Just as there are five Prānas or breaths in our body, similarly, there are five Prānas of the Hindu Dharma, which give it its distinctive identity with respect to other religions.
- The five Yagyas
- The sixteen Sanskārs
- Varna Vyavasthā, which is based on the occupation and qualifications, not on birth of the individual. It classifies people into four categories, the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas and the Shudras based on the principles of human psychology and sociology.
- Punarjanma or reincarnation, of all living beings based on their previous deeds and the belief in the incarnations of God.
- The four Purusharthas – Dharma which means religious duties, Artha which means earning a livelihood, Kama which means pursuit of temporal pleasures and Moksha which means liberation, define the four fields of endeavours of all human beings.
In addition, the eternal principles of truth, non-violence, non-stealing, celibacy and non-attachment to worldly goods are commonly known.
