Sanatan Dharma is the most ancient spiritual and religious injunction known to man. It is also referred to as being ageless and eternal; without beginning or end.
God, according to Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) is omnipotent (all powerful) omnipresent (here, there and everywhere) and omniscient (all knowing). He is all pervading, inside and outside everything; has no limitations, boundaries or religion. He never punishes anyone, neither does He (she) dislike, hate nor condemn,
These words are used as reference to quantify and qualify human traits called character defects. God is perfect and as such cannot have character defects. He does not administer sin or damnation on human beings. Even though He is THE Creator; Sustainer and Reabsorber, He is not an administrator. The most concise description of Him comes from the Vadas-”neti neti” ... Since God is everything, He is still “not this and not that’.
Sanatan Dharma has countless pathways, methods and techniques for man to become a jeewan mukta (God realised) Time and experience have proven that man cannot afford the luxuries of negative tendencies if he is aspiring to become a jeewan mukta. But can he? Yes, man has been designed with all the components to reach god. In this creation, he is the most suitable candidate. Why then is he not able to achieve this goal?
Since there are so many religions, houses of religion and schools of theology, where is man going wrong? Is religion the solution?
Religion has been designed for people to learn about God, to live within a specified code of conduct in peace and harmony and to love God. But the same religion is preaching hate,condemnation, division and war. Religions are aspiring for power and wealth and consequently greed takes control. Eventually God is replaced with power, wealth and greed. The hearts of men are now propelled with the electricity of lust,anger and hate which is self destructive.
Religion has no more room for God. But always remember that God has no religion. So how come religion has the answer? Religion does not have the answer nor is religion the answer.
Religious leaders are deliberately confusing religion with spirituality. These are not similar.Academic qualification, wealth and status are not requirements to be spiritual but these are necessities in religion. Religion is demanding financial support where does that leave the poor man? The God of religion has no time for the poor and down trodden. They are condemned by religion because they are unable to support the systems.
Man’s goal has become religion not God. This is justified in Kalyuga (present time) because the assemblage called man is mixed with all the negative traits called character defects. How can he survive this predicament?
One of the basic guiding principles is for man to be at peace with himself. This is impossible to achieve because of the priorities of religion. If religion should be replaced with LOVE pure unadulterated LOVE, could his problems be solved? Definitely YES.
LOVE will generate humility,sincerity, serenity and devotion to God. A loving heart cannot hate, condemn or hurt. Love is the power base to propell man along the spiritual path where all his fellow travellers are equal, truly equal. Skin colour, status, class and religious differences mean nothing in the assembly of God.
This year as we prepare our homes and surroundings, let us make an effort to chart the course of our own destiny.Let us remove the negative tendencies from within our hearts and replace them with the divine Love that emanates from the Lights of Divali.
Pundit Samsundar Ramdeen
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