Paper Title: Prācīna bhāratīẏa bastubāda ō samakālīna arthanaitika bhōgabāda
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Abstract:
In the modern era, scientific and technological advancements have led to an excessive increase in luxury and materialistic tendencies in human life. Many thinkers consider this trend to be the influence of ancient Indian materialist philosophy, particularly the Charvaka school of thought. According to Charvaka philosophy, human birth is meant for worldly enjoyment, and the sole purpose of life is the fulfillment of wealth (Artha), desires (Kama), and luxury. Concepts like God, the afterlife, and the consequences of actions (Karma) are dismissed as mere irrelevant imaginations. This materialist ideal of ancient Indian civilization influenced ancient Greece, Egypt, and subsequently, European civilization. Consequently, through the scientific revolution of the 18th century and the technological advancements of the 20th century, consumerism has become the focal point of modern life. Its pervasive influence is also evident in modern India, where livelihood, luxury, and consumption are embraced as the primary goals of life. This paper analyzes the history of ancient Indian philosophy, the core theories of Charvaka, its spread abroad, and its connection with modern consumerism. It concludes that modern consumerism is essentially an evolved form of ancient Indian materialism, acknowledging ancient Indian civilization as the mother of world civilization.
The unprecedented development of science and technology in modern times has completely transformed human lifestyles. Cars, houses, luxuries, wealth, dining, and the pursuit of companionship have become the primary desires of life today. People often consider employment and earning a livelihood to be the sole purpose of existence. Is this extreme tendency towards luxury merely a result of modern scientific progress? Or does it carry the deep-rooted influence of ancient Indian materialism?
A group of thinkers believes that the expansion of consumerism through scientific technology is, in fact, the result of the propagation and spread of the ancient Indian Charvaka materialism. According to the Charvaka view, human beings are born to enjoy worldly entities. Life is defined by livelihood, consumption, and luxury. Excessive spirituality, God, or the afterlife are viewed as irrelevant fantasies. This doctrine spread from ancient India to Greece, Egypt, and eventually Europe, deeply influencing their respective civilizations. European nations embraced this materialist ideal as a hallmark of a superior civilization and re-established it in the light of science. Consequently, its impact is clearly visible in modern India as well.
In this paper, we will discuss in detail a brief history of ancient Indian philosophy, the various aspects of the Charvaka school, its international spread, and its clear connection to modern consumerism. The primary objective is to demonstrate that modern consumerism is an evolved iteration of ancient Charvaka materialism.
Keywords:Charvaka Philosophy, Ancient Indian Materialism, Modern Consumerism, Hedonism, Scientific Revolution, Worldly Enjoyment, Philosophical Evolution, Cross-Cultural Influence
DOI Link – https://doi.org/10.63431/AIJITR/3.I.2026.197-202
Review By – Mr. Swarup Rana and Dr. Amit Adhikari