Explorations in Religious Identity (RE 300 WR)

Dharma seems to escape the label of one definition. It is far more than one idea. It encompasses "duty, natural law, social welfare, ethics, health, wealth, power, fulfillment of desires, and transcendental realization" (page 73). It sort of brings all of these meanings that in English are diverse into one umbrella term. Dharma pervades other religions, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, for example. I think the breadth of the term's definition allows for wiggle room in Hinduism. This is why Hindus can be ascetics, 'hedonists' for lack of better wording, deity devotion, and pure philosophy as is mentioned on page 73. Divinity is inconceivably multifaceted because it essentially encompasses everything. On page 73, it cites the Rig Vega's "Truth is one; sages call it by various names". Different individuals fulfill different truths because society is like a body. The different castes, sects, and the like can be abstractly viewed as organs of a social body. They fulfill a specific dharma that is necessary for the social functioning. The heart pumps blood but it cannot do without other organs, for example. There is harmony in diversity and I see this sort of monistic diversity in a similar vein to Spinoza's God. There are infinite dharmas that are possible but they embody a larger all encompassing dharma. Essentially, there is one dharma but infinite possibilities. It can be viewed as simply one of the earlier definitions and be 'correct' but not really grasp the full truth. Dharma is all encompassing because of the very broad definition it has.
The Ramayana focuses so heavily on dharma because Indian society focuses, and focused at the time of its compilation, on dharma. Rama fulfills his duty, just like the warrior in the Bhagavad Gita. He is an exemplary person, someone to emulate by living one's individual dharma. Dharma is so important to Hinduism because it underlies the concepts upon which the branches of Hinduism are built. It underlies concepts of cosmic reality like Brahman. Imagine a Hinduism which was devoid of the concepts of "duty, natural law, social welfare, ethics, health, wealth, power, fulfillment of desires, and transcendental realization." (page 73). At that point, what remains of Hinduism? So much is lost by the removal of such a concept as dharma.