Encyclopedia
Dharma
Right order, duty, and righteousness, central to the Gita.
Definition
That which upholds, cosmic order, social duty, and righteous conduct.
Meaning
In the Gita, dharma is both the field (dharmakshetra) and Arjuna's personal duty as a warrior (svadharma), weighed against compassion and confusion.
Etymology
From Sanskrit √dhri "to hold, sustain", that which upholds the world and one's role within it.
Primary sources
- Bhagavad Gita · ch. 1
- Bhagavad Gita · ch. 2
- Mahabharata · Bhishma Parva
Related verses
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Examples
- Arjuna's crisis: fight as kshatriya dharma vs. killing kin
- Kurukshetra named dharmakshetra in Gita 1.1
- Yudhishthira as Dharmaraja, king of dharma
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