This article, written in September 2023, speaks to the recent controversy in Tamil Nadu, India about Sanatana Dharma which has spread into a national and international debate.
A Note the Reader: If you are unaware of the context of this political situation in Tamil Nadu, it may be difficult to follow this situation. However, as a practitioner, kindly read with the mind of trying to understand the principles being pointed to.
What is Sanatana Dharma?
Sanatana (pronounced Sa-naa-thana) means “eternal” in Sanskrit. Dharma is usually translated as “duty” or “order”. However, it is that which creates harmony through righteousness. It is an elevated way of thinking, being and living that reconnects us to universal principles of egalitarian living.
When a father, mother, manager or leader does his dharma then there will be harmony. Roles are different however that does not make them less than another. If one or more people in a unit do not act in line with dharma you will find drama, dysfunction and disharmony.
Sanatana Dharma is the unchanging universal values of:
Satya (truthfulness);
Daya (mercy, compassion and consideration),
Tapas (austerity);
Saucham (cleanliness and inner and outer purity);
Dhana (charity); and
Spiritual education.
Some list four principles and others even eleven. However you get the gist of what these universal principles of bringing in order and harmony within and without are.
Sanatana Dharma believes in evolution of the human consciousness which requires self-awareness and purification to align with refined and sattvic (aware, aligned with the highest, refined) ways of being.
Sanatana Dharma is not a religion. Also it propagates equality of not just all Bharath vaasis (those living in India) but the entire world. That is where the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam sprung from - where the whole world is said to be one big family. This is a principle of Sanatana Dharma.
From Sanatana Dharma sprung Hinduism, Buddhism and other religions that practice inclusiveness. As religion becomes Rajasic (passionate, competitive, fanatic) or Tamasic (dark, heavy, fear based, stagnant) it becomes monotheistic where there is no room for other practices. For example Christianity will argue that Jesus is the only true Saviour. Muslims will do the same that the Quran is the only word of God and one will have to submit to Mohammad’s Quran. So are the Chistians or the Muslims right? They both cannot be as both claim to be the one true religion.
No such claims will be made by those who truly follow Sanatana Dharma as long as one follows ground rules of respecting and doing no harm to other living beings. If you see Jainism, Buddhism or Hinduism no claims are made that one doctrine is the defining doctrine. There are no forced conversions and everyone learns from each other.
It is Sarva Dharma Sambhava which means all religions are embraced and especially the good in all religions is embraced.
Reformation is Good
Before we move forward, let us understand that reformation is good. In many cultures, narrow interpretation and execution of a concept along with patriarchy has been seen right through history. This does not make the concept wrong but the interpretation and execution wrong. So we need to not only change ideologies but see that the highest and most expansive, elevated form of any religion is executed. There is a space of openness, fairness and heart-centered dharma in every religion and that is what Sanatana Dharma is.
The Controversy That Inflamed The Nation
Photo of Udhayanidhi Stalin paying respects to Periyar E.V. Ramasamy - Photo Credit: https://thehinduimages.com/disclaimer.php
There was a big controversy surrounding Udhayanidhi Stalin of the DMK political party in Tamil Nadu around the understanding of Sanatana Dharma. He put out a conference for the media and political allies and representatives titled, “Eradication of Sanatana Dharma.” What he actually meant was, “Eradication of Caste and Gender Injustices.” However, his misuse of the word Sanatana Dharma enraged everybody whose understanding of the word was different from his.
To be fair to Udhayanidhi his speech was well meaning and wanted to eradicate social injustices like rigid caste systems and gender inequalities. He never called for a genocide. I can attest to this, as I speak Tamil and lots can be lost in translation. So, at its core, his speech was well intentioned.
The Politics of Extreme Polarization
Photo of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the BJP party - Photo Credit: https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-modi-urges-nations-with-critical-minerals-see-custodianship-global-2023-08-27/
Photo of M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and father of Udhayanidhi Stalin - Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._K._Stalin
Both the BJP and the DMK parties are guilty of this extreme polarization. They project themselves either as the saviour of suppressed and subjugated Hindus - in the case of the BJP - or the saviour of the downtrodden, lower caste or Tamils - in the case of the DMK. However they cause further divisiveness due to their polarizing politics.
I am happy the BJP want the Hindu voice to also be heard however that does not give them permission to keep silent when nuns are raped or dalits are beaten to death. These lower caste villagers have been curing/processing the skin of dead cows for leather for years. Providing those poor people with alternative means of survival instead of filling party coffers would be in line with Sanatana Dharma. These poor people are vulnerable and defenseless.
