Varta And The Purusharthas

In Sanatana Dharma, the four Purusharthas are the four objectives of human life: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Dharma stands for righteousness, while Artha is related to material prosperity. Similarly, fulfillment of sensual pleasures comes under kama, and the highest of all goals is Moksha. It refers to the freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Varta was a significant subject of knowledge of ancient Bharat that speaks of economics and aspects pertinent to earning wealth.

• Because Varta is also specific to economic aspects, it is connected to Artha. Varta is of immense value, as it helps people to earn their livelihood without deviating from the path of Dharma. People avoid unethical means to achieve material goals.
• Sticking to ethics in Varta makes a human being more principled, and that enables people to pursue even Kama in a morally appropriate way. When Dharma becomes an integral part of life, the individual is never distant from achieving Moksha- the ultimate goal.
• It’s clear from the above points that adherence to Varta principles guides people in rightly abiding by the four Purusharthas.
• It is the duty of rulers to ensure that their subjects stick to the accepted ethical standards, to earn their living. With this, society is kept protected from economic fluctuations, which can potentially devastate the lives of people.
• Varta specifically stipulates that the rulers/policymakers have to give topmost priority to long-term objectives while designing economic policies. Too much emphasis on short-term goals could lead to a crash of the entire economy. In this context, we can take the example of China where the real estate bubble has pushed their economy into a major crisis.
• Varta states that there should be an equitable distribution of wealth and resources in the society. Each individual should get an equal opportunity to earn money in an ethical way. If this key issue is not addressed, there will be a serious imbalance in the society.
• A few people/groups shall have an unfair advantage when they manipulate things to accumulate wealth. The majority of people then will be deprived of even their basic needs; they continue to suffer in poverty. The selfishness of a few sections gravely hits the overall economy.
• The subject of Sanatana Bharat stresses noble facets like carrying out business practices with utmost integrity. Varta elaborates upon the relevance of making sure that there is never a shortage of employment prospects in the markets. The right jobs should always be available to deserving aspirants.

Though the scope of Varta is centered on business and economics, yet; it has never ignored the welfare of society. The subject vehemently opposes making quick profits in the short run; long-term prosperity of society is what Varta intends to attain.

The above-mentioned points unambiguously convey the uniqueness of Varta. It is a crucial subject that teaches that all the Dharmik principles have to be followed even while pursuing economic goals. It is only then that we can expect economic stability and harmony in the society.

The economics and other business-related subjects taught in the English education system never include Dharma and principles under their purview. They are chiefly concerned with teaching how to make maximum profits in a short period of time.