What is Dharma?
This is a very interesting question and can often mislead people. Different countries have different Dharmas and different cultures have different Dharmas. Different situations will have different Dharma; so, the question that arises is – What Dharma should one follow?
Let us take the example of two people under contract. If the situation is that of marriage – two individuals marry with an unspoken understanding of how to live together. If one follows what the understanding is, then he/she is following the Dharma. When one does not follow the understanding, he/she goes into Adharma.
When both husband and wife come to a higher realization as they discover higher truths, then their Dharmas will also change. The same Dharma which was held earlier as ‘to be done’ need not to be done, once both of them mutually come to an understanding of a new Dharma.
You be concerned with you own values which you live for, and follow your own values which you stand for, is called Swadharma.
In other words if you are truthful to your own Self: if you plan to do, say what you do, and do what you say – Manasa, Vacha, Kaya, then you are in Dharma. (As long as you are true to yourself in Dharma, the moment you say something and do something else then you are in Adharma.)
A simple barometer to know whether you are in Dharma or Adharma is to see if whatever you are doing is for the benefit of others then you are in Dharma. If whatever you do is for selfish reasons, it will be Adharma.
Any action or thought which is wishing well for others is auto-matically in Universal Dharma; because the truth is – we are all connected but experience other-wise; any action which reinforces togetherness of all is in tune with the Universal Dharma of universal brotherhood.
