The distinctive features of Sanatan Dharm are as follows:
I. There is only one reality which is the basic, the first and the last, the transcendent essence known as ‘Brahman’. It is beginning-less, all–pervading, infinite, changeless and eternal. That one and only Brahman is also known as Parmatman (Supreme Self). It has neither a form nor any attribute. But It further manifests as different forms with attributes.
II. Atman (Inner Self) is in essence the same as Brahman. As such it is unthinkable, un-manifest, unchanging, immovable and the same for ever, i.e., eternal. The Bhagvad Gita, which also is the ‘supreme utterance’ of Lord Krishna, an Incarnation of the Supreme Being, describes the Atman saying: “Weapons cannot cleave it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it and wind cannot dry it.”
III. But when the Atman becomes shrouded in the veils of matter and body It becomes an ignorant embodied soul (Jeev), forgetting its own real nature and identifying itself as the body (deh). As such it passes through the stages of life, i.e. childhood, youth, old age, death and thereafter again attaining another body.
IV. Only one Parmatman assumes three forms (Trimurti) namely Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Sustainer), and Maheshvar or Shiv (the Destroyer), each having different attributes suited for carrying their respective tasks. Though they appear to be three different Godheads, they are the manifestations of one and the same Parmatman, who further exfoliates into thirty three crore Devatas (Deities).
V. Cosmos of the upper lokas (planes or worlds) and lower Patals (nether worlds) together with the plane of earth in the middle, constitute the whole many–storied universe. All the different worlds are populated by different kind of living beings. This entire cosmic creation is time-bound and hence vanishes after an enormously long duration into the unqualified and uninflected essence of Brahman. Once again it appears and disappears in a time– bound manner. Lord Brahma supervises process of unfolding of the Universe. Lord Vishnu supervises its long duration of existence and Lord Shiva supervises its dissolution into the Brahman. (Go To Continued)
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