Loving Ganesha: Chapter 22 (section2) - How to Become a Hindu--Hindu Katham Bhuyate

11-26-2003, 01:03 PM

font-family:Arial">Namaste all,
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font-family:Arial">The second part of chapter 22.from
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/books/lg/lg_ch-22.html
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12.0pt;font-family:Arial">Om Shanti
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font-family:Arial">Neil
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SIX STEPS TO ETHICAL CONVERSION
After
teaching Hinduism in America for more than fifty years, we at Himalayan Academy
have become expert at helping sincere
and ardent non-Hindus to enter the Hindu faith in a sincere and lasting manner.
Our decades of experience have resulted in the following six steps. This is
strictly a program of self-conversion. The motivation comes solely from the
individual, and the steps are rigorous enough to require continual demonstration
of sincerity.
font-weight:bold">1. Joining a Hindu community
First and
most importantly, the devotee mixes socially with and earns acceptance into an
established Hindu community. He worships regularly at the community's satsangas or
temples, makes yearly pilgrimages, performs daily puja and sadhanas within the home and strives to
live up to the culture.
font-weight:bold">2. Point-counterpoint
The
devotee undertakes certain assigned studies according to the Hindu denomination
he seeks to enter. Simultaneously, he makes a formal analysis of his former
religions, denominations, sampradayas
or philosophical systems. He then writes a point-counterpoint comparing
Hinduism with each such school of thought, carefully noting the similarities
and differences. Part two of this assignment is to complete a written analysis
of all former pledges or vows (such as those taken at confirmation), indicating
when and why each point mentioned in those vows was abandoned. This
point-counterpoint is presented to a Hindu elder for review and comment.
font-weight:bold">3.
Severing from former mentors
Formal
severance is required if the devotee was officially a member of a particular
religious denomination, such as the Catholic Church. If he did not formally
belong to any religious denomination or institution, he goes on to step four.
To complete formal severance, he returns to the former institution and attends
services or lectures for a few weeks. Then, accompanied by a relative or friend
as a witness, he meets personally with the minister, priest, rabbi, imam or
mentor. The devotee explains that he will be joining the Hindu religion and
wishes to sever ties with this church or institution. The object is to give the
minister the face-to-face opportunity to talk the devotee out of his change of
faith. If the devotee successfully conveys his sincerity to the minister, he
requests an official letter of severance, stating that he is no longer a member
of the former institution. The minister or priest may not give a letter, may
give a release verbally or may refuse to give any form of release. Even in the
latter situation, having declared his apostasy, the inner severance is
accomplished. In the case of the Catholic Church, anyone who adopts another
religion is automatically an apostate and not allowed to receive communion,
confession, penance or other rites of the Church.
font-weight:bold">4.
Adopting a Hindu name
The
devotee then proceeds to have a legal change of name. The new name is placed on
his passport, driver's license and all important financial or legal
instruments, including credit cards, library cards and bank accounts. Even
before formal entrance to Hinduism, the devotee is encouraged to begin using
his Hindu name -- first and last -- at all times.
font-weight:bold">5. The Namakarana Samskara
The
name-giving sacrament, namakarana samskara, can
be held at any Hindu temple. Before the ceremony, the devotee informs family,
relatives and close friends of his or her name change and intended entrance
into Hinduism. At the sacred name-giving rite, the Hindu name is formally
received, vows are taken and a certificate is signed, documenting the former
name and the new name, place of ceremony and signature of the priest and at
least three witnesses. Below is a sample namakarana certificate for this
purpose.
font-weight:bold">6. Announcing the name-giving
After the
severance and name-giving, the devotee publishes a three-day announcement in a
local newspaper stating that the name-change has been completed and that he or
she has entered the Hindu religion through the namakarana samskara. The devotee should keep a
copy of these announcements and all other documents related to the conversion
(such as letters from attorneys and elders) as part of a dossier verifying the
name-giving, as these may be needed in the future, such as when seeking
acceptance into a conservative Hindu organization or seeking permanent
residency or citizenship in a foreign country. Similarly, many temples in India
and other countries will ask to see the
passport or other appropriate proof of Hindu identity before admitting devotees
of non-Indian origin for more than casual worship.
THE CEREMONY OF WELCOMING HOME
The vratyastoma
ceremony ("vow pronouncement"), dating back to the Tandya Brahmana of the
Rig Veda, is performed for Hindus
returning to India from abroad and for those who have embraced other faiths.
One finds a wide range of converts in India, from communities such as the
Syrian Malabar Christians who adopted Christianity shortly after that
religion's founding, to the Muslim converts of a thousand years ago, to Indians
converted in the last few generations. Especially in the case of many recent
converts, the conversion is often superficial, and the return to Hinduism is a
simple matter of ceremonial recognition. In other cases, complete reeducation is required.
There are
many organizations in India active in reconversion, some motivated
by fears of non-Hindu dominance in regions once all Hindu. The Masurashrama in
Mumbai specializes in reconversions
through a Shuddhi Shraddha
ceremony, bringing dozens of converts back into the Sanatana Dharma each month.
Masurashrama founder, Dharma Bhaskar
Masurkar Maharaj, set a
strong precedent in 1928 when he organized the purification rite for 1,150 devotees
in Goa who had previously converted to
Christianity. About the same time, Swami Agamanandaji
of the Ramakrishna Mission in Kerala reconverted
hundreds to Hinduism, as did Narayana Guru. More
recently, two South Indian ashrams -- Madurai Aadheenam and Kundrakuddi
Aadheenam -- have brought thousands of Indians back into
Hinduism in mass conversion rites. Since the early 1960S, the Vishva Hindu Parishad has
reportedly reconverted a half-million individuals through Shuddhi
ceremonies all over India. The VHP activities are extremely
distressing to the Christian missionaries who, according to an analysis
published in Hinduism Today, February, 1989, spent about US$6,000 to win over
each convert.
It is
vital that reconversion campaigns are followed up
with continuing education, social improvement, community temple building and
priest training to create fully self-sustaining groups.
VRATYASTOMA CERTIFICATE
Below is
a vratyastoma
certificate that can be photocopied (enlarged) to document this purification
ceremony held at any temple. This sacrament marks the
formal reentrance into a particular sect of Hinduism,
through the acceptance of established members and the blessings of Gods and
devas invoked through rites performed by an authorized
priest.

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font-family:Arial">Loving Ganesha by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
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font-family:Arial">Web sites: http://www.hindu.org/
& http://www.himalayanacademy.com/
email: contact (AT) hindu (DOT) org
Himalayan Academy
Kauai's Hindu Monastery
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Kapaa, HI 96746-9304
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