Eternal Nature of Sanatan Dharma: Timeless Guidance for Human Existence
The Significance of Sanatan Dharma
The term “Sanatan” is found in Vedic literature, signifying “ever-expanding”. The Rigveda provides a clue to restore this meaning. In the Dhammapada, the word “sanatana” was directly borrowed from the Sanskrit vocabulary and adopted into the Prakrit text. Its significance is profound, as it led to the creation of the compound word “Sanatan Dharma”, which has had a significant impact on religion, culture, and society.
It is sometimes debated that the term ‘Hindu’ is an adopted word used to denote an ancient religion of Bharat Varsha (Jambudwipa). This term was bestowed by foreigners, and the majority of people would lose their religious identity if this term were to be withdrawn. It is to be noted that a significant portion of the inscriptions of Darius I, written in Cuneiform, consists of Sanskrit words, signifying the ancient connection of Sanskrit with the region.
Hindusthan, the Persian dialect for Bharat Varsha, and earlier the Acadian dialect (Babylonian) referring to this land as Hindu, exemplify the use of the term “Hindu”. Subsequently, Hindus, when started to interact with the western people, they began referring to the Athenian people as ‘Yavan’ and Arabian people as ‘Mleccha’. This practice has led to terms like Yavan Dharma, Mleccha Dharma, and so forth.
Sanatanis, adherents of Sanatan Dharma, commence their practices with the chanting of Om and conclude with the invocation of ‘Shanti’, highlighting the central place of this ancient tradition in their lives.
The Eternal Constitution and Sanatan Dharma
The concept of Sanatan Dharma permeates the timeless wisdom of the Vedic scriptures, as expounded in the Taittiriya Aranyaka. It articulates the eternal nature of the self, affirming its immortality beyond the transient cycle of birth and death. Amidst the perennial human struggles and challenges such as politics, warfare, poverty, and oppression, the Vedic sages uncovered enduring metaphysical truths and formulated epistemological methods to impart this wisdom to the masses.
The dissemination of this epistemic system took place primarily through rituals and sacrifices (Yajna), which provided a platform for the transmission of Vedic knowledge. This knowledge was not the exclusive possession of individuals but rather a collective heritage of Vedic civilization. At its core lay the timeless constitution of Dharma, serving as the foundational fabric of society.
Unlike ordinary laws, this eternal constitution of Dharma was unwritten, unamendable, and indestructible. Its principles sustained the Vedic civilization year after year, transmitted through various literary forms such as prose, poetry, hymns, and dialogues, as found in the Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and others. These sacred texts served as vehicles for preserving and propagating the Sanatan Dharma, intended for the realization and fulfillment of the eternal soul, the Sanatan Atman.
The Eternal Nature of Sanatan Dharma and Human Existence
The concept of the Eternal Constitution, known as Sanatan Dharma, signifies an enduring aspect of human existence. Even when individuals declare that they do not belong to Sanatan Dharma and reject its regulation, the eternal nature of this principle persists. As mentioned in the Isa Upanishad, the choice of rejecting this eternal path would lead to an unsustainable path.
While society may create laws, amend legislation, and establish statutes through parliamentary sessions or court petitions to address various issues, human existence is ultimately sustained and supremely controlled by the Eternal Constitution of Sanatan Dharma.
The mobility of human existence is not regulated by any imperial decree, but rather by the eternal and timeless principles of Sanatan Dharma.
Sanatan Dharma’s existence is perpetual and immutable, and it is blissful. While individuals have the capacity to realize and visualize it, they cannot manipulate or alter its eternal nature. It remains an essential part of human existence, offering timeless guidance and wisdom to those who choose to embrace it.
