Bharata on breaching Dharma - 4

    Bharata’s conditional self imprecations have provided us with a window into Dharma. Yet a perplexing question remains, why and how could one be so much into Dharma consciousness and practice? Is there any clue into this extraordinary behavior? Let us piece together this mystery before completing our exercise of taking a peek into the remaining slokas.

    At the Paramarthika level, there exists nothing other than Paramatma. Yet in our Vyavaharika level, we find Bhagawan pervades as Dharma. That is why whenever Dharma is endangered beyond a certain threshold, HE ensures its protection through HIS leelas. Even the archnemesis, Mareecha, was able to recognize Rama’s real nature in his famous declaration, “Ramo Vigrahavan Dharmaha”, which means if all Dharma in the Universe took a form, it will be Rama.

 

    Let us go back to the birth of Rama. Dasratha obtained a pot of payasam to be distributed amongst his three wives. The first half was given to Kausalya, which was the cause of Rama. The remainder was halved and the quarter portion of the full payasam became Lakshmana and the half of the remaining quarter became Shatrughna, through Sumitra. But as Kaikeyi consumed her portion, which was quarter portion of original half first, Bharata was born ahead of Lakshmana. This establishes that Bharata was also the same form of Dharma. Just as one squeezes an apple or orange, we get its respective juice, when a person goes through situation, the real nature is expressed.

Saamanya Dharma (Contd.):

    We continue our study into the remaining slokas as we try to construct a better insight into Saamanya Dharma.

Gratitude: Every living being intrinsically exhibits its interconnectedness and dependancy with its ancestors, especially the parents. The framework of life is possible only with the guidance and support of the Devas. The subtle idea of indebtedness to the various entities is at the core of Sanatana Dharma, as Runas. Lack of recognizing this debt and worse yet not willing to repay this debt reveals a Tamasic mindset. An ungrateful person is diametrically opposed to spiritual progress. In other words, having gratitude at different subtle levels accentuates one’s inclination towards a rapid inward progress.

देवतानां पित्रूणां च मातापित्रोस्तथैव च। मा स्म कार्षीत्स शुश्रूषां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।। (VR 2-75-46)

devataanaam pitR^iiNaam cha mataapitroH tathaivaaha cha । maasmakaarshhiit shushruushhaam yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counseled the exile of my esteemed brother, acquire the sin in the same way as a person who fails to show obedience to the gods and the ancestors and to serve his parents.

Guidance of the noble: In the world of actions, most people seek the approval of others or possessing certain objects as a state of achievement. This is referred as Object Referral. In contrast, if one relies only on the Atman, the real inner Self for guidance, it would be referred as Self Referral. A false identification of the self as body, mind, intellect are all modifications of the Ahamkara, which puts them squarely as Object Referral. Since it is very difficult even for earnest, ardent sadhakas, it is easy to observe the life of mahatmas and use it for calibrating our position, like using GPS.

सतां लोकात्सतां कीर्त्या स्सञ्जुष्टात्कर्मणस्तथा। भ्रश्यतु क्षिप्रमद्यैव यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।। (VR 2-75-47)

sataam lokaat sataam kiirtyaaH sajjushhTaat karmaNaH tathaa । bhrashyatu kshhipram adyaiva yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother be expelled this very moment from the world approved by virtuous men, from their renown and from their (noble) actions.

    Bharata’s curse implies that sadhus approval of our actions is crucial and lack of it makes our conditions akin to a rudderless boat caught in a tempest amidst rocks on a pitch dark night. While fame by doing great deeds can be a measurable yardstick, it is critical of whose approval it gets, as fame can also be a reflection of sycophancy.

Purpose: The exalted goals for every human being in the different dimensions is referred as Purusharthas. Not aligning oneself with this swadharma results in anarta, misguided, meaningless, futile actions. The epitome of meaningful actions is doing service to one’s mother. Abandoning this duty highlights the fallen state of the person. On one count, it relates to not being grateful, but on the other shows the lack of purpose in life, as there is a huge disconnect in doing one’s swadharma.

अपास्य मातृशुश्रूषामनर्थे सोऽवतिष्ठताम्। दीर्घबाहुर्महावक्षा: यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-48)

apaasya maatR^ishushruusham anarte saH avatishhThataam । diirghabaahuH mahaavakshhaa yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

The one who counselled the exile of my noble, longarmed and broadchested brother be banished like the one who commited the sin of leaving the ministration to his mother and engaging himself in purposeless acts.

