We are all unique in our perspectives, yet belonging to a community is a natural inclination for those not spiritually liberated. The confusion between these frequently leads to the dilemma of defending one’s faith, an issue that has sparked debates and disputes for generations.

Free-Spirited Existence

The Rigveda, one of the oldest sacred texts in the world, proclaims — Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti. Truth is one, but the wise call it by many names.

Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma, has always believed diverse paths to the divine could coexist peacefully. Each individual’s spiritual journey is unique and personal, not something that can be imposed upon others.

The sentiments of the Vedas match those of Albert Camus, a French philosopher who said: The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.

Simply put, you are not to preach or convert anyone. Instead, you must strive to live in a manner that makes you the role model of your own philosophy, whatever it may be.

Nevertheless, achieving such a free-spirited existence is challenging until we transcend our need for approval, acceptance, and validation from others. It is impossible to be independent while simultaneously trying to please family, impress friends, and follow a guru. Prioritizing one option often means reducing the importance of others.

It is Adharma!

The flip side of a free-spirited existence is that breaking the conditioning of the mind disrupts the world around us, especially when relationships do not allow space for individuality. Given this, we often have no choice but to create some chaos.

Consequently, Sanatana Dharma advocates for constant kindness in speech and compassion in the heart. Defending one’s faith and views leads to unnecessary conflict, which violates kindness and compassion. Therefore,

Hinduism does not believe in defending our faith and beliefs. In fact, converting others is considered Adharma, a grave transgression of our inner peace and joy.

If seen through the eyes of a mature being, faith is merely a structured spiritual path to aid the less resourceful. However, history has shown that faith, when institutionalized, mostly decays, achieving the opposite of its original intention.

Share Personal Stories

Sharing our personal life stories is the perfect way to promote faith without getting into a conflict. Hence, this kind of storytelling is deeply ingrained in the Hindu traditions. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are not just religious texts but the memoirs of sages, crafted in a spiritual fictional style to conceal people’s identities while imparting wisdom.

Ideally, to prevent unwanted discussions, even this expression should only be through mediums that people can choose to engage or ignore. In the digital world, that would mean books, blogs, media content, Apps, and so on that don’t really force anyone to consume them.

The idea here is simple — leave your stories and thoughts in some corner of the world without violating anyone’s personal space via debate, explanations, and justifications.

Just Flow With Life

Following the Sanatana Dharma ways, I don’t harbor any grand plans to change the world, spread my faith, or anything else. I retain the freedom to be myself and flow with life in whichever direction my heart and head take me as long as I abide by truth and compassion.

Lately, my mind has gone so beyond that I fail to see any value, even in sharing my stories. There’s already plenty of wisdom for those who want to change. And those who refuse to work hard will remain unchanged even in the presence of the most fantastic guru. So, why waste my time? Still, as a service to society, I do whatever I can within the framework of Sanatana Dharma since that’s my niche due to my upbringing; that’s pretty much it.

Ultimately, the sole purpose of every faith is to lead us to the Divine Light that hides in the golden shrine of our hearts. Given this, what exactly are we defending in the name of faith other than our egos? Why waste your time defending, offending, or fussing over anything? Instead, you’d be better off focusing on your own growth, which may even inspire others.

Love,
Sri Devi Om