DHARMA: The Indian Cultural Heritage.

PAPER Presented in

International Seminar at Ohio State Univercity, USA.

Dr. Vijay Prakash Sharma, Adjunct Faculty,   National Institute of Rural Development & PR, Hyderabad, India. E. mail- drvijayprakash@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT:American anthropologist, Robert Redfield writes that, “style of life” as used here, includes the way of getting a living in so far as these contribute to the shaping of ideas of the good life. The term emphasizes the judgments, implicit or explicit or expressed, as to what right conduct is (1953, 61).

Today, we are living in a conflicting world and loosing harmony of individual and social living. This paper explains that DHARMA and religion is not the same thing as MANDIRA (temple) is not like a Hindu Church. DHARMA, therefore, is a way of life than mere faith in God. DHARMA in Indian society, explains this right conduct for human being, and it means one that upholds the universe, the discipline or the code of conduct for the people. Civilization intends to make the people aware of the creativity and righteous path. In India, DHARMA was conceived as the only model of individual and social life at all times and in all places, and is referred as SANATANA (perennial) grew gradually over five thousand years. The course of its evaluation is guided by the RISIS, MUNIS, YATIS etc. Here, the summum-bonum of life is liberation i.e. the complete cessation of the cycle of life and birth. This has been designated as PARAMA PURUSAARTHA (the highest of the life).As explained by Lord KRISHNA; Dharma has been created for the benefit of cosmos or universe which does not inflict harm to anybody. This is most important of all other arguments to establish its relevance to modern world. Dharma is the cohesive element, and on the human plane, it is the principal of organization. From the standpoint of the individual, it is the intellectual perception of his proper place and duties in the social cosmos. It is DHARMA that prescribed Hindu “style of life” through the four life stages called PURUSHAARTHAS and Hindu ways of socialization process known as SAMSKAARAAS. The present paper intends to throw light on DHARMA and its impact on Indian society and culture and its relevance to the modern world.