    The importance of having a purpose based on swadharma gives us a way to negate the vasanas that keep drowning us in this samsara sagara.

Responsibility: Purushartha provides the direction, but one has to take charge of one’s own life. While we may be born in certain conditions, but that is not an excuse for staying there. One must exert Purushartha to overcome the challenges.

बहुपुत्रो दरिद्रश्च ज्वररोगसमन्वितः। स भूयात्सतत क्लेशी यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-49)

bahubhR^ityaHdaridraH cha jvararoga samanvitaH । saH bhuyat satatakleshii yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother be always miserable with many sons, poverty and fever and disease.

    As exemplified in this curse, Bharata points out that having children comes with certain responsibilities. Having many sons indicates that such an individual has a huge role to play in their lives. Contrast that to what we see them as being controlled by children’s future or worse yet having a callous outlook towards them. In the same way poverty is not a badge of honor. If one were to be born in it or fall into that miserable state, it is the responsibility of the individual to get out of that state.

    The normal natural state of every living being is to be healthy. While it may be beyond the abilities to obtain a cure for ailments, be it caused genetically or environmentally, the strife to get healthy is still one’s responsibility. Not acknowledging or playing the responsibility results in further worsening the state.

Dependability: Performing our responsibilities makes one dependable. Enticing the dependents with hope and later disappointing them leads to a grave papa.

आशामाशंसमानानां दीनानामूर्ध्वचक्षुषाम्। अर्थिनां वितथां कुर्याद्यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-50)

aashamsamaanaanaam diinaanaam uurdhva chakshhushhaam । arthinaam vitathaam kuryaat yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother acquire the sin in the same way a person disappoints who miserable mendicants seeking alms and looking up to him for help.

Lack of Fear: A person aligned with Dharma is fearless. Fear is a state that appears only if one is driven by Kama. If one is driven by Dharma and is facing an uphill task of not fulfilling, the strife and struggle does not induce fear, instead energizes the individual. But when the focal point is Kama, especially when doing an action that is not sanctioned by dharma or society, there is a ripple effect of fear.

मायया रमतां नित्यं परुषः पिशुनोऽशुचिः। राज्ञो भीतस्त्वधर्मात्मा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-51)

maayayaa ramataam nityam parushhaH pishunaH ashuchiH । raajN^aH bhiitaH adharmatma yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother acquire the sin in the same way as a person, who is abusive, niggardly, impure, unrighteous and always afraid of being caught by the king, and lives by cheating others, acquires.

    A thief, however smart, is always under the threat of being caught and punished. The same situation exists for one who brazenly commits guilt and they are forced to live in the shadow of fear. While the normal desires come with their corresponding lack of fruition leading to fear, overcoming even them comes by increasingly aligning with dharma and minimizing Kama.

Family as an ethical unit: Family is the smallest dharmic unit of the society. We already observed that it is the dharmic duty of every individual to perpetuate their lineage. While there may be some gender preferences in the minds of the people due to ritual practices, shastras do not favor such gender preferences.

    It is considered a sacred duty, not one driven by Kama to be intimate with one’s wife for procreation. Certain times like during menstrual time must be avoided due to the biological oddities the women endure. On the other hand, a doting wife past her menstruation, after her ritualistic bath, when she approaches her husband, it is the duty of the husband to oblige. It may be strange for the traditional feminist to see such a strong departure between the popular narrative/practice and the prescribed course of action.

ऋतुस्नातां सतीं भार्यामृतुकालानुरोधिनीम्। अतिवर्तेत दुष्टात्मा यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-52)

R^itusnaataam satiim bhaaryaam R^tukaalaanurodhiniim । ativarteta dushhTaatmaa yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

 May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother acquire the sin in the same way as a wickedminded person who neglects his chaste wife observing the menstrual period unfavourable for conception and had bathed after menstruation acquires.

    Similarly neglecting one’s wife (spouse) rooted in dharma and worse yet pining or leching for another person’s wife (spouse) reflects not only poor ethical taste or infidelity, but also results in huge papa.

सधर्मदारान्परित्यज्य परदारान्निषेवताम्। त्यक्तधर्मरतिर्मूढो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-53)

sa dharma daaraan parityajya paradaaraan nishhevataam । tyaktadharmaratiH muuDhaH yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother acquire the sin in the same way a foolish person who abandons righteous conduct and forsakes his rightfully married wife and resorts to other man's wife acquires.

