Dharma – Anuśīlana.in

śraddadhānaḥ śubhāṁ vidyām ādadītāvarād api

śraddadhānaḥ śubhāṁ vidyām ādadītāvarād api |
antyād api paraṁ dharmaṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api ||
viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyaṁ bālād api subhāṣitam |
amitrād api sad-vṛttam amedhyād api kāñcanam ||
striyo ratnāny atho vidyā dharmaḥ śaucaṁ subhāṣitam |
vividhāni ca śīlpāni samādeyāni sarvataḥ ||
abrāhmaṇād adhyāyanam āpat-kāle vidhīyate |
anuvrajyā ca śuśrūṣā yāvad adhyāyanaṁ guroḥ ||
(Manu-smṛti: 2.238–241)

“One possessed of śraddhā may accept conducive knowledge [e.g., knowledge of logic, poetry, drama, medicine, etc.] even from an inferior [i.e., a member of a lower caste], other (para) dharma [i.e., knowledge of local laws and the like; alt., knowledge of the supreme (para) dharma, i.e., knowledge of the Self (Ātmā)] even from the lowest [i.e., someone who has no varṇa], and a wife or a jewel even from a low family. Nectar can be accepted even from poison, a fine statement even from a boy, good conduct even from a foe, and gold even from an impure substance. Wives, jewels, knowledge, dharma, uprightness, fine statements, and various arts can be accepted from everywhere. [A brāhmaṇa’s] Studying [the Veda] from a non-brāhmaṇa [i.e., a kṣatriya or vaiśya] is enjoined in a time of difficulty, as is following and serving the [non-brāhmaṇa] guru while studying.”

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pā-śabdena trayī-dharmaḥ pālanāj jagatāṁ smṛtaḥ

pā-śabdena trayī-dharmaḥ pālanāj jagatāṁ smṛtaḥ |
taṁ ṣaṇḍayanti yasmāt te pāṣaṇḍās tena hetunā ||
(Brahma-vaivara Purāṇa)

“The dharma of the three Vedas [viz., the Ṛk, Sāma, and Yajur] is referred to by the syllable pā as per [the established meaning of the syllable pā of] ‘preservation’ (pālana) of the world [i.e., the syllable pā in the word pāṣaṇḍa is used in the sense of pālana, ‘preserving,’ rather than in the alternate sense of ‘drinking’ that the syllable pā can also convey, because Vedic dharma is regarded as being essential for the preservation of the world]. They are known as pāṣaṇḍas because they diminish (ṣaṇḍayanti—khaṇḍayanti) that [viz., Vedic dharma].”

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jāti-vidyā-mahatvaṁ ca rūpaṁ yauvanam eva ca

jāti-vidyā-mahatvaṁ ca rūpaṁ yauvanam eva ca |
yatnena parihartavyaḥ pañcaite bhakti-kaṇṭakāḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“Caste, learning, greatness, beauty, and youth are to be relinquished [i.e., one should not foster any conceit because of them]. These five are thorns for [i.e., on the path of] bhakti.”

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dharmaṁ yo bādhate dharmo na sa dharmaḥ kudharmas tat

dharmaṁ yo bādhate dharmo na sa dharmaḥ kudharmas tat |
avirodhī tu yo dharmaḥ sa dharmaḥ satya-vikrama ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.131.10)

“That [apparent] dharma which obstructs dharma is not [real] dharma; it is false [alt., corrupted] dharma. That dharma, on the contrary, which is non-impeding is [real] dharma, O Satya-vikrama!”

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pratyakṣaṁ cānumānaṁ ca śāstraṁ ca vividhāgamam

pratyakṣaṁ cānumānaṁ ca śāstraṁ ca vividhāgamam |
trayaṁ suviditaṁ kāryaṁ dharma-śuddhim abhīpsatā ||
ārṣaṁ dharmopadeśaṁ ca veda-śāstrāvirodhinā |
yas tarkeṇānusandhatte sa dharmaṁ veda naitaraḥ ||
(Manu-smṛti: 12.105–106)

“(1) Perception (pratayakṣa), (2) inference (anumāna), and (3) the śāstra—various sacred knowledges [i.e., those coming from the Śruti and Smṛti]—accurate understanding of these three is to be gathered by one desirous of veracity in dharma. One who inquires into the seers’ teaching of the dharma [i.e., Vedic dharma] with reasoning (tarka) that is not contrary to Vedic śāstras understands dharma, and not another [i.e., and not someone who fails to inquire or reason inappropriately while doing so].”

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‘kulaṁ śīlam athācāram avicārya paraṁ gurum

‘kulaṁ śīlam athācāram avicārya paraṁ gurum |
bhajeta śravaṇādy-arthī sarasaṁ sāra-sāgaram ||’
sarasatvādikaṁ ca vyañjitaṁ tatraivānyatra—
‘kāma-krodhādi-yukto’pi kṛpaṇo’pi viṣādavān |
śrutvā vikāśam āyāti sa vaktā paramo guruḥ ||’
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 203; citations from Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa)

“‘Then, without judging family, custom, or conduct, one who seeks to hear and so on should accept an exalted guru, who is sarasa [i.e., adept and absorbed in tasting rasa, or, more broadly, charming and full of love] and an ocean of essence [i.e., one who has widely and deeply grasped and imbibed the essence of the śāstra].’ [The importance of the guru’s] Being sarasa and so forth is suggested elsewhere therein [i.e., in Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa] as well, ‘The teacher after hearing [from whom] even someone possessed of desire, anger, and so on, even a wretch [i.e., a miser, or a low, poor, undiscerning, or pitiable person] beset with dejection, experiences expansion [i.e., expansion of the heart, meaning, upliftment, brightness, and joy] is an exalted guru.’”

