What Prevents A Person From Being Dharmic?

India is land where dharma was discovered, propagated, encouraged, rewarded and strived for over many millennia. There are innumerable number of sacred scriptures that extol its virtues. However, there is no shortage of adharmik knowledge especially in literate and formally educated people in India.

Ignorance as cause for adharmik viewpoint
Several reasons stop a person from adopting a Dharmic approach. However, it must be mentioned that ignorance is one of the biggest factors that distances an individual from Dharma. It is a fact that the literature specific to Dharma is not that easily accessible to laymen. Whatever limited content people get to read only confuses them. Overall, the above scenarios impede people from viewing things from a Dharmic perspective.

Negative propaganda about Dharma
Unfortunately, there is no dearth of anti-Dharmic people who propagate negativity regarding Dharma. They craftily discourage people who are genuinely interested in gaining knowledge about the various aspects of Dharma.

Modern education system does not prioritize dharmik education

• In this context, we have to focus on a very crucial point. We cannot always entirely blame an individual when they are ignoring Dharma in their life. This requires some explanation. During the past few decades, there has been a change in the upbringing of children.
• In several cases, parents, teachers, and elders are conditioning the impressionable minds of children in a particular pattern. It’s wrongly being taught that achieving academic and professional success is the only thing that counts. That’s the only way to survive in this world marked by fierce competition in all areas.
• By focusing overly on the aspects of professional and academic success, the elders and teachers themselves are side lining Dharma. Very little attempts are made to educate children and youth that success should be achieved only without deviating from Dharma. This essential element of Sanatana Hindu dharma is not being adequately promoted in youth and society.
• Consequently, when the child grows up, they approach life with the same mindset. Nothing is considered more important than becoming successful; how that success is achieved is deemed irrelevant. It is evident that such individuals see no value in understanding Dharma or shaping their lives in accordance with it. This is unsurprising, given the framework of their upbringing.

Human character weaknesses as barriers to dharmic behavior
While above are new barriers to dharma. There have always been people who have been anti-dharma or pseudo dharmik which has been the civilization experience over many millennia for various reasons that are outlined below.

• A self-centered individual who possesses many negative traits seldom adheres to Dharma. If they are seen following any of the Dharmic principles, it’s purely because of selfish motives from that partial adherance.
• The scriptures of Sanatana Dharma repeatedly caution against prioritizing sensual pleasures especially falling victim to negative traits like desire, lust, bloated sense of self-importance and wrong knowledge or perception of situation. These negative traits are called the “arishadvargas” or internal enemies of the person which reside in their mind. Such people who have become slaves of senses cannot discriminate between the right and the wrong.
• They are unaware that the intellect a person develops with atmik knowledge conforms to Dharma. This form of intellect gives importance to the interests of others, as well. But the only concern for an “adharmic” person is their self-interest at the cost of the genuine rights of others due to the negative impulses that arise in their mind.
• A person who does not have devotion towards God is likely to keep themselves away from even Dharma. They are always in search of instances that can be used to justify their adharmic attitude. Blinded by their anti-Dharma stance, they refuse to see how Dharma gives meaning to human life in the overwhelming majority of cases.
• At this point, it is important to make special mention of a group of people who belong to an entirely different category. They pretend as if they are staunch adherents of Dharmic precepts. A few of these people also worship in temples. That again is not out of true devotion.  They do this either to impress others or to further their ulterior motives, which are always questionable.

Secular and dharmik are not separate in Hindu civilization
All these factors become obstacles to a person leading a dharmic life. Furthermore, in the Hindu way of life, the secular and the spiritual are not separate—they are meant to be integrated. It is not acceptable to be spiritual only when visiting places of worship and then adopt a different outlook upon stepping outside. Unfortunately, there is widespread ignorance about this aspect as well.

You may also Like to read:

• Samanya Dharma – A Beginners Introduction
• Virtues Promoted By Dharma – Samatva, Ahmisa, Shaucha, Titiksha, Asteyam
• What Prevents A Person From Being Dharmic?
• Dharma Meaning In English