13 Cārvākadarśanam

Korada Subrahmanyam

E-text (Quadrant-I) :

Cārvākadarśanam or Lokāyatam does not believe in the existence of Īśvara (God) or in the authority of the Veda. Only two Puruṣārthas (purposes of life), i.e. Artha (wealth) and Kāma (sexual enjoyment), are there. Sukha (comfort) and Duḥkha (misery) have no bearing on Dharma and Adharma. Everything is natural. Enjoy your life and a body, that turned into dust, does not come back. No controller called Īśvara. Vedas etc. are created by cheats for their livelihood. Pratyakṣam is the only Pramāṇam – hold Cārvākas.

Cārvāka (one who speaks pleasantly – cāru + vāk) or Nāstika (atheist) or Lokāyatika (follower of a Darśanam that had spread across the world – lokāyatam) is one who does not believe in either Veda, or Paraloka (another world like heaven) or Īśvara. Followers of Cārvākadarśanam argue that there are only four elements, viz. Pṛthivī (earth), Ap (water), Tejas (fire) and Vāyu (air). When the four elements form into Deha (body), Caitanyam (cognition / consciousness) is born, just like intoxication from Kiṇva (a kind of gum used in the preparation of wine). The Caitanyam also dies when the body is dead. Ātmā is nothing but such a Deha with Caitanyam. Since no other Pramāṇam (Means of Knowledge), except Pratyakṣam (Perception), is accepted there is no room for further discussion. Here is Veda –

विज्ञानघन एिैतेभ्योभूतेभ्यःसमुत्थायतान्येिानुविनश्यवत,न प्रेत्यसंज्ञावतत(बृ॰उ॰ २.४.१२)

vijñānaghana evaitebhyo bhūtebhyaḥ samutthāya tānyevānuvinaśyati, na pretya saṃjñāsti (Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat 2.4.12)

A thing called Caitanyam is born out of the elements and dies along with them, so there cannot be cognition after death.

The comfort due to embracing a lady etc. called Sukham, is the very Puruṣārtha (purpose of life of a human being). It may be associated with Duḥkham (misery) but, just like one who takes the fish after removing the thorns and one who removes the husk and takes the rice, people may try to find a solution to Duḥkham and take the Sukham. Here is Bṛhaspati  –यािज्जीिंसुखंजीिेन्नावतत मृत्योरगोचरः।भतमीभूततयदेहतयपुनरागमनंकु तः॥

yāvajjīvaṃ sukhaṃ jīvennāsti mṛtyoragocaraḥ । bhasmībhūtasya dehasya punarāgamanaṃ kutaḥ ॥

As long as you live, live comfortably. Nobody can escape death. From where does the body spring up again after it turned into ashes?

How come even well-educated people perform Agnihotram (worship of fire) etc., which require a lot of expenditure and physical labour, if there is no comfort in another world? Those cheats who think themselves as Vaidikas (Vedic scholars) engage in a duel such as “Karmakāṇḍa (Veda that deals with rites) is not an authority” – say supporters of Jñānakāṇḍa (supporters of Upaniṣats). “Jñānakāṇḍa is not an authority” – say supporters of Karmakāṇḍa – “because Veda is full of lies, self-contradictory statements and repetitions.”

ओषधेत्रायतिैनम्(तैविरीयसंवहता१.२.१)

तिवधतेमैनंहहंसीः(तैविरीयसंवहता१.२.१)

शृणोतग्रािाणः (तैविरीयसंवहता१.३.१३)

oṣadhe trāyasvainam (taittirīyasaṃhitā 1.2.1) svadhite mainaṃ hiṃsīḥ (taittirīyasaṃhitā 1.2.1) śṛṇota grāvāṇaḥ (taittirīyasaṃhitā 1.3.13)

O! herb! protect me.

O! barber’s blade, do not hurt this man.

O! stones! listen.

The above sentences wherein lifeless things are addressed are not authentic. एक एि रुद्रो न वितीयाय ततथे(तैविरीयसंवहता१.८.६.१)

सहस्रावण सहस्रसशो येरुद्रा अवधभूम्याम्(तैविरीयसंवहता४.५.११.१)

eka eva rudro na dvitīyāya tasthe (taittirīyasaṃhitā 1.8.6.1)

sahasrāṇi sahasrasaśo ye rudrā adhibhūmyām (taittirīyasaṃhitā 4.5.11.1)

There is only one Rudra (Śiva), no second one.

Which Rudras are there in thousands on earth.

