Dear Divine Ma,
What Do You Want Me to Learn Today?
“It’s time for you to learn to stand up for dharma, to support what is right no matter the cost.”
But this doesn’t sound very harmonious.
“Well, sometimes right takes precedence over harmony.”
But isn’t that merely opening the door for people with hard and fast opinions to be able to say dogmatically, “Well, this is right, so you all must do it?’
“That wouldn’t be dharma, though, would it? When mere opinion is at stake, harmony is the priority. But when true dharma is at stake, that’s when it’s time to stand up for right. Yes, determining dharma can be tricky. But dharma in all situations is what leads you God-ward. And it is true that dharma aims for the happiness of all creatures. On the other hand, Swami always reminded us that his main responsibility at Ananda was to stand up for the individual, not the majority. Yes, dharma is a sticky wicket. But oh, one well worth discerning.”