dear prabhu ,
words are simply tools by which we express more complex understandings and philosophies , dharma like many sanskrit words has many meanings or inferences depending on the context in which it is used .
dharma is more than a goal , it is law , that which upholds' rta', that which sustains 'rta' , that which maintains 'rta' , therefore it is law that we must respect, it is duty that we must perfofm , it is observances to be observed , and if in hindi it is seen as religion ? (what harm is there in that ?)... examine the word religion , it is more than a path , it conveys beleif and adherance to a particular system , ...what then is dharma , but beleif in the vedic system ! and it is adherance to the laws of the vedic system !
why quibble when one might learn by discussion , by exchange of thought , this way we might further the understanding and appriciation of dharma .
in the words of the buddha ," look not at the word but at the meaning "
As I see it... Dharma is an enigma in itself. It invites to endless pondering.
For instance if Dharma is the law of nature and we are creatures of nature, how could we possibly do something that is not Dharma? Take for instance killing. This whole world is build on creatures killing and eating each other. Destruction is as natural as creation. And what is more natural for a good person then to do good, and for an evil person then to do evil? So why is man to uphold Dharma? Why are the Deva's to uphold Dharma? Why is God himself upholding Dharma? Why is it even necessary to uphold Dharma?
The best answer I found so far is that Dharma is the way of God. And for man to realize God is to act like God, no more, no less. Identification in the mind does not realize God, but to act from the heart as God acts, does. Love like God loves, be happy like God is happy, act without desire like God has no desire. So Dharma is never about the object, or the result of acting, it is about the act itself. Act as God to be God. That is why the true devotee does not ask boons, but only offers his Love to God. For God never asks boons, nor does God need Love. God offers Love, and so offering Love is walking the path God walks.
Why do we Hindu's revere the feet of our holy men? It has nothing to do with feet. It is because we want to walk in their footsteps. That is why we want to be their servant, so we can be near them, and walk in their footsteps.
So I do no think Dharma has anything to do with restoring of harmony. Nature is always in harmony, it could not possibly be otherwise, that would breach God's laws. Even if the world is destroyed that is not a breach of Dharma. How could it be, we are not even the real doer, we are told. Our problem is a mental one. We can not see the reality as it is until we fully identify with God. As God is in everything, we need to identify with everything until we actually share the full consciousness.
God does not come as an avatar to save the world, God comes to sustain the world, he simply does what he always does, only more visible. And what he teaches is not the highest truth. If it was the highest truth we could not possibly understand it. No the truth he teaches is at our level, not his. It is the truth for ignorants, not the truth for enlightened ones, it gives direction to ignorants.
The concepts of Hinduism are simply mind boggling. They cannot possibly be grasped by the mind. As often as we say: "Thou art God", the mind cannot comprehend it. It cannot comprehend we truly are. It can not comprehend this. It is the incomprehension of the mind itself that is in the way. It can not comprehend that all that is between us knowing that we are God, is not knowing we are God. Whenever the mind wants to believe something, on a deeper level it still knows it is belief, not true knowledge.
But walking this path, the path that God walks, slowly awakens in us we are God. Not because we uphold righteousnesses, not because we do duty, not because we follow scriptures, but simply by thinking, speaking, doing what comes natural to God.
People will Love us, fear us and hate us. We will feel happiness and despair, sadness, anger. We will walk the earth and still crush insects under our feet. All these are natural. The only difference being we will do these things without desire. God has no desire, not even to save the world. Neither has God a desire to love or do his duty, he simply does. Nor has he a desire to be happy, he simply is.
That is the enigma of Dharma, we want to achieve it, but it has to come natural. Nothing desired will ever be Dharma as God has no desire. How to reach out for what can not be grabbed? By simply acting it, by allowing your heart to know, speak and do without interference of the mind, that is true devotion. That is what invokes Dharma.
The acts of the evil are in itself as natural as the ones of the good, both follow nature. Want makes the acts of the evil adharmic is not the acts but the ignorance they are shrouded in. And here is another paradox. Would the evil one realize this, and the shroud be lifted, he could no longer act them. He can only act his evil in ignorance, like the enlightened one can only act good in his Godly state. Because this too is part of Dharma. None can knowingly act against Dharma. That is why the Deva's and Devi's uphold Dharma. Radiant and knowledgeable their nature demands them to act this way. But as the smallest seed can give rise to the largest tree, the smallest ignorance can grow in huge failure. Kings lost their Kingdom over a slight mistake in the spur of the moment. Even Gods are cursed for small transgressions. If such bitter fruits grow, we have no other choice than to eat them.
