Dharma - The Identity of Indigenous Indian culture (Bhāratam)

 उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् ।
 वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।। 

Uttaraṃ yatsamudrasya himādreścaiva dakṣiṇam
varṣaṃ tadbhārataṃ nāma bhāratī yatra santatiḥ (Vishnu Puranam II.3.1) Sri Parashar to Maitreya

Bhāratam, as clearly described above, is a word derived from Samskritam (Sanskrit) root bhŗ that means to bear/to carry. An interesting choice of word. What does it bear or carry? Is it:

• diversity and appreciation of thoughts and views?
• diversity and freedom of choices in worshiping (or lack of) gods and goddesses?
• Freedom to reject forms of gods and goddesses and yet practice the culture
  
• diversity in culture and arts?
• diversity of values and belief systems?
• diversity of gender and people?
• diversity of occupation?
• diversity of languages (over 1600 languages)
  
• diversity in sampradāya and spiritual paths?
• respect for that diversity?
• diversity in different schools of thought and wisdom co-existing peacefully?
• diverse environment?
  
•  the list goes on and on....
  

The answer is, yes, perhaps all of the above and beyond. Despite these diversities, have you ever wondered how is it that while Europe struggles to maintain unity that India copes well with such diversity? Europe has around 200 languages with largely all of the the same religion, yet, the concept of European Union is complicated without unity. 

India, on the other hand, does not struggle with this unity even though we have substantial and complicated forms of diversity. We say there is unity in diversity in India. What is the unique entity of unity in India? It cannot be religion, evidence from Europe suggests religion could not bind them together. Then what is it?

This unique element is what we call DHARMA. Dharma is most certainly NOT to be defined as religion as it is commonly used. Dharma is above and beyond that. 

 Dharma, a Sanskrit word, the root being dhŗ (to hold/sustain) – ‘dhriyate anena iti’ - that by which (it is) held/upheld, supported, sustained/nourished. The principle of holding together a society so as to be interoperable with all the elements of diversities mentioned above, yet, very effectively describing duties and responsibilities of citizens recognising individual freedom, rights and equality is called DHARMA.

It is this Dharma, that binds followers of Sanātana Dharma from Kashmir (sadly only a few thousands remain now) to Kanyakumaari and from Arunachal Pradesh to Kutch. It is the fabric of Dharma that unites Indians. It is this foundation that is the inner architecture of India and Indians. It is this composition that is the ātma of India! Our identity is Dharma. Once this remarkable and noteworthy identity of Dharma is damaged, the unity is damaged. 

Do you see now why the word bhāratam was chosen? Bhāratam holds that Dharma, the Dharma, that holds the society together! The choice of the name for the region indicates the depth of that civilisation. The civilisation of Dharma, let's call it the Indic civilisation.

Note: Highlighting here that abrahamic cultures (Christianity & Islam) were not built from the perspective of society. Their basis is on an establishment of god and religion, and so, they have struggled with unity. Dharma is a extraordinary concept that differentiates between cultures that have origins outside India from the ones that originated within India (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhs and Jainism). Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhist, even though they are of different religions, have co-existed peacefully because Dharma's innate teaching is diversity. A Hindu has no problem in co-existing with one following Jainism or Sikhism or Buddhism and the same applies to a Sikh,  Jain or Buddhist, they have no problem in co-existing with a Hindu. Therefore, a Hindu has no problem in co-existing with any other culture or religion in the world (Christianity and Islam) - Indians welcomed them. All forms of thoughts originating in India give prime importance to Dharma (Ethical, Legal, Moral and Social goals of a human and society) and it forms the basis of all narratives, arguments and perspectives in all forms of multi-cultural forums, politics, law and its execution, media, academia, arts, history, education, etc.

This phenomenal principle being the identity of India must be recognised, appreciated and protected for its uniqueness being indigenous to India! If Dharma is the principle then Dhārmika is its product or the individual. While, a revisit to Dharma and Dhārmika is necessary, first however, it is necessary to understand identity and its importance.

 Why is identity an important topic?

• Name is identity
• Gender is identity
• Age group is a form of identity
  
• Family, village, town, city and state are identities
  
• Language is an identity and it is politicised
  
• Ethnic origin is identity
• Even on acquiring foreign citizenship, the ethnicity remains, therefore identity of the individual remains
  
• Generation is an identity
  
• Religion (or lack of) is identity
  
• Left-wing activists operate on identity!
  
