Buddha declared that Dharma is the very basis of good life. He insisted that everyone should surrender to its dictates so that the misery that is ever at the heels of life may be avoided. Ashoka, the historic emperor, sweetened every law of his empire with Dharma. He inscribed on rock and pillar his exhortations: "Hitherto my people and my forefathers went on Viharayatras (pleasure trips); hereafter I propose only Dharmayatras (pilgrimages). Hitherto they gave Dana (Charity, usually in the form of money); hereafter they must give Dharmadana (the gift of the knowledge of Dharma). Hitherto they sought Digvijaya (conquest of territory); hereafter I exhort them to relish Dharmavijaya (the triumph of righteousness)." Asoka knew that Dharma sustains, strengthens and saves.

Dharma has to be built on this deep understanding of the depths of being. "Build your life," says Baba, "on the Atmic plinth, the faith that you are a wave upon the Ocean of Bliss, a spark of the Cosmic Intelligence." Then He asks, "When you worship an idol, what is it that you really do? First, a form of God is imprinted on your mind. After that you meditate on His power, grace and omnipresence, and project these qualities upon the idol, thus enabling your consciousness to transcend it and become unaware of the lithic substance before you... In the same manner, imprint onto your consciousness that form of God which delights you most and fills you with illumination, and project that form on every man, beast, bird and insect, on every tree and plant, on every rock and rill; this Sadhana will make you true, good and beautiful."

Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram – Words with Wings