Originally posted by Indigo_Child
At that time it was called Santana dharma which means the true duty
i hate to be a pedatic fool, but:
sanatana: [ sanAtana ]2[ sanAt'ana ] mf ( [ I ] , m. c. also [ A ] ) n. eternal , perpetual , permanent , everlasting , primeval , ancient
dharma: [ dharma ]2[ dh'arma ]1 m. ( rarely n. g. [ ardharc^adi ]
---> the older form of the cf. RV. is [ dh'arman ] , q. v. ) that which is established or firm , steadfast decree , statute , ordinance , law
---> usage , practice , customary observance or prescribed conduct , duty
---> right , justice ( often as a synonym of punishment )
---> virtue , morality , religion , religious merit , good works ( [ dh'armeNa ] or [ °mAt ] ind. according to right or rule , rightly , justly ,
according to the nature of anything
so yeah, each individual can look at these meanings and find one for Sanatana-Dharma which is closest to their heart and soul, and helps they to
fulfill the goal of yoga; yoga meaning union (with God, oneself,...?)
the meaning which i like for Sanatana-Dharma is "the eternal, unchanging occupation of the soul in relation to the Eternal Being"
Nice, no mention of religion, or doctrine, or any particular God, and definately goes against what people have said about "Hindu's having 100billion
Gods and being strictly polithiestic" or whatever rubbish they say/have been indoctrinated to say.
Much props to our teacher, Indigo Child for setting people straight on the History of Bharata, and also on how Hindu(ism) doesnt appear ANYWHERE in
the ancient texts.
Like i said earlier, its because Alexander renamed Sindhu river as the Indus, deleting the "S" to make it easier to pronounce.
Later, those pesky Muslim invaders wishing to "cleanse the sword of islam with the blood of those infidel idolators" by killing women, children,
whoever, called the Sindhu River the Hindu River. Then "Hindu" was used to describe the people living in the northwestern provinces of India where
the Sindhu River (modern Indus). Indeed, the region was called "Hindustan".
Since the Sanskrit sound of "s" convered to "h" in the parsee language, those muslims pronounced the name "Sindhu" as "Hindu", even though my
ancestors living there did NOT use the name "Hindu" themselves.
props to writer Stephen Knapp for uncovering that info