Dharma and its Rationale based on Human Psychology

- Ashwini Surur, Cupertino

Concept of Individual and Society

Human life is a constant and persistent endeavor to discover the truth of life, to seek self-
development and to attain a perfect freedom from the supra-natural forces that control
existence and beyond. As Rishi Aurobindo puts it, “the individual is not merely a
physical ephemeral creature, but a living power of eternal truth”. Or as the Vedas and
Upanishads declare, human life is a manifestation of the divine being in all its glory and
truth. Human psychology is the most complete implementation of nature’s psychic
characteristics since the cycle of creation has begun. Hence, of all the creatures, it is the
human alone that has the required physical, mental and meta-physical faculty of nature to
rediscover the original nature, the truth from which life originated and that into which it
subsumes. Humanity by and large, has attempted to do this introspection ever since its
existence. The ancient-most surviving texts - the Vedas, show us that man has been on
this soul-seeking mission persistently, along with his invention of the necessity such as
the wheel, weapons, metals and the like.

An individual is a part of the family, which is part of society, and society in turn, is part
of the nation, which is in turn a part of the universe. This recursive relationship exists
from an individual to the cosmos. Hence, if there has to be harmony in the universe, there
must be harmony at the individual level; if there has to be progress in a nation, every
society must progress; and so must every individual in a family. Sri Aurobindo says, “a
nation or a society, like an individual has a body, a life, a moral and aesthetic
temperament, a developing mind and even a soul”. Just as how individual cells combined
together in a particular fashion define the characteristics of human psychology and the
complexities of the human’s response to every kind of stimulus, similarly, every ethnic
society has a characteristic trait associated with it and responds in a way partly
predictable by those who have studied the variables that have influenced them for
centuries.

When we start viewing society in this context of human psychology, the entire global
society can also be predicted, characterized, and viewed more scientifically. Hence the
ancient Rishis laid great stress on human psychology to bring about cosmic harmony.
Through Yoga, they attempted to bring about peace and coexistence into the universe
using human mind as the instrument since they understood the overall context of unity of
both the macrocosm and microcosm realizing, that which is outside is within as well.
This is an important step in attempting to find solutions to complex global problems such
as the perennial problem of establishing social order and the menace of religious
intolerance leading to crusades, jihads and violence involving terrorism.

If we study the societies of the pre-medieval period, we find that world social order had
some form of collective co-existence with definite political and judicial structure, and
nations were defined by mostly cultural and ethnic commonalities. Dharma was the

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founding platform on which humanity existed. The entire life was a spiritual mission and
fulfillment of material needs happened to be just a temporal necessity for which part of
one’s life was spent, whereas life’s goal was seeking true happiness and attaining
freedom. If one studies the scriptures, rituals, customs and traditions of Hindu society,
one can further strengthen this principal. Though we have lost most of the evidence of
dharmic principals of other societies, if one carefully studies the archeological and
linguistic evidence, and more importantly, the rituals of the remaining megre tribes
throughout the world, one can easily conclude that Hindu society and its principles are
not uniquely typical, but are a sample and living evidence of the world order that existed
then.

Paradise Lost

However, there have been two big known blows to this form of individual and social
coexistence and quest. Both of these attacks are an attempt to homogenize the world - one
using some form of theism, and the other one using atheism.

The medieval period and later, disturbed by the extreme attempts to institutionalize the
societies into thinking alike and believing alike, have forever damaged the societies and
their identities. The empires of Christian and Islamic expansionists changed the world
order like never before. The Arab invasions, the Roman, the Ottoman, the later Spanish
conquests, followed by British colonization were successful in wiping out all the natural
religions of the world along with their languages, books, architecture, gods, beliefs and
rituals. The destruction was so brutal and so complete that some of these tribes and
traditions are lost in oblivion and cannot be claimed back even in the form of museums or
texts.

The west, in its eighteenth century fervor of scientific advancement, has also deviated
from the concept of looking at society subjectively, and from the perspective of the
psychology of the individual. Hence it has made another attempt to conventionalize and
stereotype the thinking and the analysis of collective psychology resulting in another kind
of perversion. Science, with all its inventions, has discovered that the nature of all living
beings is to take the best advantage of the environment around them. So one can and
must live at the cost of others, be they creatures or the environment. The world changed
its game plan from “live and let live” to “survival of the fittest”. And even when there was
a scope for collectivism in the scientific world, it was not the same kind of mutual
coexistence that the East had defined and practiced for millenia. Although in the western
kind, collectivism did mean that individual interest is less important when compared to
that of a nation or society at large, there was still heavy emphasis on collective egoistic
self-assertion. Nations such as Britain that colonized half the globe, and Germany that
attempted to subordinate the world, both using brutal means where necessary are standing
examples of such a collective psychology. Spirituality, respect for creation, and search
for true happiness in the cosmic context were all lost in this obsession. Atheism became
the mantra of the scientific world.