Similarly we have the DMK selling propaganda that EVR/Periyar was an equal opportunity bringer when in actuality he was an extremist. Karunanidhi was so influenced by Periyar’s Marxist views that he named his son Stalin after the doctor Joseph Stalin from Russia. Stalin killed is commonly estimated to be responsible for between 6 and 9 million deaths and some estimate up to 60 million through mass murder, forced labor, and famine.
Periyar’s wrong translation of Sanatana Dharma is popular in the south and proudly and wrongly presented as a social vice. Those who know its meaning should not be expected to keep quiet in the face of this ignorance. Unfortunately many people who I have spoken to feel they have to support the DMK as a Tamil or South Indian as the BJP can be anti-Christian or anti-Muslim. This is sad to see as one does not have to buy into the divisive politics of the DMK either which are less apparent from the surface.
Udhayanidhi and BJP: Victims of Mistranslation
Udhayanidhi, in my opinion, is a victim of mistranslation. His opposition believe him to have wanted a genocide because they do not speak Tamil nor do they understand the context or Udhayanidhi’s generational conditioning. Udhayanidhi equates social inequalities to dengue fever and malaria and just as we eradicate mosquitoes that breed in stagnant waters he wanted to eradicate stagnant, rigid and archaic systems.
If he had said all of the above without adding the words eradicate “Sanatana Dharma” I would not be getting messages and emails from students and wellwishers mentioning this incident. Neither would a big portion of the nation become inflamed at his remarks. That is the one word he has to get himself re-educated about. I stand by and support his plan of eradicating injustice but why insert a word which he understands nothing about and negate all the good he wants to do by simply using a word that does not belong there.
I also know those who support Periyar or EVR as true blooded Tamils, and feel that Periyar or EVR was solely responsible for the upliftment of women. I have had more than one person mention that women were not allowed to wear blouses before without knowing I understood the atrocities and was aware of it much before this issue arose. What is wrong is propaganda which is conflating the two.
To those who don’t know what occurred, it was specific to the province of Travancore in Kerala. Lower caste women were not allowed to wear blouses or cover their breasts from 1798 to 1860 and had to pay a tax to be allowed to cover their upper body. This ensured they remained in poverty. This is horrific and unfair. The woman who protested this was Nangeli, a lower caste woman who cut off her breasts refusing to pay the tax. She bled to death eventually.
This law was abolished much before Periyar was even born in 1879, so I am not sure how the two timelines are now being stitched together to give Periyar credit for something that did not even happen in Tamil Nadu. In 1813 Colonel John Munroe, the then Dewan of Travancore, decreed that women who converted to Christianity and Muslims could cover their breasts. Hence there was an influx of lower caste women who converted to Christianity just to not have to pay tax to cover their breasts.
I do not see Nangeli or any other women who stood up against this law being glorified. If any of these politicians mean what they say, let them at least erect a few statues of brave women who fought injustice and bring in stories of these women in school curriculums apart from just their political propaganda and taking false credit. Let them stop exonerating themselves as the saviours and give credit to non-political people who have done a lot of the ground work and more.
Nuances of the Mistranslation
Udhayanidhi speaks of Sanatana Dharma as “unchanging” where the meaning of "unchanging” is derogatory.
In actuality it is unchanging, as in “the eternal ways of goodness.” Truth triumphs and stays, like gravity.
In his mind and speech the word “unchanging” takes on a negative connotation, where “unchanging" means systems that are confining, stifling, unequal, stodgy and unmalleable. So the word “unchanging” though it has a very uplifting and elevated meaning in the original word of Sanatana, in his mind is the old and defunct systems that create inequalities and caste unfairness.
Can someone please explain to him that he and his political mentors have gotten this word wrong. Else he will remain a victim of his circumstances and passed down ignorance. Using the word Sanatana Dharma wrongly, has dangerous implications as those who know the right meaning will obviously take offense at him misrepresenting it. Or, like the BJP, equate it to Hindus and destruction of Hindus and Hinduism. Sanatana is even older than that and accessible to every sattvic person who not only understands fairness but lives it.
Udhayanidhi clearly has the mistranslated version as he goes on to say, while Sanatana is unchanging, the Dravidian model is a changing model.
The first change he needs to bring about is to stop mistranslating words because his political speech writers and mentors did. Udhayanidhi needs to bring about that change and follow a middle path rather than going to the other extreme of deriding dharma. Dharma is a way of creating order, fairness and harmony and not religious. Let us not get into adharmic speech and activities.