There is conflict between the above Mantras. Such are the defects of Karmakāṇḍa. Now, the defects in Jñānakāṇḍa –अन्नंब्रह्मेवतव्यजानात्(तैविरीयोपवनषत्३.२)

प्राणो ब्रह्मेवतव्यजानात्(तैविरीयोपवनषत्३.३)

annaṃ brahmeti vyajānāt (taittirīyopaniṣat 3.2)

prāṇo brahmeti vyajānāt (taittirīyopaniṣat 3.3)

Bhṛgu, son of Varuṇa, after Tapas (ascetic life with some conditions) realized that Annam (food) is Brahman.

Bhṛgu after Tapas realized that Prāṇa (life-giving air) is Brahman.

Here, neither Annam not Prāṇa is Brahman and therefore both the statements are lies.

एकमेिावितीयम्(छान्दोग्योपवनषत्६.२.१)

ऋतंवपबन्तौ (कठोपवनषत्३.१)

ekamevādvitīyam (Chāndogyopaniṣat 6.2.1)

ṛtaṃ pibantau (Kaṭhopaniṣat 3.1)

Ātmā is one.

There are two Ātmas, which enjoy the result of Karma (action).

The above are contradictory

पृवथव्याओषधयः, ओषधीभ्योऽन्नम्(तैविरीयोपवनषत्२.१.१)

pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ, oṣadhībhyo’nnam (taittirīyopaniṣat 2.1.1)

The plants are born on earth, rice is from plants.

The above things are known to even a lay man.

By and large it is proved that neither Karmakāṇḍa nor Jñānakāṇḍa is authentic. Duḥkham (misery) is nothing but the pain due to thorns etc. The King or ruler is Parameśvara. Mokṣa is nothing but death. Unless one accepts the theory of Dehātmā (i.e. body itself is Ātmā, the Sāmānādhikaraṇya (wherein both words express the same thing) in the following sentences is not possible – तथूलोऽहम्, कृ शोऽहम्,कृ ष्णोऽहम्

sthūlo’ham, kṛśo’ham, kṛṣṇo’ham

I am fat, I am lean, I am black.

In the case of the usage – “मम शरीरम्”, “mama śarīram”, (my body), it is an aupacārika (one has to take the secondary sense and not the primary sense), just like the case of राहोः वशरः, rāhoḥ śiraḥ, (the head of Rāhu, literally). When the demon was beheaded by Viṣṇu, in the form of Jaganmohinī, during the distribution of Amṛtam (nectar), the head became Rāhu and the body became Ketu. So, there is no difference (abheda) between head and Rāhu. Nevertheless, people use “rāhoḥ śiraḥ” (the head of Rāhu) which suggests that there is difference (Bheda) between Rāhu and śiras. In such cases, the usage is called “aupacārika”. The ṣaṣṭhīvibhakti (possessive case) which denotes “bheda” should not be taken as important. Cārvāka opines that deha (body) only is called Ātmā (soul) and the usage “mama śarīram” is due to superimposition of bheda (difference), wherein it is not there. Such a usage is called “aupacārikaprayoga”, i.e. usage whereby a meaning that is not there is being imposed. The following verses offer a summary of the above concepts of Cārvāka –

अङ्गनावलङ्गनाज्जन्यसुखमेिपुमथथता।

कण्टकाददव्यथाजन्यंदुःखंवनरय उच्यते॥

लोकवसद्धो भिेद्राजापरेशोनापरः तमृतः।

देहतयनाशो मुविततुन ज्ञानान्मुविररष्यते॥

अत्र चत्िारर भूतावनभूवमिायथनलावनलाः।

चतुभ्यथःखलुभूतेभ्यश्चैतन्यमुपजायते॥

दकण्िाददभ्यः समेतेभ्योद्रव्येभ्योमदशविित्।

अहंतथूलःकृ शोऽतमीवतसामानावधकरण्यतः॥

देहःतथौल्याददयोगाच्च स एिात्मा न चापरः।

मम देहोऽयवमत्युविःसम्भिेदौपचाररकी॥

aṅganāliṅganājjanyasukhameva pumarthatā। kaṇṭakādivyathājanyaṃ duḥkhaṃ niraya ucyate॥ lokasiddho bhavedrājā pareśo nāparaḥ smṛtaḥ। dehasya nāśo muktistu na jñānānmuktiriṣyate॥ atra catvāri bhūtāni bhūmivāryanalānilāḥ। caturbhyaḥ khalu bhūtebhyaścaitanyamupajāyate॥ kiṇvādibhyaḥ sametebhyo dravyebhyo madaśaktivat। ahaṃ sthūlaḥ kṛśo’smīti sāmānādhikaraṇyataḥ॥ dehaḥ sthaulyādiyogācca sa evātmā na cāparaḥ। mama deho’yamityuktiḥ sambhavedaupacārikī॥

The only Puruṣārtha (purpose of life is the comfort due to embracing a young lady. The misery caused by the pain due to thorns etc. is called Naraka (hell).

