Adharma

Adharma is the antithesis of dharma, encompassing unrighteousness, impiety, and moral evil. In Hindu cosmology, adharma is personified as a demonic force that disrupts cosmic order (ṛta) and must be overcome by the gods and virtuous beings. The Rigveda (10.90) alludes to the primordial sacrifice from which dharma and adharma emerge as complementary principles. The Mahabharata (Shanti Parva 109.10) explicitly states that adharma arises from greed, anger, and delusion, and that it leads to the destruction of society.

In the Puranas, adharma is often depicted as a malevolent entity born from the back of the god Brahma or from the shadow of the goddess Kali. The Bhagavata Purana (4.8.2) describes adharma as the son of Himsa (violence) and Anrita (falsehood), and as the father of Bhaya (fear) and Mrityu (death). Iconographically, adharma is portrayed as a dark, misshapen demon wielding weapons, sometimes shown being trampled by Vishnu or Shiva, symbolizing the triumph of righteousness. In the Devi Mahatmya (5.23), the goddess Durga slays the demon Mahishasura, who embodies adharma, restoring cosmic balance.

Regional traditions vary: in South India, adharma is ritually invoked in shadow plays (tholu bommalata) as a foil to dharma, while in Bengal, the goddess Kali is said to trample adharma underfoot. Philosophically, adharma represents ignorance (avidya) and the forces of chaos that bind the soul to samsara. The Dharmaśāstras, such as the Manusmriti (8.15), prescribe punishments for adharmic acts, emphasizing that adharma weakens the social and cosmic order. In the cycle of yugas, adharma increases as the Kali Yuga progresses, culminating in the eventual restoration of dharma by Kalki.

Thus, adharma is not merely an abstract concept but a dynamic, personified force central to Hindu ethics and mythology.

Personified as a demon or negative force. Often depicted being trampled by deities.