“Religion, in the sense of spiritual principles, truly universal, applicable to all races, to all countries, to all times, is not to be found in them; and if it is, it does not form the governing part of a Hindu’s life. That for a Hindu dharma means commands and prohibitions is clear from the way the word dharma is used in the Vedas and the smritis and understood by the commentators. The word dharma as used in the Vedas in most cases means religious ordinances or rites. Even Jaimini in his Purva Mimamsa157 defines dharma as “a desirable goal or result that is indicated by injunctive (Vedic) passages”.”
―
B.R. Ambedkar,
Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition
