What is Sanatan ?

 "Sanatan" is a Sanskrit word that means "eternal" or "everlasting". It is often used in the context of Hinduism to refer to the eternal or timeless nature of the religion's philosophical and spiritual principles.

Sanatana refers to Eternal (Never Beginning nor Ending). 

Dharma refers to The Way of Righteousness.

सनातनमेनमहुरुताद्या स्यात पुनण्रव् ( अधर्ववेद Book)

अर्थात – सनातन उसे कहते हैं जो , जो आज भी नवीकृत है ।

‘सनातन’ का अर्थ है – शाश्वत या ‘हमेशा बना रहने वाला’, अर्थात् जिसका न आदि है न अन्त।

Sanatana Dharma is anadi (without beginning) and also a-paurusheya (without a human founder). It is defined by the quest for cosmic truth, just as the quest for physical truth defines science.

Sanatan Dharma, also known as Hinduism, is one of the world's oldest religions, with roots dating back thousands of years. It is a diverse and complex religion with a wide range of beliefs and practices, and includes various schools of philosophy, traditions, and sects.

In addition to its religious and philosophical aspects, Sanatan Dharma has also made significant contributions to Indian art, culture, and literature. It is considered to be one of the most influential religions in the world, with followers in India and other parts of the world.

"Ekam Satta Vipraha Bahuda Vadanti" is a Sanskrit phrase from the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Rigveda. It is often translated as "Truth is one, but the wise call it by many names." This phrase highlights the underlying unity of all religions and spiritual traditions, despite their apparent differences in language, rituals, and beliefs. The idea is that different paths can lead to the same ultimate truth, and that diversity is a natural part of the human experience. This principle of unity in diversity is a fundamental aspect of Hinduism, and it has influenced the way in which many Hindus view and interact with people of different faiths. 

• According to the Sanatan tradition - Ekam Satta Viprah Bahuda Vaddanti - there is only one truth (God), but the learned know him by different names. In other words, there can be many different ways to attain the same God.

• That is why in our tradition, every religion is supposed to be respected.

• Throughout history we never forced anyone to convert to Hinduism after attacking any foreign country.

• Like other religions, Hindu / Sanatan religion is not a religion where a book should be accepted as God's order (commandments) to us and if orders are not followed God will be offended by it, there is no such concept.

• In our tradition, God is not someone whom you should be ‘afraid’ of, but we are taught to ‘love’ God and see God in every living being.

• We do not advocate one spiritual path rigidly. It is a group of many types of different spiritual paths. For example - the path of knowledge (Gyan yog) is the path of truth seekers wherein you are not supposed to believe in any bookish knowledge, unless we have it in our own experience.

• The path of devotion (Bhakti yog) is the path of faith and devotion, where believers are encouraged to believe in God without doubt, then as faith deepens, knowledge begins to come into our experience gradually.

• There are many types of yogic traditions (Panth/Sampradaay) - Shaiva, Shakta and Vaishnavas whose traditions are completely different from each other. Vaishnavism is more popular, but there are many Shaiva and Shakti worshipers also. For example, caste practice was never given importance in Shaivite tradition. According to the Puranas, Bhole Nath (the first yogic Guru) never even discriminated against demons and shared sacred knowledge with all types of beings.

• Vaishnava tradition also did not have any caste based discrimination, but with passage of time some mean people misused the traditional setup for their selfishness, as it happens in every religion over time.

• In some traditions (like vedanta) we believe in a formless God without any shape, size, color or any attributes or quality etc. Because God is believed to be literally everywhere.

• Some paths see God in a particular form and worship God through idol worship.

• In some paths, temples are not used for worshiping God, but by the use of various dimensions of energy (Shakti) using Vastu Shastra to fulfill their desires (such as wealth, health, protection from sufferings, spiritual progress, siddhis etc.) . This science was used in ancient temples, but most of the ancient temples were destroyed.

• Some paths prefer to be called atheists, where existence of God is not acknowledged, until experienced directly.

• The core essence of Sanatan Hindu Dharma is Advait Vedanta.

• Sanatana Dharma ( Hinduism ) is a way of life which means, every human whatever be his / her way of life are followers of Dharma. And Dharma can't belong to any age, since it is ageless. 

Most religions do not encourage questioning everything and believe in a particular book, but the followers of the Sanatan tradition have this opportunity to spread the path of ‘seeking’, path of ‘questioning everything’, the path of ‘knowledge’ (Gyan Yog) to as many people as possible.

Knowledge here does not mean any bookish knowledge.(by capturing data and concepts in your mind through books or videos)

Knowledge is what gives ‘direct experience’. (knowing)

This path of Knowledge neither rejects God nor believes it until it is experienced directly.

This tradition is about asking more and more questions on everything, until the curiosity of the mind subsides and clarity of true knowledge shines within.

And the biggest question is - Who am I?

No book, no person can answer this.

It is the quest to know my true self, to realise who am I really?

Therefore, in this era of the new generation, it is almost certain that this path will reach every corner of the world, the "path of knowledge -Gyan Yog" of Sanatan Hindu tradition.