    It may be common sense to understand to grasp the ethics in the above scenario, but at the root it reveals a mess of emotions blinded by the ugly modifications of Kama, in the form of moha, mada, abhishvanga and the like. This disease obstructs all forms of spiritual growth and is much more toxic than at mere relationship issue.

Gunakarma: In Varnas – a spiritual insight, we understood that birth is not the criteria for one’s varna, but it is rooted in our Guna and Karma.

विप्रलुप्तप्रजातस्य दुष्कृतं ब्राह्मणस्य यत्। तदेव प्रतिपद्येत यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।(VR 2-75-54)

vipraluptaprajaatasya dushhkrutam braahmanaNasya yat । tadeva pratipadyataam yasya aaryaH anumate gataH।।

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother acquire the same sin like that of a lowbred brahmin who commits an irreversible sin acquires.

    If there is a Brahmana, there is a certain expectation. Contrary to the expected behavior, if this Brahmana is committed to a wrong trajectory, in the past Yugas, it created huge ripples due to the temerity of such papas. Of course, if we were to look at today’s scenario, many Brahmanas from cultured families end up eating meat, consuming alcohol and behaving worse than a woke, we simply brush it aside calling it Kali Yuga pattern.

Conclusion: Bharata was at his worst moment of his life, having lost his father; his beloved brother – bigger than his life, left for the forest; his own mother was the conspirator and now Kausalya feels that Bharata was the co-conspirator. Faced with the worst, the pressure on Bharata is tremendous, yet even then what comes out of his mouth was unadulterated Dharma. While most of us brush aside these as emotional outburst or inconsequential swelling of feeling, it is hard to miss the wealth of Dharma buried in his statements and their practical application for all times, provided we pay sincere attention.

    Dharma is the bedrock of all existence and Bharata shows that as situation worsens, we must be fine-tuned with it even more. The window to the past dharmic society painted by the values highlighted by Bharata give us an opportunity to raise ours. As he repeatedly emphasizes on the individual following the swadharma, the message echoes louder as it resonates with the absence of the same today. May we strive to understand, follow, uphold and protect Dharma in our lives.

ॐ तत् सत

Bharata on breaching Dharma - 3

    Bharata’s imprecations, conditional upon his scheming to send Rama to the forest, give us a window into what constitutes the guardrail of Dharma. These are clear black and white scenarios where Dharma violation has occurred. In Part 1, we extracted the pointers relevant to Moksha Dharma. In Part 2, we studied the implications of Dharma in the society. In the next two sections, we will study the saamaanya dharma, dharma that is to be followed by all, during normal lifestyle scenarios. These everyday living standards imply that if one were to catch a glimpse of its occurrence, then it is safe to assume, we are at the crossroads of Dharma and Adharma.

Saamaanya Dharma:

    Continuing the conditional curses, (यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः yasya anumate aaryaH gataH), Bharata gives us a clear boundary where Dharma has been transgressed in favor of Adharma.

 

Being respectful, trustworthy and reliable: The individual is expected to have minimum standards. Respect the ones who contribute to a healthy relationship and value to one’s life. The central focal point of an agrarian society revolved around cows. After receiving milk and all other forms of contributions from the cow, kicking it only reveals a very tamasic state of mind that showcases one’s apathy and ingratitude.

गाश्च स्पृशतु पादेन गुरून् परिवदेत्स्वयम् | मित्रे द्रुह्येत सोऽत्यन्तम् यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-31)

gaascha spR^ishatu paadena guruun parivadet svayam | mitre druhyeta saH atyantam yasya aaryaH anumate gataH||

May with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of kicking cows, personally abusing Gurus and deceiving reliant friends.

 

    Similarly, Guru is the one who opens the doors of knowledge and path of emancipation. Even if not one’s own guru, anyone in such a status deserves respect. Ignoring their value, if one were to abuse them, it reveals a highly adharmic mind. We find a similar state when a person backstabs one’s own friend or proves unreliable to them after promising to be accountable.

    The next sloka continues the same theme of being upright enough to uphold trust and never reveal what was confided to one, in private.

विश्वासात्कथितम् किंचित्परिवादम् मिथः क्वचित् | विवृणोतु स दुष्टात्मा यस्यार्योओऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-32)

vishvaasaat kaThitam kimchit parivaadam mittaH kvachit| vivR^iNotu saH dushhTaatmaa yasya aaryaH anumate gataH ||

May with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of breaking the confidential words, spoken in private, even if they were harsh about others.

