dharma iṣṭaṁ dhanaṁ nṝṇāṁ |
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.19.39; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa-ṭīkā: 16.270)
[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa answer’s Uddhava’s question, “What is wealth?”:] “Dharma is desirable wealth [i.e., not cows, horses, etc.].”
vidharmaḥ para-dharmaś ca ābhāsa upamā chalaḥ |
adharma-śākhāḥ pañcemā dharma-jño’dharmavat tyajet ||
dharma-bādho vidharmaḥ syāt para-dharmo’nya-coditaḥ |
upadharmas tu pākhaṇḍo dambho vā śabda-bhic chalaḥ ||
yas tv icchayā kṛtaḥ pumbhir ābhāso hy āśramāt pṛthak |
svabhāva-vihito dharmaḥ kasya neṣṭaḥ praśāntaye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.15.12–14)
“Vidharma, para-dharma, ābhāsa, upamā (upadharma), and chala—a knower of dharma should avoid these five branches of adharma, which are indeed [also] adharma. That which [although performed with the idea that it is dharma in actuality] opposes dharma is vidharma [“contrary dharma”]. That which is enjoined for others is para-dharma [“another’s dharma”]. Heresy and pretension are upadharma [“apparent dharma”]. Distortion of [the intended meaning of] words [in śāstra] is chala [“deceit”]. That done by one’s own wish which is contrary to one’s āśrama is ābhāsa [“a semblance of dharma”]. For whom is the dharma enjoined by one’s svabhāva incapable of pacification [i.e., who will not find peace by adhering to their own dharma]?”
etad-artho hi loke’sminn avatāro mayā kṛtaḥ |
vadhyā me dharma-dhvajinas te hi pātakino’dhikāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.78.27)
[Balarāma speaking in reference to Romaharṣaṇa:] “The descent (avatāra) made by me into this world is indeed for this purpose: these dharma-flag-bearers [i.e., hypocrites, those who do not actually adhere to dharma but make a show as if they do for personal gain] are indeed the most sinful and fit to be killed by me.”
dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ |
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.3.19; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 110, 165)
“Indeed, neither the ṛṣis, nor even the devas, nor the principal siddhas understand the dharma directly enjoined by Bhagavān [alt., the dharma performed purely to attain Bhagavān], so how would asuras, human beings, vidyādharas, cāraṇas, and others [understand it]?”
anyāya-vittena kṛto’pi dharmaḥ
savyāja ity āhur aśeṣa-lokāḥ |
nyāyārjitārthena sa eva dharmo
nirvyāja ity ārya-janā vadanti ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 1801; Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)
“Everyone says even dharma performed with unlawful wealth is deceitful. Honorable persons say that same [act of] dharma performed with lawfully earned wealth is genuine [i.e., free from deceit].”
pranaṣṭaḥ śāśvato dharmaḥ sadācāreṇa mohitaḥ |
tena vaidyas tapasvī vā balavān vā vimohyate ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.254.21)
“The eternal dharma is completely lost when one is deluded by sadācāra. [Even] A learned person, or an ascetic, or a powerful person, may be deluded by this.”
na tat-parasya saṁdadhyāt pratikūlaṁ yadātmanaḥ |
saṁgraheṇaiṣa dharmaḥ syāt kāmād anyaḥ pravartate ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.39.57; 13.114.8)
“That which is objectionable to one’s self should not be done to others. This, in summary, is dharma. Behavior contrary to this arises from kāma [i.e., selfish desire].”
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].”
vrajanti te mūḍha-dhiyaḥ parābhavaṁ
bhavanti māyāviṣu ye na māyinaḥ|
praviśya hi ghnanti śaṭhās tathāvidhān
asaṁvṛtāṅgān niśitā iveṣavaḥ ||
(Kirātārjunīyam: 1.30)
“Those of dull intellect who do not become deceitful with the deceitful [i.e., who fail to employ deceit in dealing with others employing deceit against them when no non-deceitful means of resolution is viable] are defeated. Cheaters enter among and destroy those of this sort [i.e., those who are honest but lack this practical insight] as sharp arrows enter into [i.e., pierce] and destroy unarmored bodies.”
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.”