The ruler that is popular in the world is Īśvara, nobody else. Mokṣa is nothing but the death of the body but not caused by Jñānam (cognition).

Here there are four elements – earth, water, fire and air. The Caitanyam (consciousness) is born out of the four elements, just like excitement from things that are associated with Kiṇva (a kind of gum used in preparation of wine).

Due to obesity etc. in the body there are usages like – “I am fat”, “I am lean” etc. wherein one finds Sāmānādhikaraṇyam (a single thing denoted by two words). But the fact is that the same body is called Ātmā (soul).

“My body” – is a secondary usage, i.e. the primary meaning is not to be taken, as both the words denote the same thing, i.e. body, the possessive case that suggests the existence of two things is to be ignored.

Cārvākas accept Pratyakṣam (Perception) only as a valid Means of Knowledge. They refute even Anumāna and Śabda, without which the universe cannot simply run and the entire day to day transactions would certainly come to standstill.

Vācaspatimiśra, a great commentator on different Darśanas passed harsh comments censuring the obstinacy of Cārvākas in terms of “Pratyakṣam only” (Bhāmatī, Brahmasūtraśāṅkarabhāṣyam, 3.3.54)

. . . पशिोऽवप वहतावहतप्राविपररहारार्थथनः कोमलशष्पश्यामलायां भुवि प्रितथन्ते पररहरवन्त चाश्यानतृणकण्टकाकीणाां,नावततकततुपशोरवप पशुररष्टावनष्टसाधनमवििान्,न खल्िवतमन्ननुमानगोचरप्रिृविवनिृविगोचरेप्रत्यक्षं प्रभिवत, न च परप्रत्यायनाय शब्दं प्रयुञ्जीत, शाब्दतयाथथतयाप्रत्यक्षत्िात्, तदेिं मा भून्नावततकतय जन्मान्तरमवतमन्नेि जन्मन्युपवतथतोमूकत्िप्रिृविवनिृविविरहरूपोमहान्नरकः।

. . . paśavo’pi hitāhitaprāptiparihārārthinaḥ komalaśaṣpaśyāmalāyāṃ bhuvi pravartante pariharanti cāśyānatṛṇakaṇṭakākīrṇāṃ, nāstikastu paśorapi paśu-riṣṭāniṣṭasādhanamavidvān, na khalvasminnanumānagocarapravṛttinivṛtti-gocare pratyakṣaṃ prabhavati, na ca parapratyāyanāya śabdaṃ prayuñjīta, śābdasyārthasyāpratyakṣatvāt, tadevaṃ mā bhūnnāstikasya janmāntaram-asminneva janmanyupasthito mūkatvapravṛttinivṛttiviraharūpo mahānnarakaḥ. Even animals enter a land which is black (green) with tender grass to get the desired and give up the undesired and avoid the land full of non-green grass and thorns. Rather, an atheist is an animal more than an animal without knowing the device for the desired and the undesired. Pratyakṣa (Perception) naturally, will not do in such a thing wherein to do or not to do (activity or inactivity) is known through Anumāna. One should use a Śabda (statement) for making things known to others as the meaning of Śabda is not known through Pratyakṣam – thus let there be no another birth for Cārvāka as in this life itself a great hell is on the cards in the form of dumbness and existence without activity and inactivity.

Cārvākas hold that the strangeness of the universe (i.e. some people are comfortable and others are suffering, good and bad etc.) is not based on Adṛṣṭam (Karma – nemesis), rather it is just natural

अविरुष्णो जलंशीतंसमतपशथततथावनलः।

के नेदंवचवत्रतंततमात्तिभािािद्व्यिवतथवतः॥

agniruṣṇo jalaṃ śītaṃ samasparśastathānilaḥ। kenedaṃ citritaṃ tasmāt svabhāvāttadvyavasthitiḥ ॥

Fire is hot, water is cool, similarly air is with equal touch. Who did all this? Therefore, everything runs due to its nature. 

