Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah – धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः । : A popular Sanskrit phrase from Manusmiriti – it means “Dharma protects the protector”. The saying ‘Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshitaha’ summarizes the importance of protecting dharma. This should be the guiding principle for law makers and law enforcers. Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah implies that a protected ‘dharma’ protects the protector. Here, ‘dharma’ implies the value system, traditions and culture of a society or group of people.
Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah : Dharma protects them who protect it !
धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः ।
तस्माद् धर्मं न त्यजामि मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् ।। – मनुस्मृति
Dharma Eva Hato Hanti Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah |
Tasmaaddharmo Na Hantavyah Maano Dharmo Hatovadhit ||
मरा हुआ धर्म मारने वाले का नाश, और रक्षित किया हुआ धर्म रक्षक की रक्षा करता है
इसलिए धर्म का हनन कभी न करना, इस डर से कि मारा हुआ धर्म कभी हमको न मार डाले |
जो पुरूष धर्म का नाश करता है, उसी का नाश धर्म कर देता है, और जो धर्म की रक्षा करता है, उसकी धर्म भी रक्षा करता है ।
इसलिए मारा हुआ धर्म कभी हमको न मार डाले, इस भय से धर्म का हनन अर्थात् त्याग कभी न करना चाहिए ।
Dharma Only Destroys (Those) That Destroy It. Dharma Also Protects Those That Protect It.
Hence, Dharma Should Not Be Destroyed. Know That If Violated, Dharma Destroys Us.
What is Dharma?
The closest synonyms for Dharma in English are righteousness and ethics.
Acharya Vishnugupt has stated that a nation doesn’t become a slave of the invaders merely by geopolitical and territorial colonisation. Rather, it is said to be conquered only when it sacrifices its values and customs either under the sword or willingly to the invader. If we are able to preserve and nourish our culture and traditions, by no means we are slaves even when ruled by foreign powers.
The great Indian epics,the Ramayana and the Mahabharata exemplify the spirit of Dharma. The triumph of good(dharma) over evil(adharma) is celebrated in these epics.Rama defeated Ravana and rescued Sita. He established Dharma by killing Ravana,who had committed the adharmic act of abducting Sita. In Mahabharata,the Pandavas defeated the Kauravas to put an end to the rule of Adharma.
In both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata,the evil forces got destroyed as a result of the evil deeds committed by them.They tried to destroy Dharma and get destroyed by it in the process. On the other end,Rama and Pandavas tried to protect Dharma and got protected by it in the end.
In spite of several onslaughts against it, Dharma was not destroyed. Dharma triumphed in the end.
