Pravrtti and Nivrtti
Karma-kanda of the Vedas contain both pravrtti and nivrtti.
Pravrtti means a positive action with a new accomplishment in view.
Nivrtti means restraint from action.
When the Veda says, “Perform a ritual called Agnihotra”, it
is enjoining a pravrtti. When the same Veda says, “do not drink
alcohol”, it is enjoining a nivrtti.
Pravrtti produces punya, which leads to pleasure in this life and
hereafter. On the other hand, nivrtti is meant for avoiding papa,
the cause of pains.
Unlike Karma-kanda, the Jnana-kanda does not
enjoin any Pravrtti. The objective of Jnana-kanda is to make the
individual free from both punya and papa and hence it does not
reveal a means to accumulate more punya.
There are statements in Jnana-kanda which sound
like injunctions of pravrtti. Brhadaranyakopanishad says “Atma
should be seen, heard …”. Therefore, one may doubt whether Jnana-kanda
(Vedanta) also involves pravrtti.
The great Acharyas like Sri Shankaracharya and Sri
Sarvajnatmamuni have cleared this doubt. In his commentary on Brahmasutras,
Shankaracharya says “All injuctions of pravrtti (vidhi) become
blunt in front of the Atman, just like a sharp razor against a rock.”
Therefore, he refers to the statements “Atma alone should be seen …” as apparently
vidhi (vidhi-chaya).
Sri Sarvajnatmamuni, in his treatise named
Sankeshepasharirakam, clarifies this point further. Such injunctions in Vedanta
should be understood as injunctions of nivrtti and not of pravrtti.
The statements like “Atma alone should be seen”
should be understood as a counsel to restrain from anatma (non-self). As long as one is engaged in non-self, i.e.,
identifies with non-self or seeks happiness from it, he is not free from the
problem of samsara. Therefore, the Vedanta asks a mumukshu
(seeker of moksha) to stop attributing reality to the non-self.
If one has to stop attributing reality to the anatma,
he has to understand the true nature of atman, Therefore, he needs to engage
himself in the pursuit of Atma-jnana like sravana etc. It is
understood through implication, though not directly stated.
For example, the Vedic statement “Do not eat meat”,
reveals the undesirable consequence of eating meat in the form of papa.
Therefore, it is in one’s best interest to avoid eating meat. Therefore, one
has to make effort to overcome one’s natural urge to eat meat. It may involve
constantly reminding oneself of the violence and other evils associated with
meat. In this example, all efforts are directed towards avoiding an undesirable
result and not to accomplish anything new.
Atma is siddha-vastu,
i.e, it is already present. Therefore, in Vedanta, there cannot be any effort
in the direction of accomplishing Atma. Effort is needed to be free from
samsara by getting rid of avidya, kama, karma and so on.
Some other Acharyas hold a slightly different view. This view is also mentioned in Sankshepasharirakam. The
pursuit of moksha consists of both pravrtti and nivrtti. There
is nivrtti in terms of giving up pursuing the anatma. In
the meantime, a mumukshu needs to work for self-knowledge. He should perform
karma-yoga, approach a Guru, engage himself in shravana and so on. All these
are pravrtti.
The shastras prescribe two-fold mandatory disciplines for
a mumukshu, namely, yama and niyama. Yama is nivrtti. It stands
for ahimsa - restraint from violence, satya - restraint from untruth,
asteya - restraint from stealth and deceit, brahmacharya - restraint
from copulation and aparigraha - restraint from possession. Niyama is
pravrtti, a positive action. The Yogasutras of Patanjali lists five disciplines
of niyama. They are cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study of scriptures
and focusing mind on Isvara. According to the Acharyas, shravana etc.
are also included in niyama.
