The concept of "Dharma" in the

21st century

Samarpanananda Saraswati, Faculty, Cultural Education

Amrita Culture Camp 2012
 What is “Dharma”
• Dharma. It comes from the Sanskrit dhri, which means “to support,
hold up or bear.”

"Dharyate anena iti dharmah“

• That which supports, maintains, nourishes, harmonises, brings

together, and unites the inert and the sentient, the individual and
the society, nation and the world is dharma.
• The word means many things, but according to Eknath Easwaran,
dharma “implies support from within: the essence of a thing, its
virtue, that which makes it what it is.”
• On a larger scale, dharma means “the essential order of things, an
integrity and harmony in the universe and the affairs of life that
cannot be disturbed without courting chaos. Thus it means
rightness, justice, goodness, purpose rather than chance.”
 The Foundations
• Shruti (Vedas), Smriti (Dharma
shastras), Sadachara (actions of
educated), activities pleasing to ones
own soul & desires arising out of the
right resolve –is considered the
foundation of Dharma.
– (Yajnavalkya Smriti, Acharadhyaya, Verse: 7)
How does one decide what is Dharma
and what is Adharma?

Dharma is that, what is said to be, by the committee

(parishad) of four knowers of the four Vedas or three knowers
of Rik, Sama and Yajuha; or one person accomplished in
spirituality. (Yajnavalkya Smriti, Acharadhyaya, Verse: 9)
 The Essence
• Yajan (worship), sadachara (right action),
dama (restraint of senses), ahimsa (non-
violence), dana (charity) and
vedadhyayana (study of the vedas) –
among these actions, that is dharma that
leads one to self realization through Yoga
(integration).
– (Yajnavalkya Smriti, Acharadhyaya, Verse: 8)
 The Process of Yoga
• Awareness

• Sankalpa (resolve)

Catalyst: Purity or Strength of Prana

 Inability to come out of Confusion
• Sheer ignorance about life
• Mind stained by insecurity, false knowledge,
imbalanced cravings, excessive power, ambition, greed
etc.
• Untrained, uneducated, immature mind.
• Lack of systematic approach to analysis or study of
situations and events.
• Weak mind or sick personality
• Ponderous or Plethoric ego
• Inability to find balance between between Principled
Politics Vs Politicised Principals
 Integrating the Ego
Seeking challenges in life with:
• Right focus supported by
• Good circulation of energy within &
• Healthy dynamics between the functional
systems and
• Continuous resolution of the undesired
attributes.
 Basic Premise

• Scriptures are for us to learn and not judge.

• Respectable characters in the scriptures are
unquestionable.
• Spirit of the scriptures is to be taken as has
been presented --(unless repeatedly proved otherwise
by the wise and ones own experience).
 Ekalavya
• Was it right for Dronacharya to have refused him?
• Why would he put Dronacharya’s idol?
• Was it right (dharmic) for Dronacharya to ask for
his thumb?
• What would be the result of such an sacrifice and
what could have been Dronacharyas intentions?
• What were the various karmas he was trying to
fulfill in the light of dharma?
 Conclusion
• ‘Dharma’ like ‘life’ cannot have changing alternatives
with time. Approach to uphold or reach the same, may
change from person to person.
• Dharma is the medium that leads one to self-
realisation through performance of ones action.
• Yoga is an essential component and medium to realise
ones Dharma.
• Inability to see things in the right light can lead one to
wrong ideas as well as adharma.
• Perfection and Nurturance have to go hand in hand.
Neither can be sacrificed at the cost of the other.
 Dharma & Yugas
In Satyuga --Tapasya (askesis) is mandated to
be the greatest dharma, in Treta --Gyana
(knowledge) is said to be the greatest
dharma, in dwapara --yajna and in Kali Yuga --
dana (Charity) is (by the knowers of the
essence of the dharma) said to be the
greatest dharma. (Manu Smriti, Chp 1, Verse:
86)
Thank You !!!
Om! Tat Sat!!!