Commandments in Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma: A Comprehensive Scholarly Review of Ethical Imperatives and Their Contemporary Relevance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.5.3.46Keywords:
Sanatana Dharma, Hindu Ethics, Yamas, Niyamas, Dharma, Purusharthas, Karma, Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha, Comparative Ethics, Environmental Ethics, Business Ethics, Bioethics, Digital Ethics, Advaita Vedanta, Dharmasastras, Bhagavad GitaAbstract
This paper presents a comprehensive examination of ethical imperatives within Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma, analyzing their textual foundations, philosophical underpinnings, and contemporary applications. Unlike the codified commandments of Abrahamic traditions, Hindu ethics manifests through an intricate system of contextual duties, virtues, and guidelines that have evolved over millennia. Through hermeneutical analysis of primary texts, ethnographic insights, and examination of practical applications, this study demonstrates how Hindu ethical frameworks—particularly the Yamas and Niyamas, Dharma, and Purusharthas—continue to offer valuable resources for addressing contemporary ethical challenges in environmental stewardship, business practices, bioethics, and digital spaces. The paper also explores internal diversity within Hindu ethical thought across different sampradayas (traditions) and geographical contexts, engaging with both classical scholarship and recent academic discourse. This research contributes to cross-cultural ethical dialogue by highlighting how Hindu ethical imperatives integrate moral conduct with metaphysical understanding and spiritual practice, offering a perspective that balances universal principles with contextual applications.
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