Sanatana Dharma Believes That Reforms Are for Everyone

In English, there is a word — incorrigible. Someone who can never be reformed. Transformed.
But is there an equivalent to this word in Sanskrit? I doubt.
Because we don't believe in this — that a person can never be reformed or transformed.

One of the primary slogans of Sanatana Dharma is Asato ma sadgamaya — going from asat to sat.
Sanatana Dharma doesn't believe in status quo.
Sanatana Dharma is all about reforms, about transformation.

If there is something that does not change in Sanatana Dharma, it is this constant transformation.
A true follower of Sanatana Dharma reforms himself every day. Transforms himself every moment. Progresses every moment.

So concepts like This is what I am, This is how I am, Oh, he will never change — these are not acceptable in Sanatana Dharma.

Look at Valmiki — he was brought up by hunters. He used to steal.
Once in the forest, he saw some sages walking by. He started running after them.
They asked him, 'Why are you coming towards us?'
Valmiki said, 'My wife and children — they are hungry, they don't have proper clothes. I have come to snatch from you whatever you have.'

The sages said, 'First you do one thing. Go and ask your wife and children — will they also partake the sin you are going to incur by stealing?'
Valmiki went home and asked them. They said, 'No. Why should we? It is your duty to take care of us. Why should we share your papa?'

Valmiki was taken aback. He came back and fell at the feet of the sages.
He developed vairagya. 'Please help. I don't want to be like this anymore.'

The sages asked him to start chanting — mara mara.
He was to sit at one place and do this till the time they returned.
Valmiki obeyed them. He kept on chanting — mara mara...

A termite mound covered him.
Termite mound is called valmeeka in Sanskrit.
When the sages came back after a few years, they found this valmeeka, broke it open.
They found the hunter sitting inside, still chanting mara mara.
He was completely transformed. He became a sage himself.
Valmiki name is because of this valmeeka.

Rishi Narada was an ordinary boy. His mother was a maid at a Brahmin’s house.
Once a few mahatmas had come there. They stayed in that house and were doing Bhagavata Katha.
Narada used to listen to them. He ate whatever was left out after they had their food.
He served them with dedication. Jnana started developing in him.

When the mahatmas left, they planted in him the seed of bhakti and also taught him how to get darshan of Shri Hari.
He got a glimpse of Shri Hari and completely dedicated himself to His service.
He kept on progressing and he could get sameepya of Shri Hari whenever he desired.
He could walk into Vaikuntha whenever he wanted.

Continuous, constant progress. Never static. This is what Sanatana Dharma gives.
This is the benefit of satsanga — listening to noble words.

Sage Agastya says he acquired nobility by being in the company of Vasishta Maharshi.
Agastya is called Kumbhodbhava because he was born out of a kumbha which was installed during a yajna conducted by the divine pair — Mitra-Varuna.
Vasishta Maharshi was inside that kumbha in a sukshma form.
And because of his satsanga, Agastya Maharshi became a great sage.

So everyone in Sanatana Dharma — you see that they have progressed, they have transformed.
It is not that Narada Maharshi was born a sage, Agastya was born a sage.
They have all progressed — by being in the company of noble people, by learning from noble people.

We believe that anyone can reform. Everyone can reform.
Terms like incorrigible are not there in our dictionary.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi