Dharma

Vedas : 1500-600B.C
Brammanas : 1000-600 BC
Arayakas : 800-600 B.C
Upanishads : 800-500 BC
Vedangas 600-300 B.C
Siksha: Phonetics
Chandas: Prosody (the study of the structure of poetry)
Vyakarana: Grammar
Nyrukta: Understanding Vedic terms,
Jyotishya: Astronomy
Kalpa: Rituals and ceremonies
Kalpa sutras
Srauta Sutras
Griha Sutras
Dharma sutras 2
School of Interpretation
Gautama : 600-400 B.C Bengal
Baudhayana 600-300 B.C Bombay
Apastamba : 600-300 B.C South India
Vishnu: 500-400 B.C Punjab or Kashmir
Vasistha : 300-100 B.C
Harita : 300-400 A.D

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 Vedas
Brahamanas
Puranas
Epics
Vedangas
» Phonetics
» prosody (the study of the structure of poetry)
» Grammar
» Understanding Vedic terms
» Astronomy
» Rituals and ceremonies
(Kalpa-sutras)
Srauta -sutra
Gruha- sutra
Dharma -sutra
Virtue, righteousness, and duty, esp. social
and caste duty in accord with the cosmic
order.
The principle of cosmic order.
Dharma is the law (rule) that "upholds,
supports or maintains the regulatory order
of the universe or society ".
Dharma constitutes foundation of all affairs in
the world.
Dharma insults ( man) against sinful thoughts
and actions.
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The word Dharma i.e., righteousness has been
used by various holy texts with various
meanings.
The aim of dharma is establishing a code
of righteousness is to facilitate social
transactions.
Dharma in Aryan society refers to the rights,
duties and responsibilities of an individual
belonging to a specific class (varna).
It also means the duties allotted or accepted
by an individual according to the system of
classes and the stages of life
(varnashram).
Origin of Dharma

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Dharma was founded as the solution to the
eternal problems provoking the human race,
originating from natural human instincts.

There is no act of man which is free from

desire; whatever a man desires the result of
impulse of desire.

force behind every action of a human being is

his desire (Karma).
The source of all evil actions of human beings
was traced to the desire for material
pleasure which in turn gave rise to conflict
of interests among individuals.
Natural desires or enemies of man
Anger ( krodha)
Passion (moha)
Greed (lobha)
Infatuation ( mada)
Enmity ( matsarya)
Allowed to act uncontrolled and could instigate
him to entertain evil thoughts in the mind.
Dharma or rules of righteous conduct was
evolved as a solutions of eternal problem
arising out of natural instinct of man.

Dharma prescribed rules of right conduct,

observance of which was considered
necessary for the welfare of the individual
and the society.

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Right rules of conduct covering almost every
sphere of human activity such as religion,
rules regulating personal conduct of individuals,
as a student,
as a teacher,
as a house-holder,
as a husband,
as a wife,
as son, and including rules regulating of food and
like were prescribed.
Source of Dharma
Dharma sutras enumerate three sources of
dharma
The Veda ( knowledge)
Tradition
Good Custom
Inner contentment
The Veda, tradition, and good custom, and
inner contentment these are the fourfold
foundation of Dharma.
The Veda
The Vedic texts are really revealed texts, divine
worlds gathered directly by the inspired bards,
the rishis.
Every rule of dharma must find its foundation in
the Veda.
In fact the Vedic texts contains little enough in
the way of rules of dharma.
The Vedas are not even include a single positive
principle which could be used directly as a
rule of conduct.
Tradition
• The brahmanas, aranyakas, and the upanishads
contain, apart from descriptions of certain
practices fit to be invoked as precedents to
support some rule, numerous precepts which
propound rules governing behavior.
• Good custom:

• Inner contentment: we should prefer to say the

approval of one’s conscience really is a source of
dharma.

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 Vedas : 1500-600B.C
Brammanas : 900-600 BC
Arayakas: 800-600 B.C
Upanishads : 800-500 BC
Vedangas : considered as auxiliary science required
for the interpretation of Vedas
Kalpa sutras
( Srauta Sutras, Griha Sutras , dharma sutras )

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Six Vedangas are
• Siksha : The science of proper pronunciation
• Chandas: Prosody
• ( rhythm and sound used in the poetry found in
the Vedas )
• Vyakarna: grammar
• Nitukta: Etymology definition of words
• ( history of words and changes in the word )
• Jyotisha : Astronomy
• Kalapa: Ritual ceremonies
• ( ethical, moral and procedural percepts of
performance of rituals) 19