Changes

== धर्ममूलानि ॥ Fundamentals of Dharma ==

== धर्ममूलानि ॥ Fundamentals of Dharma ==

While Dharma touches on a wide variety of topics, the essence of Dharma common to all human beings is also declared in various works. Truthfulness, to be free from anger, sharing wealth with others (samvibhaga), forgiveness, procreation of children from one's wife alone, purity, absence of enmity, straightforwardness and maintaining people dependent on oneself are a set of nine rules of Dharma prescribed for everyone over and above their specific Varna and Ashrama Dharmas. <blockquote>अक्रोधः सत्यवचनं संविभागः क्षमा तथा । प्रजनः स्वेषु दारेषु शौचमद्रोह एव च ॥ आर्जवं भृत्यभरणं नवैते सार्ववर्णिकः ।</blockquote><blockquote>''akrodhaḥ satyavacanaṁ saṁvibhāgaḥ kṣamā tathā । prajanaḥ sveṣu dāreṣu śaucamadroha eva ca ॥ ārjavaṁ bhr̥tyabharaṇaṁ navaite sārvavarṇikaḥ ।''</blockquote>Similar enumeration is also found in the [[Yajnavalkya Smrti (याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृतिः)|Yajnavalkya Smrti]] as follows,<ref name=":3" /><blockquote>अहिंसा सत्यं अस्तेयं शौचं इन्द्रियनिग्रहः । दानं दमो दया क्षान्तिः सर्वेषां धर्मसाधनम् । । १.१२२ । ।<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti, Adhyaya 1, [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%97%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Prakarana 5].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''ahiṁsā satyaṁ asteyaṁ śaucaṁ indriyanigrahaḥ । dānaṁ damo dayā kṣāntiḥ sarveṣāṁ dharmasādhanam । । 1.122 । ।''</blockquote>The virtues enumerated in various texts as fundamentals or characteristics of dharma and prescribed to be practiced by all may be summarised as follows:

While Dharma touches on a wide variety of topics, the essence of Dharma common to all human beings is also declared in various works. Truthfulness, to be free from anger, sharing wealth with others (samvibhaga), forgiveness, procreation of children from one's wife alone, purity, absence of enmity, straightforwardness and maintaining people dependent on oneself are a set of nine rules of Dharma prescribed for everyone over and above their specific Varna and Ashrama Dharmas. <blockquote>अक्रोधः सत्यवचनं संविभागः क्षमा तथा । प्रजनः स्वेषु दारेषु शौचमद्रोह एव च ॥ आर्जवं भृत्यभरणं नवैते सार्ववर्णिकः ।</blockquote>{{Citation needed}}<blockquote>''akrodhaḥ satyavacanaṁ saṁvibhāgaḥ kṣamā tathā । prajanaḥ sveṣu dāreṣu śaucamadroha eva ca ॥ ārjavaṁ bhr̥tyabharaṇaṁ navaite sārvavarṇikaḥ ।''</blockquote>Similar enumeration is also found in the [[Yajnavalkya Smrti (याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृतिः)|Yajnavalkya Smrti]] as follows,<ref name=":3" /><blockquote>अहिंसा सत्यं अस्तेयं शौचं इन्द्रियनिग्रहः । दानं दमो दया क्षान्तिः सर्वेषां धर्मसाधनम् । । १.१२२ । ।<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti, Adhyaya 1, [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%97%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Prakarana 5].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''ahiṁsā satyaṁ asteyaṁ śaucaṁ indriyanigrahaḥ । dānaṁ damo dayā kṣāntiḥ sarveṣāṁ dharmasādhanam । । 1.122 । ।''</blockquote>The virtues enumerated in various texts as fundamentals or characteristics of dharma and prescribed to be practiced by all may be summarised as follows:

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|+धर्ममूलानि ॥ Fundamentals of Dharma<ref name=":4" />

|+धर्ममूलानि ॥ Fundamentals of Dharma<ref name=":4" />

# Self-control.  

# Self-control.  

===धर्माधिष्ठितगुणाः ॥ Values based on Dharma===

===धर्माधिष्ठितगुणाः ॥ Values based on Dharma===

The Universal acceptance that 'Dharma' bears the Universe and holds entities together (Maha. Karn. 8.69.58) is the moral binding factor of different people of Bharatavarsha. Infact, it is the common territory and common values of life evolved and cherished by the people of Bharatavarsha that have by far, welded the people of this sacred land into a nation bound by the system of values of life. There are many main and subsidiary values, traditions and customs but all of them within the framework of Sanatana Dharma. In fact, many values of life were evolved on the basis of fundamental principles. And the most cherished values were summed up by Sarvajna Narayana thus, <blockquote>मातृवत्परदारेषु परद्रव्येषु लोष्टवत् | आत्मवत्सर्वभूतेषु यः पश्यति स पण्डितः ||</blockquote><blockquote>''mātr̥vatparadāreṣu paradravyeṣu loṣṭavat | ātmavatsarvabhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ ||''</blockquote>Meaning: One who treats every woman (other than his wife) as equal to his own mother, treats (rejects) another's wealth as if it were a clod of earth, treats every living being as his own self is really a learned/wise person.

