Prof. Bharat M. Mody’s DHARMA KARYA: An Ideological Book stands as one of the most unusual and confrontational contributions to the contemporary Indian intellectual landscape. Unlike conventional political philosophy that tends to work within the boundaries of accepted institutions, Mody’s work attempts to rebuild the entire edifice of thought itself. It is not a commentary on religion, governance, or education in the ordinary sense but an ambitious attempt to present Sanatan Dharma as a total worldview that integrates human purpose, governance, economics, morality, and sustainability. The text does not proceed with academic caution but with a voice of conviction that blends philosophy, polemic, and prophetic fervour. It intends to reform not a segment of society but the very consciousness of modern civilisation.
At the heart of Mody’s project lies the conviction that the world today suffers from an ideological vacuum. Modern political systems, whether democratic, socialist, or capitalist, have all emerged from either Western theological roots or colonial historical processes that have long since lost their ethical grounding. In his assessment, the world’s current disarray—political corruption, ecological destruction, moral confusion, and spiritual emptiness—originates from this absence of an integrated value system. Mody’s solution is not to import newer models but to rediscover the civilisational wisdom that has survived in Bharat under the inclusive umbrella of Sanatan Dharma. This form of Dharma, he argues, offers not dogma but a code of conduct and a way of understanding existence itself. It harmonises the material and the spiritual, the individual and the collective, and above all, human life with nature.
The author’s approach to Sanatan Dharma is neither nostalgic nor ritualistic. It is, instead, philosophical and practical. He describes it as a scientific, culture-rich, and ideologically coherent way of life that has sustained itself through adversity because it rests upon reason and adaptation. He views Sanatan Dharma as fundamentally different from other world religions, especially Christianity and Islam, which he associates with exclusivity, submission, and a centralised idea of divine authority. The central claim here is that Dharma is a dynamic system that allows freedom of inquiry, personal interpretation, and self-realisation. At the same time, religion in its Western or Abrahamic form demands conformity and obedience. For Mody, this difference is not merely theological but civilisational, for it explains why the Hindu tradition survived conquest and colonisation, whereas other civilisations perished or became rigid dogmatic structures.
His moral philosophy stems from the ancient Indian concept of Purusharth, which encompasses the fourfold human pursuits of Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. In the author’s view, this model defines a complete human being by acknowledging the right to personal growth, wealth, pleasure, and liberation within the bounds of ethical responsibility. Mody transforms this philosophical schema into a socio-political ethic. A nation becomes prosperous and just when its citizens pursue their individual Dharma responsibly, for collective harmony arises naturally from moral individualism. He celebrates this as true independence of mind, a form of self-governance that does not depend on imposed authority. Against this, he places the Western moral code of altruism, which he associates with Christian ideals of sacrifice and Islamic notions of submission, criticising it as negating the dignity of individual reason. In his reading, societies built upon self-denial breed dependency and moral weakness, while those built upon self-realisation produce creative and prosperous citizens.
The book’s philosophical boldness extends to its political imagination. Prof. Mody asserts that the post-independence Indian state inherited a borrowed structure alien to its cultural roots. In his assessment, the Constitution reflected British jurisprudence rather than the Indian philosophical ethos. He believes that the absence of philosophy in governance has led to the moral and political decay visible today. To correct this, he advocates what he terms a Political Republic founded on philosophical principles rather than electoral opportunism. In this model, decision-making would rely upon referendums, recall systems, and moral accountability rather than the party whip and high-command politics that have dominated postcolonial governance. Such a republic would function based on trust between the state and its citizens, where authority flows from virtue rather than ideology.
In economic thought, Mody’s position is strikingly individualistic. He advocates Laissez-Faire Capitalism, a system of free enterprise and limited government intervention, which he identifies as a moral system consistent with Dharma. Here, capitalism is not a tool of exploitation but an ethical expression of human creativity and self-reliance. He rejects socialism as a parasitic ideology that rewards dependency and punishes productivity. In his view, unrestrained capitalism, guided by Dharma’s moral compass, produces prosperity while maintaining an ethical balance. This interpretation combines elements of Ayn Rand’s Objectivism with the Indian ethical framework of Purusharth, creating a hybrid philosophy that values both freedom and responsibility.
