Who is an Asthika?

(adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

Normally we understand Asthika, as a believer in the existence of God and Nasthika as one who does not believe in the existence of God.  But the word Asthika means only the believer in existence and Nasthika, the opposite.  The belief can be in the existence of other subjects also like Swarga, punya, papa, re-birth etc. The word Asthika is derived from the word ‘asthi; meaning existence and does not say about the existence of what?   The widely used word is God and hence we have that general understanding about Asthika and Nasthika.  But the traditional definition relates to Veda as a Pramanam.  That means Asthika is one who believes and hence accepts Veda as a Pramanam and Nasthika is one who does not believe and hence does not treat Veda as a Pramanam.

Pramanam is a means of knowledge.  In respect of any knowledge three things are present.  They are: Prameyam, object of knowledge; Pramata,the knower and Pramanam, the means of knowledge. Ordinarily everyone employs five Pramanams   consciously or unconsciously to gain the knowledge of various things they come across.  They are pratyaksha (perception), anumana (inference), upamana (comparison), arthapathi (postulation), anupalabdhi (non-apprehension). These five are based on our sensory perception, internal and external. The external world of matter is perceived through the sense organs and the internal world of pain and emotions through the mind directly in the prathyaksha Pramanam and this serves as a basis for the other Pramanams.  These are called Paurushya Pramanams.  They are limited to the areas of matter covered by human mind and intellect and the sense-organs and so covers matter only in all its forms and modifications.  The entire science works in the world of Paurusheya Pramanam and Paurusheya Prameyam.

Veda is called an Apaurusheya pramanam. This deals with the four-fold goals attainable by humanity.  The goals are called Purusharthas.  Veda itself provides the sadhanas i.e. means of accomplishing them, as well. The four goals and the four sadhanas, in all eight topics belong to the Apaurusheya Prameyam.  The four Purusharthas are Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha. We shall see them one by one.

Artha stands for everything that one wants to possess for the sake of one’s survival with safety and security.  It can be money, ornaments, land, insurance etc. For example, it can be medicine and also medical insurance. Aim is survival. Safety and security are the most fundamental things which even animals want.

Kama stands for the desire for the enjoyment of pleasure or happiness. Towards that end one acquires many things. Anything   one acquires for happiness comes under Kama as anything one acquires for one’ security comes under Artha. Veda talks about Apaurusheya Kama, Artha that one seeks in the other world after death.  As the sciences talk about conservation of matter and energy, Veda talks about conservation of life. Life does not end with death, it continues in other worlds like heaven and in other bodies after re-birth. So one can get, better superior bodies which are more secure, more long living and not only that. It can have an environment where enjoyments are far superior. Just as human beings have got better happiness compared to animal beings.   And not only the Veda talks about Apaurusheya Artha, Kama, it also talks about means of accomplishing them through varieties of rituals, meditations, prayers.  Some of these rituals, meditations are also meant for Paurusheya Artha, Kama.

Dharma is a profound and significant expression that has got several shades of meaning.  Fundamental meaning given by Purva Mimamsa school of thought and accepted by Vedanta school of thought as well is that it stands for a life style or way of life prescribed by the Vedic injunctions.  Based on this only it is said that Hinduism is a way of life.  Practice of these do’s and don’ts by one contributes to the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being at the individual level and also to the family and environmental well-being.  As it preserves the all-round harmony and as word ‘Dharma’ itself means harmony, the second meaning of Dharma is harmony and also the way of life that promotes this harmony is called Dharma.  The third meaning for Dharma, given by Veda, is Punyam, the invisible spiritual credit earned for leading a Dharmic life, faithfully honouring the do’s and don’ts laid down by the Vedas. The violation of Dharmic code also burdens one with Papam, the invisible spiritual debit points.  Punyam rewards one with happiness and joy while Papam punishes one with grief and sorrow. So what one chases in Artha and Kama one can enjoy only if one is blessed with Punyam, the fruit of Dharma.  Further Dharma alone can help in the pursuit of the fourth Puruṣhartha, Moksha, the most important Purushartha, by giving one the desire for Moksha and by helping him know the relevance of Moksha.

Moksha is the fourth Purushartha, available only within Apaurusheya Pramana Prapancha and so accessible to Asthikas only. It is matter of joke for Nasthikas, which does not bother informed Asthikas.  Moksha involves giving up Self-ignorance and Self-misconception which are cause of human struggles, called Samsara. As light alone destroys darkness, so knowledge alone delivers one from ignorance.  So only Self-knowledge can dispel Self-ignorance and Self-misconception and save one from Samsara.  In gaining Self-knowledge, one faces a serious problem.  Self is a Pramatha, the knower, the subject and Paurusheya Pramanams are designed to study objective world only.  One cannot use one’s eyes to see one’s face directly.  At the best one can see the reflection in a mirror. As Kathopanishad (2-1-1) says: “paranchi kaani vyathrunath swayambhuh, tasmat parangpasyathi nontharathman (The self-existent Supreme Lord inflicted an injury upon the sense-organs in creating them with outgoing tendencies; therefore, a person perceives only outer objects with them, and not the inner Self.).  Therefore, Pramatha, one’s Real Self can be known only through Apaurusheya Pramanam, Veda. Veda in its end portion, reveals the mind-boggling fact that one’s Real Self is Brahman through the Mahavakhya “Tat Tvam asi (that is yourself)” and the Asthika student who understands it acknowledges with another Mahavakhya, “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)”.  He has the realisation that he is not a human being seeking spiritual experience, but he is a spiritual being temporarily having a human experience.  This realisation is called Moksha, the parama Purushartha as he no longer views life as a meaningless burdensome boring struggle and feels free from Samsara. 

A Nasthika believes only in Paurusheya Pramanam and does not believe in Apaurusheya Pramanam. On the other hand, an Asthika who believes in Apaurusheya Pramanam, also believes in Paurusheya Pramanam and enjoys the benefit of scientific advances. So he enjoys the benefit of Moksha Pusushartha as well when he becomes an informed Asthika, without losing the material advantages that Paurusheya Pramanam offers. 

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