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One of the most remarkable things in Sanatana Dharma, is the way in which it has laid down a complete scheme of Knowledge and then crowned it with a Philosophy composed of six faces, but governed by one idea and leading to one goal. No such comprehensive and orderly view of human knowledge is elsewhere to be found. Dharma is not merely a set of beliefs having no necessary connection with the daily life of humanity, but it is the very set of principles of a healthy and beneficent life, which we call a [[Dharmik Lifestyle (धार्मिकजीवनविधानम्)|Dharmik lifestyle]].<ref name=":0">''Sanatana Dharma : An Advanced Textbook of Hindu Religion and Ethics''. (1903) Benares : The Board of Trustees, Central Hindu College</ref>  

One of the most remarkable things in Sanatana Dharma, is the way in which it has laid down a complete scheme of Knowledge and then crowned it with a Philosophy composed of six faces, but governed by one idea and leading to one goal. No such comprehensive and orderly view of human knowledge is elsewhere to be found. Dharma is not merely a set of beliefs having no necessary connection with the daily life of humanity, but it is the very set of principles of a healthy and beneficent life, which we call a [[Dharmik Lifestyle (धार्मिकजीवनविधानम्)|Dharmik lifestyle]].<ref name=":0">''Sanatana Dharma : An Advanced Textbook of Hindu Religion and Ethics''. (1903) Benares : The Board of Trustees, Central Hindu College</ref>  

== Defining Sanatana Dharma ==

==Defining Sanatana Dharma ==

The term Sanatana Dharma, definitely grounded in and distinctively Hindu, belonging to Bharatavarsha, unites under its fold the most divergent forms of thought and philosophies, yet exclusive enough to leave outside it forms of thought which are non-Hindu. Its directives are towards building up a character - pious, dutiful, strong, self reliant, upright, righteous, gentle and well-balanced - a character which will be that of a good man and a good citizen.<ref name=":0" />  <blockquote>''"Hindu is a descriptive term for the people from the other side of river Sindhu and first used by Arabs in fifth century AD."''<ref>Pandey, A and Navare, A. V. (2018) ''Paths of Yoga : Perspective for Workplace Spirituality.'' Springer International Publishing Inc.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''The word Hindu (in the form 'Hidu') appears to have been applied by the Persian Emperors Darius (522 - 486 B. C.) and Xerxes (486 - 465 B. C.) to the territory and people to west and to the east of the great river, Sindhu, while the Greeks referred to the people in the same region as 'Indoi' from which comes the word 'Indian'.''<ref>Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1962) ''History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law). Volume 5 Part 2.'' Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref></blockquote>Hinduism is thus a more recent term greatly in use these days. Sanatana Dharma reflects the timelessness of the spiritual and theological practices prevalent in Bharatavarsha even in the present day. Sanatana Dharma eternally holds All together.   

The term Sanatana Dharma, definitely grounded in and distinctively Hindu, belonging to Bharatavarsha, unites under its fold the most divergent forms of thought and philosophies, yet exclusive enough to leave outside it forms of thought which are non-Hindu. Its directives are towards building up a character - pious, dutiful, strong, self reliant, upright, righteous, gentle and well-balanced - a character which will be that of a good man and a good citizen.<ref name=":0" />  <blockquote>''"Hindu is a descriptive term for the people from the other side of river Sindhu and first used by Arabs in fifth century AD."''<ref>Pandey, A and Navare, A. V. (2018) ''Paths of Yoga : Perspective for Workplace Spirituality.'' Springer International Publishing Inc.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''The word Hindu (in the form 'Hidu') appears to have been applied by the Persian Emperors Darius (522 - 486 B. C.) and Xerxes (486 - 465 B. C.) to the territory and people to west and to the east of the great river, Sindhu, while the Greeks referred to the people in the same region as 'Indoi' from which comes the word 'Indian'.''<ref>Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1962) ''History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law). Volume 5 Part 2.'' Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref></blockquote>Hinduism is thus a more recent term greatly in use these days. Sanatana Dharma reflects the timelessness of the spiritual and theological practices prevalent in Bharatavarsha even in the present day. Sanatana Dharma eternally holds All together.   

In the heart of Sanatana Dharma lies the tradition of handing down of knowledge from preceptor to the student. Teaching not only the shastras a Guru lays the seed of all moral and spiritual education at a young impressionable age thereby leading him on the path of a dharmik life. All can receive proper instruction on how to follow the teachings of the Vedic philosophy from a Guru who is in line with a genuine parampara, or line of gurus. This was the one tradition which upheld the society till date and the preserved the continuity of Vedas when no written  

In the heart of Sanatana Dharma lies the tradition of handing down of knowledge from preceptor to the student. Teaching not only the shastras a Guru lays the seed of all moral and spiritual education at a young impressionable age thereby leading him on the path of a dharmik life. All can receive proper instruction on how to follow the teachings of the Vedic philosophy from a Guru who is in line with a genuine parampara, or line of gurus. This was the one tradition which upheld the society till date and the preserved the continuity of Vedas when no written  

