Essence of Dharmam

10/31/09

A simple conversation and it's deep meaning. 

 

Disciple: Guro, what is the  essence of dharma?

 

Guru : "Athmana : prathi koolani paresham na samaachareth" meaning "Don't do to others what is harmful to you."  

"This is the only Dharmam anybody has to follow in any yuga.  One does not have to know the scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads, Puraanaas Ithihaasaas, one need not be "educated" in the present day meaning of the word or in the meaning given to that word in olden days, to follow this dharmam. Even if one is a storehouse of all knowledge or Jnaani in every sense of the word, one who does not follow this Dharmam is an Adharmi."

 

Disciple: Is this applicable to all living beings? For example, killing animals for your pleasure or to use it's body as your food?

 

Guru: "Yes, this is the law of Dharma for all human beings towards all other living beings. Killing animals (most of them have a developed nervous system to experience pain and fear) for pleasure and for food is adharma. God has blessed us with the power of discrimination to avoid inflicting pain of any kind to others. By abstaining from harming others, we are indirectly avoiding pain for ourselves that would haunt us later in the form of karmaphalam or results of actions. All karmaas bounce back to the doer as results in future, good karmaas bring good results and bad karmaas bring bad results. Humans do not live by instinct alone and with the power of discrimination we should avoid hurting others as much as possible. Disciple, to have that attitude, pray Bhagavaan and nobody else can help you."

 

Disciple: "Guro, if everybody obeyed this rule, this world would have been such a wonderful place to live."

 

Guru: "This attitude of mind will bring peace and happiness in the whole world. At least you try to follow this so that you can create a heaven in your mind and as more people follow this all these little minds will create bigger heaven. As you know, a number of  individual trees make a forest and millions of water drops make an ocean. May God bless each one of us to follow the Dharmam of not hurting others by thoughts, words or deeds and let Him bless us to significantly contribute to the ocean of Goodness"

 

 

Disiple: "Pranaamam Guro! Ananatha Koti pranaamam!"