The quest for meaning
The concept of validating human existence is deeply rooted in Hindu philosophy and is encapsulated by the idea of Purushartha. Contrary to what many think, Purush in Sanskrit doesn't simply mean "man" as in modern Hindi; it refers to a conscious being, a seeker of meaning. This quest for meaning is one shared by all conscious beings, including even Indra, the king of the gods.
Indra, despite his grand position and residing in a paradise filled with wonders, felt an emptiness. To fill this void, he summoned his divine architect, Vishwakarma, and commanded him to build a palace worthy of his glory. But when the palace was completed, Indra was dissatisfied. He asked for a grander one. Palace after palace was built, each more magnificent than the last, yet none could satisfy him. Eventually, Vishwakarma, unsure of how to please his king, prayed to the higher gods. In response, Vishnu appeared before Indra in the form of a young boy and revealed a profound truth.
Vishnu told Indra that while his palace was indeed splendid, it was not nearly as grand as the palace of the Indra who came before him. Confused, Indra asked, "What do you mean by 'the Indra before me'?" The boy laughed and said, "Did you think you were the only Indra? There have been many before you, and there will be many more after you. In fact, there are as many Indras as there are grains of sand on a beach." At that moment, Indra was faced with the overwhelming realization of his insignificance. He was not unique; he was just one among countless others. Suddenly, his grandiose sense of self-worth seemed futile, and he felt the weight of nothingness.
This realization—feeling insignificant in the face of infinity—is a common theme in Indian philosophies, including Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. In these traditions, the individual is constantly reminded that they are part of a vast, infinite canvas, and when the denominator of your existence is infinity, the value of a single life can seem negligible. But if that's the case, how does one create meaning in life? The sages of India, the Rishis, Jinas, and Buddhas, pondered this very question, and they found their answers in nature.
By observing nature, they discerned that it consists of two types of things: the living (jiva) and the non-living (ajiva). The non-living elements, such as fire, water, and air, do not seek value—they simply exist. Fire does not run after fuel, and water does not chase after anything. But living things, like plants, are different. A plant seeks sunlight, water, and nutrients. It is the hunger of living things that assigns value to the elements around them. Without plants, the sun would simply be a glowing orb; it is the plant’s need for sunlight that makes the sun valuable.
From plants to animals, this chain of hunger and value continues. Animals find value in plants because they consume them, and so the cycle of consumption and value creation is set in motion. This process, called bhog (consumption), is central to life. The consumer, or bhogi, seeks something to fulfil their hunger, and in doing so, they assign value to the consumed. Without hunger, nothing in nature would have value.
Human beings are no different-we consume everything around us, from elements to plants to animals, and in doing so, we give them value. But then the question arises: Who consumes us? If nothing consumes us, do we have value? Humans, however, seek a way to provide value without being consumed in the literal sense. This is where the creation of goods and services comes in. We generate products, services, and knowledge that others consume, and in doing so, we feel valuable.
This cycle of creating and consuming value is captured in the concept of Purushartha. Artha is the creation of value, and Kama is the enjoyment or consumption of that value. Together, they form the basic framework of life. But the sages didn’t stop there. They introduced Dharma, the idea that one’s purpose in life is not only to satisfy personal hunger but also to consider the hunger of others. Dharma is about balancing the needs of the self with the needs of society.
Beyond Dharma lies Moksha, or liberation. Moksha is the outgrowing of all desires, including the desire to create value. As long as we are driven by hunger-whether for goods, recognition, or even spiritual progress-we remain bound by the cycle of creation and consumption. Moksha is the point where one transcends this cycle, outgrows the need for validation, and becomes free.
At the deepest level, Purushartha is about navigating life’s constant interplay between generating, consuming, and distributing value. It is the recognition that while we all strive to be remembered, in the grand scheme of things, like the countless Indras before us, we too will eventually be forgotten. And that's okay. True liberation comes when we no longer need to be valuable in the eyes of others or even in our own eyes. As Indra learned from Vishnu, the key to peace is not in building grand palaces, but in letting go of the need to be remembered.
Inspired by Devdutt Pattanaik’s talk on Ted X