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This temperament has resulted in the lack of understanding society and its behavior from
the perspective of communal consciousness. Today’s west views the world from a purely
economic and political angle, topped with monolithic application of its own materialistic
views. Ethnic similarities, cultural heritage of the past, and the spiritual strength built
over a long period of time have stopped being the characteristic of a nation. This has
caused societies of the world to lose their soul in a way. Religion has deteriorated to mere
rites, ceremonies, forms of beliefs, dogmas, and institutions. Societies of the world are
aligning and realigning to establish their identities along these misguided and misused
terms of religion. One can see the manifestos of Pan-Islamic cults attempting to unite the
peoples of the same faith and destroy the ones that are not. Islamic terrorism is a growing
menace that is challenging the world’s very existence with its religious fanaticism. Pan-
Christianity institutions are also mushrooming to “save” the world and unite them into
one homogenous community, thereby uprooting the cultures. The growing number of
conversions stimulated by missionaries who mass convert the ethnic groups using money
and material pleasure as their bait have managed to caused the extinction of the cultures
and religions of developing community.

In search of the Paradise

Though misguided and shortsighted, societies are showing definite signs of deviation
from the western view of the world. Even though they are lost in terms of their original
goal and quest of life, they are still showing signs of deep discontent. Societies are
rejecting an attempted building of nations by drawing borders around them, though they
have yet to discover their original culture that once bound them. They are rejecting
atheism of the west, although they have yet to understand the true philosophy of life.
They are disapproving the materialistic view of the west; however, they do not know the
alternate way of life.

Attempts to reform societies have happened constantly since Christian and Islamic
hegemony monopolized the world. The protestant movement tried to dismantle the
dominance of the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th century. This was followed by
numerous denominations of churches that emerged to challenge Rome. The atheistic
movement of communism that started in the 18th century in some parts of the world
attempted to subdue the institutionalized religions. In the last 50 years years, America has
experienced a growing number of atheists that are challenging laws on abortion, gay
marriage and even the reference to God in the Pledge.

However, none of these attempts have been powerful enough, thoughtful enough and
steadfast enough to be successful in creating the social structure that facilitates freedom
of the individual and the society in its mutual co-existence so that man starts building the
platform of dharma on which he once stood. There is one surviving ancient culture that is
holding the key to the lost treasure. India and its teachings in the form of Yoga,
Upanishads, Veda, Puranas and Agama literature is a door to the wisdom that the ancients
possessed to define their goal of life. The wisdom of the ancient sages of the east, and the
living culture that is India, is the only hope.

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Paradise to be regained

One has to study the Hindu way of life and perhaps even attempt to live the Hindu life to
understand the intricate details of how Dharma was the centripetal force that bound every
aspect of life. Whether it was through art forms such as dance, music, paintings and
sculptures, or fields of engineering such as architecture and town construction; vocations
such as agriculture and harvesting, or business, economy and administration - it was
Dharma that formed the basis. The goal of each of these faculties of life was to attain
bliss and harmony with nature. So housing became Vastu Shastra, dance became Nritya
Shastra , economy became Artha Shastra, and so on. Every Shastra1 designed its faculty
to bring about this harmony in individuals and the society alike. No attempt was made to
create a conflict between the individual and the society in the process; but in case of a
conflict, an attempt was definitely made to ease it in favor of global peace. Each of the
tenets of this proven society needs to be studied separately and contemplated upon, to get
the overall understanding of this complex phenomenon.

Rights versus Duties

"All rights to be deserved and preserved came from duty well done,” said Gandhi-ji. The
Hindu society views that execution of one's duty automatically fulfills the right of
another, and dharma fosters a climate of social and spiritual responsibility. It is important
to study Hindu society, social structure, their code of conduct and rituals to understand
the deeper meaning of how the society was based on duties more than rights.

The four pillars of Hinduism are Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha quoted in that order.
Dharma that speaks of the righteous principals forms the basis of life. Artha2 and Kama3
are needed for existence and self-enjoyment. However, the goal is liberation, or Moksha.
So Dharma and Moksha form the perimeters of duty within which one enjoys the wealth
and mundane pleasures of earth. Humans have a multitude of roles to play within this
boundary and hence their dharma is also characterized by that complex set of roles4.
While young, one’s dharma is to acquire the knowledge that is needed to carry out life.
When one grows into an adult, they enter the Grihasthashrama, where they perform the
role of being a support to their family, their aging parents and to the society as a whole.
When one is in the middle age, their dharma is to give up their attachment and bondage to
the material world and start their spiritual quest. Finally, one enters Sanyasa, where they
become eligible to strive for Moksha.