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ye vai bhagavatā proktā

ye vai bhagavatā proktā upāyā hy ātma-labdhaye |
añjaḥ puṁsām aviduṣāṁ viddhi bhāgavatān hi tān ||
yān āsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicit |
dhāvan nimīlya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.34–35; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.497, 524; Bhakti Sandarbha: 125, 216, 218; Mādhurya-kādambinī: 3.3)

“Know to be Bhāgavatas [i.e., Bhāgavata-dharmas—limbs of bhakti to Bhagavān] those well known means of realization (1) which are stated by Bhagavān for unlearned persons for the sake of [their] easy attainment of the Self (Ātmā) and (2) by taking shelter in which a human being, O King, shall never be hindered. [Even by] Running or keeping the eyes closed, one shall not stumble and shall not fall here.”

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kālena naṣṭā pralaye vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñitā

kālena naṣṭā pralaye vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñitā |
mayādau brahmaṇe proktā dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.3; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 76)

“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] This speech known as the Veda [which is] lost because of time [and] in the dissolution [of the universe] in which dharma based of me is present was dictated to Brahmā by me at the beginning [of the universe’s emanation following its prior dissolution].”

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nāhaṁ kāmān na saṁrambhān na dveṣān nārtha-kāraṇāt

nāhaṁ kāmān na saṁrambhān na dveṣān nārtha-kāraṇāt |
na hetuvādāl lobhād vā dharmaṁ jahyāṁ kathañcana ||
saṁprīti-bhojyāny annāni āpad-bhojyāni vā punaḥ |
na ca saṁprīyase rājan na cāpy āpad-gatā vayam ||
akasmād dviṣase rājañ janma-prabhṛti pāṇḍavān |
priyānuvartino bhrātṝn sarvaiḥ samuditān guṇaiḥ ||
akasmāc caiva pārthānāṁ dveṣaṇaṁ nopapadyate |
dharme sthitāḥ pāṇḍaveyāḥ kas tān kiṁ vaktum arhati ||
yas tān dveṣṭi sa māṁ dveṣṭi yas tān anu sa mām anu |
aikātmyaṁ māṁ gataṁ viddhi pāṇḍavair dharma-cāribhiḥ ||
kāma-krodhānuvartī hi yo mohād virurutsati |
guṇavantaṁ ca yo dveṣṭi tam āhuḥ puruṣādhamam ||
yaḥ kalyāṇa-guṇāñ jñātīn mohāl lobhād didṛkṣate |
so’jitātmājita-krodho na ciraṁ tiṣṭhati śriyām ||
atha yo guṇa-sampannān hṛdayasyāpriyān api |
priyeṇa kurute vaśyāṁś ciraṁ yaśasi tiṣṭhati ||
sarvam etan na bhoktavyam annaṁ duṣṭābhisaṁhitam |
kṣattur ekasya bhoktavyam iti me dhīyate matiḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.89.24–32)

“Neither out of desire, nor out of anger, nor out of enmity, nor for the sake of wealth (artha), nor because of a dispute, nor out of greed shall I ever forsake dharma. Foods are to be eaten out of affection or to be eaten [when] in distress. Neither are you affectionate, O King, nor are we beset with distress [and thus we will not accept your offering of foods]. O King, without cause, you hate the Pāṇḍavas, your brothers, who, since birth, have been amiable, compliant, and endowed with all virtues. Furthermore, hatred of the Pāṇḍavas without cause is not right. Who can say what against them—the Pāṇḍavas—who are fixed in dharma? One who hates them hates me. One who is with them is with me. Know me to be possessed of oneness of heart with the Pāṇḍavas, who are adherent to dharma. They say one who, acquiescing to desire (kāma) and anger out of delusion, hates and contends with a person endowed with virtue is the lowest of human beings. One of uncontrolled mind and uncontrolled anger who out of delusion and greed wishes to see relatives endowed with auspicious qualities does not remain in prosperity for long. Alternately, one who with kindness captivates even those endowed with virtue who are not dear to one’s heart long remains in eminence. All this food beset with sin is not fit to be eaten. The lone kṣattṛ’s [food] is fit to be eaten—this my judgement determines [to be the right course of action].”

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nāsāṁ dvijāti-saṁskāro na nivāso gurāv api |

nāsāṁ dvijāti-saṁskāro na nivāso gurāv api |
na tapo nātma-mīmāṁsā na śaucaṁ na kriyāḥ śubhāḥ ||
tathāpi hy uttamaḥ-śloke kṛṣṇe yogeśvareśvare |
bhaktir dṛḍhā na cāsmākaṁ saṁskārādimatām api ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.23.42–43)
“Although they have neither the saṁskāra of a twice-born, nor residence with the guru, nor austerity, nor self-inquiry, nor cleanliness, nor meritorious rites, still certainly [they have] firm bhakti to he of highest praise, Kṛṣṇa, the Īśvara of all masters of yogas, whereas even we who are endowed with the saṁskāra [of a twice-born] and so forth do not [have bhakti to Kṛṣṇa].”

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