Some of the posts in this thread reminded me of similar words I have seen somewhere before, but couldn't place them immediately. Fished this out from my old notes: [Just a warning : not saying my own words for a change - please don't take this as a show of my erudition, even if you do please don't find it sweet
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Sir John Strachey in 1880, “This is the first and foremost thing to learn about India that there is not, and never was an India, or even any country of India possessing, according to European ideas, any sort of unity – physical, political, social and religious, no Indian nation, no ‘people of India’, of which we hear so much”. [Scholars like Sir John Seeley saw in Brahmanism the seed of Indian nationalism though (Expansion of England, London, 1882)].
Rajnarain Bose (1826-1899), Nabagopal Mitra, Bankim Chandra Chatterji (1838-1894) were the earliest "dissenters". MKG from SA, in 1909, wrote in “Hind Swaraj”: “The English have taught us that we were not a nation before and it will require centuries before we became one nation. This is without foundation. We were one nation before they came to India. One thought inspired us. Our mode of life was the same. It was because we were one nation that they were able to establish one kingdom.” (M. K. Gandhi-Hindu Dharma, Ahmedabad, 1950, p. 56).
The same year, young historian Radha Kumud Mookerji read a paper before the Dawn Society, Calcutta, presenting his "scientific" findings on the "Fundamental Unity of India". An expanded form of this essay was published from London in 1913. Bipin Chandra Pal wrote in 1912, in his monthly journal, ‘The Hindu Review’ under the title ‘Hindu Nationalism: What It Stands For’ followed by an other article ‘Nationalism and Politics’ in May 1913. His thesis was that European nationalism, being isolationist and materialist in nature was anti-humanity, while the Indian nationalism represented a higher stage of group consciousness and was a positive step towards human brotherhood and spirituality. In his own words, Hindu nationalism stood for – “God, Humanity and the Motherland” (B.C. Pal, Nationality and Empire, Calcutta, 1916. pp. 22-48 and pp. 73-112).
Sukumar Dutt wrote “A mind free from western conception of nationality is absolutely necessary to comprehend the problems of Indian Nationality” (p.18) because “it is difficult for a western mind to grasp the order of the ideas, unknown in European history, which has evolved this unique conception of the spiritual unity of India.” (Problems of Indian Nationality, Calcutta, 1926, p.17)
Lest the "nastikas" here, (those who do not believe in the existence of any "nation" of Indians in the past) throw all these into the "garbage heap" as "Hindu fundamentalists" living in their "dream world", there are people who cannot fit the bill of "Hindu revivalism" by any stretch of imagination holding similar views on nationalism.
Ramsay Muir, G.P. Gooch, MacDougall rejected the old definition based on five unities. MacDougall defined it as a ‘group consciousness’ (The Group Mind, London, 1920, p.100). G.P Gooch (Nationalism, London 1920) was more explicit, “The core of nationalism is group consciousness[....]. neither the occupation of a well defined area, nor community of race, language, religion, government or economic interests are indispensable to national self-consciousness” (p. 5-6). Ramsay Muir wrote “Nationality, then, is an elusive idea, difficult to define[….] Its essence is a sentiment”. (Nationalism and Internationalism, London, 1919).
Carlton J.H. Hayes concludes in his 'Nationalism: A religion' (New York, 1960): "In simplest terms nationalism may be defined as a fusion of patriotism with a consciousness of nationality" (p. 2) and that "A nationality receives its impress, its character, its individuality from cultural and historical forces" (p. 3). He further wrote, "historical tradition mean an accumulation of remembered or imagined experiences of the past" (p. 4). He defined patriotism 'as a peoples' territorial past, its ancestral soil, involving a popular, sentimental regard for a homeland where one's forefathers lived and are buried or cremated" (p. 4).
