Name: Ratul Borah
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Vol-11, No.2, July-Dec-2026
Page Number: 187-192
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22269418

ABSTRACT
This paper examines the ethical relevance of Vedic philosophy to the moral, ecological, and social challenges confronting the contemporary world. Rooted in the Vedas, Upanishads, and allied schools of Indian thought, Vedic philosophy articulates a vision of reality in which the individual self (atman), the cosmic order (Rta), moral law (dharma), and universal consciousness (Brahman) are intimately interconnected. Central ethical concepts such as dharma, karma, ahimsa, satya, and the ideal of vasudhaiva kutumbakam ("the world is one family") offer a framework of duty-based, relational, and ecologically sensitive ethics that stands in productive contrast to purely rights-based or utilitarian paradigms dominant in modern Western moral philosophy. The paper explores how these principles can inform contemporary debates on environmental sustainability, social justice, technological ethics, and mental well-being, while also acknowledging the interpretive and social tensions surrounding the application of ancient texts to modern pluralistic societies. Through a critical and comparative method, the study argues that Vedic ethics, when read non-dogmatically and in dialogue with contemporary moral concerns, provides valuable conceptual resources for cultivating a more holistic, responsible, and compassionate global ethic. The paper concludes that the enduring value of Vedic philosophy lies not in literal doctrinal revival but in its capacity to enrich contemporary ethical discourse through its emphasis on interconnectedness, self-restraint, and duty toward the whole of existence.

Keywords: Vedic philosophy, dharma, karma, ahimsa, environmental ethics, comparative ethics, contemporary morality, Rta