Full Video: What Sanatan Dharma is not || Acharya Prashant, with 'Virat Hindustan Sangam' (2021)
Link: https://youtu.be/5LGSvBLdDPU
Video Information: 11.11.2021, ASH-Talk (Online), Greater Noida
Context:
~ What is Sanatan ?
~ Who is Sanatan?
~ What is within time?
~ Why is that Sanatan topical/meaningful/significant at all?
~ What is searching mind constantly?
~ What is the fundamental tendency of mind?
Music Credits: Milind Date
~~~~~
Link: https://youtu.be/5LGSvBLdDPU
Video Information: 11.11.2021, ASH-Talk (Online), Greater Noida
Context:
~ What is Sanatan ?
~ Who is Sanatan?
~ What is within time?
~ Why is that Sanatan topical/meaningful/significant at all?
~ What is searching mind constantly?
~ What is the fundamental tendency of mind?
Music Credits: Milind Date
~~~~~
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00What then is Sanatana Dharma? Dharma asks what to do, how to live. Who am I and hence what should I do? That's Dharma.
00:09Doing only that which will take you beyond yourself, beyond time, beyond your dissatisfaction, discontentment, restlessness.
00:18That is Sanatana Dharma. We live, we experience mostly that which is time bound.
00:24Attractions, repulsions, desires, likes, dislikes, happiness, sorrow, attainment, loss. We live in all that. All that is time bound.
00:35Most people fail to see beyond things that are a product of time.
00:41I myself have been following Acharya Ji for a very long time and what attracted me more towards his talks was his pure logic.
00:56Rather, that lecture, the first lecture which I heard in which he said, how will you recognize God if he comes in front of you?
01:04If you have no experience of God, then how will you recognize even if he is right in front of you?
01:10So, that is what, that was the defining moment I can say.
01:16From that, and from that time I started listening to his lectures and I find them very enlightening.
01:25And I am sure all of us will be enlightened further today by Acharya Ji.
01:31So, I request Acharya Ji to please start the session.
01:36There couldn't have been a more important topic than the one we have at hand today.
01:55Sanatana, dharma and vedanta.
01:57So, there is sanatana, dharma and vedanta.
02:08Sanatana first.
02:13All that is can be very neatly, very clearly classified into three.
02:22The timeless Nitya, the eternal Shashwat, and the time-bound.
02:44You could call that Vyavaharek, Pratibhasik, Mayavi, Kalabaddha, anything.
03:06Purely, only the truth is sanatana.
03:21Sanatana refers to the timeless.
03:25That which is beyond time.
03:27Not even that which does not change in the course of time.
03:33But beyond time.
03:37Only the truth really is sanatana.
03:40And what is the truth?
03:42As we said, that which is beyond time.
03:46How do we know what is beyond time?
03:48We first need to know what is within time.
03:52All that the mind can think of, conceptualize, imagine, speak of,
03:59is within the realm of time.
04:04So, the sanatana is really beyond the mind's reach.
04:11It is beyond the capacity of the words to describe.
04:15That is sanatana.
04:16Now, why is that sanatana, topical, meaningful, significant at all?
04:29Because as we are, as the mind is,
04:34it is constantly in need of, in search of,
04:42something that is beyond itself.
04:47Anything in the world,
04:49in the grasp of mind,
04:53simply fails to quench the mind,
04:58bring it to rest, bring it to contentment.
05:02We said mind is constantly in a flux.
05:06The mind is constantly seeking, searching.
05:08So, that is shashwata.
05:10That is eternal.
05:13That brings us to the second part of the classification.
05:18The first part was,
05:20the truth alone is nitya and sanatana.
05:24The second is,
05:26throughout the flow of time,
05:28there is a certain thing that is constant.
05:32This constancy
05:33is the fundamental human tendency.
05:37It is the fundamental vritti that we have.
05:41So,
05:42in a loose way,
05:47we could even say,
05:49that the existence itself is sanatana.
05:57But that would not be very correct.
05:58Only the truth is sanatana.
06:03And then there is the content of mind,
06:05which is all time-bound.
