https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Dharmo_Rakshati_RakshitahDharmo Rakshati Rakshitah - Revision history2026-07-31T14:41:48ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Dharmo_Rakshati_Rakshitah&diff=446798&oldid=prevSanjayMurugesan220 at 19:04, 25 November 20252025-11-25T19:04:25Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Sanskrit shloka}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2021}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}<br />
<br />
'''Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah''' ({{Langx|sa|धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः}}; [[IAST]]: ''dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ'') is a popular Sanskrit phrase<ref>Vidyāprakāśānandagirisvāmi.&nbsp;Gita Makaranda.&nbsp;India:&nbsp;Sri Suka Brahma Ashram,&nbsp;1980.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Tripathy |first1=Dr Preeti |title=Indian Religions: Tradition, History and Culture |year=2010 |publisher=Axis Publications |isbn=978-93-80376-17-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lixAAQAAIAAJ&q=Dharmo+Rakshati+Rakshitah |language=en}}</ref> mentioned in the [[Mahabharata]]<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Shaji |first1=U. S. |title=Studies in Hindu Religion |year=2008 |publisher=Cyber Tech Publications |isbn=978-81-7884-386-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ER0wAQAAIAAJ&q=Dharmo+Rakshati+Rakshitah |access-date=3 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=FE /><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Runzo |first1=Joseph |last2=Martin |first2=Nancy M. |last3=Sharma |first3=Arvind |title=Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions |date=August 2003 |publisher=Oneworld Publications |isbn=978-1-85168-309-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kRPXAAAAMAAJ&q=Dharmo+Rakshati+Rakshitah |access-date=3 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref> and [[Manusmriti]] verse 8.15. It can be loosely translated as "[[Dharma]] protects those who protect it".<ref name="Wisdomlib">{{Cite web |title=Manusmriti Verse 8.15 |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc200908.html |website=wisdomlib.org |access-date=9 December 2020 |date=9 December 2016}}</ref> The closest synonyms for Dharma in English are righteousness and ethics.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Glener |first1=Doug |last2=Komaragiri |first2=Sarat |title=Wisdom's Blossoms: Tales of the Saints of India |date=12 November 2002 |publisher=Shambhala Publications |isbn=978-0-8348-2938-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9COXAgAAQBAJ&dq=Dharmo+Rakshati+Rakshitah&pg=PT156 |access-date=3 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref> It is the motto of the [[Research and Analysis Wing]], [[National Law School of India University]] and the [[Hindutva]] organisation [[Vishwa Hindu Parishad]].<ref>{{cite journal | last=Bhatt | first=Chetan | title=Dharmo rakshati rakshitah : Hindutva movements in the UK | journal=Ethnic and Racial Studies | volume=23 | issue=3 | date=2000 | issn=0141-9870 | doi=10.1080/014198700328999 | pages=559–593}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last=Mukta | first=Parita | title=The public face of Hindu nationalism | journal=Ethnic and Racial Studies | volume=23 | issue=3 | date=2000 | issn=0141-9870 | doi=10.1080/014198700328944 | pages=442–466}}</ref><ref name=FE>{{Cite news |title=Shloka Shock: A verse from religious text not always just religious |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/shloka-shock-a-verse-from-religious-text-not-always-just-religious/1459840/ |access-date=3 January 2021 |work=The Financial Express |date=31 January 2019}}</ref><br />
==Scriptures==<br />
The phrase is part of a Manusmriti verse that says:<br />
<br />
{{quote|dharma eva hato hanti '''dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ''' tasmād dharmo na hantavyo mā no dharmo hato'vadhīt|Manusmriti 8.15}}<br />
<br />
{{quote|धर्म एव हतो हन्ति '''धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः''' तस्माद्धर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत्}}<br />
<br />
The Manusmriti was first translated by Sir William Jones in 1776 for making legal provisions for Hindus in British India including other Sanskrit religious books.<ref>{{Cite web |title=भारत में क्यों कहा जाता है, 'धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः'? |url=https://www.nastik.in/2019/04/why-in-india-people-say-dharmo-rakshati-rakshitah-hindi.html |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=Nastik Bharat}}</ref><br />
<br />
This phrase is also found in the Mahabharata.<ref>Srimat Maharshi Vedvyas pranit Mahabharat Sachitra Saral Hindi Anuvad; Gita Press, Gorakhpur.</ref> It is mentioned three times.<br />
<br />
In the Vana Parva (Araneya Parvadhyaya) Yudhishthira said to a [[yaksha]] - <br />
{{quote|धर्म एव हतो हन्ति '''धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः''' । तस्माद् धर्मं न त्यजामि मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् ।। - Mahabharata 3.313.128 Gita Press Hindi Translation}}<br />
{{quote|He who sacrifices virtue is himself destroyed. And he that preserves it is himself preserved. I, therefore, do not sacrifice virtue, considering that if destroyed, it will destroy us.}} <br />
This translation is from M. N. Dutt's Mahabharata.<ref>A Prose English translation of the Mahabharata: translated literally from the original Sanskrit Text by Manmatha Nath Dutt; 1895.</ref> In that book, this verse is found in 3.312.128.<br />
<br />
A slightly different verse is mentioned in the Anushasana Parva.<br />
<br />
{{quote|धर्म एव हतो हन्ति '''धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः''' । तस्माद् धर्मो न हन्तव्यः पार्थिवेन विशेषतः ।। - Mahabharata 13.145.2 Gita Press, Hindi Translation}}<br />
<br />
It is also mentioned in Mahabharata 3.30.8 Gita Press, Hindi Translation.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Ahimsa#The_Epics|Ahimsa Paramo Dharma]]<br />
* [[Yato Dharmastato Jayah]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Sanskrit mottos]]<br />
[[Category:Mahabharata]]<br />
<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shetty |first1=Jay |title=think like a monk: train your mind for peace and purpose every day |date=September 2020 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=9780008355562 |pages=99}}</ref><br />
[[Category:Justice]]</div>SanjayMurugesan220