Dr. Robert Svoboda explains the meaning of the Sanskrit word “dharma” in this short video.

Dharma comes from the Sanskrit root dhṛ, which means to maintain, hold, or preserve. It carries a sense of continuity and stability. Dhyāna, the Sanskrit word often translated as meditation, is related in the sense that it helps create a firm and stable flow of attention.

Dharma is often translated as religion, but it is better understood as the path that maintains your life. It is the direction your life and prana are telling you to follow. In this sense, it resembles the Chinese idea of the Dao: the motivating force behind creation.

Indian thought speaks of four puruṣārthas, or aims of human existence: dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. Dharma means discovering the pathway you should follow through life, educating yourself so you can follow it, and then placing one foot in front of the other while keeping your attention aligned with that path.

When you do this, the continuity between the prana within you and the prana of the brahmāṇḍa—the greater creation outside you—provides a firm foundation. It enables you to bear the experiences of life and move ahead successfully.