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Personal ambition and disunity Hindu rulers never presented a united front to the Turks. They were intensely individualistic or clannish. That Jaichand refused to help Prithviraj against Shihabuddin is well known. What is often ignored is that they never acted in tandem. There were numerous revolts against the Turkish occupation in the initial years but they were all crushed because they were never co-ordinated. Had simultaneous revolts occurred with the various Hindu chiefs acting in tandem with each other, they would have succeeded in driving the Turks out. But uprisings were never co-ordinated because each chieftain was fighting for his own petty kingdom. If this was not enough, there was the overarching personal enmity with each other, which was not even extinguished in the face of the Muslim onslaught. Not even the destruction of temples in their own kingdoms would motivate them to cast aside hereditary or political enmity and unite to face the Muslim invasion. What else can explain the fact that Ramchandra Deo of Devagiri helped Malik Kafur to invade the south? Malik Kafur's army had destroyed temples at Devagiri and continued its iconoclastic campaign in its further invasions. Yet Ramchandra did not even protest. The four kingdoms of the south were enemies of each other. That the northwest of the country had fallen into Turkish hands and that the Turks had come to occupy the whole of northern India made no difference to them. When Allauddin had attacked Deogiri in 1296, his victory had been due to the fact that Ramchandra Deo's son Shankar Deo had taken the major part of the army to fight a battle with the Hoysalas. Thus fellow Hindus were to be attacked but not the Turkish kingdom of Delhi. When Kafur attacked the Hoysala kingdom, its ruler had gone to fight the Pandya kingdom. And when Kafur attacked the Pandya kingdom, the estranged brother of Vira Pandeya as well as the Hoysala king Vira Ballala out of his personal enmity for the Pandyas helped Kafur to do so[12]. Shah Jahan demolished the great temples of Orcha in front of the eyes of the captains of the Sisodiyas, Rathors, Kachhwahas and Hadas who stood docilely[13]. When Aurangzeb was destroying temples none of his Hindu nobles protested for fear of destroying their career prospects at court. The famed Rathor chiefs who prided themselves on their so called descent from Suryavanshis and Chandravanshis of myth looked the other way when Aurangzeb destroyed the temples of Mathura and Varanasi. Even after this destruction, the Rajput chiefs continued serving Aurangzeb and rose in revolt only when Aurangzeb coveted the throne of Marwar. The situation was no different in Indonesia. Raden Vijaya had founded the Majpahit empire in Java in a stroke of genius. He took advantage of Kublai Khan's attack on the then Singosari kingdom. When the Mongol troops were exhausted after defeating the native troops, Raden Vijaya made a surprise attack on the Mongols and defeated them. Thus was founded the great Majpahit empire in 1292 AD. If only Rana Sanga had taken the same action. But Raden Vijaya's progeny soon forgot his lessons. When the Islamic kingdoms were engaged in attacks on the Majpahit empire, its Hindu nobles used the opportunity to set up their own kingdoms and war with each other. While the Islamic kingdoms acted in concert with each other, they could count on the fact that the new Hindu kings would engage in warfare rather than co-operate with each other. And by the time the Hindu remnants of Majpahit realized the threat, it was too late. 4. Inward Orientation and the refusal to look outside Indian boundaries for threats The Gurjara Pratiharas made no attempt to dislodge the Arabs from Sind and believed that they would remain ensconced in those domains. That the Arabs were expanding their influence throughout the known world made no difference to them. Only the Shahiya dynasty put up any fight. It was the Shahiya king Jayapala who attacked Subuktgin in his capital.[14] But they received little help from any of the other Hindus. The fact that India escaped attacks in the 8th and 9th century from the passes of Afghanistan owes to the might of the Shahiyas who kept a constant watch over the Indian borders. With their downfall the borders were open for any marauder to come for rich pluckings. When Muhammad Ghori was consolidating his empire, Prithviraj Chauhan did nothing. He did not even gaze towards the west and preferred to fight battles with the rest of India. Had Muhammad Ghori been attacked while his power was in its infancy the course of Indian history would have been changed. In fact what is not known is that Muhammad Ghori turned towards Punjab only because it was being ruled by the weak successors of the Ghaznavids. The Chauhans could have dislodged them easily but their main target remained fellow Hindu kings not the enemy from the northwest[15]. As late as the 16th century, the Rajput kings had failed to learn their lessons. Rana Sanga invited Babur to invade India and then kept away. Sanga had the golden opportunity of attacking Babur while he was recovering from his fight with Ibrahim Lodi. But Sanga had fantasies that Babur would disappear after his fight. Three centuries of Turko-Afghan rule had not taught any lessons to the Rajput kings. Their foolish pride saw their subjugation and India's domination. The Hindu rulers refused to help each other against attacks by the Turks etc. Thus both Vijaynagar and Orissa were at constant warfare with each other over territory. It never occurred to them that they could or should undertake a joint front against the Deccani states or even the Delhi Sultans who were unpopular and weak. In fact Krishnadeva Raya could have very well emulated Rajaraja Chola and invaded the north. In his memoirs, Babur feared the intervention of this king in the state of affairs in northern India. But the south looked to the south or at the most to its northern borders and even able rulers were bound by their own limited paradigms. So internecine was the warfare between the Hindu kings that after the fall of Vijaynagar the last king of its successor state ran to secure the aid of the Adil Shahis who were the cause of the destruction of Vijaynagar. This was because his own Hindu feudatories were trying to rob him. It was when the Adil Shahis targeted him that he took refuge in Mysore. 5. Lack of Character The Rajput kings lacked the qualities of head and heart, which are so celebrated in Rajput ballads. Rank cowardice was the rule of the hour especially when Mahmud engaged in his expeditions[16]. Mathura and Varanasi did not even put up a fight and its rulers just vacated the city. There was no attempt to harass Mahmud while he was deep inside the Gangetic heartland. Had they even created problems of commissariat and hampered Mahmud's supplies, he would have been compelled to withdraw. A myth of victory had been created around Mahmud and the Rajput kings were whole hearted believers in this myth. In fact Mahmud only had to announce his targets and he could be certain that the way would be open. Vidyadhar, the Chandel king of Bundelkhand had formed a makeshift confederacy to punish Rajyapala of Kanauj who had failed to provide any protection to Mathura and Varanasi. Rajyapala was killed. Mahmud took it as a challenge and decided to punish Vidyadhar. He met Vidyadhar in 1020-21. Vidyadhar had come with a huge army but he lost his composure and ran away in the night. In the morning Mahmud found the field to be empty and had a free hand in destroying the wealth of the Chandela kingdom. Similarly, the Somnath raid had been announced a year in advance. Yet there were no military preparations to meet Mahmud. Rather there was an increase in pilgrim traffic as distraught devotees rushed to have a last darshan before Mahmud destroyed the temple. The only defence came from devotees, not battle hardened soldiers. In fact when Mahmud came, its ruler retreated without even offering battle[17]. 6. Lack of Vision Hindu kings had come to completely lack any initiative and vision. For the past thouand years or more our leaders have had their sights on their petty turfs. Never did they think of venturing out or setting up a new dispensation. Our religion and polity have actually seen no change from those days. The only change was brought by the Turks and Mughals. While Babur had the vision of creating a pan-Indian empire, none of the Rajput chiefs of the time even thought of creating a pan Indian empire or establishing a sound administrative system or bringing in much needed reforms. The lack of vision is also the greatest failure of the Marathas. They had the desire to fly the saffron flag from Attock to Kanyakumari but they behaved like little more than brigands. Instead of building an empire and spreading order, they were responsible for far greater mayhem. Like parasites they demanded Chauth and Sardeshmukhi which led to massive exploitation of the peasantry, but did nothing to improve the land and increase its productivity. They became such a menace that other Hindu rulers looked to their downfall. In the decisive battle of Panipat in 1761, most of the Rajput rulers stayed away hoping that the Afghans would defeat the Marathas as they did. Incidentally the same factors which secured the victory of Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori continued to play here. Bhao sahib was outmanoevered by Abdali and brought to decisive battle at Panipat in unfavourable conditions[18].The lessons of war had not been learned even after seven centuries. Even after the defeat at Panipat, the Marathas refused to learn their lesson. They made frequent raids on the Rajput kingdoms and left behind a trail of famine and destruction. In 1806, the Maharana of Mewar was so harried by the Marathas on the one hand and his feudatories, the Rajput chiefs of Jodhpur & Jaipur on the other that he consented to the murder of his daughter Krishna Kumari as the only way of preserving Rajput independence. Yet the Marathas did not care. Between 1806 and 1817, Mewar was ravaged so badly by the Marathas that it was reduced to a state of abject desolation. It was this selfishness and cruelty of the Marathas towards their fellow Hindu brethren, which pushed the Rajput chiefs to seek British protection which was accorded to them in 1817[19]. Fall of Hinduism in South East Asia The failure of leadership is strikingly seen in the fall of Hinduism in South East Asia. Let us examine the conversion of the Malay and Indonesian archipelago to Islam. The following account has been gleaned from the Indonesian time line[20] and an analysis of the defeat is offered. In the 1300s, Indonesia and Malaysia were being ruled by the powerful Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit empire but its influence was declining towards the end of the 14th century. In 1401 a war of succession began in Majapahit, lasting four years and the power of Majapahit begins to lessen. At this time, Paramesvara, a prince of Palembang ( a port in Sumatra ) was driven from Palembang to Tumasik (today's Singapore) where he founded the kingdom of Melaka. In 1414, Paramesvara converted to Islam. The archipelago depended on trade and Arab merchants with Islamic proselytizing zeal had been persuading local kings to convert in order to benefit from increased commercial ties with West Asia. A thousand years earlier, trade with India had brought Hinduism. Now with the ascendancy of the Arabs, Islam was to be favoured. But the conversion process was complex and protracted and took over two centuries to complete. Under the rule of Parameswara (who now called himself Iskander Shah) and that of his successors, Melaka's trading fleets brought Islam to coastal areas of the archipelago. But resistance to Islam was strong. In 1447 Kertawijaya, became King of Majapahit. He converted to Islam on the advice of his wife, Darawati, a princess of Champa (in what is now Vietnam) and began to spread Islam around the Javanese city of Surabaya. In 1451 he was murdered and replaced by Rajasawardhana, who hindered the spread of Islam in Majapahit. But Islamisation was occurring elsewhere with alarming speed. In 1456 Palembang in Sumatra turned to Islam while the Islamic kingdom of Melaka conquered some regions on the Malay peninsula and converted them to Islam. The nobility of the Majapahit empire remained unconcerned about these developments and remained engrossed in private power struggles. There were further disturbances in 1468 and many hindus left Java for Bali. In 1478, the Islamic kingdom of Demak was founded which began to make attacks on the Hindu kingdoms. The Majapahit empire was now collapsing. The decisive moment came in 1512, when King Udara, ruler of the kingdom of Pajajaran, a remnant of Majpahit attacked Demak with the help of the King of Bali. Majapahit forces were driven back and many more supporters of Majapahit fled to Bali. The process of Islamisation now strengthened in East and Central Java. Demak's rulers engaged in covert and overt missionary work in West Java to weaken the kingdom of Pajajaran and its alliance with the Portuguese. As a result, the local ruler of Banten, formerly dependent on Pajajaran, converted to Islam and joined Demak's side. About this time much of Java began to convert to Islam, including Banten, Mataram and Central Java, and Surabaya. In 1527, Demak finally conquered Kediri, another Hindu remnant of Majapahit state. Demak, with help from Banten, defeated Pajajaran and Pajajaran kingdom was pushed away from the sea. It was the only Hindu kingdom left on Java. However the rest of the archipelago had still not converted. Kalimantan, much of Sumatra and Celebes remained under the rule of Hindu kings. In fact the kingdom of Gowa in Celebes was aggressively expanding under its Hindu kings. But such a state of affairs was not to last for long. In 1565, Kalimantan converted to Islam while in 1579, the kingdom of Banten took the remaining part of Pajajaran in Java and converted it to Islam. The kings of the archipelago seemed to have recognized the state of affairs. In 1600 the Raja of Minangkabau area in Sumatra who had so far resisted converted to Islam. In 1605 the King of Gowa in Celebes converted to Islam and invited other kings to do the same. On their refusal to do so, Gowa attacked them and converted them to Islam. The turn of the century saw the revolt of the Hindus and the kingdom of Balambangan was founded in East Java. In 1633, the sultan of Mataram raided east Java. The kingdom asked the Dutch for help but was refused. Balambangan then asked the King of Gelgel in Bali for help. Initially the sultan was defeated but he managed to conquer it. Balinese forces retook the area in 1647, but their power was weakened in 1660 when the Balinese kingdom split into nine states. And their influence on Java ended. This pulled down the curtain on Hinduism in Indonesia. Hindus would now be confined to Bali and a portion of Lombok island. Unlike India where Islam was imposed by foreign conquerors, local princes converted to Islam especially in the coastal areas to gain wealth and power and then used Islam as a vehicle for their political aspirations. Why were the Hindus defeated? The answers are not hard to glean from the available evidence. As in India, Hindu kings refused to put up a united front against Islamic kings and remained ensconced in personal intrigues. While Islamic influence was growing in the coast, the Hindu nobility in Java was engaged in power struggles so that they failed to realize the seriousness of the threat till it was too late. Even when they acted it was largely in isolation, not in unison. The ruler of Balambangan took the help of Bali only after the Dutch refused to help. And the ruler of Pajajaran was abandoned after a joint campaign with Demak failed. Pajajaran existed till 1579 but received no more help from Bali. It was clear that Islamic kings were uprooting Hinduism but Hindu kings failed to raise a common front against the threat. By 1530, Java had largely succumbed to the Islamic states but there were powerful Hindu kings elsewhere whose support could have been utilized. No initiative was taken by the Balinese king to combine forces with the king of Gowa or Kalimantan or Sumatra. Nor did the Balinese take any initiative to move against the Javanese states in the 1600s when the entire island was racked by warfare by competing Islamic kings. The Balinese saw themselves as the heirs of Majapahit and saw no commonalities with other Hindu kings. It was the narrowness of the worldview of the Balinese which allowed precious opportunities to slip by. The final straw on the camel's back was the propensity of Hindus to retreat rather than fight. In 1468, 1512 and 1527, large numbers of Javanese Hindus fled to Bali to escape disturbances and persecution. This flight rather than fight response was a primary cause of the fall of Hinduism and its confinement to Bali. But this is not all. Islamic rule in Indonesia was followed by rapid Islamic missionary activity in which entire populations were converted often forcibly to Islam. But nothing mattered to the Balinese princes. It was the famed Hindu priest Nirath who had once been an outcaste for marrying a Shudra girl who came to the rescue. Nirath went on reconversion efforts to other parts of the archipelago and helped many of those who had been forcibly converted to return to Hinduism. But his was a solitary effort and he received no help. And when he became the target of assassination attempts, none of the Balinese princes moved to help him. Later when those who were reconverted by Nirath were again converted to Islam, the Balinese princes turned a deaf ear to their cries. How are the factors that defeated Hindus centuries ago operating today? Let us look at factors which have been identified as the cause of the Hindu defeat and examine their relevance for our times. 