Dharma & Religion are Different.

The word Dharma has multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. It can mean conduct, duty, right, justice, virtue, morality, religion, merit ,good work according to a right or rule etc.
Dharma has the Sanskrit root "dhri" which means 'that which upholds' or 'that without which nothing can stand' or 'that which maintains the stability and harmony of the Universe. Dharma encompasses the natural, innate behaviour of the things, duty, law, ethics, virtue etc. Eg. The laws of physics describe current human understanding of the dharma of physical systems. Every entity in the cosmos has its particular dharma- from Electrons, which has dharma to move in a certain manner, to the Clouds, Galaxies, Plants, Insects and of course Man.
On the other hand , religion only applies to human beings and not to the entire Cosmos, there is no religion of Electrons, Monkeys, Planets and Galaxies. Where as all of them have their Dharma.

Taken from the book "Being Different" by Mr.Rajiv Malhotra.

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