Dharma is not a sampradaya, cult; panth, path; or a mind-created religion. Dharma is the guna, attribute, Nature has bestowed on every creation — matter and being. The guna of salt is saltiness; it remains salty even if it is washed or crushed. A sandalwood tree has a unique fragrance, fruits have their distinct flavours and juices — their guna, dharma, which cannot be altered.
Man is also created by Nature, so he has to be true to his particular gunas. The dharma of man is to manifest divine qualities, be compassionate, and create beauty and harmony all around. And he is equipped with the intelligence to be thoughtful, sensitive, concerned and considerate about the welfare of all.
A child, by nature, will smile at others and reach out to play even if someone approaches him with maligned intentions. That child-like simplicity and trust form the basic nature of every being. These are sanatan, natural qualities, the guna dharma, as stated in the Bhagwad Gita. To remind, resurrect and establish this, avatars manifest from time to time. They lead by being an example so that man does not lose his manavta – humanity.
The dharma of man is shashwat, sanatan satya – eternal and perpetual truth. Human-created religions usually enslave one to certain ideologies and philosophies. Real dharma is true spirituality that directs and propels one on the path of growth and evolution.
Man is made of five elements, and the qualities of these are to be reflected in the conduct of the being. These qualities are basic instincts, gunas, that form the manav or human dharma, which need not be soiled by mind tactics. Religious followers take pride in belonging to a particular religion, and being a real and good human is not their focus.
Each religion has adopted a fraction of the pure manav dharma. The Buddhism lay emphasis on compassion; Christianity on service; Islam on honest earnings; and Hinduism on karma. However, Sanatan Dharma has only one law — imperfection has to go. It directs that everyone should be helped and, guided to live and blossom according to their individuality, attributes and basic specificity, nature and disposition. It is based on the principle that supports and governs the whole Universe, and regulates all its components for constant growth, following the cycle of creation, perfection and destruction.
The gunvatta, quality of human, needs to be refined and maintained. This is the truth of the eternal Sanatan Dharma. So much effort is made to maintain and improve the qualities of other species. People want pure-bred pets, but is anyone concerned about the quality of the human species?
While the body is purified by water, mind by the truth, intellect by jnana, the soul gets purified by Sanatan Dharma so as to get merged with Absolute Reality – Supreme.
Meena Om
