SANATHANA DHARMA- WHAT IT IS ? A VIEW

I would prefer to call it only as SANATHANA DHARMA though for official and worldly perception we term it as hinduism.whatever you have said is true about HINDUISM. The most important and interesting fact about HINDUISM is what we must look for in whatever activity we take up or perform or wish to see others perform or enjoy appreciating must have these fundamental elements or aspects as you may call them , what are they?

There must be intrinsically important value addition to either the physical body like yoga and many other rituals.

Intrinsic value for the human mind like the philosophical and esoteric concepts available aplenty in VEDAS, UPANISHEDS, BHAGAWATH GEETHA etc some of the most popular and known text there are many more in HINDUISM, there must be intrinsic value addition to the spiritual aspect of the human being especially its soul and the many methods to realize and relink it ,i.e.relink the ATMA with the PARAMATMA [ in fact this is what the meaning of the word RELIGION itself etymologically, it is from the LATIN ‘re+ligere’ , where 're' as a prefix always means ‘again’ as in redo ,return, re pair etc and 'ligère' means 'to link'] through multiple means depending on the level of perception, inspiration, inclination, impulse, interest and/or capabilities, conviction and so on.

Sanathana dharma as it is a science evolved through experiences of observations made with total intensity and intense totality by many souls it has taken into account the various frequencies at which the same thing can appeal, appear or perceived differently by different people. So it has incorporated the various methods like Manthras, Bhakthi[ manifested in various ways like songs, dances ,pujas etc] philosophical enquiry, doubting the scriptures and even denouncing the scripture or even atheistic approaches to enlighten the soul and spirit. So there are multiple forms of worships and multiple gods because all souls are not alike nor can they be assumed or treated to be alike but every soul has a right to make its spiritual journey the way it wants [It is not often our perception but the scale of observation and frames of reference which creates the phenomenon. The scale of observation depends on man; it is he who creates it. In nature, different scales of observation do not exist. There is only one immense, harmonious phenomenon on a scale which, in general, escapes man. The structure of man's brain necessitates dividing into arbitrary compartments and cutting up into isolated pieces. With the aid of several instruments science creates more phantasmagoria: "on our scale of human observation, as pointed out before, the edge of a razor-blade is a continuous line. On the microscopic scale, it is a broken but solid line. On the chemic scale we have atoms of iron and carbon. On the sub-atomic scale we have electrons in perpetual motion which travel at the rate of several thousand miles per second. All these phenomena are in reality the manifestations of the same basic phenomenon, the motions of the electrons. The only difference which exists between them is the scale of observation" [Human Destiny, Lecomte du Nuoy- a marvelous book that everyone must read – if I remember correctly this comes in 34th page I have read that book at least 8 times- http://contentwriteups.blogspot.com/2010/02/real-perception.html].

There must be intrinsic value addition to the environment as is manifested in not only the care and concern of all the elements but worship of all forms lives like worshiping animals and trees etc and conducting festivals to welcome the oncoming of different seasons and celebrating thanking nature as in the celebration of PONGAL [http://contentwriteups.blogspot.com/2010/12/pongal-virginal-universal-festival-of.html]

There must be intrinsic value addition to social well being and social interaction with joy, greeting and kindness as is manifested in the form of many festivals and sathsanga [ gathering of individuals from various walks of life for a common prayer].

There must be inherent freedom for individual improvisation and aesthetic appeal in whatever you do be it art, architecture, music, dance etc. That’s why our classical music the same song can be rendered differently by different artist with multiple ways of rendering the raga alapana, kalpana swaras , sangathies etc.

So, in brief the very essence of Sanathan Dharma is humane life style with concern for all others, the environment and nature leading to a smooth, pleasant and enjoyable journey of the soul [atma] to seek its ultimate goal of spiritual enlightenment [reaching the paramathma].

Therefore, Sanathana dhama teaches us to lead life looking for intrinsic value in whatever we do; it teaches us to see the underlying concepts beneath every ritual; it wants us to grasp and give out substance and not gas and superficiality; it helps us to seek essence in whatever we do rather than the extraneous paraphernalia; it wants us to take cognizance of facts, however unpleasant they may be , rather than pander to hypocritical preaching of social moralistic theories or performing mumbo jumbos; it wants us to incorporate noble, important and laudable humane value like LOVE, FORGIVENESS, THANKSGIVING etc in our daily lives rather than making them into commercial shows of Calendared rituals like Forgiveness weeks, Lovers day or Thanksgiving day etc.