Sanātana Dharma, which means eternal religion, is the right way of describing Hinduism. Hinduism is the world’s oldest surviving culture which has survived countless wars, natural disasters, and painful invasions. Do you know why it outlived it all? Because Hinduism offers total freedom.
Hinduism is a religion of freedom. It allows complete freedom in matters of worship and faith. You won’t be cursed if you ask questions. You won’t be lynched if you question anything. It permits complete liberty to the human reason and heart concerning questions such as the nature of God, creation, soul, form of prayer, and goal of life. It does not really force anybody to accept certain dogmas or forms of worship.
There are no terms and conditions applied in Hinduism, which makes it different from other faiths. It allows everybody to investigate, reflect, contemplate, and enquire. Hence, all kinds of religious faiths, various forms of worship or Sadhana, diverse kinds of customs and rituals have found their honorable place side by side within Hinduism and are developed and cultured in harmonious relationships with one another. This is precisely why people following Sanatan Dharma never started worthless religious wars against anyone else. This is why Sanatan Dharma has stood tall despite countless invasions and religious persecutions.
Hinduism, unlike other religions, does not assert that the final emancipation is feasible only through its means and not through any other. It is only a means to an end, and all means which will eventually lead to the end are equally approved.
There are three parts in every religion: philosophy, mythology, and ritual.
Philosophy is the heart of faith. It sets forth its fundamental principles or basic doctrines or tenets, the goal, and the means of attaining it. Ritual gives a more tangible form of philosophy so that everyone may understand it. The ritual consists of ceremonies and forms. Mythology explains and illustrates philosophy using great men’s legendary lives or supernatural beings. In Hinduism, there’s no mythology. There’s History! Real proven History.
You can grasp the subtle, philosophical truths through the History of a Culture. The world’s oldest faith, Hinduism, presents that by helping you uncage (free) yourself.
Sit like a child and open your heart freely, and you’ll find the below five social freedoms in Sanatan Dharma:
- Freedom from violence (Ahimsa),
- Freedom from want (Asteya),
- Freedom from exploitation (Aparigraha),
- Freedom from violation or dishonor (Avyabhichara)
- freedom from early death and disease (Armitatva and Arogya).
The five individual possessions or virtues are
- absence of intolerance (Akrodha),
- Compassion or fellow feeling (Bhutadaya, Adroha),
- Knowledge (Jnana, Vidya),
- Freedom of thought and conscience (Satya, Sunrta)
- Freedom from fear, frustration, or despair (Pravrtti, Abhaya, Dhrti).
You can chase these freedoms served by Dharma by following the faith unconditionally. But things don’t just end here. Hinduism also presents a chance to free yourself from the cycle of life and death, which is called ‘Moksha.’
- If you don’t crave blessings or expect praise from others;
- If you don’t harm others (human or nonhuman);
- If you speak and trust the truth;
- And if your good Karma outweighs bad Karma;
You have a chance to reach liberation after you die. You can free yourself from the cycle of life and death if you’re a good human. Yes! According to Hinduism, all it takes is goodness and good Karma for you to reach the next dimension in life. Mystical and doable, right?
