Changes

=== स्मृत्यां धर्म ॥ Dharma in the Smrti ===

=== स्मृत्यां धर्म ॥ Dharma in the Smrti ===

Madhavacharya in his commentary on Parashara Smrti, has briefly and precisely explained the meaning of Dharma as follows:<blockquote>अभ्युदय-निश्रेयसे साधनसत्त्वेन धारयति इति धर्मः । स च लक्षण-प्रमाणाभ्यां चोदनासूत्रैर्व्यवस्थापितः ॥<ref>Pandit Vaman Sastri Islamapurkar (1893), Parasara Dharma Samhita ([https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.273888/page/n97 Vol.1 Part 1]), Bombay Sanskrit Series no.XLVII, Bombay: Government Central Book Depot.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''abhyudaya-niśreyase sādhanasattvena dhārayati iti dharmaḥ । sa ca lakṣaṇa-pramāṇābhyāṁ codanāsūtrairvyavasthāpitaḥ ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Dharma is that which sustains and ensures progress and welfare 'of all in this world and eternal Bliss in the other world'. It is promulgated in the form of commands. (positive and negative - vidhi and nishedha)<ref name=":3" />

Madhavacharya in his commentary on Parashara Smrti, has briefly and precisely explained the meaning of Dharma as follows:<blockquote>अभ्युदय-निश्रेयसे साधनसत्त्वेन धारयति इति धर्मः । स च लक्षण-प्रमाणाभ्यां चोदनासूत्रैर्व्यवस्थापितः ॥<ref>Pandit Vaman Sastri Islamapurkar (1893), Parasara Dharma Samhita ([https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.273888/page/n97 Vol.1 Part 1]), Bombay Sanskrit Series no.XLVII, Bombay: Government Central Book Depot.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''abhyudaya-niśreyase sādhanasattvena dhārayati iti dharmaḥ । sa ca lakṣaṇa-pramāṇābhyāṁ codanāsūtrairvyavasthāpitaḥ ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Dharma is that which sustains and ensures progress and welfare 'of all in this world and eternal Bliss in the other world'. It is promulgated in the form of commands. (positive and negative - vidhi and nishedha)<ref name=":3" />

=== महाभारते धर्मः ॥ Dharma in the Mahabharata ===

=== महाभारते धर्मः ॥ Dharma in the Mahabharata ===

These verses from the Manusmrti enumerate the root cause of all civil and criminal wrongs and the essence of philosophy necessary for the safety and happiness of individuals and the society. It indicates that training of the mind through proper education is essential. For, it is only through such education and training that it is possible to inculcate a sense of self imposed discipline in an individual which in turn enables him to exercise control over the mind, and through it, speech and physical actions can be controlled. In fact it is the experience of individuals that the absence of such control leads to undesirable and sometimes disastrous results.

These verses from the Manusmrti enumerate the root cause of all civil and criminal wrongs and the essence of philosophy necessary for the safety and happiness of individuals and the society. It indicates that training of the mind through proper education is essential. For, it is only through such education and training that it is possible to inculcate a sense of self imposed discipline in an individual which in turn enables him to exercise control over the mind, and through it, speech and physical actions can be controlled. In fact it is the experience of individuals that the absence of such control leads to undesirable and sometimes disastrous results.

For instance, scientific inventions which are intended to be a boon to humanity are becoming a curse. The reason is human beings have not been educated and trained to exercise control over the mind, speech and bodily actions and not to inflict injury on others with purely selfish motive. In fact this should be the most fundamental education imparted to individuals right from their childhood. It is by such education only that the character of an individual can be moulded so that he lives a useful, purposeful and honest life which gives him real happiness and enables him to devote his time, energy and capacities to the service of other human beings and prevents him from exploiting others for selfish ends. Everyone should be made to realise, that for the sake of satisfying one's greed or desire, if one were to indulge in illegal and immoral acts, it might secure momentary physical enjoyment, but would eventually lead to deep trouble and loss of mental peace and happiness thereby suffering through out life.<ref name=":3" />