06:06It rises one moment,
06:08it falls the next moment.
06:10Now,
06:11these three exist.
06:14We live,
06:15we experience,
06:18mostly that which is time-bound.
06:21Attractions,
06:21repulsions,
06:22desires,
06:23likes,
06:24dislikes,
06:25happiness,
06:26sorrow,
06:26attainment,
06:27loss.
06:29We live in all that.
06:30All that is time-bound.
06:34Most people
06:35fail to see
06:37beyond things
06:39that are a product of time.
06:41We are so enamored by them,
06:44so captivated by them,
06:45so absorbed,
06:48so obsessed
06:48in our daily events
06:51that it becomes
06:53very difficult
06:54to look beyond them.
06:58So the first thing,
07:01if one wants peace,
07:03which is the
07:04objective of dharma,
07:07is to see what is constant.
07:09And what is constant?
07:10Our restlessness is constant.
07:12Our search is constant.
07:15And what are we searching for?
07:17We are searching for something
07:18that is beyond us.
07:21So what then
07:22is sanatana dharma?
07:24Dharma
07:25asks what to do,
07:27how to live.
07:31Who am I?
07:32And hence,
07:33what should I do?
07:35That's dharma.
07:38Sanatana dharma
07:38implies
07:39your only job,
07:42your only task
07:43or responsibility
07:43is to look for that
07:46which is beyond you.
07:50That is sanatana dharma.
07:51nothing else
07:53should concern you.
07:55And hence,
07:56only these two entities
07:57really matter.
08:00The truth,
08:02which is
08:03the
08:04destination
08:07of the seeker
08:08and the seeking,
08:11which is a constant
08:12in the flow of time.
08:15What keeps changing?
08:16the modes
08:17and methods
08:18of seeking.
08:21The colors keep changing.
08:23The scenes keep changing
08:24and the sounds,
08:26the background
08:27remains
08:28constant.
08:30It's as if we are
08:32asking for something
08:34without knowing
08:35what we are asking for.
08:36therefore,
08:39we keep asking for it
08:40in a thousand
08:41unconscious ways.
08:47The first step
08:48in the
08:49dharmic process
08:50is to recognize
08:52that irrespective
08:54of what we are doing,
08:55we are asking
08:56for just one thing.
08:58And the second step
08:59is to see
08:59that the one thing
09:01that we are asking for
09:02is not
09:02a thing
09:03within time.
09:05In fact,
09:05it is not a thing
09:06at all.
09:07That is
09:08Sanatana Dharma.
09:10To
09:10understand that
09:12irrespective
09:14of the period
09:15of time
09:15we are living
09:17in,
09:18the mind
09:19has remained
09:20the same.
09:21Its fundamental
09:21tendency
09:22is unaltered
09:25and its
09:26fundamental tendency
09:27is to
09:28seek
09:29liberation
09:30from itself.
09:32That is
09:32a constant.
09:3550,000 years
09:36back,
09:365,000 years
09:37back,
09:37500 years
09:38back,
09:39today
09:39and 500
09:40years
09:41into the future
09:42the human
09:44tendency,
09:45the fundamental
09:46I tendency,
09:47the fundamental
09:48ego,
09:49the mother
09:49ego tendency
09:50would always
09:52be asking
09:53for contentment
09:54and fullness,
09:57a closure
09:58and ending,
09:59a final rest.
10:00a final rest
10:03in the
10:05Sanatana.
10:06So that is
10:06Sanatana Dharma.
10:07Doing only
10:08that which will
10:09take you beyond
10:10yourself,
10:11beyond time,
10:12beyond
10:13your
10:14dissatisfaction,
10:18discontentment,
10:19restlessness.
10:20That is
10:20Sanatana Dharma.
10:21Therefore,
10:24what cannot be
10:25Sanatana Dharma?
10:27Anything
10:28that asks you
10:32to take
10:33a piece
10:34of
10:36time-bound
10:37concept
10:38as the truth
10:39cannot be
10:39Sanatana.
