The Art of Escape: From Fleeting Getaways to Profound Journeys/ Purushartha

Have you ever gotten burnt out from the mundane routine and yearned to lose yourself amidst the towering peaks of majestic mountains or the soothing caress of sun-kissed shores by leaving all the weight of the world behind? Whether it's connecting to breaking the shackles of 9 to 5 in the movie ‘Tamasha’ or relating to the POV of Lost Aditya in ‘Jab We Met’ to take a random train to nowhere, we want to escape our world more often than ever.

Searching for escape in different spectrums of life, some find their refuge in art while others seek unknown travel destinations. Some party their day-to-day worries away while others are perpetually in need of a so-called break.

But why this constant urge to flee, you might wonder? Is it a mere whim, a fleeting fancy to escape the monotony of everyday life? Or is it something deeper, something rooted in the very essence of our being? Why does your mind resist the return to reality with such fervor?

The primary cause of these emotions is the unhappiness of ordinary days and the intense desire to create extraordinary ones. During the weekdays, we often find ourselves slipping into robotic routines, just getting through each day while chasing the next weekend. We waste more than three-fourths of our life energy to earn that one-fourth of leisurely weekend respite from the world. How is this a fair trade? Social media is flooded with the ‘Take me back’ and ‘Can't wait to go back’ posts of vacations. Unfortunately, even after our much-needed vacation, the overwhelming aspect of our other three-fourth life remains unchanged.

Our current education and lifestyles churn us into efficient, problem-solving machines. We navigate the daily grind with practiced ease, but the yearning for something more, something beyond the practical, gets neatly tucked away. Temporary escapes offer a fleeting taste of liberation like stolen sips of water—they quench the immediate thirst but leave us clinging desperately to those precious moments.

Escape is not merely a reprieve from the mundanity of life but a visceral need, an essential part of our humanity. We yearn for it because it nourishes our souls, replenishes our spirits, and reconnects us with the essence of our being. So, the core question we must ask is: Is escaping recharging you and your soul to come back to reality with a renowned purpose? Or simply trap us in a cycle of needing an escape from escape itself like a parched traveller stumbling upon an oasis in the desert, only to find it vanish like a mirage?

The human desire for escape is a constant current throughout history. Today, it manifests in our insatiable appetite for travel, adventure, and fleeting experiences. However, this contemporary concept of escape lacks the depth and purpose it held in ancient Indian traditions, which involved a conscious journey towards spiritual awakening. It's not just about physical escape, but a journey towards liberation, enlightenment, or inner peace.

In Sanskrit, there are two kinds of escape: Palanam (पलायनम्) and Apagamanam (अपगमनम्). While both words convey the idea of escape, Palanāmam implies a more urgent or forced departure, while Apagamanam can be used for a more neutral or planned leaving. Palanam (पलायनम्) denotes escaping from reality, whereas Apagamanam (अपगमनम्) represents the time-tested practice of seeking refuge in the forest, somewhere in the wild to find oneself again.

Beyond philosophical concepts, escape has been a common theme in Indian literature since time immemorial. Society used various means, including traditions and rituals like Yajna, offerings, meditation, etc., to escape from the Maya (world) now and then.

Our ancient wisdom has always warned us that getting lost in the illusional reality comes easy, but establishing the right priorities in life is where the struggle begins. To overcome this very problem, Hinduism developed the Purushartha, a framework for living a balanced and meaningful life. This construct, comprising Dharma (righteous duty), Artha (material security), Kama (desire), and Moksha (liberation), encourages individuals to not only pursue spiritual well-being but also align with the materialistic realm that surrounds them. Rather than chasing wealth devoid of meaning, it prompts contemplation of life's deeper questions, such as liberation from the cycle of rebirth, known as Samsara. Acting as a pathway to seek balance in different phases of life, Purushartha can be interwoven throughout life with the natural shift in age, circumstances, and evolving priorities. In the past, people sought to escape from the world to find this very balance in life.

With the advert shift towards a tangible reality where matter reigns supreme, the Charvaka School of thought is gaining prominence. The digital age as we know it today believes in living a life full of pleasures, perceiving the world through our five senses with the notion of ‘Living Big’. Consequently, we have lost touch with the two crucial pillars of the four Purusharthas, i.e., Dharma and Moksha, which give a sense of direction to an individual’s life. Dharma being the basis of all our actions and Moksha being the destination, our society is left in the middle of a sea without any destination or purpose in mind due to the over-indulgence in Artha and Kama.

There is a reason why all the great scriptures and religions advise one to grow beyond this Existential Nihilism and encourage individuals to pursue a life beyond survival instincts and explore the world beyond the limits of their logical minds. The yearning to find inner self and liberation keeps our thirst to escape worldly concerns (Moh-Maya) alive, driving a person subconsciously. What we see today in people around us is the same inherent tendency to escape from the world, just without any awareness.

Escape is an essential action, but we need to figure out why, from what, and for how long. What we as a society need is to use these gateways to realign ourselves to find the greater truth, to find that very balance of Purusharthas. As the desire to explore in us is greater than ever, the burning fire of escape in the world needs a direction.

Let us use the concept of escape as a springboard for self-discovery, not an avoidance tactic. As we embark on our physical and spiritual journeys, both individually and as a society, may we find the balance and purpose that eludes so many in today's world.

(The paper is the author’s individual scholastic articulation. The author certifies that the article/paper is original in content, unpublished and it has not been submitted for publication/web upload elsewhere, and that the facts and figures quoted are duly referenced, as needed, and are believed to be correct). (The paper does not necessarily represent the organisational stance... More >>