1. Lack of Vision The lack of vision is still apparent in the Hindu leadership of today. The 60s and 70s saw great interest among westerners in the Hindu religion. Yet the Hindu leadership never made any effort to invite them to be Hindus. In fact in many temples restrictions on non-Indian Hindus are still prevalent. And the Hindu leadership has done nothing to make life hospitable for anyone wanting to be a Hindu. The leadership will warn about the increase in Islamic population but will do nothing either to create conditions which would encourage Hindus remain within the fold or create a supportive environment for the integration of others who are interested in the Hindu religion. The Hindu Reform group has several Caribbean members, and several have complained that the RSS brand of Hinduism with its India-centric focus is not suitable for them. However the same blind policies continue. Suggestion: The RSS needs to develop a platform for Hinduism that is not solely related to India and reach out to non Indians as well as the Indian Diaspora in their own milleu. Many westerners would be interested in Hinduism but there is a real need to reach out to them and create a supportive atmosphere so that they feel welcome in the Hindu fold. There is the need to fashion a global Hindu identity than merely an India based one. 2. Inability to adapt to new methods The Hindu leadership has failed to adapt to professional skills needed in the world today. There is indeed a media bias against Hindu causes but the solution lies not in blaming the media but creating an atmosphere conducive to building relationships with the media. There is a complete lack of professionalism and public relations skill in dealing with media. The RSS consistently gives out press statements to the media which are absolutely terrible. Those who release the statements do not even know how to write and present facts in a cogent manner. Further, RSS members regularly write letters to the media which are filled with abuse and hate mail. Frustration and anger ooze from every sentence which only leads to further hiatus with the media as well as others. In the Hindu Reform group, I have tried in vain to request RSS members to examine the format and content of their letters. Some of us who work in the media have even offered to edit letters to be sent to the media by the RSS. But even the offers to aid have not been heeded. Worse RSS members regularly demonise Indian newspapers and then expect to be treated well by the media. Surely this is not possible. Time and again RSS members have been cautioned at my group about the need to present their arguments logically and create an image that was positive about themselves but no one has ever bothered to consider these words. Instead, it has been easy to target the media. Now I agree that there is a bias against the RSS and there is indeed a refusal on the part of the Indian media to cover events where Hindus have been at the receiving end. This was driven home to me when I was trying to raise attention on the tragedy in Bangladesh. Some of us wrote to Indian newspapers requesting that they take up the tragedy. One of our members who had contacts with the Birla family even got the owner of HT to request the editorial board to take up the matter. But the editorial seemed to have rejected the request since no such coverage was made. From other contacts I found out that it was politically incorrect to cover events where Hindus were victims and therefore the terrible tragedy would not receive the coverage it needed. And that turned out to be true. Having conceded the reality of a bias, let me now elucidate the failure of the RSS leadership. Every organization faces challenges and overcoming the challenges is a test of the organization's character. Instead of meeting this challenge, the RSS has not even evolved a strategy to deal with the situation. The RSS has been in existence for 75 years. This should have been enough time to allow it to train new graduates and get them to join the press. Instead a policy of opposing English was espoused which only resulted in anti-RSS people coming to the fore in the media. Further, the RSS/VHP do need to learn to adjust to modern realities and make use of modern tools. This is an age old Hindu weakness. The rajas who fought Ghazni and Ghori suffered from the same disdain for contemporary realities and refused to adjust to changes happening elsewhere. In contrast Christian missionaries get far more sympathetic coverage because they inculcate good PR skills and take pains to cultivate a positive image with the press. Even their disagreements with the media are never accompanied by slogan shouting, threats and abuses that characterize the RSS's interactions with the media. The refusal to look at methods has taken its toll in other spheres too. We are all agreed on the idea that the leftist orientalist view of history is blinkered and suffers from inconsistencies and inaccuracies. The proper way to have gone about correcting the leftist distortions would have been to convene a conference of historians and thrashed out these issues. Instead a controversy has been created and critics have been shouting about historical revisionism which has found sympathetic ears everywhere. The rajas of old never employed any professional soldiers as leaders of their armies and the same disdain for professionals continues in the RSS. None of its leaders have been trained in leadership. While Christian missionaries are regularly trained in leadership and management development skills which enhance their personal effectiveness, the leaders in the sangh parivar are left to their own wits. Unfortunately, that is not enough. Had they been open minded, the lack of formal training could have been offset by the inputs gained from new ideas seeping through other channels and a willingness to try and implement those ideas. However that has not been the case. Individuals get prominence by mouthing substandard abuse and have no idea of leading people to achieve a vision. A command and control mechanism seems to be in place which may explain why the RSS places heavy emphasis on obedience to elders. But such a leadership style is outmoded and will not work in the 21st century. Suggestion : The RSS must learn professional skills and employ professionals/train volunteers in modern managerial skills. The RSS desperately needs to learn to interact with the media to create a positive image not only for itself but its agenda. It must recognize its faults and be willing to rectify the same. 3. Inferior Leadership Strategy The rajas of yore never seemed to have employed any credible leadership strategy. They seemed to have attacked the Turks not with a view to win India's freedom but to be remembered by their followers for their bravery and for their ballads to be sung by Rajput minstrels. The same pattern seems to be visible in the RSS. The failure of leadership in the RSS is very grave. Let us review the Jhajhar case from the point of view of leadership exhibited by the RSS in this critical event. It is becoming apparent that the Jhajhar massacre was committed by the police who proceeded to blame the RSS/VHP combine. The ever critical Indian media found another stick to beat the RSS with and the newspapers were filled with details of atrocities against dalits committed by the RSS. Many individuals including myself believed these reports and condemned the RSS for a crime it did not even commit. What could the RSS have done in this situation? Could the situation have been resolved to the satisfaction of the RSS? Actually the situation was not only salvageable but could have marked a turning point for media coverage on the RSS. The RSS leadership should have immediately condemned the incident and offered an independent enquiry to clear the matter. The sarsanghachalak or someone high up in the RSS hierarchy should have also reached the spot as soon as possible to inquire into the incident and show sympathy with the victims. This would have demonstrated seriousness and resolve on the part of the RSS and built its credibility. Secondly, a quick and independent enquiry should have been held and its results widely publicized with special emphasis on the actual facts of the case and the guilty named. This would have cleared matters. Thirdly it should have instituted a case of defamation against the newspapers which made those baseless allegations and alerted the people to the campaign of abuse against it. Starting out with difficulty, the RSS could have turned the tables on its opponents and forever changed the nature of the spotlight on itself. But it did nothing. In fact it did worse than nothing. Firstly there was absolute silence which led all of us to believe that the RSS was hiding something. And then came the statement by Acharya Giriraj Kishore that the life of a cow was more precious than the life of a man. Acharya Kishore should never have made such a statement. It is highly insensitive. Surely he could have been more sensitive to the sufferings of dalits. Further, it suddenly 'proved' to all of us that the RSS was really involved in the crime and that it was shielding the guilty. It brought condemnation from all quarters as all the enemies of the RSS found another stick to beat the RSS with. This time the stick was provided by the RSS itself. There were so many alternatives available, any of which could have brought forth a new dispensation for the RSS. It could have used the opportunity to announce positive steps to protect the dalits and bring about a move to integrate the dalits more successfully into Hindu society. Had such a step been taken, even the antagonistic media would have been forced to accept that the sangh had done a good job. It would have been forced to re-examine its attitude to the VHP. Neither did the RSS take any effort to set up a transparent inquiry and bring the accusers to court. The result is that the image of the RSS as villain is firmly etched in public memory. There was a golden chance for the RSS to reverse stereotypes and bring laurels to itself. But the opportunity was literally thrown away and abuse deliberately invited. Neither is there any ability to think things through. Following the Gujarat riots, there has been an attempt to consolidate a Hindu identity that would transcend caste and class. Thanks to the findings of India Today (contested by others), there has been much chest thumping that this strategy has succeeded. I have two responses to this. The first is that a single election win cannot negate social contradictions. Even if the BJP wins, it will not solve social problems which have been existing in society. Will that lead to upper castes sharing power and resources with lower castes in the name of Hindu unity? Will dalits feel emboldened as hindus to live lives of self respect and dignity no longer at the feet of upper castes and feel free to engage in social interactions including marriage with upper castes of similar socio-economic background? These are extremely important issues to be addressed. More importantly it is important to consider historical parallels. Even a more united group like the Muslims have not stood united in the face of social forces. In 1947 almost the entire community united to demand for Pakistan and then let loose a reign of terror on Hindus in various areas of Pakistan. Yet in a few years the notion of Islamic unity had dissipated and linguistic/regional sentiments came to the fore resulting in the birth of Bangladesh. Now this happened to a religious community in which there is relatively greater freedom in social interactions among members of different backgrounds. Further, the Muslim identity is one that has been in existence for 1400 years and has been stressed upon by all Islamic clerics. When even the Muslims couldn't stand united in the face of linguistic & community identities, it is impossible to expect this show of unity to last in the case of Hindus who hardly even acknowledge the legitimacy of a Hindu identity. Unless serious reforms are undertaken in the Hindu community this sentiment will dissipate soon and take with it any semblance of the Hindu identity. Secondly, despite the so called hindu wave, Modi the newly acclaimed sardar of Gujarat has vacated his Rajkot seat because he fears lack of support from members of the Patel caste. Which Hindu unity are we talking about? Suggestion: The RSS needs to develop leadership and visioning skills and learn to work out appropriate strategies. It must constantly seek opportunities to improve its image and take constructive steps to further the Hindu cause. The RSS must strategise to achieve results and create positive vibes in the media rather than seek to gain publicity anyway. 4. Individual vs Ideology The RSS could perhaps be commended for the fact that it has been able to recognize the importance of ideology over individuality. Previously individuals acted alone and their actions were not effective. The ideology of Hindutva has been created with a view to promote Hindu unity and create a platform which would encourage Hindus to act together in common interest for the sake of Hindu dharma. The sentiment is highly laudable but there are several problems. Hindutva has been used to develop a positive self consciousness for the Hindu identity. In the process many hindutva supporters have attacked other religious traditions especially those involved in attacks on Hinduism. Unfortunately, this attack has gone too far. Now supporters of Hindutva refuse to look at the problems which are gnawing at Hinduism from within. Instead of looking at our own problems which induce Hindus to convert, Hindutva has focused on targeting other religions which provide the final and immediate inducements. It is because of such insensitivity that Hinduism is declining and people are joining in droves to leave Hinduism. The movement of people going out of the Hindu religion is a trickle which is fast gaining momentum and will become a raging flood if injustices continue. Suggestion: The RSS must seriously look at problems within the Hindu community than continue blaming other religions. Hindutva ideology needs to develop a perspective which allows and even encourages self introspection to weed out mistakes. 5. Inward Orientation The factor of inward orientation continues with the blind attack against westernization. Thus attacks on Valentine's Day have made it highly unpopular in urban India, but this has not diminished the popularity of this celebration. Recently the Indian Express carried reports of camps being held by the VHP for girls near Bombay. Apart from the military style training at these camps, the girls were asked to abjure from wearing jeans and western wear. What is the problem with jeans and casual western wear? Further, professional standards demand that all professionals dress smartly in western style. It is unwise for the RSS to hit out at professionals and professional standards. In any case the charge of western wear being shameful or titillating needs to be discarded. Recently there was a statement from information minister Sushma Swaraj that Indian films should not show kissing and love scenes. It is an attitude that has been endorsed by the RSS. But our leadership needs to remember that Hinduism has always been accepting of sensuality. The temples of Khajuraho, Konark and Vijaynagar have been decorated with erotic sculpture and are a reminder to the freedom of our society and the liberality of the attitudes of our ancestors. Surely that can be retained. In the ancient period, when the Greeks came in contact with India, both cultures benefitted each other. The westernization of today may be considered a second wave of westernization after the first one in the early Christian era. India gained much in the sciences especially astronomy, architecture and numismatics. Graeco-Roman lifestyles were also common. Yet these changes were readily accepted by our ancestors. Why is there so much opposition now? Suggestion: The RSS must work in tandem with current lifestyles and trends rather than blindly oppose them. Westernization is here to stay and is perfectly capable of co-existing with Hindu beliefs. It is important that the RSS differentiates between Hindu beliefs and principles on the one hand and Hindu practices (which in any case depend on time, place and culture) on the other. It is practices which need to be changed but not core beliefs. Any dogmatism in this regard will only result in Hindu youth turning away from Hinduism as many have already done. 6. Disunity The RSS needs to support the cause of Hindu unity. RSS members complain of the injustice meted to Kashmiri pandits by the media and the political establishment but in spite of being part of this political establishment for the past few years, they have not come up with strategies to redress these issues. When the Hindus of Bangladesh faced persecution, neither the BJP government nor the RSS took any cogent measures for the relief of these Hindus. The IDRF did raise funds to help victims but surely more could have been done to raise the issue in the international media and even in India. Similarly the Balinese Hindus continue to suffer at the hands of Islamic extremists throughout Indonesia. As pointed out in this article, many Indonesian Hindus have been forced to convert to Islam or Christianity. The RSS needs to become aware of the unique identity of Indonesian Hindus and the issues they face in their society. Nor has personal ambition been subordinated to a larger cause. The 'Italian dog' statement of Togadia is a prime example. RSS members seem to be taking to muttering street abuses in public forums in order to increase their own stock vs others. That there is a chasm between the old and the young guard is wellknown. But let me ask some hard questions? What is Togadia's contribution to securing relief for Hindu Kashmiri pundits? What concrete steps has he taken in this regard? There are none. Real work has been ignored for creating a hungama that will secure public attention and notoriety and help in the game of one-upmanship over others in the organization. Recently, Togadia gave a lengthy interview to columnist Tavleen Sigh for Indian Express. Now Tavleen Singh is a responsible journalist who has voiced her concern over Islamic fundamentalism and covered grievances of Hindus. If anything, she should have received a modicum of respect. Further, the interview was going to be published in a major newspaper so polite manners was a basic minimum guideline by which Togadia should have abided. Instead, Togadia was at his best or worst depending on one's framework. Several times he threatened to stop the interview and his demeanor was extremely insulting. In behaving as he did, he and therefore the sangh lost the opportunity to gain a fair hearing from a committed writer. Indeed it is because of people like Togadia that terms like the 'Ugly Hindu' are bandied around which also stick. The evidence left by the likes of Togadia is so overwhelming that even neutral people become anti-hindu. And his example is spurring others to behave irresponsibly. Recently another RSS leader in Bhopal who also belonged to the BJP disrupted a Buddhism meet. The leader entered the venue shortly after the departure of CM Digvijay Singh and started shouting that a pamphlet contained insults to Ram, Sita and Hanuman. The cry was taken up by BJP leaders who went on a rampage tearing up pamphlets and disrupting the meeting. Such behaviour is deplorable and can only strengthen the enemies of the RSS. In this context it would be well to consider Ramesh Rao's description of the RSS which he aptly described in his article 'Don't Coddle the Goons'. According to Ramesh Rao, “the RSS is a loose configuration of organizations with a tangled network of communication lines, a long history of poor conflict management, unwise exercise of patience at the wrong times and foolish bravado at other times, little control over truant members, and a plethora of affiliates, some of whose leaders have become power centers to the detriment of overall organizational efficiency and salience[21].” I couldn't have put it better. The same problem of disunity is also present in Indonesia. Allow me to provide the information in some detail. Following independence, the republic of Indonesia declared the principles of Pancasila. The foremost principle was 'Belief in the One and Almighty God'. This was followed by the Ministry of Religion formulating a definition of religion (agama) that required a sacred tradition to be monotheistic, universal and scriptural in order to qualify as religion. This step led to a wide variety of ethnic religions being equated with primitive animism and the hindu beliefs in Bali were among these. Such beliefs and their adherents became the target of proselytisation efforts by Christian as well as Islamic missionaries. In 1961, the Balinese religious leaders who had so far not identified themselves as Hindu unanimously declared that the Balinese religion was Hindu and received official recognition and consequently government aid from the Ministry of Religion after a long struggle[22]. Subsequently several other ethnic religions also declared themselves to be Hindu after Sukarno began to lay stress on loyalty to an established religion and to escape becoming targets of Christian and Islamic missionaries. These ethnic religions began receiving Hindu priests who were from Bali. Unfortunately the Balinese failed to respect local sentiments and began to impose a Balinese conception of Hinduism which denigrated the beliefs and practices of ethnic communities and proclaimed cultural and religious superiority for the Balinese. This has led to considerable resentment amongst ethnic communities which has not only prevented them from developing a strong sense of solidarity but also led to reconversion to either Christianity or Islam. Others have even advocated a separation of Hinduism. In turn the Balinese themselves were divided on lines of social status, education and sect which made Hindu unity impossible[23]. A further problem now emerged in the 1980s with the government of Suharto advancing the interests of Islam. As a result of this there was a massive cut in financial support on the part of the Indonesian state. Unlike Muslim and Christian congregations who received considerable foreign funding, the Balinese had none which led to the closure of several state aided schools and temples throughout Indonesia. If this was not enough, fundamentalist Muslims as well as Christians openly began to denigrate Hinduism. Forced conversions to either of the two religions have been taking place in government institutions outside Bali. As a result many Balinese have begun developing contacts with Indian Hindus which has been aided by the Indian expatriate community in Indonesia. Many modern Balinese have begun adopting Hindu practices from India since Balinese temple rituals cost much money as well as time. This has alarmed traditionalists in Bali as well as other parts of Indonesia and a clash is brewing. Martin Ramstedt, a scholar on Balinese Hinduism warns that the clash of traditionalists with neo-Hinduism “threatens to dwarf the future development of Hinduism in Indonesia[24].” In turn the Balinese Hindus feel shortchanged by Indian Hindus. Personal conversations with Mr. Ramstedt reveal that the Balinese have been put off by claims of cultural and religious superiority on the part of Indian Hindus so that the gulf between the two communities has not been bridged. In fact they feel pride in preserving the ancient rituals of Hinduism which did not even survive in India. Suggestion: The RSS must disallow its leaders from engaging in abusive language and behaviour as a way to gain attention. Such behaviour boomerangs on the RSS and the Hindu community it seeks to represent as a whole. Leaders in the RSS must be asked to take concrete steps to resolve issues rather than engage in shouting and screaming tamashas which are so popular today. Extreme care should be taken while engaging with members of other religions especially related faiths like Buddhism. Further, the RSS must reach out and develop links with Indonesian Hindus in Bali. This should be part of a larger effort to help Hindus facing persecution across the world. The RSS needs to develop strategies to bring about amelioration of their problems rather than cry about them. And Hindus across the world need to be given the freedom to develop Hinduism according to their local mileu instead of imposing a selective variation of India centric Hinduism on them. To conclude, it is high time that the Hindu leadership considered not just the historical mistakes but also the ones it continues to make today. The situation within Hinduism is becoming intolerable for several deprived communities and the leadership of Hindu organizations is only adding to the problems, not solving them. The mistakes of the past led to our slavery. The mistakes of the present will imprison our future. Bibliography [1]A.B.Pandeya, Early Medieval India, P.34-35, Central Book Depot, Allahabad, [2]Ibid [3]Ibid [4]Ibid [5]Ibid [6]Ibid [7]Ibid [8]Ibid [9]Ibid [10]Ibid [11]Ibid [12]L.P.Sharma, Madhyakaleen Bharat, p.131, Laxmi Narayan Agarwal, Agra [13]Abraham Eraly, Emperors of the Peacock Throne, P.507, Penguin India, New Delhi [14]L.P.Sharma P.48 [15]L.P.Sharma P.45 [16]L.P.Sharma P. 28 [17]L.P.Sharma P. 28 [18]Percival Spear, A History of India, P. 75, Pelican, London [19]John Keay, India Discovered, P.194, Harper Collins, London [20]Sejarah Indonesia Website ( Indonesian time line ) [21]Ramesh Rao, Don't Coddle the Goons, Sulekha [22]Martin Ramstedt, Hinduism in Modern Indonesia, P. 141, Indonesia: A New Beginning ( Edited) Satish Chandra Baladas Ghoshal, Sterling Publishers, New Delhi [23]Martin Ramstedt P.159-160 [24]Martin Ramstedt P.163

Sun Jun 8, 2003 11:28 am Islam: the Arab national movement Anwar Shaikh of Great Britain Interviewed By: Dr. Ranjit Kanwar (First published in the Chandigarh Times, India) R. Kanwar: We have heard your name in India, yet we do not know much about you. Will you tell me something about yourself? A. Shaikh: I was born in 1928 in a village near the city of Gujrat (Pakistan). Religion has been part of my family tradition. Naturally, I was brought up to be a scholar of Islam. To the best of my knowledge, it was my great grand father, who had embraced Islam. He was a Kashmiri Pandit. After conversion, he became an Imam-i-Masjid, a fervent preacher of Islam. My grandfather was conscious of his Brahmin ancestry, and resented if anyone spoke ill of the Vedas yet he could not return to his roots owing to the psychological grounding he had received over the years. In Pakistan, I was a teacher and then became headmaster of a high school. Though economically life was bearable, socially it was not. I emigrated to Great Britain in 1956. After initial hardships, I struck lucky. At the height of business success, I suddenly realized that I wanted to do some reformative work instead of indulging in money-making. It was in 1978 that I started winding up my commercial activities and am glad that I did so because it gave me a chance to re-educate myself, especially in philosophy and religion. Kanwar: I have read your book, "Islam - The Arab National Movement" which is becoming world famous rapidly. Did you write it to oppose Islam? Shaikh: Its purpose is not to oppose but to expose Islam: it is a serious work based on long research and personal experience. There is not one word of lie, insolence or intentional misrepresentation in this book. Since it is based on truth and nothing but the truth, it is an open challenge to those who use Islam as the tool for personal gain, politically and religiously. So great is the force and authenticity of this book that no Muslim scholar has come forward so far to refute its contents. Kanwar: Are you another Rushdie? Shaikh: I am being labelled as such. For example, the Urdu Daily Pakistan and Weekly Maharat of Lahore, have called me "a satan of much greater stature than Rushdie and Taslima," and the Daily Jang of London has described me, "a Rushdie whose writings are infinitely more dangerous to Islam than Rushdie and Taslima put together." The Muslim readers of the Jang have written to that newspaper repeatedly begging the mullahs and other scholars of Islam to answer my questions to "save" Islam but they have deliberately kept quiet to the utter annoyance of the believers, who are really worried by the contents of "Islam - The Arab National Movement." They had demonstrated against Rushdie in every country through public meetings, processions, slogans and murders, but about my book they have wilfully observed a conspiracy of silence because they do not want the world to know the truth about Islam. This clearly shows that I am the exact opposite of Rushdie. His work is fiction based on insult to the Prophet Muhammad and his family, whereas my book is a serious work founded on scholarship, reason and research. At the most, Rushdie is an artistic protestor whereas I am a challenger to the very concept of Islam. Kanwar: I see. But has your book any relevance to India? Shaikh: My book has relevance to the entire mankind but it has especial relevance to India because before the coming of Islam, India was a prosperous, peaceful and proud country, which has not only been reduced to extreme poverty and ignorance by the Muslim predators and the Islamic rule, but has also been fragmented into geographical and political units. The book clearly demonstrates that, as Islam seeks to impose Arab cultural imperialism on other nations through a doctrine of divide and murder, India and Islam cannot live together. This book is a must for India. Kanwar: Do you realize that this book exposes you to serious danger? Aren't you afraid? Shaikh: Truth has its price which I am prepared to pay. I have not resorted to swearing or falsification simply to uphold the dignity of truth. Fear is a part of human nature and it will be wrong of me to deny it. However, I must add that by making me a martyr, they will sound the death-knell of Islam. Kanwar: It is a revolutionary book with profound consequences. What prompted you to write it? Shaikh: This is an excellent question and proves your competence as a journalist. Having lived in the West for such a long time, one day it crossed my mind why the white people love their countries but the Muslims of India hate their Motherland. There is no exaggeration in it because they think of Bharat not as their Motherland but Darul Harb i.e. the battlefield, where people murder, plunder and deceive out of hatred and greed. Having given this point further thought I soon realized that Islam was based on the doctrine of hating and murdering non-Muslims and reducing them to the status of political slaves. It is totally false to say that Islam is the ambassador of international brotherhood. Again, it is completely untrue that the Muslims of all countries are one nation. It is the law of nature that nationality is constituted by blood ties and geographical boundaries, that is, the homeland. A nation being an expanded form of family, is subject to the familial rules of identity. Of course, a person can adopt another nationality quite legitimately but it is an exception and therefore cannot change the basic rule. Calling Muslims of all countries as one nation is wrong because all these nations have their separate homelands with their independent interests and different policies. Pakistan was soon split into two halves, i.e. Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government of Pakistan in 1951 stopped entry of all Indian Muslims into Pakistan despite the fact that they were the people who had made most sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan; even more shameful is the treatment of Pakistanis from Bihar, who stood by Pakistan against the Bangladeshis. Muslim nationality is a myth which is extremely injurious to the non-Arab Muslims but highly beneficial to the Arabs. And this is what leads to the inevitable conclusion that Islam is not a religion but the Arab National Movement. Kanwar: Good Lord! Is it what Islam is? Do you mind explaining this point a bit further? Shaikh: The philosophy that lies behind Islam is stunning and proves the consummate political skill of the Prophet Muhammad: by declaring all Muslims as one nation and the non-Muslims as another, he created the Two Nation Theory perpetually setting Muslims against non- Muslims. Again, he stressed that in this struggle the Muslims would be victorious. This is exactly the theory Karl Marx had adopted after many centuries. Presenting his dialectical view of history he emphasized that all material progress owed itself to eternal social strife between the capitalists and the proletariats, in which the latter would win the struggle. However, Karl Marx did not show the mastery that the Prophet Muhammad did: by creating the Two Nation Theory, he subjected all non-Arab Muslims to the cultural imperialism of Arabia. He achieved this purpose with a mind boggling subtlety: he made Arab-worship the cornerstone of Islam. Thus, those who embrace Islam naturally feel inferior to Arabia as a devotee believes in relation to his Goddess. Kanwar: This is an unusual explanation of Islam. Can you tell me how the Prophet Muhammad raised the reverence of Arabia sky-high and made it an article of faith for his non-Arab followers? Shaikh: Here is a small summary of steps the Prophet took to realize his dream: 1. He declared that when Adam was evicted from paradise, he came to Mecca where he built the first House of God. Thus he identified Godliness with Kaaba, a Sanctuary of Mecca where God lives! Not only that, Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, also came to Mecca to rebuild the House of God! 2. For the purpose of imposing Arab psychological superiority on non-Arab Muslims, he decreed that they must prostrate five times a day facing Mecca. This is not only an act of submission to Mecca, the capital city of Arabia, but also proves beyond a shadow of doubt that God lives in Mecca; otherwise why should people prostrate in that direction? 3. A Muslim must not defecate himself or answer the call of nature facing Mecca. It is a blasphemous act in view of the sanctity of Mecca. 4. When Muslims die, they must be buried facing Mecca, which is the guarantee of their salvation. 5. To make sure that the Arabs enjoy economic opulence, the Prophet made Hajj an obligatory ritual for his followers. It is a pilgrimage to Mecca. There are countless Indian Muslims who sell their homes and personal belongings to undertake this journey. I can give many examples to this effect but it is enough to explain the real purpose of Islam. Kanwar: It does show the Arab national tendency of Islam; but the non-Arab followers of Islam do not have to adopt a slavish attitude to the Arab national Institutions to prove their Islamic faith. Do they? Shaikh: I regret to say, Sir, like countless non-Muslims, you do not know the master stroke of the Prophet. Kanwar: I have never heard of this master stroke before. Can you enlighten me in the interest of humanity? Shaikh: I am referring to the Prophet's declaration that Allah has made him the Model of Practice for his followers. It has come to mean that the Muslims must copy him in everything; they must eat, drink, walk and talk like him, even must look like him, that is, they grow beard like his, have a similar hair-cut and dress like him. This is what is called following the Sunnah, i.e. the Prophetic Model which is the guarantee of salvation. One can easily say that Islam has been designed to induce love and respect for Arabia. There are express commands of the Prophet, which state that a person is not a Muslim until he loves him more than his own father and mother. The idea is that people must be weaned away from their own nationalities and motherlands and attached firmly to Mecca. This is the reason that the Muslims of India call their own homeland as the battlefield and Arabia the fountain of peace and celestial glory. Now, it is perhaps, easy for you to understand why the Muslims of India partitioned their own Motherland for practicing the Arab cultural values in Pakistan (and Bangladesh). Kanwar: What is likely to happen if the non-Arab Muslims do not follow the Prophet in loving Arabia even if it involves unpatriotic practices against their own homelands? Shaikh: The Muslims must love Arabia because the Prophet did so. They must follow him as the Divine Model of Practice. This is what Islam expects; if they don't, they are sure to enter hell because the Prophet will not intercede on their behalf. Kanwar: What is intercession? Shaikh: This is the special power of the Prophet Muhammad. He will recommend paradise for his followers on the Day of Judgement. His recommendation is final and Allah cannot deny it. It is available to all murderers, rapists, arsonists, cheats, thugs, pickpockets and pimps provided they are followers of the Prophet. On the contrary, all Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, Christians will be cast into a flaming hell, no matter, how pious and God-fearing they may have been; piety has no meaning and value without believing Muhammad and the greatness of his homeland. Intercession is the climax of the Prophet's national wisdom. It is this Muslim belief which gives them the hope of free sex and economic abundance, and they feel obliged to kill in the name of Islam. This is why they are ever ready to stab their motherland. After all, caring about one's country entails sacrifices whereas the comforts of paradise are sweet and splendid. And it is specially so when they involve no moral responsibility. Kanwar: Poor India! "Islam - The Arab National Movement" seems to be the book, not only for every Indian, irrespective of religion, but also for every Pakistani and Bangladeshi as well. After all, they all belong to the Indian subcontinent. What have you done to propagate its contents? Shaikh: By writing this book, I have discharged my duty. Its propagation, I believe, is a duty of everyone. Kanwar: Will you be prepared to allow translations of this book into various languages without expecting any financial reward? Shaikh: I shall be delighted to do so provided such task is undertaken for public good and not as a trade. Kanwar: What is the price of the book and can people get in touch with you? Shaikh: The book costs 5 only and the address is: Anwar Shaikh, P.O. Box 918, Cardiff CF2 4YP (UK)

Islam’s Other Victims: India By Serge Trifkovic FrontPageMagazine.com | November 18, 2002 Adapted from The Sword of the Prophet: A Politically-Incorrect Guide to Islam by Dr. Serge Trifkovic. The fundamental leftist and anti-American claim about our ongoing conflict with political Islam is this: whatever has happened or does happen, it’s our fault. We provoked them into it by being dirty Yankee imperialists and by unkindly refusing to allow them to destroy Israel. But two things make crystal clear that this is not so: 1. The political arm of Islam has been waging terroristic holy war on the rest of the world for centuries. 2. It has waged this war against civilizations that have nothing to do with the West, let alone America. This is why the case of Moslem aggression against India proves so much. Let’s look at the historical record. India prior to the Moslem invasions was one of the world’s great civilizations. Tenth century Hindustan matched its contemporaries in the East and the West in the realms of philosophy, mathematics, and natural science. Indian mathematicians discovered the number zero (not to mention other things, like algebra, that were later transmitted to a Moslem world which mistaken has received credit for them.) Medieval India, before the Moslem invasion, was a richly imaginative culture, one of the half-dozen most advanced civilizations of all time. Its sculptures were vigorous and sensual, its architecture ornate and spellbinding. And these were indigenous achievements and not, as in the case of many of the more celebrated high-points of Moslem culture, relics of pre-Moslem civilizations that Moslems had overrun. Moslem invaders began entering India in the early 8th century, on the orders of Hajjaj, the governor of what is now Iraq. (Sound familiar?) Starting in 712 the raiders, commanded by Muhammad Qasim, demolished temples, shattered sculptures, plundered palaces, killed vast numbers of men — it took three whole days to slaughter the inhabitants of the city of Debal — and carried off their women and children to slavery, some of it sexual. After the initial wave of violence, however, Qasim tried to establish law and order in the newly-conquered lands, and to that end he even allowed a degree of religious tolerance. but upon hearing of such humane practices, his superior Hajjaj, objected: "It appears from your letter that all the rules made by you for the comfort and convenience of your men are strictly in accordance with religious law. But the way of granting pardon prescribed by the law is different from the one adopted by you, for you go on giving pardon to everybody, high or low, without any discretion between a friend and a foe. The great God says in the Koran [47.4]: "0 True believers, when you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads." The above command of the Great God is a great command and must be respected and followed. You should not be so fond of showing mercy, as to nullify the virtue of the act. Henceforth grant pardon to no one of the enemy and spare none of them, or else all will consider you a weak-minded man." In a subsequent communication, Hajjaj reiterated that all able-bodied men were to be killed, and that their underage sons and daughters were to be imprisoned and retained as hostages. Qasim obeyed, and on his arrival at the town of Brahminabad massacred between 6,000 and 16,000 men. The significance of these events lies not just in the horrible numbers involved, but in the fact that the perpetrators of these massacres were not military thugs disobeying the ethical teachings of their religion, as the European crusaders in the Holy Land were, but were actually doing precisely what their religion taught. (And one may note that Christianity has grown up and no longer preaches crusades. Islam has not. As has been well-documented, jihad has been preached from the official centers of Islam, not just the lunatic fringe.) Qasim’s early exploits were continued in the early eleventh century, when Mahmud of Ghazni, "passed through India like a whirlwind, destroying, pillaging, and massacring," zealously following the Koranic injunction to kill idolaters, whom he had vowed to chastise every year of his life. In the course of seventeen invasions, in the words of Alberuni, the scholar brought by Mahmud to India, "Mahmud utterly ruined the prosperity of the country, and performed there wonderful exploits, by which the Hindus became like atoms of dust scattered in all directions, and like a tale of old in the mouth of the people. Their scattered remains cherish, of course, the most inveterate aversion toward all Moslems." Does one wonder why? To this day, the citizens of Bombay and New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore, live in fear of a politically-unstable and nuclear-armed Pakistan that unlike India (but like every other Moslem country) has not managed to maintain democracy since independence. Mathura, holy city of the god Krishna, was the next victim: "In the middle of the city there was a temple larger and finer than the rest, which can neither be described nor painted." The Sultan [Mahmud] was of the opinion that 200 years would have been required to build it. The idols included "five of red gold, each five yards high," with eyes formed of priceless jewels. "The Sultan gave orders that all the temples should be burnt with naphtha and fire, and leveled with the ground." In the aftermath of the invasion, in the ancient cities of Varanasi, Mathura, Ujjain, Maheshwar, Jwalamukhi, and Dwarka, not one temple survived whole and intact. This is the equivalent of an army marching into Paris and Rome, Florence and Oxford, and razing their architectural treasures to the ground. It is an act beyond nihilism; it is outright negativism, a hatred of what is cultured and civilized. In his book The Story of Civilization, famous historian Will Durant lamented the results of what he termed "probably the bloodiest story in history." He called it "a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilization is a precious good, whose delicate complex order and freedom can at any moment be overthrown by barbarians invading from without and multiplying from within." Moslem invaders "broke and burned everything beautiful they came across in Hindustan," displaying, as an Indian commentator put it, the resentment of the less developed warriors who felt intimidated in the encounter with "a more refined culture." The Moslem Sultans built mosques at the sites of torn down temples, and many Hindus were sold into slavery. As far as they were concerned, Hindus were kafirs, heathens, par excellence. They, and to a lesser extent the peaceful Buddhists, were, unlike Christians and Jews, not "of the book" but at the receiving end of Muhammad’s injunction against pagans: "Kill those who join other gods with God wherever you may find them." (Not that being "of the book" has much helped Jewish and Christian victims of other Moslem aggressions, but that’s another article.) The mountainous northwestern approaches to India are to this day called the Hindu Kush, "the Slaughter of the Hindu," a reminder of the days when Hindu slaves from Indian subcontinent died in harsh Afghan mountains while being transported to Moslem courts of Central Asia. The slaughter in Somnath, the site of a celebrated Hindu temple, where 50,000 Hindus were slain on Mahmud’s orders, set the tone for centuries. The gentle Buddhists were the next to be subjected to mass slaughter in 1193, when Muhammad Khilji also burned their famous library. By the end of the 12th century, following the Moslem conquest of their stronghold in Bihar, they were no longer a significant presence in India. The survivors retreated into Nepal and Tibet, or escaped to the south of the Subcontinent. The remnants of their culture lingered on even as far west as Turkestan. Left to the tender mercies of Moslem conquerors and their heirs they were systematically destroyed, sometimes—as was the case with the four giant statues of Buddha in Afghanistan in March 2001—up to the present day. That cultivated disposition and developed sensibility can go hand in hand with bigotry and cruelty is evidenced by the example of Firuz Shah, who became the ruler of northern India in 1351. This educated yet tyrannical Moslem ruler of northern India once surprised a village where a Hindu religious festival was celebrated, and ordered all present to be slain. He proudly related that, upon completing the slaughter, he destroyed the temples and in their place built mosques. The Mogul emperor Akbar is remembered as tolerant, at least by the standards of Moslems in India: only one major massacre was recorded during his long reign (1542-1605), when he ordered that about 30,000 captured Rajput Hindus be slain on February 24, 1568, after the battle for Chitod. But Akbar’s acceptance of other religions and toleration of their public worship, his abolition of poll-tax on non-Moslems, and his interest in other faiths were not a reflection of his Moslem spirit of tolerance. Quite the contrary, they indicated a propensity for free-thinking in the realm of religion that finally led him to complete apostasy. Its high points were the formal declaration of his own infallibility in all matters of religious doctrine, his promulgation of a new creed, and his adoption of Hindu and Zoroastrian festivals and practices. This is a pattern one sees again and again in Moslem history, down to the present day: whenever one finds a reasonable, enlightened, tolerant Moslem, upon closer examination this turns out to be someone who started out as a Moslem but then progressively wandered away from the orthodox faith. That is to say: the best Moslems are generally the least Moslem (a pattern which does not seem to be the case with other religions.) Things were back to normal under Shah Jahan (1593-1666), the fifth Mogul Emperor and a grandson of Akbar the Great. Most Westerners remember him as the builder of the Taj Mahal and have no idea that he was a cruel warmonger who initiated forty-eight military campaigns against non-Moslems in less than thirty years. Taking his cue from his Ottoman co-religionists, on coming to the throne in 1628 he killed all his male relations except one who escaped to Persia. Shah Jahan had 5,000 concubines in his harem, but nevertheless indulged in incestuous sex with his daughters Chamani and Jahanara. During his reign in Benares alone 76 Hindu temples were destroyed, as well as Christian churches at Agra and Lahore. At the end of the siege of Hugh, a Portuguese enclave near Calcutta, that lasted three months, he had ten thousand inhabitants "blown up with powder, drowned in water or burnt by fire." Four thousand were taken captive to Agra where they were offered Islam or death. Most refused and were killed, except for the younger women, who went into harems. These massacres perpetrated by Moslems in India are unparalleled in history. In sheer numbers, they are bigger than the Jewish Holocaust, the Soviet Terror, the Japanese massacres of the Chinese during WWII, Mao’s devastations of the Chinese peasantry, the massacres of the Armenians by the Turks, or any of the other famous crimes against humanity of the 20th Century. But sadly, they are almost unknown outside India. There are several reasons for this. In the days when they ruled India, the British, pursuing a policy of divide-and-rule, whitewashed the record of the Moslems so that they could set them up as a counterbalance to the more numerous Hindus. During the struggle for independence, Gandhi and Nehru downplayed historic Moslem atrocities so that they could pretend a facade of Hindu-Moslem unity against the British. (Naturally, this façade dissolved immediately after independence and several million people were killed in the religious violence attendant on splitting British India into India and Pakistan.) After independence, Marxist Indian writers, blinkered by ideology, suppressed the truth about the Moslem record because it did not fit into the Marxist theory of history. Nowadays, the Indian equivalent of political correctness downplays Moslem misdeeds because Moslems are an "oppressed minority" in majority-Hindu India. And Indian leftist intellectuals always blame India first and hate their own Hindu civilization, just their equivalents at Berkeley blame America and the West. Unlike Germany, which has apologized to its Jewish and Eastern European victims, and Japan, which has at least behaved itself since WWII, and even America, which has gone into paroxysms of guilt over what it did to the infinitely smaller numbers of Red Indians, the Moslem aggressors against India and their successors have not even stopped trying to finish the job they started. To this day, militant Islam sees India as "unfinished business" and it remains high on the agenda of oil-rich Moslem countries such as Saudi Arabia, which are spending millions every year trying to convert Hindus to Islam. One may take some small satisfaction in the fact that they find it rather slow going. Serge Trifkovic received his PhD from the University of Southampton in England and pursued postdoctoral research at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. His past journalistic outlets have included the BBC World Service, the Voice of America, CNN International, MSNBC, U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Times of London, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He is foreign affairs editor of Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture. This article was adapted for Front Page Magazine by Robert Locke.

MAHMUD AND MASOOD GHAZNAVI In 1000 AD Mahmud defeated Raja Jaipal, a scion of the Hindu Shahiya dynasty of Kabul. This dynasty had been for long the doorkeeper of India in the Northwest. Mahmud collected 250,000 dinars as indemnity. That perhaps was normal business of an empire builder. But in 1004 AD he stormed Bhatiya and plundered the place. He stayed there for some time to convert the Hindus to Islam with the help of mullahs he had brought with him. In 1008 AD he captured Nagarkot (Kangra). The loot amounted to 70,000,000 dirhams in coins and 700,400 mans of gold and silver, besides plenty of precious stones and embroidered cloths. In 1011 AD he plundered Thanesar which was undefended, destroyed many temples, and broke a large number of idols. The chief idol, that of Chakraswamin, was taken to Ghazni and thrown into the public square for defilement under the feet of the faithful. According to Tarikh-i-Yamini of Utbi, Mahmud's secretary, "The blood of the infidels flowed so copiously [at Thanesar] that the stream was discolored, notwithstanding its purity, and people were unable to drink it. The Sultan returned with plunder which is impossible to count. Praise he to Allah for the honor he bestows on Islam and Muslims." In 1013 AD Mahmud advanced against Nandana where the Shahiya king, Anandapal, had established his new capital. The Hindus fought very hard but lost. Again, the temples were destroyed, and innocent citizens slaughtered. Utbi provides an account of the plunder and the prisoners of war "The Sultan returned in the rear of immense booty, and slaves were so plentiful that they became very cheap and men of respectability in their native land were degraded by becoming slaves of common shopkeepers. But this is the goodness of Allah, who bestows honor on his own religion and degrades infidelity." The road was now clear for an assault on the heartland of Hindustan. In December 1018 AD Mahmud crossed the Yamuna, collected 1,000,000 dirhams from Baran (Bulandshahar), and marched to Mahaban in Mathura district. Utbi records "The infidels...deserted the fort and tried to cross the foaming river...but many of them were slain, taken or drowned... Nearly fifty thousand men were killed." Mathura was the next victim. Mahmud seized five gold idols weighing 89,300 missals and 200 silver idols. According to Utbi, "The Sultan gave orders that all the temples should be burnt with naptha and fire, and levelled with the ground." The pillage of the city continued for 20 days. Mahmud now turned towards Kanauj which had been the seat of several Hindu dynasties. Utbi continues "In Kanauj there were nearly ten thousand temples... Many of the inhabitants of the place fled in consequence of witnessing the fate of their deaf and dumb idols. Those who did not fly were put to death. The Sultan gave his soldiers leave to plunder and take prisoners." The Brahmins of Munj, which was attacked next, fought to the last man after throwing their wives and children into fire. The fate of Asi was sealed when its ruler took fright and fled. According to Utbi, ".... the Sultan ordered that his five forts should be demolished from their foundations, the inhabitants buried in their ruins, and the soldiers of the garrison plundered, slain and captured". Shrawa, the next important place to be invaded, met the same fate. Utbi concludes "The Muslims paid no regard to the booty till they had satiated themselves with the slaughter of the infidels and worshipers of sun and fire. The friends of Allah searched the bodies of the slain for three days in order to obtain booty...The booty amounted in gold and silver, rubies and pearls nearly to three hundred thousand dirhams, and the number of prisoners may be conceived from the fact that each was sold for two to ten dirhams. These were afterwards taken to Ghazni and merchants came from distant cities to purchase them, so that the countries of Mawaraun-Nahr, Iraq and Khurasan were filled with them, and the fair and the dark, the rich and the poor, were commingled in one common slavery." Mahmud's sack of Somnath is too well-known to be retold here. What needs emphasizing is that the fragments of the famous Sivalinga were carried to Ghazni. Some of them were turned into steps of the Jama Masjid in that city. The rest were sent to Mecca, Medina, and Baghdad to be desecrated in the same manner. Mahmud's son Masud tried to follow in the footsteps of his father. In 1037 AD he succeeded in sacking the fort of Hansi which was defended very bravely by the Hindus. The Tarikh-us-Subuktigin records "The Brahmins and other high ranking men were slain, and their women and children were carried away captive, and all the treasure which was found was distributed among the army." Masud could not repeat the performance due to his preoccupations elsewhere.

We have been warned by our sheers and sages and it is also written in our scriptures. So, we do not need an alien prophesy. Morever we have better qualified psychics than the west. We can tell you when there would be eclips or when the tide would change without using any western instruments. So do not teach grandmother to suck eggs.

Yes, I agree with you. The coming generation should know the true facts of India's history. How India, particularly the north was conqured in the seventh century, just decades after the beginning of Islam, India was invaded by Muslims. In the tenth century, the Punjab was conquered by the Turkish chieftain, Mahmud. In the thirteenth century, the Turk Qutb-ud-din, invaded the Punjab and established the Dehli Sultanate which remained in power until Babur's invasion. Babur was a barbaric muslim moghul invader who was crossed breed between Mongolian and Timur. Still, the Islamic Sultanate did not protect India from Muslim invasion. In 1398, Timur invaded from the west and utterly destroyed Dehli. Although the Sultanate survived, Timur's invasion left the entire area politically shattered. All this happened because of disunity among the ruling prince of the states. They were only interested in having more concubines and enjoy the rich harvest of their states. They negleted the interest of the poor farmers and the security of their states and that resulted in easy downfall of India the Muslim and British invaders. So, the children should be thought the actual facts of history and who was the cause of such downfall. Now the polictcians are doing the same without realizing the repercussion of such an act. May God save India.

