यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन ।
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥ १८.३४ ॥

yayā tu dharma-kāmārthān dhṛtyā dhārayate’rjuna |
prasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣī dhṛti: sā pārtha rājasī || 18.34 ||

Rājasika will

Krishna now describes the rājasika will and its application:

O Pārtha, that “will” by which dharma, artha and kāma are diligently pursued, but resorting to attachment and greed for results, is called rājasika dhṛti.

Puruṣārthas (objects of human pursuit) are of four stages, like the steps of a ladder. They are called dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Each step leads to the next – the four together marking the completion and fulfillment of human life. Thus anyone of them cannot be thought of as unrelated to the rest and neglected.

Dharma denotes the righteous way of living while pursuing anything whatsoever in life, in the personal, domestic or societal front. Devoid of dharma, human life is bound to degenerate woefully, and miss the goal of fulfillment.

In order to live in the world, we need many materials and facilities. To avail of these, requisite resources are called for. Artha refers to wealth and other resources, which are necessary to fulfill our material needs.

While proceeding to acquire wealth by means of regular efforts, it is important that one conforms to the dictates of dharma, righteousness. All the restraints and disciplines that righteousness enjoins have to be adhered to with care and caution. Only then, with the wealth thus acquired, one is free to fulfill his personal and familial desires (kāma).

In desiring and also in gaining the desired object, one has to be fair and moderate. No hurt or harm should be caused to another in the haste or hurry of pursuing one’s needs. “Live and let live” should be the constant watchword. The blending of individual life with the welfare of the society as well as Nature is an indispensable demand of dharma.

Even when dharma, artha and kāma are gained in ample measure, human life will not prove fully meaningful or attain its destined fulfillment. Fulfillment can only be had when the inner personality becomes clean, free and light.

That will be possible only through the art and process of discrimination. Sufficient introspection and evaluation have to be done about what constitutes life and how it can be led to its fullness. Mokṣa literally means freedom. But it is not in respect of the body or its life-breath. It is with respect to the mind and intelligence. The inner freedom is what the fourth puruṣārtha, mokṣa, represents.

Whether it is a life of propriety and piety, affluence and luxury, with creditable familial and social extensions or otherwise, one thing is certain – everything and all are ultimately to be left. All these will get distanced, despite one’s wish or will. Even the body on which rest all relationships, by and for which we acquire everything, will have to be shed one day.

To perceive this truth and give due place for it as early as possible in one’s life is the call of the fourth puruṣārtha, mokṣa. It constitutes the backbone of human evolution. To deny this will be virtually to render the protracted journey of life without a destination – a complex struggle without any worthy goal or attainment. The considerations and evaluation mokṣa instills form the very essence of all pursuits, their relevance and purpose.

But the mind given to rājasika tendencies will generally avoid this kind of a perception or evaluation, due to attachment (prasaṅga) and greed for immediate results (phalākāṅkṣā). This delusion leads it to miss or fail to evaluate the last puruṣārtha. By that, the whole life becomes aimless, defective and disappointing. Nevertheless, that the rājasika nature gives a place for dharma, righteousness, is laudable.