Abstract: Sanatana Dharma is often inaccurately
equated with the modern term “Hinduism” and misunderstood through the lens of
Western concepts such as "religion." This paper argues that Sanatana
Dharma is not a religion in the Abrahamic or institutional sense, but a civilizational
and metaphysical way of existence, grounded in eternal principles (sanatana
tattvas) that transcend time, geography, and institutional boundaries.
Anchored in the Vedas, Upanisads, Smrtis, and the lived practices of countless
sages, Sanatana Dharma is an open, experiential, pluralistic framework that
integrates cosmology, ethics, spiritual psychology, and societal order. This
article explores the foundational elements that distinguish Sanatana Dharma
from the category of “religion” and elaborates on its view of life as a journey
of dharma, artha, kama, and moksa, oriented toward
ultimate liberation (moksa) and the realization of the Self (atman).
Introduction: Problematizing the
Concept of ‘Religion’
The modern classification of faith systems
into “religions” arises from Western theological history, especially from the
monotheistic, book-based, and congregational traditions of Christianity and
Islam. These systems emphasize creeds, exclusive membership, belief
in a prophet or savior, single holy text, and institutional
authority. By contrast, Sanatana Dharma, the name indigenous to what is now
broadly called “Hinduism,” does not fit this mold.
The term religion, derived from Latin religare
(to bind), presupposes a set of dogmas or doctrines binding the individual to a
god or community. Sanatana Dharma, however, does not bind, it liberates. It
does not insist on conformity but accommodates diversity. It is not centered on
belief, but on direct experience (anubhava) and right living (dharma).
To reduce it to the term “religion” is not only semantically incorrect but
intellectually impoverishing.
As the Indian philosopher Dr. Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan wrote:
“Hinduism is not a religion in the sense in
which the West understands the term, but a way of life, a philosophy of
existence.”
The Meaning of ‘Sanatana Dharma’
The term Sanatana Dharma is composed of
two Sanskrit words:
·
Sanatana (सनातन): eternal, beginningless, changeless,
perpetual.
·
Dharma (धर्म): that which upholds, sustains,
integrates the law of being, moral order, duty, essence.
Together, the phrase means “the eternal law”
or “the eternal order of existence.” It is not a label for a belief system but
a reference to the inherent, eternal principles that govern life,
consciousness, and the cosmos.
The Mahabharata offers a classical
definition:
धारणात् धर्मम् इत्याहुः धर्मो धारयते प्रजाः।
Dharanat dharmam ityahuh dharmo dharayate
prajah.
- Mahabharata, Karna Parva 69.58
"Dharma is so called because it sustains. Truly, it sustains the
people."
Thus, Dharma is not a commandment but a cosmic
and personal principle of order, encompassing both natural law and ethical
conduct. It is the very fabric of existence, expressing itself as the rhythm of
the universe, the movement of the stars, the flow of time, and the evolution of
consciousness.
Sanatana Dharma and the Fourfold Aims
of Life
Sanatana Dharma structures life around four
universal and progressive aims (purusarthas) that guide human evolution
from base survival to spiritual liberation:
1.
Dharma - righteous living and ethical
responsibility
2.
Artha - material prosperity and social
order
3.
Kama - pleasure, desire, and aesthetic
fulfillment
4.
Moksa - liberation from bondage and
realization of the Self
Unlike religions that consider desire and
wealth inherently sinful, Sanatana Dharma recognizes them as legitimate and meaningful
when pursued within the framework of Dharma. This balance leads to inner
integration and societal harmony.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां उपायो यः स निश्चितः।
स
एव धर्मं आख्यातं न तु वेदैः पृथक् कृतम्॥
- Mahabharata, Santi Parva, 109.11
“That which supports the proper pursuit of
Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa is truly Dharma.”
The goal of Sanatana Dharma is not to convert,
exclude, or dominate, it is to realize one’s nature as Brahman, the infinite,
undivided consciousness that pervades all.
Cosmology and Ontology in Sanatana
Dharma
Unlike linear, creationist worldviews, Sanatana
Dharma proposes a cyclical cosmology, where the universe undergoes endless
cycles of creation, sustenance, and dissolution - srsṭi, sthiti,
and pralaya.
