P 106 107 How to Get Happiness and Peace?
14. March 2022P 117 120 Dharma Protects the Protector
[1] Dharma is defined variously as the cosmic order that upholds the universe; righteousness, religious duty. “Dharma only destroys those that destroy it. Dharma protects those that protect it.” This is one of the most renowned and widely used Sanskrit ślokas in Hindu culture and tradition. It is mentioned in Mahabharata and Manusmriti (8.15).
(Gist of a discourse which Śṛīcaraṇ Guru Dev gave in Prāyag in March, 1946)
It is a noble principle that for one who is devoted to the protection of dharma by his behaviour (i.e. follows the laws of dharma), dharma in turn takes care of him with all kinds of protection.
The essential nature of dharma is precisely expressed through laws and principles.
Every object of the universe is created, sustained and destroyed on the basis of these undoubtful laws.
It is not as though something or other comes into being sometime in some uncertain way and gets destroyed at an undetermined point of time.
Every single action in the whole universe is based on these laws that have no beginning and no end, because that which governs the creating, sustaining and final destruction of the world cannot be said to have a beginning or an end.
The basis of all these laws without beginning and ending, and without any steersman, cannot be any ignorant being, but only an omniscient and almighty one.
Therefore the universal organizer –– being the basis of dharma which is expressed through these laws without beginning and end –– is the almighty paramātmā only.
Thus, dharma is a divine arrangement only. It is natural that the supporters of the divine arrangement in the form of dharma get all kinds of welfare and those neglecting it will be disgraced.
Hence the ancient śloka “Dharma only destroys those that destroy it. Dharma protects those that protect it.” This eternal principle was always the firm belief of the noble, dharma loving people.
Observance of these principles –– without beginning and ending in the form of dharma of the eternal paramatma –– happens quite naturally both in the inanimate material world and in the zest-born conscious world of animals etc. On the other hand, for the action-oriented class of human beings, observing (these laws of dharma) and reaching the highest goal of man (puruṣārtha) is basically dependant on his acting as a free and authoritative agent.
In fact, the limited human intellect cannot grasp all these eternal endless laws of omniscient, omnipotent paramātmā, who upholds, nourishes and promotes both the whole inert and conscious world.
But having gained genuine knowledge of its beneficial principles (relating to human beings), i.e. his own dharma, man really can get all kinds of abundant benefits – there is no doubt about it.
The vedas, which are not of human origin, give the orientation in sūtra form of all these eternal principles in its mantra and brāhmaṇa section. These rules are extensively revealed in the scriptures on dharma based on the vedas of not human origin.
These scriptures contain detailed accounts of all the special rules for common and uncommon duties for the progress of human society.
Such rules include the common laws comprising speaking truth, non violence, non stealing etc. They are in the same way beneficial to men of all countries and at all times. The description of the rules comprising special laws are purposive and beneficial according to country, time and person.
Within the vast field of special laws the socio-religious duties for Hindu-born people of the four castes and stages of life are said to be beneficial. The very observance of these special laws will bestow all kinds of prosperity for Indian people and their neglect will definitely be inauspicious.
Dazzled by the outside illusion of the civilisation and the culture of the residents of some foreign country, people today neglect the superior and eternal principles of the dharma of the caste and life stages constituting the social order, which are based on the vedas which are not of human origin. These are harbingers of the destruction of Hindu culture and society, and display the inauspicious future of the country.
India today is suffering from the afflictions of meagerness, poverty, dependence etc.
The only reason for this is that observing of dharma of social order and stages of life has become diluted.
In most cases the brahmins are not endowed with peace, contentment, austerity and strength. They are not real brahmins. The kṣatriyas are no longer full of bright energy, no longer more prosperous of fire and power. They are no longer real kṣatriya. The vaiśyas are no longer vaiśyas. And now also the shudras have deviated from their stages of life and made victims of the western culture. They lost faith and esteem in their actions according to the scriptures.
In this way the system of social order has gotten messy and the duties of each stage of life has became diluted.
The brahmacarya stage, which was the firm basis of the rest of human life, is vanishing due to deficient education. This is exactly why people in human society are weak and powerless due to lack of vigour and bright energy. In this way the nation has become vigourless and without power, by disregarding the dharma of caste and life stages.
If an intelligent man thoroughly examines the ancient scriptures on dharma and tries to understand their real sacred content with impartial intention, then he will inevitably come to the conviction that only by the concordance of the dharma-controlled system of the four castes and the four stages of life can the abundance of all kind of welfare and prosperity for the Indian society and country be upheld.
Man gets prosperity only by following his own dharma –– that´s an eternal principle. Lord Kṛiṣṇa has said very distinctly in the Gita. It is even auspicious to die following one’s own dharma –
“Death is better while engaged in one´s own dharma; another´s dharma is fraught with fear.” (Bhagavad Gita 3.35)
The dharma of someone else is dangerous for oneself (this is always the reason for decline). Only the ancient scriptures provide the right understanding of one’s own dharma and that of others. Therefore Bhagavan has said –
“Ignoring the scriptural instructions, he who acts willfully, he does not attain success, nor happiness, nor the excellent goal.”
Therefore the scripture is your authority in the matter of determining what is to be done and what is not to be done.
After understanding actions as presented by the scriptural instructions, perform (your duty) here. (Bhagavad Gita 16.23 – 24).
The person who neglects the rules of the ancient scriptures and acts by his own will will neither attain perfection, nor happiness and nor will he reach his highest goal. Hence, oh Arjuna!
The scriptures alone are the means of knowledge regarding what to do or not to do in one´s situation. Having understood this one should only perform actions which are prescribed by the rules of the śāstras.
The visible form of dharma are indeed the rules of the scriptures on dharma; it is therefore said that those who ignore their own dharma according the rules written in the scriptures are bound to downfall and those who support them will gain all kinds of protection and welfare.