Raised in a Hindu household but oceans away from her ancestral roots, she grew up in Australia during a time when words like Dharma, Mantra, and Sadhana were faint echoes of a distant past. These concepts were rarely mentioned in school and seldom practiced at home. As a child, she would stand before the idols in the family’s small puja corner, unsure of what to say or why it mattered. It felt more like tradition than connection.
Priyanka Om Anand, CEO Vedic Sadhana Foundation shares how to introduce Sanatan Dharma to your kids in a modern world.
That sense of spiritual emptiness lingered for years. Outwardly, she achieved “success” by conventional standards—a series of academic degrees, a corporate career, a comfortable home. Yet a deep inner void remained. Everything changed when she encountered the teachings of her Guru, Om Swami. For the first time, she discovered answers, meaning, and a sense of identity through Sadhana.
Now, as a mother, she observes the same cultural disconnect subtly infiltrating the lives of today’s children. When her own daughter once asked, “Why should I learn all this?” she realized a crucial truth: unless Sanatan Dharma is presented in a way that resonates with the modern world, especially for the young, the risk is the quiet erosion of a lineage of wisdom that has endured for millennia.
So, how can Sanatan Dharma be introduced to children in a meaningful way today?
1. Make It Relevant, Not Rigid
Children are naturally inquisitive. They question everything—and they should. Dharma is not a set of rigid rules; it is the science of inner transformation. When explained with clarity, a mantra is no longer just a sound—it becomes a calming frequency. A yajna is not superstition, but sacred symbolism: the offering of ego, anger, and greed into the fire of self-awareness.
2. Blend Tradition with Technology
Meeting children where they are—in the digital world—is essential. Indian youth today spend over eight hours a day on screens. Instead of seeing this as a distraction, she and her team saw it as a doorway. This inspired the creation of the Sadhana App, a digital gateway to ancient wisdom.
Through this app, both children and adults engage in an immersive spiritual experience. Virtual pujas include ringing bells, flickering flames, resonant mantras, and symbolic offerings—digitally presented, yet deeply devotional. This is Manasic Puja, a powerful form of internal worship that makes the sacred feel accessible and real. Today, over 100,000 Sadhaks use the Sadhana App monthly, with over 1 million Vedic rituals performed on it in just the past year.
3. Give Them a Role, Not Just a Ritual
Empowerment begins with inclusion. Children shouldn’t just be instructed to participate—they should be encouraged to lead. Let them light the lamp, share the story behind a festival, or guide a ritual using the app. When given responsibility, they feel respected—and respect leads to reverence.
More importantly, make Sadhana their anchor. Help children form a personal connection with their Ishta Devata—not merely as a deity, but as a divine companion. A mantra is more than a chant; it is willpower in sound. When practiced regularly, it builds emotional resilience, offering stillness in chaos and strength in silence. In a world overwhelmed by external noise, Sadhana nurtures inner intelligence and stability.
4. Let Them Ask Bold Questions
“Why does Ma Kali look fierce?” “Why do we fast?” These are not challenges—they are invitations for dialogue. Sanatan Dharma thrives on inquiry. From Arjuna’s doubts to Krishna’s discourse, the tradition is rooted in conversation. There is no fear in questions, only paths to deeper understanding.
5. Live It First
Children mirror what they see. If parents scroll through social media during puja time, why would their children treat Dharma with sincerity? The journey begins with personal practice—chanting, meditating, reflecting. When Dharma is lived rather than preached, it becomes part of a child’s everyday reality.
Sanatan Dharma is not a relic—it is a living, breathing path to inner mastery. And that journey begins at home, not with fear or formality, but with love, clarity, and tools that meet the needs of today’s children.
From a disconnected childhood to devoted motherhood, from the sterile corridors of corporate life to a vibrant global Sadhana movement—this is the path that brought her back to her roots. Today, through the Vedic Sadhana Foundation and spiritual technologies like the Sadhana App, Tantra Sadhana App, immersive shivirs, and camps, she offers a new vision:
