Righteous, Wise Bhukti

Recognising that giving vent to one’s inner desires and ‘having one’s fill’ (bhukti) is astep towards real freedom (mukti), the wise seeker goes about the attendant processes in an effective manner.

He would first identify those avenues of bhukti that are in consonance with his true needs. This would ensure pursuit of only those involvements (including sensual) that would offer enduring joy.

In essence, this is the process of ‘drawing the line’ and that of discriminating the ‘truth’ from ‘untruth’: sat from asat. With particular reference to cravings for sexual indulgence, Benjamin Franklin’s advice could serve as an effective guideline, “Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.”

Artha(stabilising one’s financial position) and kama (fulfilling even sensual desires) necessarily have to go with dharma(righteousness). This righteousness naturally also presupposes that involvement in any form of bhuktishould not be at another’s expense and also steering clear of any deceit, fraud or dishonesty.

In his famous stanza, beginning Nindanti Neeti Nipunaha, Bartruhari mentions about six extreme situations that could be faced in life. Whichever of these situations that the authentic person would find himself in, he would not “swerve even a step from righteous path”. Indeed, righteousness and wisdom, those two virtues, inextricably intertwined with each other, apply to bhukti too, as they do to all aspects of life and living!