I usually do not write on a political topic. Trigger for this piece is an intellectual debate that has come up with the installation of राम मंदिर in अयोध्या. Question being raised is whether भारत has now become a Hindu majoritarian “religious” nation and has moved away from a “secular” identity? I can probably end this blog easily by saying that Hinduism is not a religion and re-opening of the राम मंदिर cannot thus turn भारत into a “religious” nation😀. But let me indulge myself by writing a few more words. 

What is the big identity prism with which the so-called intellectuals see identities playing themselves out, both at an individual level as well as extrapolating this to the national level? What appears to be at play is a binary world prism – first is a “religious” view which sees the world as a creation of some entity referred to as god and the other is a “secular” view which sees the world as a random accident evolved from matter. The “god” side holds the “god” written books as primary and attempt to shape their individual lives as well as of the nations they inhabit to the text contained within their chosen books of preference. The “secular” side attempts to box the idea of “god” within the personal confines of home of the individuals and prefers engagement of life to be focused on the common drivers that apply to all beings (security, food, clothing, entertainment, etc). If we have this binary prism as applicable to all nations inhabiting the world, all nations may be seen as operating within a range of these binary extremes. Simplistically, all nations may be seen as operating within the range as expressed below:

How then do these extreme binaries play themselves out in the lives of individuals as well as nations which are inhabited by them? A simple comparison is made below for ease of understanding:

“Religious” Nation	“Secular” Nation
Rules of life as per the chosen “religious” book	Rules of life are “secular” (primacy to individual choice and human rights)
Every person is seen as necessarily having a chosen (or imposed) religious identity	Religious identity is a presumed priori here too – however, this sees religion as a private affair
All life forms & nature exist to serve human beings	Value of all life forms & nature seen from the lens of their utility to humans
“Religious” rules apply to all living within the nation – minorities are “tolerated”	“Secular” rules apply to all living within the nation – minorities are given special protections
State fully celebrates the State religion	Beyond “equal” wishes, State keeps away from “religious” celebrations
Laws focus on protecting the “religious” life of people	Laws focus on protecting individual choices of people to ensure attainment of chosen dreams
Success viewed using variables of power & material prosperity	Success viewed using variables of power & material prosperity

While both the above have been accepted norms for a few decades, what could be the purpose that forms the psychology behind these constructs? One may say that a “religious” view wants all people living within it to attain the chosen god at the end of their lives. And a “secular” state seeks all people living within it to enjoy satisfied lives in a free manner as per individual choice. 

And what has been the outcome of these two choices? As conveyed in the table above, we may use the two variables to define outcomes – political power and material prosperity and one can write reams of books to answer this question. But for us here who are aligned to धर्म, the utility of these variables is limited. And to keep the discussion simple (or simplistic), one may say that “Religious” nations may have created dis-satisfactions owing to curbing of individual freedoms (even for those professing to be part of the religion).  And despite the merits of the secular nations in terms of granting individual freedoms to people and enforcement of the principle of equality towards all to pursue satisfied lives., “secular” nations too seem to have created an intellectual vacuum leading to suicides, depression and strong political polarities (as is evident in भारत too). And as should be obvious, the failure of the “secular” nation may be easily attributable to the synthetic nature of its driving principles – words like “freedom”, “individual choice”, “rights”, etc do not operate in vacuum – they were postulated against a certain backdrop (as experienced by medieval Europe) but these principles are not eternal universalisms – they are not “सनातन” (to use the देशी भाषा 😀). Backdrop given till now should finally bring us finally to explore the idea of what could re-opening of राम मंदिर signify for भारत. 

Re-opening of राम मंदिर may have the possibility to bring back an idea of nation that neither operates within a religious prism or a secular prism – it is to bring back सनातन धर्म (the eternal way of life). Resurgence of Hindu धर्म does not equate भारत to a “religious” nation – instead, it seeks to bring back the ancient idea of धर्म that चैतन्य (or consciousness) is the only substance or truth that permeates all (living and non-living) – and this चैतन्य is everywhere and forms the सूत्र or आधार of everything (and by everything, we literally mean everything). And while the चैतन्य is addressed by many names, राम is one of the primary names of that Truth – and this is what the re-opening of राम मंदिर at अयोध्या may signify. So, what does nation aligned to सनातन धर्म offer?