=== धार्मिकजीवनविधानम् ॥ Dharmik Jeevanavidhana  ===

=== धार्मिकजीवनविधानम् ॥ Dharmik Jeevanavidhana  ===

Leading a [[Dharmik Lifestyle (धार्मिकजीवनविधानम्)|Dharmik lifestyle]] includes adherence to principles of Dharma as laid down in Shrutis and Smrtis. Vedas proclaim that society and nature sustains one and all hence our duties towards them are more important not the individual. Rishis placed morals and ethics in the forefront and daily activities of life were based on them rather than for individual gains or sense gratification. Following Rta (ऋत) or highest natural order was of prime importance and jeevana vidhana was aligned to that principle.  

Leading a [[Dharmik Lifestyle (धार्मिकजीवनविधानम्)|Dharmik lifestyle]] includes adherence to principles of Dharma as laid down in Shrutis and Smrtis. Vedas proclaim that society and nature sustains one and all hence our duties towards them are more important not the individual. Rishis placed morals and ethics in the forefront and daily activities of life were based on them rather than for individual gains or sense gratification. Following Rta (ऋत) or highest natural order was of prime importance and jeevana vidhana was aligned to that principle.  

=== देवताराधना ॥ Devataradhana  ===

=== देवताराधना ॥ Devataradhana  ===

The presence of vast host of Devatas does not obscure the Unity of Brahman (Ishvara), in his triple form as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva than does the vast hosts of men, animals, plants and minerals. As said in the Shruti  <blockquote>इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहु॒रथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् । एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥४६॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.164.46)</blockquote> <blockquote> indraṁ mitraṁ varuṇamagnimāhu̱ratho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān । ekaṁ sad viprā bahudhā vadantyagniṁ yamaṁ mātariśvānamāhuḥ ॥46॥ </blockquote> Meaning : Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni they call Him, and the golden feathered Garutman. Of what is One, sages speak as manifold, they call Him Agni, Yama, Matarishva.

The presence of vast host of Devatas does not obscure the Unity of Brahman (Ishvara), in his triple form as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva than does the vast hosts of men, animals, plants and minerals which are held sacred and prayed to since ages. As said in the Shruti  <blockquote>इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहु॒रथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् । एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥४६॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.164.46)</blockquote> <blockquote> indraṁ mitraṁ varuṇamagnimāhu̱ratho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān । ekaṁ sad viprā bahudhā vadantyagniṁ yamaṁ mātariśvānamāhuḥ ॥46॥ </blockquote> Meaning : Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni they call Him, and the golden feathered Garutman. Of what is One, sages speak as manifold, they call Him Agni, Yama, Matarishva.   

 

So also in the Manusmrti it is explained <blockquote>आत्मैव देवताः सर्वाः सर्वं आत्मन्यवस्थितम् । ātmaiva devatāḥ sarvāḥ sarvaṁ ātmanyavasthitam । (Manu. Smrt. 12.119)<ref>Manusmriti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 12])</ref></blockquote> ''All the devatas are indeed the Self, all rests on the Self.'' <ref name=":0" /> '''Yajna''' : Shrutis declare it, Smrtis inculcate it and the Shad Vedangas circle around the concept while Dharmashastras show by practice that the worlds are built and maintained by Yajnas. Sanatana Dharma has incorporated and maintains that the yajnas pervade the whole life of man. That Srishti (Creation) began with Yajna is given by the following mantras of Brhdarnayakopanishad <blockquote> उषा वा अश्वस्य मेध्यस्य शिरः । uṣā vā aśvasya medhyasya śiraḥ । (Brhd. Upan. 1.1.1)</blockquote> ''The dawn verily is the head of the yajna horse. Here the dawn is explained as the beginning of the day of Brahma, the day of creation.'' The Shatapatha Brahmana, the Purusha sukta, and Manusmrti also contain references of importance of Yajna in srishti.<ref name=":0" />  

=== पुरुषार्थाः ॥ Purusharthas  ===

=== पुरुषार्थाः ॥ Purusharthas  ===

The ultimate purpose of human life is to shed all attachments to matter and attain moksha (liberation from material existence) and return to the transcendental realm which is not only our true nature but also our real home. The Vedic path offers personal freedom for one to make his or her own choice of how he or she wants to pursue their spiritual approach, and what level of the Absolute Truth he or she wishes to understand. This is the height of spiritual democracy and freedom from tyranny.   

The ultimate purpose of human life is to shed all attachments to matter and attain moksha (liberation from material existence) and return to the transcendental realm which is not only our true nature but also our real home. The Vedic path offers personal freedom for one to make his or her own choice of how he or she wants to pursue their spiritual approach, and what level of the Absolute Truth he or she wishes to understand. This is the height of spiritual democracy and freedom from tyranny.