The central theme of the Upanishads is Brahman, called also Paramatma. It is a conscious principle. The word for conscious principle in Sanskrit is “caitanyam” The seminal sentence defining Brahman which occurs in Taittiriya Upanishad (II.1.ii) is “satyam jnanam anantam Brahma.” In English, this is translated as “ existence-consciousness-infinity. ( Existence, consciousness and infinity are not three separate entities; they are three words denoting the nature of the same entity.) The word, “ satyam ” is defined as that which is eternal and has independent existence. The word,“ jnanam ”, in this context, means consciousness. The word, “anantam” means infinity. Infinity denotes what is infinite not only in terms of space but in terms of time and entity. (In some places, Brahman is also defined as saccidananda.; it is a compound word consisting of “ sat ” which is the equivalent of “ satyam ”, “ cit ” which is the equivalent of “jnanam ” and “ ananda ” which is the equivalent of “ ananatam”). There are various Upanishad passages which talk of Brahman, the all pervading consciousness as being available for recognition within the intellect or the mind. The Upanishads also expressly state that Brahman is not only nondual (“advayam”) but divisionless (“nirvikalpam”). Therefore Advaita Vedanta says that the atma in you, in me, in other human beings, in the animals, the birds, the insects, the plants and, in fact, in all living beings, be they denizens of this world or the other worlds, i.e., even the atma in gods (“Devas”) and demons (“Asuras”) is one and the same entity. Brahman and Atma are not different. They are just two words for the same entity. There is only one unbroken, undivided, all pervading consciousness. ("akhanda caitanyam" or “Brahma caitanyam”) When the focus of teaching is on the all pervading aspect, it is generally referred to as Brahman and when the focus is on the original consciousness available in the jivatmas, it is generally referred to as Atma. When the focus is on the source of cidabhasa, It is referred to as Sakshi. It is the same all pervading consciousness that is available in the jivatmas. And it is this that is invoked as the unchanging, constant I, by a pratyabhinja vritti. When the minds of the jivatmas are superimposed in the ‘field’ of the all pervading consciousness, there occur reflections of consciousness in the minds. The minds have the capacity to receive the consciousness and reflect it, unlike objects like the table, just as mirrors have the capacity to receive the sunlight and reflect it. The reflected consciousness is called "cidabhasa", in Sanskrit. Without the reflected consciousness, the mind cannot perceive objects, cannot know, cannot think, cannot react, cannot recall and cannot imagine. (The qualities of different minds are different. Some are cheerful, some are morose. Some are intelligent; some are dull the comparison is that a mirror coated with dirt will throw a dull light on a dark room and a clean mirror will throw a bright light.) The mind, in turn, lends the borrowed consciousness to the sense organs and the body; that is how the mind, the sense organs and the body become sentient. It is the mind cum cidabhasa (technically called ahamkara) that expresses as the changing I. 2. Deriving consciousness from the Atma, the mind perceives the external world through the sense organs. While the awareness of the existence of oneself as a self conscious human being and as the same person, in spite of the changes which the body and mind undergo cannot be explained without the Atma, the perception of particular objects or entertainment of particular thoughts in a voluntary, selective manner cannot be explained without the mind. If I am watching the T.V. with great interest, I may be eating at the same time, but if you ask me later what I ate , I will not be able to tell you. Another proof of the capacity of the mind to select what it wants is what is known as the “cocktail effect.” And it is the mind which perceives objects of the external world, at one time, projects a dream world at another time and becomes dormant at a third time. Atma, the eternal consciousness, is there all the time, without undergoing any of these changes. If Atma alone was there and there was no mind, there would be permanent perception of everything together at the same time (which will be utter confusion) if we assume Atma to be a knower or there will be permanent non-perception, if we assume Atma to be a non-knower. Another fundamental tenet of Advaita Vedanta – indeed of all schools of philosophy in Hinduism – is that the sukshma sarira in which cidabhasa is always there survives the death of the sthoola sarira and is involved in transmigration from one world to another among the fourteen worlds (lokas) mentioned in Sastra and entry into different sthoola sariras in successive births (janmas). Associated with this tenet, there is the theory of karma. According to this, for the actions and thoughts of jivatmas they incur what are called “punya” and “papa” (merit and demerit) and have to undergo enjoyment or suffering in future janmas and, sometimes in this janma itself. Vide Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.4.vi – “Being attached, the (transmigrating jivatma) together with its karma attains that on which its subtle body or mind is set. It experiences (in the other world) the karma phalam (recompense for punya papa in the form of enjoyment and suffering) for whatever karma it had done in this world. When it is exhausted, it comes again from that world to this world for new karma. Thus does the man with craving (transmigrate)”. Kathopanishad II.ii.7 – “ Some embodied ones enter (after death) into (another) womb for assuming bodies. The extremely inferior ones, after death attain the state of motionless things like trees etc., in accordance with each one’s work – i.e., under the impulsion of the fruits of the works they have accomplished in this life; similarly too, in conformity with the nature of knowledge acquired.” Prasnopanishad III.7 – “ ….leads to a virtuous world as a result of virtue, to a sinful world as a result of sin, and to the human world as a result of both.” (“punyena punyam lokam papena papam ubobhyam eva manushyalokam.”) The punya papa account is a running account to which additions are made by actions and thoughts and subtractions take place on account of enjoyment and suffering and through further action and thought. The accumulated punya papa account is called “sancita karma”, the punya papa incurred in the current janma is called “agami karma” and the punya papa quota assigned to be exhausted in a particular janma is called “prarabhda karma”. In accordance with prarabdha karma, the jivatma’s next janma may be as a celestial or a god in one of the lokas superior than the earth or as an asura or some other denizen in an inferior loka , with different kinds of sthoola sariras ,or again, on earth, as a human being or as a plant or an animal or insect or microbe . Jivatmas and karma are beginningless. Therefore , questions such as “what is the cause of the first janma?” i.e.,“how can there be a first janma with different people being different in various respects unless there was a preceding karma?”, “how can there be karma without a previous janma?” are out of court. Only a theory of karma and rebirth can explain the phenomenon of prodigies or morons or babies afflicted with congenital diseases unconnected with heredity and the wide disparity in physical and mental equipment, health, wealth, joy and suffering among human beings. That is, if you say that a person is born and dies once for all, and that there is no rebirth, when a person undergoes enjoyment or suffering, you cannot explain it, because there is no punya papa for which the enjoyment or suffering is undergone. The other way, for the actions and thoughts of a person, the punya papa will hang in the air without reward or retribution. If you say that the Lord created persons with varying patterns of physical and mental equipment and comforts, enjoyment and suffering, then that would make that Lord partial. In Brhadaranyaka Upanishad,, IV.iii.9, read with Sankaracarya’s commentary, we get a logical proof of transmigration of sukshma sariras. The Upanishad says, “Remaining in the junction between waking and sleep, i.e., in the swapna avastha, the jivatma experiences this world and the other world.” This is how we get strange dreams of things we have never experienced. Dreams are based on impressions formed during the waking state, called vasanas. Even a baby has dreams. Where are the previous experiences for it to have formed vasanas? The baby’s dreams are based impression formed in the mind out of experiences (“vasanas”) of its previous janma. Similarly, on the eve of death, it is said, that a man has a glimpse pf his next janma during his dreams.. Another argument for the karma theory is the well known fact that the mind, though conscious of consequences wills evil; and though dissuaded it does engage in deeds of intensely sorrowful consequences. If there was no vasana of evil, since everybody wants only happiness, evil will not exist in the world at all. Apart from karma, there is scope for free will ( called “purushartha”) in human lives. Good action and good thought can reduce papa and increase punya. Whether free will or karma will prevail or to what extent free will can mitigate karma depends on the relative strength of the two. Since there is no way of knowing what one’s karma is, wisdom lies in doing good actions and entertaining good thoughts. One should not lose faith in the efficacy of good actions and good thoughts; good actions and good thoughts are bound to bring about a better balance of punya papa and, consequently, mitigate suffering and increase happiness in the present janma itself or in future janmas. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, fifth chapter, fourteenth section talks of the beneficial result of the chanting of the famous Savitri mantra in the Gayatri metre. There are various other sections in the Upanishads, particularly Brhadaranyaka and Chandogya, which talk of beneficial results of meditation on deities. We should extend this to good actions and good thoughts in general. What physical and mental equipment one is born with, in which set up one is born and what opportunities are available are determined by one’s karma. But, in any janma, how one develops one’s potential, how one makes use of opportunities and how one does action in and reacts to situations depends on one’s free will. Upanishads state expressly in innumerable passages that Brahman is nondual (“advayam”, “ekam”) and eternal (”nityam”); “nityam” implies changelessness; in the Bhagavadgita (Gita, for short), Brahman is specifically said to be changeless. ( In his Bhashyam, Sankaracarya says that , unlike milk turning into curd, Brahman does not undergo any such transformation. (Transformation is called "parinama" in Sanskrit). But we do experience a world. The world that we experience cannot be the effect or transe formation of Brahman. We can explain what is experienced only if we say that the world belongs to a lower of reality. So, a cardinal doctrine of Advaita Vedanta is the scheme of three orders of reality ( ontological statuses ) – “ paramarthika satyam” ( absolute reality), “ vyavaharika satyam” ( empirical reality ) and “pratibhasika satyam” ( subjective reality ). Brahman is paramarthika satyam. The universe comprising external objects and our bodies and minds is vyavaharika satyam. The dream world is pratibhasika satyam. Objects that are erroneously perceived in jagrat avastha as existing outside are also called “ pratibhasika satyam”. Examples are snake perceived on the rope, silver perceived on the shell, water perceived on the desert sand ( i.e. mirage), man perceived on the post etc. The position of the world vis a vis Brahman is compared to the position of the dream world vis a vis the waker, the position of the snake perceived in the rope etc. Cf. Chandogya Upanishad II.vi.1– “That (Brahman) created all that exists. That ( Brahman), having created that entered into that very thing. And, having entered there, It became the true and the untrue, Truth became all this. (“satyam ca anrutam ca; satyam abhavat”). The first “the true” (“satyam”), refers to vyavaharika satyam, “the untrue” (“anrutam”) refers to pratibhasika satyam and the second “Truth” (“satyam”) refers to paramarthika satyam. Orders of reality lower then Brahman are covered by the technical term, “mithya” All that is experienced but is not paramarthika satyam falls under the category of mithya. Mithya can be either vyavaharika satyam or pratibhasika satyam. Mithya is defined as that which is experienced but has no independent existence, E.g., If clay is taken away, there is no pot. The dream world is dependent on the waker. If the rope was not there, snake would not appear. Another definition of mithya is that which is neither totally existent nor totally non-existent. “Totally non-existent” is ruled out because it is an object of experience. “Totally existent” is ruled out because when the Brahman is known, the object is seen as unreal i.e., relegated to a lower order of reality. Thus the snake perceived on the rope is mithya. The dream world is mithya. Anything that is mithya is also called “anirvacaniyam” (that which cannot be defined) in Sanskrit. Whatever is mithya is a superimposition on a substratum. If there was no substratum, it cannot appear and when the substratum is known it disappears or is relegated to a lower order of reality. (When the word, “ satyam” or “ real ”is used without any adjective, hereafter, it should be taken to refer to paramarthika satyam and when the word, “ mithya” or “ unreal” is used without any adjective, it should be taken to refer to “vyavaharika satyam” or “pratibhasika satyam”, depending on the context.) According to Advaita Vedanta – indeed all schools of Hindu philosophy – there is a beginningless and endless cycle of creation, maintenance and dissolution or resolution, called “srishti”, “sthithi”, ”laya.” Cf. Svesvatara Upanishad I.9, where it is said that Iswara as well as jiva are birthless.) In each srishti, the variety and pattern of objects, the attributes of the bodies and minds and the events and situations have to be fashioned to suit the karmas of the myriad of sentient beings in the janmas they go through in that srishti. This requires conscious planning and skilful action on the part of the creator. According to Sastra, Brahman is eternal and changeless and It is neither a doer nor a thinker thinking with a mind which undergoes modification. Put in Sanskrit, It is “akarta” and “amanah”. ( Action involves change. Thought is also change because it is movement of the mind). If Brahman has to be a cause and the world has to be a product, Brahman has to change and when the product comes, the cause in its original form is no longer there. So an eternal, changeless Brahman cannot be the material cause of the world (“upadhana karanam”). Since the changeless Brahman is amanah, It cannot be the intelligent cause of the world (“nimitta karanam.”). So, the question arises, how does creation come? Advaita Vedanta says that in Brahman, there is, as a lower order of reality, an entity and power, called “Maya”. Maya is inert matter, consisting of undifferentiated names and forms. Brahma caitanyam gets reflected in Maya, to constitute an entity called “Iswara”. Iswara has the caitanyam aspect of Brahman in the form of reflected consciousness as well as the matter aspect of Maya. Therefore Iswara has in himself the capacity to think, visualise and plan creation and the raw material to evolve the objects of creation. Just as creation is mithya, Iswara is also mithya, belonging to the vyavaharika order of reality. Creation is only unfolding of forms with corresponding names (nama roopa) on a substratum. The substratum is Brahman, the non-dual existence, the sat. Sat does not undergo any change. The names and forms unfolded as a superimposition on sat, the substratum, include not only various worlds, stars, planets, mountains, rivers etc but the bodies of plants, insects, animals and human beings, gods, asuras etc. Iswara visualises and plans the creation, keeping in mind the requirements of the karmas of the jivas and impels Maya to unfold the names and forms accordingly. ( Cf. Svesvatara Upanishad IV.10 where world is said to be the form of Maya and Svesvatara Upanishad IV. 6, where it is said that Iswara referred to as Mayi creates the universe. That the word, Mayi, refers to Iswara, we can see from Svesvatara Upanishad IV.10 which says that ‘Prakriti said, earlier, to be the cause of the world should be known as Maya and the great Iswara to be ruler of Maya.) \) The world Mayi In the minds of living beings, the consciousness aspect of Brahman, (cit) is reflected to form cidabhasa. After the karmas of the jivas assigned for that creation have been exhausted through enjoyment and suffering, Iswara makes Maya withdraw the projected names and forms unto Himself in his aspect as Maya, there to remain, for a period, called “pralaya”, in potential or seed form. According to Advaita Vedanta, in our real nature, we are the very infinite Brahman. Maya has a two-fold power - (i) veiling power (“avarana sakti”) and (2) projecting power (“vikshepa sakti”). Through avarana sakti Maya hides Brahman, as it were, from us; i.e., makes us ignorant about our real nature as Brahman and through vikshepa sakti, having projected the names and forms which include our body mind complex, deludes us into identifying ourselves with our body mind complex. Consequently, we regard ourselves as limited individuals, different from other beings and take on ourselves the problems, the joy, suffering, fear, sense of insecurity etc. belonging to the body and the mind . Whereas, it is the body mind complex that thinks, does action, enjoys and suffers ( put in Sanskrit, is the "karta" and "bhokta" ,) we regard ourselves as karta and bhokta. Our transactions in the world, with this notion, result in our incurring an obligation to get rewards for good thoughts and deeds and punishments for bad thoughts and deeds in future births. In the course of enjoyment and suffering as reward and punishment, we engage ourselves in further transactions and incur further obligations for the discharge of which we have to be born again and again. Thus, we are caught up in the cycle of births and deaths and enjoyment and suffering. This is called “. Whereas, the macrocosmic cycle of srishti, sthiti and laya is endless as well as beginningless, individual samsara is not endless. When we understand that we are not the body mind complex but we are the infinite Brahman, we get liberated from samsara. ( In Svesvatara Upanishad .6, it is said that Jiva regards himself to be different from Paramatma, and gets involved in samsara) Thus, the correct goal of human life, according to Advaita Vedanta is one’s identification with Brahman, i.e., displacing the “I” from the body, mind and ego and putting it, as it were, in Brahman. the original pure consciousness, the existence-consciousness-infinity. At the macrocosmic level, Iswara is the conglomerate of the original consciousness, the real part and Maya, the reflecting medium and the cidabhsa, the reflected consciousness, which are the unreal parts (mithya). At the microcosmic level, Jivatma is the conglomerate of the original consciousness, the real part and the body mind complex, the reflecting medium and the reflected consciousness, which are the unreal parts (mithya). Owing to ignorance caused by Maya, we, jivatmas regard ourselves as limited individuals. When we negate the unreal parts of Iswara and ourselves, i.e., relegate them to a lower order of reality, and recognize the identity of the real parts, the identity of the original consciousness available in us and the infinite consciousness, we recognize our real nature as Brahman, the Existcnce-Consciousness-Infnity. This is called “jivabrahmaikyam”. Sentences in the sastra that reveal jivabrahmaikyam are called Mahavakyas. There are innumerable mahavakyas in the Upanishads. Four of them are famous, one quoted from each Veda, namely, “ Tat tvam asi ” ( Chandogya Upanishad – Sama Veda), “ aham brahma asmi” (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad – Yajur Veda), “ ayam atma brahma” (Mandukya Upanishad – Atharva Veda) and “ prajnam brahma”, (Aitereya Upanishad – Rg. Veda). Translated in English, the four mahavakyas would read respectively as “ Thou art That ” “ I am Brahman ” “ This atma is Brahman ” and “ Consciousness is Brahman”). 