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FRAGMENTS OF A PRISONER'S DIARY
human existence is dominated by a meaningless word or indefinable term.
Those who wish to raise religion above a disharmonious body of habits and superstitions, define dharma as practices which help one to have a glimpse of the reality of the world, the World Soul. This is the definition given by Gandhi who is popularly acclaimed as the enth adiment of the true essence not only of Hinduism, but of all religion. This refers the question back to still another word which also is utterly meaningless, because it stands for something adraittedly indefinable. None can tell what is the Paramalma te. That mythical creation of human fantasy is beyond description in words, and not to be reached by mind. How is, then, one to know that the imaginary glimpse supposed to be got through prescribed practices, is a glimpse of the mystic World Soul? Is this not again submitting entire life to the tyranny of a word?
I know all about the specious definitions of the term dharma. But that is rationalisation-to make a prejudice appear reasonable and even necessarv. The definition most favoured by the modern Hindu intellectual is: Dharma is that which supports the world (human society). But who is to decide what supports the world? For the religi ous, this question is irrelevant. The decision has been made once for all. It is recorded in the Scriptures. Follow the scriptural injunctions, and
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