Dharma

Dharma is the bedrock of Indian culture. It sustained the Indian society through many millenniums and helped in maintaining peace and harmony. But whenever people have strayed away from dharma, the harmony of a nation has been disturbed. Today, what we are seeing is a mad rush of people after wealth, property and material goods with a false perception of enjoying peace of mind. They think by pilling wealth and thorough sensual enjoyments they can achieve peace of mind. But more they strive to enjoy through the senses, the more they begin to suffer physically and mentally. Some people ask “we suffer so much, how can we get peace of mind?”

It is important to ask whether peace is somewhere outside to be sought after. Or a commodity in the market to purchase? And how they are leading their life? By cheating, falsehood… with passions such as anger, jealousy, hatred, selfishness etc how can anybody enjoys peace? To enjoy peace of mind we have to establish harmony within. Then we can see harmony outside, by quarrelling with neighbours and colleagues, can we create harmony within?

Sri Krishna in Bhagavad gita says

‘kamayesha krodha yesha rajoguna samudbhuvah!

Mahashano mahapapma vidyenamiha vairinam

(It is a sensual desire, anger born of great craving and sin; know this as the enemy here in human life)’.

There are gold desires as well as bad desires. The desire to help the poor or needy serve the sick, to perform duties sincerely etc are good desires. Bad desires are self-centered, for making money and property by illegal means, for sensual enjoyment through immoral means etc.

At our working place, we have to work with people of different natures. But we have to adjust with everybody. Unfortunately, most of us are not able to do so and as a result, face problems arising out of ego clashes and professional jealousies. To transcend these negative emotions we have to practice moral and spiritual values. All emotions are in the mind only. If we are able to control the mind through discrimination and introspection, then we shall be able to transcend the negative qualities.

Anger can be controlled through pure love; miserliness through appreciation of talents or wealth and so on. Conscious practice of certain moral and spiritual values in life becomes a habit, and continuous habits mould the character. Once these spiritual values become the character of a person, then he or she will surely be honored and respected. This is the secret of peaceful living and co-existence.