Dharma Adharma And Swadharma

Poornima Coontoor engages in an enlightening conversation with her Vedantin uncle, who clearly delineates the spiritual principles that govern human life

- Poornima Coontoor

The Universe is a delicately balanced class act that has been running with clockwork precision for millennia. Earth is our only home—the ecosystem that sustains and protects us and is so critical to the survival of our species. Yet we plunder it for the sake of mindless consumerism. How dare we!”

“We dare because we are arrogant and ignorant,” said a deep voice from behind me. I hadn’t realised that I had spoken these words of despair aloud and was startled to hear this response. I turned around to see my uncle sitting in his favourite armchair. He was a Vedantic scholar, recently retired as the dean of a premier Sanskrit college in Kerala. (Vedanta is a part of ancient scriptures called the Vedas, on whose tenets is based Sanatana Dharma— or Hinduism, as it is commonly known). Prof, as we referred to him, was now staying with us in Bengaluru to attend a family wedding. He continued, “Man is arrogant because he thinks he is superior to other species and is ignorant of manushya dharma, because of which he brings about his own devastation.”

I eagerly pulled up a chair and sat near him. “Tell me more. What is manushya dharma?”

“This is a vast subject, so I’ll try to answer as briefly as possible, with reference to Vedanta.

First, tell me, what do you understand by the term ‘dharma’?” asked Prof.

Dharma

“ ‘Dharma’ is a term generally used to refer to various facets of life, like religion or faith, righteous action, morality, and suchlike.”