The meaning of Dharma in Gita

[Last Update: 14th April 2020]

One can translate the word Dharma with the word “law / rule”, which is only a rough translation. The Gita often speaks of Dharma. How is it to be understood that everyone should and must obey his Dharma?

In the old days, the professions were handed down from generation to generation, as it was the case in most countries of the world until recently. In the western countries for example Germany one sees this also in surnames like the surename “Bauer” which means “farmer”. This shows the original occupation of this family.

The binding of the Dharma to birth in the context of the caste system (Varnam = வர்ணம்) is not a necessity. For example, Vishvamitra was by birth a Chatriya (king), who later became Brahmin2. This dispute is not only kept in the present time, it was also misunderstood and misinterpreted by many at that time.

But how should one understand it then? The Dharma is tied to the qualities of a human being. Every human being is predestined for something specific.

A pictorial comparison (parable)

Two pieces of metal should be joined together. We can use screws for this. Which properties (qualities) should the screws have? Can we make screws out of wood if the metal pieces are to be exposed to high forces?

Just as every substance, matter or the chemical element has its own characteristics, man also has his own characteristics (qualities) and these must be used properly so that a society can function.

I consciously use the word quality because it is positively substantiated. It should also not be misunderstood that one profession is better than the other – social recognition or position of a profession e.g. engineer vs. farmer.

But no one should fill himself with a pity to pursue an activity that is considered with minor value in the society. In my incarnation as Krisha, I was not only the chariot and shepherd – these two activities also contain further interpretations.

Chariot – there is only one guider in the entire universe and beyond. The shepherd is also just a guider and protector in one of the possible interpretations.

Or my other forms and names: Nadaraja the dancer (Shiva), Shiva as a woodcutter, Shiva as a beggar, Narasimha (half human, half animal → lion), Matsya (fish), Kurma (turtle), Varaha (boar) etc.

Not even the positions of the living beings / life forms among themselves, as it is understood by most people, is correct. The humans consider themself to be the pride of creation (arrogance) – that’s where the most problems come from. Humans have only special abilities and skills that distinguish him from other forms of life. This does not mean that the humans are more value for me than another form of life.

Important Message

To think that you could carry on doing this as long as there are donkeys and donkey drivers1, then you are making a big mistake. Wherein the comparison with the animal, is an insult to the animal. Do you think that the wealth that I have given to you, really belongs to you, or that you have earned all this yourself and for this reason this is all your property – including the donkeys?

You know very well that at the beginning of the purification the true world population was by 18.4 billion, and the original official donkey drivers were less than 1% of the world’s population (about 180 million). Now, the world population is converging to 3.8 billion of the original 18.4 billion.

Footnote

1 The artificial intelligence is also only a donkey driver. Here are the human and the machine meant, but the percentage refers the humans.

2 Don’t confuse the words Brahmin, Brahma and Brahman. These three means different things but has the same root meaning.

Further sources