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Dharma includes all external
deeds, as well as thoughts and other mental practices which tend to elevate
the character of a man. Dharma comes from the Divine and leads you to the
Divine.
Dharma is generally defined as ‘righteousness’ or ‘duty’. Dharma is the
principle of righteousness. It is the principle of holiness. It is also the
principle of unity. Bhishma says in his instructions to Yudhishthira that
whatever creates conflict is Adharma, and whatever puts an end to conflict
and brings about unity and harmony is Dharma. Anything that helps to unite
all and develop pure divine love and universal brotherhood, is Dharma.
Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony and foments hatred, is
Adharma.
Dharma is the cementer and sustainer of social life. The rules of Dharma
have been laid down for regulating the worldly affairs of men. Dharma brings
as its consequence happiness, both in this world and in the next. Dharma is
the means of preserving one’s self. If you transgress it, it will kill you.
If you protect it, it will protect you. It is your soul companion after
death. It is the sole refuge of humanity.
That which elevates one is Dharma. This is another definition. Dharma is
that which leads you to the path of perfection and glory. Dharma is that
which helps you to have direct communion with the Lord. Dharma is that which
makes you divine. Dharma is the ascending stairway unto God.
Self-realisation is the highest Dharma. Dharma is the heart of Hindu ethics.
God is the centre of Dharma.
Dharma means Achara or the regulation of daily life. Achara is the supreme
Dharma. It is the basis of Tapas or austerity. It leads to wealth, beauty,
longevity and continuity of lineage. Evil conduct and immorality will lead
to ill-fame, sorrow, disease and premature death. Dharma has its root in
morality the controller of Dharma is God Himself.
Just as a doctor prescribes different medicines for different people
according to their constitution and the nature of their disease, so also
Hinduism prescribes different duties for different people. Rules for women
are different from the rules for men. The rules for different Varnas
(castes) and Ashramas (the four stages of life) vary. But, non-violence,
truth, non-stealing, cleanliness and control of the senses, are the duties
common to all men.
Dharma depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and the
community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is different from
that of the tenth century.
There are conditions under which Dharma may change its usual course.
Apad-Dharma (apad = distress) )is such a deviation from the usual practice.
This is allowed only in times of extreme distress or calamity.
What is Dharma in one set of circumstances becomes Adharma in another set of
circumstances. That is the reason why it is said that the secret of Dharma
is extremely profound and subtle. Lord Krishna says in the Gita: "Let the
scriptures be the authority in determining what ought to be done and what
ought not to be done" - Gita, Ch.16- 24). The truth of Dharma lies hidden.
Srutis and Smritis are many. The way of Dharma (which is) open to all is
that which a great realised soul has traversed.
Dharmacakra, The Wheel of Dharma
The Dharmacakra symbol has the form of a wheel with eight or more spokes
(sometimes 24 spokes representing the solar cycle). It is one of the oldest
Hindu and Buddhist symbols, found in Indian art from the Vedic time and the
time of king Ashoka. One version of the symbol, taken from the capital of a
pillar erected by king Ashoka (hence also called "Ashoka Chakra"), has been
adopted in the center of the National Flag of India. In its simplest form it
is recognized globally as a symbol of, the way of life. Chakra is a Sanskrit
word which also means cycle or self repeating process . The process it
signifies is the cycle of time as how the world changes with time. According
to Hindu belief, in each cycle the world has to pass through four phases
from its starting till end of the world when the world will be recreated
again. the four phases are named as Satyuga , Tretayuga , Dwaparyuga &
kalyuga. (Satyuga means Golden Age , Tretayuga means Silver age , Dwaparyuga
means copper age and kalyuga means iron age). Satyuga is when the human was
in his happy times and then slowly and slowly the quality of human souls
started declining. And finally when he reaches kalyuga, the world is
recreated into new after mass destruction with wars and natural calamities. |
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