Hindu “Dharmic” Nation

Core rule of life is “चैतन्य occupies all (living and non-living) and is the primary equalizer”

All possess multiple identities (family, vocation, aptitude, etc) but the core that unites all is चैतन्य

All living and non-living beings have a right to exist on their own – owing to चैतन्य present in all

Mutual respect (not tolerance) is the key governing principle that unites all

Multiple festivals abound the nation that celebrates and protects multiple identities

Success is measured in terms of variables aligned to धर्म

Of course, my own bias may be obvious to all readers here 😀. I will therefore conclude this blog with two points:

1. Does the idea of भारत as a nation go against its idea that चैतन्य envelops all? This is a good point since if चैतन्य really envelops, the idea of a separate nation by the name भारत runs contrary to this prescription. I will reproduce the answer given by a learned गुरू here – “I indeed recognize no borders and I see the entire world as one nation – भारत may therefore be seen as the पूजागृह within my house since the idea of चैतन्य as the sole truth has been postulated and practiced here for generations”.  This means my house has other rooms too and all of them indeed form part of my house – it is just that I will see भारत as getting the status of पूजागृह within that house. You can bet that a biased person like me will certainly align with this prism 😀.
2. With the re-opening of the राम मंदिर, what is the aspiration of भारत to pursue? I reproduce key श्लोक from वाल्मीकि रामायण describing रामराज्य which may then become the aspiration of भारत:

न पर्यदेवन्विधवा न च व्यालकृतं भयम् | न व्याधिजं भयन् वापि रामे राज्यं प्रशासति || ६-१२८-९९

While राम was ruling the kingdom, there were no widows to lament, nor there was no danger from wild animals, nor any fear born of diseases.

निर्दस्युरभवल्लोको नानर्थः कन् चिदस्पृशत् | न च स्म वृद्धा बालानां प्रेतकार्याणि कुर्वते || ६-१२८-१००

The world was bereft of thieves and robberies. No one felt worthless nor did old people perform श्राद्ध कर्म concerning youngsters.

सर्वं मुदितमेवासीत्सर्वो धर्मपरोअभवत् | राममेवानुपश्यन्तो नाभ्यहिन्सन्परस्परम् || ६-१२८-१०१

Everyone felt pleased. Everyone was intent on धर्म. Turning their eyes towards राम alone, no one killed one another.

आसन्वर्षसहस्राणि तथा पुत्रसहस्रिणः | निरामया विशोकाश्च रामे राज्यं प्रशासति || ६-१२८-१०२

While राम was ruling the kingdom, people survived for thousands of years (meaning each had long satisfied lives), surrounded by many children, all free of illness and grief.

रामो रामो राम इति प्रजानामभवन् कथाः | रामभूतं जगाभूद्रामे राज्यं प्रशासति || ६-१२८-१०३

While राम ruled the kingdom, the talks of the people centered round राम, राम and राम. The world became राम world

नित्यपुष्पा नित्यफलास्तरवः स्कन्धविस्तृताः | कालवर्षी च पर्जन्यः सुखस्पर्शश्च मारुतः || ६-१२८-१०४

The trees there were bearing flowers and fruits regularly, without any injury by pests and insects. The clouds were raining in time and the wind was delightful to the touch.

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्रा लोभविवर्जिताः | स्वकर्मसु प्रवर्तन्ते तुष्ठाः स्वैरेव कर्मभिः || ६-१२८-१०५
आसन् प्रजा धर्मपरा रामे शासति नानृताः |

ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय, वैश्य, शूद्र were performing their own धर्म, satisfied with their own work and bereft of any greed. While राम was ruling, the people were intent on धर्म and lived without telling lies.

सर्वे लक्षणसम्पन्नाः सर्वे धर्मपरायणाः || ६-१२८-१०६ दशवर्षसहस्राणि रामो राज्यमकारयत् |

All the people were endowed with excellent characteristics. All were engaged in धर्म. राम was engaged in the kingship thus for one thousand years (meaning a long time).

May रामराज्य arrive in भारत

Om Tat Sat