Dharma Vahini - Post 32

Dear All,

In the concluding chapter, Swami deals with pre-requisites of following a dharmic path and certain qualities / attributes necessary for a dharmic person.

Swami gives 3 stages in pursuit of Dharma

Three stages to knowledge of dharma

“The knowledge of dharma is reached in three stages:

(1) You must receive training under wise people (vidwans), who are also imbued with dharma.

(2) You must aspire to attain self-purification (Atmasuddhi) and truth (sathya).

(3) You must realize the value of knowledge of the Vedas (Veda-vidya), the voice of God (Parameswara).

When these three are completed, then one understands the truth and how that truth is to be separated from untruth. This

enquiry into truth has to be done in amity and cooperation; all must be equally eager to discover it for the benefit of all. 

Everyone’s opinion must be tested on the touchstone of dharma, of universal good (sarva-lokahitha). The principles that pass this test have to be specially kept apart, used and spread in the world for the advancement of human welfare. By this means, all will develop joy and happiness in equal measure.”

“All are the same (samithih samaani)”, says the scripture. All have the same claim for spiritual wisdom (jnana) and for the means of attaining it, like education. Therefore, all must do noble and pure deeds.”

Swami continues,

The discipline of truth (sathya)

"If you are careless about the discipline of truth, every duty laid on you by dharma and every action prompted by dharma will hang heavy as a burden. Search for the reality behind all these phenomena and that search will make all dharmic actions light and pleasant. 

The Lord has shaped people so that they are inclined toward God and is delighted at the expansion of their vision and happy when they are moral and virtuous. So, people must serve their best interests by adhering to their basic nature, by concentrating on Brahman, by cultivating truth, and by practicing dharma.

Truth has to be sought and tested by all the canons of reasoning. The discipline consists of:

1. The heroism to observe dharma rigorously (ojas).
   
2. Fearless self-control (tejas).
    
3. The discarding of all feelings of joy or sorrow at the ups and downs of life, with equanimity.
    
4. Having unshakable faith in truth and dharma (sahana).
    
5. Mental and physical health of the most excellent kind, earned by discipline and celibacy (bala).
    
6. The desire and ability to speak sweetly and straight, won by the practice of truth and love.
   
7. Withdrawal of the five senses of wisdom (jnanendriyas) and the five senses of action (karmendriyas) from vice and sin and the sublimation of all the senses for the service of truth (indriya-moha).
    
8. The winning of the overlordship of all the worlds by the self-won domination of the inner world.
    
9. The destruction of one’s prejudices and the pursuit of truth at all times (dharma).

The prayer one has to make is, “May all this be conferred on me” as found in the “Chamaka hymn”.

Dharma brings good to all; it confers bliss (ananda) here and hereafter. It is essential that all humanity today see the glory of this universal dharma. 

Love.