Sanatana Dharma is Non-Dual

There are so many misconceptions with regard to sanAtana dharma or just plain Dharma!Many Indians and non-Indians happily identify all abrahamic and other non-Vedic religions as different dharmas! This is far from truth as all such religions are essentially different world views, sectarian and divisive. So technically they are nothing but sectarian idealogies or mathas. 

Dharma, on the other hand is that which unconditionally sustains the entire universe and therefore universal. It has two phases - Pravrutti (outward) and Nivrutti (inward). Pravrutti is essentially performance of prescribed duty according to one's nature, as a service to the universe which is the manifestation of Ishwara or God who is essentially an embodiment of Dharma. Nivrutti is realization of the same God who is withing once own self. Thus Vedic God who is the universal Self having the entire universe as His body, is unconditionally sustaining all beings whatever may be one's world view or matha. Dharma as a duty may differ based on the individual differences, but as a service to God manifesting as the universe it is always One. Therefore, Dharma as a selfless service rendered to God manifesting as this universe, according to one's varna (bodily characteristics) and ashrama (stage in life) is unique to Vedas and everything else is adharma. 

Haters of sanAtana dharma, have been trying to break or destroy sanAtana Dharma from time immemorial. Occassionally, they may become successful in controlling and intimidating practitioners of sanAtana dharma. But they will never be able to eliminate or destroy Dharma as it is based on Brahman or God established as the universal absolute Self that is always eternal and supporting and sustaining the entire universe as it's body. The cloud of anatman or ignorance (which is merely body based) can at best cover the sun of the Atman or the Self, but can never destroy it. Anatma or adharma always depends on the Atman or dharma and not vice versa.

Recently, many false spiritual leaders, have started claiming that the Lingaayata "dharma" as established by the 12th century social reformer Sri Basaveshwara or Basavanna, is different from "Veerashiava dharma". They are of the view that Sri Basaveshwara established the Lingayata dharma in opposition to Varna and caste system which is practiced by the Brahmanas and other followers of the Sanatana dharma. 

According to them, the main deity of Shiva that is heralded in the literary compositions of Sri Basaveshwara and many other contemporary Lingayata spiritual teachers is different from the Shiva that is worshipped by Veerashaivas or Hindus. The Shiva of Lingayats is a singular formless deity who has no family of other related deities. On the other hand the Shiva that is worshipped by Veerashaivas and Hindus has a form or body and is no better than a human as he has a wife Parvati and two sons Ganapathi and Skandha. As Veerashaivas worship Shiva along with his family it is a part of Sanatana Hindu dharma and not the same as Lingayata dharma as established by Basaveshwara.

Their claim that Lingayata religion is a "dharma" does not hold water in the light of the definition of the Universal Vedic Dharma. It can be accepted as one among the umpteen number of subsects coming under the broader umbrella of Hindu dharma 

These false Lingayata "teachers" also use very bad language to put down the Hindu deities like Parvati, Ganapathi, Skandha, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna including Shiva that is worshipped by Crores of Hindus. They also go to the extent of claining that the Lingayata dharma and Islam dharma are one and the same and the Shiva of Lingayata religion and Allah are non-different.

In the following video - Swami Nijagunananda coming from the Lingayat sect is supporting the above view and trying his best to identify Lingayat sect as independent of the Sanatana dharma.

Nijagunananda Swamiji | Lingayat Veerashaiva bere | Udaya TV | ಶ್ರೀ ನಿಜಗುಣಾನಂದ ಸ್ವಾಮೀಜಿ |

Here are some of the points that he is trying to claim and my replies are embedded in red:

