mama dharma, my religion (in english)

8/14/2019 Mama Dharma, My Religion (in English)

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a Dharman Parityajya



DHRMA

In context of Geeta the meaning of ‘Dharma’ was “Law of Being”. Our ‘Dharma’, is theSupreme Principal’, which is, The Absolute.

Beginning of Geeta starts with word ‘Dharma’. It ends with the word ‘Mama’. Connectingthese two words the phrase obtained is ‘MAMA DHARMA’. It means ‘My Dharma’. That is tosay ‘My Law of Being’. The main objective of Geeta is to explain about our real ‘Dharma’, asThe ‘Absolute Supreme’.

The Sanskrit is most pregnant language. We can see that one word implies many meanings withreference to context. The word ‘Dharma’ has been used in Geeta with various meaning. It willbe worth to study such various cases where the word ‘Dharma’ has been applied.

Geeta advocates that every thing to be done must be according to ‘Dharma’. It means as per‘Manual of Operation’ all activities must done. In general meaning of ‘Dharma’ is

LawRulesCode of operationManual of operationCode of conductSystemDisciplineActivities followed by family by human race, by religion, by Nation for long timeTraditionInjunction decided by religious masters, Elderly people, Wise Men

Propertieslaw of Being

We can well see that if ‘Dharma’ is followed in above context, generally one if benefited. Onecan do the same task in better ways, in short time with economy if he follows ‘Dharma’ wisely.

Now let us find out the word ‘Dharma’ used by ‘Shree Vyas’, in Bhgwat Geeta, in varioussituation.

Sarva Dharman Parityajya 2



Implied Meaning ‘DHARMA’ , in ‘ GEETA ’Sr. Chapter Verse – Meaning - Criticism Meaning of Dharma

1 I

Meaning of ‘Dharma Kshetra, is ‘Holy Field’. This means thefield of experience and action. As per scriptures to do war isalso ‘Dharmic’ act or a ritual. It means it is accepted byreligion and to be played as per rules set by religion. ‘Kshetrameans the place where religious activities are performed.Hence ‘Kuru-Kshetra is ‘Dharma-Kshetra like Kashi, Hardwar,Makah, Medina etc.Real Dharma-Ksheta is our own body where one has toperform holy act like to revere the God Principle. “Son of

‘Pandawa’ is good thoughts and ‘Son of ‘Kuru’ is badthoughts in us. There is a continuous war goes on betweengood and bad thoughts. Thought is ‘Mind’. And ‘Mind’ isThought flow. If the ‘Mind’ works under guidance of ‘LordKrishna’, then bad thoughts are vanished and only goodthoughts remains which produces sheer happiness and leads toevolution of the personality to ‘God-Hood’..

Holy Field

A Holy PlaceWhere One CanContemplate On GodPrincipal

2 I

Cultural experiments were the pre-occupations of our fore-fathers and they knew that the culture and tradition of eachfamily was a unit of the total culture and integrity of the wholenation. Hence the important of the family- Dharma so seriouslybrought forth by Arjuna as an argument against this civil war. ‘Kul-Dharma’ means religious traditions followed by familyover generations for betterment of life. Society is formed bymany families. So if families are stable then there is a socialreform. Society follows its own ‘Dharma” the tradition whichultimately known as culture. If families are destroyed in civilwar naturally good traditions followed are vanished in turnwhole society is deprived off its long heritage. Some sort of disordered takes place due to war. Disaster of war is no morenew to modern society.The first and second world war had shown their effect onGermany and British empire.Shree Vysa skillfully paints deadly picture of such disaster.The Hero ‘Arjuna narrates further……

Family Traditions.

Tradition of Society.Culture





Sr. Chapter Verse – Meaning - Criticism Meaning of Dharma

3 I

When individual families are destroyed, along with them thereligious traditions of the society will also end, and soon an eraof impiety will be ushered in. Slowly the morality in thesociety will wane and there will be an "admixture of castes."Here caste means group of people doing particular job oractivity. Destruction of society means end of human skills‘Jati Dharma’ the skill acquired by the race.

