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Thus the first thing we learn here is the Unity of all Selves and this is the foundation of Dharma (word used in the sense of Ethics).  

Thus the first thing we learn here is the Unity of all Selves and this is the foundation of Dharma (word used in the sense of Ethics).  

===कर्मसिद्धान्तम् || Karma Siddhanta===

===कर्मसिद्धान्तम् || Karma Siddhanta===

Karma literally means action, but every action belongs partly to the past, partly to the present, partly to the future, it has come to mean the sequence of events, the law of causes and effects. So Karma is not simply action, it inseparably includes the consequence of an action also. The Jivatma 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. Hence all things are interlinked together indissolubly, woven, and interwoven inseparably; nothing occurs which is not linked to the past and to the future. As discussed previously, Jivatma is three-fold in nature consisting of Iccha, Jnana and Kriya (Will, Wisdom and Activity) which are expressed as Desire, Knowledge and Action in the lower world of upadhis, of forms and these three fashion a man's Karma, following a definite law. Desire is the key force directing a thought, which in turn determines an action in man. Brhadaranyakopanishad (also given in Shatapatha Brahmana 14.7.2) aptly summarizes it as follows<blockquote>काममय एवायं पुरुष इति स यथाकामो भवति तत्क्रतुर्भवति यत्क्रतुर्भवति तत्कर्म कुरुते यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसम्पद्यते ॥ ५ ॥ (Brha. Upan.4.4.5)</blockquote><blockquote>kāmamaya evāyaṁ puruṣa iti sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkraturbhavati yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kurute yatkarma kurute tadabhisampadyate ॥ 5 ॥</blockquote>''Man verily is desire-formed; as is his desire,so is his thought, as his thought is, so he does action, as his action is, so he attains.'' <ref name=":022" /> Shankaracharya comments on this saying "Desire is the root of the world". Thus, Karma siddhanta is based on three aspects '''Desires''' (which impel man towards attachment), '''Mind''' (the creative power makes a man's character),  '''Actions''' (circumstances are made by actions). Sri Ramana Maharshi in his Upadesasaram, very clearly explains that Karma is jada (insentient) thus,<blockquote>कर्तुराज्ञया प्राप्यते फलम् । कर्म किं परं कर्म तज्जडम् ॥ १॥</blockquote><blockquote>karturājñayā prāpyatē phalam । karma kiṁ paraṁ karma tajjaḍam ॥ 1॥ (Upad. Sara. 1)</blockquote>Meaning: ''By the command of karta (performer of Karma) the fruit of action is determined. So how is Karma supreme, for it is inanimate.''

Karma literally means action, but every action belongs partly to the past, partly to the present, partly to the future, it has come to mean the sequence of events, the law of causes and effects. So Karma is not simply action, it inseparably includes the consequence of an action also. The Jivatma 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. Hence all things are interlinked together indissolubly, woven, and interwoven inseparably; nothing occurs which is not linked to the past and to the future. As discussed previously, Jivatma is three-fold in nature consisting of Iccha, Jnana and Kriya (Will, Wisdom and Activity) which are expressed as Desire, Knowledge and Action in the lower world of upadhis, of forms and these three fashion a man's Karma, following a definite law. Desire is the key force directing a thought, which in turn determines an action in man. Brhadaranyakopanishad (also given in Shatapatha Brahmana 14.7.2) aptly summarizes it as follows<blockquote>काममय एवायं पुरुष इति स यथाकामो भवति तत्क्रतुर्भवति यत्क्रतुर्भवति तत्कर्म कुरुते यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसम्पद्यते ॥ ५ ॥ (Brha. Upan.4.4.5)</blockquote><blockquote>kāmamaya evāyaṁ puruṣa iti sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkraturbhavati yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kurute yatkarma kurute tadabhisampadyate ॥ 5 ॥</blockquote>''Man verily is desire-formed; as is his desire,so is his thought, as his thought is, so he does action, as his action is, so he attains.'' <ref name=":022" /> Shankaracharya comments on this saying "Desire is the root of the world". Thus, Karma siddhanta is based on three aspects '''Desires''' (which impel man towards attachment), '''Mind''' (the creative power makes a man's character),  '''Actions''' (circumstances are made by actions). Sri Ramana Maharshi in his Upadesasaram, very clearly explains that Karma is jada (insentient) thus,<blockquote>कर्तुराज्ञया प्राप्यते फलम् । कर्म किं परं कर्म तज्जड़म् ॥ १॥</blockquote><blockquote>karturājñayā prāpyatē phalam । karma kiṁ paraṁ karma tajjaḍam ॥ 1॥ (Upad. Sara. 1)</blockquote>Meaning: ''By the command of karta (performer of Karma) the fruit of action is determined. So how is Karma supreme, for it is inanimate.''

