1. Life of ancient Indian society (Introduction)

The information regarding the life of ancient Indian society is mostly obtainable from Sanskrit sources itself. But not much information is available in ancient literature about the downtrodden class in the society. While discussing the nature of Indian life, it will be automatically centred on the life of upper class.

Four castes^[1], four life stages^[2], four goals^[3], worship and sacrifice, belief in destiny and rebirth constitute the primary factors of Brāhmaṇic religion. These mutually connected factors molded the lifestyle of each and everyone in the Indian class system (Damodaran K, 2011: 97). In this way, the typical Indian tradition stressed upon the exploration of ultimate aim, goal or truth of human life. For the quest “what is the ultimate aim of life?”, one of the traditional answers given is, “Puruṣārthas”. They are supposed to lead one to the attainment of one’s ultimate aim of life. According to the code of law and religion human life was totally under control of priesthood in ancient India. Humanity was being hijacked from its natural harmony to a mechanically tabulated frame called Puruṣārthas or the goals of life.

The social condition of ancient India, except perhaps in the primitive classless society in pre-vedic era, reveals the deep stratification based on the fourfold varṇa system. Social life was coined and developed on the strong foundation of caste-hierarchy. The social class was strongly intertwined with the caste system in ancient Indian context. So the discussion on the concept of social life in ancient and medieval India leads to the premise of the upper stratum of the twice born communities. The present chapter tries to analyze the concept of human life in India as reflected in the elite scriptures in Sanskrit and also an investigation of the concept of Puruṣārthas in general and positioning Kāma as one of them, among the Puruṣārthas.