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ANUVRATA : A SOLUTION FOR WORLD ....... : 61 time to time the selfless divine souls like Mahāvīra, Gautama Buddha, Krşņa, Christ, Gandhi and Vinoba, who have left no pains to show us the path leading to peace, harmony and happiness. Among the most burning problems, the world facing today, religious fundamentalism and intolerance are the most crucial. R.N. Tagore rightly observed, “For man to come near to one another and yet to ignore the claims of humanity is the sure process of suicide.
In the circumstances prevailing today the only way out left is mutual co-operation and co-existence among all religions of the world which have significant impact on human lives. Religious harmony and fellowship of faith among different religions is the first and foremost need of our age to cultivate world peace.
Now first of all we have to ponder over the nature of true religion. Religion can be found almost everywhere around us, influencing one's lifestyle and surroundings much more than we are aware of. We have ample definitions of Dharma in Indian Literature viz. dhārayatīti dharmaḥ, dhryate lokaḥ anena iti dharmaḥ, dhriyate lokayātrānirvāhārtha yaḥ saḥ dharmaḥ, yato vā abhudaya niḥśreyaşa siddhi sa dharmaḥ', etc. which collectively approve religion as a binding force for the diverse nature and culture of human beings. That which works for the welfare of the human society is dharma. When we think of religion we think of it as a very powerful instrument of spreading love, compassion, and hormony in the world. Religion is the commitment to a kind of quality of the life that purports to recognise a source beyond itself (usually, but not necessarily called GOD) and that issues in recognising fruits in human conduct (e.g. law, morality), culture (e.g., art, poetry) and thought (e.g. philosophy). According to Mahābhārata’ the role of religion is to ensure the welfare of living being and the true welfare of the mankind is to live in peace. Therefore, that which ensures the welfare of living beings, that which evolves peace, is surely dharma. The learned Rșis have declared that which sustains is dharma.
For a more complete definition of the word religion we have to examine two other aspects. How religion has affected man over the