Bṛhaspati, a great Cārvāka explains –

न  तिगो नापिगो िा नैिात्मापारलौदककः। नैििणाथश्रमादीनांदियाश्च फलदावयकाः॥ अविहोत्रंत्रयो िेदाःवत्रदण्डंभतमगुण्ठनम्। बुवद्धपौरुषहीनानांजीविका धातृवनर्मथता॥ पशुश्चेवन्नहतःतिगांज्योवतष्टोमेगवमष्यवत। तिवपता यजमानेनतत्र कतमान्न हहंतयते॥ मृतानामवपजन्तूनांश्राद्धंचेिृविकारणम्।

वनिाथणतयप्रदीपतय स्नेहःसंिधथयेवच्छखाम्॥

गच्छतावमह जन्तूनांव्यथांपाथेयकल्पनम्।

गेहतथकृ तश्राद्धेनपवथ तृविरिाररता॥

तिगथवतथतायदा तृहिंगच्छेयुततत्रदानतः।

प्रासादतयोपररतथानामत्र कतमान्न दीयते॥

na svargo nāpavargo vā naivātmā pāralaukikaḥ. naiva varṇāśramādīnāṃ kriyāśca phaladāyikāḥ॥ agnihotraṃ trayo vedāḥ tridaṇḍaṃ bhasmaguṇṭhanam. buddhipauruṣahīnānāṃ jīvikā dhātṛnirmitā॥ paśuścennihataḥ svargaṃ jyotiṣṭome gamiṣyati। svapitā yajamānena tatra kasmānna hiṃsyate॥ mṛtānāmapi jantūnāṃ śrāddhaṃ cettṛptikāraṇam।

nirvāṇasya pradīpasya snehaḥ saṃvardhayecchikhām॥ gacchatāmiha jantūnāṃ vyarthaṃ pātheyakalpanam। gehasthakṛtaśrāddhena pathi tṛptiravāritā॥ svargasthitā yadā tṛptiṃ gaccheyustatra dānataḥ। prāsādasyoparisthānāmatra kasmānna dīyate॥

There is neither heaven nor Mokṣa, nor Ātmā that travels to another world. The actions and rites associated with Varṇa (caste) and Āśrama (one of the four stages of life, viz. Brahmacaryam (celibacy), Gārhasthyam (household life), Vānaprastham (living in forests) and Saṃnyāsa (renouncing the world) do not give any results.

Worship of fire, Vedic recitation, holding three sticks by a Saṃnyāsī and application of holy ashes on forehead etc. are created by the Creator (?) for the livelihood of those who lack intellect and manhood.

If an animal killed in the Sacrifice called Jyotiṣṭoma goes to heaven why not the father of the Sacrificer is not being killed in the same rite?

If the death ceremony satisfies even the dead beings then even the oil should increase an extinguished flame.

It is a waste to provide food on the way for those who travel as they can have it through the death ceremony held at the house.

If the people in the heaven feel happy by the food offered then how come food is not being offered on the ground floor for the people living upstairs?

Bṛhaspati further elaborates –

यािज्जीिेत्सुखंजीिेत्ऋणंकृ त्िाघृतंवपबेत्।

भतमीभूततयदेहतयपुनरागमनंकु तः॥

यदद गच्छेत्परंलोकंदेहादेषविवनगथतः।

कतमाद्भूयोन चायावत बन्धुस्नेहसमाकु लः॥

ततश्च जीिनोपायो ब्राह्मणैर्िथवहतवतत्िह।

मृतानांप्रेतकायाथवणन त्िन्यविद्यतेक्ववचत्॥

त्रयो िेदतयकताथरोभण्डधूतथवनशाचराः।जभथरीतुफथ रीत्याददपवण्डतानांिचः तमृतम्॥

yāvajjīvet sukhaṃ jīvet ṛṇaṃ kṛtvā ghṛtaṃ pibet। bhasmībhūtasya dehasya punarāgamanaṃ kutaḥ॥ yadi gacchetparaṃ lokaṃ dehādeṣa vinirgataḥ। kasmādbhūyo na cāyāti bandhusnehasamākulaḥ॥ tataśca jīvanopāyo brāhmaṇairvihitastviha। mṛtānāṃ pretakāryāṇi na tvanyadvidyate kvacit॥ trayo vedasya kartāro bhaṇḍadhūrtaniśācarāḥ। jarbharīturpharītyādi paṇḍitānāṃ vacaḥ smṛtam॥

Live comfortably as long as you live. Enjoy food with ghee (clarified butter) by taking loans. How come a body turned into ashes comes back?

If one goes to heaven after leaving this body, how come he does not return due to the sickness caused by the affections towards the relatives?

Therefore, it is nothing but a device innovated by Brāhmaṇas for their livelihood – ceremonies for the dead.

There are three kinds of people who authored Vedas – the insane, the cheats and demons. Jarbharī, turpharī (Ṛgveda 10.106.6) etc. is said to be the words of scholars (cheats).

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