Chiti and Dharma – Exposition by Deendayal Upadhyay – Integral Humanism - Part III
A nation has a soul. The technical name for it is ‘Chiti’. Chiti is fundamental and is central to the nation from its beginning.
Authors
Chiti
When a group of persons live with a goal, an ideal, a mission, and looks upon a particular piece of land as motherland, this group constitutes a nation. If either of the two- an ideal and a mother land- is not there, then there is no nation. Ideal or fundamental principle of a nation is its soul. In the case of a man, his soul may be born again and again. Each time there is a separate being, but soul is the same. Similarly, a nation has a soul. The technical name for it is ‘Chiti’. Chiti is fundamental and is central to the nation from its beginning.
Dharma
The state is brought into existence to protect the nation, and to produce and maintain conditions in which the ideals of a nation can be translated into reality on a continuous basis. The ideals of a nation are its ‘Chiti’. The norms (laws) that help manifest and maintain Chiti of a nation are termed Dharma of that nation. Dharma is the repository of the nation’s soul.
Dharma and religion are not same in Bharatiya culture. Bharatiya culture accepted multiple Ishta devatas and their worship. Religion means a creed or sect. It does not mean Dharma in Bharatiya culture. Dharma is a wide concept. It is concerned with all aspects of life. It sustains the society. It sustains the whole world.
Fundamental law of human nature is the standard for deciding the propriety of behaviour in various situations. In Bharatiya tradition, the kings were told at the coronation that Dharma was above them. A king is there to protect Dharma of the people.
Dharma is the supreme one in society. Neither parliament nor people are supreme.
Deendayal Upadhyay ended his lecture or the essay with an interpretation of the statement – Government of the people, by the people, and for the people. ‘Of’ stands for independence, ‘by’ stands fro democracy, and ‘for’ stands for Dharma.
Therefore there is true democracy in a country only when there is freedom as well as Dharma.
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