Integral Unity of Sanatana Dharma (मूलसिद्धान्तसमैक्यता)

Unity of Mula Siddhantas of Sanatana Dharma (Samskrit : मूलसिद्धान्तसमैक्यता) stems only from the Vedas and rests entirely on the Vedas.  Over thousands of years, over millennia, countless number of rshis have rested upon just this one point - Unity of Goal Amidst Diversity of Paths.

Rshis may be many, but their vision is just One. RigVeda (1.164.46) says,

एकम् सत् विप्रह् बहुध वदन्ति || ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti || (Rig. Veda. 1.164.46)

Ekam sat, here Sat is that which IS, that which will Be, that which never gets corrupted. That Sat is One. But the rshis, speak of It, the wise people speak of It, in many ways. If this was not true, Truth would have been varied from Rigveda to Yajurveda and from there to Samaveda and to Mahabharata to Puranas. It is this mula siddhanta which is the binding factor holding us (the followers of Sanatana Dharma) to this day in Aikyata (एैक्यता | Unity).

Unfortunately during the recent centuries, in the medieval age as called by the Westerners, Vedanta came to be interpreted in diverse ways (the non-Sanatanic ways). It has given room for fiction, misunderstanding and negativism was introduced into that mula siddhanta, through non Vedic religions.

Sanatana siddhantas had Shruti as pramana, centering around the Rshi Parampara. The rshis of the tradition were not affliated to any particular thought process (tattva).

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the former President of Indian republic and a renowned Vedantic scholar observed - "The difference among the sects of the Hindus are more or less on the surface, and the Hindus as such remain a distinct cultural unit, with a common History, a common literature and a common civilization.". He further says, "Different sects of Hinduism are reconciled with a common standard."

Dr. Radhakrishnan asserts "Though the Hindu religious thought has traversed many revolutions and made great conquests, the essential ideas have continued the same for four or five millenniums".

Prof Vincent Smith of Oxford observed: "India beyond all doubts possesses a deep underlying fundamental unity, far more profound than that produced either by geographical isolation or by political superiority. That unity transcends the innumerable diversities of blood, colour, language, dress, manners and sect".

Dharmawiki aims to revitalize the society bringing back these mula siddhantas into mainstream thought and action of every person, so that Shanti (Peace) is achieved not just in communities but within the innermost Self of every person. Articles are presented highlighting the integrity of the vedic principles, the shastras and the concepts therein. The points of agreement is our mainstay and points of differences are only strengthened by the points of agreement.

Shanti Patha

Video Courtesy : RG Media, Mumbai

All the shanti pathas of the four vedas summarize the concept of welfare of not just humanity but every element of this brahmanda. Shanti patha for Atharvaveda says,

ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवा भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः । स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवाँसस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः । स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ।

"Let us have sound bodies, strong minds, let us pray for the welfare of the gods, let us hear good things, through our ears, let us share our knowledge, sharing our thoughts collectively. Similarly the Shanti patha mentioned in Yajurveda says,

ॐ सहनाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

May he protect us both together. May we share the results of knowledge. May we attain vigour. Let what we study be powerful, without negative thoughts.

Sanatana Dharma develops the single rootedness of Shareera (Body), Manas (Mind) and Atma (Soul). Everything is integral here, all inclusive, without discrimination among people in terms of caste or community. Therefore this unity of vision stems and stands firmly on vedic vision.