10:42Anything,
10:43for example,
10:44any religion
10:44that starts
10:45with saying
10:47that you
10:49have to
10:49believe in
10:50such and
10:51such things
10:52if you
10:53want to
10:53be called
10:54a good
10:55follower
10:56of this
10:58religion,
10:59that cannot
11:00be Sanatana.
11:02Because
11:02beliefs are
11:03all
11:03within
11:05the mind.
11:08And
11:09that which
11:10is Nitya,
11:11Sanatana,
11:12is beyond
11:13mind.
11:14Within
11:14the mind
11:15there is
11:15obviously so
11:16much,
11:16an entire
11:17universe.
11:18But that's
11:19of no
11:19point.
11:20Because
11:21all that
11:21is within
11:22the mind,
11:23we have
11:23seen how
11:24it fails
11:25to satisfy
11:27the mind.
11:29So if
11:30we come
11:30up with
11:30a belief
11:31and say
11:31that this
11:32belief is
11:33the truth
11:33and you
11:34believe in
11:34it,
11:36and you
11:36say that
11:37I surrender
11:38to it
11:39unconditionally,
11:42then
11:42that kind
11:44of a thing
11:44just cannot
11:45be Sanatana.
11:47Similarly,
11:48if one
11:49is simply
11:49following
11:50traditions
11:52in the
11:52name of
11:53Dharma,
11:54that cannot
11:54be Sanatana.
11:56Because
11:57traditions
11:58come and
11:59go,
11:59we have
11:59seen that.
12:02Rituals
12:02come and
12:03go,
12:03we have
12:03seen that.
12:07That
12:08is what
12:08separates
12:09Sanatana
12:10Dharma
12:11from so
12:12many other
12:14so-called
12:15religious
12:15streams.
12:17They might
12:18be religious,
12:19but they
12:20are not
12:20Sanatana.
12:21Because
12:22their
12:23allegiance,
12:25their
12:25devotion,
12:26their
12:27loyalty,
12:28is not
12:29towards
12:30something that
12:30is beyond
12:31the mind.
12:31they are
12:35trying to
12:36give a
12:36high place,
12:37a lot
12:37of value
12:38and respect
12:39to stuff
12:40that is
12:41very much
12:41within the
12:42mind.
12:42And when
12:42you do
12:43that,
12:44that might
12:44console
12:45you,
12:46that might
12:47even satisfy
12:48you for a
12:49while,
12:50that might
12:51help a
12:52small or
12:53large group
12:54of people
12:55to organize
12:56below the
12:58umbrella of
12:59a shared
12:59belief.
12:59but that
13:02kind of
13:02a thing
13:03is not
13:04timeless,
13:05let alone
13:06eternal.
13:07It is not
13:07Sanatana.
13:10So,
13:11Sanatana
13:11Dharma
13:12therefore is
13:12very simple.
13:13It concerns
13:14itself only
13:15with two.
13:16One,
13:18that is
13:18beyond time
13:19and the
13:20second,
13:22that
13:22which
13:23occupies
13:24all of
13:25time.
13:26Irrespective
13:27of the
13:28point of
13:28time,
13:29one is
13:30located
13:31or situated
13:32or present
13:33in.
13:36Irrespective
13:37of age
13:38or gender
13:39or nationality
13:42or economic
13:43status,
13:45there is
13:46something
13:46common in
13:47all of us.
13:49And that
13:49commonality
13:50is not
13:52really the
13:53truth.
13:53it is
13:55rather the
13:56presence of
13:57that which
13:57is seeking
13:58the truth.
14:00Though
14:00we do
14:01not
14:01in a
14:02very
14:03obvious
14:04way,
14:05in a
14:06very
14:06professed
14:07way,
14:08seek
14:08the truth,
14:10we rather
14:10seek
14:11peace.
14:13It's just
14:14that we
14:14often do
14:14not know
14:15that there
14:15can be
14:16no peace
14:16without
14:16truth.
14:17If you
14:18ask people
14:19what do
14:19you want,
14:21they'll say
14:21we are
14:21stressed out,
14:24we need
14:24some relaxation,
14:25we want
14:26peace.