Udhayanidhi: Victim of Years of Ideological Conditioning and Possible Channels Of Mistranslation / Misguided Ideas Of Sanatana Dharma
Udhayanidhi has a strong association with the negative mistranslation of Sanatana dharma. Where did he get this misguided idea from? Whoever wrote that prepared speech for him and created that conference is obviously one channel.
But his own understanding of the word through the Periyar or EVR ideology is the main avenue.
So let us explore a bit of history here…
Photo of Annnadurai, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and mentor to MGR and Karunanidhi - Photo Credit: https://www.quora.com/What-is-your-review-of-CN-Annadurai-Indian-politician
Photo of M. Karunanidhi, founder and former head of the DMK Party and Udhayanidhi’s grandfather - Photo Credit: https://www.oneindia.com/politicians/karunanidhi-m-1310.html
His grandfather’s party, the DMK or Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a break away from the DK or Dravida Kazyagam started by a man named EVR (Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy Naicker). Some hail him as a social reformer and many of his followers went on to influence political and reformist thoughts later. Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Grandfather, M Karunanidhi, was a follower of EVR. However he saw that his mentor was becoming a bit extreme and started his own party, the DMK, and went on to become the Chief minister of Tamil Nadu. He was Chief minister of Tamil Nadu for five terms and now his son Stalin is the Chief Minister of TN.
Karunanidhi and MGR, the famous actor, were friends. MGR separated from the DMK party to create the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party and was chief minister for 3 terms. His successor Jayalalitha went on to be Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the longest serving Chief Minister next to Karunanidhi. She fought each election like her life depended on it and it did.
Starting in 1969 there was a monopoly of rule between Karunanidhi, MGR and Jayalalitha. Each was progressively less extreme when it came to religion or imposing their religious or atheist ideologies. All have passed on but their legacy continues.
Photo of MGR, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and founder of the AIADMK Party - Photo Credit: https://kids.kiddle.co/M._G._Ramachandran
Photo of Jayalalitha, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and - Photo Credit: https://m.rediff.com/news/report/jayalalitha-suffers-cardiac-arrest-rushed-to-apollos-icu/20161204.htm
EVR / Thanthai Periyar Movement
Photo of EVR/Periyar, founder of the DK Party and mentor to Karunanidhi and MGR - Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periyar
Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy Naicker was called Periyar or Thanthai which means “the great one” or “father.”
He aimed at removing superstition and bringing rational thought which was the good part of the movement. He did not want power in the hands of a few, which is a good principle. However when you dig deeper you will see disparities and extremist view points. You will see he was very confrontational without depth. It is like some Bollywood movies which have a formula for success. Sensationalism was the name of the game.
The movement was influenced by Marxist as well as the Dravidian and Aryan divide theory. Ramasamy toured British Malaya, Europe, and the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1932 and this contributed to this thought process. In 1939, Ramasamy became the head of the Justice Party and in 1944, he changed its name to Dravidar Kazhagam.
The British knew that a united India was strong. Hence they had to systematically create a divide and rule policy. There are many instances of this noted in history. A divide between Hindus and Muslims, North India and South India. Brahmins and the rest of the communities. Sikhs and the rest of India and the Tamil Dravidian and Aryan divide. This British/Christian missionary propaganda was feasted on by EVR. Even Karunanidhi perpetuated that without deep inquiry. However he was a moderate in comparison to EVR. Both Anna and MGR moved away due to EVR’s extremist ideologies.
EVR was hailed as a social reformer in the South, like Gandhi. However just like people buy into propaganda and get swept up in the frenzy, those associated with EVR never publicly condemned what he did out of respect and allegiance to him. Despite EVR wanting social reform, some of his extremist actions speak to his imbalances, as listed below.
Calling for breaking all Ganesha statues in the 1950s. You can read more elaborate articles given in the reference sections below.
Taking a procession of Rama and Sita with a garland of slippers in 1971 as well as on other occasions.
After his death, in 1974, his wife Maniammal, as per his wishes, created an event for the Ravana Leela. What made Ravana worthy of praise was that he was a Dravidian and accomplished king. No one contested Ravana being accomplished and, in fact, Valmiki Ramayam speaks to his knowledge and skill in many areas. His womanizing ways and abducting another man’s wife, Sita, was his downfall. However EVR twisted this whole thing and wanted effigies of Rama burnt, saying Rama is an Aryan and Ravana a Dravidian. His hatred for Hindus, Brahmins and non-Tamils is well documented. Interestingly he was a Kannadiga.
