The Essence of Dharma: 8. Swami Krishnananda.

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Chinmaya Mission 

Thaipusam celebration at Chinmaya Mission Tirunelveli commenced with a sacred homam dedicated to Lord Muruga, followed by a special Paal Kudam (Milk Offering) procession in which 30 devotees participated for the first time. Approximately 200 devotees gathered for the collective chanting of Kanda Sasti, Velmaral, and Kandar Anubhuti, filling the atmosphere with devotion. The Balavihar children added to the joy of the occasion by an arati and annadanam.  

In the evening, Tirupugal, a devotional song composed by Arunagirinadhar in praise of Lord Muruga, was sung, and a group chanting of the Shatru Samhara Trishati took place. During this chanting, six distinct flowers and prasads were offered for each of the 50 names of Lord Muruga. The celebration concluded with the evening arati and the distribution of prasad, marking the end of a spiritually enriching and joyous day.

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Monday 10, March 2025, 11:10.
Article
Scriptures
The Essence of Dharma: 8.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on February 11th, 1973)

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So dharma is growth of consciousness into intimacy with the being of the universe, and this being of the universe is God. What is called 'the substance' in the terms of Spinoza is also called the Absolute, or Reality, Brahman, Ishvara, or Jehovah. What we call God is nothing but this being of the cosmos behind the becoming of the process, and when we grow consciously into intimacy with this being of the universe, we grow in dharma, so the highest dharma is moksha. The highest dharma or duty of man would be to strive with every nerve of his being towards the realisation of moksha.

What is moksha? It is the liberation of the consciousness from the notion that it is outside the being of the universe. This is moksha. Moksha is, at the same time, freedom from bondage, contact with Reality, oneness with the universe, performance of one's duty, and the realisation of the highest bliss. For us, moksha is everything. There is nothing except moksha that one can ask for.

Moksha is not a future attainment which will come to us tomorrow: “Today I will be a brahmachari, tomorrow a grihastha, the day after tomorrow a vanaprastha, the fourth day a sannyasi, and then I will think of moksha.” We have an idea that God is a future tense and a thing of the future, while He is eternal presence. He appears to be a future realisation on account of there being a concept of the gradation of reality. I am deliberately using the words 'concept of gradation' because reality by itself has no gradation. There are no degrees in reality. There are degrees only in the concept of reality.

So dharma, the duty of man, the subject with which I began speaking today, is that attitude of consciousness by which we gradually attune ourselves to the being of the cosmos. I have spoken sufficiently about what this being of the cosmos is. It is wonderful. Nothing can be more wonderful than that. And the Bhagavadgita is a grand masterpiece of text as a teaching on the nature of this reality.

The more I read the Bhagavadgita, the more I am wonderstruck because I continue to realise how little I know about it. This discovery concerning the four conditions of being occurred to me only yesterday. After thirty-five years of reading it, this idea struck me. It contains many more treasures which even in a hundred years we cannot discover. It was spoken by the Virat. How can we have any measure of the extent of the knowledge of the Gita?

So I appeal once again that everyone study the Bhagavadgita thoroughly – not like a parrot, but with tremendous devotion toward the word of God that is before us. It is spirit. “My words are not words but spirit,” said Christ. “They are flesh and blood. They are literally true.” If the words of Christ are flesh and blood, not merely language spoken, so are the words of the Bhagavadgita. They are flesh and blood, vitality, knowledge flowing as nectar in front of us. Such is the Bhagavadgita. So may I appeal to you all to learn the Bhagavadgita thoroughly by heart, and study its meaning with reverence so that the mystery of it will be known for our ultimate spiritual benefit.

This is the concept of dharma, of the duty of man in the universe, the nature of which is thus explained. Dharma has sometimes been regarded as one of the four purusharthas: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. This is the sum and substance of Hinduism. The essence of the religion of India is summed up in a phrase: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. If you are asked by anyone what is Hinduism, simply say, “Dharma, artha, kama, moksha.” This is Hinduism: a blend of these four concepts of duty. Hinduism is always a blend. It is never a one-sided affair. It has no name. 'Hinduism' is not the name of this religion. It is the name that is foisted upon it by Westerners, not knowing what it is. We have no name for our religion. It is not founded by any person. It is universal, capable of absorbing everything into itself like a menstruum. It is sanatana dharma, eternal dharma. It is eternal religion forever applicable to all persons of all creeds and sexes.

Now, dharma, artha, kama, moksha, the concept of the fourfold duty of man, is also very interesting. Dharma is duty, dharma is religion, dharma is justice, dharma is law. Dharma cannot be translated. Artha is material value. Anything that is materially significant for life is called artha. It does not mean merely gold and silver or coins and currency notes. Any kind of material significance or value in life is called artha, while dharma is the law that regulates the acquisitions and operations of this material value and all other values. Kama is the fulfilment of the vital value, the emotional value, and the personal value of the human being. Moksha, I have already explained. I will not say anything further about it because if I do, you will go into ecstasies and go crazy. Let us not say anything further about it.

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Continued

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