In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति) refers to “local usages”. According to the Nāṭyaśāstra verse 6.10, there are four ‘local usages’ defined:
- Āvanti,
- Dākṣinātyā,
- Oḍramāgadhī
- and Pāñcālī (Pañcālamadhyamā).
According to the Nāṭyaśāstra verse 13, “it is said that pravṛtti is so called because it gives us properly information regarding costumes, languages, and manners in different countries of the world. Vṛtti means ‘information’”.
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति).—(l) application or presentation of a rule as opposed to निवृत्ति (nivṛtti); cf क्वचित्प्रवृत्तिः क्वचिदप्रवृत्तिः कचिद्विभाषा क्वचिद-न्येदेवः (kvacitpravṛttiḥ kvacidapravṛttiḥ kacidvibhāṣā kvacida-nyedevaḥ) (2) working; function; cf. नान्त-रेण साधन क्रियायाः प्रवृत्तिर्भवति (nānta-reṇa sādhana kriyāyāḥ pravṛttirbhavati) M. Bh. on P.II.3.7.
Nyaya (school of philosophy)
1) Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति, “activity”) refers to one of the twelve prameya (“objects of valid knowledge) according to the first chapter of Gautama’s Nyāyasūtra (2nd century CE). Prameya in turn represents the second of the sixteen padārthas (“categories”). Accordingly, “pravṛtti (activity) is vocal, mental and bodily action”.
2) Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति, “inclination”) and nivṛtti (disinclination) refers to two types of Prayatna (effort) according to Viśvanātha in his Bhāṣāpariccheda.—The cause of inclination is the desire to do (cikīrṣā) notion of feasibility through one’s effort (kṛtisādhya), knowledge of being productive of the desirable (iṣṭasādhanatvamati) and the perception of the material (upādānasya adhyakṣyam). Disinclination (pravṛtti) arises from aversion and the knowledge of producing something repugnant.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति, “action”) or Pravṛttirūpa refers to “one who is in the form of pravṛtti”, representing an epithet of Goddess Durgā, according to the Śivapurāṇa . Accordingly as Brahmā said to Nārada:— O sage, seeing her [Durgā] who was Śiva’s Energy herself, directly in front of me, my lofty shoulders bent down with devotion and I eulogised her after due obeisance. [...] Obeisance, obeisence, to Thee, who art in the form of Pravṛtti (action) [viz., pravṛtti-rūpa] and Nivṛtti (abstinence) [viz., nivṛtti-rūpa]; who art in the form of creation and sustenance of the universe. Thou art the eternal Energy of the movable and the immovable beings capable of enchanting everyone”.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति):—Action which initiated by Karma (the result of past action) and is the root cause of all miseries.
General definition (in Hinduism)
There are two directions of movement or phases in life, pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Pravṛtti is accumulating and indulging. Nivṛtti is clearing debts and transcending.
In pravṛtti, yajña brings material possessions, righteousness and heavenly bliss. This helps man fulfill his aspirations as well as contribute to social living. Man gradually grows beyond desires and becomes more impersonal. This is how he enters the nivṛtti phase.
During nivṛtti, yajña is done without any desire, merely as a duty. This helps in clearing past karma, but this greatly helps the well-being of surroundings (loka kalyāṇa). This is the way the realized soul performs yajña. This is the niṣkāma karma explained in the Karma Yoga of Bhagavad Gīta. In nivṛtti, yajña brings eternal bliss. Brahmandavalli of the Taittirīya Upanishad expounds the gradation of happiness experienced by men, manes, Devatas, lord of Devatas, teacher of the Devatas, creator of Devatas and the creator of the universe in the ascending order, increasing hundred fold for each level.
At each level, the bliss is equated to that of a veda-wise person (Śrotriya) who overcame his desire (kāma hatasya). In pravṛtti one experiences the bliss of Devatas. In nivṛtti one grows beyond desires and experiences the bliss of Brahman. In nivṛtti, yajña brings liberation.
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