Sanātanī

Sanātanī (Devanagari: ) is an endonym for Hindus. The word Sanātanī is coined from Sanātana Dharma (), an endonym for Hinduism. A Sanātanī performs duties in accordance with their Svadharma, or one's own inherent nature and prescribed duty, which involves fulfilling responsibilities based on individual capacity and one's unique role within society. Ultimately, this is rooted in the realisation of the spiritual, or constitutional, identity of the atman (Self). These eternal duties are universal in essence. They encompass virtues such as honesty, non-violence, purity, charity, goodwill, compassion, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, and asceticism.

Since many reformist groups had the word Samaj (meaning society) or were led by a Sant (meaning saint), Sanātanī are often held to be in contrast with Samajists and Santpanthis (meaning those who walk on the panth/path shown by their sant/saint). Unlike South India, where religious traditions such as Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism form the principal Hindu denominations, "they were effectively subsumed under the Sanatani identity" in many regions of North India, and the Samajs and Santpanths became the other distinct Hindu denominations.