Many now understand that dharma and religion are not the equivalents of each other. Yet, most of them limit it to social aspects instead of probing the depth of definition provided by our sages.

Sages defined dharma as “dhâranât dhârayate dharmah” ( that which sustains), as mentioned in Mahabharata. If we set aside our preconceived notions and examine this phrase independently, we will uncover many hidden layers that are often overlooked in popular narratives.

Interestingly, the phrase doesn’t explicitly mention society or values or morality. While it is true that dharma essentially means the values that sustain the society and avoid anarchy, it is not limited to it. There’s a broader perspective to be considered.

Let us first understand some nuances of the term to understand that it cannot be reduced to some rigid rules or some fixed values. Consider the following:

1. Is speaking truth always dharma ?
2. Is lying ever dharma ?
3. Is killing someone dharma ?
4. Is renouncing weapons dharma ?

If you understand the nuances of dharma, you know that, for all these, the answer cannot be determined because we need to know the context to know if these actions were dharma when they were done. For something to be called dharma, it must sustain a larger system while moving it toward peace, justice, or preservation; no action can be universally classified as dharmic or adharmic. The dharma which is based on contextual dependence is termed as vishesh dharma. Yet contextuality does not imply arbitrariness; dharma must still align with preservation and justice.

Sustenance cannot be understood as mere survival or persistence, but as that which contributes to coherence, balance and continuity with larger order.

While modern discourse often bifurcates ‘natural law’ and ‘moral law,’ classical thought views them as a continuum under the umbrella of ‘Dharana’—the principle of sustenance that applies as much to the stability of an atom as it does to the stability of a society.

Assuming the nuances of dharma in mind now, let us deepen our inquiry beyond human actions and moral conduct into nature. Beyond humans, do the particles have dharma?  If we return to the foundational definition of dharma as ‘that which sustains,’ we must look at the essential nature of matter itself. In this context, dharma is not a moral choice but the inherent responsiveness of a particle to fundamental forces. The qualities and actions of subatomic particles are the very dynamics that prevent cosmic collapse; they are the ‘sustaining properties’ that allow the material universe to exist. Let’s delve deeper by considering some questions.

Is the mechanism followed by the particles involved in the cycle of evaporation and condensation dharma ?

Yes,  because they sustain the ecological cycle and move it towards balance.

Let us consider the revolution of earth around the sun, what is dharma here ?

The Earth’s orbit under the Sun’s gravitational attraction can be understood as dharma, as it sustains the cycle of seasons and aligns with ṛta.

What about the interactions between subatomic particles and the responsiveness of the particle to the forces acting upon it ?

These interactions and the responsiveness of the particles to the force acting, make the very existence of this whole universe, therefore they can be said to be expressions of what we point towards as dharma when seen as alignment with sustaining order.

This does not mean that particles possess morality or conscious choice. Here, dharma is used in an ontological sense — as the sustaining principle expressed through the inherent properties and lawful responsiveness of matter. This extension should be understood as an interpretive continuum of the principle of sustenance, rather than a strict equivalence across moral, natural, and physical domains.

So does this mean that science is dharma ?

Not exactly. Science is a tool to understand dharma—the forces and intrinsic responsiveness of matter that sustain systems, often imperceptible to immediate human observation. Science is the human methodology for understanding these subtle sustaining dynamics.

This raises another question, what is ṛta?

According to the Vedas, ṛta is the fundamental cosmic order, the cosmic rhythm which governs both natural processes and the moral structure. Consider this analogy: in a social structure justice is fundamental to sustenance.  The actions taken to achieve justice constitute dharma, so dharmic actions are determined by the fundamental goal of justice. Similarly, ṛta is the fundamental rhythm of the cosmos which is fundamental to the sustenance of the existing system and the forces, properties of matter that are working influenced by this cosmic rhythm are part of dharma. In short, if ṛta is the ‘cosmic rhythm’ then ‘operational response’ is its dharma.

Dharma is not merely social rules or moral prescriptions, it is multi-layered, including, the sustaining forces of nature or the properties and responsiveness of particles and the ethical framework that guides human actions. It aligns with ṛta  and flows from ṛta, and contributes to coherence with higher ideals of justice and preservation.