• Reservations in India are based on identity
• Government initiatives for minorities based on identity, to name a few:
  
• Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Program for the Welfare of  Minorities is an identity initiative (http://minorityaffairs.gov.in/sites/default/files/amended_guidelines.pdf)
• The Andhra Pradesh State Christian (Minorities) Finance Corporation is based on identity
• Haj subsidy is based on identity
• Kerala State Development Corporation for Christian Converts from Scheduled Castes and the Recommended Communities is based on identity
• Maulana Azad Education Foundation is based on identity
• Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation Limited is based on identity
• Ministry of Minority Affairs is based on identity
• Morarji Desai Residential Schools for Minorities is based on identity
• National Commission for Minorities is based on identity
• National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions is based on identity
• National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities is based on identity
• National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation is based on identity
• Sachar Committee is based on identity
• Shaadi Bhagya scheme is based on identity
• Telangana Minority Residential Education is based on identity
• In Tamil Nadu, Dravidian politics are based on identity
• Dalit issues are based on identity 
• Women rights are based on identity
• Transgender rights are based on identity
  

The point I am trying to impress upon the reader is that 'identity'  is at the epicentre of your daily life.

Identity is at the core of dialogue, politics, media, and debate. Based on this trend, identity politics will continue to dominate in shaping the future of world. Anyone who says identity is not important is attempting to fool the other. Therefore: 

• does it not become pertinent to know one's own identity given that it affects everyone everyday? 
• where does a Dhārmika fit in this identity conundrum? 
• or does a Dhārmika's identity not matter since they generally accept a position of apathy?

If the unique identity of Dharma and Dhārmika (as groups and as individuals) are to be valued today and into the future, then, every Dhārmika MUST STAND UP as individual and as united groups to protect and to progress Dharma. To be successful at this, every Dhārmika must be educated sufficiently in Dharma to logically present arguments in discussions.

While left-wing, political, media and other forces in India are pumping and boosting identity empowerment of non-Dharmic cultures (largely religious minorities, notwithstanding, articles 29 and 30 of the Indian constitution does not limit 'minorities' to religion. What that means is - a Gujarati-speaking community in Tamil Nadu, according to Article 29 and 30, can claim minority status in that state based on language - this discussion is for another day), while the individuals in the Indic are apathetic to this. 

While this identity of the Dhārmika is being targeted with a continuous pressure to alienate the Dhārmika from her/his heritage, s/he does not even recognise that there are forces attempting to remove the innate identity and replace it with another. At the very first stage, as opportunity is grasped or created. One of the ways is planting a sense of embarrassment and guilt in the mind of the Dhārmika and building narratives to the level that the Dharma principle is ejected from its representative. This creates an identity vacuum which is the next stage. Finally, re-program the ex-Dhārmika (having created a vacuum from the previous state) to progress their (external forces) narratives and agenda. Once the product (Dhārmika) is affected, its principle, Dharma is also affected eventually leading to cultural suicide.

As it can be appreciated by now that identity shapes national laws, policies and initiatives, should not the Dhārmika have a say in shaping the future of India?

The Indic (Dhārmika) have been progressively attacked and marginalised due to Islamic invasions and European colonisation characterised by bloodshed, the Islamisation and Europeanisation of the education system, selective minority (religious) politics since independence, to name a few. I am yet to read an history school book published in India which speaks the truth about Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain massacres occurred during the Islamic period. A form of deception so to speak, to not reveal the truth as a result of invasions and the audacity to project the invaders to the extent of freedom fighters could account to all forms of morality, however, this comes down to who in India has control over the education departments. Point worthy to note here is the projection of false narrative (more on this later).

The Dhārmika continues to sleep while Dharma is being deteriorated in front of her/his eyes. The principle (Dharma) cannot stand up for itself, it is the Dhārmika (principle's representative) who must WAKE UP to this and protect the principle! 

This is one of the concepts explained through the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna instructs Arjuna (the Dhārmika) on why he must stand up for Dharma. Despite having instructed on Bhakti, Gyana and Moksha, Lord Krishna did NOT instruct Arjuna to drop his weapons and travel into the forest to perform Bhakti (loving devotion), yagya or puja (rituals) on a form of deity. The reasons were also NOT to establish sampradaaya, or a form of religion or a form of deity worship. It was solely for the purpose of establishing DHARMA in the society did Lord Krishna instruct Arjuna to perform the rightful and skillful action. This is a critical point worthy of noting again unique to Bhārat. Where we note in the Christian and Islamic context that a God is central theme, the central theme for the Indic civilisation is Dharma (Moral, legal, ethical and social duties and responsibilities coupled with individual freedom and liberty)! Is this Dharma not worthy of protection (samrakshanam)?

The fight in our sense is not in a battlefield but with forces attempting to change the history of the Indic civilisation in the areas of politics, arts, history, academia, science, culture, national policies, law, courts, even medicine, to name a few.

It is critical that the current living  Indics take interest and represent Dharma as true Dhārmika in the above fields in order to stand up and defend the views of Dharma when other forces interpret it without a basis, to therefore protect and foster Dharma for the future generations (regardless of ethnic background, religion/culture, nationality, sexual orientation, gender etc) - whoever loves the culture.

Only a collective Indic force can protect and sustain Dharma for generations to come. I endeavor to take you through this journey from personal identity (Dhārmika) to Dharma in its current state. Although, I may fail miserably in this prospect, nevertheless, I attempt as my duty towards this Dharma....

 to be continued.....

Dharma - The Indian identity