14:27Hardly
14:27anybody wants
14:28the truth.
14:29Though the
14:30fact is
14:31that you
14:32cannot have
14:33real peace
14:34without
14:34truth.
14:35Peace that
14:35is not
14:36founded on
14:36truth
14:37proves to
14:38be very
14:39harmful.
14:40So that
14:43is
14:43Sanatana
14:43Dharma.
14:44To
14:44constantly
14:45move
14:46towards
14:46that
14:47which
14:47will
14:47take
14:48you
14:48beyond
14:48yourself
14:49because
14:49within
14:50yourself
14:50there is
14:51no
14:51peace.
14:52That
14:52is
14:52Sanatana
14:52Dharma.
14:53Now
14:53how is
14:53Sanatana
14:54Dharma
14:54related to
14:55Vedanta?
14:58Vedanta
14:59talks
15:00exactly
15:01of these
15:02two
15:02only and
15:03has no
15:03place
15:04for
15:05miscellaneous
15:06stuff.
15:07There is
15:07the mind
15:08and there
15:08is the
15:09truth.
15:10The mind
15:11is referred
15:12to in
15:13myriad
15:13ways.
15:15The truth
15:16too is
15:16sometimes
15:16called
15:17the self
15:17sometimes
15:18called
15:18brahma
15:19sometimes
15:19called
15:20nitya.
15:23But it
15:23is very
15:23very
15:24clear
15:24irrespective
15:26of the
15:27breadth
15:28of Vedantic
15:28literature
15:29that only
15:30these two
15:31are really
15:32present
15:32there.
15:34Vedanta
15:35does not
15:35concern
15:36itself
15:37with
15:39community
15:40or
15:41you know
15:44identities
15:45of various
15:46kinds
15:47or rituals
15:48or practices
15:49which is
15:50very interesting
15:51because
15:52the Vedic
15:53corpus
15:54starts
15:55with
15:56anushthan
15:57anushthan
15:59meaning
15:59practice
16:00ritual
16:02karma
16:04kand
16:05a lot
16:05of that
16:05that's
16:07how
16:07the Vedas
16:08start
16:09in the
16:09mantra
16:09part
16:09in the
16:10sanghita
16:10part
16:11and then
16:12as
16:13they
16:13journey
16:14through
16:14the
16:15brahmans
16:16the
16:17aranyaks
16:18and finally
16:19the
16:20upanishads
16:20are reached
16:21what you
16:22find
16:23is a
16:23total
16:24absence
16:25of
16:26prescribed
16:27action
16:27there
16:30is
16:30no
16:30emphasis
16:31at all
16:32on
16:34do's
16:35and
16:35don'ts
16:36on
16:37on
16:38commandments
16:39on
16:42worshipping
16:44in a
16:44certain
16:45way
16:45on
16:46sacrifices
16:46nothing
16:47all of
16:47that is
16:48just
16:48gone
16:48by the
16:49time
16:49we
16:49come
16:49to
16:49the
16:49upanishads
16:50all
16:53that
16:53is
16:53left
16:54is
16:56a
16:56very
16:57relentless
16:57very
16:58austere
16:59very
17:00pure
17:00investigation
17:01into
17:02the
17:02truth
17:02by the
17:03mind
17:03only
17:03these
17:04two
17:04entities
17:04remain
17:05the
17:05truth
17:06and
17:06the
17:06mind
17:07stuff
17:08is
17:10discarded
17:10as
17:10trivial
17:11so
17:12truth
17:13sanatan
17:14nitya
17:15timeless
17:16mind
17:17shashvat
17:19eternal
17:20and
17:21what is
17:21discarded
17:21is
17:22mind
17:23stuff
17:23kalbad
17:25time
17:25bound
17:26no
17:27heed
17:28no
17:28respect
17:28is
17:29paid
17:30to
17:30what
17:31you
17:31think
17:31of
17:32what
17:32your
17:32feelings
17:32are
