Hinduism has six theistic darshanas (ways of perceiving the truth or philosophis).
In addition, it also has an atheistic philosophy. It is called the Charvaka Darshana. Its symbol is that of a snake eating itself, much like August Kekule's dream which led him to Benzene's chemical structure.
Founded by Brihaspathi, its text is called Brihaspathya Sutra. A Shastra is text in a lot of detail, while a Sutra is very concise.
Charvaka is also called Lokaayata & Brihaspathya. This is equivalent of materialism, hedonism or atheism.
One of its sayings is: Paralokam naasthi, which means: there is no world other than this. Charvaka philosophy says that there is no life but this one, you have only one life and enjoy this life. Eat well & make merry.
Its Pramaanam (means of obtaining knowledge) is Pratyaksha (perception), which means, all that you see exists, all that you don't see doesn't exist.
In the Ramayana, Kaikeyi is a skilled charioteer who saves her husband Dasaratha, when he faints in battle. In return, he offers her two boons, which she initially rejects, but later jokingly says that she'd use it later. When Rama is about to be coronated, she's initially happy, but her mind is later poisoned by Manthara. She invokes her two boons, and asks for her son, Bharatha to be king, and for Rama to be sent to the forest. Dasaratha is unable to bring himself to tell Rama, so Kaikeyi tells Rama about her boons. Rama agrees to fulfill his father's vow & goes to the forest.
Later, Bharatha, accompanied by sages & the common people, request Rama to ignore the boon & return as king. Dasharatha is dead by then. A rishi (sage), Jabali, makes Charvaka arguments to convince Rama to return to the kingdom. No one belongs to anyone. We all come & leave alone. Why do you think you belong to your father & need to follow your father's word? All the people & your brothers want you as king. Finally, all people, including those who suffer for some assumed greater cause also die. All the ancestral worship, food offerings, sacrifices, gifts were created by others to induce you to give them your wealth. What you see is real, what you don't is not.
Rama refutes these arguments. Rama calls them bad arguments with bad premises that appear to be sweet. It is important to follow morals, such as keeping one's word & devoting yourself to the truth. It is even more important to follow this as a king, since others will follow the leader. The mind first commits a sin, and then the body. Knowingly rejecting a promise & an oath is a sin. It is important to keep your word & do your duty, though it may be painful.
Jabali responds that he is not a Charvaka & that he used these arguments only to convince Rama.
Both arguments existed at the time of the Ramayana, exist today, and will continue to exist in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment