Gita In Daily Life - Chapter-1 - Dharma

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

Raghav Kaluri says that we take a brief pause to have an

overview of dharma. But the way of dharma is too deep and

subtle to be understood through any short overview.

*sUkShmaH parama-durjneyaH sataM dharmaH plavangama* (The

dharma of the noble is subtle and very difficult to

grasp), says Rama to Vali who asks him about dharma.

(Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkinda Kanda).

 

Yudhishtira says in Shanti parva (132-20) “I do not

understand what is dharma but I realise that it is sharper

than a razor’s edge and more glorious and lofty than

mountains” (*vedmi caivaM na vA vidma shakyaM vA vedituM na

vA; aNIyAn kShuradhArAyA garIyAnapi parvat At*).

 

*dhAraNAt dharmam-ityAhuH dharmo dhArayate prajAH* says

Krishna: It is dharma that upholds the creation, that is

why one calls it dharma. (Karna-parv a 69/58).

 

The Lord of Dharma (*dharma-rAja*) in the shape of a

yaksha, tells Yudhishtira: “Dharma has ten limbs: Fame,

Truth,, Command over Self,, Chastity, Simplicity, Modesty,

never restless, generosity, Tapasya and control of senses”.

(Vanaparva Ch.314).

 

And the same chapter says: There are five paths to enter

into dharma: Peace, Equality, Mercy, Harmlessness, and

Beyond Envy.

 

Again it says: Dharma stands on six feet: At birth, hunger

and thirst; In youth, sorrow and delusion; and in old age,

decay and death.

 

“The Truth of dharma is hidden in the crypt” (*dharmasya

tattvaM nihitaM guhAyAM*) (Vanaparva – 313/17).

 

Manu smRRiti says: There is nothing in the three worlds

which can compensate for the pains and suffering that the

parents, mother and father have gone through in bringing up

the son both at the time of birth and after. Even in one

hundred years one cannot repay the debt which one owes to

them . To these two and to the Guru one should always do

what is pleasing to them. If these three are satisfied, all

dharma, penances and obligations are fulfilled. Without

their permission no other dharma can be fruitful. This is

the suprememost dharma, says the scripture, everything else

is only a secondary dharma.

 

Dhritarashtra asks sage Sanat-sujata: “Do dharma and

adharma cancel each other? Does one destroy the other in

the life of an individual?”. The answer is : No, dharma and

adharma do not cancel each other in the case of an

individual. The two co-exist. You reap the fruits of both.

Again he asks another question: “Does study of the Vedas

erase sins or not?” Again the answer is No. The sins that

one commits have to be atoned for and consequences

experienced.

 

The practical application of dharma to specific situations

is pretty complicated. As the time and place varies and the

actors vary the application of dharma also varies. No one

rule fits all. Even for the same person it varies at

different times. Bhishma echoes this thought from his bed

of arrows to Yudhishtira:

*sa eva dharmas-so’dharmaH taM taM pratinaraM bhavet;

pAtra-karma visheSheNa desha-kAlA-vavekShya ca.*

(Shanti-parva 309/16)

Vyasa himself gives out a similar thought (Shanti-parva

36/11).

 

The ancient texts abound in such delineations of dharma and

adharma. It is really the most subtle subject on earth.

And that is why Arjuna needed Krishna to tell him at the

cruial time what to do. And Krishna had to take him along

through 620 verses (*ShaTshatAni savimshAni shlokAnAM

prAha keshavaH* (Bhishmaparva 43/4) and tells him:

 

“Arjuna, if through your egoism you think that you will not

fight, this resolution of yours will be thwarted. Your

nature will make you fight. Never be carried away by the

transient ups and downs of everyday life. Who are you? You

are not the author of any action. God in the heart of man

is running this world as if mounted on a machine. These

warriors have died long ago, they will die even if unslain

by you. You are just an instrument. You have right only to

action, do not hope for the fruit of it. Do not become

inactive leaving your work. Renunciation of work is not

sannyAsa. Action in yoga is sannyAsa. Therefore poised in

yoga, renouncing any addiction to anything pertaining to

your body or mind, making failure and success as one, fight

without attachment. Surrender your will to me, become my

devotee, you are dear to me.Avowing the truth, I tell you,

you will reach me. Leaving all the doership of dharmas take

refuge in me. I shall release you from all sins and

bondage; do not grieve”.

 

Well, that is dharma for us, from the Gita. It is good that

we had so many interesting posts on dharma.

 

PraNAms to all advaitins.

profvk

 

 

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

New on my website, particularly for beginners in Hindu philosophy:

 

Hinduism for the next generation:

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/contentsbeach10.html

 

Free will and Divine will - a dialogue:

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/HNG/FWDW.html

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

I Have lurked on this list for quite some time and enjoyed the

discussions very much.

 

In the context of the first chapter of Bhagawad Gita and the subsequent

discussions on dharma, I have a few comments.

 

In any given situation, which is the best dharma may not be clear, but

definitely what is adharmic is clear. For instance, Karna's

participating in Draupadi's disrobing is clearly adharmic.

 

Arjuna's arguments against war are very persuasive and from a certain

perspective, absitnence from war doeasn't seem like adharma.

 

Karna, Bhishma, Dronacharya, Vidura - all seek the excuse of dharma for

their support to adharma.

 

It is very difficult to imagine how one would have reacted in their

place. When in a situation, it is probably the samskAra of a person that

guides him in the best possible path and shows the right dharma to

follow.

 

As an aside, I want to make some comments about Arjuna's character:

 

Sri. Raghav had mentioned in the first post on this thread that Arjuna

had always worked for personal gain.

 

Be that as it may, I think that Arjuna's is amongst the best characters

in the Mahabharata (probably second only to SriKrishna). He is the real

hero of the epic. He was 16 times stronger than all his opponents put

together; had several celestial weapons; and still stayed true to his

elders. He was gifted, worked hard, was sincere and focused, and hence

successful. In spite of so many things going for him, he was humble, he

was the most loved by the elders, the most feared by the opponents. It

was he who made the choice that he wanted a weaponless SriKrishna on his

side instead of a large army.

 

Arjuna's considering laying down the arms is a clear pointer to his

sensitive nature and differentiates him from the others. After having

considered this, his ability to listen to and accept SriKrishna's advice

is again indicative of his greatness. However, his crowning glory is

that he was the best-liked by SriKrishna and was the reason for the

Bhagawad Gita.

 

Best regards,

Ramachandra