EVR said that if you see a Brahmin and a snake, kill the Brahmin first. This hatred is similar to the hate Nazis had for Jews.
Just as Jinna asked for a Muslim division, the DK asked for a separate Dravidian India.
He spoke of only caste inequalities and did not understand that the Bagvat Gita actually addresses that. In the Gita, varna (social class/position) is according to one's guna (predisposition) and not according to caste. This misguided thought is still spread by many people in the South without inquiry or even reading the Gita.
Because of his own ignorance, EVR equated varnashrama with casteism. Varnashrama is simply classifications based on profession and originally one could be any varna depending on their predisposition or quality of character or personality. In practice it became rigid in many areas, especially after British rule. It definitely needs to be eradicated when used as an oppressive tool.
He went on to describe Sanatana Dharma without reading any scriptures on what it actually means and buying into the colonizers interpretation of it. The colonists did not have the interests of the Indian people in mind and when one reads history one will know the looting and inequalities they created. There were also years of plundering and wars even before they set foot in India with the crusades to spread Christianity or wars to spread Islam.
At the heart of it, Jesus spoke of Love and forgiveness and inclusiveness but in practice, through history, that is not what we see. People need to see the rot in their religion and not exonerate it just because they were born into it or conditioned by its fear based beliefs.
EVR was an atheist and, on the face of it, stood for women’s rights. He married 32 year old Maniammal when he was 72 years. The rationale was that he wanted her to inherit his wealth as at that time the law did not allow it. I am not sure if he could not have drawn out a will or lobbied to change laws. Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar advocated and strived for remarriage of widows in the 1800s much before Periyar's time. There were many who fought for women’s rights and yet their names are not publicized as they did not run big political parties.
More Of EVR’s Extreme Ideologies
EVR spoke against reading Hindu scriptures and wanted to burn the houses of Brahmins. He was an upper caste person yet not learned enough to understand the deeper meaning of words, let alone those in Sanskrit.
Many who bought into the divide or followed Periyar still hang on to this mistranslation of Sanatana Dharma. That is what popularity does. It popularizes even the wrong interpretation given by a leader or puts a halo around one whose ideologies are half baked. One must have the courage to not only respect one's mentors but also see where they may have gone sideways, as with Periyar.
Learning To Take Things With A Pinch Of Salt And Cultivate Viveka
The very structures that are broken down to free women, become exploiters of women. Take the instance of the Children of God Church in the USA. They broke down the family unit and separated kids from their parents so that they could get the children into sexual activity without the supervision of the parents. They cloaked it saying the kids needed to be devoted to Christ and the church. Christian, Hindu, Muslim or any other religious clerics who pedal fear based religion and engage in exploitation or even pedophilia are seen around the world. Every religion and non religion has those who abuse power. When the family unit breaks, then people’s allegiance is to the state or the religious institution, or the cult. This is how all controlling cults and Marxist principles work.
Even Gandhi tormented innumerable women, including his grand nieces by insisting on sleeping naked with them to prove a point. His point was his own experiments with truth and brahmacharya (celibacy in this context). One of the grand niece's husband’s begged him to stop involving her and mentioned it was taking a toll on her mentally. And it did on many women in the ashram who were required to do the same. This reflected as depression and feeling forlorn which was reported by those who observed those women.
I read about this close to 35 years ago, during the pre-internet era, in a book in my grandfather’s library and thought, “how weird”, totally disgusting and boorish. The propaganda around him prevented people calling him out on this and on many other divisive ideas he subscribed to. What Gandhi deeply etched in my young mind was to stay away from glorified older men. Even at that age I remember thinking I do not want to give over my agency to someone who is glorified but at the root is split and imbalanced. I also had a grand uncle in my own family who I saw the split in and saved myself from unwanted creepy touch camouflaged as affection.
When I was in my twenties and living in India, some wealthy devout groups wanted to start an ashram for me, because I was giving talks on Yoga and spirituality as well as facilitating healing. My heart knew not to get trapped in their systems and become a puppet or pawn posing as a priestess. So I am thankful that it did not manifest at that time. However I see many teachers and leaders trapped in the systems of others, or the ones they have created themselves.
