Regarding Sanatana Dharma ..

What is Sanatana Dharma?

Some say or even some traditional people will say that it is the 'four caste system'. Is it unilaterally true? That is to say, have all the sages down the time been uniformly meaning by the term sanatana dharma, this 'four-caste system'? When you read the old books and do some homework in the history of Hinduism, you can come easily to the conclusion that it is not so.

'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. Even some eight hundred years before, in Sri Vaishnavism, Sri Azhagiyamanavalapperumal Nayanar, in his magnum opus 'Acharya Hrudayam' has categorically stated his uncompromising stand on this point. According to him, '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.

Of course, if we want to be progressive-minded Hindus, we must choose to uphold this tradition of equality and bhakti, rather than falling prey to the notion of 'four-caste ideology'. Hinduism is not univoiced. It has these alternate voices, the voice of equality always sounding steady and persistent, thanks to great jnanis, sages, poets and thinkers.

I am giving here two quotes, one from Sage Vyasa and another from Muni Panchasikha. Both the quotes are from the old and found in the anthology, namely, Smrutimuktaphalam. 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: ||'

Traanslation:

'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. 

 

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What is the meaning of the word 'sanatana' really? When can we use the word 'sanatana'? The answer is given by Brahmavaivarta Purana, when it is extolling Devi or Divine Mother.

Also it gives explanations for so many things. Like, can Maya be called the giver of liberation? Why the Divine Mother is called Narayani? Why again is she called Sanatani? Let us see the slokas and their meanings.

'Maa' stands for moksha. ' yaa' means the giver. So she is extolled as mAyA, since she bestows moksha from the transmigratory existence.

Sanskrit - 

 

mAscha mOkshArtha vachanO yAscha prApaNa vAchaka: /

tam prApayati yA sadya: sA mAyA parikIrtitA // 

 

She incarnates as the half of the form of Narayana and she is the same as Narayana, in all his light. She resides always in the sareera of Narayana; hence she is thought of as Narayani. 

 

Sanskrit - 

 

nArAyaNArdhAnga bhUtA tEna tulyA cha tEjasA /

sadA tasya sarIrasthA tEna nArAyaNI smrutA // 

 

The word to denote 'nirguna' and 'nitya' ( beyond qualities, existing for ever) is the word ' sanatana'. So since she is beyond qualities and always existing, she is extolled and praised as 'Sanatani'. 

 

Sanskrit - 

 

nirguNasya cha nityasya vachakascha sAnAtana: /

sadA nityA nirguNA yA kIrtitA sA sanAtanI // 

 

( Brahmavaivarta Purana, krishna-janma-kanda, ch 27, slokas 28, 29, 30) 

 

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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) 

 

A super thought showing the essential nature of Hinduism, namely ' even though it is one path yet it has multiple forms suited to the nature and choice of devotees' is contained in this prayer of Visvanara to Bhagavan Siva. This comes in Siva Purana, Satarudra Samhita, ch 13, slokas 42, 43

Visvanara said : Brahman is one and hence It is called unique. It is all. True, true, other than It there is nothing else here. There is One Rudra no second thing. Therefore I take refuge in you, Mahesa.

Sanskrit -

Ekam brahma Eva advitIyam samastam

satyam satyam nEha nAnAsti kinchit /

EkO rudra: na dvitIya: avatasthE

tasmAt Ekam tvAm prapadyE mahEsam //

You are the doer, and destroyer of all things. O Sambhu! Being really formless, and having unique form, you remain the same in different forms, just like Sanatana Dharma, even though one and unique, is the same in different forms. Therefore I am taking refuge only in Thee, in whatever way .

kartA harttA tvam hi sarvasya

sambhO nAnArUpEshu EkarUpa: api arUpa: /

yadvat pratyak dharma Eka: api anEka:

tasmAt nAnyam tvAm vinEsam prapadyE //

Remembering Swami Vivekananda's Chicago Speech

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What is the Sanatanam Guhyam? The eternal mystery?

chittam Eva hi samsaram tat prayatnEna sOdhayEt /

yas chitta: tanmayO bhavati guhyam Etat sanAtanam //

Once own mind is the world. With effort let one cleanse it. What a person thinks of, that very thing that person becomes. This is the eternal mystery, sanatanam guhyam.

( Maitri Upanishad, VI 34) 

 

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Let us pay heed to the ever new voice of the old Rishis! -

' That great Divinity gives us spiritual strength.

That very Divinity gives us strength physical and all other strengths.

It is verily that great Divinity that everything ( viswa) worships,

Also That the devas worship too.

Immortality and death are just contained within the shadow of That Divine.

Who else can be the great Divinity whom we can worship by offering our thought, word, deed ! '

Sanskrit:

' ya AtmadA baladA yasya viswa

upAsatE prasisham yasya dEvA: /

yasya chAyAmrutam yasya mrutyu:

kasmai dEvAya havishA vidhEma // '

( Rig Veda X, 121, 2)

Is that Divinity for all to worship or is it for only some? A mantra in Sama Veda answers :

' Come one and all ( viswa) !

Gather your spiritual power of resolution

And let us all go together to that great Divinity, who is the Unique One,

And has come to us people's guest.

Even though that great Divinity is very ancient

It desires always who come anew ( and so never hesitate)

To that great Divinity alone all the paths lead into.

And that Divinity is verily Uniquely One! '

Sanskrit:

' samEta viswA OjasA patim divO

ya Eka id bhar atithirjanAnAm /

sa pUrvyO nUtanam AjigIshan

tam vartanIr anu vAvruta Eka it'. //

( Sama Veda, Purvarchikam, ninth decad, 3; pp 25 in svAdhyAya mandal edition) 

 

Let us salute our great land along with these sages

'தென்குமரி வடபெருங்கல்

குணகுடகடலா எல்லை

குன்று, மலை, காடு, நாடு

ஒன்றுபட்டு வழிமொழியக்

கொடிது கடிந்து, கோல் திருத்திப்

படுவது உண்டு, பகல் ஆற்றி

இனிது உருண்ட சுடர்நேமி

முழுதாண்டோர் வழி காவல! .. '

Eng:

' You are protecting this land,

Coming in the line of such rulers

Who ruled this land fully

Extending from Kumari in the South

To the great mountains in the North

Encompassed by seas in the East and the West

All in unison approving in common pursuit

Chastising evil, maintaining straight the sceptre of justice,

Sustaining by the just portions of taxes,

Administering unswayed by likes and dislikes

With the cycle of shining good governance running smoothly,

That is how the rulers, your forefathers also administered this great land! ..'

( Purananooru, 17, sung by Kurunkozhiyur Kizhar , Sri U V S ed 2 with old commentary)

' This land which extends north of the ocean and which lies south of the Himavat or Himalaya mountains, this varsha is called Bharath by name and the people living there are called Bharatis by name.'

Sanskrit:

'uttaram yat samudrasya Himavat dakshiNam cha yat

varsha yat bhAratam nAma yatrEyam bhArathI prajA .'

( Vayu Purana, ch 45, slokas 75, 76)

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

 

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