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In this paper, the judicial, ethical and social meaning of dharma will be considered by examining the rules of dharma discussed in the Dharmasūtra texts. I will also attempt to compare these rules to their real-life application, analysed as far as possible through both textual and historical sources, to determine whether these texts represent the practical application of dharma around the time that they were conceived and promulgated.

isarasolutions, 2025

Sanatan Dharm has played a foundational role in shaping India's social structure through its principles of Dharma (duty), Karma (action and consequence), and Varna (social order). Rooted in ancient scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Manusmriti, it established ethical and moral guidelines that governed societal interactions. The Varna-Ashrama system was originally a functional division of labor but evolved into a rigid caste structure, significantly influencing social hierarchies, gender roles, and governance. While Dharma provided stability and moral order, it also contributed to inequalities, particularly through caste-based discrimination and patriarchal norms. However, Bhakti movements, social reforms, and modern legal frameworks have challenged and reshaped traditional interpretations, promoting inclusivity and equality. Despite changes, Dharma continues to guide personal ethics, legal systems, and societal values, influencing governance and public life. In contemporary times, Sanatan Dharm is being reinterpreted to align with modern principles of justice, equality, and human rights. Present article explores its historical evolution, social impact, and modern transformations, offering a critical analysis of both its contributions and challenges in shaping Indian society.

Journal of Dharma Studies, 2018

The concept of the Journal of Dharma Studies arose from the scholarship produced by a learned society, the Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM), 1 which has been meeting annually for over fifteen years in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR). Over this time, nearly a thousand scholars have participated in or attended the conferences of DANAM and helped foster analytical-constructive and translational research and scholarship on various fields and sub-disciplines. These include philosophy, theologies, ethics, epistemologies, hermeneutics, semiotics, esthetics, asceticism, praxis, metaphysics, musicology, gender, classical literature, and direct responses to critical planetary challenges-all of which comprise the diverse expressions of the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist religious traditions. Perhaps, most importantly, the DANAM School of Thought has developed, for methodological and pedagogical use, the terms BDharma Traditions^ and BDharma Studies^-that is, the (i) singular, (ii) interrelated (inter-Dharma), and (iii) dialogical (interreligious) academic study of the three traditions that emerged in ancient India but are, at present, global in scope and experience. Arguably, the most important rationales for the development of the term were to: i. Avoid the conflation of the study of the Dharma Traditions with Area Studies in order to highlight the international and variegated expressions of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain thought and practice. ii. Examine the shared histories, categories, significance of commonly held philosophical assumptions, epistemic methodologies, and practices, as well as two millennia of mutual illumination and cross fertilization, between the Dharma Traditions.

The discourse on dharma has become publicly consequential in India today. We find cultural, religious, ethical, social, and political agencies involved in the discourse. It would do well to take a deeper look at this doctrine. Centrality of Dharma in Indic Traditions Patrick Olivelle, a well-known Indologist, says: "Dharma is undoubtedly the most central and ubiquitous concept in the whole of Indian civilization. It is central not only in the Brahmanical / Hindu traditions, but also in the Buddhist and Jain. This very centrality, however, also made it possible for the concept to be given new twists and meanings at different times and by different groups, creating a dauntingly broad semantic range." 1 Etymologically, dharma comes from the Sanskrit root dhr, which means 'to hold', or 'to support'. 2 The earliest usage of the word occurs in the creation narratives of Rgveda, wherein it refers to the action of the gods, 3 in relation to the creation and maintenance of the cosmic order, i.e. holding the sky and earth apart, taking care of the smooth transitioning of seasons, protecting the creatures, and so on. RV 8.41.10 says: "He (Varuna) measured out the first creation, who (held) apart both worlds with a pillar and like the billy-goat supported the sky." 4 Here, 'measuring out', 'holding apart', and 'supporting' were the dharma of the god Varuna. These and other cosmic actions of the gods were understood as the primordial 'sacrificial' actions, which were the very foundations of the cosmic order.

