Being Dharmic - What It Means?

Being Dharmic – What It Means?

I am a Hindu by birth, I am a Hindu by faith and I am a Hindu by practice. Hinduism to me is not a reason to choose my political party, nor a ground for an argument, but an identity to my way of life. I believe in this way of life and worship prescribed by teachers, preachers and religious texts trusting that it would lead me towards a decided destiny.

Nevertheless…, in spite of all my trust and belief, there lie many questions at the bottom of mind. They don’t fail to surface very often. Result of such surfacing is my attempt to learn where I stand when it comes to religion and where does religion stand when it comes to humanity. This learning is a continuous process and as what I fear, might never end. However, this transliteration of my thoughts is a “note of observation” in the process of my learning. I try to question myself on Hinduism as an alien to India would do. I try to think like a third person to religion and I try to be inquisitive like child to know the answer for unknown. I made least efforts to be a researcher, nor would I ever want to. My efforts have been to be a child, student and an alien.

I foresee a couple of major challenges in spelling out my observations. One, presenting it without an addenda containing glossary of Indian Language Terms; and another, without grazing through philosophies like karma, maya, yoga, atman etc. in a fashion that might make the whole concept of living seem very mystic and philosophical. Conversely, I shall try my best to avoid both.

The Eternal Practice

To start with, let me take an ancient Sanskrit term that has been used to denote to this way of life – Sanatana Dharma. On examining dictionaries I understand that Sanatana means eternal or everlasting; Dharma means statute, established order, custom, practice, law, right, justice, good works, merit, virtue, nature, character, quality, mark and attribute. Contextually, I infer it to mean as Eternal Virtue or Eternal Practice. I take this term as an initial source

In many ancient texts, India has been specifically referred to as a country “below Himalayas and above the mighty ocean” and religious life of people there is referred to Sanatana Dharma. To my understanding, this Sanatana Dharma is a set of prescriptions which is just indicative for man to build his duties and commitments around.

Everything in Sanatana Dharma seem pointing towards a) rights, b) duties before rights, c) qualification before taking duties and d) process to qualify. This is about an average man's daily life and in stages. Devotion to god and spirituality is introduced to humankind as love, submission and trust. In Sanatana Dharma, man is duty bound at every stage and moment of his life; duty towards self, family, society and god.

Nomenclature of Hinduism

If it was called Sanatana Dharma, then why are the followers are called Hindus or why is the religion now known as Hinduism? The child in me is still inquisitive. I learn that it is just a name, a nomenclature that was affixed to this way of life at a later stage in history. All nomenclature relating to India was related to River Sindu (called the 'Sindu/Saraswati' by early foreign traders like the Greek, Sumerians and later the Persians). This was because; Sindu was the gateway to this country for early travelers who came here through the Khyber Pass. Interestingly enough, the name 'Sindu' is also related to 'Indu' which means Moon. Indian calendar was lunar and early Indian timings were also based on the raise and set of moon.

Contemporary Schools of ThoughtCountry of Bharatha {Bharata Varsha} was first called "India" by Megasthenes (the philosopher, writer who traveled with Selucas Nicator and served as Greek ambassador in Chandra Gupta Maurya's court) in his book 'Indica'. Based on its name India or Indica people who dwell across River Sindu were called Hindus. Unlike Islam which means peace, or Christianity which means followers of Christ, Hindu means nothing. It just denotes history of a certain civilisation. To us and to everyone Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma are one and the same. In that case, I choose to substitute the word “Hindu” by an adjective, “Dharmic” to the followers of Sanatana Dharma. This is because, as I learn, Sanatana Dharma encompasses a bigger religious circle and philosophy than the modern notion of Hinduism.

