10/02/2021
Hinduism or the Hindu Dharma was originally called the Sanatan Dharma, regarded to be one of the code of ethics through which one can attain salvation, enlightenment and liberation. Believed to be one of the most ancient cultures in the world, Sanatan Dharma marks the social, spiritual and religious tradition of more than one billion humans located at various sections of the globe. It is not just a religion which is followed by millions but it is a way of life which guides and provides its followers with an entire world view of reality.
The two words Sanatan Dharma have been derived from Sanskrit that denote Anadi (beginningless), Anantha (endless) and refers to something which is eternal and everlasting. By Dharma we mean harmony, righteousness, truth, tradition, teachings and duty towards self and society. Just as the quest for physical truth defines science, similarly the quest for cosmic truth defines Sanatan Dharma.
The Nature of Sanatan Dharma throws light on the following points:
It is centered around God rather than being prophet-centered
Its principles are based on experience and not on belief
It has no historical date of founding
Follows the process of growth, which comes from the seed
It is within the world but extends beyond and above it
It is both immanent and transcendent
Some basic principles of the Sanatana Dharma are:
According to the Sanatana Dharma the greater part of human religious aspirations has remained a mymystery, unknown, undefined and beyond the barriers of institutional beliefs.
The universal flow of Sanatana Dharma has eternally existed even before any of the great Hindu teachers and scholars were even born. It is an all-inclusive Dharma out of which both earth and humanity have evolved.
This Dharma provides reverence to individual spiritual experience over and above any formal religious doctrine.
The spiritual laws which govern human existence are believed to govern Sanatan Dharma. Just as the laws of nature determine physical phenomenon, similarly it is the Sanatan Dharma which governs the lives of human life. It stresses on the fact that the universe itself is the manifestation of the Divine being.
Sanatan Dharma consists of axiomatic laws which are in concert with the Absolute comprising of subtle laws of Gods which transcend to all partisan concerns irrespective of whether one believes it or not.
Three basic tendencies called ‘gunas’ make up the world around us. They are sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. Sattvic tendencies are those that are pure, clean, good, wholesome, calming, and peaceful. Rajasic tendencies are those that are active, moving, indecisive, and forceful. Tamasic tendencies are those that are inert, lazy, dull, and dark. Without the presence of these three tendencies, we would not exist.
As per the Sanatana Dharma, Yoga is used as a medium to attain salvation (moksha) as it marks the union with Brahma (the Absolute God).
source: https://livevaastu.com/blog/what-is-sanatan-dharma/
