This piece of artwork represents 3 different parts of Hinduism, Karma and Dharma, The Trimurti, and The Four Stages of Life. Dharma is one’s “duty” in life, for practicing dharma is the way in which one may improving their life. Karma, on the other hand, is the belief that a person’s actions in life will determine their fate in their following life. One must do their dharma in order to achieve good karma. In the art piece, dharma is represented by the brown path following from the bottom left corner to the upper right corner. One’s path in life is also represented by the river, which is also flowing from one side of the paper to other in the same direction as the path. If one does their dharma they will have good karma and continue on the path,
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The beginning of the path is surrounded by fall which represents the student stage. Beginning with the student stage, where a student learns the Hindu texts and teachings in the home of their apprentice. In the fall, it is the time we begin school and begin to learn again. Additionally the schedule change from summer to fall corresponds to the change from childhood to the student stage. To the right of fall, is winter which represents the householder stage. During this time of life, one is married and begins to focus family, community, and a career. In the winter months, we tend to get more lazy and slow down. The winter, just as the householder stage is one of the more difficult stages because a lot of work must be down to keep up with family and career just as a lot of work goes into keeping up with school work. Thirdly, is the Forest Retirement Stage which is represented as summer, hence the beach on the top. During this stage of life, one begins to focus inwards and come to terms with who they are. Similarly, in the summer we go on vacation, get away from the difficulties of life, and self reflect on our previous school year while thinking about the future. Lastly, at the end of the path is spring, represented with flowers and demonstrating the final stage in life, the Ascetic Stage. This is a time where one moves to the forest for self-discovery and to focus on one’s future lives. Similarly to spring, everything is blooming and news ideas are discovered. The ascetic stage and spring relate because people are awakening, just as the flowers, and coming to full potential in life. From this point the path ends and a new cycle of life begins where one ventures through each stage
The beginning of the path is surrounded by fall which represents the student stage. Beginning with the student stage, where a student learns the Hindu texts and teachings in the home of their apprentice. In the fall, it is the time we begin school and begin to learn again. Additionally the schedule change from summer to fall corresponds to the change from childhood to the student stage. To the right of fall, is winter which represents the householder stage. During this time of life, one is married and begins to focus family, community, and a career. In the winter months, we tend to get more lazy and slow down. The winter, just as the householder stage is one of the more difficult stages because a lot of work must be down to keep up with family and career just as a lot of work goes into keeping up with school work. Thirdly, is the Forest Retirement Stage which is represented as summer, hence the beach on the top. During this stage of life, one begins to focus inwards and come to terms with who they are. Similarly, in the summer we go on vacation, get away from the difficulties of life, and self reflect on our previous school year while thinking about the future. Lastly, at the end of the path is spring, represented with flowers and demonstrating the final stage in life, the Ascetic Stage. This is a time where one moves to the forest for self-discovery and to focus on one’s future lives. Similarly to spring, everything is blooming and news ideas are discovered. The ascetic stage and spring relate because people are awakening, just as the flowers, and coming to full potential in life. From this point the path ends and a new cycle of life begins where one ventures through each stage