 

    This has many ramifications from interpersonal relationship on the outside to the gunakarma of the individual on the inside. Exploiting one’s trust is a very adharmic frame of mind.

Basic standards for the individual:

    The entire journey and evolution of the Jiva is dependent on its Karma. Imagining delusory notions, some in the society out of apathy, ignorance or arrogance believe not doing their Karma to lead to happiness. Exerting proper effort with right understanding opens the doorway to Dharma.

अकर्ता ह्यकृतज्ञश्च त्यक्तात्मा निरपत्रपः | लोके भवतु विद्वेष्यो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-33)

akartaa akR^itajNaH cha tyaktaatmaa nirapatrapaH | loke bhavatu vidveshhyaH yasya aaryaH anumate gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, become a non-doer, ungrateful wretch, a desperate person, one who has abandoned shame and one who is fit to be hated.

    Continuing an earlier theme, Bharata expects one to be grateful. This we can by reminding ourselves of the debt we incur at various levels, runa. Without operating with gratitude and with an attitude to repay, it is impossible for anyone to get a toehold in dharma. The dharmic person is tremendously hesitant to get closer or test the limits of the boundary that separates dharma and adharma.

    A person following dharma automatically generates universal love in the bosom, which makes them very likeable and no hate touches them.

Taking care of dependents: One’s spiritual journey begins with the query of what is the self (Atman). At the grossest level, one arrogates the self as the body. This allows the Jiva to operate at a I, Me and Myself level. In a touch of extreme selfishness, this miserable I-ness, discards even the ones that are completely dependent people.

पुत्रैः दारैः च भृत्यैः च स्व गृहे परिवारितः | स एको मृष्टम् अश्नातु यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-34)

putradaaraishcha bhR^ityaishcha svagraR^ihe parivaaritaH | saH ekaH nR^ishhTam ashnaatu yasyaH aaryaH anumate gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of eating delicious food for himself alone when he is surrounded by his sons, wife and servants in his house.

 

    This tamasic, Selfish personality doesn’t even want to share the pleasures of its belongings with the spouse, children or servants. It wants everything for itself. This distortion can be seen in Hitler, when he wanted his own military to destroy German infrastructure, instead of accepting defeat. Even his own people didn’t qualify to enjoy the infrastructure that survived the allied bombing and attack.

 

    Contrary to this adharmic state of mind, as one starts expanding the mind to be inclusive of others, it is able to include the welfare of others. This forces the limiting self to be more expansive and dharmic. Eventually this chivalry expands to the extended family, village/town, nation and eventually the entire world, as reflected in the popular thought of India – “vasudaiva kutumbakam”, the entire world is my family. At this level, one’s understanding of Dharma is very subtle and reliant on its following, not mere theory.

राज स्त्री बाल वृद्धानाम् वधे यत् पापम् उच्यते | भृत्य त्यागे च यत् पापम् तत् पापम् प्रतिपद्यताम् || (VR 2-75-37)

raja striibaala vR^iddhaanaam vadhe yat paapam uchyate | bhR^ityaagacha yat paapam tat paapam pratipadyataam ||

That sin which was proclaimed in killing a king a woman, a child or an aged person or in abandoning one's dependents let him (with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile) obtain the same sin.

    The same idea of being responsible for others is reiterated in this sloka. But here the angle is not only limited to the one’s directly depending like wife or child, but also others. For instance, a king is responsible for all the citizens in the kingdom. By killing the king, one is directly hurting the root of the society. The importance of interdependence amongst various members of the family and society is being highlighted.

Societal dues: As explored in the Runas portion in Part 2, every healthy individual in the society has a due to their Pitrus (ancestors) to keep their line growing. This doesn’t mean become a breeding machine like some desert cults. Thus, marrying a dharmic spouse and begetting children becomes an important duty for each person.

अप्राप्य सदृशान् दाराननपत्यः प्रमीयताम् | अनवाप्य क्रियाम् धर्म्याम् यश्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-35)

apraapya sadR^ishaan daaraan anapatya pramiiyataam| anavaapya kriyaam dharmyaam yasya aaryaH anumate gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, never win a (dharmic) wife, beget any children and die without performing their duties.

    In today’s modern age, some feel it is unnecessary or a burden to have a child, as their strife ridden life is already oppressive. Interestingly, such a thought would not even exist, if their ancestors felt the same way. As we observe nature, all living beings ensure the continuation of the species and it is the dharma of every being to keep creation continuing, despite their emotions or inability to grasp this subtlety.

