The Dhaarmik Traditions - Indic Studies Foundation

5. Do Hindus pray to God and how do Hindus pray
There is a lot of latitude in the manner in which one prays to ones God but this is
one way 2
6. What does a Hindu hope to attain when he prays What is meant by
PurushArtha
PurushArtha or ManushyArtheha is the pursuit of the four kinds of human
aspirations, which are dharma, artha, kAma and moksha. The four pursuits in which
humans may legitimately engage, also called chaturvarga, "four-fold good" , is a
basic principle of Hindu ethics.
- dharma: "Righteous living." The fulfillment of virtue, good works, duties and
responsibilities, restraints and observances - performing one's part in the service of
society. This includes pursuit of truth under a guru of a particular Parampara and
sAmpradaya. Dharma is of four primary forms. It is the steady guide for artha and
kAma.
- artha: "Wealth." Material welfare and abundance, money, property, possessions.
Artha is the pursuit of wealth, guided by dharma. It includes the basic needs - food,
money, clothing and shelter - and extends to the wealth required to maintain a
comfortable home, raise a family, fulfill a successful career and perform religious
duties. The broadest concept of wealth embraces financial independence, freedom
from debt, worthy children, good friends, leisure time, faithful servants, trustworthy
employees, and the joys of giving, including tithing (dashamamsha), feeding the
poor, supporting religious mendicants, worshiping devoutly, protecting all creatures,
2 http://indicethos.org./Hinduism/worship.html
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