Thread by @SirKazamJeevi

Wknd 🧵 - धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः

Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah is one of the most powerful Sanskrit phrases ever

So many Right Wing trolls/goons use it in their bio, but these rabble rousers neither know the actual meaning nor the origin/context of this profound & ancient phrase
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“धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः” is mentioned in Mahabharata & Manusmriti. Its literal translation means: “Dharma protects those who protect it”

Interestingly, the word ‘Dharma’ here doesn’t mean ‘Religion’ but is used as a reference for ‘Duty with Justice, Righteousness, Ethics &..
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…Virtue’. Yes, as in ‘Raj Dharma’, if you recall Atal Ji’s advice to Modi after Gujarat riots 😊

Now the origin. “धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः” is mentioned in 2 scriptures, let’s understand the context & meaning in both;

Mahabharata:
In Vana Parva, Yudhishthira tells the Yaksha:
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धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः।
तस्माद् धर्मं न त्यजामि मा नो धर्मो हतोवधीत्॥

Meaning: He who sacrifices virtue, is himself destroyed. He who preserves it, is himself preserved. I, therefore, do not sacrifice virtue, considering that if destroyed, it will destroy us
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There’s a slightly different verse in Mahabharata’s Anushasan Parva:

धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः।
तस्माद् धर्मो न हन्तव्यः पार्थिवेन विशेषतः॥
Again, similar meaning of Dharma, the duty

Manu Smriti:
Not my favorite book but the phrase is present in this shloka:
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धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः।
तस्माद्धर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोवधीत्॥

Meaning: Justice, blighted, blights; & justice, preserved, preserves; hence justice shouldn’t be blighted, lest blighted justice blight us

Again, message here is to preserve justice and..
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…not to protect ‘Religion’, as Sanghis portray. In fact, actual meaning is quite in contrast to the bigotry, hate, violence & political opportunism RW pawns promote under the garb of a manipulated/abused definition of ‘Dharma’

In another shloka, Manu Smriti also defines..
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…what Dharma is:

धृतिः क्षमा दमोऽस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।
धीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधो दशकं धर्मलक्षणम्॥

Meaning: Patience, forgiveness, self-control, non-stealing, cleanliness & purity, restraint over senses, wisdom, knowledge, truth & calmness are ten attributes of Dharma
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Fun Fact:
धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः is also the motto of both ‘RAW’ & ‘National Law School’. In both cases it doesn’t mean protecting any religion

It stands for, “Those who protect the Law are protected by the Law”, again referring to ‘Justice, Righteousness, Ethics & Virtue’.
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So next time you see an abusive hate monger Pakhandi misusing “धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः” (their only aim is spreading fear & inciting violence to help their political masters win elections), share this thread with them & let the ignorant Sanghi pawns learn its true meaning
🙏

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