मात्मनः सम्ततिम् द्राक्षीत्स्वेषु दारेषु दुःखितः | आयुः समग्रमप्राप्य यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-36)

maa aatmanaH samtmatim draakshhit sveshhu daareshhu duHkhitam | aayauH samagram apraapya yasya aaryaH anumate gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, have a life of anguish by not begetting any children through his wife and not even get a full life.

    This thought process is reiterated in numerous slokas. It appears these slokas find relevance today, after thousands of years. It must be emphasized that child bearing is considered sanctimonious, while modern fascination cannot go past the mere biological process. It is also interesting that shastras expect every human being to have a full life, thereby one can evolve by working on their vasanas and prarabdha karma. An abrupt premature termination of life is deemed as a curse, whether it was self created or by circumstances or accident. Long life was understood to be synonymous with a productive one, not merely existing.

Understanding consequences of individual actions in society: The individual may be subject to the vagaries of the mind, senses and sense objects. Thus, there may be an enormous pressure to do whatever one desires. For instance, the modern society’s problems with drugs. Apart from the consumers who fuel the demand, it offers a cheap, lucrative option to make quick money. These players do not care for the health of the individual’s whose life is being pawned and shortened for a quick high or money. The same is true for many other vices in society, whether it is legal or not. Many sugary beverages are known to create lifestyle diseases in an epidemic proportion, as also alcohol. But both get societal approval and in some cases even status.

लाक्षया मधुमांसेन लोहेन च विषेण च | सदैव बिभृयाद्भृत्यान् यस्यार्योऽसुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-38)

laakshhayaa madhumaamsena lohena cha vishheNa cha | sadaiva bibhR^iyaat bhR^ityaan yasya aaryaH anumate gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, obtain the sin of nurturing his wife, children and dependents through the sale of lacquer, liquor, flesh, iron or poison.

    Lac is obtained from the bark of certain trees, that appear like tunnels in response to the female lac bug sucking on the sap. Hundreds of thousands of bugs are needed to produce a mere kilo of the lac, which may have several uses. This has been in use in India for millennia. This is a good example of how unsustainable resource lac can be if a society grows around its active use. Liquor and poison are detrimental to the consumers and hence a livelihood centered around it was considered adharmic. For millennia, there has been an emphasis on limited meat eating or its avoidance in India. Today red meat is a known carcinogen. But the impact on our gunas is a subtle but important aspect more than the biological aspects. In today’s context, there would be a lot more in this list, ranging from alcohol to drugs. The idea of wrecking the society for earning a livelihood is repudiated.

Being responsible with resources: There can be two approaches to generating artha. The most commonly known is centered on Kama and this approach also entertains the idea that artha is a resource only for fueling more Kama. Shastras stipulate that Dharma following generates Artha and the purpose of Artha besides satisfying legitimate Kama is to strengthen Dharma.

संचितान्यस्य वित्तानि विविधानि सहस्रशः | दस्युभिर्विप्रलुप्यन्ताम् यश्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-44)

samchitaani asya vittaani vividhhaani sahasrashaH |dashyubhiH vipralupyantaam yasya aaryaH anumate gataH ||

May that man's accumulated extensive possessions of various kinds of wealth be snatched away by thieves in thousands of ways if he had counseled the exile of my esteemed brother.

    Thus it is imperative that every dharmic person is not only engaged in expanding Artha but also wise enough to redeploy them to strengthen Dharma. The accumulation mentioned here is to highlight that a lot of artha is hoarded but never deployed for dharma. Thus with the loss to thieves, a lost dharmic opportunity is emphasized. If one were to be a fruit merchant, instead of selling even at loss, if one lets all the fruits to rot and go to waste, one has lost the opportunity to sell or feed others. In the same way, Artha lost, abused or squandered is a lost opportunity to strengthen Dharma. Reducing oneself to such a disgrace is also considered as papa, if one were to observe the subtlety of high standards.

 

Utilizing time properly: Of all the resources available, time is very unique. We are a product of time, something we can never recover. It always goes only in a direction, waits for none. One cannot store it. We can either use or lose it, worse yet abuse it. We can manage what we do with it, but never create more. Even amongst the positive uses, one can find the most profitable task to focus. Also certain times, make it conducive for certain tasks, which makes them not only special, but also the right time to dedicate to those tasks.

उभे संध्ये शयानस्य यत् पापम् परिकल्प्यते | तच् च पापम् भवेत् तस्य यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-45)

ubhe sandhye shayanaasya yat paapam parikalpyate | tat cha paapam bhavet yasya aaryaH anumate gataH ||

That sin which was proclaimed on him who sleeps during both the twilights, let that sin be obtained by him, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile.

