[Advaita-l] "dharma" in the alaatashaanti prakaraNa of the Maa.Kaa

[Ramesh Krishnamurthy]

namaskAraH,

IMO, the term dharma is often used in the context of entities that
have (or appear to have or are thought to have) some kind of distinct
intrinsic nature (svabhAva). For example, it is often said that the
dharma of the sun is to shine, of fire to burn, etc. As the jIva (or
the elements that make up a jIva) also have (or appear to have)
svabhAva, the term dharma may used to mean jIva also.

Our scholarly members may comment on whether the above understanding is correct.

Ramesh

On 10/06/07, Guy Werlings <werlings.guy at wanadoo.fr> wrote:
> Sarvebhyo namaH |
>
>
>
> In the very famous fourth chapter of the GauDapAdIya KArikA, the word dharma
> occurs in many instances, and I have listed the following, hoping I have not
> forgotten any major one. It seems that our beloved bhashhyAkAra has in all
> cases commented in the following contexts the word "dharma" as meaning
>  "jIva", and many translators of the kArikA into English have rendered
> accordingly "dharma" by "entities" or "individual selves". Now my question
> to he learned Sanskrit scholars of the A-List is: "how come may one equate
> "dharma" and "jIva", or derive one from the other. I have not found any
> trace of "dharma" having the possible meaning of "jIva".
>
>