INTRODUCTION.

SANATANA DHARMA means the Eternal Religion, the Ancient Law, and it is based on
the Vedas, sacred books given to men many long ages ago. This Religion has also been
called the Aryan Religion, because it is the Religion that was given to the first nation of
the Aryan race; Arya means noble, and the name was given to a great race, much finer in
character and appearance than the races which went before it in the world's history. The
first families of these people settled in the northern part of the land now called India, and
that part in which they first settled was named Aryavarta, because these Aryans lived in it.
"(The land) from the eastern ocean to the western ocean, between the two mountains
(Himavân and Vindhya), the wise call Aryavarta. "

In later days the Religion was called the Hindu Religion, and this is the name by which it
is now usually known. It is the oldest of living Religions, and no other Religion has
produced so many great men-great teachers, great writers, great sages, great saints, great
kings, great warriors, great statesmen, great benefactors, great patriots. The more you
know of it, the more you will honour and love it, and the more thankful you will be that
you were born into it. But unless you grow up worthy of it, this great and holy Religion
will do you no good.

THE BASIS OF SANATANA DHARMA.

The Ancient Religion is based on one strong foundation on which are erected the walls of
its structure.

The foundation is called श्रुतिः: Shrutih "that

which has been heard;" the walls are called स्मृतिः:

Smrtiḥ, "that which has been remembered."

The Shruti has been given through very wise men, who heard it and received it from
Devas; these sacred teachings were not written down till comparatively modern times, but
were learnt by heart, and constantly repeated.
The teacher sang them to his pupils, and the pupils sang them after him, a few words at a
time,
over and over again, till they knew them thoroughly. Boys still learn the Shruti in the same
way as their forefathers learnt it in very ancient days, and you may hear them chanting it in
Pathashala at the present time. any Vaidika

The Shruti consists of the चतुर्वेदा: Chaturvedah, the Four Vedas. Veda means knowledge,
that which is known; and the knowledge which is the foundation of Religion is given to
man in the Four Vedas. They are named: ऋग्वेद: Rigvedah; सामवेदः Samavedah; यजुर्वेद:
Yajurvedak; and अथर्ववेद: Atharvavedah.

Each Veda is divided into three parts:

1. मन्त्रः: Mantrah; or संहिता Samhitâ, collection.

2. ब्राह्मणम् Brahmanam.
3. उपनिषत् Upanishat.

The Mantra portion consists of Mantras, or sentences in which the order of sounds has a
particular power, produces certain effects. These are in the form of hymns to the Devas-
whose relations to men we shall study presently-and when they are properly chanted by
properly instructed persons, certain results follow. These are used in religious ceremonies,
and the value of the ceremony depends chiefly upon their proper repetition.

The Brahmana portion of the Vedas consists of directions about ritual and explains how to
perform the ceremonies in which were used the Mantras given in the first part; and further,
stories connected with them.

The Upanishat portion consists of deep philosophical teachings on the nature of Brahman,
on the supreme and the separated Self, on man and the universe, on bondage and
liberation. It is the foundation of all philosophy, and when you are men, you may study it
and delight in it. Only highly educated men can study it; it is too difficult for others.

There was a fourth part of the Veda in the ancient days, sometimes called the
उपवेदः Upavedah, or तंत्रम् Tantram; this consisted of science, and of practical instructions
based on the science; but very little of the true ancient Tantra remains, as the Rishis took
them away as unsuitable for times in which people were less spiritual. Some Tantrika
forms of ritual are, however, used in worship, along with, or instead of, the current
Vaidika forms. The books now extant under the name of Tantras are generally not
regarded as part of, the Veda.
That which is found in the Shruti is of supreme authority and is accepted by every faithful
follower of the Sanatana Dharma as final. All the sects, all the philosophical systems,
appeal to the Shruti as the final authority, determining every dispute.

The Smriti or Dharma Shastra, is founded on, and stands next in authority to, the Shruti,
and consists of four great works, written by Sages, the chief contents of which are laws
and regulations for the carrying on of individual, family, social and national life. Hindu
Society is founded on, and governed by, these laws. They are:-

1. मनुस्मृतिः or मानवधर्मशास्त्रं Manu Smrtih or Manava Dharma Shastram. The

Institutes of Manu.
2. याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृति: Yajñavalkya Smrtih.
3. शंखलिखितस्मृतिः Shankha Likhita Smrtih
4. पराशरस्मृति: Parâshara Smrtiḥ.

.
The first of these is the chief compendium of Aryan law, Manu being the great Law-giver
of the race. Hindu chronology divides the history of a world into seven great periods or
cycles of time, each of which is begun and is ended by a Manu, and is therefore called a
Manvantara, Manu-antara, "between (two) Manus."

"Six other Manus, very great-minded and of great splendour, belonging to the race of this
Manu, the descendant of Svayambhu, have each produced beings." As there are two
Manus for each Manvantara, that shows that we are in the fourth Manvantara, under the
rule of the seventh Manu, who is, the next shloka tells us, the son of Vivasvat. Some of his
laws are handed down in the Manu Smrtih.