Dharma

Dharma is the invisible power in the cosmos that holds everything together, ensuring perfect balance and harmony is maintained

Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit root Dhri, which means to ‘maintain’, ‘hold’, ‘sustain’, ‘nourish’, or ‘preserve’. Initially, in the Vedic texts, the word dharma was used to refer to the cosmic law, which delivered from chaos the ordered Universe.

In a sense, dharma is the invisible power in the cosmos that holds everything together, ensuring perfect balance and harmony is maintained. It’s the law, or more particularly, the purpose or duty that governs all animate and inanimate objects, however big or small, in the universe.

It’s the dharma – purpose or duty – of the galaxies to expand along with the universe, of the sun to burn giving light and heat, of the plants to use this light and other elements to grow, and for humans and animals to feed on the plants for sustenance.

Similarly, it’s due to dharma or cosmic law that the winds blow, seasons change, and waves flow and ebb. On the whole, everything functions in perfect order and rhythm because of dharma. It’s unthinkable to imagine a life, society, or for that matter, the universe, without dharma to regulate and sustain order.

Dharma is the master plan

Dharma is the universal law that determines the place and role of every creation, from the intelligent human to the smallest microbe. It not only designates a purpose but also decides how every creation should function in harmony with others.

It’s the master plan in which everything is pre-planned; the characters are chosen, roles assigned and played to the best of one’s ability. There is no insignificant thing in this Universe; the smallest plant, sand grain, and animal, all have their own dharma.

In the great dharmic wheel, we are just a tiny cog playing the role that has already been assigned and written for us. In a way everything is preordained, but we don’t know and are unaware of our part in the master plan. The concept of dharma appears time and again in the world’s philosophies, cultures and religions. A similar view was echoed by Jesus Christ when he said, ‘the hairs of your head are all numbered’.

Everything in this universe is interconnected. There is an invisible thread or bond between all. Sufi saints best explained this idea when they said, ‘the vibrations of the flower petals are felt by the farthest star’.

Dharma is at the core of everything. It’s the essence that makes a thing what it is. Dharma is furthered and enhanced by serving and giving, even in the case of inanimate objects. The dharma of the river is to flow, to help spread greenery, life, and prosperity along its banks; the dharma of a worker bee is to collect nectar, thus transferring pollen from one flower to the next.

Following Dharma through Satya

Dharma isn’t a stagnant concept. It’s the spirit in us that needs to evolve and develop into the realization that universal consciousness resides within us, in every creation, and that we are all one.

We can live and nourish our dharma through truthfulness or satya. Satya is the undeniable truth that the divine within each one of us, can be nourished only by being kind and gentle with all living beings, irrespective of status, class, caste, or creed.

We must also recognize the truth that every creation has the right to exist and grow according to its own individual dharma – or swadharma – and play its role as per the master plan.

‘It’s Tamasic to consider ourselves superior to others, it’s Rajasic to want to dominate others, but it’s Sattvic to realize that you have a place and role just like I do in the grand scheme of things’. – Swami Niranjana Saraswati

Individual Dharma (Swadharma)

To live and practice dharma, we need to understand our individual dharma. It begins with our attempt to understand our true self and true form. Our real nature. The ultimate goal of Swadharma is to become one with divinity and experience supreme bliss.

The simplest way to define dharma is to accept it as a code of conduct. It’s how we understand our role in society. Acting and behaving towards others with a sense of responsibility, respect, and love.

The practice of dharma results in the destruction of adharma – all those actions and beings which oppose and defy dharma . dharma is the supreme weapon that ends all conflict, hatred, divide, greed, superiority, etc. Following the dharmic path enables one to spread the message of unity and promote love, equality, and universal brotherhood.

Dharma and swadharma are intermingled concepts. We can’t hope to pursue one without the other. To practice swadharma we need to understand our dharma. Our role, purpose, and duty in life.

Practicing Swadharma to Live a Life of Dharma

It is only natural that dharma varies from person to person. Our dharma depends on our circumstances, where we live, our levels of consciousness, etc.

Patanjali, the great proponent of raja yoga, suggested the practice of ten virtues to pursue the path of dharma. These are divided into two categories: rules of personal discipline and rules of conduct. The virtues are: surrendering the fruits of one’s hard work, studying scriptures and absorbing knowledge leading to higher consciousness, the practice of austerity, remaining content, and maintaining purity of thought and action. The remaining virtues include not desiring the belongings of others, non-stealing, sensual abstinence, truthfulness, and non-violence.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna listed the following as qualities of a dharmic person: fearlessness, forgiveness, modesty, vigor, gentleness, compassion, peacefulness, renunciation, truth, straightforwardness, austerity, knowledge of scriptures, control of senses, sacrifice, purity, cleanliness, and the absence of pride, hatred, fickleness, crookedness, and anger.  

We can find shared virtues in all great philosophies and the teachings of spiritual teachers around the world, such as Swami Sivananda’s 18 Ities. The fundamentals of dharma can be found in Christ’s ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ and in the ‘Eightfold Path of Buddhism’.

The virtues prescribed in various scriptures and teachings can be summed up in the four principles of Ahimsa (Non-violence), Self-control, Purity, and Satya (Truth). These need to be the guiding stars that illuminate the path of dharma and help us reach self-realization or nirvana.

The Fruits of A Dharmic Life

Practicing dharma opens up the gateway to material prosperity, emotional fulfilment, infinite bliss, and ultimately to spiritual liberation.

Through the practice of dharma, we become empathic, love others unconditionally, open our minds to new ideas and knowledge, abandon fear, hatred, greed, and other negative qualities, finally becoming one with universal consciousness.

Performing one’s dharmic duty leads to mental tranquility, great inner strength and the experience of immense joy.

The results of a dharmic life invariably lead to the realization there is one universal truth behind the many forms and names. We ultimately learn, realize, and experience the universal truth. That within all of us, is the divine and we are an integral part of the divine.