Dharma

And King Daśaratha, desirous of performing the sacrifice and knowledgeable in dharma, will choose with joined palms that best of twice-born, Ṛśyaśṛṅga.

Having honoured them, the righteous-souled King Daśaratha then spoke these gentle words full of dharma and purpose:

If you desire the attainment of dharma and supreme and lasting fame in this world, O lord of kings, you ought to give Rāma to me.

Thus the sages, seeing that the course of Dharma proceeds from the rule of conduct, accepted the rule of conduct as the highest root of all *tapas*.

The rule of conduct is the highest Dharma, declared in both *Śruti* and *Smārta*;

And in order to distinguish actions, he separated Dharma (righteousness) from non-Dharma, and he yoked these creatures with the pairs of opposites, such as pleasure and pain.

Dharma should be learnt from the Shruti (Holy Writ), and from those conversant with it.

*Dharma* is obedience to the command of the Shastra or Holy Writ of the Hindoos to do certain things, such as the performance of sacrifices, which are not generally done because they do not belong to this world, and produce no visible effect;

, Dharma, Artha, and Kama come together, the former is better than the one which follows it, *i.

The king, together with his ministers and family priest, should examine legal disputes according to the treatise on *dharma* for the protection of his subjects, being free from anger and greed, truthful and self-controlled.

in an investigation devoid of reasoning, a failure of *dharma* occurs.

in case of a conflict between the two, what is stated in the treatise on *dharma* must be done.

There is no *dharma* (*dharma* is read as *dhama* in the Romanized edition and *dharmma* in the Balinese edition) greater than truth.

Let this *dharma* (righteousness, sacred duty) be heard by those who wish to know the preeminence among humankind.

Therefore, one should practice *dharma* alone, not neglecting the opportunity of being human.

Revelation (the Vedas), tradition (the Smṛtis), the conduct of the virtuous, what is pleasing to one's own self, and desire born of right resolve—this is declared to be the root of `*dharma*`.

Declare to us in their entirety the `*dharma*`[1] of the `*varṇa*`s,[2] the life-stages, and the others.

For the sake of `*dharma*`, sesame may be sold for an equal amount of grain.

All people have steadied themselves in the sacred vow of him who is the lord of Dharma, of him who purifies himself, the lord of abundant wealth.

And by four instruments, the eternal *dharma* (धर्म) has been proclaimed.

the one who is born is superior to the one who was given, according to *dharma* (धर्म), in all rites.

Having bowed to the universal form, the God who is Lord of the three worlds, Aṅgiras spoke this for the sake of revealing *dharma* (धर्म).

## Deliberation on the Relative Strength of Sacred Law, Legal Procedure, Custom, and Royal Edicts

A king should be disciplined, well-versed in the sacred texts, possessed of a full treasury and valor, devoted to Brāhmaṇas, charitable, and dedicated to truth and *Dharma* (sacred law, righteousness, and duty).

When, in a dispute, the wrongdoer admits his action and the owner of the wealth obtains his property, that decision is made by sacred law (*Dharma*) alone.

That is the reason, all you excellent gods, You must hold to the supreme *dharma*, for its power is divine.

Clearly, the abode of the gods and the celestial women are the property of one who practices the good *dharma*.

If a person is blind with ignorance, no different from darkness in the night, And knows no way, but wishes to know the proper path of what to reject and accept, It is proper to teach him the beneficial meaning, the right path of the *dharma* and the highest truths.

Where Dharma is slain by adharma, and truth by untruth, while the court assessors look on, they too are slain there.

Dharma, legal procedure, custom, and royal edict—this legal procedure has four feet;

When men were devoted solely to Dharma and were speakers of truth, then there was no legal procedure, nor hatred, nor envy.

*Ācāra* (proper conduct) is the protector of *dharma* for all four *varṇas*.

O son of Satyavatī, please tell us in full the *dharma* (righteous duty and cosmic law) that is beneficial for mankind in the present Kali *yuga* (cosmic age), as well as the rules of purity and conduct.

Then all those sages, who longed to understand the true principles of *dharma*, putting Vyāsa at their head, went to the hermitage of Badarikā.

Seeing the world without a protector and relatives dying, O men, always choose *dharma* alone for your companion.

*Dharma* alone follows him, wherever he may go;

> This excellent Dharmaśāstra was spoken by the god himself;

If *dharma* is produced by the intellect, that is the cause of returning to heaven.

> Through *dharma*, one goes to heaven;

> And yoga, in brief, is the one determination of *dharma*.