Let’s Understand Sanatan Dharma or, Hinduism Beyond Political Filter
What is Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism?
To start with the basics, the origin of the word ‘Hindu’ was more geographical than a particular religious or ethnic label. The Indic inhabitants by and beyond the Sindh/Indus River, were known typically as Sindhu, later by foreigner’s term, centuries-old usages of the word became Hindu. The word "Hindu" originated from the Persian language. Greek and Persian explorers to the Indus Valley were among the first to refer to its inhabitants as "Hindu" (Greek: indoi). The religion of the Indic Civilization was originally known as Sanatan Dharma, and because of its universal approach, it does not "label" its adherents as clearly as the Abrahamic religions, such as Christianity or Islam.
According to the world’s religions, the chronology mentions “Sanatan Dharma” or, Hinduism approximately existed since time immemorial, as it has no founder unlike the Abrahamic religions (Foreign religions to Indic Civilization)– Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. However, it could be traced back to the oldest scriptures: Rig Veda is the oldest of the four Vedas. It is a religious text, composed in Sanskrit, that originated in ancient India (1800–1100 BCE.) The topic, ‘Rig Veda’ is an important part of the Ancient History of India. Sage Vyasa is said to be the compiler of Vedas along with other Rishis and Rishikas (female Rishis/Experts). In earlier traditions, the stories and teachings were orally passed down, until Ved Vyas Ji complied it. It is said to be more than 10,000 years old.
Hinduism by definition is a “way of life" a philosophy, whereas Sanatan Dharma– the Eternal truth/laws of living/one’s truth/duty, which predominantly are the hardcore principles that bind the Indic Civilization and beyond. "Hindu" was relatively a modern, adoptive foreign term for the Indic natives, the Vedas revealed that predominantly the religion of the land was called "Sanatan Dharma."
Hindus believe in a multifaceted version of the one God (Brahman). Brahman (not to be confused with Brahmins/priests), also known as the Ultimate Reality, is thought to be both eternal and present everywhere.
Worship of the gods, or puja, takes place in a type of temple called a Mandir or at home. Hindus are free to go to the Mandir any time, any day, with many visiting during a festival or celebration. Many Hindus have shrines in their homes dedicated to one or a number of the Gods and routinely offer them gifts of flowers and oils.
What is Dharma?
Since the meaning of "Dharma" varies depending on the circumstance, there is no single-word translation into English for the term. It is supported by moral standards, the reality of the situation, and what must be done.
As per Vedas,
"Varṇ āśramā dharma" is one’s duty at specific stages of life or inherent duties.
"Sva dharma" is one’s own individual or personal duty.
"Āpad dharma" is dharma prescribed at the time of adversities.
"Sadharana dharma" is the moral duties irrespective of the stages of life, the core remains the same, however the definition changes with time and societies.
For Example: According to Krishna (The avatar of Vishnu) it’s the duty/responsibility of one to uphold righteousness. Dharma is a duty or religion meant for one’s soul rather than their body. From Krishna’s teachings: bad deeds never go unpunished, and Dharma is the only thing that can be preserved."Follow YOUR dharma." Dharma doesn’t mean religion. Dharma is a set of principles one follows to live this life. This will keep one true to oneself, and one will never have any regrets.
The concept of Dharma is stricter and goal-oriented for the greater good of their community in new offspring of Abrahamic religions than in Hinduism which focuses on the greater good of all. Therefore, it can be well established that Hinduism is a philosophy, a way of living life by principles with the supreme creator’s consciousness, but when required, Sanatan Dharma has safeguarded the ultimate "cause" by tarka (debate, logic and diplomacy), artha (finance and economics) and Shastra (specialized educational fields in science, humanities, art, warfare, etc.), Whether it was fighting injustice among the same bloodlines or foreign affairs, which in today’s world is known as “Hindutva".
Sanatan Dharma’s concepts revolve around:
Atman, Dharma, Varna, Karma, Samsara, Purushartha, Moksha, Brahman, Bhagavan and Ishwara
Vedic Religion in Indic Civilization and Beyond:
The Indic Civilization was vast, and throughout the region, people followed certain kinds of worshipping techniques and rituals that were different from region to region. Nevertheless, the concept of worshipping nature, the universe, the sun and the moon, and the figures/idols were common to all these people. For Western Philosophers, Sanatan Dharma, to be understood, it was clubbed up to be called a 'religion’. In Westerner tongue– Idol worshippers are called Pagans, who are Polytheists. They worship multiple Gods, figures carved out by man.
Abrahamic religions consider it a sin, though the patriarch of Abrahamic religions– Abraham was a son of Tareh, and was an Idol maker in the region of Ur. The first Abrahamic/Monotheistic religion which was started by Abraham is known as Judaism. Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
To note: According to the chronology of religions, the age gap between religions is approximately 2,000 years or more.
Like India, many places where there were Buddhist monasteries, temples, and idols, all those places have faced natural as well as man-made catastrophes. There has been recent news about temples related to Hinduism which could be approximately 8,000 years old and Buddha figures being “founded” by archaeological excavations teams of Saudi, and Egypt, which were vandalized and subjected to ethnic cleansing. Sanatan Dharma was never limited to India but with cultural exchanges and trade, it went out with people and settled in foreign lands which can be seen today in Nepal, Indonesia, Arabia, Cambodia, Afghanistan, China, etc.
Also Read: Vedic Influence Around the World
There is disagreement on the precise beginning of Hinduism, Vedic religion, or Sanatan Dharma because many of the earliest texts and traditions cannot be dated. Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism is also called Vedic Religion because of the Vedas (the oldest living texts) which thoroughly guided the Indic Civilization before the coming of the Mughals and Christian missionaries.
However, experts currently concur that the Rig Veda may be traced back to 4500–5000 BC, if not earlier. However, a lot of academics also thought it was much older. The Rig Veda is estimated to date to around the 7th millennium B.C. in a volume entitled History of Astronomy in India, which was released in 1985 by the Indian National Science Academy. This volume correlates the Harappan civilization with the Brahmana period.
The Rishis, or philosophers, who first recorded the realization of the Supreme Presence, rather than any one particular individual, are credited with creating the Vedic religion. These early manuscripts of the Sanskrit language are explicitly detailed about life, the presence of God, how nature and the relationship of human beings are related, detailed scientific knowledge, sci-fi literature, philosophy, art & music, politics and diplomacy, and so much more! Therefore, one can rightly say it is more than just a religion.
The Vedas are:
- Rig Veda
- Sama Veda
- Yajur Veda
- Atharva Veda
These weren’t written by a single author. Many rishis (sages) lived simple, contemplative lives in hermitages high in the Himalayas and along the banks of holy rivers in ancient India. Angiras, Bhrigu, Yajnavalkya, and Gargi (Gargi was a female Rishi… called as Rishika) were some of the names of the rishis. Why are we born? was one of the key questions they sought to answer. What caused the world to exist? How can we lead fulfilling lives? They obtained God’s blessings and were able to find the answers to their fundamental inquiries as a result of their hard study and prolonged meditation. The ancient sages received these profound truths from God, and they expressed them in hymns and scriptures written in the Sanskrit language.
The ancient sages received these profound revelations from God, and to convey these revelations, the sages wrote hymns and scriptures in the Sanskrit language. They were not yet recorded; instead, their hymns and texts were chanted aloud and passed down from one generation to the next, from teacher to student. All of their hymns and texts were eventually collected into four volumes by the renowned rishi Vyasa, who is regarded today as the author of the Vedas. Earlier the information was orally passed down until Ved Vyas ji compiled it.
Hindus believe that these texts are the sacred truths of life and the universe, which transcend all of time and apply to all human beings.
Basic Highlights, Ideology, and Concepts of Sanatan Dharma/Hinduism:
- Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life, death, and reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect), whereas the Abrahamic Faiths believe in a linear way of life and death.
- Karma and Dharma are interlinked: Hinduism does not believe in eternal heaven or hell. The states of mind of hell (Naraka) and heaven (Swarga) are produced by our thoughts and acts. These mental states cause the atman to temporarily orient in the astral realms of Swarga or Naraka, where the next birth is decided. In Hinduism, the fate of Hell or Heaven is NOT an eternal one. Based on one’s karmas, the soul, or Jeeva, travels through even these worlds.
- The concept of “atman,” or the belief in the soul, is one of the central ideas of Hinduism. According to this school of thought, every living thing is a part of the supreme soul and has a soul of its own. The eventual objective is “moksha,” or salvation, which puts an end to the series of rebirths and makes one a permanent member of the absolute soul.
- The belief that people’s actions and ideas directly impact their present and future lives is one of religion’s core tenets. Hindus work to uphold dharma, a rule of conduct that emphasizes morality and good behaviour.
- Hindus hold all creatures in high regard.
Hindus place a lot of importance on food. The majority are vegetarians, and many don’t consume beef or pork. - Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism are just a few of the Indian religions that have close ties to Hinduism.
- Om and swastika are the two main symbols used to represent Hinduism. The term “swastika” means “good fortune” or “being happy” in Sanskrit, and the symbol is said to symbolise good fortune. The word “om” is made up of three Sanskrit characters that stand for the three sounds (a, u, and m) that, when combined, are thought to be sacred and are referred to as the sound of the universe. Hindu temples and family shrines frequently feature the om sign.
- Sanatan Dharma accepts all types of worship, whether it includes idols or formlessness. It acknowledges all religions as well as all levels of atheism and agnosticism.
- Sanatan Dharma acknowledges all world religions, which is accurate given that Hinduism holds that there are numerous ways to approach God rather than just one. The concepts of what is true or wrong are not imposed.
- As the fact of being is eternal, Sanatan Dharma rejects the idea of religious conversion because it is an alien concept. It believes in the philosophy of Sarva Dharma Sambhava
According to Vedic texts, the conversion of religion does not exist as the concept of Sanatan Dharma is the universal law or truth of every human being. However, it does recognise all forms of worship. The concept of “religious conversion” is more of a new concept brought in by the new branches of Abrahamic religions. Though, ISKCON is an international society for Bhakti/Krishna Consciousness, has the highest number of adherents. The Sanatan Dharma is the universally applicable truth. As a result, those who join consider themselves reverts rather than converts (as per the chronology of religions).
Read: Reverts, Not Converts
Claim: Hindus only worship Idols.
Fact: Idol worshipping isn’t mandatory but has no restrictions either:
andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye 'sambhūtim upāsate tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u sambhūtyām ratāḥ
This can be found in chapter forty of the Shukla Yajur Veda in the Isha Upanishad. But it would be wrong to suggest that this text forbids the worship of idols. All that it says is- those who worship only the asambhuta (which has not originated) and those who worship only the sambhhuta (which has originated) enter into darkness.
The issue is that people interpret Sanskrit words differently because they might mean a variety of things. In contrast, sambhuta refers to the various manifested forms, such as the devas or gods, while asambhuta refers to the unmanifested pure formless mode of supreme Brahman. The reason for this is that, unlike the many gods, which come into being and also cease to exist after their time on earth is over (with origin), the absolute neither comes into existence nor ceases to exist (without origin). Another verse similarly condemns both ignorance and knowledge:
andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye 'vidyām upāsate
tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u vidyāyām ratāḥ [Isha Up. - 9](https://upanishads.org.in/upanishads/1/9)
What kind of reasoning is this, one could ask? Why would someone embrace darkness if they worship or follow knowledge, but why would they do so if they follow ignorance?
These verses merely encourage people to fully understand both sides rather than just obeying or being aware of one. Why? Because God is a combination of knowledge and ignorance:
vidyāvidye mama tanū [SB - 11.11.3]
- Both knowledge and ignorance are my body (energy potencies)
God is both with and without forms:
dve vāva brahmaṇo rūpe, mūrtaṃ caivāmūrtaṃ ca [Brh. Up - 2.3.1]
- God (Brahman) has two modes, formless (nirakara, asambhuta) as well as form (sakar, sambhuta).
For a particular reason, the Vedas and other sacred texts are rife with contradicting assertions. If one simply considers one claim and attempts to characterise everything else in light of it, one will only come to biased and incorrect conclusions. Complete understanding is always necessary. In light of this, another line from the same Upanishad makes a clear reference to knowing both knowledge and ignorance. Because only by comprehending both manifestations of God is it possible to attain total and unquestionable knowledge:
vidyāṁ cāvidyāṁ ca yas tad vedobhayaṁ saha
avidyayā mṛtyuṁ tīrtvā vidyayāmṛtam aśnute [Isha Up. - 11]
Meaning
Only one who can learn the process of nescience (avidya) and that of transcendental knowledge (vidya) side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality.
Therefore, such arguments should not posses a threat or challenge. Idol worshipping is neither mandatory nor prohibited in Hinduism. Puranas like Shrimad Bhagavatam itself mention the process of deity form worship of the God and what the idols can be made of:
śailī dāru-mayī lauhī lepyā lekhyā ca saikatī
mano-mayī maṇi-mayī pratimāṣṭa-vidhā smṛtā [SB - 11.27.12]
Meaning
The Deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varieties — stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels.
References:
- Ishopanishad
- Significance of idol worship
- Shrimad Bhagavatam - 11.27
Hinduism is Not an Absolute Polytheistic Religion
(even if it is, what’s wrong with that?)
Abrahamic religions started with a contrasting concept of worshipping One God, and no associations with man-made Idols, known to be the Monotheistic Religion. Which is self-reflected as a superior form of religion. It considers itself as the only truth by explicitly calling the Vedic Religion(s) of the world a “Pagan/Kaffir” religion because the followers worship multiple Gods, as well as man-made idols.
(the following paragraph is a source copy, all credits reserved by the original author)
Faith traditions involving more than one deity are called polytheistic. Hard polytheism recognizes multiple gods as being distinct and separate beings. Examples include the Egyptian and Greek religions, as well as certain schools of Hinduism. Soft polytheism views multiple gods as being connected under the umbrella of a greater whole. Some forms of Hinduism like Smartism/Advaita Vedanta are considered soft polytheistic traditions. Polytheism can also be subdivided according to how individual deities are regarded: Henotheism is the belief that while only one deity is worshiped other deities may exist and other people are justified in worshiping those other deities. Monolatrism refers to the belief that there may be more than one deity, but that only one is worthy of being worshiped.
The contrasting theory of Monotheistic Religion completely ignores the simplest of logic that the concept of worship is pluralistic, in Sanatan Dharma.
Section Reference: Polytheism, Monotheism, Henotheism
Who is God in Hinduism?
Hindus Worship the Supreme God, called Brahman (not the priest)
Hinduism is inclusive by nature since it accommodates a variety of religious perspectives. Because of this, it’s sometimes referred to as a “family of religions” or a “way of life” rather than a single, established religion.
The Hindus’ magnificent philosophy asserts that there is only one God. The height of heavenly Reality is God. Hinduism’s early sages proclaimed unequivocally that “The Reality is One, the wise ones refer to It variously (by various terms).”
“Ekam sat, vipraha bahudha vadanti.”
When the rishis learned this reality through their direct, personal experiences made possible by divine grace, they did so after discovering it spiritually. As a result, a true adherent of true Hinduism is aware of and fully believes in the fact that God is a singular, non-dual being. Hinduism is a monotheistic religion, even though many people wrongly believe it to be a religion of many gods, or polytheism. It is a religion that realised there is only ONE GOD long before any other religion on this planet had ever begun to take root. Our spiritual predecessors, the sages of God-experience and illumined vision, later came to understand that some numerous pathways and ways ultimately lead to different religions. Later, the sages of God-experience and illumined vision — our spiritual forebears — arrived at the understanding that all of mankind’s diverse religions are merely various routes and routes that ultimately lead to the ONE God who is the source of and beyond all religions, including Hinduism. God, the Supreme All-Powerful Being, is not a member of any religion. Because God existed before the creation of the universe, mankind, and all existing religions. Every religion is a part of God. Because the origin and ultimate goal of all recognised religions is God. The majority of Hindu religions are henotheistic, which means they revere “Brahman” (not to be confused with priests) while yet acknowledging various deities, all of whom are manifestations of Brahman.
Who is Brahman ( Devanagari: ब्रह्म )? Hinduism embraces the idea of the Godhead. Brahman is the eternal reality that is the Divine Ground of all things in this universe. It is an unchanging, infinite, immanent, and transcendent reality. Despite having a transpersonal nature, it is occasionally anthropomorphized as Isvara, the Supreme Lord. The primordial being Hiranyagarbha, which is compared to the creator god Brahm, is created by Brahman in the Rig Veda. Thus, the Trimurti might be seen as a manifestation of Hiranyagarbha, the driving force behind the phenomena of the cosmos. According to the seers who inspired the creation of the Upanishads, the freed soul (jivanmukta) has realised his identity with Brahman as his true self (see Atman).
The word "Brahman" is derived from the verb brh (Sanskrit: to grow), and connotes greatness. The Godhead together is Brahman (not to confused with priests) having BrahmaDev (the creator), Vishnu (the maintainer), and Shiva (the destroyer).
The Mundaka Upanishad says:
Om. The Supreme Brahman is infinite, and this conditioned Brahman is infinite—the infinite proceeds from the infinite. Then through knowledge, realizing the infinitude of the infinite, it remains infinite alone.
Conceptualization:
According to Brahman, the Supreme Cosmic Spirit or Absolute Reality is everlasting, genderless, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, and is ultimately beyond human language’s ability to describe. unlimited Being, unlimited Consciousness, and limitless Bliss are the finest ways to sum it up. The material universe’s origin and substance are thought to be found in Brahman. A pure being, it. Hiranyagarbha, known as the “world soul,” is one of the various incarnations of Brahman and is one of the thousands of gods. It was regarded as a single source of all that exists and begins with the following verse:
"Great indeed are the devas who have sprung out of Brahman." — Atharva Veda
33 Koti (Types/Manifestations) Devas, Not Crores!
Hinduism recognises a variety of celestial beings, including deities, demigods, spirits, and angels. There were 33 devas in Vedic Hinduism; this number was then increased to 330 million devas. For the sake of devotional worship, all the devas are actually seen as more commonplace representations of the One and the Supreme Brahman. Hindus do not actually worship 330,000,000 different gods. Ten million is a group in Sanskrit, and 330 million devas originally indicated 33 different kinds of celestial manifestation.
To read more:
Major sects of Hinduism:
According to academics, there are four main branches of Hinduism today: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Smartism, and Shaktism. The main differences between the religions are the deity seen as the Supreme One and the traditions that go along with that worship. It is essential to highlight that despite worshipping the one true God in many ways, there has never been internal contention over who is better or worse.
- Vaishnavas– are the worshippers of Vishnu and consider Vishnu as the supreme God;
- Shaivites worship Shiva as the supreme;
- Shaktas worship Shakti (power) personified through a female divinity or Mother Goddess, Devi; while
- Smartas believe in the essential oneness of five (Pancha deva) or six (Shanmata, as Tamil Hindus add Skanda) deities as personifications of the Supreme.
Therefore, it is up to each individual whether they choose to believe in one God, several gods, or a combination of gods. Hindus are not required to read any specific Hinduism-related book about God in order for their reality to match that of Hinduism if one relates to the modern world. Hindus do not have a specific religious text, although the Vedas are said to contain a wealth of information. Its approach is general, thus it can’t be restricted to just one book.
The awareness of Sanatan Dharma’s philosophy and its various schools of thought — today also the oldest religion in the world — is what empowers us to practise religion in whatever way we see fit while maintaining a common “Dharma” and makes us aware of God.
Schools of Thought in Hinduism:
Six philosophical systems have come to be seen as the intellectual discovery of truth in India over the course of many centuries. These are referred to as Vedanta or Uttara Mimansa, Nyaya, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimansa, and Vaishesika.
These six philosophical schools are attributed to the sages Konada, Gotama, Kapila, Patanjali, Jaimini, and Vyasa, in that order. These ideologies continue to dominate academic debate in the nation. All of these were written after the rishis had attained “Moksha,” which is described as having attained via meditation and “Tapasya” the consciousness of “self,” the consciousness of God, and the consciousness of various philosophies of life.
The six philosophical systems were created over many centuries with the help of various intellectuals. However, despite the fact that they appear to be different from one another, we now recognise an underlying harmony in their conceptions of reality.
Hinduism evolved over time into numerous schools of theology thanks to a vibrant heritage of philosophical investigation and discussion. Many schools of thought or darshanas developed from eternal and universal concerns like the meaning of life and the connection between humanity and the Divine (existence, pure being, light of consciousness).
Orthodox Schools of Indian Philosophy:
Historically known as Sanatana Dharma, the orthodox (astika) schools are now collectively referred to as Hinduism. Their authoritative text and source are the antiquated Vedas. Hinduism has six distinct philosophical and theological systems.
Darshana, which means “seeing” in Sanskrit, refers to the various ways of “seeing” the Divine and achieving moksha, or freedom from the cycle of rebirth.
Six darshanas are recognized as the most influential:
Vaisheshika: One of the earliest atomic theories, Vaisheshika was developed by Sage Kanada. According to Sage Kanada, all matter is composed of atoms that are triggered by the hand of God. Eventually, Vaisheshika and Nyaya fused.
Nyaya: is a logical framework that supports other fundamental Hindu ideas, such as karma, as well as the reality of the Divine. Nyaya is certain that something cannot be accepted until it is consistent with reason and experience. Successing orthodox and non-orthodox schools of thought were strongly impacted by Nyaya’s logic and epistemology because of their thoroughness.
Sankhya: Regarded as one of the oldest philosophical traditions. Sankhya categorises all of existence into two groups: Prakriti, or the natural world, and Purusha, or human beings (divine awareness). There isn’t much Sankhya literature left today, and because it asserts the existence of these two categories, there is some debate about whether or not the philosophy is dualistic.
Mimamsa or Purva Mimamsa: interprets the guidelines of Vedic ritual, giving ceremonial perfection as a route to Moksha.
Yoga: Raja Yoga, as stated in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, focuses on quieting the mind through an eight-limb system (Ashtanga yoga), which would finally lead to Moksha.
Vedanta (including Advaita, Dvaita, and Vishishtadvaita): Perhaps the most significant influence on contemporary Hinduism, because liberation is primarily attained by transcending association with the physical body. Through proper knowledge, meditation, dedication, selfless service, and good actions, among other religious and spiritual disciplines, a person might transcend their self-identity. The three main Vedanta subschools are Advaita, Dvaita, and Visishtaadvaita.
Unorthodox Schools of Indian Philosophy:
Unorthodox (nastika) systems of education are those that do not recognise the primacy of the Vedas. These institutions are considered unorthodox schools of Indian philosophy.
Charvaka (Brihaspati):
A materialistic, sceptical, and atheistic school of thought is called Charvaka.
Charvaka asserts that there is just one world. Therefore, since everyone eventually dies, happiness is the purpose of life.
The Lokayata Philosophy, or “the philosophy of the masses,” is another name for it.
Buddhist philosophy (Siddhartha Gautama):
Buddhism is a non-theistic religion whose principles don’t give much thought to whether God exists or not. Buddha believed that there is much suffering in the world and that it is a man’s responsibility to seek freedom from it. He harshly criticised older scriptures like the Vedas for encouraging blind faith.
Did you know Buddha is the 9th Avatar of Lord Vishnu? The prophecy is written in the Vedas.
Jain philosophy (Mahavira):
Anekantavada, the notion that reality is viewed differently from various points of view and that no single point of view is entirely genuine, is a fundamental premise.
Only the Kevalins, who possess limitless knowledge, may know the real solution, and everyone else can only perceive a portion of the solution, according to Jainism.
Conclusion? Not Today…
Multiple schools of ideologies and practices co-exist in Hinduism– the conservatives, the contemporary-liberal, the spiritual and atheists. The question that often arises is how Sanatan Dharma still exists with or without any particular codified rules, for example: how to be a Sanatani or prophets, or books…
It is the very nature of its core beliefs of the oneness of God, the truth of the universe, and its universal approach which has supported change with evolving societies, nature and time. It is also recognised as the most scientific religion in the world. Also, to mention, the very fact that Sanatan Dharma never drew the line of “us vs. them”, it never gave its followers a name like Abrahamic religions, or created an in-group and out-group concept. The tag of being called a “Hindu” was an adoption when other religions started ethnic cleansing of the oldest religion in the world.
Sanatan Dharma believes that there are multiple paths to reach god. Thus, there is no hard and fast rule that if one follows a different religion to reach God, it is wrong or a sin. Hinduism’s conception of God and how it manifests itself does not place a particular emphasis on one gender; rather, God’s consciousness unites all people, therefore regardless of whether someone worships an idol or not or adheres to a certain ideology or religion, they retain their position, in contrast to Abrahamic religions.
Whenever Hinduism is sighted in the modern world, it comes with the evil practises of “Sati” and the “Caste System” attached to it. These two malpractices are classic examples of wrongly translated, misinterpreted versions of the Vedas, of which most people, especially Hindus, are unaware. Vedic laws are currently being reinterpreted by Sanskrit language experts and are being understood thoroughly in accordance with the evolution of societies, as one can see. Securing constitutional reservation to protect people from social injustices and biases, such as laws banning child marriage, widow remarriage, equal property successors, bride status to transgender under Hindu Marriage Law, etc., is a position that cannot be seen as supported by other religions in the context of contemporary society.
Therefore, it is the Sanatan Dharma’s ability to stay the same, yet sustain beings and itself due to its open-ended philosophy. Due to its holistic, non-labelling and universal philosophy, it makes itself a flag-bearer of diversity, religious tolerance, liberalism and secularism, which are held to be modern concepts.
To note: The ‘secularism’ is akin to the Vedic concept of ‘Dharma Nirapekshata’ i.e. the indifference of the state to religion.
To end on a positive note, a small portion of enlightenment from a must-read article:
— Thank you for reading and for your precious time! —
My upcoming articles will discuss religions, politics, society, gender and law.
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P.S.: This article is a self-resurrection to know about my religion, and our civilization’s history and view it separately from politics in today’s world. My sources of inspiration for this article are J Sai Deepak, Dr. Anand Ranganathan & Shri K.K Muhammad as well as the preachers from different religions who all have somehow guided me to know my religion and history. In modern times, when there is a huge pressure to assert that only “science” moves the world, but no. Humanities do more, more than we can imagine. When there is an outbreak of communal riots or demands of a new state or country based on religion in the modern digital world, science has room then. Therefore, it is important to know why it happens, what is the trigger, and what is the history. It is very important to know about our own, and others’ social and religious origins. It is important to understand the core ideologies of one’s religion as well as others from its original point of view.
