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Sources of Dharma refer to the Dharmasthanas (Samskrit: धर्मस्थानानि) as exemplified in the vast literary tradition of Bharata, especially Vedas and Vaidika vangmaya. None of the abrahmic faiths, which are now widely prevalent in the world, have such an extensive literary tradition nor the depth of concepts as antique as those advocated in Sanatana Dharma. Bharatavarsha has been the ancient motherland of all dharmas and karmas and we have irrefutable testimonies supporting the same.

Sources of Dharma refer to the Dharmasthanas (Samskrit: धर्मस्थानानि) as exemplified in the vast literary tradition of Bharata, especially Vedas and Vaidika vangmaya. None of the abrahmic faiths, which are now widely prevalent in the world, have such an extensive literary tradition nor the depth of concepts as antique as those advocated in Sanatana Dharma. Bharatavarsha has been the ancient motherland of all dharmas and karmas and we have irrefutable testimonies supporting the same.

Yajnavalkya in his smrtigrantha summarizes all the sources of Dharma comprehensively,<blockquote>पुराणन्यायमीमांसाधर्मशास्त्राङ्गमिश्रिताः । वेदाः स्थानानि विद्यानां धर्मस्य च चतुर्दश ।। ३ ।। (Yajn. Smrt. 1.3)<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%98%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Achara-adhyaya Upodghata-prakarana])</ref></blockquote>Puranas including the Brahma purana and others, Nyaya including Tarkashastra, Mimamsa which involves discussion about the content of Vedas, Dharmashastras including the Manu and other Smrtis, Angas including the Shad Vedangas, and Vedas (four of them) - these are the fourteen vidyasthanas and dharma-sthanas.

Yajnavalkya in his smrtigrantha summarizes all the sources of Dharma comprehensively,<blockquote>पुराणन्यायमीमांसाधर्मशास्त्राङ्गमिश्रिताः । वेदाः स्थानानि विद्यानां धर्मस्य च चतुर्दश ।। ३ ।। (Yajn. Smrt. 1.3)<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%98%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Achara-adhyaya Upodghata-prakarana])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>purāṇanyāyamīmāṁsādharmaśāstrāṅgamiśritāḥ । vēdāḥ sthānāni vidyānāṁ dharmasya ca caturdaśa ।। 3 ।। (Yajn. Smrt. 1.3)</blockquote>Puranas including the Brahma purana and others, Nyaya including Tarkashastra, Mimamsa which involves discussion about the content of Vedas, Dharmashastras including the Manu and other Smrtis, Angas including the Shad Vedangas, and Vedas (four of them) - these are the fourteen vidyasthanas and dharma-sthanas.

Thus we see that all dharmas have their roots going down to the Vedas. They are also the revered sources of [[Vidya (विद्या)|Vidya]] and thus the ancient education system greatly stressed on imparting them to children at a young age in the [[Gurukula (गुरुकुलम्)|Gurukula]].

Thus we see that all dharmas have their roots going down to the Vedas. They are also the revered sources of [[Vidya (विद्या)|Vidya]] and thus the ancient education system greatly stressed on imparting them to children at a young age in the [[Gurukula (गुरुकुलम्)|Gurukula]].

==वेदः ॥ Vedas==

==वेदः ॥ Vedas==

That the Vedas are the root material for Dharma, Karma  (Yajnas) and Upasana has well been advocated by many seers of olden and modern days.

That the Vedas are the root material for Dharma, Karma  (Yajnas) and Upasana has well been advocated by many seers of olden and modern days. The Vedas do not contain positive precepts (vidhis) on matters of dharma in an interconnected manner, rather they give incidental references to various topics pertaining to moral and social order. Vedas have in different passages shed light on marriage, the forms of varnas, ashrama dharmas, marriage and different kinds of marriage, different kinds of sons, adoption, partition, inheritance, dana, shraddha, prayashcitta and stridharma. Such vedic references constitute the basis of the rules of the dharmasutras and subsequently dharmashastras. While shrutis have been looked up as a source of dharma, they are not formal treatises on dharma owing to disconnected statements and few pointed discussion. It is the smrtis that contain a formal, systematic and connected treatment of the topics of the dharmashastras.<ref name=":3" />

====ऋग्वेदः ॥ Rigveda====

====ऋग्वेदः ॥ Rigveda====

A word whose exact meaning cannot be given in English or any other language, Dharma appears to be used in Rigveda as an adjective or noun in the form of dharman (धर्मन्) in neuter gender. The word is clearly derived from dhatu धृञ् (in the meaning धारणे) meaning - "to uphold, to support, to nourish".<ref name=":3">Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1930) ''History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law), Volume 1.'' Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref>

A word whose exact meaning cannot be given in English or any other language, Dharma appears to be used in Rigveda as an adjective or noun in the form of dharman (धर्मन्) in neuter gender.  

*Dharma is used in the sense of - 'upholder or supporter or sustainer' as in Rigveda (1.187.1 and 10.92.2 and 10.21.3)

The word is clearly derived from dhatu धृञ् (in the meaning धारणे) meaning - "to uphold, to support, to nourish". Dharma is used in the sense of - 'upholder or supporter or sustainer' as in Rigveda (1.187.1 and 10.92.2 and 10.21.3)<ref name=":3">Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1930) ''History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law), Volume 1.'' Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. (Pages 1-7)</ref><blockquote>पितुं नु स्तोषं महो धर्माणं तविषीम् । यस्य त्रितो व्योजसा वृत्रं विपर्वमर्दयत् ॥१ (Rig. Veda. 1.187.1)</blockquote>It is used in sense of religious ordinances or rites (Rig Veda. 1.22.18, 5.26.6, 8.43.24 and 9.64.1).

*It is used in sense of religious ordinances or rites

*It is also used as notation for fixed principles or rules of conduct

*It is also used as notation for fixed principles or rules of conduct

Aitareya Brahmana mentions a whole body of religious duties associated with Dharma.

Aitareya Brahmana mentions a whole body of religious duties associated with Dharma.

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:Dharmas]]

[[Category:Dharmas]]