Various Systems of Life & Growth

To an uninitiated, religion in India may appear very large and confusing. But there are actually many religious systems here. All of these are ways of life and are not like a set of rules that other religions are. One's own dharm can also be said to be the set of one's own values. One can spend lifetimes learning and growing within these dharma. They are:

- Vedic Dharm

- Hindu Dharm

- Sanatan Dharm

- Chaitanya Dharm

- Atma Dharm

Vedic Dharm - 'Word' is the origin of this way of life. Word is Brahma & Word is the Universe. Word is the truth and no proof of it is needed. Its proof is in the results. This is the domain of Sri Brahma who creates and maintains this world. It contains many worlds like Bhuloka, SwargaLoka, ShaniLoka etc. There are many kinds of beings that come to life here like deva, yaksha, rishi, muni etc. This is where we find Indra, Yama, Surya and Chandra. Vedas are the primary texts which have to be earned by good deeds or tapasya. Shastras are secondary texts that contain various primary arts and knowledge.

Hindu Dharm - This is the domain of Vishnu, Brahma & Mahesh who are primary in this dharm. This dharm emancipates everyone. There are no primary texts but there are purana, various festivals & customs to be followed. It is a way of life. Radha & Krishna also are found here. It contains 14 primary worlds & many loka. Karma is given a lot of importance here. Body is the primary means of working out bad karma here.

Sanatan Dharm - Sanatan Dharm has given birth to Hindu Dharm. It is Sanatan meaning it exists forever. Also it exists forever. Ishwar is given a lot of importance here. Purush & Prakriti are primary in this way of life. There are also Brahma, Vishnu & Shiv. It contains many famous loka like Naimishaaranya & Shatpath. Jiva itself is given a lot of importance here. Instead of karma, bhaav and its healing is given a lot of importance.

Chaitanya Dharm - Chaitanya and its healing & maintenance is given primary importance here. Chaitanya is consciousness. This is a very very old system and has given birth to Sanatan Dharm. Chaitanya never comes to an end, so basically this way of life will never come to an end. Ishwar is given a lot of importance here. There are many many deva loka here and its world is very large. There is Chaitanyamayi Devi here.

Atma Dharm - This one is even older than Chaitanya Dharm and takes care of the soul. Since soul is the core of everyone's existence so this is the oldest and the last system. It has given birth to Chaitanya Dharm. Both this & Chaitanya Dharm are not found on Earth. Although other ways of life speak of raising chaitanya and liberating the soul, they do it either through karma or through practice, both of which are indirect means. Chaitanya & Atma dharma directly raise chaitanya and liberate atma.

Everyone passes through the loka of Chaitanya or Atma dharm in their journey to moksha or liberation. But not everyone lives in both of these. People live in only one of these two worlds.