Dharma, or duty, plays a central role in the epic, guiding characters’ actions not as a static doctrine but as a process and lived experience that is both personal and universal, mundane and cosmic. The story presents dharma as a moving target that requires each character to navigate the uncertain boundaries between personal duty, social expectations, and the larger, sometimes inscrutable workings of fate.

Dharma functions in the epic as both an ethical and social compass. Figures like Bhishma, Yudhishthira, and Draupadi embody this theme as they strive to uphold their duties within challenging and often conflicting circumstances. Bhishma, whose life is defined by a vow to remain celibate and loyal to the throne, is bound by his sense of duty to the Kuru lineage. This commitment leads him to sacrifice personal happiness and align himself with the Kauravas, even when he knows they are in the wrong. Bhishma’s struggle illustrates one of dharma’s essential tensions in the Mahabharata: loyalty to family versus personal conscience. His adherence to duty, while honorable, also reveals how rigid adherence to societal dharma can become a source of suffering, forcing characters to endure consequences that seem unjust.