Confusion! Confusion! Confusion!
Many a time you might have asked yourself and others as well regarding religion. What is religion? What are its fundamentals? What is its importance in common living or in our day-to-day life?
All these questions must have arrived once in your dear dreams, very often if you are really a genuine spiritual seeker. But don’t worry, all of your questions and doubts would be cleared in today’s discussion.
Modern world, modern people, modern confusion — but the topic is still old: what is spirituality and religion?
So now before knowing what is spirituality, we should first know what is not spirituality.
→ Here are some points which completely contradict the real meaning of spirituality:
- a) Spirituality is only a means of relaxing the mind.
b) Spirituality means regulating duties and not following any rules and regulations.
c) Spirituality brings material prosperity.
d) Spirituality is only restricted to caste, nation and society.
→ These are some points which definitely are not related to spirituality or dharma. So the question still remains: what is the actual meaning of ‘dharma’?
What is the Real Meaning of Dharma
→ The real meaning of dharma is already explained in Srimad Bhagavatam
ŚB 6.3.19
dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇīta ṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ
Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas.
→ Real religious principles are enunciated.
→ Dharma is truly connected to the soul, not to the body. No doubt, for maintaining the body, we also have to follow dharma, but that would also be prescribed by the self-scriptures.
More Scientific and Broad Meaning of Sanatan Dharma
The word ‘Sanatan’ is derived from the Sanskrit language, which means ‘eternal’. As the name suggests, Sanatan Dharma is eternal, meaning it is beginning-less and endless.
→ Sanatan Dharma teaches the way of living.
→ Sanatan Dharma not only teaches us to get out of this world but also tells us how we should live in our day-to-day life.
→ Vedic scripture has four pillars — dharma, artha, kama, and moksha — and Sanatan Dharma gives the information for all.
→ Dharma is used for generating artha, artha is used to fulfil kama, and when kama does not get satisfied, then it gives birth to desire for moksha.
Two Types of Dharma
Deh Dharma (religion for the body)
As we all are stuck in the material body despite being originally the soul, we need to perform some actions to maintain the body. The actions performed to maintain the body under the direction of scriptural injunctions are called Deh Dharma.
Atma Dharma (religion for the soul)
Atma Dharma has nothing to do with the body. It is fully connected to the soul.
We all are part and parcel of Krishna, but due to our tendency to enjoy the material nature, we are stuck in this material world. So we try to go out of the wings of “maya” (the material energy), and those actions which are directed towards this mission are called Atma Dharma.
Unique Features of Sanatan Dharma
Eternality
Sanatan Dharma — the owner or founder of Sanatan Dharma is still unknown. Nobody knows who has created Sanatan Dharma. Every religion has its founder person who established that particular religion, but the founder of Sanatan Dharma is still unknown.
→ Fun fact: Actually it is unknown for the author, but we are mere…
Scriptural Evidence
The Bhagavad Gita explains who created Sanatan Dharma. It is Krishna (the Supreme God) who has created this Dharma. He himself has confirmed in the Bhagavad Gita.
Bg. 15.15
sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham
I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Soul Concept
The concept of ‘soul’ is very unique in Sanatan Dharma. Other religions do not talk much about the soul; some religions do not accept the existence of the soul, and some simply deny it.
But Sanatan Dharma is the only religion in the world which not only tells about the soul but also gives a detailed scientific explanation of the soul.
For more info, you can read the Bhagavad Gita. There are so many verses like BG 2.13, etc.
God as Personality or Person
Last but not least, Sanatan Dharma clarifies the most heated debate in the world: “Who is God?”
Sanatan Dharma clearly depicts that God is a person and His name is “Krishna”, the all-attractive.
Many and many references in the scriptures clearly depict that God is not impersonal. He is a
Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1
īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
Kṛṣṇa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.
Conclusion
After reading the complete blog, I am pretty sure you might have got a smart idea that, yes, it is only Sanatan Dharma which can be the best religion in the world.
The purpose of this blog was not to defame any other religion or to just prove the superiority of Sanatan Dharma over others. It was just an innocent attempt to clarify the doubts regarding religion and Sanatan Dharma, especially among youth, so that they could not be misled and they could get the original information from the original source.
And that is the aim of Prabhupad Ashraya.
There were so many more things to tell in this regard, but I have only said as much as required because, just like eating too much can cause diarrhoea, similarly getting knowledge in bulk can cause indigestion.
Ending
What’s the hurry? Kindly wait for my next blog on another new and beautiful topic.
Hare Krishna.
