tasmād dharma-pradhānena bhavitavyaṁ yatātmanā |
tathā ca sarva-bhūteṣu vartitavyaṁ yathātmani ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.161.8)
[Vidura to Yudhiṣṭhira:] “Therefore, with dharma as one’s chief object, one should be self-controlled. And one should treat all beings as oneself [i.e., one should treat others as one would treat oneself].”
yasmin yathā vartate yo manuṣyas
tasmiṁs tathā vartitavyaṁ sa dharmaḥ |
māyācāro māyayā vartitavyaḥ
sādhv-ācāraḥ sādhunā pratyudeyaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.37.7, 12.110.27)
“Dharma is that which is to be acted out in relation to, and accord with, how a person acts [towards oneself, i.e., one should treat others as others treat oneself]. Deceitful behavior is to be employed with one who is deceitful, and honest behavior is to be requited with one who is honest.”
vidvadbhiḥ sevitaḥ sadbhir nityam adveṣa-rāgibhiḥ |
hṛdayenābhyanujñāto yo dharmas taṁ nibodhata ||
(Manu Smṛti: 2.1)
“Learn that dharma which is practiced by learned sādhus who are always free from aversion and attachment, and which is approved by [one’s own] heart.”
na jātu kāmān na bhayān na lobhād
dharmaṁ tyajej jīvitasyāpi hetoḥ |
nityo dharmaḥ sukha-duḥkhe tv anitye
jīvo nityo hetur asya tv anityaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: Svargārohana Parva, 5.50)
“Never—neither because of desires, nor because of fears, nor because of greed—forsake dharma, even for the sake of [one’s] life. Dharma is eternal, whereas pleasure and displeasure are temporary. Life is eternal, whereas its means [i.e., the body] is temporary.”
anugantuṁ satāṁ vartma kṛtsnaṁ yadi na śakyate |
svalpam apy anugantavyaṁ mārgastho nāvasīdati ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha; Sāra-samuccaya)
“If one is not able to follow the path of the sādhus completely, then it should be followed at least a little. One [who remains] situated on the path will not come to ruin [whereas those who give up will never be successful].”
duḥkhito’pi cared dharmaṁ yatra kutrāśrame rataḥ |
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu na liṅgaṁ dharma-kāraṇam ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 91)
“Even in distress, one situated in any āśrama should adhere to dharma and be equal towards all living beings. [Mere] Markings are not causes of dharma.”
ajarāmaravat prājño vidyām arthaṁ ca sādhayet |
gṛhīta iva keśeṣu mṛtyunā dharmam ācaret ||
(Hitopadeśa: Prāstāvikā, 3)
“The wise should pursue knowledge and wealth as though they are unaging and immortal, but they adhere to dharma as if their hair has been grabbed by death.”
dharma eva hato hantī dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ |
tasmad dharmo na hantavyo mā no dharmo hato’vadhīt ||
(Manu Smṛti: 8.15)
“Dharma is the destroyer of those who destroy it, and dharma protects those who protect it. Therefore, dharma should not be destroyed lest that destroyed dharma destroy us.”
duṣkaraṁ parama-jñānaṁ tarkeṇātra vyavasyati |
śrutir dharma iti hy eke vadanti bahavo janāḥ |
na tv etat pratisūyāmi na hi sarvaṁ vidhīyate ||
(Mahābhārata: 8.49.48–49)
[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa recounts to Arjuna a statement of Indra:] “Complete understanding [of dharma] is difficult to attain. In this regard [i.e., in regard to proper understanding of dharma] one ascertains it with reasoning. Many persons says, ‘Dharma is śruti.’ While I do not oppose this [i.e., this view], it is not applicable to everything.”
tarko’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam |
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: Vana-parva, 313.117; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.17.186, 2.25.57)
“Reasoning is inconclusive, the Śrutis are variegated, and one whose opinion is not distinctive is not a ṛṣi. The nature of dharma is [thus] hidden in secret. [Therefore,] That by which a mahājana has gone is the path.”
