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It was this flexibility, characteristic of the Sanatana Dharma, that preserved it through so many ages, when other ancient practices perished. Till date every adherent of Sanatana Dharma, falls back on the Vedas, compiled by Vedavyasa for resolving any points of contention. Thus came into being the saying<blockquote>व्यासोच्छिष्टं जगत् सर्वम् । vyāsocchiṣṭaṁ jagat sarvam ।</blockquote>On these Shrutis the whole fabric of Vaidika Dharma or Sanatana Dharma, the religion of the Vedas, as it is truly named, is built. They propound a system by the mastery of which all the energies which vitalize the Universe and nature may be controlled, at the direction of Isvara (Absolute Consciousness).<ref name=":0" />

It was this flexibility, characteristic of the Sanatana Dharma, that preserved it through so many ages, when other ancient practices perished. Till date every adherent of Sanatana Dharma, falls back on the Vedas, compiled by Vedavyasa for resolving any points of contention. Thus came into being the saying<blockquote>व्यासोच्छिष्टं जगत् सर्वम् । vyāsocchiṣṭaṁ jagat sarvam ।</blockquote>On these Shrutis the whole fabric of Vaidika Dharma or Sanatana Dharma, the religion of the Vedas, as it is truly named, is built. They propound a system by the mastery of which all the energies which vitalize the Universe and nature may be controlled, at the direction of Isvara (Absolute Consciousness).<ref name=":0" />

== Principles of Sanatana Dharma ==

== Principles of Sanatana Dharma ==

The science of ancient Bharatavarsha was contained in the [[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Shad Vedangas]], the six angas (limbs or parts) while its philosophy was given by [[Vedanta]] and [[Shad Darshanas (षड्दर्शनानि)|Shad Darshanas]], the six philosophical views. All philosophies are designed to lead man to the One Science, and One Wisdom, which saw One Self as Real and all else as unreal. Unity of all knowledge was the core concept with no distinction between science, philosophy and religion.   

The science of ancient Bharatavarsha was contained in the [[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Shad Vedangas]], the six angas (limbs or parts) while its philosophy was given by [[Vedanta]] and [[Shad Darshanas (षड्दर्शनानि)|Shad Darshanas]], the six philosophical views. All philosophies are designed to lead man to the One Science, and One Wisdom, which saw One Self as Real and all else as unreal. Unity of all knowledge was the core concept with no distinction between science, philosophy and religion.<ref name=":0" />  

These are the ones most accepted by the majority of people who follow Sanatana-dharma, and are also referenced in the Vedic texts. Beyond these, there are various schools of thought, which have further developments in their own outlook and philosophy, such as the Shaivites, Vaishnavas, Shaktas, Brahmanandis, Tantrics, and so on.  

The following principles are the ones most accepted by the majority of people who follow Sanatana-dharma, and are also referenced in the Vedic texts. Beyond these, there are various schools of thought, which have further developments in their own outlook and philosophy, such as the Shaivites, Vaishnavas, Shaktas, Brahmanandis, Tantrics, and so on.  

# One Supreme Being : Bhagavan or God, with no beginning or end, the all in all, the unlimited Absolute Truth, who can expand into many forms. In this regard, the RigVeda (1:164:45) says<blockquote>एकम् सत् विप्रह् बहुध वदन्ति || ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti || </blockquote>Though sages may call Him by different names (such as Krishna, Rama, Vishnu, etc.) there is but one Absolute Truth, or one source and foundation of everything. is considered Sat-chit-ananda vigraha, the form of eternal knowledge and bliss. He is supreme, full of beauty, knowledge, is all-powerful and all-pervading. He is also known by His three main features: namely Brahman, the all-pervading, impersonal spiritual force or effulgence; the Paramatma, the localized expansion known as the Supersoul which accompanies every individual soul in the heart of everyone; and then Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality and form of God.

# '''One Supreme Being''' : With no beginning or end, the all in all, the unlimited Absolute Truth, who can expand into many forms is the Supreme Being. In this regard, the RigVeda (1:164:45) says<blockquote>एकम् सत् विप्रह् बहुध वदन्ति || ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti || </blockquote>Though sages may call Him by different names (such as Krishna, Rama, Paramatma, etc.) there is but one Absolute Truth (Satya), or The One Existence (Brahman) which is source and foundation of everything. He is considered Sat-chit-ananda vigraha, the form of eternal knowledge and bliss. He is supreme, full of beauty, knowledge, is all-powerful and all-pervading. He is also known by His three main features: namely Brahman, the all-pervading, impersonal spiritual force or effulgence; the Paramatma, the localized expansion known as the Super Consciousness which accompanies every individual soul in the heart of everyone; and then Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality and form of God. The goal to be achieved by every human being and Concept of God as a the ultimate goal are the foundational aspects of Indian theosophical views.  

# '''The Vedas are Divine knowledge and the basis or foundation of the Vedic philosophy.''' Some of these texts have been given or spoken by Bhagavan, and others were composed by sages in their deepest super conscious state in which they were able to give revelations of Universal Truths while in meditation on the Supreme. This Vedic literature, including, among other texts, the Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva Vedas, the Upa-Vedas, Vedangas, Shadarshanas, Upanishads, the Vedanta-Sutras, Yoga Sutras, Agamas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and Bhagavad-gita, and all Puranic literature and the practices congruent with them, contain the basis of the Vedic or Sanatana-dharma spiritual culture.

# '''The Authority of Vedas''' : Texts like Bhagavadgita which have been given or spoken by Srikrishna, considered as a Supreme Being, and others composed by sages in their deepest super conscious state in which they were able to give revelations of Universal Truths while in meditation on the Supreme form the spiritual core of Sanatana Dharma. This [[Bharatiya Samskrtika Parampara (भारतीयसांस्कृतिकपरम्परा)|Bharatiya Samskrtika Parampara]] or Vedic literature, along with other texts like Agamas and the practices congruent with them, form the basis of the Sanatana-dharma.

# '''Bhagavan has appeared throughout history in the form of personal appearances (avataras)''' within the realm of matter, and even in the sound vibration of scriptures (the Vedic literature). There are ten basic avataras of Bhagavan, with numerous other expansions.

# '''Jnana or Knowledge''' : The knowledge of Vedas, Vedangas, Darshanas all culminate in the Vedanta. All these were summed up together as the Lesser Knowledge (outward and revealed), and the Knowledge of the ONE, is alone considered as supreme and indivisible by virtue of it being an internal experience of Atma. Thus states Mundakopanishad (1.1.4.5).

# '''Our real identity is being a spirit soul, or jiva'''.

# '''Karma (Law of Cause and Effect)''' : The soul undergoes it’s own karma, by which each person must experience the results or consequences of his activities and creates his own destiny based on his thought, words and deeds.

# '''The law of cause and effect:''' The soul undergoes it’s own karma, by which each person must experience the results or consequences of his activities and creates his own destiny based on his thought, words and deeds.

# '''Rebirth or reincarnation (our next birth is directed by our karma):''' The soul incarnates through different forms until, by its own spiritual development, it reaches liberation (moksha) from the repetition of birth and death, when it attains its natural position in the spiritual domain.

# '''Rebirth or reincarnation (our next birth is directed by our karma):''' The soul incarnates through different forms until, by its own spiritual development, it reaches liberation (moksha) from the repetition of birth and death, when it attains its natural position in the spiritual domain.

# '''Worship of the Divine''' We can elevate ourselves spiritually by also engaging in worship of the Divine, such as in His forms as deities in the temple.

# '''Worship of the Divine''' We can elevate ourselves spiritually by also engaging in worship of the Divine, such as in His forms as deities in the temple.