values), Kama (pleasure, love, psychological values) and Moksha (liberation, spiritual values). All four Purusarthas are important, but in cases of conflict, Dharma is considered more important than Artha or Kama in Hindu philosophy. Moksha is considered the ultimate ideal of human life. At the same time, this is not a consensus among all Hindus, and many have different interpretations of the hierarchy, and even as to whether one should exist. Historical Indian scholars recognized and debated the inherent tension between active pursuit of wealth (Artha purusartha) and pleasure (Kama), and renunciation of all wealth and pleasure for the sake of spiritual liberation (Moksha). They proposed "action with renunciation" or "craving-free, dharma-driven action", also called Nishkam Karma as a possible solution to the tension.

karma पुरुषार्थ hinduism

References

  1. purusha Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=purusha&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=
  2. artha Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=artha&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=0
  3. puruSArtha Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=puruSArtha&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=0
  4. R Prasad (2008), A Conceptual-analytic Study of Classical Indian Philosophy of Morals, ISBN:978-81-8069-544-5, page 125
  5. (Hiltebeitel 2002)
  6. (Olivelle 1993)
  7. Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby (2004), The Hindu World, Routledge, ISBN:0-415-21527-7, page 4, Quote: "There are four categories or life-ideals (caturvarga or purusartha) that usually are said to provide the framework for classical Hindu society".
  8. See: A. Sharma (1982), The Puruṣārthas: a study in Hindu axiology, Michigan State University, ISBN:978-99936-24-31-8, pp 9–12; See review by Frank Whaling in Numen, Vol. 31, 1 (Jul., 1984), pp. 140–142; A. Sharma (1999), The Puruṣārthas: An Axiological Exploration of Hinduism, The Journal of Religious Ethics, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Summer, 1999), pp. 223–256; Chris Bartley (2001), Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy, Editor: Oliver Learman, ISBN:0-415-17281-0, Routledge, Article on Purushartha, pp 443 https://www.jstor.org/stable/40018229
  9. The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, Dharma, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions: "In Hinduism, dharma is a fundamental concept, referring to the order and custom which make life and a universe possible, and thus to the behaviours appropriate to the maintenance of that order." http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/dharma.aspx#1
  10. Dharma, The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed. (2013), Columbia University Press, Gale, ISBN:978-0-7876-5015-5
  11. J. A. B. van Buitenen, Dharma and Moksa, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 7, No. 1/2 (Apr. - Jul., 1957), pp 33–40
  12. John Koller, Puruṣārtha as Human Aims, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Oct., 1968), pp. 315–319
  13. James Lochtefeld (2002), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Rosen Publishing, New York, ISBN:0-8239-2287-1, pp 55–56
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  15. Macy, Joanna (1975). "The Dialectics of Desire". Numen (BRILL) 22 (2): 145–60. 
  16. Gavin Flood (1996), The meaning and context of the Purusarthas, in Julius Lipner (Editor) - The Fruits of Our Desiring, ISBN:978-1-896209-30-2, pp 11–13
  17. John Bowker, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, Oxford University Press, ISBN:978-0-19-213965-8, pp. 650
  18. See: E. Deutsch, The self in Advaita Vedanta, in Roy Perrett (Editor), Indian philosophy: metaphysics, Volume 3, ISBN:0-8153-3608-X, Taylor and Francis, pp 343–360; T. Chatterjee (2003), Knowledge and Freedom in Indian Philosophy, ISBN:978-0-7391-0692-1, pp 89–102; Quote - "Moksa means freedom"; "Moksa is founded on atmajnana, which is the knowledge of the self."
  19. See: Jorge Ferrer, Transpersonal knowledge, in Transpersonal Knowing: Exploring the Horizon of Consciousness (editors: Hart et al.), ISBN:978-0-7914-4615-7, State University of New York Press, Chapter 10 Andrew Fort and Patricia Mumme (1996), Living Liberation in Hindu Thought, ISBN:978-0-7914-2706-4;
  20. Gavin Flood (1996), The meaning and context of the Purusarthas, in Julius Lipner (Editor) - The Fruits of Our Desiring, ISBN:978-1-896209-30-2, pp 16–21
