| Hindu Ideals |
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THE FOUR SETUS |
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If, on the other
hand, one is bent upon the pursuit of wealth alone, he becomes the enemy of all and he who
is determined to be a hedonist does not merit any praise. The ideal of leading a life of
Dharma alone, without caring for the pursuit of wealth and even at the sacrifice of
material happiness is only for the chosen few who are worthy of the appellation of Rishis.
That is why Rama boldly proclaimed to Kaikeyi that he was determined to leads a life of
Dharma like the Rishis, and that he was not intent upon Artha at all in his conduct
through life (vide Ayodhyakanda).
In the Mahabharata, Vana Parva Vyasa has put the same idea in an arresting manner thus. He
classifies men, into four kinds. those who care for material happines in the presently and
do not care for after life ; secondly, those who do not care for material happiness at all
during their life on earth but prepare themselves for eternal happiness after death ; then
those who care both for material happiness here and for happiness hereafter; and lastly
those who do not care for either happiness here or in the hereafter.
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