Dharmashastra in the Modern Age: Reinterpreting Ancient Ethics for Global Challenges

Indian civilization, renowned for its antiquity and universality, is anchored in principles such as spirituality, social harmony, and the pursuit of abhyudaya (material prosperity) and niḥśreyasa (spiritual liberation). Central to this ethos are the puruṣārthas—the four aims of life: dharma (ethical duty), artha (material welfare), kāma (desire), and mokṣa (liberation). Among these, dharma stands supreme, serving as the moral compass for individual and societal conduct. The Dharmashastra, comprising Dharma-sūtras and Smṛitis, remains a cornerstone of India’s intellectual heritage, offering comprehensive guidelines on ethics, governance, and human behavior. This paper argues that the Dharmashastra’s principles, when reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, retain profound relevance in addressing modern challenges—from environmental sustainability to social justice. Rather than rigid replication, its adaptive frameworks can engage dynamically with pluralistic, democratic societies, bridging ancient wisdom and contemporary realities