Exploring Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Way of Life

Sanatana meaning: Sanatana means eternal , that means which has no beginning or end .it is said to be the oldest living religion in the world.

Dharma, translated as religion ,righteousness or duty. The literal meaning of Sanatana dharma is clearly that it cannot be said to have a founder. it refers to the eternal truth and teachings of Hinduism.

HINDUISM, more accurately referred to as  Sanatana dharma is the world’s oldest religion is said to have originated in the Indian subcontinent over 5000 years ago.

The term Hindu was came from the people who lived beyond the Sindhu river, and eventually the term Hinduism was coined to denote the Hindu residents of the Indian subcontinent.

The ‘Hindu’ term is a Persian geographical term for the people who lived beyond the river Indus in Sanskrit it is ‘Sindhu’.

Dharma: it means ‘duty’ ,virtue, morality even Religion and it refers to the power which upholds the universe and society.

Dharma is the power that  maintains society it makes the grass grow , the sun shine and makes us moral people or rather gives humans the opportunity to act Virtuously. but there is different obligations ,opinion and duties according to their age , gender social position for people.

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CLASSIFICATION OF ALL IN FOUR:

TIME: 4 Yuga

• Satyuga – 4 avatar of god vishnu ( matsya ,kurma, varaha , narshima)
• Treta yuga- 3 avatar of god vishnu (vamana, parshuram , Ram)
• Dwapara yuga – 2 avatar of god vishnu ( krishna , balrama/gautama buddha)
• Kalyuga – 1 avatar of god vishnu ( kalki {yet to happen})

VEDAS: 4 Vedas

• rigveda
• atharvaveda
• samaveda
• yajurveda

PILLERS: 4 pillers of hinduism

• tapas ( fulfillment)
• suchi (cleanliness of soul and body)
• daya ( merciness)
• satya (truth)

THE FOUR PURUSHARTHAS:

1. Dharma
2. Artha
3. kama
4. Moksha

CLASSIFICATION OF A  SOCIETY:

1. Brahamanas
2. kshatriya
3. vaisyas
4. sudras

FOUR ASHARAMS:

• Brahamacharya (student life )
• Grihastha ( life of the householder)
• Vanaprastha (partial retirement)
• Sanyashin ( complete retirement )

SEVEN IMMORTALS OF HINDU MYTHOLOGY:

1. BALI ,the asura king, vanquished by vishnu in his dwarf avataar.
2. PARSHURAMA,, the priest warrior avatar of vishnu.
3. HANUMAN ,the wise and mighty monkey incarnation who serves Ram.
4. VIBHISANA ,who is ravana’s brother
5. VYASA , organiser of veda and composer of the mahabharata
6. KRIPA , the brother in law of drona and teacher of the pandavas.
7. ASHWATHAMA, the son of Drona.