Follow the principle of ‘Sarvodaya’ to live on for generations into the future

Follow the principle of ‘Sarvodaya’ to live on for generations into the future

Dr KK Aggarwal

The four Purusharth (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) are the basic purposes of life. Purushartha in Vedic text denote positive effort or action. Purushartha stands for actions (self-effort) - righteous action (dharma) and righteous earning (artha) - based on morality, ethics and religious obligations with the ultimate goal being to attain Moksha or inner happiness.

How long do you want to live after death?

How long you are remembered after death depends on how long will your actions last for.

Will it last for just this one generation? Will it last for three generations (one lifetime), will it last for seven generations (around 170 years, if we consider one generation to be 25 years), or will it last for more than seven generations?

What can you do so that people remember you even after your death?

Prakriti is when a person lives for himself or when his actions are centered towards oneself. Sanskriti is when one lives for the sake of others and vikriti is nothing but distortion in one’s living. Greed is a type of vikriti, which can make a ‘nar’ a ‘narbhakshi’ and later ‘nar rakshas. On the other hand, if a person works towards sanskriti, it can convert him or her ‘nar’ to ‘narottam’ and from ‘narottam’ to ‘Narain’.

The basic fundamental principle of Vedas is also based on Sarvodaya. The aim in life, therefore, should be to work not for oneself but for the welfare of the others. These people gradually start working for themselves often for the family, society, nation and universe respectively.

Lord Buddha also said that any action done should follow the rule that it is directed for the welfare of all. Sarvodaya is also at the core of the Gandhian Philosophy as propagated by Mahatma Gandhi.

Making a discovery or invention, postage stamp, winning National awards, heading a national body, become the prime minister of your country – these also put your name in history, which is passed on from generation to generation.

This is also how vidya or knowledge is passed on from generation to generation.

Every action has a reaction. This is the law of karma. Hence, every action of ours must be done taking into consideration its impact on the generations to come.

The soul never dies and so do your Sanskars and good work done. The aim of life should be that one should live even after the death of his or her physical body. It is your good Karmas, which keep your memories alive even after your physical death. Work for the welfare of all, it will last.

The Isha Upanishad has shown the path towards this. The first shloka of Isha Upanishad says:

“Om Isha vāsyam idam sarvam yat kiñ ca jagatyam jagat ||

tena tyaktena bhuñjitha ma grdhah kasyasvid dhanam.”

“Om. All this, whatever moves on the earth, should be covered by the (innermost) Self. Protect your Self through that detachment. Do not covet anybody’s wealth. Or – Do not covet, for whose is wealth?”

The second shloka of Isha Upanishad says:

“Kurvanneveha karmani jijivisecchatam samah ||

evam tvayi nanyatheto’sti na karma lipyate nare.”

“By doing karma, indeed, one should desire to live for a hundred years. For a man, such as you (who wants to live thus), there is no way other from this, whereby karma may not cling to you.”

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this write up are entirely my own