Education and healthcare receive considerable attention in the book and are both treated as civilisational domains distorted by colonial legacies. Modern education, he argues, was designed by the Macaulay system to produce clerks and workers, not thinkers or citizens. It is utilitarian and soulless. The author proposes a return to the Gurukul model, where knowledge was holistic and spiritual, integrating philosophy, arts, sciences, and moral education. Such an education system would restore the idea that learning is a lifelong pursuit of wisdom rather than a credential for employment. Similarly, modern healthcare is viewed as overly mechanistic, dominated by pharmaceutical interests and divorced from individual context. The author advocates a synthesis of Ayurveda, Allopathy, and Homoeopathy to create a holistic healthcare framework focused on prevention and lifestyle discipline. Both reforms aim to recover the balance between the physical, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions of human existence, which Mody regards as indispensable for a sustainable society.
Throughout the text, the author interlaces his arguments with an unflinching critique of India’s political leadership since independence. He holds Gandhi and Nehru responsible for surrendering Bharat’s civilisational sovereignty to colonial frameworks. Nehru’s adoption of socialism and Western-style parliamentary democracy is described as a historic misjudgment that severed the link between Indian governance and its philosophical core. Mody views the political degeneration of the Congress system, the moral collapse of democracy, and the politicisation of the judiciary as inevitable outcomes of this foundational error. His admiration for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whom he calls the true liberator of India, stems from Bose’s fusion of nationalism, discipline, and self-reliance—qualities that, in Mody’s view, embody the spirit of Dharma.
Stylistically, DHARMA KARYA is more of a manifesto than a treatise. The language is direct, forceful, and unadorned, unlike the subtlety typically found in academic writing. Mody writes as a reformer speaking to an audience that he believes has forgotten its heritage. His sentences carry urgency, and his tone oscillates between philosophical reflection and righteous indignation. This intensity lends the book its power but also its controversy. He is unafraid to use provocative expressions to shock his readers out of complacency. While this rhetorical style may alienate some readers, it undeniably gives the book the character of a passionate declaration rather than a detached analysis.
Viewed through the lens of sustainability, Mody’s work acquires further depth. The author’s concept of sustainability is not limited to environmental balance but extends to the moral and philosophical continuity of civilisation. A society, he argues, cannot sustain itself if its educational, political, and economic systems are divorced from its intellectual roots. Sanatan Dharma, being inherently ecological and ethical, naturally aligns human behaviour with cosmic balance. Its reverence for nature, its belief in cyclical renewal, and its emphasis on moderation all constitute what in modern terminology would be called sustainable living. Thus, the return to Dharma is not a regression to the past but a recovery of equilibrium lost to industrial and ideological excesses.
In reading DHARMA KARYA, one realises that Mody’s project is simultaneously political, philosophical, and civilisational. It challenges readers to reconsider the premises upon which modern India is founded. His comparisons between Sanatan Dharma and other religions serve not merely to elevate one over the other but to illustrate what he sees as the fundamental distinction between philosophies of reason and systems of obedience. To some, these contrasts may seem severe or oversimplified, but they serve a larger rhetorical purpose: to compel India to reflect on the intellectual foundations of its nationhood.
The significance of DHARMA KARYA lies not only in its ideas but in its ambition to restore philosophy to public life. In a world dominated by political expediency, Mody insists that governance must again be anchored in metaphysical and ethical clarity. He envisions a Bharat that leads the world by example, not through economic dominance but through the moral authority of Dharma. This moral authority, he believes, has the power to create a new world order guided by reason, justice, and sustainability. Whether or not one agrees with his methods or conclusions, the sincerity of this vision commands attention.
In conclusion, DHARMA KARYA is a work that refuses to conform to intellectual moderation. It provokes, disturbs, and insists on engagement. Prof. Bharat M. Mody may be seen as a modern ideologue of civilisational revival who wishes to rebuild society from the philosophical roots upward. The book’s significance rests in its courage to treat philosophy not as abstract speculation but as a living force that must shape governance, economics, and culture. For those willing to read it without prejudice, DHARMA KARYA offers not only a critique of modernity but also a vision of how ancient wisdom might once again become the foundation of a sustainable and self-respecting civilisation. It stands as a reminder that the quest for progress need not abandon the past and that the future of Bharat, and perhaps of the world, may yet depend on rediscovering the eternal principles of Sanatan Dharma.
Review by Saurabh for Active Reader
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