Arthashastra - The Primacy of Artha

Devanagari

धर्मार्थाविरोधेन कामं सेवेत न निहसुखः स्यात् ॥
समं वा त्रिवर्गमन्योन्यानुबद्धम ॥
एको ह्यत्यासेवितो धर्मार्थकामानामात्मानमितरौ च पीडयति ॥
अर्थैव प्रधानेति कौटिल्यः ॥
अर्थमूलौ हि धर्मकामाविति ॥

Transliteration

dharmārthā-virodhena kāmaṃ seveta na nihsukhaḥ syāt ||
samaṃ vā trivargam-anyonyānubaddham ||
eko hy-atyāsevito dharmārtha-kāmānām-ātmānam-itarau ca pīḍayati ||
arthaiva pradhāneti kauṭilyaḥ ||
artha-mūlau hi dharma-kāmāv-iti ||

Translation

The Balance of Life (1.7.03 - 05): He should enjoy pleasure (Kama) without conflicting with righteousness (Dharma) and wealth (Artha); he should not live without pleasure. He should pursue the three goals of life—Dharma, Artha, and Kama—equally, as they are interconnected. Any one of these, if excessively indulged in, hurts itself and the other two.

The Primacy of Artha (1.7.06 - 07): “Wealth (Artha) is the most important,” says Kautilya. For, righteousness (Dharma) and pleasure (Kama) are both rooted in wealth (material well-being/productive capacity).

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