Dharma In Religion Essay

According to Manu Smriti (a religious text) conduct is the basis of Dharma and ‘it is not what you think, but what you do that constitutes your Dharma. In ordinary sense Dharma is taken to be synonymous with religion though in fact it has a much wider import. Religion and law are only the facets of Dharma. Thus, the term Dharma also embodies the present notion of law. In the widest sense Dharma suggests all pervading rules or order that upholds the universe. This inexorable and unalterable order makes the universe what it is. Thus, Dharma is much broader than what law connotes and is used in various other senses such as conduct, right, duty and functions of the legal order.

The fundamental principle underlying Dharma is uniformity or regularity of order which is universally accepted. From the point of view of a common man the term Dharma may be said to include three things, namely – religion, duty, and inseparable quality of a thing or order.In the absence of a better expression, Dharma has been translated as religion in English language. In the strict sense of the word ‘religion’ may be said to be obedience to the law of God. In a

It is divided into 30 chapters and quotes besides the Samhitas, the Brahmanas very frequently. Punishment for various breaches of conduct and expiation for sins are found this dharmasutra. Apastamba Dharmasutra is written in a concise and compact style and though mainly in prose, there are verses here and there. Apastamba is enumerated by Yajnavalkya as a writer on dharma and Apastamba Dharmasutra has been quoted from very ancient times as authoritative. The date of this dharmasutra is later than Gautama Dharmasutra and probably Baudhayana Dharmasutra and is placed between 600-300 B.C. Haradatta has written a commentary on this dharmasutra by the name Ujjvala