For instance, scientific inventions which are intended to be a boon to humanity are becoming a curse. The reason is human beings have not been educated and trained to exercise control over the mind, speech and bodily actions and not to inflict injury on others with purely selfish motive. In fact this should be the most fundamental education imparted to individuals right from their childhood. It is by such education only that the character of an individual can be moulded so that he lives a useful, purposeful and honest life which gives him real happiness and enables him to devote his time, energy and capacities to the service of other human beings and prevents him from exploiting others for selfish ends. Everyone should be made to realise, that for the sake of satisfying one's greed or desire, if one were to indulge in illegal and immoral acts, it might secure momentary physical enjoyment, but would eventually lead to deep trouble and loss of mental peace and happiness thereby suffering through out life. This was clearly stated by Manu when he says that a society that doesn't follow Dharma would destroy itself.<ref name=":3" /><blockquote>धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः । तस्माद्धर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् || ८.१५ ||<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Chapter 8].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ । tasmāddharmo na hantavyo mā no dharmo hato'vadhīt || 8.15 ||''</blockquote>Meaning: Dharma destroys those who destroy it. Dharma protects those who protect it. Therefore, do not destroy Dharma so that we do not get destroyed.

 

Dharma is one of the four Purusharthas in [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana Dharma]]: Dharma, Artha (अर्थः), Kama (कामः), [[Moksha Dristipath|Moksha (मोक्षः)]]. Artha is the material wealth (gold, cattle, rice, worldly knowledge, etc.)<ref name="LCHI-Rama_Jois-Ch1" /> through which humans satisfy Kama (desires). The propounders of Dharma recognised that uncontrolled Kama of individuals would eventually lead to degradation of individual and the society. However, it was also recognised that fulfilment of Kama is necessary for human beings. Dharma was proposed to regulate the kinds of Kama and the means of earning Artha, to ensure the welfare of the entire society. In essence, the rules that define the proper means of obtaining Artha and the desires permitted to be fulfilled are as a whole known as Dharma. All the propounders of Dharma had  unanimously stated that living in conformance with Dharma is the requirement for a sustainable society.<ref name="LCHI-Rama_Jois-Ch1" /> Any act which doesn't obey Dharma is termed Adharma.

 

 

<q>Ahimsa (अहिम्सा, non-violence), Satya (सत्यः, truthfulness), Asteya (अस्तोयम्, not coveting the property of others), Soucham (सौचम्, purity) and Indriyanigraha (इन्द्रियनिग्रहः, control of senses) are in brief, the common Dharmas for all [[Varna Dharma (वर्णधर्मः)|Varnas (वर्णाः)]].</q><ref name="LCHI-Rama_Jois-Ch1" />

 

 

धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः ।<br>तस्माद्धर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् ।।<ref>मनुस्मृति, 8-15</ref><br>Meaning: Dharma destroys those who destroy it. Dharma protects those who protect it. Therefore, do not destroy Dharma so that we do not get destroyed.

This consequence is natural: powerful individuals with uncontrolled Kama and in disregard for Dharma oppress the weak and severely injure the society with their actions. Bhishma tells Yudhishtira after the [[Mahabharata|Mahabharata]] war that there existed a time when every individual followed Dharma and mutually protected the society. As time progressed and few strong individuals started flouting Dharma and the king was brought into existence with the duty to protect Dharma and with the right to punish the individuals practising Adharma.<ref name="LCHI-Rama_Jois-Ch1" />

This consequence is natural: powerful individuals with uncontrolled Kama and in disregard for Dharma oppress the weak and severely injure the society with their actions. Bhishma tells Yudhishtira after the [[Mahabharata|Mahabharata]] war that there existed a time when every individual followed Dharma and mutually protected the society. As time progressed and few strong individuals started flouting Dharma and the king was brought into existence with the duty to protect Dharma and with the right to punish the individuals practising Adharma.<ref name="LCHI-Rama_Jois-Ch1" />