Dharma
idea · 14 works · 52 mentions · 131 anchored passages
dharma · righteousness · *dharma* · duty · righteous duty · sacred law · Dharmashastra · adharma · ancient dharma · cosmic law
in the texts
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa
Righteous duty, invoked repeatedly as the standard governing ritual conduct and Viśvāmitra's appeal to Daśaratha.
The time of the sacrifice will not pass beyond its due limit, O Rāghava;
'Let the sacrifice be performed for me, O brāhmaṇa, as has been prescribed, O foremost of sages.
Having honoured them, the righteous-souled King Daśaratha then spoke these gentle words full of dharma and purpose:
Manusmṛti
Righteousness or sacred law, established at creation, subject to decline across the four ages, and embodied especially in the Brahmana and in rule of conduct.
In the Kṛta age, the highest Dharma is *tapas*;
The very birth of a Brāhmaṇa is an eternal incarnation of Dharma;
In the Kṛta age, Dharma is four-footed and complete, and so is truth;
The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana
Religious/moral duty, the first of the three aims of life (trivarga).
Dharma should be learnt from the Shruti (Holy Writ), and from those conversant with it.
, Dharma, Artha, and Kama come together, the former is better than the one which follows it, *i.
Thus a man practising Dharma, Artha and Kama enjoys happiness both in this world and in the world to come.
Bṛhaspati Smṛti
The foundational concept of righteous duty and sacred law underlying and superseding legal procedure, custom, and royal edict.
1 --> Formerly, men were devoted to *dharma* and non-violent;
By *dharma*, by legal procedure, by custom, and by the king's edict;
in an investigation devoid of reasoning, a failure of *dharma* occurs.
Slokantara
Righteousness, sacred duty, and moral law, treated as the central regulative concept of the text.
[Slo_01j§4] So it is with *dharma*.
If there is no mind for *dharma*, it is called *mahāniraya*.
Therefore, one should practice *dharma* alone, not neglecting the opportunity of being human.
Yājñavalkya Smṛti
Sacred law, duty, and righteous conduct — the central organizing concept of the entire text.
Declare to us in their entirety the `*dharma*`[1] of the `*varṇa*`s,[2] the life-stages, and the others.
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*`.
The stage of life is not the cause of `*dharma*`;
Rigveda
Sacred law/ordinance under whose lord all people steady themselves.
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.
Āṅgirasa Smṛti
Dharma, the concept of religious/moral law and duty that structures the entire legal-ritual text.
And by four instruments, the eternal *dharma* (धर्म) has been proclaimed.
On their death anniversaries, one should always perform charity, acts of *dharma* (धर्म), and so on.
the one who is born is superior to the one who was given, according to *dharma* (धर्म), in all rites.
Kātyāyana Smṛti
Sacred law, righteousness, and duty; the highest normative authority governing king, court, and legal procedure.
Where supersession occurs otherwise, there sacred law is violated.
Therefore, that should be followed, and one should not act otherwise.
Therefore, a king should settle matters in accordance with the sacred texts.
Kunjarakarna Dharmakathana
The supreme teaching/law taught by the Jina, encompassing right practice, wisdom, and the path to release.
He came to me and heard the true, supreme *dharma*.
This lotus pond of the good *dharma* is the sacred means of release.
"The good *dharma* is like a lake you create through your austerities.
Nāradasmṛti
The overarching moral-legal order of truth and duty; the ultimate standard against which legal procedure, custom, and royal edict are measured.
Therein, Dharma is based on truth;
otherwise, it remains with its splinter.
That is not Dharma in which there is no truth.
Parāśara Smṛti
Righteous duty and cosmic law, the central organizing concept of the entire text.
how then can I declare the *dharma*?
After saying, "All is well," Vyāsa then asked:
Those of Garga, Gautama, and also those remembered from Uśanas;
Viṣṇu Smṛti
Righteous duty/law, praised both as the abstract moral companion that survives death and as the subject of this Dharmashastra text itself
The source text reads *nābhirājo* (नाभिराजो).
*Dharma* alone follows him, wherever he may go;
> This excellent Dharmaśāstra was spoken by the god himself;
Vrhaspatitattva
Righteous duty, one of the four functions of buddhi, defined by good conduct, sacrifice, austerity, charity, renunciation, and yoga; leads to heaven and divine birth.
*Dharma* is:
> Through *dharma*, one goes to heaven;
> And yoga, in brief, is the one determination of *dharma*.