Juanita: Dharma means code of righteous conduct and
everyone is expected to follow this faithfully for safeguarding the individual's right to happiness. How appropriate :-)
(ok - I am really leaving now after this - really :-)
--but I couldn't resist responding to your question..
The Smritis and the
Puranas were collections of the rules of Dharma including civil rights and criminal liabilities
(Vyavahara Dharma) as also Raja Dharma (constitutional law) which were developed on the basis of
fundamental ideas incorporated in the Vedas. Some of the important works on Raja Dharma were
the Kamandaka, Sukraneeti, and Kautilya's Arthasastra.
The Doctrine of Trivarga comprising Dharma, Artha, and Kama was evolved as the sum and
substance of Indian philosophy. This ensures the happiness of the individual and society, with an
overriding principle that desire (Kama) and material wealth (Artha) should be rejected, if they are
inconsistent with Dharma, which sustains the world.
Ancient Indian thinkers preferred to establish a duty-based society guaranteeing human rights to all
instead of making right as the foundation of social life. Bhagavad Gita says, "Your right is to perform
your duty" and this generates selflessness. This basic value of Indian identity has been overlooked
since Independence and the more consciousness of rights plunged this country into chaos. There is
every need to revive the sense of duty.
Indian family structure based on Grihastashrama Dharma imposes the duty on the
earning member to maintain and look after the non-earning members (Yogakshema) which is the
solution to protect the human rights to social security. Sukraneeti which is a compilation of Raja
Dharma and Vyavahara Dharma indicates an advanced stage of labour laws protecting the fair and
human treatment of the employee.
For more information - you can buy the book:
Human Rights and Indian Values - by Justice M. Rama Jois; National Council of Teacher Education, 16, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, I.P. Estate, New Delhi-110002.
I'm not sure why the price is - but perhaps Amazon stocks it
(but I doubt it) |
