Intellectual Eyesight

“Man desires the four rewards, which are difficult to attain, and what they end up getting is four grains of chana. It is better to renounce desires for the four rewards and instead see the giver of these four by use of the four eyes.” (Dohavali, 151)

Download this episode (right click and save)

चारि चहत मानस अगम चनक चारि को लाहु।
चारि परिहरें चारि को दानि चारि चख चाहु ॥

cāri cahata mānasa agama canaka cāri ko lāhu।
cāri parihareṃ cāri ko dāni cāri cakha cāhu ॥

The four rewards presented in Vedic teachings are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. We find reference to them quite often in scriptural texts such as the Puranas. To acquire the four together is a great boon, but rarely achieved. Even to have one of the rewards at an appropriate level is an achievement, but Goswami Tulsidas advises that there is a better way to focus on the number four.

Dharma is religion, religiosity, piety, or any basic adherence to right and wrong. Dharma is a reward because there is always a choice. Though most of the cars on the road travel on the appropriate side, for fear of punishment and the potential for a violent collision, the drivers make a conscious choice in the matter.

That is to say, if they wanted to they could drive on the wrong side. They could go against oncoming traffic. This may be a conscious decision or one based on mistaken judgment. Drugs and alcohol play a factor in the mistake, and it is only a mistake because of the potential for negative consequences.

To follow right instead of wrong as a guiding philosophy in life is dharma. Artha is profit or success. A commonly used translation is “economic development.” A person works in such a way that they are profitable. Whether that profit translates to a number on a balance sheet or a general feeling of satisfaction, there is a desire for artha all the same.

Kama is sense gratification. Eating well. Sleeping nicely. Relaxing in an appropriate way. Enjoying leisure time, either alone or with others. Kama can also refer to sex life. This is the way that the population continues; there must be some kama involved.

Moksha is the final release. No more spinning on the wheel of suffering. After the allotted time runs out, let there not be another journey of a similar experience. Moksha is likely the most difficult to achieve, and so it is one of the great rewards in life.

To seek the four rewards, phala-chari, at least represents a step up from animal life, but at the same time there are issues. The rewards might compete with each other. How can I be following dharma if I am so interested in kama? Will not success in economic ventures distract my mind from moksha? How can I be attached and detached at the same time?

Tulsidas says that a person chases after these four rewards, and after much aggravation and sacrificed time they end up with four grains of chickpea flour. In other words, despite the hard work they end up with nothing. They are left empty-handed.

His recommendation is to instead use four gifts, in the form of eyes, to understand and see the person who is responsible for the phala-chari to begin with. In other words, worship God. See Him in truth, using both the two external eyes and the internal tools of mind and intelligence.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्य् आहुर्
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः
मनसस् तु परा बुद्धिर्
|यो बुद्धेः परतस् तु सः

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

“The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.42)

Through seeing God with intellectual eyesight, with the subtle elements of mind and intelligence, the external eyes can be purified to the extent of receiving constant vision. That is to say, if I am properly trained then I can see the Supreme Lord everywhere and always, sarvatra and sarvada.

तस्मात् सर्वात्मना राजन् हरि: सर्वत्र सर्वदा ।
श्रोतव्य: कीर्तितव्यश्च स्मर्तव्यो भगवान्नृणाम् ॥

tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan
hariḥ sarvatra sarvadā
śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca
smartavyo bhagavān nṛṇām

“O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.2.36)

In the newborn child. In the beautiful sunset. In the blossoming tree. In the wonderful taste from the ripened fruit. In the love and sacrifice that friends and family offer to me. In the dark raincloud, and also in the amazing forgetfulness of the ways of the world caused by the influence of maya.

Tulsidas sees the Supreme Lord as Shri Rama, who is the husband of Sita Devi. To work towards seeing Rama is to not lose anything. There is no time wasted and there is nothing left behind at the time of death. And the reward of that constant vision is superior to the phala-chari; which means that there is nothing to be missed in the process, which is known as bhakti-yoga.

In Closing:

The four desperate to get,
Into difficult endeavor set.

But only grains of flour finding,
With time near the end winding.

Tulsi with better use of four,
Eyes to recognize Rama for.

Who phala-chari’s source,
His pleasure the single course.