What is Sanatana Dharma according to you?
A friend asked me this question recently.
Sanatana Dharma is so vast; it has so many aspects. How to put it briefly? Let me try:
Sanatana means eternal and Dharm is difficult to translate. It means: to do what is right in a given situation, to do one’s duty.
How to know what is right? Our conscience tells us in most cases what is right. The human being is equipped with a moral barometer which gives the right direction. Only in some cases, there may be a genuine doubt. In those cases, texts like the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana or Dharma Shastras can prove helpful, or the advice of a trusted guru.
But, is the main thing in life to be an honest, upright, compassionate human being?
It is probably the most important part, because only on this basis, the other important aspect of Sanatana Dharm can be understood. Being honest and following one’s conscience makes one susceptible to finer layers of awareness, and such refinement is needed to understand the truth.
And the truth about us and the universe is the other very important aspect of Sanatana Dharma. The Vedas, Upanishads and innumerable other ancient texts contain wisdom which a human being cannot easily discover. This wisdom was “seen” by the Rishis and has never been proven wrong.
The main point of this wisdom is: you are not what you think you are, but you are one with everything. In other words: You are not a small person in a big world but your Essence is the one blissful Awareness which is the basis of the universe and beyond – SatChitAnanda. Or again in other words: your person is like a wave on the infinite ocean. In essence the wave is nothing but the ocean.
From this claim (that we are not a small person in a big world) follows naturally that the goal of life is to realize this Oneness, to “know” it as clearly as true as one now knows that one is a human being and not a dog.
Plenty of tips are given how to discover this Oneness. Probably the best guide is the Bhagavad Gita, which explains in detail Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. Jnana means to approach unity (Yog) by reflecting deeply on the truth, Bhakti by devotion and surrender to that great Intelligence and its divine forms, and Karma by dedicating one’s actions and leaving their result to that great Intelligence.
There are many more helpful means, like poojas, mantras, meditation, pranayama, yog asanas, temple visits, vegetarianism, etc.
It follows that Sanatana Dharma fosters good humans who are aware that SatChitAnanda is within them and in all others, including in animals and nature. It gives them inner strength, and it makes them kind to other living beings and respectful to nature. It’s the ideal basis for society.
Now in comparison, Christianity and Islam, both of which claim to be the only true religion, do not foster universal goodness in humans, and also do not have the wisdom about the Oneness of all.
Both religions demand that the doctrine of their religion must overrule one’s innate knowledge of good and bad. The most important claim of their doctrine is that the Highest loves only the followers of their respective religion. Therefore, Muslims and Christians are taught from childhood that non-Muslims, respectively non-Christians, are inferior and will be rejected by the one Almighty. Their goal of life is to make the world free of those unbelievers either by pushing conversion or even by killing to please their God/ Allah.
And to hide that they have no proof whatsoever for their strange beliefs, they keep attacking Hindus as superstitious, caste-ridden, etc. to put them on the defensive and prevent them from exposing them.
Fortunately, Hindus are waking up and see through their game. And even several converted Indian Christians and Muslims wake up and realize that the almighty Creator cannot possibly be such a terrible tyrant, who enjoys making billions of people suffer for all eternity in hellfire.
by Maria Wirth
27 Comments
Namaste Maa ji. The explanation is ingenious and straight. Please work on translating the Vedas and puranas briefly with summary. I know it’s not easy but world need this .
If still you are discussing what is Sanatan it means you are not सनातन
Sanatan Is not a Dharma Sanatan is TATVA and we all Human being are SANATAN.
SHRI KRISHNA HAS TOLD ABOUT THIS
Res Maria,
You have explained sanatana dharma in a magnificent way.but I am expressing my opinion reg.this the only point you for got may be .The “shankara advaitA” which gives perfect definition to sanatan dharmA.iam a stanch believer of sanatan dharma so I never utters the word of hindu.which derived from oxford dictionary.not adamant.truly rerealistic..Sanatani Never derails from the path of dharma.if you have time to go threw the ancient upanishads,puranas,etc.do it.not the translationes.original sanskrit text
Pranam
Often foreigners ask me to explain Sanatana dharma to them in 5 mins. This always confuses me, how to condense all that complexity for them. When I offer them a not so simple answer, then they assume the worst.
