What is Dharma?

Dharma is not religion

As we are seeing around the globe that religious extremism is increasing day by day and this has disturbed the social harmony between the different communities. Many sly people are misleading the stories given in mythological texts to fulfill their ulterior motives and present them in front of common people. Today we can see that many terrorist organizations have stood up all over the world, whose only goal is to subjugate people of other communities, and if they do not accept the subjugation, then they will face terrible oppression and ultimately death. even the world’s most developed, powerful, peaceful, and secular countries are facing casualties and challenges due to this religious extremism. Why I am writing this article? The answer is, to tell the world about my views about religion and dharma. And if anyone in the world feels positive after reading this article, then it will surely fulfill my goal to write this article.

Religion has always been a topic of debate around the world for many centuries (if truly say from its origin). In Indian cultural, scriptures, and philosophical contexts, the term “Religion” didn’t exist. There was no concept of religion in Indian culture. In ancient times different ways of lifestyle, tradition, and school of thought existed in various forms in our India. This is the land which gave us many discoveries about astronomy, medicines, sports and many other fields also. This is the land that has given equal respect to all professional people like dancers, actors, merchants, teachers, scientists, and scholars. India is a country where different ways of living originated. Later, people called these different ways of life Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. There were people who followed a mixed form of living. There is a famous proverb in English by William E. Gladstone that “Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race”. As time progresses, many people, communities cunningly acquired other people’s and community land and forcefully started imposing their own way of living on them just for the sake of power and authority. Religion is considered as a foreign or an imported word to Indian society by banausic and vested interest people. Most of the ancient civilizations around the globe were either destroyed by natural calamities or were metamorphosed into religion by the big and powerful civilizations just for the sake of power and politics. Indian culture always believed in the concept of “वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् (vasudhaiva kuTumbakam)” which means the whole world is a family despite of their way of living. So from ancient times, Indians are very welcoming and respectful toward all.

Since the ages, we Indians believe in the concept of dharma and karma But the meaning of dharma should not be confused with religion. Dharma is a contemporary and synchronous phenomenon that changes its nature with the person, time, and situation. In a pandemic or epidemic situation that we are facing today, the dharma of a nation is to protect the lives of its citizens even by withdrawing their fundamental rights. Because If you have life, you have the world. In a war situation dharma of the citizens is to firmly stand by their nation. To do misdeeds with women, children or any other people is not dharma in any form. Different definitions of dharma can be stated according to Indian culture and philosophy. such as,

Dharma for a soldier is to fight in a war for the country.

Dharma for a doctor is to treat the patients despite his nationality and views.

Dharma for a teacher is to teach the students and make them responsible citizens.

Dharma for a mother is to feed her kids and seed positive thoughts in their minds.

Dharma for a politician is to serve the people of the nation.

Dharma for a society is to stand against injustice despite the power of unlawful people.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥

yada yada hi dharmasya, glanir bhavati bharata

abhyutthanam adharmasya, tadatmanam srjamy aham

The above text has been taken from the book Srimad Bhagwat Gita which says,

O descendant of Bharata “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in dharma and there is a rise of adharma (unethical things), at that time I manifest myself to save humanity”.

Here the meaning of dharma has been said to stand against injustice. I believe that “to say the truth and to stand by the truth is a dharma”. In the path of dharma or truth, one will surely face many obstacles and criticism from the mentally blindfolded person but in the end, the truth will win and history will always admire a truthful person.