What is Dharma (धर्म )?

DHARMA (धर्म): we need to know the truth about Dharma!

In the context of the civilization and culture of the ancient Bharat (India), DHARMA did not have the same meaning in the last thousand years. The concept of religion, as spread by the believers of Christianity and Islam are ingrained in the minds of the people of the Bharat(भारत), enslaving the Bharat physically, mentally and spiritually. This external religious concept refers to a variety of customs, traditions and beliefs in one's attempt to meet God.

The writings of the various religions make clear the name of the religion and what its adherents are called - Christianity is a religion and followers are called Christians, Judaism is a religion - followers are called Jews. Nowhere in our Scriptures - the Veda, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, there is a reference to the religion of the people in the nation called Bharat (भारत) or what the followers are.

In the scriptures of the Bharat, Dharma (which does not have the same religious connotations) refers to the practice of good deeds or laws - practices established by individuals, families, communities, people in authority to follow for the health of the family, society and the Nation.

These good works or laws were called Dharma- like Pitri dharma (पितृ धर्म), Matri dharma (मातृ धर्म), Raj dharma (राज धर्म), Nari dharma (नारी धर्म) etc. the basic laws or functions of various members of society, society and the nation developed, over the years, by rishis (ऋषि), munis (मुनि), scholars (विद्वान) and other intellectuals (बुद्धिजीवी). This is taught in the ashramas (आश्रम) of teachers(गुरु) such as Vashishtha (वशिष्ठ), Kashyap (कश्यप), Angira (अंगिरा), Kanva (कण्व), Agastya (अगस्त्य), Dronacharya (द्रोणाचार्य) and others. In Manu Smriti the archaeologist Manu mentions keeping the following ten principles: Dhrity (patience), kshma क्षमा (forgiveness), dama (दम) (self-control), Asteya अस्तेय (honest), Sauch शौच (holiness), Indriya Nigraha (इन्द्रिय निग्रह) (sensory control), Dhi धी (reason), Vidya विद्या (information), Satya (सत्य) (to be true), Akrodhah (अक्रोध) (lack of anger) a person makes DHARMA. The principles of DHARMA were incorporated into Veda and other texts and the people of the country followed these practices.

When Dashratha sent Rama to exile for 14 years, he followed Kshatriya dharma (क्षत्रिय धर्म), keeping his promise to his wife. Rama obeyed his father's command and followed Putra dharma (पुत्र धर्म). Sita chose to accompany her husband into exile; followed Nari dharma, to be with her husband in good or bad times. Bhil Eklabya (भील एकलव्य) ​​donated his cut thumb to Dronacharya, followed by Shishya dharma (शिष्य धर्म). Raja Harishchandra handed over his kingdom to Brahmin (ब्राह्मण) who performed Raj dharma (राज धर्म) and when he asked for part of his son Rohitashwa's coffin, he listened to Bhritya dharma (भृत्य धर्म). There are many examples in our writings of people, communities, activists, and people in authority who follow their good works - their dharma.

In which of the following situations or similar situations do we find Dharma as something related to spiritual activity or to God? The Shrimadvagawad Gita is the essence of what Dharma is for an individual, family, community or nation as defined by Bhagawan Krishna. Two Shlokas from Gita were heard by countless millions in Bharata, not only by Gita believers but also by millions of people of other religions when the Mahabharata was broadcast on T.V., almost a few believers did not understand the meaning of these Shlokas. In these two shlokas, Krishna gives a clear definition of DHARMA.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भव- ति भारत ।

        अभ्युत्थान- मधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्- ॥४-७॥

परित्राणाय- साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्- ।

धर्मसंस्था- पनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥४-८॥

yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata

abhutthanam adharmaysa tadatmanam srijamyaham

paritranaya sadhunam are missing duskritam

dharma sansthapanarthaya sambhawami yuge yuge.

Is the word dharma here the same as the English word religion? Did Krishna tell Arjun that Pandava and Kaurawa were at war because all the people who had taken part in the war had forgotten God or were not participating in prayers or activities regarding spiritual "Dharmasya glani" and "abjhuthanamadharmasya" refer to a reduction in the maintenance of good jobs and an increase in activities that were contrary to the accepted principles of dharma - setting the langshagriha on fire to kill the Pandavas, trying to expel Draupadi from the public, refusing to give the Pandavas 5 cities, killing while unarmed in his hands, killing all the Pandavas children while they slept; harassment of Sita's abduction by Ravana - there are countless incidents in previous yugas such as 'dharmasyaglani' and 'abhuthanamadharmasya'.

The above introduction, in a nutshell, gives us an understanding that ‘Dharma’ follows the righteous deeds of man and ‘Adharma’ participates in activities that oppose Dharma.

Dharma, in the later period of our culture and civilization, was called the Vedic Sanatan Dharma as the principles of Dharma were contained in our sacred texts- the Vedas. Sometimes, and, later, our ancestors referred to these good works as Sanatan Dharma because of our belief that our civilization, our culture, our Dharma came into existence indefinitely in a cycle of eternal - eternal.

Therefore, we, the descendants of the people from the time of King Bharat, and before him, according to our gotra, the descendants of wise men such as Bharadwaja, Kashyapa, Bhrigu, Atria, Kanva, Shampayana; we have forgotten about our Dharma whether it is Vedic or Sanatan and we call ourselves 'Hindus' and follow a religion called 'Hinduism'.