Sanatana Dharma or the Eternal Law is the name of our philosophical system. It does not date from a particular point of time or begin from a particular founder. Being eternal, it is also universal and knows no territorial jurisdiction. Every being that is born and that is to be born belongs to it. Its Law is inescapable and none can concede its binding force or not just as the eternal truth that fire burns does not depend for its validity upon our allegiance to it. If we accept the truth, so much the better for us. If we do not, so much the worse for us. The law is there in either case, unchangeable, universal and eternal. This is the nature of our Sanatana Dharma.

Every religion and all spiritual paths are but aspects of the Sanatana Dharma. The highest teachings of all other religions can be found to have a place in our religion and are but a phase of the ordinary law laid down here.

The inherent worth of anything is ever present irrespective of the fact that it is recognized or not. A diamond remains a diamond whether one accepts it or not. Similarly, it is immaterial whether one accepts Sanatana Dharma or not. Its value and validity remain unaltered whether everyone accepts it or not.

Happiness is caused by Dharma. If we do not have the mental peace and happiness of our ancestors, it is because of our gross neglect of Dharma. When the practice of Dharma declines, suffering begins. The times are not to be blamed for our suffering. The so-called bad days are our own making. Every one of our present sufferings are due to our own neglect of Dharma. By reverting to the simple faith, the upright conduct, the religious fervor and the peaceful contentment of our forefathers we can put an end to the sufferings at any moment. One must realize the depth of ones fall from the true ideal of life and make an earnest endeavor towards it.

Ordinary people reap the fruits of their own actions. However, people who are placed in high positions and who influence the conduct of others have a double responsibility because they are not only answerable for themselves but also for the conduct of others. This is because most people tend to follow the great. The Lord Himself declares in the Gita, "Whatever the highest person does, that alone is done by the others." Hence, just as such persons obtain greater merit when they adhere to Dharma, their sin is greater when they resort adharma.

On the other hand, it is difficult for young children to form a conception of right and wrong. Their ignorance is inevitable and therefore is not a sin. It is clearly necessary to have the capacity to discriminate between right and wrong in order to commit a sin. As the child grows up it develops the capacity to discriminate and is able to understand the distinction between right and wrong. It then becomes responsible for its actions and incurs sin if it acts wrongly. If it does not use this capacity to discriminate it does not lessen its responsibility and the effect of the sins.

Just as fire burns irrespective of the fact that one is aware of it or not, a man is not absolved of the fruit of his actions if he is ignorant of the law. If one goes against God's laws one is bound to suffer. A court does not let an offender off even though it finds that the person did not know the law when the person committed the offence. Similarly, if a person commits a sin he must suffer, even if he did not know what he was doing was wrong, provided he has the capacity to know.

What is the practical use of enunciating the truth of the absolute Brahman to people who are not prepared to put into practice the elementary principles of even samanya Dharma (the ordinary law)? After securing steadiness in samanya Dharma, and after purifying and qualifying oneself by the earnest practice of vishesha Dharma (the special law), prescribed for one, a person attains the requisite competence to enable the study of Advaita. Posing questions as to whether the Ultimate Reality is one or two, have no practical interest for the large majority of us. We may therefore leave such questions for the present and interest ourselves in the practice of our Dharma. In order to practice Dharma properly, we must understand that Dharma is two-fold. One which takes the form of rituals that require a large number of persons and accessory things to carry it out and the other japa, bhajan, meditation and introspection which are to be done by the individual seeker. Both these forms of dharma purify and calm the mind of the seeker and help him realize his identity with God.