SANATANAM IN THE NEWS -1
SANATANAM “IS”, “WAS” AND “WILL BE”, NO MATTER HOW A HATER HOWLS
Sanatanam is a word the literal meaning of which is ETERNAL. Sanatanam stands for a religion. It is Hinduism. The religion of Sanatanam is both pan-Indian as well as millennia old. One of the major tenets of Sanatanam is hospitality or serving fellow beings. While Sita was in Ravana’s captivity she is sad as she could not be by Rama’s side to practice this tenet, says Kamba Ramayanam (“விருந்து கண்ட போது என் உறுமோ என்று விம்மும்” – சுந்தர காண்டம், காட்சிப் படலம், 25). Same is the mindset of Kannagi of Silappadhikaram. After her husband Kovalan was killed by the Pandiya court, she says that she was sad as she could not follow the four-fold duties stipulated for a householder, including hospitality, in the absence of her husband (“தொல்லோர் சிறப்பின் விருந்தெதிர்கோடலும் இழந்த என்னை” (சிலப்பதிகாரம், கொலைக்களக் காதை, 71-73). தொல்லோர் is the word indicating that the religious concept “athithi devo bhava” is ancient. Both instances point to the fact that Sanatanam is religiously practised by people in this land over centuries.
In Sanatanam everything in the creation is pervaded by the Creator (“Isaavaasyam idham sarvam” – Isaavaasya Upanishad). The same sense is conveyed by Subramania Bharati’s words “எழுதுகோல் தெய்வம், இந்த எழுத்தும் தெய்வம்”. This can also be witnessed in the religious fervour with which people worship tools at workplace during the Ayudha Pooja (October 23). (Because they view the tools as the provider and sustainer of livelihood). Vehicles are decorated with Chandan kumkum and flower garlands, That day people offer worship to them. State transport buses are no exception to this.After all, Drivers are Sanatanis! This proves the past-present-future prevalence of Sanatanam. Just imagine: All these activities by crores of pious Hindus will disappear if Sanatanam is destroyed as desired by the DMK Chief Minister’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin.
SANATANAM IN THE NEWS -2
DESTROYING SANATANA ‘DHARMA’ MEANS DESTROYING SANATANA ‘DHARMIS’
Sanatanam is not a book. It is Dharma. Way of life, as Hon’ble Supreme Court described it. If someone like Tamil Nadu sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has the audacity to declare that Sanatanam should be destroyed like a pest that causes malaria, he means mass annihilation of Hindus. Here is why: Sanatanam is Dharma and the Dharma is sustained by Dharmis, that is, those who live Dharma. ‘Dharma’ (Sanatanam in this case), cannot be destroyed without annihilating ‘Dharmis’ (Hindus in this case). Therefore, Udhayanidhi is neck deep in trouble and has much to answer. To understand the thought that ‘Dharma’ is sustained by ‘Dharmis’, let us take a look at the fate of Afghanistan, home of Mahabharat’s Gandhari. A total of 7,00,000 Hindus lived in Afghanistan in the 1970s. During the 1980s, estimates show a sharp decline to about 2,00,000-3,00,000. An investigation reported: “nearly 99% of Hindus left Afghanistan in the last three decades,” Hindu population dropped and it is now estimated that only 1,350 Hindus remain in the country. Thus, absence of Sanatana Dharma in Afghanistan today is explained by absence of Dharmis, that is Hindus.
SANATANAM IN THE NEWS -3
SANATANIS ARE FRUITS AND FLOWERS; SANATANAM IS THE ROOT
Things that are ETERNAL comprise Sanatanam aka Hindutva. Swami Vivekananda says, “Vedas mean the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times. Just as the Law of Gravitation existed before its discovery, and would exist if all humanity forgot it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual world” (Swamiji’s Paper On Hinduism, read at the Parliament of Religions on 19th September, 1893 – Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda, Volume One).
Thurai pongal is similar to Ayudha Pooja. Tamil Lexicon says துறைப்பொங்கல் is the ceremony that washermen perform at the washing place (ஆற்றுப் படித்துறை). That is, in this Sanatana land, river banks, like rivers themselves, are viewed as divine by the devout Sanatanis. Hindu fishermen consider a particular type of Fisher as divine and cast it back into there sea if play they find it in their net. When Tsunami killed thousands of fisherfolk in Tamil Nadu, Hindu fishermen did not speak ill of the ocean; They called it Samudra Mata as it had been providing them livelihood like a mother all these years. In fact, what such a Sanatana quality ensures is an eco friendly life on sea.
Now, that leads us to witness ISRO scientists carrying a model of Chandrayaan 3 all the way to Thirupati Balaji temple for worship before launch. Only a few voices were heard objecting to this, as the society as a whole is tuned to Sanatana ways. It is only natural that the scientific community of Bharat takes to an auspicious step like that in spite of two centuries of slavery under the British and seven decades of secularism hating Sanatanam.
