Learn what dharma actually means and how it can help us lead more harmonious and happier lives.

Religion or dharma are words often misunderstood as a belief system, such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism, Jainism, Buddhism, atheism, etc. Sometimes, dharma is used in the context of one’s conception of duty, as in “My dharma is to study well and make my parents happy”, “My dharma is to serve my community”, “My dharma is to serve the nation”, and so on are ideas one often hears. Although partially true, these concepts are usually imperfect, contradictory, conditioned by one’s upbringing, and can be changed at any time. 

Arjuna’s Burning Confusion

This confusion is evident in Arjuna at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita, who was put under illusion by Krishna so that He could speak the Bhagavad-gita for our benefit. Arjuna was facing the unpleasant prospect of having to fight and kill his relatives and friends to regain his rightful kingdom. Bhisma, his great-grandfather, had raised the Pandavas with love and care right from childhood. Dronacharya, his teacher, had taught them the art of war and fighting. Now, due to uncontrollable circumstances, they were on opposite sides. 

The Guiding Torchlight of the Guru and God

Knowing he couldn’t solve his problems alone, Arjuna humbly surrenders to Krishna to guide him. We can also solve our problems by surrendering to Krishna or His bonafide representative, the spiritual master coming in disciplic succession from Krishna, as explained in the Bhagavad-gita (4.2, 4.34). 

Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, coming in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, explains the root meaning of the word dharma as an intrinsic characteristic. For example, sugar’s characteristic nature is sweet, and chilli’s is spice.

The Universal Dharma of Living Beings

Similarly, Krishna explains that we are all eternal spirit souls (Bhagavad-gita 2.16-25), distinct from the material body we temporarily occupy. Srila Prabhupada further explains that if we look at every living being, rendering loving service is something no one is free from. Students serve their teachers; wives serve their husbands; parents serve their children; an employee serves the boss; the leader of a nation serves the citizens, and so on, and vice versa. Rendering service is the inseparable characteristic of every living being. 

In the materialistic realm, no matter how hard one tries, these services do not satisfy either person. Gandhiji is a pertinent example. He served the nation so sincerely for years, but at the end of his life, he felt frustrated and died at the hands of his countrymen. Our serving spirit must be channelled to the Supreme Lord, who is the Supreme cause and well-wisher of everyone, then we can be happy.

Krishna explains towards the end of the Bhagavad-gita (18.65-66) His most confidential instructions:

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ’si me

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

Maharaja Yudhisthira Sees Hell

One may wonder why Krishna asks us to give up all dharma and surrender to Him alone when He came to reestablish the principles of dharma. In the Mahabharata, there is an interesting example to illustrate this. Maharaja Yudhisthira is asked by Krishna to lie to Dronacharya that his son Ashvatthama is dead after Bhima kills an elephant of the same name to weaken Dronacharya’s resolve and kill him as he was very attached to his son.

Yudhisthira was known to have never told a lie all his life. Krishna’s order bewildered him, and he hesitated briefly. He then lied as Krishna instructed and softly murmured that it was an elephant named Asvatthama, not Dronacharya’s son. For this act of hesitating to follow Krishna’s instruction, it is said he had to see hell⁽¹⁾.  What we must learn from this is ordinary laws like telling the truth still apply to all of us. We cannot use this as an excuse and lie for selfish reasons. But when it comes to surrendering to Krishna versus any other consideration, Krishna must be given the highest priority. 

The Exemplary Devotion of the Gopis of Vrindavan

The gopis of Vrindavan are considered the best devotees of Krishna. They had even gone to Him in the dead of the night, having abandoned all other considerations, like their families, only to please Him.

One question that naturally arises here is, “Is this dharmic?” Maharaja Parikshit asked his guru, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, the same question while hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam before leaving this world. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami replied, saying that the gopis met Krishna in their spiritual forms. At the same time, their material bodies remained at home. This must never be imitated by conditioned souls like us immersed in the material bodily conception of life, even in thought. 

One must gradually progress in spiritual life considering one’s current position by studying the Bhagavad-gita, the first nine cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam, before trying to understand Krishna’s pastimes with the gopis. The Srimad-Bhagavatam declares that one who understands these pastimes will be freed from the contamination of lust. 

When Krishna descends, He is accompanied by His devotees from the spiritual world to demonstrate their blissful pastimes and how we can love and serve Him. The gopis continued remembering Krishna and performing their duties even after He left Vrindavan for Mathura, breaking their hearts.

Serving the Lord in the Age of Quarrel and Hypocrisy

Although Krishna explained what real dharma is, the people misunderstood Him. So around 500 hundred years ago, Lord Sri Krishna again appeared as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to teach people how to think of, surrender to and serve the Lord by the process of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and performing one’s duties as per one’s occupation in life. The scriptures declare that this Harinama sankirtana-yajna is the yuga-dharma, the prescribed duty for all in this Kali-yuga to please the Lord and become recipients of His mercy, both materially and spiritually. It is easy and joyful to perform.

The Golden Age During Kali-yuga

It was the desire of all the great souls in the disciplic succession to unite the world in glorifying the Lord. It was predicted that there would come a time in this age when people would experience a golden age of spiritual renaissance and unite in chanting the names of the Lord for 10,000 years⁽²⁾. Let us be a part of the divine mission of the Lord and chant the Hare Krishna mantra every day, get relief from the darkness of these times and experience genuine happiness. Join us with your friends and family from 25th to 26th August for the Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations at:

• ISKCON Bangalore, Rajajinagar
• ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill, Vasanthapura
• KTPO, Whitefield

And receive the blessings of the Lord and the Acharyas.

To know more about the festival, visit – iskconbangalore.org/sri-krishna-janmashtami