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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00048 Mar 2004

 
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Dear Mohan and Madhusudhanan, 

Adiyen Varadan would like to add few comments on what
is dharma, how to find out one's dharma, how to
practise and also on the question on forgiveness.

1. Dharma means one's own nature i.e actions in
accordance with one's nature.

2. There are two aspects - svadharma (own nature) and
paradharma (opposed to one's own nature) and Bagavad
Gita emphatically declares one to do svadharma
and to eschew paradharma. 

3. The first verse of Gita starts with dharma and the
last verse ends with mama (mine). So what one's dharma
is, how to do etc is what the whole Gita about. 

4. Also there the Lord says - dharma virudhho
bhoodeshu kamosmi baradharshaba - I am the desires not
opposed to dharma, in the beings (Ch 7 - 11)

5. What is an ideal dharma ? - in Isavasya Upanishad
it is said if one does not realise God in this life
the whole life is - mahathi vinashti - supreme waste

So whatever profession we do - the ultimate goal
should be realisation of God. One can also have
recourse to Chapter 12 in Gita where Lord beautifully
narrates the sequence of spiritual disciplines in
verses 8 to 11. 

6. Now coming to the specific question - forgiveness
is dharma but is difficult to practice - 

Patience, forgiveness is considered a virtue (it is
one the qualities of bakta - Gita Ch 12 - 13). 

Mark Twain beautifully elucidates that quality -
forgiveness is the fragrance that violet (a flower)
releases when the foot crushes it.

The problem in its practise could be due to :

our attachment / identification with the body, mind or
intellect. We develop inferiority complex with respect
to our body or mind or intellect if we forgive. So
getting rid of such attachments could provide some
solution. 

Forgiveness - may be easier to practise - if we raise
our selves - go higher (spiritually) so that we depend
less on the external world for our happiness. 

If by not fogiving it would benefit beings in general
(not for selfish interest) or establish dharma then
that time it can be given up (reminding us with the 
declaration - hate the sin not the sinner). 

So a proper intellect would help to decide on a given
situation - to forgive or not to forgive. To develop
the intellect we need to study, reflect and practice
spiritual knowledge on a daily / regular basis. 

Adiyenikku adiyen, Varadan

--- Madhuri and Mohan <m_raghavan@xxxx>
wrote: > Dear Sri Madhusudhanan,
> 
> From what I have learned, sa:stra defines dharma
> as - dhriyathe: 
> dha:rayathe: ithi dharmaha - dharma is something
> that both is to be 
> supported and which supports us. There is no single
> word, no hard and 
> fast set of rules or codes of conduct, that can
> define what dharma is; 
> it is only to be practiced, it really cannot be
> taught. While it is 
> built upon the spirit of the ideals of Ve:da, the
> practice of dharma is 
> fluid, varying from individual to individual,
> experience to experience, 
> and from condition to condition. But, if anything
> were to define it, it 
> could be said that it involves patience and
> introspection, such that we 
> can clearly and objectively observe the conditions
> around us, and 
> respond in ways such that some positive benefit will
> result.
> 
> Our acha:ryas use the exampe of water in describing
> dharma in 
> practice. In its essence, water remains constant. 
> But, it assumes the 
> color and shape of the container in which it is
> placed. Similarly, a 
> good human being must seek to live a life of service
> to the Divine as is 
> one's True Nature, and express this by willing to
> respond in appropriate 
> ways that are suited to varying conditions and
> personalities. In the 
> case of our dealing with fellow human beings, to
> some patience and 
> forgiveness must shown, to others strenth and
> sometimes even force must 
> be shown, and still to others love and nurturing
> must be offered. But, 
> all these actions or emotions should have behind
> them the overarching 
> ideal that it will bring some benefit to the other
> person(s) involved.
> 
> Consequently whether we individually forgive or not
> forgive someone is 
> not as important as whether or not our response
> brings some spiritual 
> benefit to him/her.
> 
> Experience and practice is the best way to
> understand this. I hope this 
> helps.
> 
> Ramanuja dasan
> Mohan
> 
> 
> 
> k_madhusudhan22 wrote:
> 
> >Dear all,
> >
> >I apologize if this question is out of context.
> >
> >With my limited knowledge and reading I understand
> that "Forgiveness 
> >is Dharma"; but to follow this in practice is
> extremley difficult.
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 


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