The Universal acceptance that 'Dharma' bears the Universe and holds entities together (Maha. Karn. 8.69.58) is the moral binding factor of different people of Bharatavarsha. Infact, it is the common territory and common values of life evolved and cherished by the people of Bharatavarsha that have by far, welded the people of this sacred land into a nation bound by the system of values of life. There are many main and subsidiary values, traditions and customs but all of them within the framework of Sanatana Dharma. In fact, many values of life were evolved on the basis of fundamental principles. And the most cherished values were summed up by Sarvajna Narayana thus, <blockquote>मातृवत्परदारेषु परद्रव्येषु लोष्टवत् | आत्मवत्सर्वभूतेषु यः पश्यति स पण्डितः ||</blockquote>{{Citation needed}}<blockquote>''mātr̥vatparadāreṣu paradravyeṣu loṣṭavat | ātmavatsarvabhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ ||''</blockquote>Meaning: One who treats every woman (other than his wife) as equal to his own mother, treats (rejects) another's wealth as if it were a clod of earth, treats every living being as his own self is really a learned/wise person.

This advice, if followed by an individual, does not land him in misery or loss of mental happiness. A few more such important values are

This advice, if followed by an individual, does not land him in misery or loss of mental happiness. A few more such important values are

The mere knowledge of the rules of Dharma, however, does not make a man 'Dharmishta' i.e. a man acting always in conformity with Dharma. Therefore, Dharma has to be ingrained in the mind of every individual from childhood. Just as triple antigen for giving immunity to the body against dreaded disease has to be administered to a young child, for giving immunity to the mind against immoral thoughts, Dharma - the antigen has to be administered to the mind of an individual as part of education. It is a slow but a sure process. This process was called '[[Samskaras (संस्काराः)|Samskara]]'.

The mere knowledge of the rules of Dharma, however, does not make a man 'Dharmishta' i.e. a man acting always in conformity with Dharma. Therefore, Dharma has to be ingrained in the mind of every individual from childhood. Just as triple antigen for giving immunity to the body against dreaded disease has to be administered to a young child, for giving immunity to the mind against immoral thoughts, Dharma - the antigen has to be administered to the mind of an individual as part of education. It is a slow but a sure process. This process was called '[[Samskaras (संस्काराः)|Samskara]]'.

[[Adi Shankaracharya (आदिशङ्कराचार्यः)|Adi Shankaracharya]] in his commentary on the [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] Sutra has explained this process thus:-<blockquote>संस्कारो हि नाम गुणाधानेन वा स्याद् दोषापनयनेन वा । ''saṁskāro hi nāma guṇādhānena vā syād doṣāpanayanena vā ।''</blockquote>Thus, when knowledge of rules of Dharma and of Dharma abiding nature is ingrained in the mind of an individual, it acts as antigen against the six enemies inherent in him and always makes him conform to dharma. That is why 'Dharma' is given the pride of place by our ancestors. This aspect is declared in Mahanarayanopanishat Section 79-7 thus:-<blockquote>धर्मो विश्वस्य जगतः प्रतिष्ठा । लोके धर्मिष्ठं प्रजा उपसर्पन्ति । धर्मेण पापमपनुदति । धर्मे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । तस्माद्धर्मं परमं वदन्ति ।</blockquote><blockquote>''dharmo viśvasya jagataḥ pratiṣṭhā । loke dharmiṣṭhaṁ prajā upasarpanti । dharmeṇa pāpamapanudati । dharme sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam । tasmāddharmaṁ paramaṁ vadanti ।''</blockquote>Meaning : Dharma constitutes the foundation of all affairs in the World. People respect those who adhere to Dharma. Dharma insulates (man) against immoral thoughts. Everything in this world is founded on Dharma. Dharma therefore, is considered supreme.

[[Adi Shankaracharya (आदिशङ्कराचार्यः)|Adi Shankaracharya]] in his commentary on the [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] Sutra has explained this process thus:-<blockquote>संस्कारो हि नाम गुणाधानेन वा स्याद् दोषापनयनेन वा ।{{Citation needed}} ''saṁskāro hi nāma guṇādhānena vā syād doṣāpanayanena vā ।''</blockquote>Thus, when knowledge of rules of Dharma and of Dharma abiding nature is ingrained in the mind of an individual, it acts as antigen against the six enemies inherent in him and always makes him conform to dharma. That is why 'Dharma' is given the pride of place by our ancestors. This aspect is declared in Mahanarayanopanishat Section 79-7 thus:-<blockquote>धर्मो विश्वस्य जगतः प्रतिष्ठा । लोके धर्मिष्ठं प्रजा उपसर्पन्ति । धर्मेण पापमपनुदति । धर्मे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । तस्माद्धर्मं परमं वदन्ति ।</blockquote><blockquote>''dharmo viśvasya jagataḥ pratiṣṭhā । loke dharmiṣṭhaṁ prajā upasarpanti । dharmeṇa pāpamapanudati । dharme sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam । tasmāddharmaṁ paramaṁ vadanti ।''</blockquote>Meaning : Dharma constitutes the foundation of all affairs in the World. People respect those who adhere to Dharma. Dharma insulates (man) against immoral thoughts. Everything in this world is founded on Dharma. Dharma therefore, is considered supreme.

The role of Dharma is that, it acts as an internal check, a preventive against immoral actions as it destroys the very cause of such actions, namely immoral thoughts.

The role of Dharma is that, it acts as an internal check, a preventive against immoral actions as it destroys the very cause of such actions, namely immoral thoughts.