The difference between Rita (Rigveda) and Dharma - A Hindu perspective

The difference between Rita (Rigveda) and Dharma - A Hindu perspective 

- Madhava Turumella

Dharmaraja, the eldest brother of Pandavas, was asked a direct question on what is dharma. He replied "One should never do to another what one regards as injurious to oneself. This, in brief, is the law of dharma" – Mahabharata 18.113.8.


So we can act only when we feel "empathy" in ourselves. It is our primal natural response to the nature that is surrounding us. When we see someone crying we naturally worry, we stop and question the person who is crying we console them. We don't do the same to someone who is smiling. We take it as granted when someone is smiling. But we don't take it as granted when someone is crying! That is an act of dharma. The most natural mode of being is 'dharma.'


Rigveda the most ancient of Hindu holybooks got it its name from "Rita".  Rik+veda  = Rigveda. Rigveda consists of Riks.  Rik speak of Rita (Universal Truth).  Rita is the order of how things happen. For example the Sun rises in the east. That is Rita. This order never changes.

 However when we see a small baby abandoned on the sidewalk getting scorched in the Sun we immediately respond and protect the baby. That is dharma! So Rita is quite rigid. It has no other aspects. For example in Bhagawata it is said "yamasya karuna naasti" - The Lord of Death is Merciless. To undergo death is "Rita". But still we want to ease the pain of people who go through death! We know we can not save people from dying for ever! We can prolong life but definitely can't stop death. So Death itself is Rita, but acting compassionately to ease the pain is Dharma!


As per mahabharata Dharma has the following 10 aspects to it:


धृति क्षमा दया2स्तेयं शांत मिंद्रियनिग्रहः
ह्री र्विद्या सत्य मक्रोधो दशकं धर्म लक्षणम्”. -महाभारतं 10.6.92


dhRuti kShamA dayA2steyaM SAMta miMdriyanigrahaH
hrI rvidyA satya makrodho daSakaM dharma lakShaNam''. -mahABArataM 10.6.92


Patience (dhriti), forgiveness (kshama), piety or compassion (daya), honesty (asteya), serenity (santa), control of senses (indraiya-nigrah), modesty (hri), knowledge or learning (vidya), truthfulness (satya) and absence of anger (akrodha). 

Rita stands alone.. It is like shining light.  Its quality never changes.  Dhrama undergoes certain modifications based on certain preconditions.  Dharma is applied aspect of Rita.  In that sense, Rita and Dharma are inseparable.

From the discussion of Rita and Dharma we can conclude that a person who is close to his Rita (natural mode of being) automatically radiates Dhama.  He will be known as a Dharmic person.  Where as someone who deliberately shuns away the radiant light of Rita in himself, will tend to drift towards the blackhole of adharma.  Such a person has no base to hang on to.  Only his certain destruction will be wished by all people who follow dharma.  So in a way it appears that Rita automatically readjusts the void created by Adarma with Dhama.  Hence the famous statement by Lord Krishna in Bhagawad Gita.

Paritranaya Sadhunam. Paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam. 

Dharma sansthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. (Gita 4:8)

For the upliftment of the good and virtuous,

For the destruction of evil,

For the re-establishment of the natural law,

I will come, in every age....

We wait for that sacred Rita to manifest itself to save the Dharma.

Om tat sat!