Answer
People often ask what the difference between Dharma and Adhyatma (spirituality) is. We can understand this through the analogy of an orange. An orange consists of three parts — first, its rind (peel); second, its pulp; and third, the juice contained within that pulp.
Now understand — the juice within the pulp is Adhyatma, and it is the most essential element. It is from this juice that our soul receives nourishment. However, that juice cannot sustain itself without the pulp. This pulp is Dharma — it is what holds Adhyatma in place. The juice, that is Adhyatma, exists within Dharma.
Therefore, if Dharma disintegrates — if there are no rituals or external observances — then along with the pulp, Adhyatma too would scatter and be lost. That is why, to keep both Dharma and the Adhyatma hidden within it bound together, the rind is also necessary. Although the rind is ultimately meant to be discarded, its utility persists as long as the juice inside remains protected.
For this reason, one should certainly practice Dharma, but one should also internalize the Adhyatma concealed within it. The limited yet necessary importance of ritualism (karmakanda) should be properly understood. Hari Sharanam!