• Dharma has come after the advent of Humans and not otherwise. 
• Correction: The abobe applies to all non-vedic religions including Lingayata as they are Pourusheya (created by humans). Vedic Dharma is Sanatana or Eternal and is as old as the eternal Self. 
• Veerashaiva is one of the many mathas or sects like Aghoris, Shaivaites, Shaktas and so on that are considered part of the sanatana dharma.
• So also is Lingayata matha / religion.
• Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva and others have only established their own mathas, which is a way of worship. 
• All the many acharyas have firm phylosophical basis for their interpretation. Each tradition is not contradictory to each other and builds on each other to support the holistic Vedic Sanathana dharma.
• Sanatana dharma and all the many mathas in it are riddled with hierarchical Varana/Jati/gender conflicts.
• There is a need for every organ in the body to perform it's respective work in unision with others, to keep the being healthy. In the same way Varnashrama dharma is a natural consequence of realizing the family / society and the entire universe as God's body. 
• People who argue that Lingayata is same a Veerashaiva and therefore comes under sanatana dharma have no phylosophical basis or siddhanta.
• As Veerashaiva's accept Sri Basaveshwara as their Guru and accept the entire vachana literature as their scripture and Shiva as the supreme deity, they have to be considered same as Lingayat. Both Veerashaiva and Lingayata come under Sanatana dharma as the main deity Shiva worshipped by Sri Basaveshwara is heralded in the Veda also. As Shiva is both with and without form and essentialy cosidered as the Conscious Self that abides in all, every world view comes under Sanatana dharma only. As Shiva is everywhere, He is Vishnu and as everything is in Him and He is in everything, He is Narayana also.
• Basaveshwara, even though was born in the highest caste of Brahma, rejected all varna and Jati and established the Lingayata dharma in opposition to Vaidhika Brahmanas.
• Nobody can oppose Brahmanas who stand by the Universal Vedic view of realizing the entire universe as Ishwara/Brahman's body. Nobody including Sri Basaveshwara can reject their own body/mind/intellect and social relation which falls into one of the varna and ashrama.
• Lingayata as established by Basavanna is a Dharma and is based on a valid siddhanta and therefore not a matha. 
• Lingayata is only a mata. Vedic view alone can be called as a dharma.
• In the Lingayata siddhanta - there is no varna/jati/gender differences and there are no many gods as opposed to the vaidhika way of worship and there is only one Supreme formless God who is available to even lowest of the lowly being.
• Denying varna does not make it non-existent. Nobody is created equal and all created entities can be grouped under varna / jati. Ishwara as an indweller of everyone and everything is very much a Vedic teaching.
• Shiva in the Lingayata dharma is neither naada priya (lover of music) nor veda priya (lover of Veda). Nada priya Ravana got eliminated and Veda priya Brahma lost his head. Shiva is essentially Bhakti priya (lover of devotion).
• Bhakti expresses through music (naada) and knowledge (veda). The above is only using nahi nida nyaya to glorify bhakti.
• Basavanna created a new dharma because in the Sanatana dharma - untouchables have no temple entry, lower caste people have no God, women are weak, menstruating women are kept outside the family, God is in the idol, Stone is God, mud is God, water is God, there are 33 crore Gods, imagination was limitless.
• This is the same old argumat that Abrahamic religions and communists also use convert Hindus to their faith. But Hindu religion has correted all the above social problems and is resurging with redoubled force. Entry into the temple is based on physical and mental purity only. All the elements are God because God is indwelling in all of them and we absolutely depend on them for existence. 33 Gods corespond to 33 realities represented by 33 alphabets in Sanskrit. All the 33 alphabets standing for different devatas coalece into One single letter of OM or Brahman. 
• There were brahma jnani brahmas who were beyond all these divisions. But there were others who claimed to be brahma jnanis but still clinging to the varna/caste and other blind beliefs. These prople are like those who are pretending to be sleeping and they can never be woken up. Basavanna therefore revolted against the sanatana dharma and created a new Lingayata dharma.
• As already explained Varna/caste pertains to the body and no one including Brahma jnAnIs can deny that.
• Basavanna brought dharma to low caste people, like laborers, farmers, potters, even prostitute. He rejected Shiva confined to the temples and made Shiva available to all in the form of Linga who should be worshipped within onself, which is based on the "Aham Bruho".
• The above idea of Basavanna is borrowed from Veda only which declares that God is equally present in all, irrespective of varna/jati/gender. Body is actually the idol of the soul and every being including including Lingayat, is worshipping the indwelling Vedic God through the body only. There is a need to recognize God in the elements also and hence the need to worship him through the idol in the temple.
• Sanskrit is that which is taught by those who know to those who don't know in such a way that they can't understand. But Basavanna taught his dharma in simple language that even lowest person can understand.
• Alwars, Nayanmars and many other countless saints and sadhus have done the same much before Basaveshwara and after him also.
• In Hindu dharma - there are 33 crore gods. There are many gurus. There is Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva and many other gurus who oppose each other in their siddhanta. Whom should we follow? There is big confusion and everything is devised by higher caste to cheat innocent people. That is why Basavanna created this new dharma.
• Same old argument used by Abrahamic missionaries also. All the many traditions in Hindu religion are like different rivers that finally reach the one and the only Absolute Brahman. 
• Basavanna's new dharma was opposed by the castiest Sanatanis. But still he was able to continue because the then ruler Bijjala was a practitioner of Jainism where there is no God and was also established in opposition to Vedas and brahmanas.
• Newer traditions can come and go. But sanatana dharma based on the Varnashrama continues to exist
• In Karnataka, there are 5 main acharyas for Veerashaivas, they are essentially Lingayats only. Followers of Basavanna cannot be Veerashaivas. They are Lingayats only.
• The words Linga and ayata are both from Sanskrit and Linga symbolises Shiva. So whatever may be the name the essence is Vedic Sanatana Brahman only.
• Lingayata dharma is the original dharma and is based anubhaava or experience. The Vachana sahitya or the scripture of Lingayatais the mother that shows the father of Basavanna.
• As already explained Dharma is that which is taught by Vedas only and it is the mother of all scriptures and religions.
• Lingayata dharma opposes the Vedic Brahminic tradition that has cheated the society based on their blind belief on the panchanga, idol worship, abhisheka, vastu and so on,
• The validity of panchanga and astrology can never be denied by any one as we are in a connected world. Everybody is a idol worshipper as we all worship ourselves everyday. Recognizing and worshipping God in others and in the elements is what is needed to conquer selfishness.
• Anybody can become a dharma guru in Lingayata. But in Veerashaiva and Sanatana Vedic Hindu tradition, people from only particular community can become a dharma guru.
• People who are knowledgeable and practice proper Achara like, Brahacharya, shoucha, Ahimsa and so on. only can become true Gurus. 
• Basavanna's Lingayata dharma preached equality before Karl Marx and liberated lower caste dalits before Ambedkar. The vachana literature is a constitution similar to the Indian constitution.
• Equality is already there in the Veda and Vedic God is equally present in all. But Vedas also recognizes differences in Guna and Karma which is the basis for the duties or dharma based on Varna/Ashrama. This is missing in all other non-Vedic religions.

Namaste

Suresh