P K MAM
(I make no claim to perfection – this is but a humble attempt to share what has been read, heard, reflected upon. The intention is not to compare religions or philosophies, but to explore how different civilizations – Eastern and Western – have sought to understand the purpose of human life. While Western existentialism finds meaning through courage amid life’s uncertainty, Indian thought – as expressed in the Bhagavad Gita, Jain Darshan, and Kashmir Shaivism – views life as a continuum of consciousness shaped by karma, duty, and self-effort. The aim is not to conclude, but to invite reflection on what truly gives meaning to our existence.)
(“O Destroyer of Pura, some say the universe is eternal, others that it is transitory; some hold it to be both. Bewildered by these views, I still praise Thee, for even this confusion reflects my audacity.” – Shiv Mahimnah Stotram)
BHAGAVAD GITA
The Gita teaches that life has a divine purpose. Each person must perform duty selflessly, without attachment to results. It emphasizes karma yoga – action guided by righteousness – and faith in the divine order that sustains the universe. True fulfillment lies in aligning one’s actions with this higher purpose and surrendering the fruits of effort to the Supreme.
ALBERT CAMUS
Albert Camus, in The Myth of Sisyphus, argues that life has no inherent meaning. The “absurd,” he says, arises from man’s search for purpose in a silent universe. He offers three responses:
(a) Reject life through suicide – which he calls cowardly.
(b) Escape through faith – a “philosophical suicide.”
(c) Embrace the absurd – living passionately despite meaninglessness, as Sisyphus does, finding joy in the struggle itself.
Personally, I do not believe in either divine determinism or nihilism. The purpose of life, to me, is to live with passion – to find meaning not in grand pursuits, but in how we perform the simplest of daily actions.
NIRAD C. CHAUDHURI
Nirad C. Chaudhuri, in The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian and The Continent of Circe, reflected on the fleeting nature of life and criticized both Indian and Western civilizations for failing to face its deepest questions.
Though not as overtly absurdist as Camus, he shared skepticism toward religious assurances of an afterlife. He saw life as brief, shaped by history and culture, and urged humanity to confront existence without comforting illusions. Camus viewed this philosophically; Chaudhuri, historically – yet both celebrate human courage in uncertainty.
JAINISM
Jainism rejects a creator God but reveres Siddhas – liberated souls worthy of respect, not worship.
Mahavir’s philosophy was inclusive and free from dogma. Neither nihilist nor anarchist, he emphasized individual effort and self-realization as the path to moksha (liberation), rejecting rituals and divine authority. True power, he taught, lies in personal action, ethical conduct, and inner transformation. Instead of worshipping imaginary gods, one should follow one’s enlightened conscience – the real God within.
JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM
In the Abrahamic faiths, the soul rests after death awaiting divine judgment and eternal placement in heaven or hell. With no concept of rebirth, this worldview encourages a linear, one-life perspective where fulfillment must be achieved within a single lifetime. The modern Western idea – captured in “You Only Live Once” (YOLO) or “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) – flows from this belief.
THE SANATAN VISION
Sanatan Dharma presents a different view. Rooted in karma and punarjanma (rebirth), it sees life as part of an unbroken continuum of consciousness. Every action becomes a seed carrying consequences into future births and shaping the soul’s onward journey.
This vision upholds dharma (duty), restraint, gratitude, and ultimately moksha (liberation) – above consumption and transient pleasure. It harmonizes the material and the spiritual and reminds us that true freedom lies not in indulgence, but in transcendence.
KASHMIR SHAIVISM
Kashmir Shaivism teaches that the entire universe is a manifestation of one Supreme Consciousness – Chit or Param Shiva. Nothing exists outside this awareness; every being and thought is a vibration (spanda) of that same Consciousness.
Death, therefore, is not extinction but transformation – a change of form within the same continuous reality. Advaita Vedanta echoes this truth: the individual self is never apart from the cosmic Self. Just as a wave is not separate from the ocean, so the living and the departed remain one in undivided Consciousness.
DEATH IS CERTAIN, ITS FEAR AVOIDABLE
No one truly knows what happens after death – it remains life’s greatest mystery. Yet many who have faced near-death experiences feel certain it is not the end.
In the West, denial of death fuels dreams of a machine-augmented “transhuman” future. Traditional cultures face death with serenity. When a volcano erupted in Hawaii in 2018, indigenous people saw it as the goddess Pele’s presence and welcomed her, accepting danger as divine will.
Facing death clarifies how we live. Each of us has a purpose and unique gifts to express through seva (service) and sadhana (spiritual practice). We live fully when we follow what inspires us – without fear or regret. To live well is, indeed, to die well.
FOR BELIEVERS IN KARMA
Indian faith reconciles life’s joys and sorrows as means to exhaust past karmas. Faith, though illogical to reason, remains deeply human. If one ends life prematurely, the unfinished karmic account continues elsewhere. The scriptures affirm that only one’s deeds – good and bad – accompany the soul. The law of Karma is unfathomable; it cannot be erased or escaped by human will.
REFLECTION
The sky may be limitless, yet everyone needs a ground to stand on – that ground is spirituality. Each person’s spiritual journey shapes their purpose and performance in life’s race.
In this age of restlessness, man must rediscover meaning – not in mechanical pursuits but in awakening the Self and realizing I-consciousness.
Elevated souls have always stressed two pillars of existence:
1. Sadhana (Seeking) – personal discipline leading to self-realization.
2. Seva (Service) – selfless action for the welfare of others.
True humanity lies in serving others. As the Bhagavad Gita declares, “There is no fall for him, either here or hereafter, who works for the good of others.”
Tulsidas too reminds us: “The welfare of others is the highest Dharma; injury to others, the greatest sin.”
Service to mankind is virtue; selfless service invites divine grace.
CONCLUDING THOUGHT
The purpose of life, ultimately, is to realize the divinity within and express it through compassion, courage, and service to all living beings.
