Sanatan Dharma

Sanatan Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, romanized: Sanātan Dharma; meaning "eternal dharma", or "eternal order") or Sanatanism is a modern alternative term for the religion of Hinduism, primarily used as an endonym (native name) to the exonym (foreign name) of Hinduism. The term is found in Sanskrit and other Indian languages. A follower of the Sanatan Dharma is referred to as a Sanatani. The term denotes the "eternal" or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste, or sect. Many Hindus in the Indian subcontinent call themselves Sanatanis, that is, those who follow the 'eternal dharma', to evoke a certain homogeneity in Hinduism. Its use to signify Hinduism as a religion was popularised since the 19th century by champions of Hindu orthodoxy such as Pandit Shraddha Ram in reaction to missionaries and Hindu reformers such as Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj. Aside from its use in socio-religious contexts, it also sustains a political necessity for many Hindus.