Nivrutthi and Pravrutthi

10/31/08

Vedas teach two types pf Dharmas: Nivrutthi dharmam and Pravrutthi dharmam.

 

Nivrutthi dharmam teaches or directs towards Aathmajnaanam or knowledge of soul or knowledge about the relationship between jeevathma and parmaathma where as Pravrutthi dharmam teaches about material activities.

 

Pravrutthi indicates how a special task should be done where as Nivrutthi indicates the attitude with which the task is carried out.

 

Let us take an example: When we are hungry, Pravrutthi tells us to eat and satisfy our hunger. Now what does Nivrutthi tells us? Nivrutthi tells us to use our power of discrimination and decide what kind of food and how much we should eat to stay healthy in spirit, mind and body.

 

In our daily life this Pravrutthi and Nivrutthi play a big role. Depending on a person's nature, he/she becomes Pravrutthiparam or Nivrutthiparam.

 

Ravana was Pravrutthi maargachaari or he was guided by Pravrutthi dharmam where as King Ambarisha followed Nivrutthi dharmam.

 

Vedaas advise us to do pravrutthi or actions to live and survive in the material world guided by Nivrutthi dharmam. Then we will never move away from Paramaathma.

 

Let God bless all of us to use the positive power of discrimination !

Addendum by late Dr. K.V. Gopalakrishna 

"Janami dharmam na cha me pravrtthih,
Janami adharmam na cha me nivrtthih
Kenapi devena hrudi sthithena
Yadha niyukthosmi thattha karomi."

(I know what is Dharma, but I am not able to act according to it, I know what is Adharma, I am not able to regress from it-- I perform all actions as directed by the Lord whoever He is, stationed in my heart!)

Duryodhana justifying his wrong actions in Pandava-gita.

Regards
KVG.

Addendum by late Shri S.N. Shastri

Sri Sankaracharya refers to these two Dharmas in his Introduction to his Gita bhashya. He says: "After projecting the world, and desiring to ensure its stability, He, the Lord, first created the Prajapatis, namely, Marichi and others, and made them follow the Pravritti dharma characterized by action (rites and duties) as revealed in the Vedas. And then, having created Sanaka, Sanandana and others, He made  them follow the Nivritti dharma characterized by renunciation and distinguished by Self-knowledge and detachment"

 

Pravritti dharma is for those who seek happiness in this world and in heaven after this life. This is known as abhyudaya. Nivritti dharma is for those who have become free from desire for all pleasures in this world as well as in higher worlds and want only Self-knowledge or Brahma-jnana which will lead to liberation from the cycle of birth and death.This is known as Nissreyasa.

The Kathopanishad speaks of these two paths as Preyas and Sreyas. Preyas is the path of abhyudaya and Sreyas is the path of nissreysa or liberation. It says that the wise person accepts only the path of Sreyas which leads to liberation. Only the mandabuddhis follow thw path of Preyas which will lead to repeated births.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri.