(also Sanatanism) is a term used as a synonym for Hinduism. The term, meaning "eternal ," emerged as an endonymic designation for the religious traditions collectively identified by the exonym "Hinduism". It gained broader currency during the 19th century, particularly in the context of Hindu religious reform. A follower of the is referred to as a .
Etymology The term is found in Sanskrit and other Indian languages. In Sanskrit, translates approximately to "eternal law" or, less literally, "eternal way."so ). See also René Guénon, Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines (1921 ed.), Sophia Perennis, , part III, chapter 5 "The Law of Manu", p. 146. On the meaning of the word "Dharma", see also René Guénon, Studies in Hinduism, Sophia Perennis, , chapter 5, p. 45 In Pali, the equivalent term is ().
Dharma is often translated as "duty" but has a deeper meaning. The word comes from the Sanskrit root "" () which means "to sustain" or "that which is integral to something" (e.g., dharma of sugar is to be sweet, fire to be hot). Sanatan-dharma – duties performed according to one's spiritual (constitutional) identity as atman (Self) and are thus the same for everyone. General duties include virtues such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings, purity, goodwill, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, and asceticism.
History The phrase dharma sanātana occurs in classical Sanskrit literature, for example, in the Manusmriti (4-138) ( 1st3rd century CE) and in the Bhagavata Purana. Other shlokas are 3.16.18 (sanātano dharmo); 7.11.2 (dharmaṁ sanātanam); 7.11.5 (sanātanaṁ dharmaṁ); 8.8.39, 8.14.4, 10.4.39 (dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ).Authority, Anxiety, and Canon By Laurie L. Patton, P. 103. ( 8th10th century CE). The phrase dharmāni sanatā is mentioned in the classical Sanskrit literature Rigveda (3.3.1) ( 1500 1000 BCE), which means "eternal duties". In the Atharvaveda (10.8.22) ( 1200900 BCE), the Supreme Being is called Sanātanam (eternal), and that Sanātanam God is worshipped.
In the late 19th century, the term was revived during the Hindu revivalism movement as a name for Hinduism as a religion in order to avoid having to use the exonym "Hindu" which is of non-native Persian origin.The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. Ed. John Bowker. Oxford University Press, 2000J. Zavos, Defending Hindu Tradition: Sanatana Dharma as a Symbol of Orthodoxy in Colonial India, Religion (Academic Press), Volume 31, Number 2, April 2001, pp. 109-123; see also R. D. Baird, "Swami Bhaktivedanta and the Encounter with Religions", Modern Indian Responses to Religious Pluralism, edited by Harold Coward, State University of New York Press, 1987) The term denotes the "eternal" or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste, or sect. Many Hindus in the Indian subcontinent call themselves Sanatanis, that is, those who follow the 'eternal dharma', to evoke a certain homogeneity in Hinduism. Its use to signify Hinduism as a religion was popularised since the 19th century by champions of Hindu orthodoxy such as Pandit Shraddha Ram in reaction to missionaries and Hindu reformers such as Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj. Aside from its use in socio-religious contexts, it also sustains a political necessity for many Hindus.
Today, Sanatan Dharma is used as a synonym for Hinduism. In current-day usage, the term is sometimes used to emphasize a "traditional” or sanatani ("eternalist") outlook in contrast to the socio-political Hinduism embraced by movements such as the Arya Samaj.
Reformists such as the Arya Samaj, the Radha Soamis and the Ramakrishna Mission have competed for adherents for more than a century, sometimes creating deep schisms in Hindu society, as in the case of South African Hindus who were split between the Arya Samaj and Sanatanis. While the reformist groups were better organized initially, by the 1860s, a process of internal counter-reform was underway in Sanatani groups as well, and societies to propagate orthodox beliefs along modern lines emerged, such as Sanatan Dharma Rakshini Sabha in 1873.
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