It was a lovely winter morning for Ganpat and his family.

He sat outside in the sun with his mother but

grew confused when he saw his little sister, Shivya, doing something nearby.

Ganpat: What is she doing?

Mom: She is feeding the birds as food can be hard to find in the winter. She is a cool Sanatani, isn’t she?

That confused Ganpat even more. He had never heard that word!

Ganpat: Sanatani? What is that? 

Mom: Sanatan means according to nature and for nature; and whoever lives a life like nature can be
called a Sanatani. To live as a Sanatani is to live an eternally righteous life which is one with
nature.

Ganpat scratched his head— Shivya? A Sanatani? These philosophies were too ninja-level for him. They
were just going over his head. 
 
His mother saw his puzzled face and decided to tackle the subject in an easier manner.

Mom: No worries! Let's understand the two words of Sanatan Dharma separately. Sanatan means
eternal— without a beginning, and without an end.

Ganpat: Just like the circular shape of a donut! It is impossible to locate its start and endpoints.

His mother laughed at this practical relation Ganpat arrived at.

Mom: I love this creative culinary connection you just made! You are getting it. Next, Dharma means
righteous behavior or the innate nature of something. 

Ganpat: Is it connected to one's religion or geographical location?

Mom: Dharma does not mean religion. No, let me tell you a story, old but true.

After being uprooted from Kashmir, your dad's family was facing challenges adjusting to a new
environment. We got married while doing an internship, so we had very few resources. Your dad
bought his grandmother hearing aids, dentures, and a walker from the money we received as
wedding gifts. Instead of splurging on an exotic vacation, he used the money wisely to make a
difference in his grandmother's life. This selfless act is Dharma for the family. This makes him a
Sanatani, even though he is an atheist.

Ganpat: What if you break the protocol? What if someone strays from what they are supposed to do in
life?

Mom: Good Question! Dharma of sugar is to be sweet, the sun is to give light, and the air is to blow. If
this intrinsic quality gets disrupted, the entity will lose its essence. As a result, there will be chaos
and disbalance in the universe. Imagine Yoda from the Star Wars, ‘I sense a disturbance in the
force.’
They both chuckled together at this reference.

Ganpat: Hmm! Are there any such rules for animals?

Mom: The Dharma of animals is to survive by killing and eating. The food chain is an orderly sequence of
events where organisms are dependent on each other for survival. If the food chain gets
disrupted, the ecosystem will collapse, and species will become extinct.

Ganpat: So how is it different for humans?

Mom: Besides survival instincts, humans have the intelligence to expand the awareness of their minds
to experience affinity with the spiritual realm. Thus, the dharma of human beings is to evolve,
create value, and uplift humanity.

The intrinsic nature of the human soul is love, compassion, and selfless service. Respecting and
preserving living and non-living entities, in turn, also supports human existence. Protecting the
order and regularity of the world sustains the universal rhythm for joyful coexistence.

Ganpat: Now I know the reason for Shivya's Sanatanness. In mommy's life, I like one unique dharma you
always carry out. You always jab on Shivya’s arm with your pointy finger to give her a dose of
love before she leaves for school. You make sure she doesn’t miss you for the next seven hours.
Once she comes back, you give her another booster shot of love. This way, she feels loved and
spreads this emotion and compassion further. Your little love shot creates a ripple like the waves
in the sea, and is carried forward to make the world a more beautiful place.

Mom: Aww! My heart is melting like butter on double toasted bread.

Ganpat: Last question! Is Sanatan Dharma like a long-lost cousin of Hinduism?  

Mom: Any entity comes into existence with some original fundamental nature. The fact that the Earth
goes around the Sun is an inherent law of nature and existed even before it was discovered.
Similarly, Sanatan dharma has lived forever but was nurtured and practiced in India by the sages.

Hindu scriptures were written under the rubric of Sanatan Dharma. Hinduism represents a set of
philosophical ideas, cultural and spiritual traditions of India.

Sanatan Dharma represents much more than just a religion; rather, it provides its followers with an
entire worldview, and a way of life with a coherent and rational view of reality. Sanatan carries hope
for all life forms in the future.