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{{short description|Book on Dharma, Indian concept of righteousness}}
{{Infobox book
| italic title = 
| name = The Difficulty of Being Good
| image = The Difficulty Of Being Good.jpeg
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| caption = Cover of book
| author = [[Gurcharan Das]]
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| country = [[India]]
| language = [[Indian English]]
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| subject = Ethics and morality
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| publisher = Penguin Random House
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| published = Yes
| media_type = Print, Ebook
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'''''The Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma''''' is a book written by Indian author [[Gurcharan Das]] and published by [[Penguin Random House]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-daily-crossword/261926|title=The Daily Crossword|last=|first=|date=|website=[[Outlook India]]|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref> The book is centrally focused on why to be good in our day to day, private, and public life and the essence of [[Dharma]], a key concept in [[Indian philosophy]] for righteousness, with reference to Indian epic [[Mahabharata]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/the-difficulty-of-being-good-and-its-message-on-the-path-of-righteousness/articleshow/12880986.cms?from=mdr|title=The Difficulty of Being Good and its message on the path of righteousness|last=Mitra|first=Moinak|date=2012-04-27|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/On-the-subtle-art-of-dharma/article16882039.ece|title=On the subtle art of dharma|last=Das|first=Gurcharan|date=2009-09-17|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-10-17|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Synopsis ==
Book uses the examples from Hindu Epic, Mahabharata, to illustrate and demonstrate that how becoming good is difficult for an ordinary man. Book simplifies the lessons from the epic in various chapters and uses characters like Yudhisthira, [[Krishna]], [[Arjuna]] and [[Karna]] to explain the importance of Dharma i.e. righteousness.

== Reception ==
The book was widely welcomed by several Indologists, columnists, commentators and several businessmen. [[Sanjaya Baru]], writing for ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook India]]'' had commented that the book reflects a new Gurcharan Das who is reflective, humane, deeply spiritual and [[secular]]—a [[renaissance man]].<ref name=":0" /> According to him, Gurcharan voiced our(Indian's) despair about inequities and the amorality of public life and the books echoed voices for new India. Further, he wrote:<blockquote>Gurcharan offers us a secular reading of a great epic. The underlying materialism of its spiritual world is also illustrated.<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>[[Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai|Meghnad Desai]], British labour politician, writing for [[Indian Express Limited|Indian Express]] had asserted that Das did not retell the story as has often been done and instead, he took episodes and characters who pose moral and ethical questions.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/the-winner-takes-it-all/516109/|title=The winner takes it all - Indian Express|website=archive.indianexpress.com|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref> Desai also criticised Indian university system for not having good library for studying [[Sanskrit]], in the context that author had to go [[Chicago]] for an year to study Sanskrit to prepare this book.<ref name=":1" /> A K Bhattacharya had explained the book as Gurcharan Das’ quest for the true meaning of Dharma, as expounded in ''Mahabharata.''<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/the-difficulty-of-explaining-dharma-109091700078_1.html|title=The difficulty of explaining Dharma|last=Bhattacharya|first=A. K.|date=2009-09-17|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref> In the column for [[Business Standard]], Bhattacharya wrote:<blockquote>So, Krishna, as Das has argued in a different context, was using “evil” to fight “evil”. The question is: Was that really evil and whether it was not Dharma? Debating the relevance or irrelevance of Dharma in such a battle indeed became a little meaningless. There is little doubt that ''Mahabharata'' as an epic raises intricate issues pertaining to the relevance of human action in a given role and in the context of pre-ordained fate. The debate over Dharma is also relevant. But Das would have done better if he had narrated the story of ''Mahabharata'' in all its details, instead of grappling with the ideas of Dharma or Nishkama Karma Yoga.<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>N Chandra Mohan, for ''[[Hindustan Times]]'', wrote that Das certainly thinks that a healthy dose of Dharma may restore trust in the system. Additionally, he wrote that this book will certainly make ''Mahabharata'' accessible to a whole new generation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/welcome-to-hastinapur/story-ukouf484Hp2niiwJpPNioN.html|title=Welcome to Hastinapur|date=2009-09-11|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref>

== Translation ==
Book was translated in Hindi as ''Acchai Ki Kathinai'' and was published by [[Penguin Random House]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aajtak.intoday.in/story/Religion-Spirituality-difficulty-of-good-1-702856.html|title=धर्म/अध्यात्म: अच्छाई की कठिनाई|website=aajtak.intoday.in|language=hi|access-date=2020-01-30}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[The Elephant Paradigm]]
* [[India Unbound]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]

The Difficulty of Being Good - Revision history

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