2. In the process of the teaching, we also understand, as explained above, that the only reality is Brahman and all else, i.e., the world of objects and our own body mind complexes are Mithya. This, together with the knowledge of “ jivabrahmaikyam” is expressed by the famous sentence, “Brahmasatyam jaganmithya, jivobrhmaiva naparah.” (“ Brahman is the reality; the world is mithya; jiva is Brahman, naught else.”) .The moment this knowledge is gained effectively, one is free in this very life. This freedom , liberation from the bondage of samsara, is called “moksha”. The benefit of this knowledge is unalloyed peace and happiness. The one who has gained the knowledge is called, “jivanmukta”or “Jnani”. 3. It is not essential that one should become a sanyasi to gain the knowledge. If one can go through the methods ( called “sadhanas” ) prescribed for attaining mental purity, calmness and concentration which are prerequisites for gaining effective knowledge and devoting sufficient time regularly and systematically under the guidance of a competent teacher to the study of the Upanishads and the commentaries, etc. even while one continues to be engaged in the duties of one’s secular life, one can become a Jnani. The world does not disappear for a jnani. But his outlook and attitude to the world become different. On the paramarthika plane, he has identified himself with nondual reality, the infinite Brahman. Since he knows that the world, including the body mind complex is unreal, he has no sorrow, no anxiety, no fear, no desire , no hatred, no worry. Cf. Chandogya Upanishad VII. 1. iii – “ I have heard from masters like you that he who knows the Brahman transcends sorrow.” Because the world is mithya, i.e., of a lesser order or reality and nothing of a lesser order of reality can affect an entity of the higher order of reality, jnani is not affected by anything, good or bad, happening in the world. In the dream, the tiger has mauled me. But when I wake up, I don’t find any wound in the body. I win a big prize in a raffle in the dream. But when I wake up, I don’t find my bank balance increased. Stain in the reflection in the mirror does not affect my face. The fire in the movie does not burn the screen. If somebody steps on my shadow, I am not hurt. Similarly, the happenings in the empirical world ( in the “vyavaharika jagat”) do not affect the jnani. 2. The freedom from disturbance from the empirical world is a psychological freedom arising from the knowledge of the truth and does not extend to the physiological body. The jnani has no sorrow, no anxiety, no fear, no worry, no craving, no attachment and no hatred. Cf. Chandogya Upanishad VII.i.3 –“I have heard from masters like you that he who knows Brahman transcends sorrow.” Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.iv.12 – “ If a man knows Atma (Brahman) as “I am this” then desiring what and for whose sake will be suffer when the body is afflicted?” Sankaracarya’s commentary – “ If a man.....knows the atma which is his own atma as well as the Paramatma – knows how? – as ‘I am this Paramatma’, the sakshi of perceptions of all beings, which has been described as ‘not this, not this’ and so on, than which there is no seer.........knower and is in all beings, and which is by nature eternal, pure consciousness and free, desiring what other thing distinct from his own Self which is everything and for whose sake, i.e., for the need of what other person distinct from himself will he become miserable when mithya body is afflicted? Because he as the atma has nothing to wish for, and there is none other than himself for whose sake he may wish it, he being the atma of all, therefore desiring what and for whose sake will he suffer when the body is afflicted?. For, this is possible for the man who identifies himself with anatma (that which is not atma, i.e. the body mind complex) and desires things other than atma and struggles and desires something for himself, something else for his son, and a third thing for his wife and so on, goes round the births and deaths and is diseased when his body is diseased. Bur all this is impossible for the man who sees everything as his atma.” However, the body mind complex with which the person who has become a jnani is part of the vyavaharika world and as long as that body lives, there are duties pertaining to it. So, if the jnani is a householder, he does not cease to perform the duties and obligations towards the body, the family and the society. He does his duties with purpose but without any desire and he accepts the results of actions, good or bad, favourable or unfavourable with spontaneous equanimity. The jnani is not dependent on anything except his identification with Brahman for peace of mind and happiness. This does not mean that he ceases to enjoy the good things of life, like good food or music or literature, but he does not have desire for them. That is to say, if it is there, he takes it and enjoys it , but if it is not there , he does not miss it. He may have preferences, but he has no need. If the jnani is ill, he will also go to the doctor, but he will do so without any anxiety . If his wife is ill, the jnani will look after her with compassion but without sadness or anxiety or worry. If the jnani’s son has to gain admission in a college, the jnani will also make efforts, but he will not be sad if he fails. If his son obtains the first rank in his class, the jnani will also be happy, but he will be equally happy if the son of a complete stranger, instead of his son, secures the first rank .If he was a poet, he can continue to be a poet. If hw was a musician, he can continue to be a musician. When he goes to a temple or church or mosque, he will also do worship but he will do so with the knowledge that he himself is Brahman. But whatever he does, he will do that, not for himself, but for the welfare of society or humanity or as an example for the common man. His efforts for himself will be confined to the barest minimum requirements of sustenance. Even while he is transacting with the world, the deep undercurrent of thought that he is the Brahman that is beyond the vyvaharika world will be there. The jnani is like the actor on the stage. Today, the actor plays the role of a beggar ; tomorrow , he may play the role of a millionaire. But he knows that he is neither a beggar nor a millionaire. Like that, the jnani plays the role of father, husband, teacher and what not, committed but unattached and never without the undercurrent in the mind that he is really none of these but he is the relationless (“asanga”) Brahman. 3. On the vyavaharika plane, anything that there is in the world is Brahman only, because the real essence is only Brahman and what we see as external objects or persons are only names and forms appearing on Brahman. Since the jnani has identified with Brahman, the essence of everything, he can regard himself as everything ; this attitude is called “ “sarvatmabhava”. For him, everything that there is his, everybody’s happiness is his happiness, everybody’s knowledge is his knowledge and everybody’s achievement is his achievement. This is not to be taken literally. Even a jnani can actually enjoy whatever falls within the scope of the antahkarana in the body with which he was born. Regarding others, enjoyment etc. as his is a question of attitude born out of the knowledge that all nama roopas exist on Brahman and he himself is Brahman.. Having this attitude, the Jnani has no sense of lacking anything, nor has he desire for anything . Cf. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.iii.21 – “aptakamam atmakamam akamam roopam.” Also Chandogya Upanishad VII.xxiv.2 – “Evam vijanan atmaratih atmakridah atmamithunah atmanandah sa swarat bhavati”. Since everybody is himself, he loves all equally and he has no jealousy or hatred towards anybody or fear of anything or anybody. He goes on teaching or working for the welfare of society peacefully and happily. In this connection, we can usefully refer to Brhadaranyaka Upanishad II.4.vi. “ The Brahmana rejects him who knows the Brahmana to be different from the Self. The Kshatriya rejects him who knows the Kshatriya to be different from the Self. Worlds reject him who knows the worlds to be different from the Self. The gods reject him who knows the gods to be different from the Self. Beings reject him who knows beings to be different from the Self. All reject him who knows all to be different from the Self. This Brahmana, this Kshatriya, these worlds, these gods, these beings and this all are only the Self (one’s own atma)” 4. To put it in technical terms, jnana phalam, the benefit of the recognition of jivabrahmaikyam, is twofold - (i) sarvatmabhava and poornatvam (from the standpoint of the vyavaharika plane), the sense that I am Brahman, Brahman is everything; so, I am everything – the sense of utter fulfillment and (2) asangatvam ( from the standpoint of the paramarthika plane), dismissing the universe as unreal, the sense that I alone am , infinite in terms of space, time and entity. The jnani thus has the choice of ananda arising out of the attitude, “ I am everything” or the peace of being relationless, the knowledge that I alone am, all else is mithya and nothing can affect me, the satyam. 5. Since the jnani has disidentified with the body mind complex with which he was born, he becomes free of the sancita karma pertaining to that body mind complex. Action involves physical and mental movement. Movement is change in space and time. Thought is also a movement, being a modification of the mind. Brahman being all pervading, formless attributeless and changeless is not a doer or enjoyer ( - to put it in Sanskrit, Brahman is neither a “karta” nor a “ bhokta”. ) An all pervading changeless entity cannot move and, therefore, cannot act or think. Since Jnani is identified with Brahman, he is free from the sense of doership and enjoyership ( “ kartrtvam and bhoktrtvam.”) .. Cf. Kathopanishad I.2.xix – “ He who thinks that he is the killer or the killed does not know atma. Atma neither kills nor is killed.” Action and thought done or entertained with kartrtvam and bhoktrtvam alone results in the accumulation of punya and papa, So, for the jnani, there is no agami kama, either. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.xxiv.3 – “Papa does not trouble him by producing the desired result or generating sin, but, he, the knower of Brahman consumes all papa, i.e., burns it to ashes with the fire of the realisation of the Self of all.” However, according to Chandogya Upanishad VI.xiv.2, like an arrow that has already been shot from the bow , the quota of karma out of the sancita karma bundle which has already been assigned to be gone through in this life ( “prarabdha karma”) continues to be there also for the Jnani. But even here, there is a difference. While the physical aspect cannot be avoided, on the psychological plane, the jnani is not disturbed. If something good happens he does not jump with joy. If something bad happens, he is not sad. He takes everything that happens on the physical plane as the prarabdha pertaining to the body-mind complex with which he has already dissociated himself and therefore there is no disturbance in his mind. The state in which Jnani continues to live, with a body mind complex with which he has dissociated himself is called “Jivanmukti” ( i. e., liberation in this very life). The disassociation with the body is compared to the snake casting off its old skin. Section 11 – Knowledge, the sole means of liberation According to Advaita Vedanta, moksha is obtained only through knowledge of identity with Brahman and not through any karma or upasana. Kaivalya Upanishad 3 – “It is through renunciation that a few seekers have attained immortality – not through rituals, not through progeny, not through wealth.....” (“ na karmana na prajaya na dhanena tyaganaike amrutatvamanasuh”). Mundaka Upanishad I. 7 “ ....Indeed those who consider karma to be a means for moksha are fools. They enter old age and death again and again.” Mundakopanishad I.9 – “.....These ritualists do not know the glory of moksha due to their attachment. Consequently these wretched ones fall down when the Punya is exhausted.” Kenopanishad II.4 – “Through knowledge is attained immortality” “ (...vidyaya vindate amrutam”). Also cf. Nrsimhapurvatapani Upanishad I.6. Cf. Brhdaranyaka Upanishad IV.iv.19 – “ Brahman has to be recognised by the mind alone. ( “manasa eva anudrashtavyah”.) “ “ Taittiriya Upanishad II.2.1 – “The knower of Brahman attains Brahman” (“Brahmavid apnoti param”) “The knower of Brahman becomes immortal.” Kathopanishad II.iii.8 – “ Superior to the Unmanifested (Maya) is the Infinite who is......without worldly attributes, knowing Whom a man becomes freed and attains immortality.” (“....Yam jnatva mucyate jantuh..”). Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.iv.17 – “....that very Atma I regard as Brahman. Knowing Brahman, I am immortal.” (“Tam eva manya atmanam vidwan brahma amrutah amrutam.) Svetasvatara Upanishad – “ Svetasvatara Upanishad III.8 - “ Knowing that Paramatma that is Pratyagatma, Sakshi, that is the infinite, that is all pervading, that is effulgent........men become immortal. For attaining this Brahman, there is no other means” (“.......na anya pantha vidyate ayanaya.”). Kaivalya Upanishad 9 - “He alone is everything which is in the past, which is in the present and which will be in the future. Having known him one crosses mortality. There is no other means for liberation.” (“..... na anya pantha vimuktaye”). Kaivalya Upanishad 10 – “Clearly recognising oneself to be present in all beings and clearly recognising all beings in oneself, the seeker attains the Supreme Brahman, not by any other means”). (.....na anyena hetuna”). “Moksha is only by knowledge”. (“ janat eva kaivalyam”). Cf. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad III.viii.10 – “ He...who in this world, without knowing this Immutable, offers oblations in the fire, performs sacrifices and undergoes austerities even for many thousand years, finds all such acts but perishable; he, O Gargi, who departs from this world without knowing this Immutable, is miserable. But he, O Gargi, who departs from this world after knowing this Immutable, is a knower of Brahman”. The same idea is expressed in different words in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad I.iv.10 . That knowledge is the means of moksha is also said in Svetasvatara Upanishad I.11, Nrsimhapurvatapani Upanishad II.6 (tam eva vidwan amrutam iha bhavati”) Svetasvatara Upanishad VI.17, Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.iv.14, Chandogya Upanishad VII.1.3,, Mundaka Upanishad II.i.2 , II.ii.8, III.ii.8 and III.ii.9 Prasna Upanishad IV.10 and VI.6 Isavasya Upanishad 7, Kena Upanishad II.5, and IV.9 (read with IV.7) , Svetasvatara Upanishad II.14, ,III,7, IV.17, and V.6, Kathopanishad II.ii.13, Isavasya Upanishad 11 etc.

Maya can be interpreted in many ways. But maya in Advaita philosophy is actually meant to tell us that nonthing in this world is perpetual. It keeps on changing and subject to perishable. But most of us take it to mean illusion like as though we are imagining that it is there but it is not there. That is not what maya means by Sankara. Does Hinduism consider the world in which we live as real or unreal? Hinduism considers the world in which we live as a projection of God and unreal. It is unreal not because it does not exist, but because it is unstable, impermanent, unreliable and illusory. It is unreal because it hides the Truth and shows us things that lead to our ignorance. It is unreal because it changes its colors every moment. What is now is not what is next. In one moment so many things happen here. Many new souls enter. Many depart also. Friends become enemies and enemies friends. The sun and the earth change their positions continuously in space and time, while the wind moves, the rivers flow and the oceans shift their currents. The people who live on earth are also very fickle. Their minds are never stable. Their thoughts never cease. They seem to live today and disappear tomorrow. While all this is going on in the whole wide world, at the microscopic level, millions of atoms, cells and molecules in the bodies shift and change their positions or get destroyed. The philosophy is very simple but difficult to follow. After all what is illusion? It is something like a mirage which misleads you into wrong thinking and wrong actions. This world precisely does that. It offers you happiness but leads you into the darkness of suffering. It tempts you with many things and when you run after them you find them to be unreal and incapable of quenching your thirst for stability and permanence.

