Dharma is a duty. We are humans. We live in Society. We are sons and daughters. It is our duty to serve our parents and elders. That is family duty. You may have friends. To help your friends is your duty. That is friendship duty. There are many people, birds and animals living around us. To be helpful to them is our duty. It is human duty. Bharat is our country. To keep our country free, safe and prosperous is our duty. It is called "De-hah-Dharma" or "Rashtra-dharma". We are Citizens, and we act as Citizens, that is called our duty as a citizen. For our own body and life we must strive to maintain good health, study, start earning when we grow up, that is our duty towards ourselves. So, we have so many different duties, which are called dharma. The above mentioned dharmas are related to our body. Our soul has been separated from God. Hence it becomes our duty to seek God and be reunited with him. It is called 'Atma-dharma". It is true Dharma.
How did word 'dharma' originate? What does it mean?
The word 'dharma' belongs to the Sanskrit language. It is derived from 'duru'. Duru means to bear, to hold, to own. In Sanskrit dharma is elucidated as 'Dharanat dharma'. That which is permanently bearing in one's life is called dharma. Our two main dharmas are
- Dharma towards mankind and
- Dharma towards God.
To have compassion and to be helpful towards all
living beings is our dharma to mankind.
To be engaged in the service of God and recitation of God's glory is our
dharma towards God.
In other languages which are used for 'dharma'? Could you, please elaborate on its meanings ?
In English it is 'Religion'. It is derived from the Latin language and its main meaning is 'to join - to unite a separated relationship. 'The atma (soul) has been separated from Parmatma (God) many thousand years ago. That relationship can be reunited by dharma, that is through religion means dharma.
In Arabic it is called 'Islam'. Its main meaning is peace That which gives us eternal peace. Only dharma brings peace to man.
In Chinese the word is 'Tao". It means the rituals and religious practices in relation to the soul. The rites practiced in order to attain God head-Parmatatma.
In Japanese the word is 'Shinto'- which means the Godly path- The path to the eternal. All these words say the same thing. Our main dharma is to attain self-relation to God-head.
How many dharmas are there in the world ?
There is no determine number. The African tribals and the people of poleregious also have their own dharma. But the main ones are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Chinese, Tao and Zen of Japanese. In addition to which our country also has Jainism, Buddhism and Sikkhism.