Foreign Monks Celebrating Life With Sanatana Dharma

The most obvious misconception about Hinduism is that we tend to see it as just another
religion -Anonymous
Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism (as we know it today) is a way of life or Dharma. You do not
convert, you just accept the Hindu way of life. Considering Hinduism as a religion is one of the
most common misconception people have in todays world. You will be surprised to know that
the word Hindu or Hinduism has no existence in ancient scriptures or texts. In fact, it was a
term coined by foreign invaders. To be more specific, it was used by the early inhabitants of
Persia. They pronounced the name Hindu as it was the civilization that lived beyond the river
Sindhu. The word Hindu and Hinduism thus have no origin from the land they truly belong to.
Try asking around ten Hindus about the god they worship. You might get ten different answers to
the same question and all of them will be surprisingly correct. It is said that Hinduism has more
number of Gods than any other religion in the world and that number is surprisingly more than
the total number of Hindus. Another fascinating truth is that prior to arrival of Muslims and later
on Christians, Hindus had no particular name by which they were called. Common people often
called it just Dharma. Sanatana Dharma or merely Dharma was the term that was used in ancient
scriptures. If we look into the entomology of the Sanatana Dharma, Sanatana means eternal
and Dharma means Religion.
If we look into other religions of the world, we can definitely track its origin or founder. But, this
is not true in the case of Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana Dharma is eternal and universal in nature. It
is often referred to as the most ancient way of life or religion that is guiding millions of human
beings till date.
In Bhagavad-gita, As It Is, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has beautifully simplified the
meaning of Sanatana Dharma:

The Sanatana-dharma is the eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the
eternal Supreme Lord. Sanatana-dharma refers to the eternal occupation of the living entity. The
word Sanatana is explained as that which has neither beginning nor end. So when we speak
of Sanatana-dharma it should be understood to have neither beginning nor end. The English word
religion is a little different from Sanatana-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 Sanatana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed. For instance,
liquidity cannot be taken from water, nor can heat be taken from fire. Similarly, the eternal
function of the eternal living entity cannot be taken from the living entity. Sanatana- dharma is
eternally integrated with the living entity. That which has neither end nor beginning must not be
sectarian, for it cannot be limited by any boundaries. Those belonging to some
sectarian faith will wrongly consider that Sanatana-dharma is also sectarian, but if we go deeply
into the matter and consider it in the light of modern science, it is possible for us to see that
Sanatana-dharma is the business of all the people of the world nay, of all the living entities of
the universe.

Today, there are millions of foreigners following the holy path of Sanatana Dharma. It is believed
that the foreigners have covered all the four major sects of Hinduism; Saiva, Shakti, Vaishnava
and Smarta. Making the headlines, there are thousands of foreign celebrities who adapted the
Hindu way of life. The list includes Julia Roberts, Claudia Ciesla, David Frawley,
Timothy Leary and many more. If we look at the modern world today, it has indeed reduced to a
global village. The ease of travel and the power of Internet have connected the world so well, that
the cultural and the economic transfusion that has occurred over the last fifty years is simply
remarkable. The world has evolved into being more compactly connected. The technology has
helped in transmission of culture overseas. The figures say that more than 20 Million American
practice Yoga today or are involved in some form of Hindu spiritual practice. There are
thousands of Yoga Gurus, Rishis and Hindu Spiritual Leaders who are invited in different parts
of the world to spread their wisdom about Sanatana Dharma.

The Kumbha Mela is the worlds largest Hindu festival. Foreign Hindu Monks and devotees
from across the world gather in India during the Kumbha Mela time to celebrate their never
ending faith, perform the Shahi Snan or Holy dip in the pious river, experience the positive
vibrations, dedicate their time to find their true self and move forward on the path to salvation.
For the world, Simhastha Kumbha Mela is like a hub where one can expect to find spirituality,
mysticism and practice of yoga. It is the legends of India, the rich culture and the simplicity of
life that has attracted so many people from across the globe to a land where air is filled with
positivity, the water is considered holy and every being is on a quest to find their true self.

This Simhastha Kumbha Mela 2016, is simply an opportunity not to be missed. One of the major
events that will be held from 22nd April to 21st May 2016 is the Yoga Kumbha where the great
yoga masters and spiritual leaders will congregate to share the divine knowledge of Sanatana
Dharma or the ideal way of life.
For bookings and more details, please visit: www.yogalife.co.in/seminar.

Author Priyal Matreja