The Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism, consists of 18 chapters (verses) in total. Each chapter is divided into several verses. The second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called "Sankhya Yoga" or "The Yoga of Knowledge."

The Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism, consists of 18 chapters (verses) in total. Each chapter is divided into several verses. The second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called "Sankhya Yoga" or "The Yoga of Knowledge."

The second verse of the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, is as follows:

"Sanjaya uvacha Tam tatha krpayavishtam ashrupurnakulekshanam Vishidantam idam vakyam uvacha madhusudanah"

Translation: "Sanjaya said: To him who was thus overcome with compassion and afflicted with sorrow, whose eyes were full of tears and who was bewildered, Lord Krishna spoke the following words."

This verse sets the stage for the teachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna, who is in a state of moral dilemma and emotional distress on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It highlights Arjuna's emotional state and his readiness to receive Lord Krishna's guidance.

The debate about the status and role of women in Islam has been discussed over centuries, with limited understanding or misrepresentation. Islamic teaching, often taken out of context and misunderstood, constitutes a framework that emphasizes women’s dignity, rights, and empowerment. The article explores several dimensions of Muslim women including addressing stereotypes, delving into historical backgrounds as well as highlighting some guiding principles for gender relations within the Islamic faith.

Historical Context:It is crucial to consider the historical circumstances under which the teachings of Islam developed in order to understand how women are placed within it. In ancient Arabia prior to the rise of Islam, women were viewed merely as chattels who had neither rights nor freedom from various forms of oppression. The advent of Islam led to substantial changes in terms of the position of women in society at large. Women’s inherent worth and dignity were emphasized in both the Quran (the holy book) and Prophet Muhammad’s teachings that set forth radical revolutionary rights for them never before seen at their time.

Many people are mistaken in thinking that Islam does not give women rights. These rights include the right to learn, the right to get a job, the right to have property, and the right to be part of the society’s politics and economy. Because of this body of verse contained in Quran “And their lord has accepted of them and answered them ‘Never will I cause to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another’” (Quran 3:195), it is made clear that men and women are equal in God’s eyes.

Empowerment and Rights:Many people are mistaken in thinking that Islam does not give women rights. These rights include the right to learn, the right to get a job, the right to have property, and the right to be part of the society’s politics and economy. Because of this body of verse contained in the Quran “And their lord has accepted of them and answered them ‘Never will I cause to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another’” (Quran 3:195), it is made clear that men and women are equal in God’s eyes.

In Islam education is a very important thing; even Prophet Muhammad said both sexes should seek knowledge. Women have always been scholars, teachers, or contributors in different areas of learning since Islamic times.

This also gives them freedom and ensures they own property themselves. This includes inheriting wealth from parents as well as having control over their own finances. Moreover, Islamic law recognizes that consent must be given by women when entering into marriage hence forbidding forced marriages too.

Understanding the Deeper Logic: Hinduism is primarily a way of life that aims to investigate the big questions of existence rather than merely a religion. The core of Hindu philosophy is the idea of "Dharma," or living a moral life. It places a strong emphasis on pursuing moral and ethical duty, guiding people toward a balanced and peaceful existence.

"Avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata
Avyakta-nidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā"

Translation in English:

"All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?"

Meaning in Hindi:

"सभी प्राणी अपने प्रारंभिक अवस्था में अदृश्य होते हैं, मध्य अवस्था में व्यक्त होते हैं और उन्हें नष्ट होने पर फिर से अदृश्य हो जाते हैं। तो शोक करने की क्या आवश्यकता है?"

Online Worship: Many Hindus now use­ tech for worship. They can now see­ their gods, pray, and watch rituals online.  This doesnt re­place temples, but it he­lps. It makes religion easy to acce­ss from home, or when they cant visit a te­mple.Respect for Nature­: Hindus have always respecte­d nature. Their belie­fs teach them to care for all life­. They plant trees, cle­an rivers, and host green fe­stivals. These acts show their love­ for the environment and he­lp keep nature in balance­.

Religious Talks: Hinduism e­mbraces all faiths, pushing for interfaith talks. This helps to grow unde­rstanding between diffe­rent religious groups. Hindus have re­spectful discussions with other religions. This he­lps society stick together be­tter.Fitness and Inner Pe­ace: Yoga, which started from ancient Hindu ide­as, is loved worldwide. Its for well-be­ing in both mind and body. Hindus dont just see Yoga as a workout but as a spiritual routine too. Yoga is about good he­alth, clear thinking and a kickstart for the spirit. It helps bring out true­ peace from within. A key point in Hindu we­llness. 

Discover the real meaning of dharma in Hinduism beyond duty and religion. Learn how this ancient concept applies to modern life, career, and relationships in 2025.