Religion in India Today The sudden spurt in the publications of articles, essays, books, and reviews on and about Vedanta might create an impression in the minds of Westerners that the present day India must be highly religious. They may feel that Indians are leading highly spiritual and ethical life. Some may be desirous of visiting India on this account. But they may be disturbed to see the prevailing chaotic conditions; masses immersed in rituals and superstitions. On one hand they shall find a small percentage of people deeply engrossed in 'enjoyment' their riches, while on the other hand, many a visitor may be repulsed to find the slums, disease, want, distress, and poverty in many parts of the country. This may cause disillusionment in the hearts of sincere seekers after the Truth. Decline of Dharma in India: In fact, majority of Hindus living in India -about 750 million, do not understand, study, or practice Vedantic or Sanatana Dharma - eternal religion. The Indians, as with other peoples, also have no clear conceptual idea about their own philosophy and religion. The Hindu culture of ancient past, of Rishis and Seers, finds at best a distorted caricature in present day Indian society. As to the etiology of this state of spiritual decline, many historical factors can be held responsible. Six to seven centuries of Muslim and British foreign rule is one of the factors. This caused a great deal of deterioration in collective psyche of Indian masses. Probably some are still affected with slavish mentality and depression. Introduction of a particular education system by the British further alienated the masses from their roots in the ancient teachings of the Vedas and the Upanishads. Instead, the literate Indian middle class was pleased to accept materialistic philosophy of the West. Nature of decline: The Indians were losers on both the counts. First, unconsciously or by design, they were distracted from their beliefs in ancient religion which supplied everyone with some 'idol' to practice his/her faith. This 'idol worship' or 'image worship' was and is one of the most beautiful systems in Hindu religious tradition. It encouraged everyone - from a totally ignorant peasant to highly intelligent scholar - to raise his/ her spiritual and religious understanding and knowledge. Everyone had freedom to choose from various 'forms of God' suitable to his/her taste, aptitude, and level of spiritual growth. Hence, to worship a clay image of some goddess, or more formal worship of definite forms of Shiva or Vishnu, or still higher forms of spiritual practices like Yoga and meditation, all found equal importance in the Hindu religion. Many a great sadhaka - spiritual aspirant - went beyond the formal worship and rituals to seek the Truth - who I am - on the basis of discrimination and renunciation. The transient and illusory ever-changing world could not be accepted as the final destiny to seek, nor was it accepted that the solution to the question of one's real nature could be found by analyzing the secrets of external nature alone. In fact this world and worldliness - samsara - was seen as an obstacle to further human progress, and hence, these great scientists of spirituality - sages - gave up every sense-pleasure to seek transcendental absolute, unchanging, eternal, and blissful Reality. The same concept was understood to mean seeking eternal Love or Freedom, or to mean Liberation or oneness with God. Effect of Scientific Revolution: Secondly, in last two centuries, reason, rationality, and objectivity were to prove the ascendancy of science over religion. The western phenomenon of scientific progress led to the decline of the importance of religion in one's daily life and social interactions. At best, it was relegated to personal prayer and worship in one corner of the room, or an isolated Church or a temple. Religion was considered to be a hindrance for social uplift and economic progress. Sometimes even wars were fought to affirm individual superiority or authority of science over religion. The materialistic comfort, which the industrial revolution sought to provide, soon became the aim in life, not only for the rich but also for the poor. Hoping against hope, everyone tried to extract his/her share of riches from the tempting magic of science. No doubt, this zeal to improve upon one's power - physical, intellectual, and political - threw up many a genius to rise from poverty to richness, or to acquire exalted places as innovative scientist. But has it solved the problem of poverty, disease, want, and ignorance all around? It has not. Taken as a whole the world is always divided in a minority rich and powerful, and majority subjugated, poor, and exploited. For instance, science can and has provided better quality and better yield of grains, but has not fed every belly. There are more undernourished and malnourished persons than the well-fed or obese people. Science cannot establish the dignity of human soul, nor can it promote ethics and morality in a society. The source of values is the Self or Atman, and not the science. This is not to demean the importance of science, but at the same time we have to accept its limitations. Present Day Indian Scenario: Based on these observations, the religious-spiritual scenario of present day India can be summed up as follows: As everywhere, most of the influential Indian middle class is under the sway of 'scientific temper'; it worships science as more logical and rational than religion. The poor, ignorant and illiterate are still entangled in the web of superstition and rituals. However, unlike Western societies, the impact of 'scientific outlook' is less damaging in India. This is probably due to the rich Indian tradition of Vedanta philosophy and religious outlook based on that philosophy. In fact, there is no difference in philosophy and religion in India. The impact of science is seen as a way to improvement in religion, and not as antagonistic to religious beliefs. The Indians, unknowingly though, tried to place science as one additional tool to seek the Truth. This particular aspect is highly prominent and visible in the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, and therefore, Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda teachings and literature are full of very good articles, essays, studies, and books on the subject of science and religion. We can say that, still, as compared to the Western world, the Indian masses are more religious and spiritual in their outlook despite poverty, illiteracy, and superstitions. This is explained on the basis of the advent of highly refined souls in the field of spirituality in India. Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Lord Buddha, Mahavir, Sri Ramakrishna, etc. are but to name a few. One cannot find such large number of Seers - Rishis or Sages or Prophets - of Truth anywhere else in the world. These "scientists" have directly realized and experienced the Truth, i.e. Divinity of each soul, and have brought to earth these truths for the welfare of all in the form of the Vedas and the Upanishads. This knowledge of spiritual nature of human soul is (and was) the saving grace for religion in India. Today we have many active sects wherein sincere seekers are trying to realize these great truths for themselves and are also attempting to spread the scientific message of Vedanta all over. Some may appear less rational, others may emphasis and give priority to only one of the four paths to reach the same truth, viz. Yoga of knowledge, meditation, action, or devotion; but it is not fair to doubt the sincerity of these aspirants. Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission with its HQ at Belur Math, Swadhyaya movement of Sri Pandurang Shastri Athawale, TM of Sri Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Teachings of Sri Raman Maharshi, and Sri Aurobindo Ashrama at Pondecheri are a few sincere organizations from where the nectar of Indian Wisdom can be tasted. It is expected that the true and sincere seeker after Truth would use his/her discretion in selecting the path. It is also equally true that as the thing sought is God, the trouble to reach the goal will be immense - 'like walking over a razor's edge', as one of the Upanishad mentions. * Are We Religious? -- c s shah International Forum for Neovedantins

Acharya Shankara The Holy land of India was in the throes of spiritual darkness. The dark clouds of ignorance by way of excessive and selective emphasis on rituals and priesthood threatened to engulf the true spirit of Upanishads. Under the influence of so-called 'Kali Yuga', society was plagued with casteism, cruelty, and intolerable suffering inflicted upon animals as well as underprivileged people. Dharma was on decline. Material comforts and sensual enjoyment formed the basic aim in life; spirituality took beating in the onward march of crass superstitions in the name of religion. The cry of mass despair resulted in the advent of Buddha and Mahavir that filled the religious vacuum to some extent with their teachings of compassion and non-injury. People desisted from animal sacrifices and envisaged some respite from the tyranny of kings and their liaison with merchant and Brahmin class. Kings and the emperors adopted the new religion of equality, ahimsa, and compassion. For some time peace and prosperity prevailed in the land. However, in their attempt to cut the dross, Buddhism and Jainism removed the basic life sustaining principles as well. Truth contained in Vedas and Upanishads was discarded; these religions refused to accept the authority of Vedas and Upanishads. Hinduism was on decline, and with it the religion as such was in danger. Soon the inevitable happened. Buddhism also showed signs of distortions and degeneration, and was on wane in this Holy land of India. What were the factors responsible for this decline? It is difficult to say, but indiscreet enrollment of many people as monks, both men and women, was one of them. Invariably the monasteries breed corruption where monks or sannyasins are admitted without proper training, and when they are incompetent to lead pure and selfless life. Be that as it may, the lurking fire for Truth, Liberation, and Freedom can never be extinguished from the hearts of restless souls - the seekers after truth. And moreover, whether we consciously know it or not, there is always the need for true religion, for the essential human nature is ever in search of and yearns for the Final Truth. In such chaotic conditions of dominance of priesthood and karma-kanda on one hand and degenerate Buddhism on the other, the society needed a soul of great spiritual knowledge and capacity to reestablish the dharma. And as assured in the Gita, this holy land did not disappoint her children then also. Life In the far off corner of southern India, presently the state of Kerala, was born (around 686 A.D., some maintain 788 A.D.) the saviour of true Hinduism, who reestablished the dharma of Upanishads, the eternal religion. Shankaracharya was personification of Knowledge and Compassion combined together! No adjectives would ever be enough to sing glories about his extraordinary life, supernatural powers, and razor sharp logic, reasoning and rational analysis of epistemology. His philosophy was based on one fundamental truth, truth of personal realization of the Highest Truth. Shankara had taken to life of sannyasin at this tender age of boyhood. This boy monk had halo around him, nimbus of purity, divinity, and godliness. No one could come in his way, for now he had turned his back on the world to seek the highest truth of Advaita. Even as a child, he walked barefoot on the path full of thorns of hardship and austerity. What a tapas! But there was no fear in the heart or eyes of the child. He had heard that the great Yogi Patanjali lived in the state of samadhi in a cave at the banks of holy river Narmada as Govindpada. He had mentally accepted him as his Guru, and thus, he reached at the tender age of eight to the banks of Narmada and became disciple of the great Govindpada. Right from his early childhood Shankara exhibited extraordinary divine powers, rarely found in any ordinary human being. Just at the age of eight, he had learnt all the Upanishads, the Vedas, and other important Hindu Scriptures. At the age of sixteen he had written commentaries on eleven major Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita. He composed most melodious verses and songs in the praise of Mother Goddess, Lord Krishna, and Lord Shiva. Unbelievable feat indeed that is possible only for supernatural soul. Philosophy Acharya Shankara preached Absolute Monism, also known as Advaita Vedanta. The basic philosophical tenet is based on only One Truth, without second - ek meva advitiya. This Reality is of the nature of Consciousness, and can be described as Sat Chit Ananda at the best! The Reality is also called as Brahman, Self, God, and Atman. The world, the nature, the Jivas and whatever we experience through our senses, as multifarious existence is illusory and therefore unreal - Maya. Thus Acharya Shankara is credited to have propounded Mayavada. Later many philosophers did not agree with his absolute monism, and they have had introduced various revisions in the philosophical basis of Advaita Vedanta of Shankara. It is very difficult to understand the nuances and subtleties therein; suffice here is to say that Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vallabhacharya, Chaitannya, and many more of recent past - Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda - have enriched Vedanta for the benefit of humanity. For all these philosopher saints religion and philosophy were not two different things, but, in fact, religion was realization of these philosophical truths/principles in individual lives. He established the true religion of Upanishads - Advaita Vedanta - to its highest glory. According to him transcendental realization of SELF was the sole purpose of human birth, only real knowledge, and that was the ultimate stage a person should strive to seek. For next sixteen years he wandered from place to place covering every nook and corner of this holy land, establishing Maths for spiritual renaissance and rediscovering the lost glory of Sanatana Dharma. Scores of people followed him as his monastic disciples, and householders also went along as followers of this great victorious 'king' who defeated army of scholars of Purva-Mimamsa, Samkhya, Buddhism, and Jainism one by one and freed the masses from the clutches of religious superstitions, uncertainty, and confusion. Conclusion Today Acharya Shankara is one of the most misunderstood philosophers and saints of India. People are afraid that he taught total Vairagya (renunciation) and Sannyasa (life of monk) only. Many believe that for Shankara actions and karma were of no importance, however, it must be said with great emphasis that such is and was never the case. He firmly advocated karma and bhakti as the means to purification of mind, which then becomes fit for realization of Atman. His Jnana Yoga was not dry philosophy, otherwise how can one explain his reestablishing idols in hundreds of temples all over India, his mother worship, and scores of most melodious songs and hymns in the praise of Ma Annapurna, Ganga, Shiva, Krishna, Pandurang, and so on! In fact, as no philosophical discussion can ever be complete without the mention of his name, Acharya Shankara must be credited with reviving and reestablishing Sanatana Hindu dharma amidst the danger of Truth losing to declining religions of his time, as well as to those that were to come to India later. – Dr. CS Shah

The thirumurtis or the three aspects of supreme Brahman is one and the same but due to personal worship of each gurus hace evolved them into different Gods with different functions and than came the war of who is superior. Only fools will argue who is superior. Krishna is only a given name to discribe the Supreme Brahman as so was Vishnu, Shiva or Brahman. It is all menifestation of one God. So do not confuse yourself. Below is another explanation of Brahma's origin. If we believe in this than it would be wrong to believe that Brahma was created by Vishnu. It would only complicate you further. Originally, Brahma is said to have five heads. The Matsya Purana explains the reason for this. It states that Brahma created a woman, known by different names: Satarupa, Sarasvati, Sandhya or Brahmi. Because of her beauty, he fell in love with her and stared at her longingly. To avoid his gaze, she moved to his left, then behind him, and then to his right. But a head sprang up wherever she moved to enable Brahma to continue looking at her. In desperation, she jumped into the air, but a fifth head appeared on top. Brahma then asked her to help him create the universe. He lived with her for 100 divine years at the end of which Manu was born. There are different explanations for why Brahma only has four heads now, as opposed to his original five. According to the Puranas, Brahma and Vishnu were once arguing over who was superior of the two. They discovered from the Vedas that Shiva was the Supreme Being. Brahma however, spoke disparagingly about Shiva. In anger, Shiva cut off the head, which had spoken, and therefore Brahma was left with four heads.

Sorry maadhav, In my country sanskrit CD's are scarce. I too would like to get hold of it. May be it could be ordered from India. If I make a trip to in December India I might look for it. Namaskar.

Why Hindus Worship The Shiv Ling By Kartik Mohan http://www.swordoftruth.com/swordoftruth/articles/readersvoice/readersvoice1.html A guy named Philip asked me on this forum to explain why it is that Hindus worship the Shiv Ling. I am very glad that he did , not only because it gives me an opportunity to explain, but to expose the truth of what so called "Christian ethics" are all about. Christianity, after all, is hardly a religion - it has always been exactly what it started out as, a political agenda in spiritual guise. Its ends are the imperialistic subjugation of non-Christians, and to achieve them it has relied consistently on the propogation of lies and the falsification of history- not to mention the manipulation of our very notions of what is right and wrong. Unfortunately, Christianity is so widely followed in the world today that these manipulations have even permeated the ethics of non-Christians. Brother Hindus, we had better beware of this, because in surrendering to it we are undermining the worldwide spiritual legacy of an ancient civilised era of which we are the last surviving inheritors. First, to answer the question. Philip asks, why is it that we worship the Shiv Ling- isn't it Shiva's penis? My reply to that is yes, and that is exactly the reason. The Shiv Ling, depicted in consummate union with the Yoni ( vulva ) of Shakti, is representative of the most wonderful and miraculous feature of life itself. What distinguishes life from non-life, after all? Above all else, the ability to reproduce its own kind. If we are to revere the concept that life itself is sacred- which even the Christians claim to believe- why is the most characteristic feature of life, the act of progenition, any less sacred? It is not only sex we are talking about here. It is the consummation of the vast and different energies of the male and female universal prerogative, of which the Shiv Ling in union is a symbol- celebrating the fact that humankind has two sexes, each with its unique attributes and qualities, and when they come together, they produce a synergy, they create MORE life, they become more than the sum of their individual parts. Many ancient civilisations recognized the wonder of this concept- including the Chinese, who represent it somewhat more abstractly in the symbol of Yin and Yang. It is a tribute to these ancient and wise people that they were able to perceive true miracles, true wonderment, in the very features of life which surround us in our everyday existence. They did not need to have some man walk upon water to see a miracle, nor see crippled people cured instantaneously- or, worse yet, read about it in some book and call their blind adherence to such beliefs "faith". Now. My friend Philip was actually horrified, appalled, revolted by the very idea that we heathens could worship something such as a penis. The REALLY interesting question is, WHY? Have you ever really thought about the assumptions that cause us to think of sex as something "unclean"? Have you ever wondered why a joke about sex, in the English language, is referred to as a "dirty" joke? Why is a picture of the human body in its natural state thought of as a "dirty" picture? Why do thousands of teenagers, non Christian and Christian alike, go through entirely unnecessary agonies of guilt , bound by the belief that masturbation is a sin? Why does such painful ignorance manifest itself generation after generation, all over the world? The answer is, because we have been conditioned to think of it that way- and here is the pervasiveness of manipulative Christian "ethics" I talked about earlier. When Christians start schools, it is not because they want to teach us, it is because they want to teach us their lies. And the lie that sex is evil, sex is unclean, sex is inherently in and of itself immoral - the lie that is brainwashed into us in spite of our knowing better since childhood- is perhaps Christianity's oldest lie of all. And like all of its lies, it was meant, at the time of its invention, to serve a political agenda in a spiritual guise. The Bible never says, in so many words, that sex is a sin. In Genesis, though, it contends that Adam and Eve were cast out from the Garden of Eden for committing between them the "Original Sin"- and then shortly thereafter they had a son. Later, in the New Testament, it is one of the cardinal principles of Christianity that "Virgin Mary" was more virtuous than any other human being, because she was "without sin"- i.e., she was allegedly still a "virgin" when she gave birth to the alleged "Jesus". Add to this the superstition that the entire Christian world associates with sex, the way in which Puritanism reviles sex, the sheer guilt that Christianity associates with anything viscerally pleasurable ( because "Jesus died on the cross for their sins" )- and the conclusion is obvious. The Bible may not ever have spelled out that sex is a sin, but most of the Christian world, including my dear Philip, are hidebound to view it that way. So that today, life is sacred but the creation of life is a sin. A thirteen year old girl who becomes pregnant because she is too young to know any better, is reviled by Christians as having committed the Original Sin. Yet, if she has an abortion rather than bring a child she cannot care for into the world, they will revile her doubly as a murderer. This is the hypocrisy of which Christianity consists to its very core. And it all exists for a reason, as I shall proceed to explain. More than 4000 years ago, civilised human beings all over the world were essentially polytheistic, essentially tolerant people. The centre of their godhood, though, their primary deity, in almost all cases was not male. She was the Mother Goddess, in one or another of her manifestations. She was the Bounteous Earth, the giver of fertility and nurturance and sustenance to all her children without asking anything in return, the source of all life when it is created and the receiver of all things back into her womb when they die. She was an extremely natural deity to worship- when people had no hangups about procreation being part of the wonder of life. She had female attributes, the wife, the mother, the giver of unconditional love, the bearer of and caretaker of children. Her fertility was what allowed the circle of life to go on, and it was only natural that humans all around the world worship this. And they did. We in India knew the Mother Goddess - there are representations of her dating back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. Hindus know her as Shakti, and in her manifestations as Durga / Kali / Parvati. In the civilisation of Persia, they knew her as Ishtar. In Babylonia and Egypt, as Astarte. In ancient Greece, as Hecate or Demeter. In Rome, as Vesta. Even in the New World, despite no evidence of any contact between Eurasian and American civilisations of that era- there are temples and representations of a Mother Goddess- it is obvious there would be, because she is the natural object for humanity to worship. Not, however, for a tribe of desert barbarians 4000 years ago called the Israelites. They had a different kind of god altogether. A Male God, with a Capital G. They called him Yahweh, and he is the direct antecedent of the " Lord Our God " of the Christians, and of Allah of the Muslims. He was not about fertility and caring at all. He was a wrathful, vengeful, jealous , angry god, full of violent hatred and intolerance. He spoke out of a "burning bush" and instructed Moses , saying " I Am That I Am "- if this is unbelievable to you, don't read the Bible, watch The Ten Commandments by Cecil B DeMille, it really is more entertaining. He told Moses, among other things, that his followers must not worship False Gods, that HE was the One True God, and then asked Moses to go with his staff and smite another people who believed in false gods, the Egyptians, with the full force of His power. And there began the first of the imperialism that Christianity embodies today. A belief, stronger than any other, that the nonbeliever is a lesser human being than a Christian, because he is going to hell, and if he cannot be "saved" by being converted to Christianity, he should be killed before he spreads his views any further. A political agenda truly unprecedented. Go forth and multiply, and kill whatever stands in your way, because I Am That I Am and I am on Your Side. The Jews never went about converting people with the rabid fervour of Christians, but they had a political agenda, certainly. To that end, it was necessary to revile and discredit other peoples, the neighbouring civilisations of Egypt and Babylon , and part of this was achieved by discrediting their principal deity- who was, of course, the Mother Goddess. How was this achieved? Through effecting a remarkable paradigm shift. If men, physically stronger, could be made to despise and subjugate women rather than treat them as equals- that would put an end to the worship of any Goddess . If fertility, and procreation itself, could be defamed as not miraculous but sinful things- though this went against all the natural instincts human beings had followed so far- if people could be made to feel unclean for worshipping these things, they would reject the Mother Goddess, because she stood for fertility and the miracle of life. Hence, sex is the Original Sin. Hence, the human body in its natural state is dirty. Hence, Philip is horrified when we worship the act of procreation. How was this paradigm shift effected? Very slowly, but with the bitter doggedness of true fanatics. It began with the murder of Queen Jezebel as described in the Old Testament. It began with the razing of the Temple to Astarte in Jerusalem , and the building of a Temple to Yahweh by King David in its place. It carried on for thousands of years, hand in glove with more overt political actions, such as the conversion of Roman Emperor Constantine I to Christianity in AD ca. 300. It was at this time that what we know as the Bible today, was compiled and written- with a very hardcore political agenda already in place laying its foundations. The fall of Rome followed, and was followed by the Dark Ages, which were followed by the Crusades, which were followed by Colonialism and the Inquisition. The faith that had sprung from the Israelites spread like a metastizing cancer over the face of the earth. And it holds most of the earth in its poisonous grasp today. And still, the denigration of women in society that took hold as a result of this agenda continues. Till early this century, Christian countries did not give women the right to vote. Even now, in Islamic countries- where a monotheistic , intolerant God descended from Yahweh holds sway in his most perverse caricature- well, we know how they treat their women. Brothers, we all knew the Mother Goddess once. We Hindus still know her as Shakti today. We are the only ones who are so lucky as to have survived. Persia, Babylon, Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Americas- all fell to the brutal viciousness of the Christian onslaught...and later, parts of Asia to the Islamic onslaught. They were tolerant, civilised people, just as we are today. That was why they could be wiped out and replaced by Christians. But we have survived. We are heirs to the true legacy of humanism, and we must never forget this. We must recognize the lies of the Christians for what they are, we must recognize their activities of conversion for the imperialist evil they represent, and we must fight these things with all our efforts to the bitter end. One day, Christianity's mighty edifice will fall under the weight of its own contradictions . Till then, we must bear the torch of the legacy of pagan humanism that will ultimately prevail.

