Basic HTML Version
he remains dependent upon the sun. The role of Vedas is similar
to that of the sun albeit in the inner intellectual domain where
man must exhibit greater perseverance to dispel the darkness
of untrue knowledge, which leads to pains and agonies of much
greater proportions. Let us hope that the humanity will benefit
from the Vedas as much as it benefits from the sun, both having
been created by the most benevolent and merciful God. As long
as man followed the path shown by the Vedas in the ancient
India, the life was at its brightest zenith. When India deviated
from the path of Vedas about 6000 years ago, her downfall
began. Since India was the lighthouse for the entire world, it
is seen that the humanity too has been in miserable condition
in the last few thousand years.
Dharma
and Religion:
Indians can be proud of the word
dharma
that the languages of other countries do not quite have
a word of this kind. The non-Indian languages have the word
corresponding to religion and it is interesting to see that Indian
languages do not quite have a word for religion. In loose sense,
both the words
dharma
and religion are interchangeably used
in the present times though. But their meanings are very
different. Like science,
dharma
is rational and scientific. So,
it is acceptable to the entire humanity like science is. Jr even
goes beyond science because it pertains to spirit too while
science restricts itself to matter alone. In other words,
dharma
can be described as spiritual science, or scientific religion.
Indeed,
dharma
is the way of life entire humanity can follow.
What code of conduct we can follow and would like others to
follow would be included in
dharma. Dharma
will naturally
include truthfulness, not hurting others, not to steal others'
property, not to view people of opposite gender with lust, and
not to collect things beyond legitimate requirement
(satya,
ahithsa, asteya, brahmacarya
and
aparigraha) —
Patailjali
included these five characteristics in his classic Yoga-Dariana
as the five members of
yama.
Everybody in the world would
3