Dharma, religion and ideology

In the Bhagvadgita 4.7, Sri Krishna says, “Whenever there is a decline in dharma and an increase in adharma, O Arjun, at that time I manifest Myself on earth.” To grasp Sri Krishna’s full meaning, we have to understand the meaning of the term ‘dharma’.

Though dharma is used extensively in Hinduism and Buddhism, dharma is the most elusive word to translate into any non-Indic language, especially English. According to Buddha, whatever leads to peace, humility, control of desire, love of solitude, earnest striving after moral and spiritual progress, and easy pacification of mind, is dharma. Terms like righteousness, good conduct, duty, noble quality, etc, only describe an aspect of its meaning.

In the English language, the terms that come close to the notion of dharma are religion and ideology. Singular religious adherence is the main feature of religion. For example, it is not possible to simultaneously be a follower of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. This exclusivity is a definitional marker of the Western concept of religion.

Similar exclusivity is the definitional marker of the notion of ideology. It also subscribes to the doctrine of singular vision. It is not possible to be a capitalist and a communist simultaneously.

Both religion and ideology consist of a systematic body of concepts relating to human life or culture. The feature that distinguishes religion from ideology is that while religion admits to a transcendental dimension, ideology does not.

Dharma, on the other hand, shares many features of religion, but does not share the property of exclusivism with it. Similarly, dharma, though shares many features of ideology, also differs from it as it possesses a transcendental dimension as well. Ideology, as we have argued above, does not have any; rather, it rejects any transcendental commitment.

Likewise, dharma cannot be translated as laws because “it is more than laws, for it is what underlies laws and forms the bedrock of laws in the universe. Basic to dharma is the order called reeta or law pervasive in the universe”. So, while the notion of dharma is easy to comprehend, it is very difficult to define and translate.

The difficulty in understanding and translating ‘dharma’ is further compounded by the fact that there are two kinds of dharma — material dharma and spiritual dharma. These two kinds of dharma are based upon two different understandings of the atman or the “self”. When we identify ourselves as the body, then our dharma is determined by our bodily designations, obligations, duties, and norms. Hence, serving the bodily parents, and fulfilling the responsibilities to society, nation, etc, are all bodily dharma. This is also called apara dharma or material dharma. This includes varna-dharmas like the dharma as a Brahmin, Kshatriya, etc.

However, when we identify ourselves as the soul, we have no material designations of varna (social class) and ashrama (status in life). The soul’s father, mother, friend, beloved, and resting place are all God. Hence, our one and only dharma becomes loving, devotional service to God. This is also called para dharma or spiritual dharma. In this sense, the dharma of the soul is to love God. It is like the central law of our being.

— The writer is former professor of philosophy, Delhi University