Perselingkuhan dalam Filsafat Hindu
Konflik Antara Kāma dan Dharma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37329/jpah.v10i2.5216Keywords:
Infidelity, Kāma, Dharma, Ethics, CommitmentAbstract
Infidelity is a complex social phenomenon because it involves emotional, ethical, and spiritual dimensions simultaneously. This study is grounded in the growing number of conflicts in modern relationships that are often explained psychologically but rarely examined through a systematic Hindu philosophical framework. The research aims to analyze infidelity through the tension between kāma as the force of desire and dharma as the principle of moral responsibility, emphasizing its novelty in the systematic integration of the puruṣārtha framework (kāma–dharma–artha–mokṣa) with modern psychological theories of human needs in interpreting relational misconduct. The method employed is a qualitative literature study using a hermeneutic–philosophical analysis of classical Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā, Mahābhārata, and Rāmāyaṇa, combined with an interpretive dialogue with contemporary psychological literature on attachment, affective needs, and commitment. The findings indicate that infidelity arises from an imbalance in puruṣārtha orientation, where the pursuit of kāma is detached from dharma and self-regulation. Hindu mythological narratives illustrate consistent patterns of moral, social, and spiritual consequences when desire is not integrated with ethical responsibility. In conclusion, Hindu philosophy offers a relational ethical model that is not only normative but also reflective and transformational, providing a relevant foundation for developing educational and counseling approaches grounded in moral–spiritual awareness for modern interpersonal relationships.
References
Ackerman, D. (2019). A Natural History Of Affairs: The Evolution Of Infidelity. New York: HarperCollins.
Ackerman, D. (2019). A Natural History Of Love. New York: Vintage Books.
Allen, E. S., Atkins, D. C., Baucom, D. H., Snyder, D. K., Gordon, K. C., & Glass, S. P. (2005). Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, And Contextual Factors In Engaging In And Responding To Extramarital Involvement. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 12(2), 101-130.
Bauman, Z. (2003). Liquid Love: On The Frailty Of Human Bonds. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Bhattacharya, A. (2018). Ethics In Hindu Philosophy: Dharma, Karma, And Moral Responsibility. Journal of Indian Philosophy, 46(3), 387-404.
Bhattacharya, S. (2018). Hindu Ethics: A Philosophical Overview. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Brand, D., Markey, C., Mills, A., & Hodges, S. D. (2007). Emotional Dissatisfaction And Marital Infidelity: Evidence From Women In Long-Term Relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24(4), 543-562.
Bühler, G. (2006). The Laws Of Manu. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cendani, S. I., Pratiwi, M. M. S., & Virgonita, I. M. (2025). Perspektif Karyawan Dengan Perilaku Menyimpang Selingkuh Di Lingkup Kerja Menggunakan Pendekatan Psikoanalisis. Ranah Research: Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, 7(6), 4285-4292.
Clooney, F. X. (2001). Hindu Wisdom For All God’s Children. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Doniger, W., & Kakar, S. (2002). Kamasutra. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Fincham, F. D., & May, R. W. (2017). Infidelity In Romantic Relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 70-74.
Fisher, H. (2016). Anatomy Of Love: A Natural History Of Mating, Marriage, And Why We Stray. New York: W. W. Norton.
Flood, G. (1996). An Introduction To Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jeanfreau, S., Noguchi, K., Mong, M., & Stadthagen-Gonzalez, H. (2014). Marital Dissatisfaction And Extramarital Affairs: The Role Of Quality Time And Communication. Journal of Family Issues, 35(12), 1650-1672.
Kālidāsa, K. (1984). Abhijñānaśākuntalam: The Recognition Of Shakuntala. New York: Columbia University Press.
Mark, K. P., Janssen, E., & Milhausen, R. R. (2011). Infidelity In Heterosexual Couples: Demographic, Interpersonal, And Personality-Related Predictors Of Extradyadic Sex. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40(5), 971-982.
Masatoğlu, M. (2020). The Concept Of Dharma And Puruṣārthas. Dini Araştırmalar, 23(57), 195-208.
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory Of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396.
Mendari, A. S. (2013). Aplikasi Teori Hierarki Kebutuhan Maslow Dalam Meningkatkan Motivasi Belajar Mahasiswa. Widya Warta, 1, 82-91.
Nggiku, A. B., Tangduil, S. V., Sari, N. B., Marbun, E. B., & Hura, R. (2023). Penghargaan Diri Dan Hubungannya Dengan Kesetiaan Dalam Pernikahan. Jurnal Psikologi dan Pembangunan, 12(2), 110-123.
Panchal, N. (2022). Purushartha In Modern Age. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 11(3).
Pandey, R. R. (2010). The Mahabharata. New Delhi: Penguin Books India.
Patañjali, P. (2002). The Yoga Sutras Of Patañjali. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
Permana, I. G. D. (2022). Mengidentifikasi Nilai Etika Dan Moralitas Dalam Cerita Sundara dan Yuddha Kāṇḍa Ramāyāṇa. Jurnal Psikologi & Budaya Hindu, 1(1), 45-60.
Prabhu, V. N. (2013). The Dharma Of Kāma: Kāmasūtra’s Morality Of Integrated Puruṣārtha. Journal of Dharma, 38(2), 145-160.
Prabhupada, A. C., & Swami. B. (2008). Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
Pratama, I. G. N. J. R., Santosa, A. P., & Wicaksana, G. (2025). Kajian Psikoanalisis Terhadap Garis Besar Cerita Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa: Perspektif Pendidikan Agama Hindu. Padma Sari: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 3(2), 101-115.
Radhakrishnan, S. (1953). The Principal Upanishads. New York: Harper & Brothers.
Radhakrishnan, S. (1992). Indian Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Shaleha, R. R. A., & Kurniasih, I. (2021). Ketidaksetiaan: Eksplorasi Ilmiah Tentang Perselingkuhan. Buletin Psikologi, 29(2), 218-230.
Sharma, A. (2002). Classical Hindu Thought: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Solomon, R. C. (1988). About Love: Reinventing Romance For Our Times. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Sternberg, R. J. (1986). A Triangular Theory Of Love. Psychological Review, 93(2), 119-135.
Verrier, M. M. (2021). A Psychospiritual Exploration Of The Transpersonal Self As The Ground Of Healing. Religions, 12(9), 725.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ni Luh Gede Wariati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
An author who publishes in the Jurnal Penelitian Agama Hindu agrees to the following terms:
- Author retains the copyright and grants the journal the right of first publication of the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal
- Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book) with the acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Author is permitted and encouraged to post his/her work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of the published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Read more about the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
