Dharma is not just the rules and regulations of acceptance in society. Dharma is that righteousness which the wise and good speak—
विद्वद्भिः सेवितः सद्भिर्नित्यमद्वेषरागिभिः ।
हृदयेनाभ्यनुज्ञातो यो धर्मस्तं निबोधत ॥
Learn that Dharma, which has been ever followed by, and sanctioned by the heart of, the learned and the good, who are free from love and hate. (MaṇuSmrṭī: 2.1)
न धर्माधर्मौ चरत 'आवं स्व' हाते, न देवगन्धर्वा न पितर इत्याचक्षते 'ऽयं धर्मोऽयमधर्म, इति ॥
Dharma and Adharma do not go around saying, "That is us." Neither do gods, nor Gandharvas, nor the Pitris declare what is Dharma and what is Adharma.
यं त्वार्थः क्रियमाणं प्रशंसन्ति स धर्मो, यं गर्हन्ते सोऽधर्मः ॥
That action which is praised by the wise is dharma; that which they condemn is Adharma.
-Apastambha Dharma Sutra: 1.7.20.6–7
Dharma is that righteousness which the scriptures dictate—
तं विद्धि सात्त्विकं धर्मं यश्च केनाप्य निंदितः ।
श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितो यस्तु यदि निष्कामिको भवेत् ॥
They know that Dharma to be Sāttvika, which shall be helpful to good people and which is not at all censured by anyone. It is that Dharma which is laid down in Śrutis and Smritis.
—Skaṇḍa Purāṇa: 2.7.20.54
‘That the doing of which men learned in the scriptures praise is Dharma; that which they deprecate is called Adharma.’ (Viśvamitra Smriti, quoted in Parāśaramādhava, p. 80)
चोदनालक्षणोऽर्थो धर्मः।
Dharma is that which is described in the Veda as conducive to good.
—Jaimini, Mīmāṃsā-Sūtra: 1.1.2
So, Manusmriti sums it up—
वेदः स्मृतिः सदाचारः स्वस्य च प्रियमात्मनः ।
एतच्चतुर्विधं प्राहुः साक्षाद् धर्मस्य लक्षणम् ॥
The Veda, the Smṛti, the Practice of those who are good, and that what is agreeable to oneself—these directly constitute the fourfold lakṣanas of Dharma.
-Manusmriti: 2.12
But what constitutes Dharma?
Well...the Smritis offer different answers to the same question as they are the works of different learned individuals—
अहिंसा सत्यं अस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।
एतं सामासिकं धर्मं चातुर्वर्ण्येऽब्रवीन्मरुः॥
Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, purity, and control over the senses — this concise definition of dharma was declared for all four varṇas by Manu.
-Manusmriti: 10.63
अहिंसा सत्यं अस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।
दानं दमः दया क्षान्तिः सर्वेषां धर्मसाधनम्॥
Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, purity, control over the senses, charity, restraint, compassion, and forgiveness — these are the constituents of dharma for all.
-Yajvalkya Smriti: 1.122
शौचं दानं तपः श्रद्धा गुरुसेवा क्षमा दया ।
विज्ञानं विनयः सत्यमिति धर्मसमुच्चयः ।
Purity, charity, penance, faith, service to the guru, forgiveness, compassion, knowledge, humility, and truth — these together constitute the essence of dharma.
-Devala Smriti: 1.7
For example of ManuSmriti— it says that non-violence, truth, non-stealing, purity and control over senses form Dharma.
Now, both Śrī Krṣṇa and Śrī Rāma followed non-violence until violence was necessary. They both are Truth personified (नित्यं सत्यं परंब्रह्म कृष्णं निर्गुणमेव च । ~Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa: 2.65.22/अक्षरं ब्रह्म सत्यं ~Vālmiki Rāmāyaṇa: 6.117.14), they cannot still anything as everything belongs to them only. They are always pure (शुद्धं ब्रह्मत्वमेव च ॥ —Padma Purāṇa: 6.128.229), and even senses cannot effect them.
All these attributes actually comes from God himself—
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोह: क्षमा सत्यं दम: शम: | सुखं दु:खं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ||
अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयश: | भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधा: ||
From Me alone arise the varieties of qualities in humans, such as intellect, knowledge, clarity of thought, forgiveness, truthfulness, control over the senses and mind, joy and sorrow, birth and death, fear and courage, non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, and infamy.
