Living a life according to dharma will result in

• A. A better birth in the next cycle of rebirth, life, and death
• B. Immediate enlightenment
• C. Freedom from all duties
• D. Union with Brahman in this life

Answer: (A)

Living according to dharma means following one's ethical duties and moral order as prescribed for one’s place in life. In Hindu thought, the soul undergoes a cycle of birth and death (samsara), driven by karma—the results of actions. When you act in line with dharma, you create positive karma, which tends to lead to a better situation in your next life. So, living by dharma is understood to improve the conditions of the next rebirth. This isn’t the path to immediate enlightenment or union with Brahman in this life—moksha, the release from the cycle, is a higher goal that requires more than just dutiful living. It also isn’t about escaping duties, since dharma defines those duties.