The ten marks of Dharma

Part 2

To continue from Part 1 about dharma,

The word dharma is also used in a different way within Hindu philosophy that can also be understood from the root dhri. Every constituent of matter: liquids, metals, gases, fire, and so on have different dharmas.

For example, the dharma of water is liquidity and wetness.

The dharma of ice is solidity and coldness.

The dharma of fire is heat and light.

In other words, whatever it is that makes water, water or ice, ice, or fire, fire; what upholds the state of being water-ness, ice-ness, or fire-ness, etc., is dharma. These ideas occupies an important part of Hindu philosophy and even though they are subtle, I think we can see how even this use of dharma comes from the root dhri Indeed, the idea of dharma is paramount within both Hindu religion and philosophy.

Dharma is a unique human attribute

An oft-quoted verse in Sanskrit says:

आहारनिद्राभयमैथुनानि सामान्यमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् ।

धर्मो हि तेषामधिको विशेषो धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिस्समानाः ॥  

Eating, sleeping, fearing and mating—human beings have these in common with animals. What distinguishes them from animals is dharma. Those devoid of dharma are no better than animals.

Only human beings are endowed with the capacity to distinguish between what is dharma and what is adharma, the opposite of dharma. Human beings are endowed with an inner conscience which cautions us when we contemplate deviating from the righteous path. This, of course, assumes that we have not smothered this inner voice by habitually breaking the counsel of that voice. Without adherence to dharma humans will sink to the level of animals.

The conflict between dharma and adharma goes on all the time, both in the external world and in the internal world of man. The kurukshetra war typifies this battle in which the final victory is always of dharma. The Lord Himself was on the side of dharma represented by the Pandavas.

How do we distinguish between dharma and adharma ? Manu has this to say in answer to this question:

That which the Vedas and dharma sastras prompt us to do is dharma. The example set by noble and exalted souls by their conduct (सदाचारः) and what one’s own conscience says is also dharma. Manu also says:

Steadfastness or determination (धृतिः), patience (क्षमा), control of the mind (शमः), non-stealing (अस्तेयं), purity of mind, body and speech (शौचं), control of the senses (इन्द्रियनिग्रहः), an inquiring intellect (धीः), knowledge which leads to liberation (विद्या), truth in thought, word and deed (सत्यं) and controlling anger (अक्रोधः) these ten are the marks of dharma.

It is the duty of everyone to protect dharma. Manu says “धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः’ meaning dharma protects those who protect it. The same idea is expressed in Valmiki Ramayana wherein Kausalya tells Rama before he leaves for the forest:

यं पालयसि धर्मं त्वं धृत्या च नियमेन च।

स वै राघवशार्दूल धर्मस्त्वामभिरक्षतु॥

’O Raghava! Dharma, which you uphold with steadfastness and discipline protect you from all sides.