the Sanatana Dharma as I understand it

anveshan · February 16, 2003

SANATANA DHARMA

Here people have been asking doubts about ‘Hinduism’, some genuine and some others with ulterior motives.

They may note that there is no religion as ‘Hinduism’. The present day Hinduism is the some total of philosophies, beliefs, cultures, customs, traditions and rituals, handed down over to us through millennia. Even though corrupted, concocted and misinterpreted by the ruling oligarchs (so called DWIJAvested interests),the philosophy upon which Sanatana Dharma is built is as old as Homo Sapiens and stands out unrivalled. Unlike other religions, it evolved through a system of arguments and counter arguments, scientific reasoning and logical conclusions. Seers, sages, scholars and philosophers of the highest order of all ages have contributed to its evolution. The essence of it is Increate and Eternal. All the ancient cultures has contributed to it, be it native african, aztec, mayan, maories, or chinese. August philosophies like Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Confucianism has also contributed to the continued process of evolution and reformation.

The Concept “God” According to Sanatana Dharma

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It is God is the Single Whole and EVERYTHING, concrete and abstract, is a part of IT.

Whatever is seen, dreamed or imagined are nothing but manifestations of God. God is beyond space, time, causation and all distinctions like gender, race, species, living/non-living and form/formless. Since He is beyond space, He is omnipresent. Since He is beyond time, He is eternal. Since He is beyond the concept of form, He is with form, without form, both and neither. Every form is His and yet He is formless and beyond the concept of form. Similarly with all attributes conceivable by the mind.

SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND

The aim of life is to 'Seek' and “Realize” , the Ultimate Reality that is God.

What is a Path (Dharma)?

Every religion is a way to God. No way to God is superior to the other. However, depending on the mental temperament and cultural background of a person, one way might be better suited to him than another. This is difference arises due to the difference in the temperament of the person and cannot be used to judge the general efficacy of a path. "All paths are true. Your path for you. My path for me." This is the principle of Sanatan Dharma. But never, “My Path is superior to You” or “my IT is true, thine is not”. This differentiates modern religions from Sanatana Dharma. Neither , Sanatana Dharma treats those who follow other ‘paths’ as murderers and adulterators, pagans, heathens and kafirs. It does not restrict its followers from reading other books, knowing other paths or absorbing the eternal values, if any in those paths. It has no concept of blasphemy or conversion.

IS SANATANA DHARMA POLYTHEISTIC?

Is Sanatan Dharma polytheistic and pantheistic? Why do Indians worship stones ? Why do Indian Gods have fancy forms like elephant faced, monkey faced, with six faces, with four hands, etc ?

Sanatan Dharma says that there is one and only one God..

God has no Forms, but one can worship him in any form, because all Forms are his creation. You may worship him in the form of Krishna or Jesus or Buddha, or a monkey.

You are not seeking Buddha, or Jesus or Monkey, you are seeking Him who is formless through forms of your choice. To convey the message, the Hindu scriptures say that God has incarnated in the form of a pig, a tortoise, and a fish . No form is inferior or superior to Him.

A Sanatana Dharmi could follow or worship God in Jesus Joseph Christ’s form. But concepts like ‘Only’ son , ‘Last Prophet’ or ‘only Jesus can save you’ is alien to this Dharma(Path).

In fact, it goes one step ahead than other religions. Not only that it says there is only one God; it says that everything in this universe are manifestations of God. In Hinduism, there is no concept of "creation" in the literal sense of the word. It is God who becomes or manifests as the universe.

The universe is not different from God. Everything is God. So, the devotee can take

anything which appeals to him as a form of God, and worship Him. The omniscient God knows that the devotee is worshipping Him. The exact name and form do not matter. The attitude and sincerity is what matters. Similarly a Hindu does not worship a tree or a hill just because it is a tree or a hill. The tree or hill is considered a symbol of God and it is the transcendent God who is worshipped through the natural objects. It is the Creator who is worshipped through His creation. So Hinduism is not pantheistic.

An abstract idea is expressed in a concrete form for the mind to grasp easily. For example, to depict the idea that God protects the devotee from the forces of evil, God is depicted with

various weapons. Every small aspect of the forms of various Hindu Gods and Goddesses have a meaning behind them. There is a technical convention of symbology followed. For example, a bow indicated the mind; arrows indicate the senses; noose indicates death; drum indicates time; rosary indicates austerity. But for a person who understands, it is an excellent aid for worship. Also, there is a lot of myths, legends and nice stories associated with every form of God. This allows the devotee to get a very good hold on to the personality and also have a personal psychological relationship with the personality. And it was through parables, stories and mythology that the ancient sages conveyed messages to the less learned followers.

When a devotee wants to worship God as a child, he may worship as "Krishna". If a

devotee wants to worship God as the formless, without attributes, transcendent being, he may worship as "Brahman". These are all to suit the various temperaments of the devotees. By all these various forms and names, the devotee very well knows that He is worshipping God only. So Hinduism is monotheistic.

What is Sanatan Dharma’s attitude to other faiths?

Hinduism also accepts that all religions talk about the one God. It does not have concepts like the god of the Egyptians and the god of the Jews, which basically implies that there are many gods. Hinduism says that the god of the Hindus, Egyptians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Zoroastrians, Aztecs, Mayans, Maoris, etc are all the same God. Sanatana Dharma says that all are worshipping the same God in different ways. All ways to worship God are accepted by God if performed with faith and devotion.

WHO IS A SANATANA DHARMA FOLLOWER?

There is one God, who has become everything in this universe. This implies that everyone and everything has to be considered with due regard. This talks about the basic unity of the whole universe. This implies that one had to strive for the welfare of the whole. There is no place for selfishness and narrowness. “My lord is the only true lord, all other’s are fake” philosophy creates hatred and fanaticism and bloodshed only.

If you follow these principles, you are a Sanatana Dharmi. It does not matter whether you worship Krishna or Christ or Allah. Any religion or philosophy that does not create hatred to non-believers of it is acceptable.