Sri Bharatamata

 Ashtottaram 9

 

 

9) OṀ DHARMA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

 OṀ (AUM) - DHAR - MA - BHOO- MYAI- NA--MA- HA

 

      (Dharma: means “that which supports, sustains or upholds”)

 

 

 

The word dharma is derived from the Sanskrit root-verb “dhr.” (to uphold,’ ‘to support,’‘to sustain’). As is the case with many other Sanskrit words, it is rather difficult to give an exact translation of the word dharma. It has been variously translated as ‘religion,’ ‘law,’ ‘duty,’ ‘religious ordinance or rite,’ ‘code of conduct’ and so on depending upon the context. There are other names for dharma: Puṇyam, śreyās, sukrutam, vrusham, etc. Our scriptures are full of eulogy for dharma. It is the righteousness and universal code of conduct. It is this dharma about which our scriptures and great men have waxed so eloquent throughout our history.

 

There is a famous quotation in Mahābhārata, ‘dharma evahatohanti dharmorakshati rakṣhitah’. It is dharma that destroys (us) when destroyed; it is dharma again that protects (us) when protected by (us).  The other famous sentence by Gandhāri ‘yatodharmasya tatojayah’-‘where there is dharma, there victory also is’. Consequently we are advised to accumulate dharma in our lives: ‘anityāni śarīrāni vibhavonaiva śāśvatah, nityam sannihitomṛtyuḥ kartavyo dharma-saṇgrahah' (our) bodies are short-lived, wealth does not last long, death is constantly knocking at our door; (so) accumulation of dharma is a must.’

 

That which upholds this created universe, supports it and sustains it, without which the universe just falls apart, is dharma. Viewed from this standpoint, dharma is none other than God Himself. It is what the Upanishads describe as sat or tat, the very essence of one’s being. Dharma has four pādās (legs) sataym, soucham, daya (non-violence) and tapas (austerity). So dharma is viewed as the foundation of the world and as duties. Whatever conduct our way of life helps us to reveal this fundamental principle in us, can also be called dharma, though in a secondary sense. Hence religious rites, ceremonies and observances, fixed principles of conduct, privileges, duties and obligations of a person depending upon his/her stage of life and status in the society, even rules of law,customs and manners of society-everyone of these can be included under the term dharma.

 

We belong to the land of Udhishtara (Dharmaraja) who eloquently said, “I don’t follow dharma because it gives me something or I get something from it; I follow dharma because it is my duty.”

 

Hence, what else we can call our land other than “Dharmabhūmi"