In the dharma literature, the ultimate
and eternal moral order of the universe.
It is the eternal ideal pattern revealed in
the Vedas (the oldest and most authoritative Hindu religious texts). This pattern must be upheld to maintain the stability of society. All aspects of religious
duty (dharma) aim ultimately toward
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Samyama
the maintenance and fulfillment of this
order, including common religious
duties (sadharana dharma), religious
duties stemming from social status
(varna dharma) and stage of life (ashrama dharma), and individualized religious duty (svadharma). In more recent
times, the term has been used
by Hindus to identify the religious
tradition known to the outside world
as “Hinduism.”