Rejecting the nineteenth Century belief that nationalism was a political phenomenon and the existence of State was a prerequisite in nation-formation, Hayes said, “If we are to grasp what a nationality is, we must avoid confusing it with state or nation” (p. 6). Accepting the idea of cultural nationalism, Hayes wrote, “Cultural nationalism may exist with or without political nationalism. For, nationalities can do and exist for fairly long periods without political unity and independence.” (ibid)
Hans Kohn, concludes that the nature of the processes of nation formation in Europe and Asia was not the same. In Europe ‘state’ was mainly instrumental in nation formation, while in Asia nationalism had cultural origins. Even political unity of Germany and Italy was preceded by vigorous intellectual and cultural movements led by Herder, Goethe and Kant. Mazzini. Regarding patriotism, Hayes writes, “Loyalty to familiar places is relatively natural, but it requires artificial effort-purposeful conscious education and training to render men loyal to the sum total of places unfamiliar as well as familiar in an entire country inhabited by his nationality” (p. 9). That means that the spirit of patriotism and national consciousness does not permeate all sections of the population in the same degree at a given point of time. To quote Hayes again, "only through an intensive and extensive educational process will a local group of people become thoroughly aware of their entire nationality and supremely loyal to it" (p. 10).
Every Purana text contains a section called Bhuvan Kosh, in which the boundaries of the land called Bharatavarsha are clearly defined and its progeny is given a common name Bharati. A list of all the Janapadas scattered all over the country is given alongwith the lists of rivers and mountains. A smaller list of seven holy rivers, mountains and cities symbolizing the unity of the land are given there. These slokas were meant for daily recital. List of "punyasthan" or tirthas are explicitly given in the Puranas as well as Mahabharata. These pilgrim centers cover the whole land.
This devotion to the land is not confined to its physical or material aspect only. Vishnu Purana states that the gods in heaven also feel envious of those who are born in the land of Bharatavarsha because the gods after the expiry of their merits will have to take rebirth on the earth while those born in Bharata will be able to transcend the cycle of rebirth. Chapter 9 of the Bhishmaparva in Mahabharata describes Bharatavarsha. While singing the greatness of Bharatavarsha the narrator gives a long list of ancient kings who loved this land - combining the very modern elements of "patriotism, love of the land".
Thus, we find that all the ingredients of the group consciousness called nationalism are present here. This consciousness of the geographical unity exists in the Samkalpa mantra meant to be part of daily prayers and was recited at the beginning of every sacred act or ritual. Dr. Radha Kumud Mookerji goes to the extent “India was preaching the gospel of nationalism when Europe was passing through what has been aptly called the Dark Age of her history, and was labouring under the travails of a new birth". (Nationalism in Hindu Culture, London 1921, 2nd Edition 1957, p. 47)
Asokan inscriptions use a common dialect and script with minor regional variations addressed to the "commons". They use the term Jambudvipa. Samkalpa mantra treats Bharat Khande or Varsh as a part of Jambudvipa. Kautilya Arthashastra of 4th Century B.C. while defining the territory to be conquered by a Chakravarti King defines it as the land between the Himalayas and the ocean from north to south and eight thousand miles from east to west. (Book 9, Chapter 1, Prakarana 135-136 -R.D.Shyamasastry). Dr. R.K. Mookerji believes that the conception of a single power dominating the whole country had not originated with Chandragupta Maurya or Kautilya rather it must have been much older then Chandragupta, Aitreya Brahmana (VIII 15) also presents the same ideal, i.e. there should be one ruler of this Prithvi upto the seas.
In both the above references the word Prithvi has been used as the name of the country. In Mahagovindsutta of Digha Nikaya (considered the oldest portion of Tripitakakas) "Maha Prithvi" name has been given to the land whose shape has been compared with that of a bullock cart which happens to be rectangular in the north and conical in the south. (Rahul Sankrityayana in Hindi had identified this with Bharat). Obviously, the word Prithvi could not have been used for the whole earth beyond Bharatavarsha.
The Prithvi Sukta of Atharva Veda (XII.I) uses the common word Bhoomi for land, but uses Prithvi for that particular territory which was later called Jambudivpa or Bharatavarsha. Here, Prithvi is clearly identified with the Vedic history and culture. This Sukta says that this is the land where our ancestors displayed their valour, where gods defeated the Asuras; where our gods Ashwinis, Vishnu and Indra, the husband of Shachi performed their divine feats; it is the land where sacrifices are performed, for them altars are established, where our sacrificial posts stand erect where five classes of men (four varnas and fifth the Nisad) live; this land which is sustained by Dharma where we are protected by god Indra himself; where we offer ghee to the agni, who acts as our messenger to the gods. It is land where men offer their oblations to the gods in sacrifices and relish the remains of the sacrificial offerings. Here Indra destroys the enemies of gods - Asuras and the demon Vrtra. This is the land where pillars (Yupas) are erected for the Sacrifices and where the Rishis chant the mantras of Rigveda Samaveda and Yajurveda, where Indra is offered Somarasa. The land, where ancient Rishis sang divine songs, where they performed seven sattras with Yajnas and Tapas. This is the land where men move in their chariots and bullock carts on the roads where Sabhas and Samitis function in the villages.
