How To Observe Dharma Properly

Today in the Bhagavata series of discourses, we will see what is the result of observing dharma.
The 13th shloka of the second chapter of the first Skandha of Srimad Bhagavata says -
अतः पुम्भिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा वर्णाश्रमविभागशः।
स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य संसिद्धिर्ह्यात्मपोषणम्॥
The overall meaning of this shloka is - the result of dharma well observed as per the Varnashrama system is that it makes Bhagavan happy.
Now we will look at the significance of the individual terms in this shloka.
द्विजश्रेष्ठाः -
Suta is addressing the Rishis headed by Shaunka at Naimisharanya.
Who is a dwija?
A born-again person.
The first birth being the natural biological parents.
The second birth being initiation by a Guru into Vedic knowledge.
Merely wearing the yajnopaveeta does not make someone a dwija.
You have to learn under a guru for a specified period.
This period is also considered to be a pregnancy.
In this second pregnancy, the guru assumes the role of the mother.
And when he has acquired knowledge, Vedic knowledge, the guru delivers him into the world.
This is the second birth.
This is the meaning of Dwija.
Those who have not undergone this process, Sage Vyasa calls them Dwijabndhus, relatives of Dwijas.
They are not Dwijas by themselves, they are relatives of Dwijas.
Upanayana is just the beginning of this second pregnancy.
Performance of Upanayana doesn't make someone qualified to be called a Dwija.
If upanayana is performed and then he doesn't acquire spiritual knowledge under a guru in a systematic way, then he can be at best called a Dwijabandhu, a relative of Dwija.
Like how we say relative of a minister, relative of an actor.
Now here Suta is addressing them as Dwijashreshtah - great among Dwijas.
What brings about this greatness in them?
Because they have developed bhakti.
They are keen to listen to the stories of Bhagavan.
This is the ultimate quality, ultimate merit.

वर्णाश्रमविभागशः
Remember
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्।।4.13।।
The Varna dharma, dividing the society into four Varnas is something done by Bhagavan himself.
He did it according to guna and karma.
Whether the family someone is born into has any significance is a subject matter of debate.
We will not get into that now.
Just to give some clues into the subject -
Vyasa was the most respected Sages of his time.
Till the time Satyavati disclosed that he was her son from Parashara nobody knew his antecedents, who his parents were.
Vidura, one of the main advisors in the Kuru court, his mother was a maid.
Look at the respect and position he had.
A lot of things must have changed when Varna dharma deteriorated into the caste system.
Guna means the satwa rajastamo gunas.
What someone should do based on their intrinsic nature.
Karma means what someone should do as a profession or livelihood.
Karma talks about the available professions and guna talks about someone's suitability to engage in it.
This division of the society is there even today.
We have an intellectual class - scientists, planners, advisers, academicians.
We have a ruling class - politicians, managers, administrators, defense personnel who protect.
We have a business class - the wealth creators, providers of employment.
We have the manpower class - people who are responsible for all the work, all the action.
That's what Bhagavan says: I have put this system in place.
He becomes happy when he sees someone adhering to the system he has put in place.
Gita again says -
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः
It is better to die doing one's own dharma than picking up a dharma not meant for you.
The result of doing paradharma is scary.
The 7th skandha of Srimad Bhagavata itself categorizes adharma into five - vidharma, paradharma, abhasa, upama, and jhala.
Ashrama dharma means the stages in an individual's life.
brahmacharya, garhastya, vanaprasta, and sanyasa.
The duties of each stage are different.
Serving the guru is a duty when you are a brahmachari.
Supporting others, providing for others when you are grihasta.
Like that.
Shloka says that if someone lives his life following the Varna dharma and Ashrama dharma then Bhagavan is happy.
Once again let me make it clear I don't intend the caste system here.
स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य
Dharma properly observed.
What is a proper observance of dharma?
There are six aspects to this.
Kala, desha, dravya, mantra, karta, karma.
Keep this in mind, every act of dharma we are performing to please Bhagavan, to make Bhagavan happy.
You are expecting a guest from out of town.
He is an uncle from your native.
You are not very keen but you are under compulsion to receive him.
You are complaining: why should he come here?
Why can't he go to a hotel and stay there?
Why every relative who comes to the city has to trouble us?
The uncle is already there at the door and he overhears this.
You don't realize that he is hearing all these
What will he feel?
You are still going to receive him, do whatever is required.
But how will he feel?
Like that Bhagavan is witnessing every single thing that you are doing.
When you are doing something half heartedly, Bhagavan knows that.
Will he feel happy?
No.
That is why you have to be mindful about these six - kala, desha, dravya, mantra, karta, karma when you are doing an act of dharma.
Do it at the proper time.
If Sandhyavandana should be done at sunrise, there is no point doing it at 8.30 or 9.00.
Desha - if some offering is to be made at Tirupati, then there is no point in doing it at a nearby place of your convenience unless it is specifically permitted.
Dravya - use the best available materials.
Today if you ask in the provision store for oil, you get edible of good quality.
If it is for lighting a lamp you get oil at one fourth tha price, low quality oil.
High quality for you and low quality for Bhagavan, will it work?
Mantra - the accompanying mantras should be defect free, you should put effort to learn them the right way and without defects.
Karta - you should be clean in body and mind when you are doing dharma.
What is impurity of the mind?
Desire, anger, greed, ignorance, arrogance, and envy
If your mind has any of these at the time of doing dharma, it is impure.
Karma - the procedure should be defect free.
You should put effort to learn the procedure.
Bhagavan is watching what you are doing.
He is happy only when he knows that you are doing it perfectly in all these six aspects.
If you practice dharma in this way, then what is the result?
आत्मतोषणम्
Bhagavan is not elsewhere.
He is inside you.
He only controls you from inside.
That is why it is said आत्मतोषणम्.
Without his blessing you will not be able to observe dharma perfectly.
In this kind of observance dharma, there is no goal other than making him happy.
In the inferior kind of observance of dharma, there is a material desire, you want health , wealth, house, vehicle, good spouse, children.
You are observing dharma for these.
What you may achieve are these only.
You will not make him happy by doing dharma this way.
You will not get his grace by doing dharma this way.
Do dharma with a desire, you may achieve that desire.
Do dharma without desire perfectly, you will get closer to Bhagavan.