Dharma, Basis of Universal Happiness

Rāma Rājya of enduring happiness arises when it is based on the dharmic order in society.

It is our experience that when we accomplish a task, it results in joy. The joy is also fleeting. So another action follows and that produces yet another ephemeral moment of joy. Thus all efforts in our lifetime are constantly directed towards achieving happiness.

The failure of modern public policy in recognising happiness as the universal supreme goal has resulted in humanity being trapped in an endless chain of action and reaction. This is manifestly reflected by the constant shifting of public development goals. Generations have squandered away their precious lives in this vicious cycle of karma and karma-phala.

The Universal Vision

A discerning person recognises the futility of action in reaping happiness. Seeing that the momentary joy derived from performing action is like the illusion of water in the sunny desert, he withdraws his mind inward and abides in his own Self. Therein, he discovers the very source of all joy. He sees that beatitude or enduring happiness is the very nature of the Self. He is contented and established in absolute peace. Thus freeing himself from the trappings of samsara, the cycle of karma and its fruits, he moves about in the world working selflessly for the welfare of all.

Basis of Life and Society

Once enduring happiness is recognised as the supreme goal, the social order will adjust itself to lead mankind to Rāma Rājya. The system will evolve in a manner that will enable every individual, including the sinner, to become a jṅānī.

The idea of varṇāśrama then makes sense. Girls and boys will easily understand the nuances of dharma, the natural order which upholds and sustains the world. The essentials of dharma encompass all aspects of human life. With great consideration for human welfare and development, dharma enables one and all to acquire the necessities of life, including material comforts. Moreover, its practice leads them from misery to happiness, in other words, from ignorance to enlightenment.

This grounding will ensure that as the dharma-empowered girls and boys step into the world as householders, they will tread the dharmic path. They will not only be independent in all respects but will also govern themselves. By performing their own svadharma, they will secure the basic puruṣārthas of dharma (righteous living), artha (wealth) kāma (desire) and mokṣa (liberation).

The dharmic path would ensure their sustained progress. As they grow, they will naturally gravitate towards higher pursuits. Through understanding, eventually, they will relinquish self-indulgence. Their work would become altruistic, enabling their self-purification. This would help to yoke their minds to the Self and ultimately to gain moksha.

Perfect Governance Model

This arrangement of individual life will bring about a natural transformation in society. The pursuit of dharma will eliminate all conflicts, enabling the coveted order in society. The citizen will recognise that he, the thoroughly independent, empowered and self-governing individual, is the basic unit of social cohesion.

He will see that the nation and the comity of nations are but organic extensions of himself through his identity with the family and society. The individual is the microcosm of humanity and humanity stands for the macrocosm of the individual.

As the empowered individuals progress, they will ascend the leadership ladder, step-by-step, by gaining greater understanding of their unity with the family, the community, the society and ultimately the world at large. Even if one has only the partial experience, he has knowledge of and faith in the absolute truth. The one with insight into the absolute unity would be crux of the supreme order.

Rāma Rājya thus rests on strict adherence to the dharmic truths of life.

(Published in Tattvāloka of April 2019)