“Unravelling Sanātana Bharat” – The Rishis, Darśhana, and Dharma 

The book, “Unravelling Sanātana Bharat” by Arun Ganesh and Dr. Ankit Shah acknowledges the profound contributions of our Rishis who laid the foundation of ‘Bharat Varsha’ and its Sanātana Dharma. The Rishis were amongst the first to delve into the profound mystical depths of human experience, and to them, we owe this body of Samskriti, that has come to be known as Sanātana Dharma. The ancient Vedic Rishis (seers) and Rishikās , who laid the foundations for ‘Bharat Varsha’, were the earliest humans on earth to discover the unifying and the harmonizing principle behind the cosmos and the cosmic experiences. These pioneering scientists discerned the dharma and its workings in the universe – from the simplest movements in the nature and in the cosmos to the subtlest movements of consciousness within themselves. Our Rishis developed an understanding that the universe functions on certain basic principles of rhythms of the cosmos known as ritam (Ritam refers to the cosmic order, the universal law or truth that underlies and governs the functioning of the cosmos), and the humans must live in complete harmony with it to maximize their well-being. The ancient Vedic Rishis were the first scientists of consciousness who deduced that cosmic reality is best studied internally. A Rishi is also the one who has attained Truth-consciousness, and thus, can perceive and know Reality directly. A Rishi is one who ‘sees’ and ‘hears’ the eternal truth. The Rishis were spiritual discoverers. Unlike the individual Jīva who lives in a fractured reality, the Rishis lived a non-dual reality, not fragmented by the sense-mind’s abstractions but integrated in a higher supramental consciousness. These sages didn’t ask us to blindly believe. They asked us to see and to inquire; to question, to experience truth for ourselves. They didn’t hand us dogmas; they handed us tools for self-discovery. And rather than imposing fixed rules, they gave us Dharma; a way of life that’s dynamic, contextual and aligned with the cosmic rhythm.

“Unravelling Sanātana Bharat” is a heartfelt call to reawaken the primal flame of Sanātana Dharma, and to reconnect with the Darśhanic, Ādhyātmika, and Dharmic foundations that have kept this Samskriti alive through thousands of years of changes and challenges. In Bharat’s tradition, the word used for philosophy is ‘Darśhana’. Darśhana has a ‘lived’ and experientially verified basis, unlike philosophy. Darśhana is defined as: “दृश्यते अनेन इति दर्शनम्। It is one through which reality is seen. It gives us the guidelines following which one can realize the ultimate reality. In this sense darśhana is the instrument of realization where ‘knowing’ corresponds to realization. A synonymous word for knowledge is ‘tattva’ which is combination of two words ‘tat’ and ‘tva’. It is the Sanskrit version of the very word substance. In it, ‘tat’ means the it, which is the object of knowledge in philosophy and ‘tva’ means ‘you’. Therefore, the combined meaning of the term ‘tattva’ is ‘you are that’. In Darśhana ‘tat’ signifies the Ultimate Reality. This Ultimate Reality is the subject matter of discussion of metaphysics. This Ultimate Reality is the ‘it’ of the definition of Darśhana, which is realized. The counterpart of this metaphysical reality is the epistemological component, which is the knower of this object. The combination of these two aspects of Darśhana keeps it parallel with philosophy of the west. The special characteristic of Bhartiya Darśhana is the identification of the knower with the known. Here object merges with the subject, in the process of realization. This process of identification leads to the inwardization of knowledge. In this sense it transcends the etymological meaning of knowledge. This inwardization of knowledge gave an intrinsic value to knowledge. This value is the subject matter of axiology. So, apart from value being a component of philosophy, this identification made valuable to philosophy, itself. This value loaded aspect of Darśhana makes it distinct from philosophy of the west. The contexts of the Darśhana give specific framings for the evolution of meaning of words. According to Sanātana Dharma, the absolute reality (tattva) is characterized as non-dual consciousness where the absolute reality is indeed one, but this oneness does not negate variety or multiplicity within it. The Sanātana Dharma believes in the inherent unity of every manifested entity. Brahman is not exhausted in the manifestation of both the sentient and the insentient world. Monotheism has only one God but no multiple manifestations or forms of the one God – this is against dharmic ideas. Polytheism refers to existence of distinct, unrelated Gods – this is different from the integral and unified, yet distinct entities in Sanātana Dharma. Pantheism espouses all things as being God but God is exhausted in immanence and there is no transcendent God which is opposite to the concepts in Sanātana Dharma.

What is worthy of holding is Dharma. That responsibility that has to be fulfilled is Dharma. That which is worthy of doing is Dharma. The wisdom of dharma teaches that there is one and that is perennial - no beginning and no end. That which holds together, unites and removes separation is called dharma. Such dharma holds the society together. Dharma brings about stability of the world, meant to ensure the Abhyudaya (rise, progress or development of a human being), and Nihshreyasa (eternal bliss – infinite happiness with contentment, which is the state of Mukti, or Moksha). Dharma is the cause for all beings to lead fulfilling lives. It is not just duty, but that which brings meaning to our lives and lets one evolve. It is not a concept, but must be practiced to bring rhythm to become one with cosmos. Dharma lets one expand and blossom. Dharma makes human being a human being. In essence, it surpasses the confines of a religion. Manu Smriti succinctly declares, “Dharma destroys when abandoned. Dharma, when protected, protects”. Applying the process of Neti, Neti - "not this, not that", or "neither this, nor that" - the spiritual journey of Dharma should be looked at where it has come to rest finally (beyond all beliefs, opinions, rituals, and superstitions or which is not empiric) at the level of Ultimate Truth – the Adhyātmika level. Dharma has relevance to the restlessness of the human mind, and it endeavors to raise human consciousness for the ultimate liberation, dissolving one’s personal self. Atmajñāna, is Sanātana Dharma’s highest possible adhyātmika attainment. The true spiritual life of Sanātana Dharma is integrated to the highest Self: It is not dogmatic. Ādhyātma refers to the “highest Self”. It comes from the word, Atma, which means “Self,” and Adhi, which means “above”. In yogic Darśhana, Adhyātma is understood to mean the most personally transcendent, spiritual and highest aspect of the Self.

Bharat is a living, breathing civilization, a samskriti. It has never been just about borders or politics, but about consciousness; about the eternal journey of the human spirit. Over thousands of years, Bharat has nurtured a unique way of life, a dharmic ecosystem. This is the reason Bharat’s dharma is known as Sanātana Dharma where Sanātana comes from Sanāta, which is everlasting, and indeclinable.