Guest guest Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 Dharma means different things to different people depending upon their stage of evolution. It may mean religion, it may mean duty. Duty towards oneself, duty towards family, duty towards community one lives in, duty towards the nation and so on and so forth. But the ultimate Dharma for a human being is to work for one's salvation i.e. to get out of the cycle of birth and death once for all, This is also the goal of human existence. Whatever has to be done to achieve this goal, from the present state of one's evolution, is one's Sadhana. God Bless, radhakutir - "chamundakijai" <no_reply> <> 06 June, 2005 11:23 AM What is True Dharma ? > Respected Radhakutir ji > > What is our true dharma (It is not mere religion i know) > > How can we decide what a true dharma is for us > chamunda > ------------------------ Sponsor --------------------~--> > Would you Help a Child in need? > It is easier than you think. > Click Here to meet a Child you can help. > http://us.click./sTR6_D/I_qJAA/i1hLAA/XUWolB/TM > ------------------------------ -----~-> > > > Links > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 Namaste. Jagadguru Sri Kripaluji Maharaj defines 'dharma' as 'dhaarana karne yogya' - that set of religious rules of conduct which is worthy of accepting and to be followed by the individuals. Depending on the spiritual evolution, the individual may identify himself/herself either with tbe body or with the soul, thus the dharma of the body and the dharma of the soul differ from each other. Vedas have described 'Varna-ashrama dharma' pertaining to the body and 'bhagavata dharma' for the soul. Lord Krishna said in Gita 18.66 "sarva dharmAn parityajya mAmekaM zaraNaM vraja" Gita 18.66 "O Arjuna! Abandon all thoughts of religion and irreligion and come to ME ALONE FOR SHELTER." "give up all dharmas" and embrace "bhaagavata dharma" - "mAm ekam zaraNam vraja" (EXCLUSIVE SURRENDER to Lord alone) which is Prema Bhakti, Selfless Divine Love. After Gita ends giving the final verdict, Bhagavatam (Parama hamsyaam Samhitaayaam) begins. The first verses of Srimad Bhagavatam (Parama hamsyaam Samhitaayaam) proclaim: "dharmaH projjhita kaitavo 'tra paramo..." Completely rejecting all kinds of dharma which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. Bhagavata dharma goes beyond the worldly dharma and even liberation promised in the verse 18. 66. of Gita. tyaktvA svadharma caraNAmbujaM harer bhajan napakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vAbhadram abhUdamuSya kiM ko vArtha Apto 'bhajatAM svadharmataH (SB 1. 5. 17) Has evil ever befallen him anywhere in any womb or birth, who adores the lotus feet of Sri Hari neglecting his own 'dharma' (religious order and social duty), even if he dies at a stage when he is yet unripe in his devotion, or falls from his 'sadhana' (preparation)? On the other hand, what purpose has been achieved by those who fail to worship God, through devotion to their socalled own 'dharma'? "sa vai puMsAM paro dharmotato bhaktir adhokSaje ahaituky apratihatA yayA' 'tmA samprasIdati" "dharmA svanuSThitaH puMsAM viSvaksena kathAsu yaH notpAdayed yadi ratiM zrama eva hi kevalam" (Bhagavatam 1. 2. 6, 8) That alone is the highest Dharma of men, from which follows devotion to Sri Krishna,- a devotion which is absolutely motiveless and knows no obstruction, and as a result of which the soul realizes the All Blissful God and thus attains His Grace. A Dharma well performed is but labour lost, if it FAILS to GENERATE LOVE for the stories of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. "AJjAya ivaM guNAn doSAn mayA ' 'diSTAnapi svakAn dharmAn saMtyajyaH sarvAn mAM bhajet sa ca sattamaH" "dharmaH satya dayopeto vidyA vA tapasAnvitA madbhaktyApetam AtmAnaM na samyak prapunAti hi" (Bhagavatam 11. 11. 32 and 11. 14. 22) He who knowing the merits and demerits (of religious duty and its opposite) gives up ALL Dharma even as sanctioned by Me, and WORSHIPS Me in Love, is the BEST among sages. Dharma joined to truthfulness and compassion or learning coupled with austerity, never WHOLLY purifies the heart and mind which is DEVOID of Devotion to Me.(Lord Krishna) "tasmAt tvamuddhavot sRjya codanAM prati codanAm, pravRttaM ca nivRttaM c zrotavyaM zRtameva ca." (Bhagavatam 11.12.14) "mAmekam eva zaraNam AtmAnaM sarva dehinAm" (Bhagavatam 11.12.15) "O Uddhava! Abandon all worldly affairs and COME TO ME ALONE FOR SHELTER, because I AM THE SUPREME SOUL, the Soul of all souls. You can fearlessly be liberated from all material bondage." 'mannimittaM kRtaM pApaM maddharmAya ca kalpate mAmanAdRtya dharmo 'pi pApaM syAn matprabhAvataH' In the words of Veda Vyasa, Lord says- The SIN that is performed for MY sake is NOT sin, it is 'Dharma'. But the 'Dharma' that is PERFORMED without surrendering to Me is sin. That is why Saint Sri Tulasidasji said - 'tajyo pitA prahlAda vibhISaNa bandhu bharata mahatArI bali guru tajyo kAnta brajavantani bhe saba mangala kArI' Prahlada Maharaj left his father, prince Bharata gave up his mother, Vibhishana escaped from his brother, Ravana, Bali Maharaj ignored his guru and Gopis renounced their own husbands and family. All these Saints had become great due to their EXCLUSIVE LOVING SURRENDER to their Lord (Bhagavata Dharma). Lord Krishna said to Gopis- "O My Beloved Gopis, you have renounced social customs, scriptural injunctions and family attachments FOR MY SAKE. I disappeared from you ONLY to increase your pure love for Me. Since I have left you for your own benefit, you should not be displeased with Me." (Bhagavatam 10.32.21) Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu has described that Bhagavata dharma in detail: Oka-dharma, veda-dharma, deha-dharma karma, lajjA dhairya deha-sukha Atma-sukha marma sarvatyAga kare kare kRSNera bhajana, kRSNa-sukha hetu kare premera sevana " 'Giving up all, the prescribed righteous conduct, rules and regulations of Vedic scriptures, renouncing even ones'own bodily duties, shame,arrogance,conceit, along with the comforts of the body,mind and soul, the devotee should adore and serve Beloved Krishna. Jaya Sri Radhey! , SRI RADHA KUTIR <radhaktr@v...> wrote: > Dharma means different things to different people depending upon > their stage of evolution. It may mean religion, it may mean duty. > Duty towards oneself, duty towards family, duty towards community > one lives in, duty towards the nation and so on and so forth. > > But the ultimate Dharma for a human being is to work for one's > salvation i.e. to get out of the cycle of birth and death once > for all, This is also the goal of human existence. Whatever has > to be done to achieve this goal, from the present state of one's > evolution, is one's Sadhana. > > God Bless, > radhakutir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.