3. Elements of Sadharana Dharma

In reality sadharana dharmas are virtues whose possession makes a human being a perfect specimen of his /her own kind. There are many sadharana dharmas commonly accepted by most writers on dharma, but among them all, ahimsa undoubtedly has the pride of place. Also in the Mahabharata particularly ‘Santiparva’ it proclaims the glory of ahimsa. It states that ahimsa is the ultimate law. It is the great penance, it is great truth and all social security and human justice based on it. Duties have been laid down for maintaining the various relations of the world. There are two things here, viz, abstention from injury and injury done with righteous motives. Of these two that which brings in righteousness is preferable.^[1]

Refusal to take what is not given, gift, study of sacred books, penance abstention from injury, truth, freedom from anger, and adoration of the Gods in sacrifices these are marks of virtue.

ahimsa paramo dharmah ahimsa param tapah
ahimsa param satyam tato dharmah pravartate.^[2]

“This principle points out when people will realize the use of arms and ammunitions is useless, they will also realize that salvation come through non-violence and not through violence”.

Ahimsa is considered a very great virtue even outside the Hindu tradition. The Buddhist saying that ahimsa is the highest dharma. In the Gita ahimsa occupies an important virtue. It is described as originating from the lord. It is a virtue of divine man.

It is a form of penance of the body.

devadvijaguruprajna pujanam saucamarjavam
brahmacaryam ahimsaca sariram tapa uchyate (xviii,14 )

“The worship of the God, of the twice-born, of teachers and of the wise, purity, uprightness, continence and non-violence, this is said to be the penance of the body”.

“It was observed that there are differing accounts of sadharana dharmas in the different law books or Dharmasastras of the Hindus. There are many sadharana dharmas commonly accepted by most writers on dharma. But among them all, ahimsa undoubtedly has the pride of place. Ahimsa is considered a very great virtue even outside the Hindu tradition. The Buddhist saying that ahimsa is the highest dharma”.

Austerity is another prescribed dharma of the Gita. There are various forms of austerities. This quality enables one to face the ups and downs of life and helps one to remain dogged and steadfast in one’s endeavors. Without this quality one become restless and remain ever dissatisfied bewildered by many a fancy, and caught up in the web of delusion.

To avoid such a situation the only answer is tapas or the penance.

anudvegakaram vakyam satyam priyahltam ca yat
svadhyaya bhyasanam cai’ va vanmayam tapa ucyate (xvii,15 ).

“The utterance of words which gives no offence, which is truthful, pleasant and beneficial and the regular recitation of the veda-this is said to be the penance of speech”.

Therefore it is of paramount importance for us to be truthful in word and deed in order to be divine. Seeking and aiming at truth, practicing and experiencing truth, truth in thought and conviction makes a person divine. Others of demoniac traits practice only falsehood.

They consider the entire universe as unreal and without any basis,

‘asatyam apratistham te jagad-ahur anishvaram’ (xvi.8).

The universe is unreal, they say, is without any moral basis and without any God.

Cleanliness (sauca) is yet another universal duty binding on all human beings. This cleanliness is twofold: internal or mental (variously referred to as citta sudhhi, manas suddhi and antaranga suddhi) and external or physical (bahya suddhi, bahiranga suddhi). Whether someone is a king or a commoner, both these kinds of purity must be cultivated. The human mind gets affected by qualities like greed and miserlines (lobha), jealousy (atsamrya), pride (mada), infatuation (moha), hatred (dvesa), anger (krodha), infatuation (moha) and so on. To get rid of them inner cleanliness has been highly valued at all times in Indian culture. As for external cleanliness, Kautilya in his Arthasastra says that epidemics are caused by the collective adharma or sin of not observing cleanliness whenever and whenever a large number of people come together. Cleanliness of the body, mind, and thoughts is very essential for a person engaged in the pursuit of self-realization. It is described in the Gita, chapter xvii, verses 14-15-16. Mental cleanliness cannot be achieved without glorifying the Supreme Lord, and engaging the mind, senses in the service of the Lord. These acts will purify one from the accumulated dust of material desires and thoughts. Purity is the second nature of the divine person.

In contrast to those who are of evil disposition has neither purity nor good conduct,

‘na saucam na-pi cha acharah’ (xvi.7).

Control over sense organs (indriya nigraha) is still another dharma endorsed in the Gita:

manahprasadah saumyatvam maunam atmavinigrahah
bhavasamsuddhir ity etat tapo manasam ucyate (xviii,16 ).

“Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and the purity of mind-this is called penance of mind. Control over senses is an important step in yoga. One must be the master of one’s senses and not their slave. For, if they get out of control, one becomes ‘ugra karmanah’ (xvi, 9) men of fierce of deeds. That would lead one to destruction. If one cannot control senses, one is prone to think of sense-objects all the time and a chain of cause and effect follows, viz, attachment, desire, anger, delusion, confused memory, loss of reason, loss of wisdom and finally the destruction (ii, 6263)”.

