Editing Dharma (section)

===Rta, maya and dharma===
The evolving literature of Hinduism linked ''dharma'' to two other important concepts: ''Ṛta'' and ''Māyā''. [[Ṛta]] in Vedas is the truth and [[Buddhist cosmology|cosmic]] principle which regulates and coordinates the operation of the universe and everything within it.{{sfn|Koller|1972|pp=136–142}}<ref>Holdrege, Barbara (2004), "Dharma" in: Mittal & Thursby (eds.) ''The Hindu World'', New York: Routledge, {{ISBN|0-415-21527-7}}, pp. 213–248.</ref> [[Māyā]] in Rig-veda and later literature means illusion, fraud, deception, magic that misleads and creates disorder,<ref>[http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/mw/0800/mw__0844.html "Māyā"] ''Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary'', {{ISBN|978-81-206-0369-1}}</ref> thus is contrary to reality, laws and rules that establish order, predictability and harmony. Paul Horsch suggests Ṛta and ''dharma'' are parallel concepts, the former being a cosmic principle, the latter being of moral social sphere;{{sfn|Horsch|2004}} while Māyā and ''dharma'' are also correlative concepts, the former being that which corrupts law and moral life, the later being that which strengthens law and moral life.{{sfn|Koller|1972|pp=136–142}}<ref>Northrop, F. S. C. (1949), "Naturalistic and cultural foundations for a more effective international law", ''Yale Law Journal'', 59, pp. 1430–1441.</ref>

Day proposes ''dharma'' is a manifestation of Ṛta, but suggests Ṛta may have been subsumed into a more complex concept of ''dharma'', as the idea developed in ancient India over time in a nonlinear manner.{{sfn|Day|1982|pp=42–44}} The following verse from the [[Rigveda]] is an example where ''rta'' and ''dharma'' are linked:
{{quote|O Indra, lead us on the path of Rta, on the right path over all evils...|[[Mandala 10|RV 10]].133.6}}