Dharma

In today's meditation the following insight presented itself:

Dharma is that engagement with the mAyA of jagat (the world) that is not opposed to moksha.

Act we must, but those actions that do not lead us away from liberation are dhArmic. Since the moment this realization may dawn on a jIvA is not known, by its very nature, dharma is a dynamic thing. That is why it is said that it is circumscribed by desh, kAl and paristhiti (place, time and circumstance). Earlier the same insight had been interpreted as "svadharma is the first dharma, and that is moksha or the desire to know the true Self, and that trumps all other dharma-s". Viewed in today's wording it is easy to understand the shAstras, such as mAnava dharma shAstra. For that particular time and place, they prescribed the actions that would encourage a sense of non-doership (thus leading to liberation) and yet sustain society and life in the best way. The basic principles remain the same even today, although without this realization several of those practices seem anachronistic to many today. Many of those practices seem outdated today to unripe egos. Certainly one cannot follow all of those practices today because realization dawns after many arrows of karma have already been launched into flight.

A suggestion to sAdhakas when one's days are busy and it is hard to find time to do meditation, a good auxiliary practice is to listen to shlokas such as the rAma nAmAvali, ganesha pancaratnam or hanuman cALIsa. They are a great aid in the attempt to maintain constant awareness. Whenever the mind drifts off in the middle of the day, often snatches of these are remembered, and if one knows the meaning then it resets the mind back on the path. The sanAtana dharma has some of the most potent practices for liberation- the sages had literally thought of *everything* and figured out a very smart way to live life.