WHC Declaration About Terms “Hindu”, “Hindutva” and “Sanatan Dharma”

In the term “Hindu Dharma”, the first word, i. e. “Hindu” is an unbounded word. It signifies all

that is Sanatan or Eternal. And then there is Dharma, which means “That, which sustains”.

Thus, Hindu Dharma signifies all that which eternally upholds everything; an individual, a

family, a community, a society, and even nature – both animate and inanimate.

In contrast, Hinduism is totally different because it is suffixed with an “ism”. The term “ism” is

defined as an oppressive and discriminatory attitude or belief. In the mid-nineteenth century the

United States of America, the phrase “the isms” was used to collectively refer to radical social

reform movements and various non-mainstream spiritual or religious movements in a

derogatory manner. The term “Hinduism” should be understood in such a context.

One should also note that the term “Hinduism” was introduced in the popular lexicon by Sir

Monier-Monier Willimas via his handbook Hinduism. This handbook was published in 1877 by

the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. This intellectually dishonest terminology is the

seed behind the vicious anti-Hindu narratives over the last 150 years.

It is for such reasons that many of our elders preferred the term “Hindutva’ over Hinduism as

the former is a more accurate terms since it includes the gamut (spectrum) of all that the word

“Hindu” implies. We agree with them and should do the same. Hindutva is not a complicated

word. It simply means Hindu-ness. Others have used the alternative “Sanatan Dharma”, often

abbreviated as “Sanatan”. Here the term “Sanatan” works as an adjective indicating Hindu

Dharma’s eternal nature.

However, in the present public discourse many academicians and intellectuals regularly

portray Hindutva as the antithesis of Hindu Dharma, i.e. extremely negatively. Some of them

argue like that because of their ignorance. But most are anti-Hindutva because of their visceral

hatred and biases against Hindu Dharma. Many politicians driven by political agendas and

personal prejudices have also joined that group, and are criticizing Sanatan Dharma, or

Sanatan with increasing regularity and vitriol.

On behalf of the global Hindu community the World Hindu Congress declares that such

malicious criticism of Hindutva, or Sanatan Dharma, or Sanatan, or Hindu Dharma actually

targets the Hindu society and all that is beautiful, just, good, and noble in it. In reality, these

are attacks against goodness itself. The World Hindu Congress strongly condemns such attacks

and urges Hindus worldwide for the manifestation of Hindutva through organized global

efforts, and overcome those who are engaging in such anti-Hindu attacks and bigotry so that

we are victorious.