    The sandhya/twilight time is the conjunction of light and dark, a perfect opportunity for engaging in spiritual activities. Traditionally, sandhyavandana has been a crucial part of celebrating this time, a time for intense inner focus and heightened self awareness. Even if one were not spiritually inclined, it is also a beautiful time for sunrise and sunset that transports one magically by the mere shades of diverse colors. Worse yet, it gives us the opportunity to commence our day on the right footing or end the day’s tasks. Instead if one were to embrace tamas and sleep during this auspicious time, it speaks volumes of our abyssal nature. Hence it is considered as Papa, abusing fortunate time.

    These saamaanya dharma are not specific to certain individuals and no exceptions are available in observing them. These guidelines help the individual to balance oneself in society and integrate our personality with nature.

To be continued..

 

 

ॐ तत् सत

Bharata on breaching Dharma - 2

     Human beings are a product of the society. We have influences on each other and rely upon not only the current generation, but all of the interconnected past. We can still trace many of our socio-cultural, econo-political, biological and spiritual practices to our ancestors from millennia ago. Yet only a very small minority can perceive this subtle inter-connectivity and even smaller fraction is thankful for this wondrous blessing. We stand on the layers of giants of our ancestors, yet our ego makes us feel that it is only us that is responsible for our greatness.

    Sanatana Dharma is the only thought process that emphasizes an idea called “ṛuna”, being indebted. There is also a solution provided for each major category of ṛuna with a corresponding Yagna, a practice to develop gratitude and repay the debt. The primary include:

• Deva ṛuna, the debt we owe to Devas; we repay it by performing yagas, yagnas to propitiate as Deva Yagna.
• Rishi ṛuna, the debt we owe to the Rishis, we can repay through Rishi Yagna, by studying the numerous scriptures and elevating our character to match the ideals.
• Pitru ṛuna, the debt we owe our ancestors. We repay it as Pitru Yagna, by remembering them, doing tarpana, by being grateful for everything we are from our genes to life.
• Manushya ṛuna, the debt we owe to other human beings. There are numerous invisible human beings related to our success and prosperity. We repay it through Manushya yagna, by offering food to athithis, aid to the distressed/oppressed, through acts of charity and philanthrophy.
• Bhuta ṛuna, the debt we owe to the elements of nature and all the other beings. This is repaid by Bhuta yagna, offering food or water to animals, birds or insects, planting trees, taking care of nature.

 

    Dharma is deeply intertwined with the understanding, observance and practice of these subtle runas and their repayment. Bharata’s imprecations give us a certain window into the study of these subtle dynamics.

Analyzing the boundaries of Dharma

       In an effort to prove his innocence to Kausalya, Bharata makes a series of conditional curses ending as यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः (yasya aaryaH anumate gataH). We are studying these in smaller sets to gain a deeper understanding into what are the clear boundaries of Dharma. In this set, we are investigating the responsibilities and duties of every individual in the society towards the larger collective.

Gratitude and being Accountable to our debts and duties: As a responsible member of the society, we have to keep an eye on paying our Runas (debts). Though the understanding needed is not subtle, many tend to ignore them. Worse yet is violating the agreed terms of contract. The following two slokas highlight the same.

 

कारयित्वा महत् कर्म भर्ता भृत्यम् अनर्थकम् | अधर्मः यो अस्य सो अस्याः तु यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-23)

kaarayitvaa mahat karma ityam anarthakam| adharma yo asya saH astu yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, let the sin incur, as to the master who afflicts the heaviest labor on their servants, without any remuneration.

संश्रुत्य च तपस्विभ्यः सत्रे वै यज्ञ दक्षिणाम् | ताम् विप्रलपताम् पापम् यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-26)

samshurutya cha tapasvibhyaH satre vai yajNa dakshhinaam| taam vipralapataam paapam yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, let him suffer the sin enticing the tapasvis with the promise to initiate yaga/yagnas then breaking that word.

    The employer exploiting the employed and worse abusing after extracting work can easily be set as a very low bar. As also enticing someone with false incentives to perform a great work and then going back on one’s word is not only despicable but also a very uncivilized adharmic standard.

    Runa is a very subtle idea and more so, to perceive the interconnections with other humans and ecosystem is relatively easier when compared to grasping our dependence on Devas, Rishis and Pitris. If a person cannot grasp the dependents whom we have promised ourselves, then it is impossible for such an individual to grasp and honor the subtler Runas.

