Eternal (Sanatan) Righteousness (Dharma) and Eternal Life

 

Bhagavad Gita calls Krishna the protector of Sanatan Dharma (11:18). If MLAs in Tamil Nadu receive votes from Krishna worshippers, they need to respect their voters’ faith and values. Approaching one another with mutual understanding and authentic dialogue benefits all communities and strengthens their relationship. Whereas, demeaning others’ faith and values is detrimental to the society. Sanatan means Eternal. It is another name for Hinduism. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) Jesus never hated idol-worshipping Romans or syncretistic Samaritans. The British didn't form or invent Bharat. Our civilization has existed for thousands of years.

 

त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं

त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् |

त्वमव्यय: शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता

सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे || 18|| (Gita 11:18)

 

Gita 11:18 says, “I recognize You as the supreme imperishable being, the Ultimate Truth to be known by the scriptures. You are the support of all creation; You are the eternal protector of Sanātan Dharma (the Eternal Religion), and You are the everlasting Supreme Divine Personality.” This passage echoes the Christian view of God: God is unchanging, imperishable, eternal, and the sustainer of all. The verse shows Krishna as the protector of Sanatan Dharma and the source of all creation. Likewise, the Christian faith sees God as the everlasting Creator and sustainer, perfectly good and worthy of worship. Both faiths describe God as the originator and sustainer of the cosmos and righteousness.

 

Apostle Paul did not write the Mahabharat while preaching in the USA. During Paul's time, the USA did not exist, but Bharat did. The book of Esther, from the fifth century BC, mentions our civilization centuries before Paul (Esther 1:1; 8:9). It calls Bharat Hodu in Hebrew, a word from Bharat’s Persian name Hindush. Bharat has more Hindus than minorities. Let us love them and respect our civilization. If we respect others, they will respect us. The central concept of Hinduism is Dharma, one's righteous duty. It is very different from the Christian understanding of morality: good and evil, right and wrong. That is why many Hindus cannot understand the idea of sin and how it makes them sinners.


Hindus believe that even good people can make a few mistakes, and if they rectify them or do penance, they are no longer liable. In contrast, Christ-followers believe that even one sin can declare a person sinful forever, and God cannot forgive the person without someone paying a ransom on their behalf. In Christian theology, sin is not only one wrong action, but an action that distorts God's perfect creation, created in God's image of love, with lasting consequences. Although Hindu and Christian traditions have different frameworks, they can find common ground in the idea of human imperfection. The Greek word for sin means "missing the mark" or imperfection, an idea that resonates with many Hindus.

 

Humans are imperfect: they are not immortal or incorruptible. Since Hindus are also in pursuit of immortality, even if not in the physical sense, exploring the concept of imperfection can provide a meaningful starting point for inter-faith dialogue. No Hindu will believe they are perfect. If they are perfect, they don't need to pursue moksha or union with God. According to Christian understanding, death came into immortal humanity because of sin or imperfection. Adam and Eve failed to obey God perfectly. God cursed them, and their imperfection distorted their being and made them mortal. Imperfection (Sin) made them hateful and cruel. Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy.

 

Though the concept of sin differs from Dharma, or righteous duty, Hindus understand that failure to fulfill their duty is punishable. If God created people in the image of love for the purpose of loving Him and others, their failure to love is condemnable. The Dharma (righteous duty) of all people (Manav), according to the Bible, is to love one another and to love God more than anything else. If love is righteousness or Dharma, sin is hatred. When people failed to love God, they became A-Dharmi or unrighteous. All Adharma is punishable. Like the first people who became imperfect in love, their descendants – Cain and Abel – also inherited and exhibited this imperfection and hated each other.

 

Sin has conquered humanity, and we have fallen into a downward spiral of hatred and violence. Therefore, though our small errors of hurting others may seem insignificant to us, they have a deeper origin and consequence. They declare us imperfect or Adharmis with regard to love. Jesus, the last Adam and God-King of Israel, lived a perfectly righteous life. He died on a cross to take the punishment for humanity’s sins, and he rose again to remove the curse of mortality from humanity. (1 Cor 15:45-50). He offers eternal life to all who trust him. Jesus’ blood cleanses our consciousness of all guilt and imperfection.


The Bible argues that Jesus’ blood grants us eternal (Sanatan-ic) access into God’s sanctuary and prepares our hearts for communion (Yoga) with God through the Holy Spirit. God declares us righteous (Dharmi) in his sight because, through Jesus, we now have a covenant relationship with him. In this relationship, we ought to obey God by loving him and serving others selflessly. The Holy Spirit helps us live in God-awareness and serve others selflessly. After Jesus returns, a new age will begin. Then, his faithful ones will get perfect, immortal bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body and reign with him in God’s paradise on earth forever.

 

Recap

The text thoughtfully bridges Hindu and Christian concepts.

 

Remember

  1. Krishna is described as the protector of Sanatan Dharma, paralleling Christian themes.
  2. Christian and Hindu views on sin and Dharma differ, but they share the concept of imperfection.
  3. Jesus offers eternal life and a path to righteousness, connecting with Sanatan ideals.

 

Relevance

  1. How can Christians show genuine respect for Hindu traditions while sharing their faith?
  2. Is the text suggesting Hindus must convert, or can they integrate Christian beliefs while honoring their heritage?
  3. What exactly does 'Sanatan Dharma' mean in this context, and how does it relate to Christian concepts?
  4. How can Hindu-background Christians explain these theological differences to their families and communities?

 

The points for Reflection, Remembrance, and Relevance are created with AI help.

 

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