"CENSUS 2000"

WHO IS A SANATANIST HINDU?

 

By D. Parsuram Maharaj

An Executive member of the

Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha

Newsday

April 25, 2000

Page 10

 

The first census was conducted in 1844 and since then every ten years the Central Statistical Office (CSO) conducts a national census.  This concept of a census is not unique to Trinidad and Tobago and is conducted in most countries of the world.  In fact an interview with the Director of the CSO, Mathew Ramsaroop, revealed that a significant percentage of the questions that will be asked are in-line with international censuses.  This is done so that Trinidad and Tobago could be compared in a real manner to other nations of the world.  The impact of this comparison is far reaching for the nation in many areas including international funding etc.

 

The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) urges all Hindus to fully cooperate with the enumerators who will be canvassing the country during the month of May.

 

Along with many other questions to be asked in the census is the question of religion.

 

Respondents will be asked if they are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or other.

 

Respondents will then be further questioned as to what religious sect they belong to.  For example if one were to have answered Christian in the first part then the respondent will have to state if they are Catholic or Anglican or Pentecostal etc.

 

Similarly the same will apply to Hindus and the major sects in Trinidad listed in the census are Sanatanist, Arya Samajist, Kabir Panths, and Seunarinies.  The vast majority of Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago are Sanatanist Hindus.  Unfortunately most Sanatanist Hindus only identify themselves as Hindus and do not know what the term Sanatanist implies.  Therefore for the purpose of the census here is a brief exposition on the precepts of the Sanatanist Hindu.

 

The principles, which all Sanatanist Hindus accept, are not articles of faith but Dharmas, such as karma, and reincarnation to name two.  The Sanatanist Hindu is not centred on a particular founder or the teaching of a founder but on Truth, which lies behind all names and forms.  It is an open tradition that encourages a diversity of approaches.

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe in God, the unity that lies behind the manifold universe, the changeless truth that is behind all appearances, transcendent overall and immanent in all the Divine Essence which permeates the Universe.

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe that God manifests from time to time and from Age to Age as the creating, preserving power of the whole universe, and unto Whom it periodically returns.

 

The three functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction (or re-absorption) - of the Universe are different aspects of the activity of the same Supreme Being; when the Divine creates, the Divinity is called Brahma, when the Divinity maintains the Universe the Divinity is called Vishnu, and when the time comes for its disintegration the Divinity is known as Shiva.

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe that God assumes form (The Avatar Principle) from time to time.  God as pure Spirit permeates the entire Universe, but makes a local appearance from time to time leaving unaffected the Divine all pervading spirit.  The form and nature the Divine assumes depend upon the circumstances which cause the Avatara on descent of God upon the earth.   Avataras do not come into existence to found new religions in their own image, but are symbols of the spiritual search and are models for humanity to study and emulate.

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe that man is not only a gross material body, nor yet a finer organ called the intellect or mind, but something greater called the Atman or Soul.

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe that the Soul is part of the Divine Essence and by nature pure and perfect, infinite in power and blessed, was never created, will never die, but will pass from body to body until it achieves perfection (Nirvana).

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe in the Law of Karma; that is that the individual is the creator of his/her destiny, that the present condition is due to past conduct and that the future will depend on the actions of the present.

 

Sanatanist Hindus believe that he Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Shastras, the Ramayana Mahabharata, and the Bhagvad Gita contain all the eternal truths of religion.  The Supreme Reality can never be put in any human language, which is limited by time, space and culture.  The Divine Word is a state of consciousness best revealed in the silence of the mind.  Different Holy texts came into being relative to the varying needs of people according to time, place, and culture.  The idea that only one scripture is true is like saying that only one type of food is good.

 

Sanatanist Hindus do not believe that humanity suffers from any original sin, which must be corrected by special grace.  In fact Sanatan Dharma teaches that humanity's original nature is one of goodness, and that we are all repose an aspect of the Divine spark.

 

Hinduism teaches that we are not sinners in need of salvation, but rather that we are the Divine itself in need of re-awakening to its true nature.  Liberation is sought not from sin but from ignorance.

 

In summary if a Hindu performs or believes in puja, Sri Krishna, Sri Ram, Lord Hanuman, and other avatars, and planting jhandis then that Hindu is a Sanatanist Hindu.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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