पायसम् कृसरम् चागम् वृथा सो अश्नातु निर्घृणः | गुरूमः च अपि अवजानातु यस्य आर्यो अनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-30)

paayasam kR^isaram chhaagam vR^ithaa so aashnaatu nirghR^iNaH| guruun cha api avajaanaatucha yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he, the heartless one with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile incur the sin of preparing payasam, krisaram and cooking goat flesh for the sake of offering and then consuming it without offering it to the Devas and also the sin of not showing respect to one’s Gurus.

    It is customary to offer the food we eat, before we consume with either a prayer or as offering. Thus, all what we consume gets sanctified. But in a society where we have gotten deracinated from such practices, we have also become increasingly a thankless society. In this single sloka, Bharata highlights that an ungrateful mind will not be able to honor Deva and Rishi runas. A thankful mind is the bedrock of spiritual progress. This miserly attitude of ingratitude is equated to stealing in Bhagavad Gita 3-13. (यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै । भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥ yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt.) The righteous who partake only the offerings of a sacrifice (or those who sanctify what they consume as an offering to Bhagwan) are freed from all their papas (as they develop this attitude of gratitude). But those who cook and eat only for themselves (including avoid Bhuta or manusha yagna) are verily consuming papa.

कपालपाणिः पृथिवीमटताम् चीरसम्वृतः | भिक्समाणो यथोन्मत्तो यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतह् || (VR 2-75-40)

kapaalapaaNiH pR^ithiviim aTataam chiirasamvR^itaH| bhikshhamaaNaH yathaa unmatto yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, wander around the world as a beggar, seeking alms in a wooden bowl and clad in rags.

    It is interesting, when three ashramas – Brahmacharya, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa were dependent on the society and most lived on alms, Bharata has singled out wandering the world as a beggar as a curse. The aforesaid ashramas have their focus exclusively on atmavichara and dharma chintana. But if one were to take to mendicancy as a way of living without any meaningful contribution to the society then, not only is the apathy and lethargy condemned, it also implies a parasitic attitude of merely profiting from the society. Such a low standard is an accursed state and condemned. In light of the above Gita sloka, it is obvious that this selfish attitude leads us to a downward spiral of adharma.

Don’t be aggressive and abusive:

गाश्च स्पृशतु पादेन गुरून् परिवदेत्स्वयम् | मित्रे द्रुह्येत सोऽत्यन्तम् यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-31)

gaaH cha spR^ishatu paadena guruun parivadet svayam| mitre druhyeta saH atyantam yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile incur the sin of kicking cows, personally abusing elders and deceiving friends.

    This is a pitiable state where one displays aggression and abuse by deliberately violating what is easily understood as adharma. These violations of ethics are so simple that they are self explanatory.

पानीयदूषके पापम् तथैव विषदायके | यत्तदेकः स लभताम् यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-55)

paaniiyadushhake paapam tathaiva vishhadaayake| yat udakaH saH labhatam yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of polluting drinking water and akin to the person who administers poison.

    These are two other easy to grasp situations where a person pollutes drinking water or administers poison to others, which is obviously wanton abuse. In this fallen state, when one desires to hurt others by a grand display of their ahamkara, it highlights one’s deep tamasic nature. One can see this in display in the various asura characters of the Itihasapuranas. Ahimsa paramo dharma, says Sanatana Dharma. Here we see the exact opposite in the ones who knowingly want to hurt others, which is crass Adharma.

ब्राह्मणायोद्यताम् पूजाम् विहन्तु कलुषेन्द्रियः | बालवत्साम् च गाम् दोग्दु यस्यर्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-56)

braahmaNaaya udyataam puujaam vihantu kalushhendriaH| baalavatsaam cha gaam dogdhu yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of a person who disturbs the rightful worship of a scholarly person (being done by another) and by stealing the milk of a cow which was to meant to feed a young calf.

    These add another situational context to highlight the same dangerous tamasic behavior. Disturbing a sadhu/sajjana is a very vicious tendency as they are involved in a life aligned with dharma, which benefits all of us. To highlight this vile behavior, there is another analogy given of stealing milk from a newborn calf. While the abundance of milk is for all, but not at the cost of the newborn calf for whose sake the milk was primarily intended.

I, Me, Myself lens: There appears to be two ends of a spectrum – one centered on dharma, which tends to be expansive and leading to moksha and the other seems to be selfish, myopic attitude centered on the individual, based on ahamkara and mamakara, that results in this warped samsara.

पाने प्रसक्तो भवतु स्त्रीष्वक्षेषु च नित्यशः | काम्क्रोधाभिभूतस्तु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-41)

pane prosaktaH bhavatu srtiishhu akshheshucha| kaamakrodhaabhibhuutaH nityashaH yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, be overwhelmed by lust, infatuation and rage and be constantly lost to the pursuit of women, wine and dice.

    The direction of the Jiva and the position in the spectrum determines where the Jiva is headed and it does through the power and momentum of its own Karma. Desires usually rooted as kamini, kanchani and kirti are most easily expressed as the pursuit of women, wealth and fame. Thus a Jiva deeply immersed in desires that lead to papachintana lead to the three assured gates of naraka. (BG 16-21 त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मन: । काम: क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्‍त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśanam ātmanaḥ kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet)

Adharmic fruits: As one is rooted in desires, their mind always gravitates towards self gratification, which usually makes dharma as its first casualty. Worse yet, as one turns away from Dharma, there is a greater affinity for adharma. As seen in the Mahabharata, the Pandavas gravitate towards Dharma and are determined to follow it at any cost. Meanwhile, the Kauravas, not only are turned away from Dharma, develop a strong ruchi for adharma. This accelerates their self destruction. Apart from this negative momentum, such adharma also wants to propagate and perpetuate more adharma through even legitimate looking means like Daana. We see these trends even today with evil forces hiding behind philanthropy supporting disturbing negative forces.

यस्य धर्मे मनो भूयादधर्मम् स निषेवताम् | अपात्रवर्षी भवतु यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-42)

yasya dharma mano bhuuyaat adharmam saH nishhevataam| apaatravarshhi bhavatu yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, never be attracted by dharma. May he be ever indulged in adharma and one who promotes adharma through his wrongful dana.

    At one end, being accidentally or through ignorance one can get into adharmic chintana, but the worst is the deliberate cultivation of adharma in one self and promoting it in others.

You are responsible: When one receives numerous benefits from living in the society, it also comes with an unwritten, but explicit expectation of being the support when the time is right. This is more true, when one has the abundance of resources to uphold dharma, but one turns away from their duties due to ignorance, arrogance or apathy.

तृष्णार्तम् सति पानीये विप्रलम्भेन योजयेत् | लभेत तस्य यत्पापम् यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-57)

tR^ishhNaartam sati paaniiye vipralambena yojayet| labhate tasya yatpaapam yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, let the sin of disappointing a thirsty person, even though there is abundance of water.

    In this scenario, sharing water, the very life of beings is the highest duty. Especially if one has the abundance of resources but not the heart, is a very pitiable state. In the same way, we have the knowledge and wisdom of the Rishis, ancestors and elders available, but due to our apathy or ahamkara, we choose not to do our dharma. This is very evident all around us in Kali Yuga, but the focus has to be on introspection.

Being proactive member in a society: There are three stances one can take – one rooted in dharma, one against dharma and one that has similar disastrous consequences like the previous, as in apathy. Many times actions rooted in adharma are due to ignorance and arrogance, which get dented due to the punishment it attracts. Duryodhana, Ravana, Vaali and the like were punished by their own bad karma and it kind of cleansed them.

    But staying neutral when dharma, shanti, sukha of many involved is at play, results in attracting negative consequences due to our non participation. If the neighbor’s house is on fire, if one is apathetic and watching television at home, chances are high that one’s own house may catch fire.

भक्त्या विवदमानेषु मार्गमाश्रित्य पश्यतः | तस्य पापेन युज्येत यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः || (VR 2-75-58)

bhaktyaa vivadamaanyeshu maargam aashritya pashyataH| tasya paapena yajyeta yasya anumate aaryaH gataH||

May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, let the sin of being a mere bystander and spectator when two opposing quarreling groups are at each other and to not even attempt to make peace between them.

    When two groups are locked in a quarrel, the peace of the society is at risk and there is every chance of a needless escalation. A mob frenzy becomes a very destabilizing force and can even lead to arajakata, anarchy. As a sensible member of the society, it becomes everyone’s responsibility to attempt to diffuse the situation or be proactive in taking preventive actions. Also, being close to the action zone, one has a better opportunity to ascertain if Dharma is being violated. It is the duty of everyone to not only follow, but uphold and protect Dharma.

To be continued…

ॐ तत् सत