Conclusion
There is much to say about Hinduism’s antiquity and history, but just a few illustrative examples will suffice.
The oldest available composition in the world is ṛg-veda-saṃhitā, which has been passed on by means of an oral tradition across seven thousand years. At a time when the rest of the world was discovering the early threads of civilization, we had not only the two great epics but also detailed treatises on law, polity, economics, grammar, and philosophy. Long before the rest of the world, we had an encyclopædic work on drama and dramaturgy, treatises on enjoying life in a meaningful way, anthologies of thousands of stories, and remarkable advancements in science and technology.[1]
The history of Sanātana-dharma shows that we never tried to convert any people[2]; on the contrary, we freely allowed newer schools of thought to arise, which later became separate religions—like Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. It is unlikely that any other religion in the world could have given birth to and sheltered an utterly non-violent atheistic religion such as Jainism, for more than two millennia. What’s more, Hindus have granted refuge to the persecuted members of other religions including the Jews, the Nestorians, and the Zoroastrians.
In the final analysis, however, the real value of Sanātana-dharma lies not in its hoary antiquity or its noble history but in its practical guidance for a better life here and now—for the realization of the Infinite and the Sublime in our lives.[3]
The robust philosophy of Advaita-vedānta (non-dualism) that can easily reconcile various modes of thought and expression has been the gentle guide to Hindus of all sects and persuasions—whether they admit it or not.[4] After all, Advaita-vedānta is valid for all but relevant only to those who are interested in it.
If the absolute essence of Sanātana-dharma has to be presented, it would be through the core concepts of Dharma (principle of sustenance), Brahman (the all-pervading Supreme Spirit), and Rasa* (aesthetic experience, joy of savouring art). While Dharma is an efficient system to manage life, Rasa bridges the material and the spiritual, which finally culminates in comprehending—and becoming—Brahman.[5]
It is in the light of these basic concepts that the Hindu civilization has constantly reinvented itself: by being critical of itself without losing compassion for the toil of the ancient savants or forgetting the wisdom of our noble ancestors.[6]
The teaching of the masters is simply that we have to constantly purify ourselves before we try to help others—and having set out on the path of inner cleansing, we must try and help others to the extent possible.[7]
And after all the instructions and encouragement and warnings, the guru finally tells the disciple what Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra at the end of his war-time counsel:
Thus, I have taught you the wisdom that is the greatest of all secrets.Reflect deeply on these teachings and then do as you please.[8]
If Mother Nature had to identify herself with a way of life, it would be Sanātana-dharma.
[1] To know more about ancient Indian science and technology, one can refer to reliable books on the subject such as –
Agrawal, D P. Harappan Technology and its Legacy. New Delhi: Rupa and Co., 2010
Subbarayappa, B V. Science in India: A Historical Perspective. New Delhi: Rupa and Co., 2013
Seal, Brajendranath. The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1915
Ray, Praphulla Chandra. A History of Hindu Chemistry (2 vols.) London: Williams and Norgate, 1907, 1909
Dharampal. Indian Science and Technology in the Eighteenth Century. Bangalore: Rashtrotthana Sahitya, 2021
Balasubramaniam, R. Marvels of Indian Iron through the Ages. New Delhi: Rupa, 2008
[2] While Hindus have never engaged in proselytization, a large number of Hindus who lived in Greater India (akhaṇḍa-bhārata) were either forcibly or by means of allurements converted to Christianity and Islam. (To know more about this history, one can refer to the Voice of India publications.)
The Devala-smṛti (c. 8–9th century ce) lays out the procedure for those who are interested to return to their original faith out of their own interest.
[3] Basu, Durga Das. The Essence of Hinduism. New Delhi: PHI Learning, 2013. p. 3
[4] Once abheda or advaita is understood, we can immediately see the value in the bheda (duality) and bhedābheda (duality and oneness) schools; we can joyfully participate in their beliefs.
[5] It was V Raghavan who identified these three values as most fundamental to Hinduism. In a charming verse he wrote for the magazine Saṃskṛta-pratibhā, he connects Dharma with Goodness (śiva), Brahman with Truth (satya), and Rasa with Beauty (sundara) as he praises the Sanskrit language –
dharmo brahma raso nāma śivaṃ satyaṃ ca sundaram।
yā tridhā tatvamūce tāṃ saṃskṛtapratibhāṃ numaḥ॥
[6] Speaking about the Value of Sanskrit Learning and Culture in his Commemoration Address on the Founder’s Day (26.2.1940) of Madras Sanskrit College, M Hiriyanna said, “…when a new stage of progress is reached, the old is not discarded but is consciously incorporated in the new. It is this critical conservatism which marks Indian civilisation, as a whole, that explains its stability and constitutes its special strength.”
This statement continues to be relevant even today because there seems to be an increase in the numbers of two kinds of Hindus – 1. deracinated Hindus who are clueless about Indian heritage and yet are über-critical about the past and 2. chest-thumping Hindus who have great reverence for the culture but little or no criticality. The need of the hour is rooted, well-read, and compassionate Hindus who can see with an impartial eye.
[7] The terms in Sanskrit are: citta-śuddhi (purification of the self) and loka-saṅgraha (the acts of a jīvanmukta, literally, ’universal welfare’).
[8] iti te jñānam-ākhyātaṃ guhyād-guhyataraṃ mayā।
vimṛśyaitad-aśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru॥—Bhagavad-gītā 18.63
Concluded.
