Vol. 4, Issue 12, Part G (2018)

Abstract
That which is good or valuable (ISTA) for man, beneficial to him, and desired by him (Kamya) is ‘purushartha’. It is opposite to evil, bad or disvalue (Anista) and undesirable. In this way, the evaluation of man’s behaviour in his life is divided into two categories- praiseworthy and blameworthy, and happiness and sorrow, respectively, which depends on his preference as we see in cases of Yudhistra and Duryodhan, Ram and Ravana, Buddh and Angulimal, Mahavir and Hitler and so on. All these issues can be covered under the study of purushartha. The purushartha scheme is conflicting and complex because it is devised to organise, structure and regulate the complex and conflicting nature, acts and values of human beings. However, despite serious attempts made over the centuries, it always remains problematic both in theory and practice. This paper is a humble attempt to understand a few issues addressed by this schema, which is men centric value system conceived to be functioning within the holistic cosmic framework by the Indian visionaries (Rishi’s). This is a master holistic framework which has been at work to create and sustain, great culture and civilization. For this reason, the Vedic tradition is called a worldview of Sanatana-dharma.