Time is not finite but eternal and recursive:
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् अहर्यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः।
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः॥
- Bhagavad GIta, 8.17
"They who know the cosmic day and night
understand that a day of Brahma lasts a thousand Yugas, and so does his
night."
Ontologically, Sanatana Dharma is non-dualistic
at its core. While it accommodates dualism (dvaita) and qualified
non-dualism (visisṭadvaita), its highest philosophical realization is
that all that exists is Brahman, the Supreme Consciousness.
सर्वं
खल्विदं ब्रह्म।
- Chandogya Upanisad, 3.14.1
"Verily, all this is Brahman."
There is no fundamental separation between the
divine, the individual, and the world. This vision fosters sacredness of life, tolerance
of diversity, and inner autonomy.
Sanatana Dharma as Experiential and
Pluralistic
Sanatana Dharma rests on direct experience (anubhava),
not blind belief. Its epistemology includes perception (pratyaksa),
inference (anumana), and scriptural testimony (sabda), but it
prioritizes realization over ritual.
This is why it includes:
·
Bhakti (devotion)
·
Jnana (knowledge)
·
Karma (selfless action)
·
Raja
Yoga (discipline of
the mind)
Different temperaments require different
paths. There is no exclusivity or condemnation. The famous verse from the GIta
assures:
ये
यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्।
मम
वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः॥
- Bhagavad GIta, 4.11
“In whatever way they approach Me, I accept
them in that manner. Everyone follows My path, O Arjuna, in all ways.”
This pluralism is not relativism, but a
recognition of the inner unity behind apparent diversity.
Sanatana Dharma as Civilization, Not
Sect
Sanatana Dharma encompasses a total way of
life:
·
Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya,
etc.
·
Arts: Classical music, dance, sculpture,
and iconography.
·
Sciences: Ayurveda, Jyotisa, Vastu, Sanskrit
grammar.
·
Society: Varnasrama Dharma, Raja Dharma
(ethics of governance), Grhastha Dharma.
·
Ecology: Sacred geography, river worship,
tree veneration.
No other civilization integrates the spiritual
with the secular, the mystical with the rational, and the ritual with the
cosmic in such a profound and enduring way.
This is why Swami Vivekananda declared:
“Sanatana Dharma is not a religion, but the
universal spiritual heritage of humanity.”
Misidentification with “Hinduism”
The word Hindu is not found in any
Vedic or Upanisadic text. It is a geopolitical term, derived from the Persian
pronunciation of Sindhu, referring to people east of the Indus River.
The term Hinduism was later constructed by colonial scholars to
categorize India’s indigenous spiritual traditions.
This leads to conceptual confusion:
·
Hinduism
as “a religion” implies exclusivity, conversion, and dogma.
·
Sanatana
Dharma as “a way of life” implies openness, universality, and spiritual
freedom.
Thus, the true self-definition of this
tradition must be reclaimed through its own vocabulary, not through external
frameworks.
Conclusion: The Eternal Relevance of
Sanatana Dharma
Sanatana Dharma is not bound by time,
geography, institution, or identity. It is the eternal law of existence, the
rhythm of life that flows through the cosmos and the conscience alike. It does
not demand conversion, only inner transformation. It does not require belief,
only inquiry. It does not impose, it invites. It is not merely followed; it is lived.
In the modern world—fraught with religious
extremism, ecological destruction, and existential crisis—Sanatana Dharma
offers a vision of unity, a path of harmony, and a science of Self-realization.
To call it a "religion" is to diminish its grandeur. It is, in truth,
a civilization of consciousness, a philosophy of oneness, and a way of
existence.
References:
1.
Bhagavad
GIta, Commentary by
Swami Chinmayananda, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.
2.
Chandogya
Upanisad, Translation by
Swami Gambhirananda, Advaita Ashrama.
3.
Radhakrishnan,
S., The Hindu View of Life, Oxford University Press.
4.
Vivekananda,
Swami. Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama.
5.
Kapil
Kapoor (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Rupa & Co.
6.
Subhash
Kak, The Vedic Civilization, Infinity Foundation India.
7.
Mahabharata,
Critical Edition, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune.
8.
Klaus
Klostermaier, A Survey of Hinduism, State University of New York Press.
9.
David
Frawley, The Eternal Tradition: Sanatana Dharma, Voice of India.
