ed by the Pandavas by adharmic means and Gandhari who could not understand the fact that how can they be preaching dharma when they are acting adharmic themselves. The epic does, however, manages to get away with the violations of dharma. All the violations of dharma are sought to be explained away and justified by resorting to apaddharma (Rukmani, 26). Appadharma is explained as the dharma of abnormal times. It sanctions any means to desired end. The epic also gives another explanation for justification of its dharmic characters acts; and it is that while dharma can only be practiced towards a dharmic person, it is alright to act adharmic towards an adharmic person.One can make several efforts in trying to the grasp the concept of dharma but will not succeed in fully grasping the idea due to its subtle nature. We are reminded of the fact that dharma is subtle several times by our epic poets. There have been instances in the epic where the subtlety of dharma becomes evident. One of such instances is where Draupadi, after being lost by her husband, asks Bhisma if Yudhisthira had a right to stake her in the dice game. However, at this occasion, even Bhisma, who is known to be well versed in the concept of dharma, confesses that due to the subtle nature of dharma and the importance of the issues involved in her question he is unable to give a proper reply to her (Dubey, 43). The concept of dharma may be subtle, but it still forms the very heart of Hindu philosophy. Without it, the universe will cease to exist; it is the very principle that holds the universe intact and prevents it from being degraded. It is because of dharmas such universal importance that the gods from time to time have come down on earth as lowly humans with the purpose of restoring dharma whenever it is on decline.The epic of Mahabharata represents such times; and it is one of the great works that teaches an individual about the importance of dharma. Dharma a...
