Across world spiritual traditions, righteousness generally refers to moral uprightness and a commitment to doing what is right. Many traditions converge on the importance of cultivating virtues like compassion and justice. However, they diverge on the specifics, offering unique perspectives on what it means to live a righteous life.
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Wherever there is Krishna, the Lord of yoga, and wherever there is Partha, the archer, there will surely be fortune, victory, prosperity, and sound morality — this is my conviction.
यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः | तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ||१८-७८||
To protect the good, to destroy those who do evil, and to establish dharma firmly, I come into being age after age.
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् | धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ||४-८||
Whenever there is a decline of dharma and a rise of adharma, Arjuna, then I bring myself forth.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत | अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ||४-७||
Considering your own duty as well, you should not waver; for there is nothing better for a warrior than a righteous war.
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि | धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ||२-३१||
Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly done, than the duty of another well performed. Doing the work ordained by one's own nature, one incurs no fault.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ||१८-४७||
Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly performed, than the duty of another well performed. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another brings danger.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ||३-३५||
The intellect by which one wrongly discerns dharma and adharma, and what should and should not be done — that intellect, Partha, is rajasic.
यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च | अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ||१८-३१||
Dhritarashtra said: On the field of dharma, on the field of Kurukshetra, assembled and eager to fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, Sanjaya?
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच | धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः | मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय ||१-१||
I am the strength of the strong, free of desire and passion; and in beings I am desire that does not conflict with dharma, best of the Bharatas.
बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् | धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ||७-११||
With the destruction of the family, the eternal traditions of the family perish; and when tradition is lost, lawlessness overwhelms the whole family.
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः | धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ||१-४०||
Your true nature is pure existence, consciousness, and bliss. The physical body is just an illusion.
then, however those Brahmins there—thoughtful, competent, gentle, devoted to dharma—would behave in that case, so should you behave. And with regard to those who are accused of some fault: however those Brahmins there—thoughtful, competent, gentle, devoted to dharma—would behave toward them, so should you behave toward them. This is the teaching. This is the counsel. This is the secret doctrine of the Veda. This is the instruction. Thus should one worship; thus indeed should this be worshiped.'
ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः ।अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तत्र वर्तेरन् ।तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः । अथाभ्याख्यातेषु ।ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः ।अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तेषु वर्तेरन् ।तथा तेषु वर्तेथाः । एष आदेशः । एष उपदेशः ।एषा वेदोपनिषत् । एतदनुशासनम् । एवमुपासितव्यम् ।एवमु चैतदुपास्यम् ॥ ४॥
Everything in this universe is permeated by me. All creatures, whether moving or stationary, know that I am their destroyer, just like fire destroys all types of wood.
You are the one who gives eternal liberation as the result of righteous actions, without any desire for personal gain.
The practice of righteousness is the rope that pulls the boat through difficult waters.
There is nothing more worthy of respect by kings than punishment, which shows the path of righteousness.
Punishment, O king, quickly sets the world on the path of righteousness. Righteousness exists in the Brahmanas, based on truth.
I know that victory lies where righteousness is.
Righteousness is the greatest good; forgiveness is the supreme peace; knowledge is the ultimate contentment; and benevolence is the only true happiness.
The man who abides in God’s love must be dead to himself and all created things, and regard himself as a mere unit among a thousand million.