Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sookti on Dharma – August 27, 2021 – Mysore
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ
tasmād dharmo na hantavyaḥ mā no dharmo hato’vadhīt
When we protect a being, it conveys its gratitude. If we water a tree, the tree will one day give us fruits, flowers, shade etc. But if we destroy everything, those things will one day destroy us. Similarly, the one who destroys Dharma will be destroyed by Dharma. It will make that person fall from grace and subject him to humiliation. Duryodhana towed the path of adharma and got destroyed. Despite being conversant with Dharma, he sought adharma and continued adhering to it. What kind of end did he finally meet? There are so many such examples. Ravana in Ramayana was hailed as Ravana Brahma. He was the descendant of the great sage Paulastya. Ravana took to adharma and finally adharma destroyed him. The one who relentlessly protects Dharma more carefully than his own life will always be protected by the deity of Dharma. Yudhishthira is proof. He never swerved from Dharma ever. Finally, Dharma protected him. Enhancing one’s honor and prestige, Dharma always brings eternal fame.
We are still talking today about the story that occurred at the end of Dwapara Yuga, as if it occurred yesterday or the day before. I told you previously what Dharma was, and what religious philosophy is and how Svadharma should be followed. Religious philosophy is not the same as Dharma. We talk of our vows and rituals as Dharma, we talk of Hinduism as Dharma. We conflate the two and speak of them interchangeably, but Religion is different from Dharma. Worshiping Rama is part of your religious philosophy, for instance. But everyone needs Dharma. I told you many times about Dharma. Dharma is the humane philosophy everyone needs to abide by.
dḥṛtiḥ kṣamā damōstēyam śoucam indriya nigraham,
dhīrvidyā satyamakrodhaḥ daśakam dharma lakśaṇam
I told you about the characteristics of Dharma and the detail thereof. Religious philosophy may prescribe worshiping certain Gods. But everyone must adhere to Dharma. We must always protect our Svadharma – speaking the truth, forgiveness, restraint of senses, being bold in the path of Dharma, not giving in to anger at the drop of a hat – these are all human Dharmas. If we protect these, if we always follow these, then Dharma will protect us.
We should not ruin this human Dharma. What does it mean to ruin Dharma? It means not following this Dharma, being lazy, having no faith, always lying, inflicting violence on others, troubling others, accumulating wealth unethically, showing no respect toward others, acting without regard for appropriateness of relationship – all these are adharmic. Many are taking this path and giving up the path of Dharma. If we observe these values properly, that is Dharma. Dharma will protect us if we protect it. Just as trees protect us if we protect them, Dharma too protects us when we protect it.
No one wishes for his own destruction. But Dharma will destroy us if we do not abide by it. Similarly, those who protect Dharma will be protected by it. We know this, yet we do not observe Dharma. Many do not know that those who wish to destroy Dharma and act contrary to it will certainly face tribulations. Those who swerve from Dharma are considered as destroying Dharma. Speaking untruth, troubling others, lack of sense restraint are all ways we ruin Dharma. This finally destroys the person. Dharma is said to be like Fire. We can do many good deeds with Fire. But we can also set fire to the house and the body. Therefore, no matter what, it is best to follow Dharma.
There are many deluded people in this world. They take to sinful actions and then as expiation serve God and undertake charities and noble deeds. But due to that expiation, the consequences of the sinful deeds are not removed. Just as there is result for good deeds, there is for sinful deeds as well. There is no escape. God is unattached. There is no reason for him to bring harm or benefit to anyone. God is always compassionate. Dharma protects us as our deity. The fruits of your karma are what bestow good and bad on you.
In the Mahabharata, the Kauravas had resolved to humiliate Draupadi in view of the full assembly. They wanted to harm the Pandavas; in other words, they wanted to harm Dharma. They schemed accordingly. They suppressed Bhishma, Drona, Kripacharya etc. and did not even give them the opportunity to speak. The Kauravas defeated the Pandavas unjustly in the game of dice and sent them to exile in the name of Dharma. The Pandavas had to accept defeat; they did not revolt because they did not want to oppose Dharma. The elders in the assembly could neither tolerate the deeds of Duryodhana, nor dare to object to him.
In such a perilous situation, the prince ordered that Draupadi be disrobed even as everyone in the assembly was watching. For the affliction brought on her, Draupadi chided others as they were mute witnesses. She blamed herself, she was frightened, she was distressed, she begged, pleaded, prayed, wept, beseeched them. She tried everything to protect herself including surrendering herself, but in vain. Finally, she finally prayed to Lord Krishna.
To protect herself, Draupadi questioned Bheeshma and others if Duryodhana won her dharmically or adharmically. No one could give an appropriate response. Not even Sage Veda Vyasa could give a straight answer. The five Pandavas were Dharmic. Duryodhana was adharmic. Adharma seemed to be winning at that moment. Duryodhana finally gave Draupadi one last chance and said – if you admit that Dharmaraja was adharmic, I’ll set you free. But Draupadi roared saying, even if thunderstorms fell, or the oceans swelled, or the skies fell, or the earth split into two, Dharmaraja would not lie and would never take to adharma. Their adherence to Dharma is what saved them.
Dharma came in the form of Lord Krishna. Lord Sri Krishna does not steal or give sarees. Dharma came as Lord Sri Krishna and gave sarees to Draupadi to protect her. Adharma is what tried to steal the saree. Therefore, if you destroy Dharma, Dharma will destroy you. There is not a fool who wishes for his own ruin. Therefore, protect Dharma and live happily and peacefully, this sookti teaches us. We should keep reminding ourselves of this Sookti.
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