Sanatan Bharat
Sanatan Parampara as I see, has been living with the learning and learning out of the life. To live with the Truth and realization is what distinguishes Sanatan over Abrahamic faiths.
Pure knowledge is abstract, dull, drab, unreal and unchangeable. To be in pure knowledge continuously is rather impossible. In Srimad Bhagwatam, it is said that Devrishi Narad could get glimpses of Truth-Brahman only for few moments, and then He disappeared. Narad was so much mesmerized by the spells of the Revelation of Truth that since then he is wandering and seeking for the Truth. (Srimad Bhagwatam, 1.6.19-24). The character of Narad is portrayed as an ever-wandering monk in search of Truth and he connects to all those seeking Truth and those seekers who have sacrificed themselves in the search of the Brahman. Devrishi Narad has connected Prahalad, Dhruv, Mahrishi Ved Vyas, Mata Bhakti and many more and guided them how to approach the Sagun form of Brahman. The second story is of Sree Ramakrishna Paramhans. He was said to get in trance and get connected with Maa Kali often and used to cry in the middle of discourse. But soon he will be awakened and come back to disciples. Such is the Nature of the Truth-Brahman. One cannot be in a permanent state of Truth.
Creation is Manifestation
Our Seekers, Sages, Rishis have always lived the life of awakening and realization. So the Sanatan life, worshiped Nature (Prakriti), worshiped Earth (Dharati Mata), worshiped all kinds of prosperity (Vaibhav Shree-Maa Lakshmi), Worshiped Shakti (Maa Durga), worshiped Trees (Peepal, Tulsi and Banyan), worshiped animals (Elephant, Cow, Vrisabh-Nandi). This tradition never talked or preached practices, which are not full with life and happiness. Life is a celebration in Sanatan. Man has the best relations with the Nature, and other Animal kingdom; worshiped Trees and Plants, Rivers and Lakes, Stones and Mountains. Because, as humans we are constantly surrounded by the manifestations of the same eternal Energy. So there is no pain when humans live in harmony with other creations. To live in harmony is to live in bliss.
That is why pure knowledge based traditions could not succeed or endured in wiping out Sanatan living. Most of the break away traditions and other Dharmic faiths took away celebrations and happiness out of life. Pursuit of Truth therein remained mostly monastic and knowledge based or conduct based. One of these even proclaimed that the world is full of sorrow. Such was attitude towards life in other Dharmic traditions. But they could not erase the Sanatan Parampara. People in Sanatan chose
to remain happy in all situations. That is what they learn, to live in semblance. Sikkhi to some extent deviated, by including Seva- service to humankind, which brings cheerfulness, selfless actions and purpose of life. Other than Sikkhi, remaining Dharmic traditions literally denied celebrations out of life, by denial of realities of life. Sanatani learns to live with realities constantly and creates new harmonious relationships. In Sanatan, sufferings and pleasures are both intermittent and temporary cycles of time as nothing is permanent.
Sanatan is celebrations out of life
To some extent Advait Vedanta of Adi Shankara also took away celebrations and joy out of life due to emphasis on Maya- delusions. Vedanta was also becoming too abstract. People could not follow it or live with it. In one way Advait Vedanta was also becoming more monastic and drifted away from householder’s traditions. So in later periods, Sree Ramanujacharya gave fresh life to Vedanta by bringing into it’s fold celebrations, and ushering Vishishta Advait. Bhakti started since then. Finally Shree Ballabhacharya and Madhavacharya brought full cheerfulness, complete celebrations, decorations, designs, colors, Rang-Rasa to life by bringing devotion-Bhakti in to the fold of Dvait parampara. Historically, any tradition or break away system based purely on knowledge may not sustain as eternal or Sanatan. What we conceive Sanatan has to be lived eternally, with constant harmony, bliss and celebrations out of life.
We have to provide a new environment with the living, which is sustainable and ingrained with Sanatan parampara. Sanatan Bharat conceives a central place in the modern world, which fully supports the Sanatan ecosystem and blissful environment. Wherein if someone wanted to spend few days then he is soaked and ingrained with our eternal traditions so much that he would not like to go away from the Centre or he will keep practicing the transformed lifestyle even after he leaves the place. Sanatan has never been only a body of Knowledge-Gnyan parampara. In Sanatan tradition, the living in Sanatani lifestyle itself provides glimpses to the eternal Truth. That is what Nasadiya Suktam of Rig Veda says- “The Creator is hidden in the Creations”. We are part of the wholesome creations and we seek Truth out of the manifestations of Truth, the Creations.
