Dharma (righteousness), Artha (worldly wealth), Kama (worldly pleasures) and Moksha (self realization) are the four aims of human life. These four aims of life are best explained as the four legs of a pyramid. When life begins, an individual contributes in shaping and erecting the structure in a right way up, with a gradual ascent to the pinnacle by balancing all the four aims in life. Though the whole purpose of life is to create a flawless pyramid, the human being fails to erect a right structure and often seems to tilt and throw it off balance. It is here that the importance of examining the natal chart (prepared based on birth details like date, time and other information, like longitude and latitude of the place of birth) of an individual comes in. This gives disposition of celestial bodies engaged in the Jyotish in understanding the very essence or forces that destroy the structure and help us understand and forewarn the consequences. The very dispositions of the Celestials bodies, like the planets and Nakshatras (lunar mansions), of the zodiac reveal to us the Karmic path taken by every individual. Every natal chart is distinctly different from others and is similar to the biometric impression, which is unique. The natal chart contains and reveals the information on each and every aspect of life.
Dharma means living life righteously by the ethical codes and norms of religion, by the word of the God and religious codes and by refraining from anything that causes damage to the purity of the soul and mankind. The path of Dharma creates eternal happiness and immortality. It includes all the good deeds for mankind and sacrifices to the divine, which eventually elevates human character. Dharma leads one to the path of purity, perfection, divinity, selflessness and glory. Dharma also means to take steps to uphold justice by all means, which includes harsh punishments within the powers enforced.
Artha means worldly wealth and is recognized by and related to the material wealth associated with pursuing the joys of life. It is the second most important aim of life after Dharma, in relation to living and connecting with oneself, family and society. Working and channeling energies towards this aim relate to amassing wealth, chasing fame and reaching atop the social ladder and also breaking the forts to conquer enemies. It can also contribute to larger social causes for the well being of mankind.
Kama literally means worldly pleasures, though it is seen as desire of all forms in entirety, while referring to one of the important aims of life. Desire is the root cause of any suffering and is often linked to the bondage in the cycle of birth and sex. It has been considered as one of the worldly pleasures and can mean liberation and can be used as a tool for happiness in life. Through celibacy one attains spiritual awakening and transforms into a higher energy, but through suppression it is known to cause suffering that leads to bondage in birth cycles. Kama plays an important role in balancing the aims of life, but often is seen as more of an addiction to the sensual side, overstepping wedlock and finding oneself in mental conflict.
Moksha is a state of spiritual awakening or self-realization. It is the most difficult state to attain and different schools of thought hold different views on this state. Despite this, all of them agree that this state is attained after renouncing worldly desires and upon successfully treading the path of knowledge, action and supreme devotion. This state is also known as Paramartha, the transcendental aim.
Using zodiac as primary grid on knowing the 4 aims
Zodiac is a 360-degree band that is divided into 12 equal divisions that are commonly known as Bhavas or houses in Vedic astrology. These 12 bhavas consist of four trines or triangles; they represent the four aims of life or Purushartha - Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Worldly wealth), Kama (Worldly pleasures or desires) and Moksha (Spiritual awakening and liberation of soul). The set of three bhavas or houses in each represent the aim of life with a varied level of index of each aim. The reference point in determining the 1st house in the natal chart is always the ‘Udaya Lagna’ or the ascendant – referred as the first house, the sign that is rising on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. The other houses follow the zodiacal sequence and the trines are formed in 3 sets as 1,5 & 9 (Dharma), 2,6, & 10 (Artha), 3,7 & 11 (Kama) and 4,8 & 12 (Moksha)
The 1st, 5th and 9th bhavas are known as The Trines of Dharma and unfolds the level of Self, intelligence and spiritual path, the first aim of human existence.
The 2nd, 6th and 10th bhavas are known as The Trine of Artha and unfolds at the level of wealth, service and career, the second aim of human existence.
The 3rd, 7th and 11th bhavas are known as The Trine of Kama that unfolds the human desire and means to achieve it and unfolds it at the level of persistence, one with others, sex, and gain, the third aim of human existence.
The 4th, 8th and 12th bhavas are known as The Trine of Moksha, which unfolds harmony and aspiration to understand human existence in complete isolation, which leads to liberation.
The disposition of cosmic bodies in these trines of natal charts reveals understanding the construction of the ‘pyramid of human life’. The science of Vedic astrology has well defined parameters set by the ancient seers in knowing the manifestation of combinational effects caused by the cosmic bodies on human beings. The Vedic science has a clear way of understanding and foreseeing the possible outcome of the shaping of ‘pyramid to the pinnacle’. The astrological natal charts are often used as tools in exploring the Purusartha after evaluating cosmic bodies in various signs, their aspects, transits and other means.
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