Glimpses Of World Religions

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Navbharat Sahitya Mandir

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Glimpses of World Religions
in sweet attractive language. Another meaning is also there : 'One who himself chews his own words. In other words, Charwak is a person who swallows down the distinction of good and evil. In Mahabharat, we come across a dialogue between Charwak and 'Udhishthir'. Thereupon, some learned scholars infer that there might have been some historical human being named Charwak. Great western scholar Max Muller is led to believe that the name of the first pupil to whom the exponent of this Darshan gave teachings of his philosophy was Charwak. The Charwak Darshan is also known as Lokayat. This word is a combination of 2 words - Lok + Ayat. i.e. the school of thought which is drawn or attracted towards ‘Lok' or physical world; in short, it means that what is Lokayat ? The Charwak Ideology
According to this ideology, the name 'body' or the 'senses' (organs) is given to the product of the four physical elements like the earth,. water, fire and air. The physical body having consciousness added to it, is the soul, nothing more. There is no world like 'Parlok' or the other world over there; and supposing perhaps there is something like that world, then, nobody inhabits or stays there. Death is the only Moksha or Liberation of the soul. The Vedas which talk loudly about the bliss or heaven, are mere vain talkings of the cheaters. Arth (or wealth) and Kama (or wishes) are the only two purusharthas or worthy endeavours. Politics is the only (real) learning, perception (by the physical senses) is the only valid knowledge. It is desirable to tread on that path only which the ordinary masses use. Extreme bitterness and contempt for what is going on in the name of religion are full to the brim in this Darshan. There is very much well known advice propagated by this system of thought viz. “Live with enjoyments and happiness so long as