  21. See: Patrick Olivelle, Dharmasutras - The Law Codes of Ancient India, Oxford University Press, ISBN:0-19-283882-2, Note 24.23 at pp 364; Gautama Dharmashastra at 1.9.46–47, Patrick Olivelle, Dharmasutras - The Law Codes of Ancient India, Oxford University Press, ISBN:0-19-283882-2, paragraph overlapping pp 92–93; Yajnavalkya Smrti at 1.115, Translation by Rai Vidyarnava (1918), The Sacred Books of Hindus Volume XXI, Verse CXV and commentary at pp 232; Apastamba Dharmasutra 2.20.18–23; Patrick Olivelle, Dharmasutras - The Law Codes of Ancient India, Oxford University Press, ISBN:0-19-283882-2, Miscellaneous Rules 18–23 at pp 64 https://archive.org/stream/yajnavalkyasmrit00yj#page/232/mode/2up/search/dharma
  22. The Hindu Kama Shastra Society (1925), The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, University of Toronto Archives, pp. 8 https://archive.org/stream/kamasutraofvatsy00vatsuoft#page/8/mode/2up
  23. See: Kautilya Arthashastra at 1.7.3–7; For English translation - Rangarajan (1987), Penguin Classics, ISBN:978-0-14-044603-6; Ashok S. Chousalkar (2004), Methodology of Kautilya's Arthashastra, The Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 55–76
  24. P.V. Kane (1941), History of Dharmasastra, Volume 2, Part 1, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, pp. 8–9
  25. R. V. De Smet (1972), Early Trends in the Indian Understanding of Man, Philosophy East and West, 22(3): 259–268
  26. Stephen N Hay and William Theodore De Bary (1988), Sources of Indian Tradition, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN:978-81-208-0467-8, page 211
  27. GH Rao (1926), The Basis of Hindu Ethics, International Journal of Ethics, 37(1): 19–35
  28. Gerard Delanty (2012), Routledge Handbook of Cosmopolitanism Studies, Routledge, ISBN:978-0-415-60081-1, page 465
  29. P Bilimoria (1993), Indian Ethics, in A Companion to Ethics (Editor: Peter Singer), Wiley, ISBN:978-0-631-18785-1, page 73
  30. (Prasad 2008)
  31. Max Muller (Translator), Baudhayana Dharmasūtra Prasna II, Adhyaya 10, Kandika 18, The Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XIV, Oxford University Press, pages 279–281 https://archive.org/stream/pt2sacredlawsof14bhuoft#page/278/mode/2up
  32. (Olivelle 1993)
  33. (Olivelle 1993)
  34. GS Ghurye (1952), Ascetic Origins, Sociological Bulletin, Vol. 1, No. 2, pages 162–184;For Sanskrit original: Rigveda Wikisource;For English translation: Kesins Rig Veda, Hymn CXXXVI, Ralph Griffith (Translator) https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/ऋग्वेद:_सूक्तं_१०.१३६
  35. Hartmut Scharfe (2004), Artha, in The Hindu World (Editors: Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby), Routledge, ISBN:0-415-21527-7, page 251
  36. Kamandakiya Niti Sara MN Dutt (Translator) https://archive.org/stream/kamandakiyanitis00kamarich#page/n15/mode/2up
  37. Brihaspati Sutra - Politics and Government Sanskrit Original with English translation by FW Thomas (1921) https://archive.org/stream/brihaspatisutrao00brharich#page/n5/mode/2up
  38. Sukra Niti Bk Sarkar (Translator); Chapter 1 verse 43 onwards - Rules of State and Duties of Rulers; Chapter 1 verse 424 onwards - Guidelines on infrastructure for economy; Chapter 1 verse 550 onwards - Guidelines on treasury management, law and military; Chapter 2 - Functions of state officials, etc https://archive.org/stream/Sacred_Books_of_the_Hindus/SBH%2013%20-%20Sukra%20Niti%20Sara%20English%20Translation%20-%20Benoy%20Kumar%20Sarkar%201914#page/n1/mode/2up
  39. Patrick Olivelle (2011), Language, Texts, and Society: Explorations in Ancient Indian Culture and Religion, Anthem Press, ISBN:978-0-85728-431-0, page 174
  40. Alan Soble (2005), Sex from Plato to Paglia, ISBN:978-0-313-33424-5, page 493
  41. J. L. Brockington (1998), The Sanskrit Epics, Brill Academic, ISBN:978-90-04-10260-6, page 2 and Introduction chapter
  42. Daniel H. H. Ingalls (1957), Dharma and Moksa, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 7, No. 1/2, pages 41–48
  43. J Ganeri (2010), A Return to the Self: Indians and Greeks on Life as Art and Philosophical Therapy, Royal Institute of Philosophy supplement, 85(66), pages 119–135
  44. Sundaram, P. S. (1990). Tiruvalluvar: The Kural (First ed.). Gurgaon: Penguin Books. pp. 9. ISBN 978-01-44000-09-8. 
  45. Kowmareeshwari (Ed.), S. (August 2012) (in Tamil). Pathinen Keezhkanakku Noolgal. Sanga Ilakkiyam. 5 (1 ed.). Chennai: Saradha Pathippagam. pp. vi–viii. 
  46. Patrick Olivelle (1993), The Āśrama System: The History and Hermeneutics of a Religious Institution, Oxford University Press, OCLC 466428084, pages 216–219 https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/466428084
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