Lineage

The Vishnu Purana recites a Hindu legend that includes Dharma together with Adharma as mythical characters, and it is for loaded with symbolism about virtues and vices, morality and ethics. The lineage is as follows,

The progeny of Dharma by the daughters of Tuṣṭi resignation, Puṣṭi thriving, Medhā intelligence, Śruta sacred tradition; by Naya, and Lajjā modesty, Vapu body, Vyavasāya perseverance. Kṣema prosperity; Kīrtti fame to Yaśa reputation. These were the sons of Dharma; one of whom, Herṣa joy by his wife Nandi delight. The wife of Adharma vice was Hiṃsā violence, on whom he begot a son Vyādhi disease, Krodha wrath. These are all called the inflictors of misery, and are characterised as the progeny of Vice Adharma. They are all without wives, without posterity, without the faculty to procreate; they are the terrific forms of Viṣṇu, and perpetually operate as causes of the damage of this world. On the contrary, Dakṣa and the other Ṛṣis, the elders of mankind, tend perpetually to influence its renovation: whilst the Manus and their sons, the heroes endowed with mighty power, and treading in the path of truth, as constantly contribute to its preservation.