Opinion: Oppose 'Sanatan', Appease Minorities

Many in politics have the habit of 'throwing the baby out with the bath water'. They do not have what we call Neer-Ksheer Viveka - the ability to differentiate between water and milk. The latest example is the DMK assailing Sanatana Dharma without understanding what Sanatan is.

Etymologically, the term Sanatan is about eternal; something that has continued for generations. Many of our beliefs and traditions are Sanatan as they have been inherited and passed down for generations. Sanatan is ever ageing but never old.

Sanatan has nothing to do with any obscurantism. One must remember that everything that is open, accommodative and resilient can sustain the attacks of outsiders, invaders and encroachers. Anything that is eternal must always maintain a robust element of relevance to the times. Sanatan, as the term implies, refers to tenets of a belief system that were acceptable to adherents not only in the past and present, but will also endure in the future.

Lokmanya Tilak, the father of Indian renaissance, thoughtfully reflected on Hinduism and Sanatan. In January 1906, while addressing a Bharat Dharma Mahamandala in Varanasi, he very eloquently said, "What is Hindu religion then? Bharata Dharma Mahamandala cannot be a Mahamandala unless it includes and coordinates these different sections and parts. Its name can only be significant if different sections of the Hindu religion are united under its banner. All these different sects are so many branches of the Vedic religion. The term Sanatana Dharma shows that our religion is very old-as old as the history of the human race itself."

In the post-Tilak era, both Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru reflected on the subject of Sanatan. In his book Discovery of India, Nehru wrote, "Sanatan dharma meaning the ancient religion could be applied to any of the ancient Indian faiths (including Buddhism and Jainism )..." Obviously then, Sanatan Dharma means an all-inclusive belief system. In fact, this all-inclusiveness is a unique characteristic of Sanatan Dharma. In a way, for anything that is not all-inclusive, it is hard to attain eternality.

One has to remember that Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism can come together not simply because all three are India-born, but also because of commonality in their approaches to spirituality. In the context of India, we always talk about Unity in Diversity. However, how our diversity is in fact the manifestation of our innate unity is hardly discussed. To a certain extent, the eternality of Hindu traditions hinges upon how we appreciate and celebrate our commonalities as much as our diversities.

So, it is educative to find what brings us together. What are those indisputable unifying elements in our ancient philosophy? In the context of Hindu, Bharatiya or Indic traditions - including Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism - there is a set of at least seven fundamental tenets that have survived the onslaughts of attackers, invaders and encroachers. Across the ideological spectrum, these seven tenets would find total acceptance as they are all about traditional Indian human values inherited by us all. These seven tenets make us all Sanatani and our belief system, truly Sanatan.

These seven sutras of Sanatan start with our spiritual democracy, as explained in 'Ekam Sat Vipra Bahuda Vadanti'. Spiritual democracy refers to the Indian aversion to a monopolistic approach in matters of faith, and the abhorrence of theocracy in any shape or form. The second most important tenet is Unity in Diversity. The Indian ontology acknowledges that unity in diversity serves as the foundation of an integrated humanity, and aligns with the concept of universal oneness. We have always believed in recognizing and safeguarding this diversity within unity. Remember, in our ancient history, our inherent diversity never promoted fragmentation in any form.

The third quintessentially Indian thinking is the Gandhian philosophy of 'Antyodaya'. Antyodaya or the uplift of the last man bypasses the binaries of Left and Right. It prioritises the neediest of the needy in the distribution of the fruits of development, an approach that integrates both sensitivity towards deprivation and respect for wealth creation.

Then comes our idea of Ardha-Nari-Nateshwar, which epitomises our approach to gender justice. Gender equality is inherent in the model of Ardha-Nari-Nateshwar, which circumvents traditional bipolarity and acknowledges the presence of androgynous traits in both sexes. Another unique approach of Sanatan Sanskriti is to strike a balance between individualism and collectivism. Indian philosophy accommodates both individualism and collectivism, metaphorically described as a hand with fingers unique in shape, size and function, but working together to multiply their collective efficacy and strength. While many belief systems talk about conquering Nature, in India we have always believed in being deeply grateful towards Mother Nature. Our philosophy of sustainable consumption, expressed in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), holds harmony with Mother Nature as imperative to human existence. Gratitude towards nature is manifested through the Panch Mahabhuta (five basic elements) and is a basic feature of our worldview.

Finally, our G-20 motto of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or World as one Family. This approach calls for collective ownership of global challenges from an essentially humanitarian point of view. As the great spiritual master Sri Aurobindo observed, every single challenge that confronts humanity confronts India as well, but India has the potential to provide solutions.

Despite all this, why is the DMK attacking Sanatan? It's not mere ignorance. It's a clever strategy of attacking Sanatan aka Hindu, simply to consolidate the vote bank. Muslims, who form about 6% to 10% of the population in Tamil Nadu, are scattered across the state and the DMK desperately wants to secure their support. The DMK is understandably restless as on one hand its rival AIADMK also takes away a slice of Muslim votes and on the other hand, if its alliance efforts fail, many other so-called secular parties will also try eat into them. By targeting Sanatan, the DMK is trying to establish its claim on Muslim votes - en bloc - before all others.

Vinay Sahasrabuddhe is former MP, Rajya Sabha and columnist, besides being President of Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.