For a Modern Sanatani, it is essential to know the basics (like the sacred trinity), the pillars on which the religion stands and the most inherent thoughts that should drive our lives. In the Hindu Religion, the moment we say the words the Trinity of Gods – our immediate thought goes to three names – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh/Shiva. You are absolutely right! If you were not aware of the Trinity of Gods until now, I bring to you a collection of information that would definitely upgrade your knowledge considerably. 

After reading through a pile of books, watching documentaries, podcasts and more, I have been able to collect the basic characteristics of the Three Gods that rule us all. They are the center of the world and drive it every second of our life. Without any one of them, the world could be chaos.

Summarized View on the Sacred Trinity

Once you understand the main characteristics of each God, you would know the importance each one of them holds in the balance of the world. Knowledge, Wealth and Power are the three main elements that every human being tries to chase throughout their life span. All three may not be easily attainable but you can acquire one or more in a lifetime.

Brahma

The role of Brahma is finished once the world and everything in it is created. The role of Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva) continues to play out throughout the entire lifecycle of a world. Our Vedas indicate that creation and destruction are inevitable. The lifespan of every living and non-living being is destined to come to an end. This paves way for the creation of yet another world where a chance is given to correct the karma, balance the sheets and work towards the achievement of Moksha (releasing oneself from the continuous cycle of birth and rebirth).

Vishnu

The role of Vishnu is sustainability. He is responsible for taking care of the balance of nature and culture in the world we live in. The following quote is often heard on TV, from spiritual leaders or on decorations in marketplaces. 

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। 
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥ 
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे॥ भागवत गीता

The quote means that God Vishnu has vowed to come to earth every time the weight of evil becomes high for the Goddess Bhoodevi (earth) to bear. It is the responsibility of Vishnu to ensure that the world continues to function in the right manner. Although he does not interfere in the free will that is given to Humans, he definitely keeps a check on their actions. The reaction of every action is given in this lifetime or the next. He lets people make choices but when the consequences cause harm to the well-being of the functioning of nature as a whole, that is when he steps in to cleanse the world. 

Mahesh/Shiva

Shiva is the ultimate destroyer of everything evil. When the world has to be destroyed and remade, the responsibility falls on Shiva to step in. He is not just the God with the reset button but also the eliminator of all evil characteristics that in-built in Humans. Some of these include – dishonesty, selfishness, ego, laziness, greed, arrogance etc. 

He is the God who believes in the power of Meditation and Yoga. He teaches the Manavs how you can fight your natural instincts and work on yourself to reach your supreme potential. For example, if you cannot fight laziness, you cannot work hard and achieve the impossible in life. He gives the Power to acquire knowledge and wealth. Shiva is the destroyer of everything that stumbles in your way to success. 

My Thoughts:

The above information is summarized for the basic knowledge of newbies. If you crave for more knowledge, the best way forward is to keep reading. The more you indulge yourself in literature, the more you realise the ultimate truth of life. Give up on social media or binge watching shows on TV. It’s time we all wake up to the necessity of understanding the world, finding the purpose of life and achieving what we are destined for.

Once you know about the sacred trinity of the Gods, you might want to read about the Main Elements of Our Creation.

Before you start understanding the meaning of the three worlds, let’s see if you know the basics of a human life. If you are even a little bit spiritually inclined, then your first thought would be to accumulate as many positive deeds in your lifetime as possible. From the beginning of our lives, our minds are moulded to conduct rituals in the right manner or do good deeds if we want to attain a place in heaven. The message is passed on from one generation to the next. Most of the time, it is heard in middle-class families where the culture and ideologies are still given more prominence when compared to others.

You might have heard phrases like – give donations (daan karo), feed the hungry (bhukhon ko khana khilao), feed the cows the first bread in the morning (subah ki pehli roti cow ko khilani chahiye) etc. All these activities are actually equities that you are collecting in one way or another. Their conduct is definitely accounted as a good deed. 

In these modern times, sometimes we either make excuses of being busy or demand reasonable explanations to conduct them. While some of us are waking up to the facts and understanding the importance of collecting good deeds, others are still ignorant. In this article, I shall attempt to shed light on the different lokas that exist as per the Hindu religion and ancient texts. 

If you become aware of the characteristics of the three main lokas, you can better understand the planes that we live on and where we could land up. The idea is to give more clarity to the importance of engaging in activities that are deemed good. Although there are several controversies on certain activities; however, in this article, we shall focus on the destination that we might land up on as per the accounts.  

In the following three sections, you can see an overview meaning of the three worlds followed by the characteristics that further define it:

1. Amravati

Amravati is essentially heaven. It is the destination that everyone aspires to reach. This is where the Devtas reside. The Loka is described as the celestial realm also known as Swarga. Individuals with exceptional amounts of good deeds get to enter this plane. The souls who land up here are entertained by Apsaras and Gandharvas. They also get to enjoy a big number of perks. 

2. Hiranyapura

Hiranyapura is the place where the serpents, demons, asuras, rakshas etc. reside. It is also known as the Bhogavati. It is present under the earth. In other religions like Christianity or Islam, you might hear the reference of Hell or Jahannum for this plane. It is a city called Patala where the souls are sent to do penance for their bad deeds. The souls are also lured by the demons with materialistic commodities. 

3. Bhu-Loka

The third part of the three worlds is the Bhu-Loka. It is known as the earth to us. It is a plane for humans to live along with animals, plants and other living things. When an individual dies, he/she is sent to the Pitraloka where the accounting of the deeds is done. Based on this, the destination of the soul is decided before it is given a chance to be reborn on earth or other lokas. 

It is important to note that the three lokas described here are present below the brahma loka (abide of Brahma), the Shiva loka (abode of Shiva) or the vaikunth (abode of Vishnu). Let’s give you a comparative analysis of the three worlds/lokas with a little more detail:

Three Worlds: Understanding the Application

The purpose of a Human life should be to liberate oneself from this cycle of Lokas. Birth and rebirth can be a never-ending process if a person does not work towards attaining moksha. In ancient texts, there are several methodologies provided to help humans realise the importance of Moksha and the processes. For example, there is tantra shastra, bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, karma yoga, mantra yoga, kriya yoga, meditation, visitation of different holy places in the country and more. It is up to a practitioner on which mode to take up. 

Even if you are not putting a put forward towards accumulating good deeds, make sure you escape the routes that take you towards the bad ones. It is very easy to say such things when we live in competitive and materialistic worlds. But small attempts can move us along in the right direction.

Remember – Krishna highlighted in the Bhagvat – He is the Sakshi who walks along with every human being and bears witness to every deed done. Free will was given for a reason. Do not misuse it. It is easy actually easy to get lost in the race of it all or get attached to materialistic things. Stop, think and take the decision which most agrees with your psychology. Don’t think what people will think about you. 

If you liked this post, you might also like to read: Unveiling Swarga

In our journey to truly become a Modern Sanatani, it is important to know our history and the onset of our worlds in as much depth as possible and this journey starts by learning about facts such as the First Four Sons of Brahma. Based on my readings, I have accumulated as much wealth of knowledge as God planned to flow through me. My attempt is to give you all stories about one character in one place. Increase your knowledge base with this piece of information with me today:

Who were the Sanat Kumaras?

According to the Vishnu Puran, the first God created was Vishnu. At the beginning of time, laying in the Ocean of Milk atop was Narayana. As he woke up from his sleep, out of his navel, came out a lotus on which Brahma was seated. As soon as Brahma opened his eyes, he asked Vishnu who he was, what was his role and why was he given birth. The puranas highlight the explanation of his origin being dictated by Narayan. Brahma’s soul purpose was to figure out a way to populate the Earth and find a way for the creation of an ideal world. 

Birth of the Four Kumaras

As Brahma had little clue on where to start, he created four boys/infants from his mind (They were also called the ancient ones, the first four sons of Brahma, the four Kumaras or Sanakadi Rishis.). The boys were very young (in many texts, they are indicated as beings born as infants). They looked at Brahma and asked him the reason for their birth. Brahma gave them the task to reproduce and populate the world. The four kumaras refused. It is often said that since the Kumaras were born before the sense organs were created, they did not comprehend the need for population. 

Characteristics of the Four Kumaras

The Kumaras highlighted that they did not want to put themselves in the cycle of birth and rebirth. They wanted to spend their lives seeking the ultimate truth, gain knowledge and learn the importance of life. The Kumaras were born with the understanding of Karma and how its circle can keep running once you step into it. They decided to step out at the beginning and continue their journey as true seekers. 

The names of the Four Kumaras or the First Four Sons of Brahma are – Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara. 

Some of the main characteristics of the Sanat Kumaras are:

• Took a Vow of Eternal Celibacy – Brahmacharya
• They went against the wishes of Brahma to become creators of Life – Even though they were the first four sons born from Brahma’s mind. 
• They took the responsibility of spreading knowledge throughout the spiritual and the materialistic world later on
• They studied Vedas in depth and understood the truth behind the world and its creation from the onset. They learnt the Vedas at the age of 5 or 6 years. 
• They became the greatest yogis, siddhas and beings. 
• As they reached enlightenment at a very young age, they were able to remain children forever and maintain their youth. Every time you see an image of Sanat Kumaras, you will always find them painted as young boys of not more than 5 years of age. 
• They always travelled together 
• Each one of them had a different feature that ruled their personality
• They could never grow old and maintained their joyful nature. 
• They were called the ancient ones, most knowledgeable and respectable rishis in the sansar.
• They remained naked always as they never related themselves with the material world.

The Sanat Kumaras or the First Four Sons of Brahma were an embodiment of Purity. As they refused to help Brahma create the world, it is often said that the anger experienced by Brahma was so high that it gave birth to Shiva at that very moment. The Shaivists might not agree with this particular train of thought. The Shiv Puran states that it was Lord Shiva who gave birth to the other two Gods of our universe. The opinions may differ from one sect of believers to the other but the roles of every God remain the same throughout the different religious texts. 

Coming back to the Sanat Kumaras, the ancient texts highlight that the sensory organs in every living being are the cause of the majority of the problems that they face. As the sensory organs were absent in the Kumaras, it was easier for them to renounce the material world or the responsibilities and walk the path of being true God Seekers. 

An Interesting Story around the First Four Sons of Brahma

Although there are very few stories surrounding the four sanat kumaras, this story is one of the most important ones that shaped the history of our world as we know it today. As the four sanat kumaras were roaming around in the universe, they decided one day to visit Narayana and take some knowledge from him. Their journey towards the vaikunth was halted by Jaya and Vijaya. 

These two individuals were the gate keepers of Vishnu’s abode and they ensured that only the worthy souls were able to reach God himself. As the 4 sanat kumaras tried to enter the sacred abode, Jaya and Vijaya stopped them and asked them to come later as the God was in a deep slumber. They were not aware of the power and the importance of the 4 rishis. This was their biggest mistake. 

For being stopped at the gates and being refused entry to the abode, the 4 Kumaras cursed Jaya and Vijaya to take 7 births on the Bhulok and left the place. As the two gatekeepers were one of the biggest worshipers of Narayan, they immediately panicked. Taking births on Bhulok meant their separation from their God. They could not even imagine how they would be able to survive. 

The two gatekeepers immediately run towards Narayan and share the story in its entirety. They beg God to lift the curse. But Vishnu knew a curse by the 4 Kumaras could not be broken. But, he could ask them to alter the curse. So, the Jaya and Vijaya are presented with two options:

1. Taking 7 births as the best friends of Vishnu when he reincarnates and takes birth on Bhulok
2. Taking 3 births as the most devious and evil enemies of Vishnu when the reincarnations happen

Jaya and Vijaya immediately took the second option. They were ready to be ranked as the most devious beings in the world if it meant that they could return to the service of their God sooner. As it turns out, the curse came to pass. The three births taken by Jaya and Vijaya were:

The first most prominent enemies of Vishnu on earth were the two brothers – Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. Hiranyakashipu was the father of Prahlad and known for being one of the tyrannical Asura rulers known. To kill him, Narayan took the Narsimha Avatar. 

Hiranyaksha was the mischievous Asura king who had submerged Bhudevi (earth) under water and terrorised the three worlds. To kill him, Narayan took the Varaha avatar. 

The second prominent enemies of Vishnu were born in the Treta Yug – Ravana and Kumbhkaran. The two brothers were from the Rakshas community and gained a big number of boons from Lord Shiva and Brahma with their intense Sadhana and spiritual practices. Their arrogance and power terrorised rishis and other beings on earth. To kill them, Narayan took the Ram Avatar. 

The third combination of enemies of Vishnu were Shishupal and Dantavakra. Both of them had immense enmity with Krishna because of his actions of killing Kansa and Salva. It is with the Krishna Avatar in the Dwapar Yug that these third set of enemies were killed. 

With the end of the Dwapar Yug, Jaya and Vijaya finally got the liberation that they needed. Once and for all, they returned back to the vaikunth, awaiting the return of their God. 

The Sanat Kumaras or the First Four Sons of Brahma had immense power but they never used the same for bad deeds. It is said that every action and reaction is all pre-destined and designed by God himself for the working of the Kaal Chakra. 

You and I, we all have destinies designed by God as well. But, we also have free will that allows us to acquire good or bad karma. Every action taken can help us change our destiny and improve our future. It is all about the growth of the soul. As human beings, it is our responsibility to use this birth to acquire the good karmas and cancel out the bad ones. The soul craves for you to make the right choices and work towards liberation. 

Every step counts. Let’s start somewhere!

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Whether you look at Hinduism, Christianity or Islam, the promise of a heavenly abode or Swarga is assured if a person leads an ethical life. This particular concept has helped religious leaders, community heads and even the government in maintaining law and order to some extent. The fear of God and his judgement is often the sole reason why humans refrain from carrying out evil deeds. On the other hand, in some religions, the promise of heaven post terrorist activities (presented as a good deed) is used to pollute minds and further personal or political interests. 

In Christianity, it is literally called Heaven, in Islam, it is called Jannat and in Hinduism, it is equated with Indralok. 

Concept of Good or Bad Karma/Deeds/Merits

Deeds are typically categorized in two sections – Good or Bad. Good deeds help a person gain positive points, making it possible to dream of heaven after death. The bad deeds on the other hand, are presented as a gateway to hell in Christianity and Islam. In Hinduism, there are references to the lower lokas that are designated to a truly evil person to endure punishments against the crimes committed before the soul is allowed to be reborn as a human being.

Understanding Good and Bad Deeds in Hinduism

In Hinduism, the accumulation of good or bad deeds is like a tally that is carried by a person from one life to another. The concept of birth and rebirth is only existent in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While good deeds assure a promise of a better life or a promotion to a better Lok, the bad deeds lead to the rebirth as a human in a bad household or as any other living creature. In either of the cases, the promise of a good life after rebirth is like heaven in Hinduism.

Karma is all about actions that a person cannot escape throughout their lifetime. Merit is known as Punya and Demerits are known as Paap. There are also stories and references that suggest that even if a soul has entered the Indralok/Swarg, it must make sure that the actions are merits only. If not, the soul can be reborn as a human once again and reprimanded from the Swarg. 

All these factors suggest that the entry to the Swarg is not permanent. A soul must consistently mould itself to perform merits throughout its lifetime. The escape from this kaal-chakra (vicious cycle of birth, rebirth and time) can only be done through merger with the supreme consciousness through the clearance of bad karma and investment in the good deeds alone. 

In some ancient texts, the Indralok or abode of the Lord Indra is accounted as Swarga. It is the perfect place for a soul to land after accumulating enough good deeds in their account. The Swarga loka is anticipated to have all the pleasures of life. For example, exquisite food items, absence of hard work, tools for pleasure – Apsaras (Dancers) and Gandharvas (Musicians or Singers), abundance of gems and an everlasting peace of mind. 

The Constituents of a Swarga

The above discussion is merely a drop of information that is available in ancient hindu texts on this subject. In the following table, you can get more information on the major constituents of Swarga as per our vedic texts. A brief explanation would help in getting knowledge on the meaning of each. 

Apart from the above-mentioned rewards, Indra Loka is often referred to as one of the most beautiful places for the souls to arrive at. Although it is not the highest loka, it offers the most pleasures to the seekers. It is a type of reward given. The reference to this is found even in the Mahabharata. Towards the end of their reign, the Pandavas also travelled for miles in search of Swarg/Indralok. After atoning for their sins during their lifetime, they were also given a place in the Swarg.

If this article interested you, I am sure you would love to read more through this article: Elements of Creation

In this blog post, I attempt to shed light on the meaning of being a Modern Sanatani and how the world sees us and what we know about us. It’s time to break the patterns and the shackles in the interest of our own personal growth and nothing else. 

Hindus have majorly remained on the defense and shielded themselves from the world (almost as if, they do not like to talk about their religion at all). Most of the people of Hindu religion are not aware of their history, the roots of human creation or the fact that they are actually called Sanatani. 

While Muslims and Christians are very vocal about their God and their teachings, there are hardly any words spoken about what Hindus believe in. All these factors have left room for assumptions, misconceptions and wrong ideas (that are eventually misused). With this blog and article, I make an attempt to put down information that could be useful for the present and the future generations to make sense of who we are and what we must believe in. 

Who is a Modern Sanatani?

A Modern Sanatani is not a person who is extremely religious, renounces the world or just focuses on talking about God. He/she does not have to wear the typical saffron coloured clothes like hindu priests. A person who understands the concept of Sanatan Dharam and its value in our lives is the one you can call a Modern Sanatani. 

Shri Krishna himself said that the duty of a human is to indulge in the worldly things but refrain from building any attachments. The ultimate truth of Supreme Consciousness should not be forgotten. 

A Sanatani knows the history, the importance of spirituality, the fruits it can deliver and the simple practices that strengthen the core of a person. 

Most of the people in Hinduism bow down to the different Gods on specific occasions/ days of the week, for the sole purpose of asking something in return. They may be fasting or carry out the rituals with perfection with an attempt to please God. But the concept of Sanatan Dharam is entirely different. As a Modern Sanatani and a writer, I make attempts every day to get a more in-depth understanding of the world of Hinduism, Dharma and Spirituality. 

Every Santani in the world needs to comprehend why and how the oldest religion is still being treated as a concept of a third world country alone. It is high time that we embrace our religion and its concepts along with being a part of the Modern World. We take time out of our schedule to uplift the religion while also living by the rules of the society. 

We need to start asking questions. Start learning about ourselves. Strengthen our core values and our soul both. Learn how you can be a Modern Sanatani and reap the fruits of the practices in your daily life. Whether you aspire to be a CEO of a company one day or be  a better householder, the teachings and practices of the Sanatan Dharam will give your life more meaning and purpose.   

Why Should We Know?

As I was growing up, I used to watch the first Ramayan and Mahabharat ever made. Every Sunday morning with my family, breakfast came with a dose of an exciting new episode that highlighted a series of events that were basically a story for kids. In the beginning I had very little interest as I was small, but I started asking questions soon enough. While my mother had some answers (thanks to her interest in stories), others in the family were clueless. 

Over the years, I came to realise that the stories were not mythical or fictional tell-tales that are shown on TV. It is not a soap opera. It was in fact our History. The epic tales of Mahabharata and Ramayana were engineered to give the people of today a reference point. It is a display of character and the consequences a person shall face for the actions that are taken today. 

Even the righteous people of the world can make the biggest blunders. It is ok to accept the mistakes and their repercussions. What matters most is – what we derive out of the mistakes and how we improve ourselves. Accept the punishment, repent and move towards a better future. 

The learnings of the Sanatan Dharam can help a human being improve themselves from the personal and professional perspective both. 

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