शून्यात् सर्वम् - Origins

In this post, let us look at origins according to Sanatana Dharma, We will try to look at it in a zoomed out and a zoomed in perspective at the same time, maintaining a balance.

Let us remind ourselves and be aware at all times, as we have discussed in the home page that Sanatana Dharma is a way of life, we will focus on that theme throughout the blog and being aware of that, leads to Aananda, सत्चिदानन्द - Truth and Consciousness leads to Joy (Aananda)!
Sanatana Dharma reveals deeper meanings, can often have multiple meanings, which can be attributed to the beauty of the Sanskrit language, Sanatana Dharma, itself.

Origins - Prayers to गुरुः (Guru)

Let’s pray by invoking our gurus and rishis:

अस्मदाचार्येभ्यो नमो नमः |

and

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥

The above prayer indicates that Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Maheshwara; the three trinities of religion that is derived from Sanatana Dharma. In many ancient texts, there is reference that Brahma is the creator (via मानसपुत्र - Manasaputra), however this shloka “overrides” that allowing an interpretation to mean guru is above all

With respect to origins, the same prayer can be further interpreted as, Brahma, the creator of the universe as the first guru and everyone else followed Him, which allows an interpretation to mean brahma and the guru are one and the same - he created मानसपुत्र (Manasaputra) and from there, the entire lineage of ऋषयः (rishis) and the गुरु शिष्य guru parampara tradition comes alive

This may seem like two different readings — one placing guru above the trinity, the other identifying guru as Brahma. But since Brahma is the creator, he is by that very fact the first guru. The particular (Brahma as first guru) and the principle (guru as parabrahman) are one and the same, seen at two scales.

Origins - Interpretations of Sanatana Dharma!

The beauty of Sanatana Dharma is that even a single shloka like this can seemingly hold deeper meanings and opposite readings that ultimately mean the same thing — here, both interpretations point back to the same truth: attaining Moksha (salvation or liberation). This is exactly why there are three “known” schools of Vedānta philosophy - Dwaita (Madhwacharya), Advaita (Shankaracharya) and Vishistadvaita (Ramanujacharya) and also influences on Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and so on for attaining Nirvana; each having their own gurus and their interpretations of these ancient texts and scriptures.

Just as that single shloka holds two readings that resolve into one truth, these three schools can be seen as three vantage points on the same reality — each guru teaching the path suited to the seekers before them (jnana for some, bhakti for others), while pointing toward the same Paramatman. The difference lies in the path and the emphasis, not in the destination.

Division of Vedas - Veda Vyasa

Why were the Vedas divided?

चतुष्पात् सकलो धर्मः सत्यं चैव कृते युगे।
नाधर्मेणागमः कश्चिन् मनुष्यान् प्रति वर्तते॥

Vyasa, in Dvapara Yuga, seeing that people had a declining capacity to study the Vedas as a whole, divided them into four. It echoes a broader principle found in ancient texts: dharma itself was said to be whole only in Krita Yuga (Manusmriti 1.81), diminishing with each age that followed. Accessing traditional knowledge is challenging, and AI serves as a practical tool for retrieving specific verses like those in the Manusmriti (1.81). This approach emphasizes that while technology acts as a modern, accessible repository for ancestral knowledge, the foundation remains the oral transmission of these stories.

Kali Yuga - Focus on a Deity v/s different Deities

The importance of different Gods or deities in different Vedic schools of thought can be attributed to a similar thought process (as the division of Vedas) by the Gurus of that time. In popular belief across much of Asian sub-continent today, Shankaracharya is closely associated with Shaivism, Ramanujacharya with Vaishnavism, Gautama Buddha for Buddhism, Mahavir for Jainism, and so on — even though these gurus themselves often held a more inclusive view which is based more on the Sanatana Dharmic principles. This popular association itself may be an after-effect of the same process — interpretations passed down and simplified over generations, similar to the division of the Vedas.

In our society today, we have different sects of people (followers of different vedic schools of thought) focussed on different Gods or deities (Ex: Shiva, Vishnu, Kali, Durga and so on) and there is nothing wrong in praying to a specific God if someone’s forefathers have been doing that for ages, at the end of the day you are praying to Gods which is one and the same (yes - plural and is, it’s not a typo).

Final Thoughts

As yugas progress and as the world’s dharmic capacity diminishes, the specific deity or the vedic school we choose can have an influence in defining “how” you reach the destination - which is to attain “Moksha” or “Nirvana”. However, the beauty of Sanatana Dharma lies in these honest, diverse interpretations passed down through the Guru-Shishya tradition. They exist as an open philosophical path designed to guide different minds toward the exact same destination: “Moksha” or “Nirvana”. When we rely on these time-tested meta-interpretations about Sanatana Dharmic principles and influences on religions like Hinduism, Jainsim, Sikhism, Buddhism and so on, we align ourselves with a tradition that transforms nothingness into liberation which is everything - for a follower of Sanatana Dharma. This is everything from nothing — शून्यात् सर्वम्