Dharma defined by shastras..

Dharma defined by shastras..

धृतिः क्षमा दमोऽस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।

ह्रीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधः दशकं धर्मलक्षणम्॥

मनुस्मृति ६-२२

धृतिः धैर्यम्। अपराधेऽपि चित्तस्याविकारः क्षमा। अन्तःकरणसंयमः दमः। अस्तेयं अदत्तास्वीकारः। शौचं बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं च। इन्द्रियनिग्रहः निषिद्धेभ्यः इन्द्रियाणां निवारणम्। ह्रीः अकार्यनिवृत्तिः। विद्या आत्मज्ञानम्। सत्यं यथार्थवचनम्। तच्च प्रियमेव वेदितव्यम्।

dhṛtiḥ kṣamā damo'steyaṁ śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ|

hrīrvidyā satyamakrodhaḥ daśakaṁ dharmalakṣaṇam||

manusmṛti 6-22

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A quote from manusmriti, with commentary in Smritichandrainka

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The ten essential characteristics that would define Dharma or proper moral and spiritual conduct are

धृतिः --धैर्यम्। Dhruti or boldness, courage.. Dharmam can be in place only if those follow it are courageous.. to the extent that the law of Dharma would be implemented whether it is pleasant and convenient tor not

क्षमा अपराधेऽपि चित्तस्याविकारः क्षमा। patience, tolerance to a very prfound level.. even if a constituent commits a breach of rules.. Even if something wrong is done, the mind should not act with emotion but the response should be objective and just.

दमः अन्तःकरणसंयमः दमः। complete control of ones inner .. intellect and emotions should be under absolute control

अस्तेयं अदत्तास्वीकारः। lack of graft and tendency to steal.. that should be in absolute terms.. whatever is not ours, and whatever is not given to us voluntarily should never be appropriated or taken as ones own..

शौचं बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं च। cleanliness.. and purity.. both of mind and body.. purity of mind is attained only with a lot of training .. it is easier to clean the body.. water and soap or some nut powder would do that..

इन्द्रियनिग्रहः निषिद्धेभ्यः इन्द्रियाणां निवारणम् conscious, consceintious and meticulous control of the sense and motor organs... denying such organs any chance to think of or act on anything that is prohibited by law.. Indriyanigraham.. is a quality which only the greatest of yogins have managed to attain.. This would mean that Dharma has been taken to the ultimate spiritual level by Manu and the other Sages..

ह्रीः अकार्यनिवृत्तिः। Sense of shame, sense of abhorrence when one is tempted to do something which is not to be perfomed as per law and moral standars.

विद्या आत्मज्ञा नम्। adequate and proper knowledge and training.. that would lead one to realize and face too the realities of life..

सत्यं यथार्थवचनम्। truth, integrity, the determination to speak about or report on facts and things just exactly as one has perceived them through sense and motor organs.. in the process not adding, removing or twisting anything..

(तच्च प्रियमेव वेदितव्यम्। there too only what is generally pleasant should be said.. adds the commentator.. Manu did not included that in the definition)

Any judicial and social system,, anywhere in human epoch, could have thrived only if such high moral standards were in place.. India did have a continous flow of history, because we tried to keep in place the ten great principles.. although no one could reach perfection.. because we are just human.. And the gap between the ideal and real is always very real and pronounced..