The counsel that mahatmas (spiritually enlightened souls) from various epochs and places gave their disciples and followers on how to attain God, later became the different religions. However, Sanatana Dharma is the name given to the body of eternal principles, values and counsel on dharma (righteous conduct) revealed in countless mahatmas in India through personal experience. Later, it became known as Hinduism. It encompasses everything. Sanatana Dharma does not insist that God be called by a certain name only or that one must follow a particular path in order to attain Him. Sanatana Dharma is like a supermarket; there is nothing one cannot get there. It gives us the freedom to choose from various paths that mahatmas have recommended or to forge a new trail for oneself. One has the freedom to believe or disbelieve in God.
In Sanatana Dharma, the ultimate reprieve from suffering is known as moksha (spiritual liberation). Sanatana Dharma does not claim that there is only one way to achieve that state. The Guru advises each, according to his or her physical, mental and intellectual constitution. One key cannot open all locks. Likewise, in order to open our minds, we need to follow a path that is appropriate, given our knowledge and character. If a river flows along just one channel, how many people can it benefit? If it flows along many tributaries, the river will benefit all those living on the banks of the tributaries. In the same way by prescribing different paths, Gurus are able to accommodate more people. In order to teach a child who is hearing impaired, one must use sign language. If the child is visually impaired, one must use tactile means. If the child is intellectually challenged, the teacher must go down to his or her level and explain matters in a way that is simple and easily comprehensible. Only then will the child be able to grasp the subject. Similarly, the Guru determines the path one must follow after considering the aptitude, attitude and character of the disciple. No matter how diverse the paths, the goal is one; the supreme truth is one.
The Hindu religion has not tailored clothes of the same size for everyone. Even individuals have to change their attire to suit their growth. Paths and observances might need to be reformed to suit the times. This is the gift mahatmas have bestowed on Sanatana Dharma. This expansiveness and dynamism is the signature seal of Hinduism. A baby that has not been weaned off breast milk will not be able to digest meat; it will suffer from indigestion, which will inconvenience others, too. Therefore, there must be a variety of dishes to suit the tastes and digestive capacities of different people. Only then can everyone maintain good health. In the same way, there are different traditions of worship in Sanatana Dharma, according to differences in individual samskara. One may choose what one likes. People of any character and any taste can find what they want in Sanatana Dharma. That is how countless spiritual paths such as jnana yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga, hatha yoga, kundalini yoga, kriya yoga, laya yoga, mantra yoga, tantra and nadopasana came into being. Sanatana Dharma does not see materialism and spirituality as mutually contradictory. It does not reject materialism or worldly life in the name of spirituality. Instead, it teaches that material life will become prosperous and meaningful if one assimilates spiritual principles. The rishis (1) built the monuments of material sciences and the arts on the deep foundation of spirituality. Seeing them also as steps leading to the highest truth, the rishis presented them in such a way as to lead ultimately to God. Many branches of knowledge such as linguistics, carpentry, geomancy, astrology, mathematics, medicine, economics (administration and finances), dance, music, erotology, neurology and debate thus flourished in India. In fact, the number of branches cannot be enumerated. Sanatana Dharma does not deny any aspect of human life or culture. The tradition of encouraging all sciences and arts prevailed in India.
Because it perceives the divine consciousness in all beings, the culture of revering and worshiping everything flourished in Sanatana Dharma. The rishis regarded birds and beasts as manifestations of divinity, not as despicable creatures. That is how temples to snakes and birds came about in India. Even spiders and lizards have a place in temple worship. Sanatana Dharma teaches us that in order to attain perfection, one needs the blessings of even an ant. In the Bhagavatam (2) one can find the story of an avadhuta (3), who accepted 24 Gurus, which included birds and beasts. Therefore, we must learn how to remain a beginner because we can learn from anyone or anything. The rishis also perceived divine consciousness in inert objects. They sang, "Sarvam brahmamayam, re re sarvam brahmamayam" ("Everything is pervaded by the divine"). Today, science concurs that everything is energy. The Indians, who had faith in the words of the rishis, prostrated devoutly before everything, seeing divinity in everything.
Amma is reminded of her childhood days. If I inadvertently stepped on a piece of waste paper, I would make amends (4). If I didn't do so, my mother would chastise me. She would say, it is not a mere piece of paper but Goddess Saraswati (5) Herself. Even if I stepped on cow dung, I would have to make amends. Grass sprouts with the help of cow dung. Cows eat grass. Cows give milk. We consume milk. One should not step on the threshold. If we did so, my mother would tell us to make amends at once. Perhaps, we were trained this way because it was a stepping stone to the next stage of understanding. If we consider things this way, we will see that everything is valuable. Nothing can be dismissed. The word 'mithya' ('illusory') does not connote what does not exist but that which changes. We must regard everything with respect and reverence. The Bhagavatam and Bhagavan (the Lord) are not two. This world and God are not two. We thus see unity in plurality. That is why, even today, whenever Amma steps on anything, she instinctively makes amends. Even though Amma knows that God is not separate from her, she bows down to everything. Although the floor that the staircase leads to and the staircase itself might be made of the same material, Amma cannot deny the staircase, which helped her reach the top. Amma cannot forget the path she took. She respects all the practices that helped her reach the goal. Children, you might ask if Amma needs to do all that. Suppose a child has jaundice. He must not take salt; if he does, the disease will worsen. But the child hates saltless food. If he sees salted food, he will eat it. Knowing this, his mother does not prepare even one dish with salt. For the sake of the child, the others at home also forgo salt though not unwell themselves. In a similar way, though Amma need not follow these customs, she does so to set an example to her children.
The concept of eternal damnation does not exist in Sanatana Dharma, which sees divinity in everyone. It believes that no matter how terrible a sin one has committed, one can eventually attain God realization by purifying oneself through good thoughts and actions. No matter how many times one has sinned, one can be redeemed if one repents sincerely. There is no sin that repentance cannot wash away. But our repentance should not be like an elephant's bath — soon after emerging from its bath, the elephant sprays itself with dust. This is also how many people behave. When we move ahead in life, we might make many mistakes. Children, do not brood over the mistakes you made in the past and become despondent. You must think that you fell so that you could get up, and not, "Oh, how nice it is here!" and continue lying down there. We should not get upset over the fact that we fell. Instead, we should strive to get up and continue moving ahead. If we make a mistake while writing with a pencil, we can use the eraser to efface our mistake and then write correctly. But if we keep making mistakes again and again, and try to erase those mistakes, the paper might tear. Children, try not to repeat your mistakes. To err is human. Nevertheless, try to remain alert.
Sanatana Dharma does not condemn anyone eternally, saying that he is not fit for the spiritual life. Saying that someone is not fit for the spiritual life and keeping that person at a distance is akin to building a hospital and then deciding that the ill will not be admitted. Even a watch that has stopped working shows the correct time twice a day. Therefore, we should be more welcoming. When we dismiss someone, repeatedly saying, "You're no good," we are inadvertently fostering vengeance and brutishness in that person. He will return to his wrong ways again. Conversely, if we praise the goodness in him and try to change the bad in him with love and patience, we can uplift him. We err because we do not know who we are. That is why Sanatana Dharma holds that one should impart knowledge to the sinner instead of rejecting him, no matter who he may be. If the rishis had condemned the forest dacoit, Ratnakaran, as a murderer and alienated him, Valmiki Maharishi (6) would not have come into being. Sanatana Dharma thus shows that even a murderer can become a mahatma. No one will discard a diamond if it falls into excreta. Instead, they will try to wash away the dirt and make it their own. In the same way, no one ought to be rejected because divine consciousness inheres in everyone. We must be able to see divinity in everyone instead of discriminating against them as insignificant or great. In order to do so, we must first remove the impurities veiling our mind.