In this short article, we cannot even begin to fathom the depth of the subject of the meaning of Dharma and its roots in the Ṛgveda as Ṛtam, the cosmic order and truth, and 'dharmāṇi sanatā', 'the eternal laws'. We can only share a few excerpts to help the reader understand why returning to the texts is essential. Here is the key argument that emerges from an in-depth study of the Ṛgveda and the scriptural traditions that emerged from it: The Vedic tradition presents itself as a single stream of religious tradition and identity based on Dharma from the earliest times – a fact which most serious Indologists and all traditional Sanskrit scholars acknowledge.

isara solutions, 2022

Dharma have been derived and supersede from the vedic concept of Rita, which literally meant, ‘the straight line’. Rita refers to the Law of Nature, it signifies moral laws, and based on righteousness. When something is Rita it simply meant that thing is true, right and nothing more. Dharma signifies natural law. Anything is right, just and moral is Dharma

Practical Buddhist Studies Reviewed Journal, Bhiksu University of Sri Lanka,Vol, 01,2018,pp 220-228, 2018

The moral teaching of Indian society at the time when Buddha was born, were developed under the both Brahmana and Sramana traditions. While Brahmanism explained the moral teaching in relation to the omniscience, omnipotent God, asceticism represented the necessity of practicing ascetic practices for the purpose of achieving moral life. It is true to say that the moral conducts of Brahmanism based on the self-indulgence (Kāmasukallikanuyoga) 1 and opposite, self-mortification 2 was the optimum path of moral conduct of asceticism. The germs of the moral teachings are included in the Vedic literature. The moral conducts of the Vedic period squarely connected with concept God, heaven and concepts Ṛta (constant and circular nature of the universe) and Iṭapūrta (sacrifice) were two prominent aspects of moral basis of the Vedic period. The process of the Ṛta equally effect for everyone and it was controlled by the god Varuna. Generally God Varuna represents the controller of the good and bad. Therefore, behaving according to the process of Ṛta considered as obedience for the wish of Varuna. The man who has conformity with wish of Varuna should complete sacrifices (Iṭapūrta). The sacrifices represent the concept of good and bad and disobedience for Varuna or does not complete the sacrifices represent the concept of bad. The heavenly rebirth was ultimate good but only few people would be born in the heaven and majority of the people would be born in patriarch world. 3 Two places that the human beings would be born after the death, generally known as Arvīr Mārga (illuminated world) and Dūma Mārga (gloomy world). 4 A.B. Keith emphasized that Vedic Aryans believed that the faith on the God is the path of heavenly rebirth than the actions of them. 5 But they believed practicing of austerity, giving alms to Brahmanic priests etc. cause to heavenly rebirth. 6 Later, in the Brahman period priority has given to the sacrifices than the God who accepts the sacrifices. Aśvamēnda, Puruśamēda, Vājapēya, Niraggala, etc. were such important sacrifices that should be offered by the man. The concept of the good and bad depended on the sacrifices; the man who does the sacrifices, consequently receives the good result while the man who does not do sacrifices receives the bad result. To represent the concept of good and bad, they used the terms like, sukṛuta, duskṛuta, sādhu, asādu, puñña, pāpa etc. During the Araṇyaka and Upanishad periods concepts of Ṛta and sacrifices were not completely disappeared but instead of those concepts they explained the teaching of Ātman and Brahman concepts. The person who understand respectively the reality of Atman and Brahman has

Alice Dictionary, 2019

Dharma is a concept pertaining to different Southern Asian religious traditions including Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism. Within Hinduism, dharma has gained a range of different meanings that broadly identify moral conduct or social and cosmic order. In addition, it is also referred to as being a religion. Sanātana dharma is term that is used as being synonymous with Hinduism, even though its meaning refers to universal religion or universal dharma. Dharma defines the orientation of life and its purpose. Historically, it has implied a form of social organisation that guides the spiritual life of the individual as a member of society. It gives a moral orientation towards a 'right life' to achieve happiness and salvation. It is a term that combines ethics and religion and informally regulates inter-personal and social interactions. With different philosophical and religious meanings, dharma may be vaguely translated to mean religion or religious, moral or morality, justice, moral law, duty, virtuous life or virtue and rightful conduct. The ideas of justice, rightness and virtue do not prescribe a superior judge (as God in Judaism, Christianity or Islam) but rather refer to the harmony of the cosmic order. Therefore, dharma as a guide to conduct a moral life is not prescribed by a coded text but rather it prescribes the individual and social conduct of harmonious interaction among different human beings. The concept dates back to the Vedas, sacred texts of the Indo-Aryan period.