Sanatana means eternal, so Sanatana Dharma means eternal dharma. Since there cannot be two 'eternals', we can assume that there is only one Sanatana Dharma, meaning which there's only one (sanatana) path to truth. But Hinduism believes in multiple paths to truth. So why do people say Hinduism is Sanatana Dharma? Wouldn't that be a contradiction?

Hari OM

if a path is eternal that means the journey would never end.

Rather The destination (god) is eternal, the traveller (Jiva) is also eternal to some extent.

So what is the twist in your post, looks like you equating Dharma with the Path is the twist, rather Dharma can be considered as a set of rules for the traveller, irrespective of the path he takes, the rules remains the same. do you still think of a contradication?

not eternal in the sense never-ending. I meant the path would remain the same for all time, not that the path would take eternity for us to reach the truth. Get it?

Hare Krishna!

All glories to Srila PRabhupada! I offer my humble obeisance unto him!

Santana Dharma means as you rightlly said in your post as "eternal dharma".

The actual meaning of Dharma is 'original nature'. I am sorry iam not using the exact word to ward translation but the dharma loosely defines 'ones original nature'. For example, the dharma of salt is to taste salty, the dharma of sea water is to taste salty, the dharma of fire is to be hot and firey, getting my drift??

The point is dharma meanse the that which is original. Similarly the dharma of jivatma is sat cit ananda(eternal knowledge and bliss). This dharma of jivatma is eternal and hence sanatan. This dharma holds true for any body, be it any man (Indian, American, Christian, Muslim and so on) and also same for animals, and plants.

Therefore, our eternal nature or eternal dharma is sat cit ananda and our philosophy is set on realizing this sat cit ananda state and this is what we popularly call "SELF-REALIZATION" and what is that self, it is the eternal soul (jivatma) and we realize we are not this body but spirit souls which is sat cit ananda.

This is sanatan dharma and this is what every philosophy in India is tryiing to preach.

Hinduism is not the correct word to use because everyone coming from "HINDUSTAN" are called Hindus. Like Americans from America, Hindus from Hindustan. However, over time, the word Hindu has transformed to be identified as "A RELIGION". This is not true.

In other words, the entire human race religion or dharma is to realize that sat cit ananda and this will teach us the real love for God. This sat cit ananda is a FACT and SCIENCE and not coming from a particular sect because all moving living entities have jivatma and Paramatma and all of them are eternal sat cit ananda and so this is what we preach. This is a FACT and SCIENCE and does not pertain to Hinduism or any particular sect.

Just like man once preached the earth is round (before it was believed to be flat). Sameway, we preach we are not this body but souls which is sat cit ananda, so knowledge should be eternal and true no matter who preaches it and when it is preached!

Haribol!

anand