Skills in society orrace, group of people

4 II

My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity; my mind isconfused as to duty . I ask Thee. Tell me decisively what isgood for me. I am Thy disciple. Instruct me, who have taken

refuge in Thee. Here Arjun confess that he is not able to decidein this condition what he is suppose to do.

Duty, Action to betaken, decision to betaken

5 II

Further, looking at thy own duty thou ought not to waver, forthere is nothing higher for a KSHATRIYA than a righteouswar. Arjuna's personal call-of-character (Swadharma) is that of a leader of his generation (Kshatriya) and as such, when hisgeneration is called upon to answer a challenge of an organizedun-Aryan force (Adharma), it is his duty not to waver but tofight and defend his sacred national culture.

Duty of Race, Cast(Varna).Brahmin: Brain of societyKshytriya: WarriorVaishya: BusinessPersonel

Khudra: LabourClass

Here Duty of warrior.





6 II

But, if you will not fight this righteous war, then, having

abandoned your own duty and fame, you shall incur sin.This war is as per Dharma or righteous war. It means this waris the resultant effect of Arjuna’s deed in past. So called theWar was arranged by ‘Niyati’ the Great Destiny fordischarging accumulated War-Desires of arjuna. The war is‘Dharmyam’ means The Act Ought to be done.Every living creature has taken up its form and has come intothe world of objects for one great purpose, which is to gain anexhaustion of its existing mental impressions. The bundle of vasanas with which an individual has arrived into a particularincarnation is called his, " personal call-of

character "(Swadharma ). When classified thus, Arjuna fallsunder the group of the 'kingly' ( Kshatriya ), who arecharacterized by adventurous heroism and an insatiableThirst for honor and fame.

Niyat – KarmaDuties according topast deeds.Personal Call of character

7 II

In this there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm

(production of contrary results). Even a little of this knowledge,even a little practice of the YOGA, protects one from the great.Here meaning of Dharma is, ‘Knowledge’, Knowledge abouthow to Act’.

Knowledge of Karma-Yog.How to perform

activities in lifewithout gettingentangles into them

8 III

Better is one's own 'duty', though devoid of merit, than the'duty' of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own'duty'; the 'duty' of another is fraught with fear (is productive of positive danger) .‘Swadharma’ means the type of Vasanas that one discovers inone’s own mind. To act according to one's own taste,inborn and natural, is the only known method of living inpeace and joy, in success and satisfaction. To act againstthe grain of one's own Vasanas would be acting in terms of

Para dharma --- and that this is fraught with danger.

Duties prescribed byone’s own past deeds.

For Arjuna it is tofight in war as duty of

a warrior.





9 IV

Whenever there is a decay of righteousness, O Bharata, and arise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself.The Supreme, which is the substratum for the pluralistic world,puts on the body-gown and, as it were, walks into the duskyatmosphere of the immoral life of mankind, for the purpose of re-organizing and conducting a thorough spring-cleaning of thebosom of man.

MoralityCode of conduct,Healthy behavior of society

10 IV

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wickedand for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in everyage.Here 'DESTRUCTION' is not annihilation of the individuals asmuch as the REMOVAL OF THE WRONG TENDENCIES inthe individuals. It is a process of refitting the wardrobe whereinsome old clothes are irredeemably spoiled, and have to beeliminated in order to make more space for newly-made andother refitted items. Similarly, Prophets, when they come, theyencourage the good; sometimes they rejuvenate the bad, andoften eliminate the poisonous specimens from the garden-of-life.

Righteousness Goodtendencies

11 VII

Of the strong, I am the strength --- devoid of desire andattachment, and in (all) beings, I am the desire --- unopposed toDHARMA, O best among the Bharatas.All actions, thoughts and ideas entertained by him which arenot opposed to his essential Divine Nature constitute hisDharma. All actions and thoughts that hasten the evolution of man to rediscover his essential Divine Nature are consideredrighteous action (Dharma), while all activities of the mind andintellect that take him away from his true Divine Nature andmake him behave like an animal and degrade him in hisevolutionary status, are called unrighteous behavior.(A-Dharma).

