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Book: Hindu Dharma, Written by Swami Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati |
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Why do we need religion? Why do we listen to a religious teacher? We do
so hoping to have our problems solved and our faults corrected. We do
not seek a preceptor when we are not in trouble or when we feel that
there is nothing lacking in us. The more we are besieged by troubles the
more often we go to worship in temples or seek the darshan and advice
of great men.
We approach great men, saintly persons, hoping to find a remedy for our
suffering and to have our doubts cleared. When we are harassed by
difficulties, we try to find solace in books or in listening to the
advice of
men of wisdom and virtue. Or we go on pilgrimage and bathe in sacred
ponds or rivers. Thus we hope to find mental peace by and by. Those who
know utter tranquillity remain in bliss. It does not matter to them in
the
least whether they are stabbed or injured otherwise, whether they are
honoured or maligned.
Great men arise in all jatis, great men who experience inner peace. What
is religion? It is that which shows the way to santhi, the peace that
passeth understanding. Religion is known as "mata" or "dharma". Dharma
is the means to attain the ultimate good that is liberation -- and it is
the
same as "mata".
The pursuit of dharma is first meant for happiness and well-being in
this
world. When it is practised, without desiring happiness here, it will
lead
to liberation. Yes, this is dharma; this is mata.
"Dharma" which is the term used by the sastras for religion denotes all
the moral and religious principles that constitute the means to obtain
fullness of life. We have many a work that teaches us this dharma, but
we
remain ignorant of them. Since they deal with matters that are the very
basis of dharma, they are called "dharmapramanas".
"Pramana" is that
which establishes the truth or rightness of a thing (or belief). We have
fourteen basic sastras that pertain to dharma, that is canonical texts
that
deal with what has come to be known as Hinduism and what has been
handed down to us from the time of the primordial Vedas. These
treatises tell us about the doctrines and practices of dharma.
Angani Vedascatvaro mimamsa-nyayavistharah
Puranam dharmasastram ca vidya hyetascaturdas
- Manusmrti
Purana-nyaya-mimamsa-dharmasastrangamisritah
Vedah sthanani vidyanam dharmasya ca caturdasa
- Yagnavalkyasmrti
The term "caturdasa" occurs in both verses. It means "fourteen". We
learn from these two stanzas that we have fourteen authoritative works
on dharma embracing all aspects of our religion.
"Vid" means "to know". From it is derived "vidya" which means a work
that imparts knowledge, that sheds light on the truths of religion. That
there are fourteen treatises on vidya is mentioned in the above two
stanzas: "vidya hyetascaturdasa" and "vidyanam dharmasya ca
caturdasa". The fourteen are not only sastras that impart knowledge but
also treatises on normal principles. That is why they are called
"vidyasthanas" and "dharmasthanas" : "sthanani vidyanam dharmasya ca
caturdasa". Though "vid" means to know, the word does not connote
every type of knowledge. The "vid" in "vidya" means knowledge of truth.
The English words "wit" and "wisdom" are derived from this root. And it
is from the same root that we have "Veda", which term may be said to
mean literally the "Book of Knowledge". As sources of knowledge the
fourteen sastras are called "vidyasthanas", that is they are "abodes of
knowledge or learning". The dharmasthanas ("abodes of dharma") are
also the abodes of vidya. |
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