Sanatana Dharma is the eternal truth or philosophy that underlies all religions. It encompasses the concepts of dharma (the law or cosmic order), karma (action-based consequences), samsara (the cycle of rebirths), and moksha (liberation). Sanatana Dharma teachings advocate for harmony between man and nature, universal love, self-realization, truthfulness, compassion, benevolence, stability, and forgiveness.
According to this religion/philosophy/, there is one ultimate reality known as brahman, which lies at the heart of all existence. This infinite force creates everything through its energy and without attachment or egoism. Everything in the universe undergoes change but ultimately remains unchanged; it’s an infinitely looping cycle of creation & destruction called saṃsāra.
Affects our daily life
Sanatana Dharma is a religion that emphasizes the eternal principle of ahimsa or nonviolence. This belief system teaches that all life is sacred and deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of whether or not it’s considered human.
This perspective directly impacts how we live our everyday lives and interacts with others. For example, Sanatana Dharma followers often advocate for animal rights and the compassionate treatment of animals. They believe that humans have co-evolutionary relationships with other forms of life, so we must consider the welfare of our fellow creatures and the ecosystem in which they live.
Sanatana Dharma supports a holistic approach to health care that incorporates traditional herbal remedies, naturopathic methods, and modern medical technology when necessary. It also emphasizes meditation and self-care practices such as yoga, qigong, fasting, breathwork exercises, etc., to help promote overall wellness.
These principles have tremendous implications for our daily lives because they emphasize responsibility towards ourselves and others.
4 stages of Sanatana Dharma
- Pre-Sanatana Dharma: Ignorance of the Absolute Reality and Dualism that permeates the world. This is when people live in their egos, reacting unconsciously to their environment based on false assumptions about who they are and reality.
- Sanatana Dharma Begins: People start becoming aware of their true nature as being part of an entity called Sanatan Dharman, which is absolute, eternal, and infinite. They also begin to understand that there is a duality between matter/energy and Consciousness/Chit (universal life force). Within this context, they develop attitudes of I am That/I am One with everything else.
- Wahyoga or Samadhi: After people reach a point where they have internalized these truths through discernment and personal experimentation, they enter into samadhi or spiritual ecstasy to experience them more fully. During this stage, one discovers various dimensions of existence such as love&light; sound & music; sattva&rajas; tamas&prakriti etc., all of which exist within one’s being.
- Moksha or liberation from cycles of rebirth & suffering.: At this point, individuals no longer need physical bodies because they have realized their inherent oneness with the cosmos(brahman).
Moksha
Moksha, or liberation in Sanatana Dharma, refers to the ultimate aim of spiritual practice. It is often described as freedom from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), self-realization (Atman/Brahma Jnana), and union with Absolute Reality (Parama Padmasambhava).
Many schools of thought have a different interpretation of what moksha means, but all agree that it is an important goal for practitioners of Vedic religion. In general, moksha can be understood as any stage or state in which you become liberated from suffering. This may include physical emancipation from pain and disease; psychic emancipation from ignorance, egoism, anger, greed, and other negative emotions; liberation from attachments to material things; and final realization or understanding regarding brahman.
By practising regular rituals such as puja and yajna, aspirants strive to cleanse their minds of all obstacles to achieve enlightenment. Ultimately, nothing stands in the way of liberation except our ignorance!
Mukti
Mukti is one of the key concepts underlying Sanatana Dharma, or the eternal path of dharma. Mukti derives from two Sanskrit words, Mukti (liberated) and jati (birth). In simple terms, Mukti refers to liberation from samsara – the cycle of birth and death – while jati refers to being born in perfect health and happiness.
Muktijana denotes those who have attained this state of liberation. This term can also be used as an umbrella term for all adherents of Sanatana Dharma principles, including practitioners who follow paths such as Vedanta, Jainism, Shaivism etc.
Many people misunderstand mukti because it is often associated with Nirvana or enlightenment. However, according to Mahamuni Buddha’s teachings on mukTIjana, “Nirvana does not depend on any other condition; what depends upon attainment thereof is mere attention directed towards cessation. Nirvana cannot be established by merely knowing about it.” What matters most isn’t achieving a certain level of spiritual development but attaining MUKTI – realizing your true nature and becoming free from attachment/infatuation/sorrow/fear etc.
Nirvana
Nirvana is a term that refers to the ultimate state of liberation or enlightenment found in most major world religions. In Buddhism, Nirvana is commonly translated as “emptiness,” “emptying,” or “quitting.” It can also be described as the end goal of The Noble Eightfold Path, which leads to peace and understanding.
Although it’s often seen as an ideal destination that transcends this life on Earth, Nirvana can be attained through gradual steps and practice. When one reaches Nirvana, one no longer suffers from emotions such as anger, grief, or hatred. They have learned how to live in harmony with themselves and others without extremes of happiness and sorrow.
Ottawa represents a barren place where Buddha sat under the Bo tree for nine days until he reached complete stillness and realized his true nature was emptiness (similar to Buddhist concepts like sunyata). This experience helped him develop insights about liberation from suffering (Nirodha) and taught him various methods for inner meditation (Samatha) that lead eventually to Nirvana.
To achieve Nirvana, practitioners must strive for a balance between their emotions and thoughts; they must also meditate on God or Universal Consciousness daily. Once you have achieved this level of detachment from worldly matters, it becomes easier to live peacefully without attachment or regret in this life or any other future life.
Paramapada
Paramapada is a Vedic ritual originally performed to consecrate the Agnihotra sacrifice. Today, it is often used as an essential part of puja (worship) ceremonies and for purifying the temple or home.
The ceremony begins with the recitation of the Gayatri mantra, followed by mantras invoking Mother Earth and God/Dharmins (the cosmic principle). Then, offerings are made to Sarasvati, Ganesha, Lakshmi Devi, Ardhanarishvara aspect of Shiva (Ardhanari), Narasimhavatarana form of Vishnu (Narasinama), Surya Mata and Parvati Devi. The last incantation is chanted in honour of all these deities before they are consumed sacramentally by attendees.
Paramapada can be tailored to fit any occasion or theme; its symbolism can be interpreted in many ways depending on your spiritual beliefs and intentions. It’s a powerful way to connect with nature and simultaneously venerate earthly and divine feminine principles.
Those unable to attend the ceremony may still join by chanting Hare Krishna or listening to devotional music. By participating in some form or another, everyone can feel connected to Lord Krishna and receive blessings from him.