धर्मार्थकाम इति योऽभिहितस्त्रिवर्ग ईक्षा त्रयी नयदमौ विविधा च वार्ता । मन्ये तदेतदखिलं निगमस्य सत्यं स्वात्मार्पणं स्वसुहृद: परमस्य पुंस: ॥ २६ ॥
dharmartha-kama iti yo ’bhihitas tri-varga iksa trayi naya-damau vividha ca varta manye tad etad akhilam nigamasya satyam svatmarpanam sva-suhrdah paramasya pumsah
- dharma
- religion
- artha
- economic development
- kamah
- regulated sense gratification
- iti
- thus
- yah
- which
- abhihitah
- prescribed
- tri-vargah
- the group of three
- iksa
- self-realization
- trayi
- the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies
- naya
- logic
- damau
- and the science of law and order
- vividha
- varieties of
- ca
- also
- varta
- occupational duties, or one’s livelihood
- manye
- I consider
- tat
- them
- etat
- these
- akhilam
- all
- nigamasya
- of the Vedas
- satyam
- truth
- sva-atma-arpanam
- the full surrendering of one’s self
- sva-suhrdah
- unto the supreme friend
- paramasya
- the ultimate
- pumsah
- personality
Religion, economic development and sense gratification—these are described in the Vedas as tri-varga, or three ways to salvation. Within these three categories are education and self-realization; ritualistic ceremonies performed according to Vedic injunction; logic; the science of law and order; and the various means of earning one’s livelihood. These are the external subject matters of study in the Vedas, and therefore I consider them material. However, I consider surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu to be transcendental.