Being a progressive-minded Hindu ..

Religion is understood usually as past-referencing and always trying to stay close to the old books and practices. To be progressive in religion is usually criticised by people who want to stick to tradition as much as possible. But when we see in history, nearly all the religions are undergoing changes, fast or slow, vast or minimal, may be due to many reasons and necessities. People who are progressive-minded always welcome changes and adjustments. The reality and the world do impose changes on all things mundane and the religious institutions and customs are not excepted. 

So when change is the reality, it is always better to understand and orchestrate changes in the positive directions, having the common good of all clear in mind. In Hinduism there are enough encouraging attitudes and examples down the time available for those who want to be progressive-minded. From ancient times the Hindu culture has been multi-voiced and never has been conditioning itself into a single narrative. Of course the need for conservatism on some things and on some occasions is never lost sight of. But conservatism itself is never allowed to define the whole culture of Hinduism itself. 

May be you can say, the progressive-minded voice is less voluble compared to the voice much grounded in tradition and age old practices. The progressive-minded voice may be less voluble but not less voluminous. If there are teachers who teach the age old customs, unmindful of whether those customs are needed today or not, there have been other sages and Jnanis who have been boldly advocating principles of equality and fairness to human beings. Even in the discussions of Sabhara, who has written a commentary on Purva Mimamsa, we see sages like Badari advocating the right to perform yajnas and study of the scriptures to all the castes without discriminating. Of course Badari's view is listed under purva-paksha (views to be criticised and set aside). But the presense of progressive-minded persons is all the more vouched for. Even the Sukla Yajur Veda mantra says that its auspicious mantras are for one and all, irrespective of caste or nationality. Even a thousand years ago, Sri Ramanuja preached the path of prapatti to all under the sun seeing no discriminations. Following his lead, a hundred years later Sri Azhagiyamanavala Perumal Nayanar in his Acharya Hrudayam has boldly recorded in writing the equality of prapanna kulam. There are numerous examples of so many sages, bhaktas, jnanis preaching progressive ideas and updating the social attitudes of the people of the Hindu faith. 

Starting even before Nayanmars and Alwars, coming down to Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda the message was always one of progress and never one of stagnation, the message has been one of human equality and never of discrimination. But some traditional people may not like this and they may prefer to uphold varna dharma as adamant as ever. And also, you must choose to be progressive-minded. Falling a prey to the old attitudes of varna dharma can never be an option for any person who cherishes human values. For such progressive-minded Hindus, the clarifications regarding various questions like what is sanatana dharma will be useful. 

'Four-caste system' has been denoted by the term 'varna dharma' consistently. And 'varna dharma' has been decried or sidelined by many sages down the time. According to Sri Azhagiyamanavala Perumal Nayanar, 'varna dharma' is not relevant to the society of prapannas (people who have surrendered their all to Sriman Narayana). He is juxtaposing 'Prapanna Kulam;' as against 'varna dharmam', saying among prapannas all are equal irrespective of caste, status, gender, educated or not, renunciate or householder. To even think of questions like caste with regard to Prapannas is a grave sin, unforgivable.

Like him there were many sages in the past and also after him there have been many jnanis who have been upholding, that in Bhakti, humanity is one. Many poets and thinkers in Hindu society have been upholding this message of equality, the recent example being Mahakavi Bharathi.  

I am giving here some quotes, first from Sage Vyasa and again from Muni Panchasikha. I give these to illustrate my point that the real meaning of sanatana dharma has been something different, different from what people, whether they are traditionalists or otherwise, think.

Vyasa -

'satyam damas tapassaucham santOshO hree: kshamA Arjavam |

jnAnam samO dayA dhyAnam Esha dharma: sanAtana: ||'

Translation:

'Truthfulness, self-control, penance, cleanliness, happiness, shyness, forbearing, earnest in straightforwardness, wisdom, mental poise, compassion, meditativeness - these are indeed called sanatana dharma.'

Muni Panchasikha -

'bhOgEshu asakti: satatam tathaiva Atma avalOkanam - srEya: param, manushyANAm'

Translation - ' Always not being attached to pleasures and always intent on seeing one's own Self by meditation - this is the way to greatness for human beings. 

 

What is the basis of Sanatana Dharma?

Vayu Purana says :

'Adroham, greedlessness, self-restraint, compassion to beings, penance, pursuing the path of God renouncing desires, truthfulness, sympathy and empathy, forbearance, fortitude - these are the basis of the Sanatana Dharma, which requires great effort.'

Sanskrit -

adrOhaschApi alObhascha damO bhUtadayA tapa: /

brahmacharyam tathA satyam anukrOsa: kshamA dhruti: /

sanAtanasya dharmasya mUlam Etat durAsadam//

(Vayu Purana 57. 116) 

 

You can note one thing here. Nowhere in these lists which are always called 'esha dharmam sanatanam' 'this is sanatana dharma', is any mention of 'varna dharma' or 'four-caste'. Varna dharma was specifically listed separately as samayachara. Here samaya does not mean 'time' or as it is commonly used in Tamil expressions 'religion'. Samaya is the technical word meaning three divisions of vidhi, niyama and pratisheda. (You can read the explanation about 'samaya' in this context here. )

 

We will see more examples and quotes on 'sanatana dharma'. 

 

Gautama lists these universal human virtues even under 'Atma Gunas', 'Soul qualities' and metaphorically calls them as golden flowers eight. 

 

Daya, kshama, lack of asooya, saucha, anayasam, mangalam, akarpanyam, aspruha. 

 

We can translate these as compassion, patience, being non-jealous, cleanliness, not fretting over unnecessary things, auspiciousness, being generous-minded, non-covetousness. These eight qualities are metaphorically expressed as eight golden flowers. And the real puja which Bhagavan likes is worshipping him internally with these eight flowers. Gautama even says that you can be perfect in all other forty samskaras. But if you do not have these 'Atma Gunas' eight flowers, then there is no salvation for you. Even if you are lacking in samskaras, if you have these Atma Gunas eight, you will never be denied salvation. This is what Gautama says in his dharma sastra: 

 

'yasya tu khalu samskArANAm EkadEsOpi ashtAvAtmagunA: atha sa bhramNassAyujyam sAlOkyam cha gacchati gacchati ' 

The meaning of this sentence I have explained already. 

 

In the Bhagavata Purana, Yudhishtira wants to know the dharma in all its aspects. While replying to his request Narada lists thirty virtues and calls those thirty virtues as characteristics of Sanatana Dharma which is common to all human beings. Narada is saying 'this great and eternal Dharma, containing these thirty characteristics, which is for all human beings, I have told you in detail.' 

'ayam sarvEshAm nruNAm trumsatlakshaNavan parO dharma: samudAhruta:'. 

He started by saying 'I will tell you that Sanatana Dharma which I heard from Narayana in Badarikasrama'. 

'vakshyE sanAtanam dharmam nArAyaNa mukhAt srutam' 

Those thirty lakshanas of Sanatana Dharmam are as per Narada: 

 

' Truthfulness, mercy, penance, cleanliness, endurance, power of differentiating between right and wrong, control of mind and the senses, non-violence, celibacy, giving up of 'I and mine', studiousness in knowing, straight-forwardness, happiness, service unto the great persons who see everything as equal, gradual withdrawal from worldly activities, observation of the fruitlessness of human actions, to be mentally silent, always seeing into the nature of Atman, equitable distribution of food, eatables etc. among all creatures conducive to their good, to look upon them, especially human beings as one’s own self and as the Divine, hearing (the holy name or stories of the Lord), chanting of His name, contemplation on Him, service to Him, worship of Him, bowing to Him, becoming God's servant, relating to Him as his friend and dedicating one's everything including one's own self to Hari - these thirty characteristics are said to constitute the highest dharma of all human beings whereby the Antaryami (innermost Soul) in everything is propitiated and pleased. Oh King.' 

Sanskrit slokas listing the thirty virtues: 

' satyam dayA tapa: saucham titikshEkshA samO dama: | 

ahimsA brahmacharyam cha tyAga: svAdhyAya Arjavam || 

santOsha: samadruk sEvA grAmyEhOparama: sanai: | 

nruNAm viparyayEhEkshA maunam Atma vimarsanam || 

annAdyAdE: samvibhAgO bhUtEbhyascha yathArhata:| 

tEshu Atma dEvadA buddhi: sutarAm nrushu pAndava || 

sravaNam kIrtanam chAsya smaraNam mahatAm gatE: | 

sEvEjyAvanati: dAsyam sakyam Atma samarpaNam ||' 

(Bhagavata Purana, Skandam 7, ch 11)  

 

Almost in all such quotes from either dharma sastras or puranas, mostly we find the universal human virtues collectively named as Sanatana Dharma. In some places of puranas confusing Sanatana Dharma and Samayachara Dharma is also seen. 

 

On the whole, when we study the scriptures we come to understand that the Dharma as such or Hinduism as a whole comprises of three parts - 1) philosophical part consisting of Tatva vichara through Vedanta or Agama Jnana Pada or philosophic portions of puranas; 2) Sanatana Dharma, which speaks about universal and time-independent human virtues, devotion to God and which are always called sanatana or paro dharma and 3) samayachara, which includes varna dharmas. The first part speaks about the transcendent state, the second part speaks about unchanging and universally applicable virtues for all human beings and the third part, which is man-made (paurusheyi vyavasta) speaks about various castes and their functions. 

 

As progressive-minded Hindus it is our cherished mission or it should be, to achieve social equality. And what ideas and practices that lead towards social and individual discrimination it is our duty to rectify and update, give up unwanted habits of thought and regressive practices and achieve social development in all levels. And whatever books, whoever sages that set us on progressive lines do us good and great help. 

 

It is important to understand these three aspects distinct and separate. Philosophical enquiries and devotional worships, concept of common and universal human virtues, which make possible a good human life both as a person and as a society. And we have varna dharma coming under samayachara, human arrangements which should be updated and changed. We have a lot of independent and commentorial treatises dealing with philosophy and devotion. A lot of books have been written about the varna system and even a lot of commentaries on dharma sastras. 

 

But has any full length treatise dealing totally and exclusively with the universal human virtues been written, any such treatise in any language, anywhere in the world? The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle comes to my mind. But a poetically consistent and concise book exclusively on the universal human virtues, is to my mind by our great sage of wisdom, Tiruvalluvar in his incomparable Tirukkural. It is the great book of human ethics, which speaks about the universal human virtues applicable anywhere, to anyone, at anytime. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

 

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