Divine NatureDivine Consciousness





12 IX

Royal Science, Royal Secret, the supreme purifier is this,realizable by direct intuitive knowledge, according to theDHARMA, very easy to perform, imperishable.

It also it is a science "pertaining to Dharma " ( Dharmyam ).The term Dharma has already been explained. Man is nothingbut a parcel of minerals in their gross and subtle states, if theConscious Principle were not blessing them with awareness.This Awareness, called the Self, is then the Dharma of man,the Principle of Life in him. the Spiritual Science, that the Lordof Vrindavana promises to enunciate in this chapter, is neitherthe physical science of the biology of the objects of the world,nor the science of psychology that explains the field of emotions and thoughts --- but the Science of the Self, thedeepest essence in each individual.

Conscious PrincipleSpiritual Science

13 IX

Soon he becomes righteous and attains Eternal Peace, OKaunteya, know for certain that My devotee is never destroyed.

The term Dharma was already explained as "the Law of

Being." Just as heat is the specific quality ( Dharma ) of fire,without which fire cannot exist, the Dharma of man is theDivine Atman in his heart, without which none of hispersonality layers can ever come to express themselves.Therefore, the term ' Dharmatma ,' in the stanza, is not fullyexpressed when it is translated as 'a man of righteousness.'

Righteous manAs per spiritualscience





14 XII

They indeed, who follow this 'Immortal DHARMA' (Law of

Life) as described above, endowed with faith, regarding Me astheir Supreme Goal --- such devotees are exceedingly dear toMe.THIS IMMORTAL LAW PRESCRIBED ABOVE --- TheSanatana Dharma is summarized in the above lines. To realizethe Self and live in that wisdom at all our personality levels ---physical, mental and intellectual --- is the fulfillment of the lifeof a Hindu.

Law of LifeImmortal lawCode of conduct of Sanatan Dharma

15 XIV

For I am the Abode of BRAHMAN, the Immortal and theImmutable, of everlasting DHARMA and of Absolute Bliss. Inthe realm of experience, if a meditator apprehends the Self inhim, he at once experiences the Omnipresence of the Self. Aslong as a pot exists, the pot-space is seen distinct from the pacearound. Once the pot is broken, the pot space itself becomes theunbounded space in the Universe; similarly, when life's falseidentifications with the body, mind and intellect are broken

own --- in short, When the ego is dead, the Awareness of theInfinitude rises up flood the bosom with THE TERNAL HARMA AND THE UNFAILING BLISS.

The Ultimate Bliss

16 XVIII

That by which one wrongly understands DHARMA andADHARMA and also what ought to be done and what ought

not to be done, that intellect (understanding), O Partha, isRAJASIC (passionate).The "understanding" of the passionate ( Rajasic ) comes to judgethe righteous ( Dharma ) and the unrighteous ( Adharma ), whatis to be done and what is not to be done, in a slightly pervertedmanner ( Ayathaavat ). Such a Rajasic "understanding" cannotreach right judgments, because it is invariably colored by itsown preconceived notions and powerful likes and dislikes.

RighteousHealthy for spirituallife

Science which makeyou understand whatis good, bad or rightwrong





17 XVIII

That which, enveloped in darkness, sees ADHARMA asDHARMA, and all things perverted, that intellectunderstanding), O Partha, is TAMASIC (dull).It has such a totally perverted "understanding" that itrecognises " Adharma " as " Dharma ," the 'right' as 'wrong.' Thisfaculty of coming to wrong judgments is amply seen in thedull, because their entire reasoning capacity is enveloped bycomplete darkness and egoistic drunkenness.

RighteousHealthy for spirituallifeScience which makeyou understand whatis good, bad or rightwrong

18 XVIII

But the "fortitude," O Arjuna, by which one holds fast to duty,pleasure and wealth, from attachment and craving for thefruits-of-actions, that "fortitude," O Partha, is RAJASIC(passionate).The constancy, with which a person holds fast to duty( Dharma ), wealth ( Artha ) and pleasure ( Kama ), encouraged byhis growing desire to enjoy the fruit of each of them, is thesteadiness or "fortitude" of the Rajasic type.

