Dharma

Word dharma has been defined in many ways. Dharma is a duty, natural quality, righteousness, virtuousness etc. Sun’s dharma is to give heat, moon’s dharma is to give coolness; human’s dharma is to be righteous and virtuous.

Wealth Obtained By Unfair Means
प्र पतेत: पापि लक्ष्मि नश्येत: प्रामुत: पत |
अयस्मयेनाङ्केन द्विषते त्वा सजमसि || AV 7.115.1
Pra ptetah paapi lakshim nshyetah praamutah pat,
Aysmyenaagkena dvishte tvaa sajmasi. AV 7.115.1

Meaning: Wealth obtained by unfair means must be banished from every place. Such wealth should bear indelible markings like being branded by hot iron in order that it is identified & shunned by everybody.

Avoid Temptations
एकशतं लक्ष्म्यो मर्तस्य साकं तन्वाजनुषोSधि जाता: | तासां पापिष्ठा निरित: प्र हिण्म: शिवा अस्मभ्यं जातवेदो नि यच्छ || AV 7.115.3
Ekshmt lkshmyo mrtsya saank tnvaajanushodhi jaataah, Taasaam paapishthaa niritah pra hinmah shivaa asmabhyam jaatvedo ni yachchh. AV 7.115.3

Meaning: Human being is born with a hundreds of instincts. (Only good upbringing, exemplary parental/peer conducts, education, training can cultivate the value system that enables one to be sensitized to identify the temptations that lead to unethical behavior.)
These temptations are required to be consciously identified and banished from one’s thoughts. Only ethical behavior brings prosperity and all around happiness.
Virtuous Path Prayer
उदुत्तमं वरुण पाशमस्मदवाधमं वि मध्यमं श्रथाय ।
अथा वयमादित्य व्रते तवानागस: अदितये स्याम ।। RV1.24.15
Uduttmm varun paashmasmadvaadhmm vi mdhyamm shrthaay, athaa vymaaditya vrte tvaanaagasah aditye syaam. RV 1.24.15
Meaning: May we break the strong shackles of bondage and pursue a virtuous path.
Prayer for Noble Actions
तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि | धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात || YV 3.35
Tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya dheemahi. Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat. YV 3.35

Meaning: Let us meditate on the blazing glory of Savita, God
Creator, pure and generous giver of life and happiness — glory which is magnificent, most worthy of our choice. And may the God with His grace inspire our mind and will to dedicate ourselves to noble actions.
Fairness to Society
अभि नो नर्यं वसु वीरं प्रयतदक्षिणम | वामं गृहपतिं नय || RV6.53.2
Abhi no nrya vasu veerm pryatdkshinma, vaamm greehpati nya RV 6.53.2
Meaning: Make sure that all essential commodities reach up to every single household. Ensure that no wage earner is deprived of his fair wage.
11 Principles of Dharma
धृतिः क्षमा दमो’स्तेय शौचम इन्द्रियनिग्रहः|
धीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधो दशकं धर्मलक्षणम् ||
Dhreetih kshamaa damo’steya shaochama indriyanigrhah,
Dheervidya satyamakrodho dashakam dharmlakshanama.

1. Ahimsa (non-violence) – Ahimsa is not having enmity with any living being. Hurting or killing any human or non-human without a sensible cause is violence. On the other hand hurting or killing for a good cause is non-violence. Hurting or killing for food or entertainment is violence.
2. Calmness (Dhriti) – Staying calm during happiness or sadness, gain or loss and honor or dishonor.
3. Forgiveness (kshma) – Not to continue the bitterness for the harm done to you.
4. Mind control (dama) – Keep the mind away from bad thoughts and engage it in good thoughts.
5. Honesty (asteya) – Honesty in dealings and earnings.
6. Purity/Sanitation (shauch) – Purity by shunning jealousy and grudges. Sanitation by keeping air, water, food, body, clothes, places and paths clean.
7. Physical discipline (indrya nigrah) – Volunteering for a good cause and staying away from wicked actions.
8. Intelligence (dhee) – Improving intelligence by eating right, reading good books, keeping good company, using logic & rational and by praying.
9. Knowledge (Vidya) – Acquire all around knowledge. Never stop learning. Learn to differentiate right from wrong.
10. Truthful (staya) – Speaking and accepting the truth in thought, speech and action.
11. Temperament (akrodh) – Avoid temper.

External symbols are not required. The Vedas declare, “Na lingam dharma Karanam”, meaning external symbols do not make a person dharmic or pious. It warns humans to be pious and dharmic in the real sense of the term. Accepting the truth and rejecting the untruth and following the path of justice, without prejudice, are the real qualities of a human being.
Dharma and Adharma (Right and wrong)
To be truthful in mind, speech and action is dharma, to be untruthful is adharama (wrong). To be just is dharma and to be unjust is adharma. To be honest in dealings is dharma and to be dishonest is adharma.

