Q:What is the necessity of study of religion for the development of a complete person?1.
Moral
and Ethical Foundation
Ans: Religion often teaches values like honesty, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and justice.
• Studying it helps a person develop a strong moral compass and the ability to differentiate
between right and wrong.
2. Inner Peace and Emotional Strength
• Religion introduces practices like prayer, meditation, reflection, or devotion, which nurture
mental balance and emotional resilience.
• A person learns to face challenges, losses, and hardships with courage and calmness.
3. Sense of Purpose
• Religion deals with the “big questions” of life—Why are we here? What is the purpose of
existence? What happens after death?
• Understanding these gives a person direction and meaning in life, beyond just material
success.
4. Social Harmony
• Religion emphasizes love, service, and respect for others.
• Studying it fosters tolerance, empathy, and brotherhood, helping a person live harmoniously
in society.
5. Spiritual Growth
• Religion awakens the inner dimension of life—the search for truth, self-realization, or
connection with the divine.
• This makes a person more humble, mindful, and spiritually mature.
6. Cultural and Historical Awareness
• Religions have shaped civilizations, art, music, architecture, and literature.
• Studying them helps a person become culturally literate and respectful of different
traditions.
Q2: What are the difference in between 'Dharma and Religion?
Ans: 1. Meaning
• Dharma (धर्म): A Sanskrit word that broadly means that which upholds, sustains, or
maintains the order of the universe and life. It includes righteousness, duty, moral law,
natural order, and principles of living. Dharma is more about living rightly than following
rituals.
• Religion: A system of faith, worship, and practices organized around belief in a God or
gods, often with scriptures, rituals, institutions, and rules. It is more about belief and
worship.
2. Scope
• Dharma: Universal and applicable to all beings—not only humans but also society, nature,
and even the cosmos. For example, it is the dharma of fire to burn, of a teacher to teach, of
a ruler to protect.
• Religion: Specific to a community or tradition, e.g., Hinduism, Christianity, Islam,
Buddhism, etc. Each religion has its own doctrines, deities, and practices.
3. Focus
• Dharma: Emphasizes duty, ethics, righteousness, harmony, and balance. It doesn’t
necessarily require belief in God.
• Religion: Emphasizes faith in God (or gods), rituals, and spiritual salvation. Belief is central.
4. Universality
• Dharma: Timeless and not limited to any one culture or text. Even an atheist can follow
dharma by being truthful, kind, and just.
• Religion: Bound to a specific tradition, prophet, or scripture. Without belief in its doctrines,
one may not be considered religious.
5. Flexibility
• Dharma: Can adapt with time and context. For example, Kula-dharma (family duty), Raj-
dharma (duty of a king), Manav-dharma (duty of a human).
• Religion: More rigid, defined by scriptures and traditions, though reforms are possible.
