Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!
Sanatana Dharma is the universal, non-exclusive, all-inclusive righteous principle for all living entities.
- 'Sanatana’ means ‘eternal’, ‘without beginning or end’, ‘unborn’, ‘ever-lasting’, or ‘timeless’.
- ‘Dharma' means 'duty', ‘religion’, ‘order’, ‘principle’, ‘tradition’, or ‘law’.
Therefore, ‘Sanatana Dharma’ literally means ‘the eternal duty with no beginning or end’.
“Sanātana-dharma does not refer to any sectarian process of religion. It is the eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the eternal Supreme Lord. Sanātana-dharma refers, as stated previously, to the eternal occupation of the living entity. Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya has explained the word sanātana as “that which has neither beginning nor end,” so when we speak of sanātana-dharma, we must take it for granted on the authority of Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya that it has neither beginning nor end. The English word religion is a little different from sanātana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith and adopt another, but sanātana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed.” - Srila Prabhupada (Bhagavad Gita, Introduction)
Is Sanatana Dharma 'Hinduism', and is it only for Hindus?
This term is often mistaken for "Hinduism", but in fact it is much greater.
Hinduism is a sectarian idea – a “religion”, which makes it sound like it is divisive, but this is not the message of Santana Dharma.
While the concept of Sanatana Dharma is promoted by and synonymous with the Vedic Dharma (i.e., ‘Hinduism’), it is not sectarian in any way.
Santana Dharma is not bound by any religious boundaries and is the essence of all religions today, regardless of their inherent differences:
aṇubhyaś ca mahadbhyaś ca śāstrebhyaḥ kuśalo naraḥ sarvataḥ sāram ādadyāt puṣpebhya iva ṣaṭpadaḥ
Translation:
“Just as the honeybee takes nectar from all flowers, big and small, an intelligent human being should take the essence from all religious scriptures.” - Srimad Bhagavatam 11.8.10
Sanatana Dharma is about rendering service, and followers of any authentic spiritual tradition must render service.
Srila Prabhupada explains:
“Yet man professes to belong to a particular type of faith with reference to particular time and circumstance and thus claims to be a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or an adherent of any other sect. Such designations are non–sanātana-dharma. A Hindu may change his faith to become a Muslim, or a Muslim may change his faith to become a Hindu, or a Christian may change his faith and so on. But in all circumstances the change of religious faith does not affect the eternal occupation of rendering service to others. The Hindu, Muslim or Christian in all circumstances is a servant of someone. Thus, to profess a particular type of faith is not to profess one’s sanātana-dharma. The rendering of service is sanātana-dharma.” - Srila Prabhupada (Bhagavad Gita, Introduction)
As it is eternal, Sanatana Dharma is not limited to any community and is, in fact, the binding factor of all living entities, which is why the Upanishads state:
ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghucetasām udāracaritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam
Translation:
“This is mine, that is his, say the small minded, the wise believe that the entire world is a family.” - Maha Upanishad 6.71–75
Is the name found in Vedic scriptures?
The name ‘Sanatana Dharma’ is stated in the Rig Veda:
vaiśvānarāya pṛthupājase vipo ratnā vidhanta dharuṇeṣu gātave agnir hi devām̐ amṛto duvasyaty athā dharmāṇi sanatāna dūduṣat
Translation:
“May the all-pervading, widely worshipped, inspired one bestow treasures upon us for the sake of our journey along the firm supports of existence. For Agni, the immortal, indeed serves/honours the gods; and thus the Sanatana Dharma of all (i.e., everyone’s eternal duties) are never violated.” - Rig Veda 3.3.1
The name is also used by Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita (the most well-known Vedic sastra):
tvam akṣaraṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam tvam avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-goptā sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣo mato me
Translation:
You are the supreme primal objective. You are the ultimate resting place of all this universe. You are inexhaustible, and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the Sanatana Dharma, the Personality of Godhead. This is my opinion. - Bhagavad Gita 11.18