Ways of Worship

In furtherance of my inquisitiveness, I tried to know what could be basis on which ways of worship differed among people belonging to the same way of life. Then it came to light to me that Sanatana Dharma can be divided in two at large on the basis of schools of belief and worship. One is Vedic and the other is Non-Vedic. Vedic could be further divided as a) Philosophy of Non-Dualism {Adwaitha} (universal and can be complementing any other Vedic worship), b) Followership/Worship of Shiva {Shaiva}, c) Philosophy of Dualism {Dwaitha} (which is also vaishnavism), d) Philosophy of Qualified Non - Dualism {Visishtadwaitha} (which is again vaishnavism), e) Followership/Worship of Mother Goddess {Shaakta} (which is complimentary to Shaivism) and f) Followership/Worship of Kumara {Kaumara} (which is also complementary to Shaivism). All though I call it Vedic, I hardly find mentions of these in the Vedas. I call it (as many others do) as Vedic because, these forms of worship are supported by Vedic Rituals and Treatises on temple worship.

Non-Vedic part of Sanatana Dharma comprise of a) Buddhism, b) Jainism, c) Sikhism and d) More contemporary schools of thought such as Brahma Samaj, Vallalar's Jothi Worship. These are like Din - E - Ilahi (founded by Akbar) and Bahai to Islam or Protestants to Orthodox Christian Churches.

As I observe, these non-Vedic part of Sanatana Dharma have always been cats on the wall in the minds of religious philosophers whether they follow Sanatana Dharma or not. When they were founded (practiced and preached first), they were part and parcel of the Sanatana and were strictly based on the same good philosophies. But, since they prescribed necessary changes to certain rituals & beliefs and opposed some, the Vedic religious flag bearers had disowned them, thus giving an impression of a different religion.

The Philosophy Behind, As What Everyone Calls - The Way Of Life

There has been writing on the wall (or should I say palm leaves?) that I have mentioned repeatedly and I also observe that everyone agrees to it – that Sanatana Dharma is not a religion, but a way of life. The inquisitive child in me (probably a rationalist child) asks why it is so. What is different in this way of life or religion whatsoever that it is does not qualify to be a religion but is holistic enough to be called a way of life? Apparently I don’t see a difference between both. Again it is only “apparently” I don’t see a difference between both.

More inquisitiveness leads to more knowledge; better knowledge leads to better clarity but not to forget that in spirituality over inquisitiveness leads to lot of confusion and perhaps disbelief. Still, I tried my hands on it.

Nevertheless, seeking answer to the rationalist ascertainment in me that there could be no difference between a way of life and a religion, I found an answer in my doubt itself. Sanatana Dharma and way of life are so deeply entwined that religious prescriptions in Sanatana Dharma more address normal daily practices than ‘above the head’ religious philosophies. As I already mentioned it is a set of principles let open for us to build duties and commitments around. The subtle difference is just that, the ‘religious’ part is the seasoning for human mind and the ‘practice’ part is the factual life led with help of seasoned mind.

Still confused? I too am. Let me try to dissect my words and put it in an elaborate manner.

I find religion in even the minutest part of life of a Dharmic. It seems to be an indivisible component of life. I find that it is present when a person is born as if it were the soul, I find it when a person grows, as if it were energy, I see it when a person dies, as if it were the destiny. I realize that to a Dharmic, religion is soul, energy and destiny. Like the presence of elements in the body is not known distinctly, presence of religion is not known distinctly in a Dharmic life. Dharmic life is designated with responsibilities corresponding to respective age, profession and society.

I find that the most important and valuable part of Sanatana Dharma is that its philosophies are never closed inside any contours, but are realistic representations of the limitlessness of wisdom and experience. I find openness in its teachings. Thus, this religion nurtures good concepts in one’s life with a neutral mindset. Sanatana Dharma is a discipline than a religion. In general, this is not the religion of just postulations, but a discipline that has evolved over ages and is being practiced as a way of life.

As I find from the scriptures, very naturally, this religion does not force even the acceptance of God to its followers. I am not threatened that I would be punished for not believing the God, in fact on the other hand, I find that the major texts and philosophies therein advice to hold to God in order just to get liberated from earthly materialistic lives. Even those texts and philosophies undergo a very healthy debate. Nothing is unquestionable. Dharmic scriptures, instead of defining the way in which the Dharmics should live, as a very prudent alternative, act as supporting material for the individual to decide the course of life and stand by that.

On going through all these reasons and descriptions on the way of life, I felt I needed a form to concentrate, to worship that one God. I realize that Dharmic’s worship of gods in different forms is an invention of necessity. I am more astonished to observe that the religion is so much intermingled with the lives that Dharmics see God in masculine as well as in feminine forms and also like a family. They affix humanly attributes to Gods to identify the supreme among themselves. According to Sanatana Dharma, religion is not separate from living. It is living itself.

Godliness and its supremacy

Whilst on one hand, my alien thought suggests that this polytheism might be confusing to a layman who is innocent or probably ignorant of Dharmic godliness. Islamic and Christian theologists call this blasphemy - the idolization and polytheism. They feel, idolization demeans and degrades the Supreme Being. To this alien doubt, my student mind sets out on a fact finding mission, again a learning process.

Where do I start questioning myself about the so called polytheism and idolization? Do they really demean and degrade godliness? As a practicing Dharmic, I trust god is supreme, the ultimate sovereign. I believe very characteristics of godliness are beyond human thought process (or atleast of those we feel petty and silly). Underlying this belief and trust, again question myself whether idolization and polytheism demean and degrade god (whomsoever and whatsoever “god” can be)? The first and obvious answer I get as a student is NO. It does not, rather it cannot. My belief and trust teach me that nothing is capable of demeaning or degrading godliness, for, as I earlier said, it is beyond our thought process.

If gods were supreme why do we need an image or an idol to worship? Isn’t a very thought enough? When we idolize gods, don’t we attribute the idol’s good and bad to god who is supposedly free from all these earthly characteristics? The debate continues in me.

To reiterate, we attribute god an image because we need to symbolize something so as to learn about it. For example, when we have a nation, which has a geographical existence, why do we need a flag? Why do we need an anthem and why do we need an emblem? One – it is a common identity to bring together people of similar thoughts; Two – a to preach idealistic attributes that are prescribed to the followers of that similar thought; Three and most important – people of that thought thoroughly believe that those idols, symbols and stories exist or existed, thus giving it a full fledged religious status.

It is this third reason that differentiates any other belief to a religion. A belief in a nation, cult, political party or an activist group does not become religion. Especially, Sanatana Dharma, as it stands tested for few millenniums for its practices of idols and multiple images of gods.
Moreover, it is a very common myth that Dharmics worship idols. Dharmics never worshipped idols, for they worship god and just idolize gods as a matter of convenience in expression. Many Dharmic practices do not use the idols for worship and in fact none of the Vedic rituals involve worship of temple idols. Dharmic practices are never closed to any form of worship, be it Idol, Book, Fire, Light or whatsoever. Essence of it is whatever the medium of worship be, it is a symbol of god, and god is the cause and consequence of such worship.

In that case, what is the need of a million gods? Wouldn’t one suffice?

Sanatana Dharma is an open religion, closed to none and no idea. When we have million attributes of the living world, we have million gods to represent every attribute. Thus, sanctifying every part of living world and worshipping everything that we come across.

I would rather choose to use the word “respecting” instead of “worshipping” in this context. Sanatana Dharma through its practices of multi form worship teaches us mutual respect. Not just respect among fellow humans but also other beings, the nature, flora, fauna and even the non-living things. Sanatana Dharma through its practices preaches self-respect and mutual respect.

To summarize, let me put what being a Dharmic means:

1) You love and respect yourself and do the same to other beings of universe.

2) You believe and trust in the supreme power without an iota of doubt thus believing in your own self.

3) You are entitled to “righteous” rights of self that are preceded by duties to self, family and society; thus denoting your duties towards god.

4) You follow a prescribed way of worship, broad rules of the game prescribed by religious scriptures, saints and teachers. Though breaching them wouldn’t outcaste you from being a dharmic, but adhering to them would help you achieve your goal faster.