Karma differs from destiny in that Karma is not a final thing awaiting us, but is a constant becoming, in which future is not just shaped by the past but is also being modified by the present. Karma is said to be of three kinds - Prarabdha, Sanchita, Agami.

Karma differs from destiny in that Karma is not a final thing awaiting us, but is a constant becoming, in which future is not just shaped by the past but is also being modified by the present. Karma is said to be of three kinds - Prarabdha, Sanchita, Agami.

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 (गुरुः)|Guru]] lays the seed of all moral and adhyatmik 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 script was not developed.

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 (गुरुः)|Guru]] lays the seed of all moral and adhyatmik 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 script was not developed.

Teachableness and obedience to the teacher are insisted on, and many rules were given intended to impresss on the student the duty he owned to his preceptor. A student was to be ever serviceable and careful not to offend, regarding the guru as his father in the highest sense. The position of the Guru is defined and elevated as given below by Manu<blockquote>उत्पादकब्रह्मदात्रोर्गरीयान्ब्रह्मदः पिता । ब्रह्मजन्म हि विप्रस्य प्रेत्य चेह च शाश्वतम् ॥ २.१४६ ॥ (Manu. Smrt. 2.146)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>utpādakabrahmadātrōrgarīyānbrahmadaḥ pitā । brahmajanma hi viprasya prētya cēha ca śāśvatam ॥ 2.146 ॥</blockquote>Meaning : Of the progenitor and the giver of the knowledge of Brahman, the giver of Knowledge of Brahman is the more venerable garther; for the birth of the Brahman in the Brahmana is verily eternal both here and after death.<ref name=":022" /><ref>Manusmrti English Translation ([https://archive.org/details/ManuSmriti_201601/page/n26 Page 26])</ref>

Teachableness and obedience to the teacher are insisted on, and many rules were given intended to impress on the student the duty he owned to his preceptor. A student was to be ever serviceable and careful not to offend, regarding the guru as his father in the highest sense. The position of the Guru is defined and elevated as given below by Manu<blockquote>उत्पादकब्रह्मदात्रोर्गरीयान्ब्रह्मदः पिता । ब्रह्मजन्म हि विप्रस्य प्रेत्य चेह च शाश्वतम् ॥ २.१४६ ॥ (Manu. Smrt. 2.146)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>utpādakabrahmadātrōrgarīyānbrahmadaḥ pitā । brahmajanma hi viprasya prētya cēha ca śāśvatam ॥ 2.146 ॥</blockquote>Meaning : Of the progenitor and the giver of the knowledge of Brahman, the giver of Knowledge of Brahman is the more venerable garther; for the birth of the Brahman in the Brahmana is verily eternal both here and after death.<ref name=":022" /><ref>Manusmrti English Translation ([https://archive.org/details/ManuSmriti_201601/page/n26 Page 26])</ref>

Only to a dutiful pupil was the knowledge given :<blockquote>यथा खनन्खनित्रेण नरो वार्यधिगच्छति । तथा गुरुगतां विद्यां शुश्रूषुरधिगच्छति ॥ २.२१८॥ (Manu. Smrt. 2.218)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>Meaning : As a man by digging with a spade obtains water, so also he who does service obtains the wisdom enshrined in his guru.<ref name=":022" />

Only to a dutiful pupil was the knowledge given :<blockquote>यथा खनन्खनित्रेण नरो वार्यधिगच्छति । तथा गुरुगतां विद्यां शुश्रूषुरधिगच्छति ॥ २.२१८॥ (Manu. Smrt. 2.218)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>Meaning : As a man by digging with a spade obtains water, so also he who does seva (सेवा | selfless service) obtains the wisdom enshrined in his guru.<ref name=":022" />

===देवताराधना ॥ Devataradhana===

===देवताराधना ॥ Devataradhana===