I'll never forget the day my grandmother slapped my hand away from a second piece of chocolate cake at a family gathering. "Beta, this is not your dharma," she said sternly. I was eight years old and thoroughly confused. How could eating cake have anything to do with religion?

Fast forward twenty years, and I'm sitting in a corporate boardroom in Bangalore, facing a moral dilemma. My boss wants me to fudge some numbers on a client report—nothing illegal, just "massaging the data" to look more favorable. As I stared at that Excel sheet, my grandmother's words echoed: "This is not your dharma."

Suddenly, it clicked. Dharma wasn't about cake or religion or following rules blindly. It was something far more profound, far more practical, and infinitely more relevant to navigating modern life than I'd ever imagined.

If you've grown up hearing the word "dharma" thrown around at family functions, religious discourses, and Bollywood movies but never quite understood what it actually means, you're not alone. Even most Indians use the word without fully grasping its depth. And forget about explaining it to your foreign friends—"It's like duty, but also religion, but also righteousness, but also..." Yeah, it gets messy.

So grab a cup of chai (or coffee, I don't judge), and let me break down what dharma really means in Hinduism—not in some abstract, philosophical way, but in a "how does this apply to my actual life" way.

Dharma: The Word That Broke Translation

Here's the first problem: dharma is fundamentally untranslatable. Sorry, that's just the truth.

The English language doesn't have a single word that captures its full meaning. We've tried:

• Duty (too rigid)
• Religion (too narrow)
• Righteousness (too preachy)
• Law (too legal)
• Ethics (too Western)
• Cosmic order (too hippie)

Dharma is all of these and none of these simultaneously. It's like trying to explain "jugaad" to an American or "saudade" to someone who doesn't speak Portuguese. Some concepts are born in specific cultures and resist neat translation.

The Sanskrit root of dharma is "dhr," which means "to hold" or "to support." So dharma, at its most fundamental level, is that which holds everything together. It's the cosmic glue. The operating system of the universe. The natural law that keeps planets in orbit, seasons changing, and societies functioning.

But it's also deeply personal—it's what holds YOU together.

The Four Layers of Dharma

Hindu philosophy describes dharma operating at four levels, like concentric circles:

1. Rita (Cosmic Order) The universal laws—gravity, seasons, life-death cycle. Non-negotiable. You can't wake up one day and decide gravity doesn't apply to you. (Well, you can try. Good luck with that.)

2. Varna Dharma (Social Dharma) The duties and ethics related to your role in society. This is the controversial one because it got conflated with the caste system, which is a whole different (and problematic) conversation.

3. Ashrama Dharma (Life Stage Dharma) Your responsibilities change as you move through life stages—student, householder, retirement, renunciation. What's dharma for a 20-year-old isn't necessarily dharma for a 60-year-old.

4. Svadharma (Personal Dharma) Your unique purpose, your authentic path, your individual moral compass. This is the big one—the one that determines who you become.

Most people only understand dharma at level 2 or 3—"do your duty according to your role." But the real power lies in understanding all four, especially svadharma.

What Dharma Is NOT

Let me clear up some massive misconceptions:

Dharma ≠ Religion

My Muslim friend Faiz lives his life with incredible integrity, helps his neighbors, and stands up for justice. He's living dharma, even though he doesn't call it that. Dharma transcends religious labels.

Religion is the vehicle. Dharma is the destination. You can be deeply religious and completely adharmic (against dharma). You can be non-religious and profoundly dharmic.

Dharma ≠ Blind Obedience

The Mahabharata—our greatest epic about dharma—is literally 100,000 verses of characters arguing about what dharma means in complex situations. If dharma was simply "follow the rules," the book would be 50 pages long.

Dharma often requires you to question rules, challenge authority, and make difficult choices. Arjuna questioning whether to fight his own family? That's dharma in action—wrestling with moral complexity, not blindly obeying.

Dharma ≠ What Society Expects

Society told Gautama Buddha to be a prince. His dharma was to become a monk and find enlightenment. Society told Mirabai to be a conventional queen. Her dharma was to be a mystic poet devoted to Krishna.

Sometimes your dharma aligns with social expectations. Often it doesn't. The question isn't "what will people say?" but "what does my inner truth demand?"

Dharma ≠ Easy or Comfortable

Following your dharma isn't a Netflix-and-chill kind of path. It's hard. It requires sacrifice. It demands that you grow up, face your fears, and do what's right even when it's difficult.

My cousin gave up a ₹40 lakh job at a consulting firm to teach underprivileged kids for ₹25,000 a month. Was it practical? No. Was it dharma? Absolutely. Is he happier? Immensely.