Please clarify elaborate as to what are your
Views
Please clarify elaborate as to what are your
Views
Maria ji, needless to say, you have given another pearl of article on Sanatana Dharma. As you felt and the real practitioners of this Dharam also knew that Sanatana Dharma cannot be explained so easily in a few words. One needs to practice first, to understand later. Today, all those who claim themselves as Hindus are hardly real practitioners of this Dharma, I believe. However, with a little bit knowledge they claim themselves as Hindus. That’s why they do all forbidden things and give up the things that are to be practiced daily and consistently according to Sanatana Dharma.. Well, subject is so vast to discuss.
One point to mention about yours. In the para starts with “Plenty of tips are given….” wherein you mentioned ‘Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga’. Although the points are correct, but the order has been put wrongly. It should be, ‘Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga’ and Jnana Yoga’. Without doing your prescribed ‘Karma’, one cannot develop ‘Bhakti’ on God and the ‘Bhakti’ is the tool to attain ‘Jnana’ which subsequently that leads to ‘Moksha’ – the ultimate goal of every true Hindus. That’s all I want to share.
Dear Maria, I have had the privilege of meeting you during your talk at Srijan Foundation. I have also read your book. Needless to say am a fan. I read your blogs with a lot of interest as they are well researched and you never shy away from sharing your thoughts. Have nominated you for the Golden Bloggerz Award so that you may write more and more. Congratulations and here’s the link – https://90rollsroyces.com/2021/04/13/golden-bloggerz-award/
Reblogged this on The Nerve Health Forum.
Maria hi, thanks for a succinct answer. You are truly an inspiration. Beg you to consider this suggestion, if you could write a blog post on each of Karma, Bhakti, jnana, Hatha, and Kriya Yoga.
For instance, according to Sri Ramakrishna, the method prescribed for Kaliyuga is Bhakti Marg; he was not in favor of the “dry” Jnana Yoga, and eschewed the strict physical practices of Hatha Yoga, and warned against the dangers of Tantrik Sadhana, where people may go astray and get into physical relations losing their spiritual path.
If you could explore historical and other aspects of these different paths, that would make great write-ups! Just a suggestion.
In Sundara Kanda, Ramayana, while offering hospitality to Hanuman, Mynaka says,” Esha dharma sanatanaha.” The act involved gratitude also.
Thus both are part of Sanatana Dharma.
Balaji, another way of looking at this is, bhakti is not a separate ‘yoga’ as such, it’s a bhava that pervades all yogas. Without bhakti, karma yoga is just ‘activity’, jnana yoga is ‘intellectual hair-splitting’ Also, it is only the Shankaracharya tradition that holds that only jnana gives moksha. If we study the Bh Gita fully, we end with the teaching that karma can give us ‘siddhi’ as much as jnana. The yoga of the Bh Gita seems to be ‘poorna yoga’ (integral yoga) – a sadhana where the body, prana, mind and the intellect (the annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas) co-operate, in knowing our essential nature and manifesting that awareness in and through this life.
Hi, this is absolutely beautiful and a concept that is so hard to grasp! I love your interpretation of it and I totally agree! Personally, for me, dharma is about choice – it differs person to person based on their experience, knowledge and perspectives. It’s just a vast and intangible concept and I struggle with describing it myself so I love your view on this!
sorry, saw it only now..
Agreed. I tried this here: https://vedicwisdomandphilosophy.in/
Yes, but Karma & Bhakti should go together for attaining Jnana. Thank you. https://vedicwisdomandphilosophy.in/
Right, it is way of looking but in terms of experience Bhakti can not be given light weight as the different kinds Bhavas (Moods) about the God can do wonders in terms of mind purification then only the actual meaning of Texts & Gurus instructions about All Yogas will be so clear. Thank you. https://vedicwisdomandphilosophy.in/
https://vedicwisdomandphilosophy.in/
Pls. check here for more insights. https://vedicwisdomandphilosophy.in/
Sanathana Dharma is established from time immemorial and its not by humans but by Rishis (the Seers of the Truth). Religion is not part of it but it later mixed up. Now it became struggle for us differentiate the Dharma, Philosophy & Religion. Anyway its interesting how we are evolving in understanding the Truth. Great going. Thank you. https://vedicwisdomandphilosophy.in/
If you must refer to Rishis to explain Sanatan Dharma, then it is imperative you name the Rishis, at the very least, the last one, as his work is the only genuine proof of what the practice consists of.
