Satyopanisad

[Guest guest]

Swami! We find people of every religion following a specific sacred

text and a particular path. But in Sanatana Dharma, we have numerous

paths, texts, and procedures such as dualism, qualified non-dualism

and non-dualism, the nine paths of devotion, the six Darsanas, the

four Vedas, numerous Sastras, and so on. How are we to understand

these and practice the principles of Sanatana Dharma?

 

Sanatana Dharma is the most ancient spiritual way of life. Its

diversity matches the spectrum of human behavioural tendencies,

temperaments and mental attitudes. It is practical and confers divine

experiences.

 

A small example. You buy a piece of cloth and give it to a tailor to

make a suit for you. The tailor will get your suit ready according to

your measurements, does he not? You cannot wear a dress made for

someone else. It may be too lose or too tight, too long or too short.

Therefore, your dress must be according to your size. Similarly, some

may like Rama, some Siva, Krishna, and so on. They find it easy to

concentrate on the deity of their choice, whereas the followers of

other faiths may have to wear one dress of one and the same size.

 

Another example. You may know the nadasvaram, the South Indian

musical instrument required to be played on every auspicious

occasion. To maintain srti or rhythm by way of an accompaniment, one

person plays an instrument in the same way all through. On the other

hand, with nadasvaram you can play any number of ragas or tunes.

Sanatana Dharma is like the nadasvaram.

 

Another example: Whatever, the combination of optional subjects you

may take in Science during your undergraduate programme, be it

`M.P.C.' (Maths, Physics and Chemistry) or " C.B.Z. " (Chemistry,

Botany and Zoology), you get a B.Sc. degree. Similarly, in the

university established by Sage Vyasa, you can opt for any course like

the Sastras, the Vedas, the Upanishads, etc. This is the significance

of our ancient Sanatana Dharma, which gives ample freedom for you to

select and follow.

 

Another example: A pharmacist and a cafe owner got headache on the

same day. Seeking relief, the pharmacist went to the cafe for a cup

of coffee, and the cafe owner to the medical shop for a tablet. So

one has faith in a cup of coffee while the other trusts a tablet. In

the same way, you should follow the spiritual path you believe in,

and the text that is convincing and appealing to you.