THE AESTHETIC OF DHARMA: LITERARY PATHWAYS TO VIRTUE IN HINDU TEXTUAL TRADITIONS OF BALI

Abstract

This study explores the aesthetic of dharma as manifested in Balinese Hindu literary traditions, particularly in classical works such as Kakawin Arjunawiwaha and Geguritan Dharma Prawerti. Through a hermeneutic and qualitative textual analysis, this paper argues that Balinese literature functions not only as an artistic expression but also as a moral-spiritual pedagogy that shapes character and consciousness. The synthesis of beauty (sundaram), goodness (śivam), and truth (satyam) creates an aesthetic path toward ethical and spiritual realization. The findings show that Balinese Hindu literature embodies dharma through emotional depth (rasa), symbolic structure, and ethical narrative, enabling readers to internalize virtue through aesthetic experience.