Sanatan Dharma

S N Kaul Ghasi  

Sanatan means that which has no beginning and no end, the eternal. There is, however, no word that can appropriately give the right connotation of Dharma, which is normally meant to stand for religion or duty:

Sanatan Dharma holds that the world, nay the universe, is an orderly phenomenon. It is not the outcome of any chaos. The cosmic order is "Dharma", which sustains this universe. Our Shastaric saying that the universe is sustained (Dharyate), by Dharma is quite explicit. This universe consists of vast expanse of space in which hundreds of thousands of galaxies, consisting of many suns, moons, stars and planets moving according to their fixed velocities and given orbits in an orderly manner. As it is in the nature of things, "Dharma" in itself does not allow the universe to disintegrate and dissolve into nothingness. Though there may be disorder in a particular part, yet it cannot continue for long. order will and must assert itself sooner or later. That is what is meant by the Upanisadhic saying that Dharma prevails in the ultimate analysis

Our earth is a tiny planet and is thus bound by cosmic order. The orderly movement of planets and rotating of stars in our galaxy is responsible for orderly development of things in it. Their movement causes days and nights, gives us a notion of time and beyond, gives it its seasons, maintains its internal and external temperature and also its attractions and repulsions etc. It also gives its mountains, meadows, rains, vegetation, rivers, causes of creation and development of human and animal lives in a properly established system.

Consider the position of these celestial bodies, just derelict in their performance of Dharma, and there will be only disaster. These celestial bodies are called gods (Devtas), i.e. super human beings, as they follow their Dharma meticulously. We also see that the vegetation and animal life, which have no sense of thinking and discretion, follow their Dharma instinctively till their "karmic" time binds them to such a stage of existence.

According to this Dharmic system, the human beings are also expected to follow the Sanatan Dharma. Since human beings are born with intelligence and discretion, their egoistic thinking makes them deviate from the real path. This becomes the root cause of miseries and worries. of the humans. The growth and decay in accordance with Sanatan Dharma is so systematic that a little mistake here or there makes us suffer and repent.

Perverse actions lead us to suffering, woes and miseries. Thus our sins are responsible for our miseries. The notion that God punishes us for our sins or rewards us for our virtuous deeds (punya karma), thus is a misnomer. It is in the very order of the system that we feel ourselves punished, till we again are compelled to take corrective measures; may be immediately or at a later stage. Similarly our punya karma benefits us in the long run. This explains the "Sakshi Bhava" of god, as mentioned in our shastras.

At times when the sorrow goes rampant, God who created this universe for His "leela" (pleasure play), either sends prophets or decides to appear Himself in the human form, according to the circumstance, place or time, to impress upon us to uphold the Dharmic system. Their tenets and actions are complementary to Dharma.

Acting against these tenets causes our miseries, which we call karma. Karma is the result of our sinful actions or virtuous deeds. We thereby understand that it is only the nature of things in this universe or universal system that rewards and punishes us. It is in the very nature of things to ensure that our system moves smoothly. The Shastric saying "Dharmorakshati rakshita" holds good, as it is the very dharma that protects those who uphold it. The result of our pap and punya karmas in the long run leads to the formation of our luck, be it good or bad, which is also called "prarabdha".

It is for this reason that Sanatan dharma is not a religion, but an order that is inherent in the very nature of things. Thus it prevails in the long run. It is sustained by the order in the system itself. It is the expression of the very truth in the thing itself, and cannot cease to be, when the things themselves cease to be.

Belief in the righteousness is not arbitrarily imposed from without by any law giver but belief in the principle of reason. It is for all human beings to recognize for themselves the need for such a belief. However it should not be construed to mean the law of each being, but necessarily of the whole, and expresses the right relation of each part with the whole. The whole is harmonious and would have otherwise dissolved.

OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTI

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Courtesy:- S.N. Kaul Ghasi and February 1996 Koshur Samachar