Adharam (Wrong) of mind, speech and action:
Adharma of Mind
• To desire things belonging to others.
• To wish ill for others.
• To decide to do something wrong.
Adharma of Speech.
• To lie.
• To speak harsh words.
• To criticize others wrongly.
• To misquote others’ speech.
Adharam of Body
• Getting things by wrong means — stealing, bribery, threatening etc.
• Adultery.
• Hurting or killing any living being without a just cause.

Humanity
Humanity is considering others’ pleasure and pain, profit and loss as your own. Not to be fearful of an unjust person, regardless of his/her supremacy. Always favor the just person. One ought to protect and promote the just with all its might and bring down the unjust, even if one has to suffer heavy losses (even death).

Meat Eating
Flesh of any kind is harmful for the human body, mind, intellect and soul. Eating all kind of flesh and eggs are totally forbidden in the Vedas.

1. Yajur Veda says, “O Human! Do not kill sheep, cow, horse etc.”
2. In Yajur Veda there is a prayer, “O God! Protect my people and my animals.”
3. Rigveda says, “Do not kill our cows or horses.”

Meat is not obtained without causing sufferings, torture and death to living beings. Animals feel the same pain as humans do. Butchering someone does not give happiness. Therefore, none should eat meat.
He who sells the animal for killing, he who buys the animal for killing, he who orders to kill the animal, he who kills the animal, he who cuts the flesh, he who cooks meat, he who serves meat and he who eats meat — all these eight persons are responsible for the killings and hence are sinners.
In regards to eating, Vedas talk about grains like wheat, rice, oats, fruits, vegetables, milk, butter etc.

Bounties of Cow

दोहेन गामुप शिक्षा सखायं प्र बोधय जरित: जारम्‌ इन्द्रम् ।
कोशं न पूर्णं वसुना न्यृष्टमा च्यावय मघदेयाय शूरम् ।।
RV 10.42.2 AV 20.89.2, 20.89.2
Dohen gaamupa shikshaa sakhaayam pr bodhaya jaritah jaarama indrma, kosham na purna vasunaa nyrishtmaa chyaavaya maghadeyaaya shuurama. RV 10.42.2 AV 20.89.2, 20.89.2

Meaning: Milking the cows is like a sacred duty. Cows kept in households provide growth of wisdom, knowledge, and friendliness in society, and shatter the divisive negative forces. Individuals become self-motivated persons; develop the ability to harvest the riches and earthly bounties.

सं वर्चसा पयसा सं तनूभि: अगन्महि मनसा सं शिवेन । त्वष्टा सुदत्रो विदधातु रायो sनुमार्ष्टु तन्वो यद्विलिष्टम् ।। त्वष्टा नो अत्र वरीयः कृणोत्वनु नो मार्ष्टु तन्वो यद् विरिष्टम् ।। AV 6.53.3, YV 2.24
Sm varchasaa payasaa sm tanuurbhih aganmahi manasaa sam shivena, Tvashthaa suudatro vidadhatu raayoinumaarshtu tanvo yadvilishtma. Tvashtaa no atr vreeyah krinotvnu no maarshtu tanvo yada virishtma. AV 6.53.3, YV 2.24

Meaning: Cow's Milk makes one virtuous, promotes zeal and energy, fires the temperament towards social welfare and gives a peace loving positive friendly attitude. Cow's Milk makes a person skillful, dexterous and inventive to harvest wealth. Cow's milk remedies, and keeps in good repair, on regular basis, all our physical and temperamental faculties.

अध प्र जज्ञे तरणिर्मत्तु प्र रोच्यस्या उषसो न सूर: |
इन्दुर्येभिराष्ट स्वेदुहव्यै स्रुवेण सिञ्चज्जराणाभि धाम || RV 1.121.6
Adha pra jajye taranirmamattu pra rochyasyaa
ushaso na sµurah. Induryebhiraashta sveduhavyai
sruvena sinchajjaraanabhi dhaama. RV 1.121.6

Meaning: In a manner similar to how an individual obtains bounties by collecting the radiation from the sunrise in the mornings, individuals that obtain milk etc from cows and share its products with community and by providing havi (clarified butter) in Agnihotra fires (see holy fire in worship chapter) for ridding the disease causing environments and promote health and prosperity for his home and society.

त्वामयसं प्रति वर्त्तयो गोर्दिवो अश्मानमुपनीतमृभ्वा | कुत्साय यत्र पुरुहूत वन्वञ्छुष्णमनन्तै: परियासि वधै: || RV 1.121.9
Tvaamayasm prti vrttyo gordivo ashmaanamupanitamribhvaa. Kutsaaya yatra puruhµuta vanvnchhushnam-anantai pariyaasi vadhaih. RV 1.121.9

Meaning: Just as sun spreads prosperity and joy on earth by rains and light, for the same purpose men should protect cows from those who kill them by use of iron weapons guided by advice of wise men.