Contentment (dhriti) is another universal dharma prescribed for all. There is no limit to desires and their multiplication. Dhriti or contentment is both tolerance and fortitude. This trait is developed by having poise and equilibrium in the face of all ups and downs of life.

It has been stated that one should not waver in the face of one’s duty:

‘svadharmam–api-cha-vekshya na vikampitum-arhasi’ (ii, 31).

Tolerance and fortitude are imbibed only if actions are performed with mind firmly fixed in yoga.

‘yogasthah kuru karmani sangam tyakhtva dhananjaya’ (ii.48).

Those with demoniac traits are naturally of wavering mind: ‘aneka-citta–vibhrantah’ (xv, 16).

dhrtya yaya dharayate manahpranendriyakriyah
yogena'vyabhicarinya dhrtih sa partha sattviki (xviii,33).

“The unwavering steadiness by which, through concentration, one controls the activities of the mind, the life breaths and the senses, that, O Partha (Arjuna) is of the nature of “goodness”.

Charity (dana) is another sadharana dharma which is glorified in Indian culture. An ordinary Indian firmly believes even today that charity brings in great merit (punya). In classical India it was a common practice to periodically give away everything that had been accumulated for some time and completely empties the store house. Charity is an considered as cherishable virtue because it is not only a way of helping others who are in need, but also helps in getting rid of excessive wealth to which there is always a real danger of becoming attached. In the Gita Giving alms is a virtue. Divine people are described as those who help others physically, monetarily as also by giving good counsel. A wealthy virtuous person gives alms but the foolish pride their wealth and covets for more. Sharing is a divine trait and those who are evil cook for themselves: ‘te pachanti atma karaana’ (iii, 13) .

One more commonly accepted dharma is self control (dama). This is contrary to the natural human tendency towards controlling others. A person controlling oneself is incapable of causing harm either to oneself or to others. This is the reason why in the classical tradition self-control is considered as of very high value and anyone who is an adept at it is regarded as a saint and a holy person. Control over senses is an important step in yoga. One must be the master of one’s senses and not their slave. For, if they get out of control, we become ‘ugra karmanahh’ (xvi, 9) ‘men of fierce deeds’. That would lead us to destruction. If one cannot control one’s senses, we are prone to think of senseobjects all the time and a chain of cause and effect follows, viz, attachment, desire, anger, delusion, confused memory, loss of reason, loss of wisdom and finally the destruction (ii, 62-63).

Fearlessnesss (abhayam [abhaya]) is the primary quality for the one born for divine state. One has to be fearless in the face of death, dejection, pain, defeat, disrespect, and all other pitfalls of the human existence, for the Gita proclaims ‘samatvam yoga uchyate’ (ii.48)-equilibrium alone is yoga. This equilibrium can be achieved by being fearless in the face of all odds. And fearlessness can be achieved by complete surrender unto the

Krishna who is bound by his divine promise,

‘tesham nityabhi-yukhtanam yogakshemam vahami-aham’ (ix, 22).

“I provide gain and security to all those who are ever devout to me”.

So when He has taken full responsibility for our security where is the question of our fearing at all. Vinoba Bhave believes that Gita teaches fearlessness which is a silent characteristic of sthitiprajna.

Forgiveness (ksama) is a weapon of the strong. Those who are strong physically, mentally, and spiritually and yet forgive others show that they are imbibed with divine qualities. The Pauranic story wherein it is stated that Bhrigu hit Vishnu with his foot is an excellent example of forgiveness.Vishnu not only did not retaliate, but instead asked Brighu if his foot was not hurt. This quality places one in an exalted position. Compared to this is the trait of the evil. They are revengeful and carry hatred for their adversities to the hilt. They always think of ill and of destroying others ‘ksheyaya jagato-ahitah’ (xvi, 9).

Firmness (jnana-yoga vyavasthitih) is the characteristics of a steadfast person that has been enumerated in the second chapter of the Gita. Such a person is unperturbed in adversity, unattached in pleasure and unaffected by good or bad.

This in effect is the exalted state at which the bewilderedment vanishes.

esa brahmi sthitih partha nai'nam prapya vimuhyati
sthitva'syam antakale'pi brahmanirvanam rcchati (ii,72 )

“This is the divine state (brahmisthiti) O Partha (Arjuna), having attained thereto, one is (not again) bewildered;fixed in that state at the end one can attain to the bliss of God (brahmanirvana)”.

To attain this position one has to be in full control of one’s senses. The Gita says:

pravrttim ca niivrttim ca jana na vidur asurah
na saucam na pi ca'caro na satyam tesu vidyate (xvi, 7).

“The demoniac do not know about the way of action or thee way of renunciation. Neither purity, nor good conduct, nor truth is found in them”.

Natimanata or Absence of pride and hot-headedness, it also can be considered as a dharma as its opposite is suggested to be discarded. It is the demoniac who are ‘dambha-mana-madanvitah’ (xvi, 10), full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Santiparva, 15, 49.

[2]:

Santiparva, 36,10.