That is a whole different story of exploring the deeper workings of systems as well as people’s minds. So let us delve into that another time. Once we get trapped into systems or groups we are most likely to stifle our truth due to emotional and professional allegiances and attachments. Think of the mothers who never wanted to send their murderous, rapist sons to jail. The degree of attachment that blinds them to the flaws of their own progeny. This is not meant to point fingers but simply point to the inconsistencies in a human being’s allegiances and passed down ideologies.
Solutions Moving Forward
As much as I can relate to the angst of Udhayanidhi Stalin where he feels the BJP have twisted his words , where he feels attacked, the solution lies in him.
Instead of attacking or feeling attacked by the BJP, if he focuses on re-educating himself on the true meaning of Sanatana Dharma then he will see a broader spectrum of how this word is used, not just within the confines of the EVK Naicker movement. He can reclaim the word, even beyond what the BJP is interpreting it to be and reclaim the hearts of many.
This frog in the well mentality (not being aware of the limitations of our own experience) is what created the problem in the first place where one leader passes down the wrong translation and interpretation of a word and it sticks in the minds of his followers. All Udhayanidhi needs to do is say, “I understand now that Sanatana Dharma is more expansive and vast than I believed or interpreted it to be. I am sorry for the mistranslation/ misinterpretation of the word. I am sorry I used that word wrongly and I still stand by the rest of my speech of eradicating injustice.” This will help everyone, including him, move on.
However, I am not sure how many of his advisors will tell him that. In fact their vasanas (mental predispositions), as they play out, only serve to inflame the situation more - just as EVR did with his extreme actions. EVR is not the authority on the word when he unanimously askes everyone not to read scripture. So how can he claim to know the meaning of the word?
Taking ownership for how one may have contributed to the problem takes humility, insight and vichara (the capacity for self enquiry). Very few people, let alone politicians, have a willingness or capacity for that. If Udhayanidhi truly wants to eradicate inequalities and live by his speech then he cannot be a frog in the well anymore and do the same. Hopefully he can contemplate how he is perpetuating the same discord and inequalities he professes to want to eradicate.
The BJP, from its end, can drop allegations that Udhayanidhi was planning or instigating a genocide as I see no such intentions in the context of his speech. Simply misguided ideas about Sanatana Dharma as a dharma or doctrine that propagates and spreads inequalities. An unconscious bias towards the word Sanatana, which is actually religionless, could also arise from his Christian leanings. Telling others they are less than or praying to demons instead of deities is a very Chritian and monotheistic thought process which is divisive.
Old Catholics and Protestants have integrated themselves well into the Indian ethos of accepting all religions. However the new converts will vehemently tell you you are doing demon worship if you eat prasad or even wear vibhoothi (sacred ash). Yet they will not hesitate to put ashes on their forehead on Ash wednesday.
Udhayanidhi has to change the Conference title to “Eradicate Inequalities” instead of titling the conference as, “Eradicate Sanatana Dharma.” Now all the Hindus all over the world are up in arms thinking he wanted to eradicate them or their dharma when it is not the case at all. No one can truly eradicate gravity or universal principles.
I can see Udhayanidhi’s perspective where instead of being hailed for his words of social equality he feels he has become a national target of anger - including a 10 crore bounty on his head and possible lawsuits for hate speech. Hopefully Udhayanidhi, like his name indicates, can reflect on where it all started - the misinterpretation - and take responsibility since he was at the helm of it and spread that mistranslation on a national and international platform. That way he will garner the respect and hearts of many, including mine.
In Tamil, Udhayanidhi means “the rising money.” A slight change in the word from Nidhi to Needhi will make the word “fairness” or “justice” and “fairness like the rising sun.” May the sun of fairness blossom and rise in his heart.
May the pillars of Sanatana Dharma always thrive in this beautiful land. Eternal Harmony, even between warring political parties, is possible when the pillars of Sanatana Dharma are applied. However one must be willing to dig deep within to find that truth, mercy and clarity.
Image Credit: https://roycosmo.home.blog/2020/02/03/example-post/
A Few Resources
The politician who is speaking in Tamil in the clip below is so perplexed why they are attacking Udhayanidhi as he has failed to look at the larger definition of Sanatana Dharma and equates it to caste discrimination:
(11) Vedic Scholar Dushyanth Sridhar Explains The True Meaning Of Sanatan Dharma - YouTube
EVR Periyar: A checkup on facts & propaganda (straighttalks.in)
Periyar was an anti-Hindu, anti-Brahmin bigot who deserves to be criticised not lauded (tfipost.com)
When E.V. Ramasamy aka 'Periyar' called for Nazi-style genocide of Brahmin Hindus