Dharma : Law of behaviorArth : Law of earningKama : Law of desirefull filngMokshya : Law of getting liberated

19 XVIII

Better is one's own duty (though) destitute of merits, than theduty of another well-performed. He who does the dutyordained by his own nature incurs no sin.To work in any field ordered by one's own vasanas is better,because in that case, there is a chance for exhausting theexisting vasanas . When anindividual strives in a field contraryto the existing vasanas , he not only fails to gain any exhaustionof the existing vasanas , but also creates a new load of vasanasin his temperament. Hence, it is said here: "BETTER IS ONE'S

OWN DHARMA THOUGH IMPERFECT THAN THE DHARMA OF ANOTHER WELL-PERFORMED."By performing "duties ordained by one's own nature"(Swabhaava-Niyatam-Karma ) the individual comes to noevil --- meaning, the individual has no chance of imprintingany new impressions on his mind --- the impressions which, intheir maturity, might force him to strive, to seek, to achieve andto indulge.

To behave as per owntendenciesDuties as per ownnature, tendencies.





20 XVIII

Abandoning all DHARMAS, (of the body, mind, and intellect), take

refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not.Most often used, and yet in no two places having the same shade of suggestion, the term, 'Dharma'has becomes the very heart of theHindu culture. This explains why the religion of India was called bythe people who lived in the land and enjoyed its spiritual wealth asthe ' Sanatana Dharma .'

Dharma , as used in our scriptures is, to put it directly and precisely,"THE LAW OF BEING." That because of which a THING continuesto be the THING itself, without which the THING cannot continue tobe that THING, is the Dharma of the THING. Heat, because of which fire maintains itself as fire, without which fire can no more be

fire, is the Dharma of fire. Heat is the Dharma of fire; cold fire wehave yet to come across! Sweetness is the Dharma of sugar; soursugar is a myth! Every object in the world has two types of properties: (a) the essential, and (b) the non-essential. A substancecan remain itself, intact, when its "non-essential" qualities are absent,but it cannot remain ever for a split moment without its "essential"property. The color of the flame, the length and width of the tonguesof flame, are all the "non-essential" properties of fire, but theessential property of it is heat. This essential property of a substanceis called its Dharma . Then what exactly is the Dharma of man? Thecolor of the skin, the innumerable endless varieties of emotions andthoughts --- the nature, the conditions and the capacities of the body,

mind and intellect --- are the "non-essential" factors in the humanpersonality, as against the Touch of Life, the Divine Consciousness,expressed through them all. Without the Atman man cannot exist; itis TRUTH which is the basis of existence. Therefore, the "essential

Dharma " of man is the Divine Spark of Existence, the Infinite Lord.With this understanding of the term Dharma , we shall appreciate itsdifference from mere ethical and moral rules of conduct, all duties inlife, all duties towards relations, friends, community, nation and theworld, all our obligations to our environment, all our affections,reverence, charity, and sense of goodwill --- all that have beenconsidered as our Dharma in our books. In and through such actions,physical, mental and intellectual, a man will bring forth the

expression of his true Dharma --- his Divine Status as the All-pervading Self. To live truly as the Atman , and to express Its InfinitePerfection through all our actions and in all our contacts with theouter world is to rediscover our Dharma .

THE LAW OF BEING

Divine Spark of Existence

Divine Consciousness

Duties in life

Ethical and Moral rules

Duties towardsrelations, friends,community, nation andthe world,

Obligations to ourenvironment

All our affections,reverence, charity, andsense of goodwill

Perfection through allour actions and in allour contacts with theouter world

To live truly as the Atman



mama Qama-:My Religion Qama-xao~o ku$xao~o samavaota yauyau%sava

maamakaM paNDvaaScaOva ikmakuva-t saMjaya:

ya~ yaaogaoSvar: kRYNaao ya~ paqaao- QanauQat~ EaIiva-jayaao BaUitQa`u-vaa naIitma-it:mama

mama Qama-:


There are some commentators of the Gíta who draw our attention to thisconcluding word in the Gíta, "my" (mama), and to the opening word in the Gíta,"Dharma."Between these two words, the seven hundred verses are hungtogether as a garland of immortal beauty, and so these commentators

summarize the meaning of the Gíta as "My Dharma" ( mama Qama-:).The Gita explains the nature of humans (my dharma), the nature of Truth (MyDharma), and how true life starts when these two are in harmony. The idealnature of all true students of the Gita should be a glorious synthesis of both thespiritual knowledge expressed in their equipoise and character, t he dynamiclove expressed through their service to humanity , and their readiness tosacrifice.mama Qama-:My Religious Values As Human Being:

Duties in life Duties towards relations, friends, community, nation and the world Obligations to our environment Perfection through all our actions and in all our contacts with the outer world The dynamic love expressed through service to humanity, and readiness to sacrifice

mama AaQyaai%mak Qama-:My Spiritual Religious Values As Human Being: To know ‘Law of Being

To know Lord is The Absolute

To know Lord is The Bliss

To know Lord is Love

The Concludingword in Geeta

The Openingword in Geeta

Essence of Geeta



a Dharman Parityajya

kao mama Qama-:Æ What Is My True Religion ? Religion is philosophy in action. From time to time an ancient philosophy needs intelligent re-interpretation in thecontext of new times, and men of wisdom, prophets, and seers guide the common man on how to apply effectivelythe ancient laws in his present life.Now days the word ‘Religion’, though most commonly used by people, but most misused and misinterpreted in theworld. True meaning of ‘Religion’, is to re-join soul to the Lord.In India, the sages discovered and initiated a culture that is spiritual, and this spiritual culture is maintained andworked out through religious practices, and therefore, culture and religion are, to the Hindu, one and the same.

Very rarely we find any mention of the term culture, as such, in our ancient literature. More often we meet with theinsistence on and the mention of our religious practices. In fact, the Hindu religion is a technique by which thisspiritual culture can be maintained and worked out in the community. Dharma comprises those divine values-of-life by living which we manifest more and more the essential spiritual being in us. Family- Dharma (Kula-Dharmais thus nothing but the rules of living, thinking, and acting in a united, well-planned family. By strictly followingthese rules we soon come to learn, in the prayer-rooms of our homes, how to live as better citizens of the Aryan-culture.

Vedanta is no religion in the ordinary concept of the term, which implies the formalistic observance of somephysical and mental discipline, in some House of God, during a specific day of the week, for a prescribed length of time. If we consider religion as an "Art of Right Action," then Vedanta is indeed the noblest of religions, because it

provides a scientific explanation for the entire way of right living. Krishna here glorifies it: "THIS IS THEROYAL SCIENCE, THE ROYAL MYSTERY AND PURE AND VERY HIGH."

In Short, A Student Of Religion Must Learn To Keep An Open Mind And Not Condemn ThePhilosophy Before Understanding What It Has To Say.

So word ‘Dharma’, used by ‘Bhagwat Geeta’, the most sacred text book of ‘Vedantic’, philosophyhas may shades of meaning. Let us summarize all as follows:

Meaning Of ‘Dharma’ The ‘Religion’

A Holy Place Where One Can Contemplate On God Principal Tradition of Society Skills in society or race, group of people Duty, Action to be taken, decision to be taken Duty of Race, Cast or group of people like Thinker, Business-men. warrior, laborer Duties as per tendencies developed by past deeds. How to perform activities in life without getting entangles into them. Science of ‘Karma Yoga’. Healthy behavior of society, Code of conduct Righteousness, Good tendencies Divine Consciousness Spiritual Science Righteous man as per spiritual science Code of conduct of Sanatan Dharma Immortal Law, Law of life Ultimate Bliss Science which make you understand what is good, bad or right wrong Duties in Life, towards relations, friends, community, nation and the world, To live truly as the ‘Atman’. The Principal Absolute

Know That ‘The God Is Love’Salutaions To The Lotus Feet Of Satguru H. H. “Swami Chinmayanada’

Idam Na Mama

mama dharma, my religion (in english)

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