Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 15

 

 15) OṀ SANĀTANA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

             OṀ (AUM) - SA -NAA -TA -NA - BHOO- MYAI- NA--MA- HA

 

             (Sanātana: means 'ancient, eternal')

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Sanskrit, the word sanātana means ancient and eternal. Our Vedas are eternal; and our culture and values are ancient. Hence our way of life is 'Sanātana Dharma'. It was neither started by a prophet nor an organization. It's been there for eternally and hence, cannot be comparable with other faiths or religions. The word Hinduism for the way of our life it represents, is of very recent origin. This religion had no particular name since the most ancient days other than our way of life, because there existed no other religion from which it had to be distinguished. Some scholars of present-day Hinduism like to call it 'Sanaatanadharma.' However this word does not refer to an specific religion, but, only to ancient practices of eternal value.

 

Our life style, the rituals we do, and the values we nurture, not only ancient but for the welfare of the entire humanity, for the present, past and the future generations to come. Hence, our values and virtues are eternal. The ambitions and goals of our ancient ṛishis and seers was quite clear that they have sacrificed their lives for the spiritual progress of the entire humanity rather than for their own glory, name, fame or selfishness which is the case now in every religion and culture. Today, the experts claim that this generation of people is suffering from 'self-absorption syndrome'. No matter of what age, country, culture and religion they are, it's their nature to say 'me, myself and I' and 'what's in it for me if I do something for you'?  Comparing the values of current generations and cultures, just observing our way of life, we can easily grasp the roots which have originated from our ancient ṛishis and seers and the values are eternal and universal and applicable for each and every human being.

 

Sanātana means eternal and God is eternal and hence, we can equate our values being eternal, and are Godly. Spiritually also anybody can easily realize the eternity of our way of life. All our rituals, worships, and traditions center around dharma (righteous, universal code of conduct) which has to be ancient. Even today, if not all, at least some of the Hindus still carry on the daily rituals like Sandhyāvandanam (water offerings to Sun God at the dawn), fire ritual, pūja, etc. You don't have to do any research or experiments to discover that our values and traditions are ancient because you don't see the words like Dharma, Sanātana, etc in any culture or religion.

 

The land which has the eternal virtues and values as the way of life is none other than our "Sanātana Bhūmi."