Hari Om Parents
Today we learnt the definition of Dharma. The central theme of Mahabharata is Dharma and that where there is Dharma there is victory
From the Mahabharata - whatever sustains living beings' life, where no living being is hurt, is Dharma
The word "religion" means a system of faith and worship. The Hindu calls his religion his Dharma
The word "Dharma' is from the Sanskrit root which means, "to hold" or "to support." Therefore, "Dharma" stands for that which holds up (or supports) the existence of a thing.
Man also has an essential nature that upholds his existence as distinct from the rest of creation. This is the Dharma of man.
Dharma essentially means the "law of being." That because of which a thing continues to be the thing, without which the thing cannot continue to be the thing, is its Dharma.
Heat, because of which fire maintains itself as fire, without which fire can no more be fire, is the Dharma of fire. Sweetness is the Dharma of sugar; sweet-less sugar is a myth.
Every object in the world has two types of properties—the essential and the non-essential. Color/height/nature/capacities of body mind intellect also are non essential when compared to the touch of life divine consciousness that is expressed through them all which the essential and consequently the DHarma
The essential nature of a thing is therefore called its Dharma. (e.g. Water flows. Fluidity is its Dharma)
"What is this essential nature or Dharma of man?" The Hindus strongly and emphatically uphold that it is the power of "becoming" divine that distinguishes man from all other beings. Hinduism believes that the Divine is within you. If is for you to discover the divintiy.
The Self is realized only when we have withdrawn our false identification with the body, mind, and intellect. All sorrows and agitations, regrets and disappointments, passions and pains are dividends paid by the body, mind, and intellect to the false and the deluded identifier—the ego. The Gita urges us to renounce the non-essential Dharma (the ego) and own our essential nature.
Alternate definitions of Dharma
Dharma can also be defined in context of vasanas - One man's personality as distinctly different from another's, is the texture of the thoughts entertained by him. These patterns of thoughts is determined by pattern of thinking or vasanas , which his mind has gained from its own past.
These pre-determined 'channels-of-thinking' (vasanas) created by one's own earlier ways of thinking can also be Dharma.
To act according to one's own taste, inborn and natural (svadharma), to act according to another's vasanas would be termed paradharma. To live according to one's svadharma and exhaust one's vasanas is the way to reach our Divine Nature. That is our supreme duty (paramdharma)
Arjuna's svadharm is to fight and and his paradharma is meditation and renunciation.
The Manu Smrti defines Dharma as that by which outer prosperity and inner unfoldment is attained.
Smriti Sastra say Achara prathamo Dharma. In following Dharma, the first and foremost aspect is good conduct in life.
Achara is the ability to discriminate whether our actions are in accordance with the moral values of the society in which we live. The scriptures clearly say that a person maybe learned and scholarly, a knower of the Vedas, an expert in conducting rituals or in giving religious discourses, but if his conduct is not virtuous, then all his erudition is useless. On the other hand, a person with little scholarship and learning, but whose conduct is good, will be much more respected by others. Ravana, Hiranyakashipu are examples of great devotees but because of their negative qualities they are considered rakshasas
On each of these definitions we paused and had excellent interactions with kids with real world examples of what their Dharma is and what situations they can think of where Dharma can be a gray area. THey understood the concept of essential and non essential nature of every object and how they are able to clearly define Dharma in various situations.
Yaksha Prashnas
· What is the characteristic of (austerity)? tapas The characteristics of tapas (austerity) is to abide in one's own Dharma.
· What is dama (self discipline)? Control of one's own mind is dama.
· What is the best mode of (forgiveness)? Kshama – Kshama (forgiveness) is to suffer the pairs of opposites.
· What is lajjë (shame)? To Abide In One's Own To stay away from duties (actions) is lajjë (shame).
RegardsSapna ji and Vyjayanti ji.
