Education | Edu Correspondent

Motihari: Dr. Shyam Nandan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Hindi, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, presented a research paper at the two-day national seminar organized by the Institute of Indology Studies in New Delhi. The seminar, focused on the subject ‘Creative Contribution of Indian Muslim Devotee Poets,’ provided an avenue for Dr. Nandan to delve into the realm of eternal consciousness within the literature of Muslim saint Dariya Saheb.

Numerous Muslim saints and devotees emerged during the same period who, inspired by the essence of Sanatan

In his research paper, Dr. Shyam Nandan highlighted a significant aspect of India’s spiritual heritage. Despite the assimilation of various external ideologies over time, Sanatan Hindu Dharma remained distinctively resilient, preserving its distinctiveness. He emphasized that even though there were vigorous campaigns for the conversion of Hindus under the auspices of dogmatic rulers in the name of Islam, numerous Muslim saints and devotees emerged during the same period who, inspired by the essence of Sanatan, embraced the tradition of Indian spirituality and became a part of it.

Dariya Saheb, born in Bihar, holds a significant place within this uninterrupted lineage of Muslim saints, spanning from the medieval era to the present day. Although Dariya Saheb was born into Islam, his philosophical inclinations are more profoundly influenced by Sanatan Hinduism than Islam itself. This inclination is evident in his literary works. The literature of Dariya Saheb delves into topics such as Brahma, the soul, reincarnation, heaven, hell, illusion, knowledge, devotion, and more, all of which bear the hallmark of Indian Sanatan spirituality.

Dariya Saheb’s writings discuss the cycles of time

Dariya Saheb’s writings discuss the cycles of time – Satyug, Tretayug, Dwapar, and Kaliyug. He also speaks of deities like Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Ganesha, Lakshmi, and Brahmani, alongside the rivers Surasari Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. His discourse encompasses concepts like Jeeva (soul), Atma (self), Moksha (liberation), Brahman, sin-virtue, dharma-adharma, heaven-hell, and beings like Indra, Yamraj, and Chitragupta. The pursuit of salvation is discussed in the context of the harmony between knowledge, devotion, and love. According to Dariya Saheb, the ultimate goal of the soul is to attain liberation by merging with the Supreme Brahman. These themes evident in Dariya’s literature underscore the enduring consciousness of Sanatan.

This exposition of Dariya Saheb’s literature affirms that while he may have been categorized as a Muslim due to his birth from a Muslim mother and a converted Muslim father, he carries forward India’s saintly tradition by being an integral part of the continuous and unbroken stream of India’s original religion, philosophy, and spirituality. His thoughts are inspired by the consciousness of Sanatan Dharma.