The Varna5 system further strengthens this duty-oriented principal on which they defined
the society. Purusha Sukta regards different sections of the society as different limbs of

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Shastra is science
2
Artha is money
3
kama is desire to enjoy
4
The four ashramas define the role that man takes in his life. These four roles are Brahmacharya(student),
Grihstha(householder), Vanaprastha(one who enters the forest), and Sanyasa, one who has renounced everything
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Hindu Varna system is a way to define society based on the abilities and actions of people in the society. There are
four varnas – Brahmana – the think tank, Kshatriyas – the warrior class, Vaishyas – the businessmen and Shudras – the
working class

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the organic society that perform different functions essential for society as a whole to
function. Each of these limbs is equally important and essential. The western world has
not been able to understand the Varna system because the ancient sages defined it with
the view of duties, and not from the perspective of rights that is in line with western
thinking. As the late president of India, Dr. Radhakrishnan writes “Caste on its social
side is a product of human organization and not a mystery of divine appointment. It is an
attempt to regulate society with a view to actual differences and ideal unity… The
serenity of the teacher, the heroism of the warrior, the honesty of the businessman and
the patience and energy of the worker all contribute to social growth. Each has its own
perfection".

Concept of Egoism

Hindu sages of India understood the psychology of humans well enough to provide
practical solutions to the problems of society. Every creature is essentially selfish in that,
its first and foremost goal is to survive. Selfishness is the key to survival instinct.
Brihadaranyaka Upnaishad gives a quintessential teaching in the famous conversation
between Maitreyi and Yajnavalkya “Na va are sarvasya kamya sarvam priyam bhavati,
atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati.” It is for self that man loves this universe.
The sages did not try to negate or undermine selfishness. On the contrary, they used this
very characteristic of human faculty to understand life’s purpose. They proclaimed that it
is only the Self that exists in this universe. This non-dual Self is the source, the substance
and the binding force that ties the entire cosmos in it. To understand this universe and
reach that ultimate freedom of existence, one has to expand that Self or Selfishness to the
level of universe. This self-knowledge comprehensively embraces and encompasses
everything that is good and bad in this universe. When this happens, each being attains
self-realization. He grows in a collective growth and in the harmonious and natural
growth of all individuals, as one Universal Being. Ego is not to be condemned in the
process; rather, it is to be expanded. That alone begets love for the universe. Peace and
tolerance are simply its by-products.

Karma
Krishna proclaims in the Gita - “Karmanyevadhikarste, ma phaleshu kadachana”. Do
your duty without expectation for the fruits of action. It is again with great introspection
that the Hindu sages of ancient India have understood the true path to happiness. Man
tends to get caught in the cobweb of expectations. It is this attachment and desire to
acquire the results of action that swerves man from his path to happiness. Hence they
stressed the importance of detached Karma. Buddha has also deeply emphasized this
ideal. To convince man and to reassure him of the results of action, they showed man that
every cause has an effect. We are much bothered by whether we see those effects in our
lifetime. The effects of Karma may not be tangible to ordinary humans when we see them
in a dualistic sense. But when we see the effects in a larger context of the Self, and with a
non-discriminative approach, we can understand and realize the cause and effect
principle.

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Surrender to the Ultimate
“We strive for freedom in our human relations, to freedom we move as our goal, and
every fresh step in our human progress is a further approximation to our ideal,” says
Rishi Aurobindo. Yet we get repeatedly caught in the cobweb of bondage, which is
mostly self-imposed, without our own knowledge. Dharma, the laws of nature and
Karma, the cause and effect principle, determine the course of our life. Humans are just a
miniscule and helpless creatures against the forces of nature, yet they try to refute their
fragility. When one understands Dharma as defined by the Rishis of India, they can then
relax in this self-knowledge. Dharma is the original nature of the thing, be it a creature, a
material object or any perceivable phenomenon. So each individual has a dharma, each
society has a dharma and the nature as a whole has a dharma according to which it acts. It
is this dharma that ought to guide every element in the universe; there is no escape from
this law. However, we should not consider ourselves bound by this law or Dharma. The
supreme source or the substratum of the whole universe (Purusha of the Sankhyan or
Brahman of the Vedantin) is ever free and blissful. Nature with its characteristic of Satva
(Transparent), Rajas (dynamic) and Tamas (inertia) functions incessently and in a cyclic
manner. Hindu Rishis call it Prakriti. The Purusha watches and enjoys the action and its
fruit, but is never perturbed, and is always blissful. For Vedantin too, Brahman, having
created the universe out of Himself, sees and revels in it. If a human mind realizes this
true essence of universe, they will attain a lasting bliss. Just as the great Indian epic
Mahabharata demonstrates: in the end, when everything else returns to its abode, the
only thing that remains is Dharma. When Prakriti returns to Purusha, we have the one and
only remaining aspect of Purusha - Dharma, or the law of nature that is neither created
nor destroyed, but is eternal. Human psychology must open up to realize this true nature
of its own Self.

References

• The Human Cycle -- The Ideal of Human Unity -- War and Self-Determination – Sri
Aurobindo
• Collective works of Sri Aurobindo
• The Hindu View of Life by Dr. Radhakrishnan