Five Layers To Sanatana-Dharma

“Our dear friend Yashoda, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won’t take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Krishna will go away.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.8.29)

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वत्सान् मुञ्चन् क्‍वचिदसमये क्रोशसञ्जातहास:
स्तेयं स्वाद्वत्त्यथ दधिपय: कल्पितै: स्तेययोगै:
मर्कान् भोक्ष्यन् विभजति स चेन्नात्ति भाण्डं भिन्नत्ति
द्रव्यालाभे सगृहकुपितो यात्युपक्रोश्य तोकान्

vatsān muñcan kvacid asamaye krośa-sañjāta-hāsaḥ
steyaṁ svādv atty atha dadhi-payaḥ kalpitaiḥ steya-yogaiḥ
markān bhokṣyan vibhajati sa cen nātti bhāṇḍaṁ bhinnatti
dravyālābhe sagṛha-kupito yāty upakrośya tokān

As sanatana-dharma is the standard of living timeless in its relevance, meant specifically for living beings, we can find an almost infinite variety of implementations. This is within the mortal plane, in the place known as mrityu-loka, but the objective is always one. There is a living being and there is an object of worship. The two should always be together, living up to their roles. Any deviation, which is from the side of the individual due to their choice in the matter, creates problems.

For the purposes of this discussion, we will cover the implementation within the line of teachers known as Vaishnava, and specifically that taught by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. This review is to illustrate the multi-faceted appeal to the culture, and how religion is meant to be more than just a dreaded weekly visit to a cold and heartless building run by a corrupt institution, to check-in with someone like a parole officer. It is more than just a rubberstamp of approval to provide safety in the afterlife. Religion should define who we are, in every aspect of living, from morning until night, and from birth until death.

1. Basic worship

The Sanskrit word is bhajana. The person on the other side is Bhagavan. Worship someone who has every fortune we can enumerate. He has beauty, wealth, strength, fame, wisdom, and renunciation to the highest degree. He holds these opulences at the same time. There is no overlap or contradiction. For instance, the wealth does not interfere with the renunciation. The beauty does not mean there is a lack of intelligence.

The recommendation is to follow bhajana. Just worship in any way. Offer prayers. Say nice words. It is okay to ask for things in the beginning. There are four general categories of worshipers. There is no shame in belonging to any of the categories.

चतुर्-विधा भजन्ते मां
जनाः सुकृतिनो ऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुर् अर्थार्थी
ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino ‘rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

2. Basic restriction

In the dark and dreary image of religion, the focus is on the negatives. The Sanskrit is nivritti. These are things we are supposed to give up. We should live without. We should torture ourselves. We should be punished since we are sinners.

In truth, nivritti is for advancing. It is no different from sleeping on time, eating the right foods, and training on a regular basis to compete in a race. In this respect, there are four regulative principles. Try to avoid meat-eating, gambling, intoxication, and illicit sex. In this day and age, where sense enjoyment is readily available and there is little emphasis on restriction, who can actually succeed in this endeavor?

नेहाभिक्रम-नाशो ऽस्ति
प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते
स्व्-अल्पम् अप्य् अस्य धर्मस्य
त्रायते महतो भयात्

nehābhikrama-nāśo ‘sti
pratyavāyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
trāyate mahato bhayāt

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.40)

Any restriction we impose goes a long way. There is the theory that for every hour before midnight that a person falls asleep, there is a return benefit in like experiencing an extra hour of sleep. If we follow some nivritti in our basic worship, we will get more out of the experience.

3. Variety of food

Though there are the above described restrictions, it is not that a person has to starve themselves. Rather, the relationship with food can be an expression of faith, of surrender, of understanding, and of appreciation. This is evident in the pastimes of Shri Krishna in the farm community of Gokula-Vrindavana.

The mothers are not advanced yogis. They are not preparing a slide-deck presentation to be delivered from the vyasasana at the local temple in the evening. They are not really conscious of pravritti and nivritti. They worship in a simple way, and because of their pure love for Krishna their experience with food is a way to relish a vision of God that no one else sees.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्
अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

4. Singing songs

The practice associated with this layer of sanatana-dharma is known as kirtanam. Sing songs. Either sitting down or standing up and dancing. Either alone or with others. There are mantras provided, such as: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Sacrifice some time, connect to Divinity through sound, enjoy a variety of melodies, and feel like you have reached Vaikuntha in truth. What is the difficulty?

5. Philosophical discussion

Why am I here? Why are we all here? Why did I take birth? Why do I have to suffer? To where will I go in the future? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we witness these unspeakable tragedies? How do we find lasting happiness?

Fortunately, there is endless material to indulge our inquisitiveness. If we should happen to be philosophically inclined, there is no higher philosophy in the world than that found in the Vaishnava standard. We will even find out why there are so many religions and why people continue to be unhappy, despite so much success.

आद्यन्तवन्त एवैषां लोका: कर्मविनिर्मिता:
दु:खोदर्कास्तमोनिष्ठा: क्षुद्रा मन्दा: शुचार्पिता:

ādy-anta-vanta evaiṣāṁ
lokāḥ karma-vinirmitāḥ
duḥkhodarkās tamo-niṣṭhāḥ
kṣudrā mandāḥ śucārpitāḥ

“All the persons I have just mentioned obtain temporary fruits from their material work. Indeed, the meager and miserable situations they achieve bring future unhappiness and are based on ignorance. Even while enjoying the fruits of their work, such persons are filled with lamentation.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.14.11)

From whichever angle of vision we enter, there is someone ready to sit patiently and explain. There will be an open and honest exchange of ideas. If offered in a friendly spirit, there is no prohibition on asking questions. A person can keep their life in sanatana-dharma simple and straightforward, or they can continue to expand their efforts, feeling the need to do more and more. The potential happiness to be experienced is as ananta as the object of worship.

In Closing:

By simple worship demonstrated,
That dharma not so complicated.

Some basic restriction when,
Enhanced experience then.

Even food a connection can make,
Like when Krishna butter to take.

Guru and shastra endlessly to explain,
For more appreciation to gain.