17:33what
17:34you
17:34are
17:34attached
17:35to
17:35what
17:36you
17:36like
17:36what
17:37you
17:37do
17:37not
17:37like
17:38where
17:39you
17:39come
17:39from
17:40how
17:41much
17:42money
17:42you
17:42have
17:43how
17:43much
17:43knowledge
17:43you
17:44have
17:44what's
17:45your
17:45gender
17:46which
17:48community
17:48do you
17:48hail
17:49from
17:49all
17:50these
17:50things
17:51are
17:51just
17:51kept
17:52aside
17:52that
17:54is
17:54Vedanta
17:56therefore
17:57you
17:57would
17:57see
17:57that
17:58what
17:58we
17:59call
17:59as
17:59sanatan
18:00dharma
18:00is
18:01nothing
18:02but
18:03Vedanta
18:04itself
18:04one
18:06one
18:06cannot
18:06be
18:07sanatani
18:08if
18:09one
18:09is
18:10not
18:10a
18:10Vedanti
18:10without
18:12Vedanta
18:13there
18:14would
18:14be
18:15the
18:15sanatan
18:16obviously
18:17the
18:18sanatan
18:18is
18:18not
18:19dependent
18:19to
18:20anything
18:20totally
18:20unconditional
18:21but
18:21there
18:21would
18:21be
18:22no
18:22sanatan
18:22dharma
18:23the
18:26sanatan
18:26is
18:26unconditional
18:27but
18:28dharma
18:28is
18:30for
18:30man
18:31to
18:31tread
18:32and
18:34Vedanta
18:34suggests
18:35the
18:36dharma
18:36that
18:37would
18:38carry
18:38man
18:39to
18:39sanatan
18:40so
18:42sanatan
18:42dharma
18:43is
18:43de facto
18:44Vedanta
18:45itself
18:45Vedanta
18:46the
18:47summit
18:47of
18:49the
18:50Vedic
18:51literature
18:52Vedanta
18:54the
18:54very
18:54essence
18:55the
18:56juice
18:57the
18:57nectar
18:58of
18:59the
18:59Vedas
19:00that
19:01is
19:02sanatan
19:02dharma
19:03I
19:04repeat
19:05even
19:06as
19:07we
19:07talk
19:08on
19:08what
19:09sanatan
19:09dharma
19:10is
19:10it
19:11is
19:11extremely
19:12important
19:12to
19:13realize
19:14negate
19:15and
19:15reject
19:16what
19:17sanatan
19:17dharma
19:18is
19:18not
19:18because
19:20unfortunately
19:20in the
19:22Hindu
19:22fold
19:23there
19:24is
19:24a
19:24lot
19:25going
19:26on
19:26in
19:27the
19:27name
19:27of
19:28sanatan
19:29dharma
19:29as
19:32someone
19:32who
19:32respects
19:34the
19:34Vedas
19:35as
19:35someone
19:36who
19:36is
19:36absolutely
19:37in
19:37love
19:37with
19:37Vedanta
19:38I
19:39clarify
19:40here
19:41that
19:42Vedanta
19:42does
19:44not
19:44concern
19:45itself
19:45with
19:46what
19:47we
19:47believe
19:48in
19:48culture
19:50or
19:52or
19:53civilization
19:54or
19:56ways
19:57of
19:57thinking
19:58or
19:58ways
19:58of
19:59life
19:59or
20:00this
20:01or
20:01that
20:01Vedanta
20:02absolutely
20:04dismisses
20:04them
20:05it
20:07says
20:07only
20:08that
20:08is
20:10to be
20:11accepted
20:12or
20:12retained
20:12which
20:13helps
20:14you
20:14move
20:15into
20:15the
20:15truth
20:16all
20:18else
20:18is
20:19just
20:20a
20:20burden
20:20on
20:22the
20:22already
20:24fatigued
20:25mind
20:26so
20:27please
20:27drop
20:27it
20:27so
20:29that
20:29is
20:30Vedanta
20:30pure
20:31and
20:32simple
20:33sanatan
20:33dharma
20:33can
20:35do
20:36to
20:36to
20:36to
20:37to
20:37to
20:38to
20:38to
20:39to
20:39to