-Bhagavad Gītā: 10.4–5
So, Śrī Rāma and Śrī Krṣṇa always followed Dharma. As Both Śrī Rāma and Śrī Krṣṇa are followers of Dharma/Dharma personified~ राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य धर्मचारी महारथः (Vālmiki Rāmāyaṇa: 3.12.30), संसारसारं निगमप्रचारं धर्मावतारं हृतभूमिभारम् । (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa: 1.12.117), महा धर्म रघुपति गुण गाना (Prem Rāmāyaṇa: Prasthana Kanda: 113.1).
Śruti says—धर्माणि धारयन्—the Supreme Being, upholds righteousness (Dharma).
-Rig Veda: 1.22.18, Srī Rāma is himself that being: त्वं परो धर्मो —O Rama, You are the supreme Dharma.
(Vālmiki Rāmāyaṇa: 6.117.14), वेदप्रणिहितो धर्मो That which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes dharma (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.1.40) and वेदो नारायण: साक्षात् ~The Vedas are Nārāyaṇa himself. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.4.10)
Therefore, we conclude—
रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः ।
Shri Rama is the very embodiment of Dharma, and also the one who upholds righteousness."
—Valmiki Ramayana 3.37.13
And as Lord Krṣṇa and Śrī Raghupati are one in essence (यो रामः कृष्णतामेत्य ~Krṣṇa Upaniṣad), they both are the embodiments of Dharma and the upholder of the same.
But their approach towards following Dharma was slightly different as the time period, the environment and the gunās of the people around them were different.
In Treta Yuga—
O excellent sage in the Tretā Yugā, Dharma assumes pale white color. Harī attains red colour. People undergo slight suffering. All are absorbed in the path of holy rites; they abide by the holy performance of Yajña; they hold steadfastly to truthfulness; they are devoted to meditation, they are always engaged in meditation.
-Nārada Purāṇa: 1.41.14–15
In Dvapara Yugā—-
O leading sage, in the Dvāpara, Dharma stands on two legs, and Hari assumes yellow colour; the Vedas are classified. At that time even some excellent Brāhmaṇas are absorbed in untruths. Among the Brāhmaṇas and the people of other Varnās, some possess the evils of passionate attachment to wordly objects. O Brāhmaṇa, soṃe of them perform Yajñas for the attainment of heaven and salvation; some are desirous of wealth etc., and some have their minds affected by sin.
-Nārada Purāṇa: 1.41.16–18
Thus, Devi Bhāgavatam concludes—
ये धर्मरसिका जीवास्ते वै सत्ययुगेऽभवन् । धर्मार्थरसिका ये तु ते वै त्रेतायुगेऽभवन् ॥ १२
धर्मार्थकामरसिका द्वापरे चाभवन्युगे । अर्थकामपराः सर्वे कलावस्मिन्भवन्ति हि ॥ १३
युगधर्मस्तु राजेन्द्र न याति व्यत्ययं पुनः । कालः कर्तास्ति धर्मस्य ह्यधर्मस्य च वै पुनः ॥ १४
O King! The persons that are devoted to religion take their births in the Satya Yuga; those that are fond of religion and wealth they become manifest in the Tretā Yuga; those that like Dharma (religion), Artha (wealth) and Kama (desires), they are born in the Dvāpara Yuga, and those that dote on wealth and lust, they are seen in the Kālī Yuga. O King! Know this as certain that these characteristics, peculiar to each Yuga, never vary; and know this too, that Time, the Lord of Dharma and Adharma, is always present.
—Devi Bhāgavatam Purāṇa: 6.11.12–14
Henceforth, due to difference in set-up and environment and the gunās of people…their approach was somewhat different.
But, if you observe closely and interpret each and every instance of their Lilās carefully…you will observe that their approach was more or less…the same in essence.
Hope you understand the complex term known as “Dharma.”
~ Ram Lakhan Prasad Sinha (Āditya Rāj Siṇgh)
**I am just a 14 year old who does all the research alone with the grace of Śrī Rāma…please forgive me if there is a mistake.**
Hare Rāma.
