Dharma in Mahabharata
Dharma in the Mahabharta
The concept of dharma is the most central and core concept of Hindu philosophy, “all the other principles and values flow from the beautiful fountain of Dharma” (Srinivasan n.d., 1). Consequently, the Hindu scriptures present many examples of its importance in a variety of ways. The two epics Mahabharata and Ramayana are particularly interesting in their presentation of dharma.
Dharma is Sanskrit word with many different connotations that are mostly of ethical nature. Thus far, there has not been a parallel word found for it in English or any language that truly signifies the essence of it. It comes from the root word, dhr, which literally means to uphold, sustain, and maintain a thing in its being. “It is the very norm which sustains the universe, the principle of a thing by virtue of which it is what it is” (Gupta 1991, 2). Dharma can be translated as right action, right conduct, virtue, moral law etc; however, these words even fall short of explaining the true meaning of dharma. The concept of dharma is subtle and is therefore very hard to grasp. Many have made attempts to define dharma, but have not yet aroused any intellectual minds. If one of the scholars defines dharma as “a mode of life or a code of conduct, which regulated a man’s work and activities as a member of society and as an individual to bring about the gradual development of a man and to enable him to reach what was deemed to be the goal of human existence” (Sukthankar 1998, 80); then, the other scholar defines it as “that which holds a thing together, makes it what it is, prevents it from breaking up and changing into something else, its characteristic function, it’s peculiar property, it’s fundamental attribute, its essential nature,…is its dharma, the law its being primarily” (Sukthankar 1998, 80). Just from these two definitions, it’s apparent that the concept of dharma includes so much that it is hard to capture
The concept of dharma is the most central and core concept of Hindu philosophy, “all the other principles and values flow from the beautiful fountain of Dharma” (Srinivasan n.d., 1). Consequently, the Hindu scriptures present many examples of its importance in a variety of ways. The two epics Mahabharata and Ramayana are particularly interesting in their presentation of dharma.
Dharma is Sanskrit word with many different connotations that are mostly of ethical nature. Thus far, there has not been a parallel word found for it in English or any language that truly signifies the essence of it. It comes from the root word, dhr, which literally means to uphold, sustain, and maintain a thing in its being. “It is the very norm which sustains the universe, the principle of a thing by virtue of which it is what it is” (Gupta 1991, 2). Dharma can be translated as right action, right conduct, virtue, moral law etc; however, these words even fall short of explaining the true meaning of dharma. The concept of dharma is subtle and is therefore very hard to grasp. Many have made attempts to define dharma, but have not yet aroused any intellectual minds. If one of the scholars defines dharma as “a mode of life or a code of conduct, which regulated a man’s work and activities as a member of society and as an individual to bring about the gradual development of a man and to enable him to reach what was deemed to be the goal of human existence” (Sukthankar 1998, 80); then, the other scholar defines it as “that which holds a thing together, makes it what it is, prevents it from breaking up and changing into something else, its characteristic function, it’s peculiar property, it’s fundamental attribute, its essential nature,…is its dharma, the law its being primarily” (Sukthankar 1998, 80). Just from these two definitions, it’s apparent that the concept of dharma includes so much that it is hard to capture
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