“Slavery and thralldom of the worst kind ever follow in the train of gurudom (prophethood), it utterly enfeebles men morally, intellectually and spiritually.” Swami Dayanand
http://vjsingh.info/dayanan.html
Sanatana Dharma is what came to be called later as “Hinduism”. In includes in it, the ritual, the puranas, the yoga and tantra practices, the sacred texts ( shruti, itihasa, purana, sutra, dharma shastra, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita) the related sciences such as ayurveda, Sanskrit grammar, poetry, etymology, semantics, ganita, bhautika, rasayana, and the rest of it.
This is my attempt at capturing the gist of Sanatana Dharma/ Hinduism in a brief post whilst making the pertinent broad points. Especially highlighting the characteristic distinction & uniqueness of ‘Hinduism’ vis a vis what the western mind understands as religion.
https://sanatanabharathi.wordpress.com/2021/08/02/hinduism-in-a-nutshell/
Btw I’ve been an admirer of your work Ma’am. I also had the good luck of meeting you in person at Bangalore in the Swarajya organized Digital Hindu conference. Pranaams ❤️
respected maria
namaskar !
at the outset ,
please accept my respectful and thankful good wishes !
you are following ‘Sanatana Dharma’
( thereby making your life fruitful )
and defending , explaining , and spreading ‘Sanatana Dharma’
( thereby helping the world )
— we are proud to have you among us ;
may you be blessed to reach the goal you are seeking !
* now for ‘Dharma’ :
you said ‘Dharma’ is right action
&
you raised the question ” how to know right action ”
what is the ‘pramana’ for ‘Dharma’ ?
what is the authority for right action ?
vedo akhilo dharmamoolaṃ
smṛiti śeele ca tadvidām |
ācāraścaiva sādhūnām
ātmanah tuṣṭireva ca ||
Manu gives the sources of Dharma :
1. Veda is the foremost authority
2. the recollections ( Smṛiti ) of knowers of Veda is next in order
3. the conduct of Sadhu s
( those who live only for the welfare of others )
4. one’s conscience
( the “Inner Being” always gives Dharmic advice )
* now for ‘Sanatana Dharma’ :
Sanatana Dharma is
the ‘science’ of human life
which declares that the purpose of human life is
to achieve 4 ‘entities’ —
Dharma – Artha – Kama – Moksha
the entirety of Sanatana Dharma is
an elaboration on how to achieve these
1. Dharma –
do what is to be done and
don’t do what is not to be done ;
never refrain from karma
2. Artha –
create wealth ( no limit )
but only according to Dharma
use it for worthy purpose
3. Kama –
fulfil all desires
but only through the means of Dharma
at the end ,
scrutinize them to find out
whether they are worthy / worthless
4. Moksha –
reach the final Goal
to accomplish life’s purpose
and to make life fruitful
‘Sanatana Dharma’ is as simple as that !
* and then , one may question that ,
how these principles can be taken as valid ?
how the do’s and don’ts of Dharma
can be considered correct ?
here is the answer :
Dharma principles derive from Veda ;
the final conclusion of Veda is ‘Brahma’
( not ‘brahman’ – which is corrupt form )
” सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म ”
” sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma ”
‘Brahma ‘ is the Unitary Essence of creation
thus ,
the foundation of the entire edifice of
‘Sanatana Dharma’ is the Eternal , Absolute Truth
so ,
one can be sure that ‘Sanatana Dharma’
will surely lead one from ignorance to Knowledge
____
i feel this will serve as a very brief presentation of what ‘Sanatana Dharma’ is
please correct me if i expressed any incorrect facts / views
namaskar
thank you for this beautiful, detailed explanation
thank you… sorry i missed this comment