Although the Prithvi Sukta does not give exact boundaries of the land, but the mention of Himalayas, Sea and Sindhu, the six seasons, the flora and fauna, agriculture and crafts all point to the land "Bharatavarsha". Prithvi Sukta uses the word "bhoomi" to denote 'land' while the word Prithvi denotes its name. Please read it in Sanskrit to get a feel of the emotion expressed for all the living and non-living attributes of this "land". It repeatedly reminds that this "motherland" sustains, feeds and gives refuge even after death. Therefore, this land is our mother and "we are her sons" (12th stanza), because it feeds us just like a "mother" (10-th stanza). Prithvi Sukta acknowledges different dialects and different norms of behaviour according to their own regions, but this motherland just like a "cow", "feeds them all with her milk without any distinction" (45-th stanza).
The opening verse of the Prithvi Sukta mentions those values and ideals which sustain this land called Prithvi : Truth, Cosmic Law, Initiation, Penance, Veda and Sacrifice. The name Prithvi, itself could have originated from king Prithu (supposed to have started agriculture on the land) indicating a conscious connection of civilization and culture.
Was there a concept of early geographical core? Manu Smriti gives four increasing spheres of influence. As the core, Manu Smriti (II. 18-19) states that the land between the divine rivers Saraswati and Drishadvati was created by the gods themselves and was known by the name Brahmavarta. In this land the code of conduct transmitted by the tradition in regular succession from generation to generation was seen as the noble code of conduct for all varnas".
At the next stage of expansion, Manusmriti mentions (II. 20-21) the name of Brahmarshi Desh which included the Janapadas of Matsya, Kurukshetra, Panchala and Shurasena. Manusmriti declares that the people born in this land were the torch bearers in the realm of human conduct and therefore all the inhabitants of Prithvi should learn the lessons in character and conduct from them (Manu II. 20-21).
The next expansion is named Madhyadesa in Manusmriti (II. 22), covering the land between Himalaya and Vindhya mountains from north to south and to the west of Prayag in the east and to the east of Vinsana in the west, (the place where river Saraswati is believed to have disappeared).
The fourth and the last stage mentioned by Manu Smriti was called Aryavarta, i.e. the land of the Aryas. It was spread from eastern sea to the western sea and from Himalaya Mountain in the north upto river Narmada in the south. This pure land is worthy of performing sacrifices (yajna) and the black antelope, the symbol of sacrifice, could roam there freely. The lands beyond Aryavarta are impure, i.e. not yet part of the cultural stream. (Manu II. 22-23).
The etymology of the word Arya also includes the meaning 'agriculture' as well as its use as a qualitative connotation denoting 'noble, respectable, higher' in the whole of Sanskrit and Prakrit Literature. Rigvedic "Aryanise the whole World", can mean a civilizational process leading to the spread of a higher culture. It is in this sense that the word Arya has been used in the earliest Buddhist and Jain tradition. The story of Mathav Videgh following the march of Sacrificial fire from the bank of the river Saraswati to the banks of the river Sadanira (Satapath Brahman) also proves that it was a cultural process and not a racial one.
MKG in Hind Swaraj (1909). "Our leading men traveled throughout India either on foot or in bullock-carts………. what do you think could have been the intention of those farseeing ancestors of ours who established Setuabandh (Rameshwar) in the south, Jagannath in the East and Hardwar in the North as places of pilgrimage? You will admit they were no fools. They knew that worship of God could have been performed just as well at home. They taught us that those whose hearts were aglow with righteousness had the Ganga in their own homes....But they saw that India was one undivided land so made by nature. They, therefore, argued that it must be one nation. Arguing thus, they established holy places in various parts of India, and fired the people with idea of nationality in a manner unknown in other parts of the world". (M.K. Gandhi. Hind Swaraj, Chap. 9, Hindu Dharma, Ahmedabad 1950, p. 56).
multiple 'nations' (not nation states) in terms of religion, of all things ?? 
