Dr Satya Dev Gupta
The terms Hindu, Hindutva, Hinduism, and Cultural Nationalism often remain as headlines in newspapers and are frequently discussed on news channels by panelists and anchors. Many people get confused when they face this terminology, and everybody tries to coin its own definition.
In the present scenario in the Indian political field, there is a competition to be Hindu on one side, and on the other hand, there are attempts to denigrate Hindutva. The terms like Hindu and Hindu Nationalism,which are taboo in intellectual discourse and are generally assumed to be used only for derogatory purposes, have suddenly taken Central stage, (Prafulla Ketkar Ed. Organizer).
All those who don’t know about Hindu philosophy are creating confusion about Hinduism Hindutva and Hindu nationalism. Unless you go through the literature regarding Hindus Mystical books like Vedas,Upanishads, Geeta, Epics- Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas, youcan’t understand this enigmatic discourse. To know all this Sanskrit and other sister languages ought to be studied.
However Supreme Court of India defines Hindu, Hinduism and Hindutva, which is read as “TheConstitution makers were fully conscious of thebroad and comprehensive character of Hindu religion; and while guaranteeing the fundamental rights to freedom of religion made it clear that- reference to Hindu shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion”.
HINDUTVA: According to Ram Jethmalani, the Supreme Court has properly explained the “true meaning” of the term, and Hindutva is not hostility to any organized religion, nor does it proclaim its superiority of any religion to other”.
What Guru Rabindra Nath Thakur writes in his seminal book ‘Swadeshi Samaj’, is important in this regard. He says, “To feel unity in diversity, to establish unity amongst variety – This is underline Dharma of Bharat. Bharat does not regard this difference as hostility, she does not regard the other as an enemy. That is why without sacrifice or destruction, she wants to accommodate everybody within one great system. That is why she accepts all ways and sees the greatness of each in its sphere
“He further adds, ” Because of this virtue in Bharat we shall not be frightened considering any society as our opponent. Each fresh conflict will enable us to expand ourselves. The Hindu, the Buddhist,the Muslim and the Christian will find a meeting point. That meeting will not be non-Hindu, but very especially Hindu”. Hindu thought has no place for dogmatic principles, and dictatorial, rigid and unbending doctrines as the present religions have. What Gurudev Ravindranath narrated is the essence of ‘Bridharnayaka Upanishads’ Simply put,”Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina”-May everyone be happy, may everyone be healthy, may everyone see what is favorable, and may no one suffer.
India remained a cradle or laboratory where all the thoughts pertaining to attaining salvation (Mukti or Mokhya), matters concerning spiritualism (Adhyatmavad), and ideas of leading life social or personal were practised fearlessly and dauntlessly. Even the philosophy of Charvaka based on total materialistic values withno human moralities found a place here. Thus, unlike the other religions, Hindu thought is not a religion but a Dharma.
PRINCIPLES OF HINDU DHARMA
Although there is no single-word translation of Dharma in European languages it is commonly translated as “righteousness”, “merits” or”religious moral duties”, governing individual conduct. In Hindu philosophy Dharma means adaptation. The main motives, values, virtue,ethics, and moral beliefs to be practiced in Sanatan Dharma are enshrined in Vedas. Manu narrated ten moral codes and characteristics.
“Driti Khyama Damoadteyam, Shocham Indrinigrah, Dhi, Vidya, Satyam Akrodho.”
That means 1Patience,2 Forgiveness, 3 Self-control, 4 Non-stealing, 5purities, 6 control of senses, 7righteous actions, 8 knowledge, 9truth and 10 giving up anger – these are the ten indications of Dharma.
HINDUTVA: and Hindu is an ideological pamphlet by Vinayak DamodarSavarkar originally published under the title “Essentials of Hindutva”in 1923. He narrated that anyone who considers India as his motherland (Matribhumi), Holi-Land, aligned to its Cultural, and feels prideas born in this land is Hindu. Hindu Mahasabha, RSS (Rashtriya Sawyam Sevak Sangh) and its sister organizations have recounted theideas of VD Savarkar. Present RSS chief Mr Bhagwat consider the word “Hindu” as nationality and says, ” The word applies to all the 1.3 billion people who call themselves the sons and daughters of Bharatvarsh. Hindutva is nothing else but the soul of being Hindu. Itis like the face value of a digit. For that, if someone is born Hindu and doesn’t know about the teachings of Hindu Dharma or is an atheistand non-believer, he is still called Hindu. Hindutva is an idea orfeeling that makes someone feel pride in being Hindu and attaches totheglorious old and living civilization of the world. It binds you tothe Cultural Nationalism of India. Hindutva’s teachings lead one tounderstand the true meanings of the term “The whole world is a family”
(Vasudev Kutumbkam) reflected in the speech of Swami Vivekananda in the Chicago Parliament of World’s Religions in 1893.
ACHIEVEMENTS ON SCIENTIFIC BALANCE
* Hindus, since ancient times, developed the methods of calculation of period starting with the measurement of time from the twinkling of an eye and going up to the age of the Creator Bramha based upon the ‘Solar Sidhanta’. right from the time of Vedas, thereby establishing its antiquity.
CARL SAGAN, an American astronomer, and cosmologist, (Big bang theory,cosmos, cosmology,) tells, ” Hindu religion is only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes animmense, indeed an infinite number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night of Brahma,8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or Sun and about the half time since bigbang”. In this context, Hindus were able to describe infinite and infinitesimal, (Anant and Shunya).
* The following Mantra from Bridharnayaka Upanishada: states as (Om Purnamadah Purnamidam …… Purnamadaya Purnameva Vishishyatey).
Meaning:” That (The Creator of the universe) is Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); This (universe and World) is also Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); From Purna is manifested Purna (From the Fullness of Divine Consciousness the universe and World are manifested).
CONCLUSION
Now the world has started to acknowledge and confess the achievementsin educational, scientific, spiritual social, cultural, socio-political, economics, arts, cosmology etc by Indians particularly Hindus in past, present, and still has potential for future attainments. All is done on the principles and essence of Hindutva and Cultural Nationalism and Heritage. People who are in habit of talking all rubbish against Hindus, Hindutva, Hindu Dharma and Indian nationalism should study indetail the concerned subject before passing any filthy comments.
The author is Trikuta Samvad Kendra (President)
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