After seven decades, I have discovered why each stage of life has its own Purpose It is said that while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as ‘Sanatana Dharma’ which is overall abiding principles of dharma and which are not changeable. The 4 Ashramas system is one facet of the dharma concept in Hinduism. The four asramas are: Brahmcharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanprastha (retired) and Sanyasa (renunciation). Sanatana Dharma in Hinduism is a term used to denote the “eternal” or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste, or sect. Such duties are enshrined in the religion in the form of the Vedas. Hinduism, which is derived from the Vedas, is known as Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Duty.” It is said to be the etern...
We often say, “It’s karma,” especially when someone gets what they deserve. But what does karma really mean? After 70 years of watching life unfold, I’ve learned that it is not as simple as “what goes around comes around.” There is a much deeper lesson behind it . The word karma comes from Sanskrit and is generally understood as action or deed. But our actions are rarely just physical. What we think and why we act also matter. It is not merely the physical act itself. Our intention, the choices we make, and the way we act toward others all have a place in the understanding of karma. If I had to explain karma in one sentence, I would say: what we do has consequences . Karma and Kriya — Are They the Same? There is another Sanskrit word, kriya, that is useful to understand here because it is often mentioned alongside karma . Although their meanings can overlap depending on the context, they can be understood simply this way: In simple language, kriya is th...