Dharma Definition

Enough of the introductory posts. Let me first write about Dharma.

Dharma is from the Sanskrit Root "dhr" meaning "to hold". What to hold? The Universe. It is clear from the following Adharva Veda verse about Dharma.

"Prithivim Dharmana Dhritam"

Meaning: This Universe is sustained by Dharma.

This just gives the function of Dharma only. So again what is Dharma?

In English there is no one word for Dharma since it means a lot in Hinduism. It is the rightiousness or duty of any human being. Since man is a social being and cannot live alone by himself dharma is most important for the survival of the soceity and thus his own survival. That is why in the previous verse the defintion says, This universe is sustained by Dharma.

Dharma is what one is required to do. For example you see a man starving, you give food or money. You are doing it because you are required to do it at that moment not thinking of any other result you are going to get from it. This is Dharma. Lots of stories from Mahabharatha shows us what is Dharma and how different it is in different situations. There is no one rule for dharma since there are millions of situations in ones life and millions of different proper actions to be done according to the situation. Each should be for the well being of oneself and others.