Example of Usages
स ह्येवास्मि सनातनः (कृष्णयजुर्वेदीय तैत्तिरीयारण्यक)
ऋजावजिह्मप्रगुणौ व्यस्ते त्वप्रगुणाकुलौ । शाश्वतस्तु ध्रुवो नित्यसदातनसनातनाः (Amarkosa)
“एषोऽनुपस्कृतः प्रोक्तो योधधर्म्मः सनातनः । अस्माद्धर्म्मान्न च्यवेत क्षत्त्रियो घ्नन्रने रिपून् (Manu Samhita 7.98)
…….सर्वभूतानि वेदशास्त्रं सनातनम्। तस्मादेतत्परं मन्ये यज्जन्तोरस्य साधनम्॥ (मनु. १२/९९)
“परिपाल्यानुतनुयादेषधर्मः सनातनः” (भा० शा० १३३ अ०)
दर्श च पौर्णमासं च अग्निहोत्रं च धीमतः। चातुर्मास्यानि चैवासन् तेषु धर्मः सनातनः॥ (Mahabharata २६९.२०)
तस्मात् संजनयेत् कोशं सत्कृत्य परिपालयेत्। परिपाल्यानुतनुयादेष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ (म.शा.प. १३३/२)
कोशं च जनयेद् राजा निर्जलेभ्यो यथा जलम्। कालं प्राप्यानुगृहणीयादेष धर्मः सनातनः । (म.शा.प. ९३०/१९३)
न-हि वैरेण वैराणि शाम्यन्तीह कदाचन। अवरेण. च शाम्यन्ति एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ (धम्मपदे यमकवरग-५)
सनातनी (Feminine स्त्रियां ङीप्)
सनातनः > चिरंतन
सना (नित्यम् eternal) + तन् (To expand) = सनातन् (Ever expanding) [ऋग्वेदे (Rigveda:) ३ । ५४ । ९ । “सना पुराणमध्ये म्यारात् ॥]
इमा नु कं भुवना सीषधेम ।
इन्द्रश्च विश्वे च देवाः इति ।
यज्ञं च नः स्तन्व च प्रजां च । आदित्यैरिन्द्रः सह सीषधातु, इति ।
आदिरत्यैरिन्द्रः सगणो मरुद्भिः । अस्माकं भूत्वविता तनूनाम्, इति ।
आप्लवस्व प्रप्लवस्व । आण्डी भव ज मा मुहुः । सुखादीं दुःखनिधनाम् । प्रतिमुञ्चस्व स्वां पुरम् ( १) इति ।
मरीचयः स्वायंभुवाः । ये शरीराण्यकल्पयन् । ते ते देहं कल्पयन्तु । मा च ते ख्या स्म तीरिषत्, इति ।
उत्तिष्ठत मा स्वप्त । अग्निमिच्छध्वं भारताः । राज्ञः सोमस्य तृप्तासः । सूर्येण सुयुजोषसः इति । युवा सुवासाः, इति( २) ।
अष्टाचक्रा नवद्वारा । देवानां पूरयोध्या । तस्याँ हिरण्मयः कोशः । स्वर्गो लोको ज्योतिषाऽऽवृतः, इति । यो वै तां ब्रह्मणो वेद । अमृतेनाऽऽवृतां पुरीम् । तस्मै ब्रह्म च ब्रह्मा च । आयुः कीर्तिं प्रजां ददुः, इति । विभ्राजमानाँ हरिणीम् । यशसा संपरीवृताम् । पुरँ हिरण्मयीं ब्रह्मा ( ३) । विवेशापराजिता, इति ।
पराङेत्यज्यामयी । पराङेत्यनाशकी । इह चामुत्र चान्वेति । विद्वान्देवासुरानुभयान्, इति । यत्कुमारी मन्द्रयते । यद्योषिद्यत्पतिव्रता । अरिष्टं यत्किंच क्रियते । अग्निस्तदनुवेधति, इति । अशृतासः शृतासश्च ( ४) । यज्वानो येऽप्ययज्वनः । स्वर्यन्तो नापेक्षन्ते । इन्द्रमग्निं च ये विदुः, इति ।
सिकता इव संयन्ति । रश्मिभिः समुदीरिताः । अस्माल्लोकादमुष्माच्च । ऋषिभिरदात्पृश्निभिः, इति । अपेत वीत वि च सर्पतातः । येऽत्र स्थ पुराणा ये च नूतनाः । अहोभिरद्भिरक्तुभिर्व्यक्तम् । ( ५) ।
यमो ददात्ववसानमस्मै, इति । नृ मुणन्तु नृ पात्वर्यः । अक्रृष्टा ये च कृष्टजाः । कुमारीषु कनीनीषु । जारिणीषु च ये हिताः, इति । रेतःपीता आण्डपीताः । अङ्गारेषु च ये हुताः । उभयान्पुत्रपौत्रकान् । युवेऽहं यमराजगान्, इति । शतमिन्नु शरदः, इति।
अदो यद्ब्रह्म विलबम् । पितृणां च यमस्य च । वरुणस्याश्विनोरग्नेः । मरुतां च विहायसाम्, इति ।
कामप्रयवणं मे अस्तु । स ह्येवास्मि सनातनः । इति नाको ब्रह्मिश्रवो रायो धनम । पुत्रानापो देवीरिहाऽऽहिता ( ६), इति ।।
पुरं नवद्वारा ब्रह्मा च व्यक्तँ शरदोऽष्टौ च ।।
Source: कृष्णयजुर्वेदीय तैत्तिरीयारण्यके प्रथमप्रपाठके सप्तविंशोऽनुवाकः
Tanmoy Bhattacharyya
