DHARMA SHASTRA

One of the more important aspects of the smrti literature is that of the Dharma Shastra and deserves a special look. These texts served to orient social, cultural, and national laws that were in line with the Vedic teachings in order to live a harmonious life at all levels of existence. As a result their ideas are relevant for ordering our lives today, as they are more universal than man made laws which often bring confusion and chaos as our modern day can attest to. We have already briefly described the stages of life in our look at the Vedas. Each of these stages of life can also be associated with one of the four aims of life according to the Dharma Shastra. These four aims of life include Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Dharma is the first aim of life associated with the first stage of life, studenthood or bramacharya. Many people often translate this as ones purpose in life which has connotations with what one is. For example, identifying with being a painter, teacher, or cook. While this may be some part of what our Dharma is, more importantly it is our ethical stance in how we do what we do. Ethical laws are the basis of all spiritual outlooks and finding our proper approach and living life ethically can take some learning in this first stage of life, our karma will often provide us with how and what we will be doing naturally.