Karma and Dharma—
Karma and Dharma are two important essential components of Indian philosophy that will help you develop your soul, and shape human life and spiritual growth are Karma and Dharma. Both concepts are connected with each other closely connected. They serve different purposes and together guide a person toward a balanced and meaningful life.
Karma
Karma is essentially the concept of actions coupled with their consequences. Every thought, word, and deed creates an effect, which may be experienced immediately or in the future. Karma does not just exist in your current lifetime, but it can also affect past actions and influence future experiences. In simple terms, karma is the explanation of events in a person’s life that occur as a result of the actions taken.
Dharma
Dharma means duty, righteousness, or the moral path one should follow. It includes behaving ethically, being responsible, and maintaining the principles that support physical and moral harmony in society and within oneself. Dharma can vary based on age, occupation, position in society, and stage in life. For example, the dharma of a teacher is to provide an honest education, while the dharma of a parent is to raise and support their children.
Karma and Dharma are causal laws–
Difference Between Karma and Dharma—Dharma is an ancient moral and religious law that we follow, in some form, every day.
Karma is a principle whereby everything we do creates a chain reaction of karmic effects. The benefit or disadvantage of your actions—whether they’re done with the heart, mind, or body—affects the quality of your life in both positive and negative ways. The principle of karma has no agenda, rewards, or punishments but serves only to reflect the result of the actions taken. There is a universal aspect to karma as well. This causal law operates across time, influencing the present life and even future births.
Dharma is the law of right action. Dharma refers to the ethical and moral guidelines from which actions must be performed. Dharma is used to help establish social order and balance through assigned duties based on age, role, and situation. Karma gives us an understanding of the outcome of our actions, while dharma tells us how we should perform each action.
Forms of Dharma and Karma-
According to Indian philosophy, Dharma is a universal principle that upholds cosmic order, moral law, and righteous living. The term “dharma” also implies one’s specific obligations or responsibilities toward others, society, and oneself. Karma can be understood as a functional expression or operative aspect of Dharma.
Dharma refers to one’s duty, responsibility, and ethical path in life. It varies according to their age, position (in terms of employment), and their life stages; thus, Dharma can be seen as the guide, guiding each person towards making ethical decisions that are in line with Universal Truths, Justice, and Balance. Living according to Dharma promotes inner peace and social harmony.
Karma, meaning “action,” represents how Dharma is put into practice. When someone acts according to or against dharma, that action creates a consequence. When actions follow Dharma, they generate positive karma. Actions taken against dharma generate negative karma. Thus, karma is the law that dharma uses to create and hold in balance accountability across the universe.
Karma As Per Bhagavad Gita—
In the Bhagavad Gita, karma is presented as a sacred duty and a path to spiritual growth. Lord Krishna teaches that all people must act and cannot choose to be inactive. However, the Gita emphasizes how one performs their actions versus the types of actions one does.
According to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the main principle is Nishkama Karma, which means selfless action performed without attachment to results. Krishna advises Arjuna to do his duty (Svadharma) with dedication and then offer the results of his actions (Karma) back up to the Divine. Therefore, through this type of Nishkama Karma, one becomes free from suffering and rebirth.
According to the Bhagavad Gita, attachment, desire, and ego are the factors that create our attachment to karmic chains (karmic bondage). When actions are driven by selfish motives, they create karmic impressions. Actions that are done with full awareness, devotion, and detachment from the reward, however, purify the mind.
According to the Bhagavad Gita, there are three types of Karma that are associated with the three Gunas.
- Sattvic Karma consists of action done with clarity, duty, and selflessness.
- Rajasic Karma consists of action driven by desire, ambition, and ego.
- Tamasic Karma consists of action performed in ignorance, laziness, or harm.
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Dharma As Per Bhagavad Gita—
The Bhagavad Gita describes Dharma as the foundation for righteous living. Dharma is how a person lives their individual life and how it relates to the cosmos. It represents one’s moral duty, ethical responsibility, and true nature. A correct understanding and application of Dharma leads to righteousness within the individual and in accordance with Universal Law.
Krishna speaks of the importance of one’s own obligations: regarding our lives, it is understood that every person has different roles, abilities, and stages of life, which greatly affect their duty to themselves and to society. Therefore, it is more important for each person to pursue their own role or obligation to oneself and society (Dharma) than to follow the duties assigned to someone else, even if that is followed perfectly (spoken of in Gita 3.35). This highlights authenticity and responsibility over comparison.
The Gita explains that Dharma is not limited to social or religious; it has its roots in spirituality. The way that one acts in accordance with True Dharma is based on being selfless, disciplined, truthful, compassionate, and devoted without attachment to any results. Alignment with Dharma purifies the mind and helps one achieve inner peace.
In addition to Dharma, Krishna teaches that it is Dharma supported by Karma Yoga (selfless acts), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), and Jnana Yoga (wisdom). When these three are combined, they help an individual move beyond the limits of their ego and ignorance.
The Path of Dharma, as the Bhagavad Gita teaches, is the pathway to attaining peace and harmony in the spirit, as well as a way of receiving liberation (Moksha). The path of Dharma aligns all human actions with the divine will.”