Sanitizing Temple Destruction by Islam By Meenakshi Jain http://www.sulekha.com/articledesc.asp?cid=142374 Politics may or may not be the art of the possible, but historical writing on the Muslim community in India is certainly fast approaching that exalted state. It is truly extraordinary that as echoes of jihad reverberate through the sub-continent, western and Marxist scholarship should be desperately segregating present battles from past contests and in the process, willfully exonerating Muslims of acts of commission traditionally laid at their door. The sanitization of Islam's public profile is all the more intriguing given the west's own growing preoccupation with problems of fundamentalism and terrorism. Be that as it may, there is a continuing thread between India's historic experience and contemporary predicament, which we can ignore only at our peril. At the heart of the matter is the long drawn-out unresolved and stalemated civilizational struggle, which refuses to blow away, and in fact demands final resolution. This is not simply a clichéd clash between Islamic monotheism and Hindu polytheism as is made out in standard accounts on the subject. The issue is far more visceral, which explains both its extended duration and bearing on mankind. Scholars of religion would see merit in the proposition that India is the last refuge of a once universal spiritual tradition that has everywhere been replaced by Semitism of varying varieties. Given that Islam is the extreme form of Semitism and India the greatest expression of 'paganism', the formula of accommodation can logically have no appeal for the former. This remains the painful reality, however well historians may camouflage it. The intolerance of idolatry was first exhibited in Arabia and by the Prophet Mohammad, who had never set eyes on India. That was the inexorable logic of the religious movement he had set in motion. (Muslims, like many others, confused the Hindu practice of image worship with idolatry. Hindus were never idolators. The image was always perceived as a means of focusing on the Almighty, it was never equated with the Almighty. Elaborate rules governed the consecration of a statue into an image of worship, and its disposal in case of damage). Since the issue of temple destruction has acquired a fresh leash of life in the wake of the Babri Masjid – Ram Janmabhoomi controversy, it is understandable that academics should have directed their considerable talents to clearing up this particularly messy bit of the past. It is not possible here to take note of the rich literature generated on this vexatious issue. A reference to Richard Eaton's essay on 'Temple Desecration and Indo-Muslim States', published in his book, Essays on Islam and Indian History, (OUP 2000), would suffice to highlight the main theses of this genre of historical writing. The preliminary argument expounded holds faulty use of Persian chronicles and treatises responsible for the unflattering depiction of Muslims down the ages. British administrator-scholars, so the story goes, consciously produced inaccurate translations of Persian texts in a bid to contrast their beneficent rule with that of their bigoted and intolerant predecessors. The historical truth, present-day apologists of Muslims argue, is that Persian chroniclers of medieval times widely exaggerated and sometimes even invented, the temple-demolition sprees of their patrons. But surely this raises more questions than it solves. One does not need to be communally-minded to infer that desecration of Hindu holy sites was held to be meritorious activity in the entire Muslim world, which is why the writers in question felt the need to glorify such acts, whether they actually took place or not. Certainly, even the most pro-Muslim historian would be hard put to name a single medieval writer of whatever stature, who disapproved of such vandalism or regarded it as un-Islamic. Further, the fact of a level of destruction is not contested by any scholar, though there is debate on its possible motives. Pertinent in this context is the Muslim community's perception of the manner of its spread in the sub-continent, and the pivotal role played by temple destruction in the 'remembered past' of the Muslim state and people. Local legends invariably eulogize a small band of the faithful who arrive as torch-bearers of the faith in the hostile terrain and face the resistance of the infidel populace. The ensuing bitter struggle climaxes in the take-over of the area temple by the army of Mohammad, its transformation into a mosque, and the conversion of the principal pagan leaders to Islam. The mosque thereafter serves as the disseminator of Islam in that region, in course of time contributing to the establishment of a sizeable Muslim population in the environs. However modern historians may interpret such narratives, they are indicative of the Muslim community's preferred account of its expansion. The ingenuity of modern scholarship is most severely put to test in the case of Mahmud Ghazni. Even in the Muslim world, it is difficult to rival his record in temple destruction, he belonging to a breed apart. Yet we are asked to believe that these were 'secular exploits,' waged with a view to financing political ambitions in Khurasan. His plunder of Iranian cities is cited in defence of this argument. But, skeptics may well ask, did he also attack Muslim sacred architecture in erstwhile Persia? Further, what fraction of the wealth of India was actually concentrated in temples, and what proportion did it constitute of Mahmud's total haul from this country? Did the indemnity and spoils of war from Indian princes not far exceed the loot from temples? If wealth to pursue an expansionist programme were all that was needed, would not the booty obtained from Hindu rajas have sufficed? Since temple destruction did not cease with Mahmud Ghazni, this is obviously not a wholly viable interpretation of events. Indeed, every single Muslim ruler after him till Aurangzeb indulged in this past time, with similar or lesser frequency. So, modern scholarship defines temple destruction in this era as a purely political activity intended to 'de-legitimize and extirpate' defeated Hindu ruling houses. Scholars like Eaton argue that it was only in instances where Hindu rulers had linked their political authority to royally patronized temples that destruction was resorted to. This activism, he says, was not prompted by the 'theology of iconoclasm', but by the desire to sweep away all 'prior political authority' in the newly conquered territory. Further, Eaton says, attacks on images patronized by enemy kings was well integrated into Indian political behaviour from the sixth century AD itself, long before the Islamic advent in the sub-continent. The Muslims, he contends, only followed and continued established sub-continental norms. This is a skilful dressing-up of events, but alas, grievously faulty on many counts. As is abundantly obvious, its fundamental thrust is to reduce, if not altogether eliminate the religious dimension in the world-view of Muslim conquerors. But the supposed secular orientation of the Sultans is not easy to reconcile with their consistent endeavours to remain on the right side of Islam's religious divines. Logically, the goodwill of the latter entailed compromise with the former stance. The two were diametrically opposed perspectives. Indeed, Eaton himself draws attention to the intimate links forged between Muslim religious divines (he mainly focuses on the Chishti Sufi order) and the Islamic state. In every instance of the establishment of a Muslim state in the sub-continent, Muslim divines, he says, injected a legitimizing 'substance' into the newly created body politic at the moment of its birth. It would be natural to infer from the steady association of Sufis with Islamic state formation that Muslim empires had a pronounced religious dimension. In the Hindu world, by contrast, religion and state never acquired such a symbiotic relationship, there being few instances, if any, of Hindu pundits actively participating in state formation. Separation of religion and state was a fact in the Hindu world from the very outset. Certainly, its spiritual leaders did not pontificate on matters of state or on the policies to be pursued vis-à-vis state subjects belonging to other denominations. Buddhist bhikshus, for instance, never advised Emperor Ashoka on his dealings with his Hindu subjects, just as Brahmins refrained from directing the initiatives of Gupta kings towards the sanghas. Further, though Hindu rulers patronized temples, they did not uproot existing modes of worship or impose their own favourite gods on their people. In a significant number of cases, in fact, they elevated already existing local deities, a phenomena which accounts for the great spurt in temple building from the 6th century onwards, that Eaton refers to. Lord Jagannath, widely acknowledged as the state deity of Orissa, was, for instance, originally worshipped among some tribal communities, and was later adopted as the regional deity by successive ruling dynasties. Even if it is conceded that temples had become sites for 'contestation of kingly authority' before the coming of Muslims, the fact remains that Hindu kings were thereby attempting to appropriate the identity symbols of their rivals, and not to crush or destroy them, as in the case of Muslim conquerors. The difference in the two intentions is important. It is also not inappropriate to question why Muslim rulers fighting rival Muslim contenders never vandalized Muslim sacred architecture, sponsored or patronized by the enemy party. If temples were destroyed merely to 'sweep away' prior political authority, mosques, mazhars, dargas and madrasas associated with renegade, rebellious or usurper Muslims should have been meted the same fate. That this was not so was because they were part of a shared religious culture that was common to Muslims on both sides of the political divide. Hindu temples, not partaking of this spiritual tradition, and in fact constituting the despised 'other' in Muslim theological discourse, inevitably met a different end. Lastly, Prof. Eaton makes the point, that once the territory of a Hindu raja was incorporated into the Muslim realm, the temples within it were treated as state property and left unmolested. However, he hastens to add, that any suspicious activity on the part of the Hindu ex-ruler rendered the temples immediately vulnerable to attack. Surely this admission exposes the chinks in Prof. Eaton's argument. If, as he had earlier claimed, Muslim Sultans attacked temples because they were a source of legitimacy, then surely the link between the Hindu ruler and the temple had snapped on annexation of the kingdom and its absorption into the Muslim dominion. Why then was this form of punishment now resorted to? Such behaviour on the part of Muslim sovereigns is eloquent testimony to the hollowness of the so-called synthesis that allegedly evolved under their dispensation. It is farcical to talk of a Hindu-Muslim political, material and spiritual culture when the first and set response of every Muslim ruler on however slender a pretext, was to attack the holy sites of their infidel subjects. What emerges starkly from the tour de force of modern scholars on temple destruction in medieval India is that though the motives of the Muslim Sultans may have 'evolved' and 'advanced' over the centuries, there was no variation in the end result. On the admission of modern scholars, be it financing expansionist programmes, consolidating political authority, punishing formerly loyal Hindu princes, Muslim rulers without exception responded with one standard solution -- temple destruction. It is astounding that modern scholarship should gloss over this fact. Further, the issue of temple destruction cannot be relegated to the backburner, given its hold on the Muslim psyche. In the last half century, temple destruction has been liberally indulged in, in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Kashmir Valley, to name just three prominent arenas. Since Muslims constitute the dominant majority and political community in all the three areas and face no threat from the Hindus, temple desecration here cannot rightly be attributed to the alleged political compulsion to contain infidels. Leftist Indians who talk of the futility of righting medieval wrongs exhibit complete insensitivity to the fact that temple destruction is not just a past hobby in the Muslim world, but a continuing modern trend, and that, its underlying motivation is religious not political. What makes the Babri episode so galling for Muslims is that it constitutes a rare instance of them being at the receiving end, though even here Hindu actors in the drama had taken care to select a non-functional masjid as the ground on which to join this issue. The Islamic problem in India cannot however, be reduced to a single point issue of temple destruction. That was only symptomatic of the deep chasm between the two antithetical belief systems. Genuine synthesis was never a feasible proposition given the Muslim religious fraternity's profound horror and disdain of native traditions. No school of Islamic theology in the sub-continent ever advocated dialogue, much less rapprochement with the native faiths, which is the pre-requisite of a synthetic culture. Hinduism and Islam were never placed on an equal footing throughout the period of Muslim political domination. Scholars who treat Muslim rule as just one of the routine dynastic shuffles in India show inadequate appreciation of the cataclysmic nature of the change that occurred in 1196 AD with the establishment of the first Islamic state in the sub-continent. Hindu and Buddhist rule never acquired the brutal edge that remained the trademark of Muslim domination; they never entailed forcible conversions, the imposition of a foreign political elite or the ascendancy of an alien language and culture. India had known foreign rulers in her ancient past as well, but they had completely immersed themselves in the spirit of the land and become propagators of her civilizational greatness. No one can honestly claim that Muslim rulers sought to emulate such predecessors. By now sufficient documentary evidence exits of the Muslim religious classes' resolve and determination to ensure that Islam retained its pristine purity in this land. Scholars who harp on the Hindu practices of Muslim converts refer to an interim period during which such behavioural patterns were gradually replaced by Islamic ones. Though one can list endless number of Muslim revivalist movements, one is hard put to name any that advocated that the faith strike local roots. On the basis of available evidence, it is difficult to support the contention of Marxist scholars that a composite culture eventually evolved in the land. It would, however, be equally erroneous to conclude that either faith triumphed over the other. The implicit struggle resumed during colonial rule with the overwhelming majority of Muslims refusing to countenance the possibility of Hindu political ascendancy. Partition flowed from the logic of events, but in the nature of things it, too, was an expression of the continuing civilizational deadlock. The Hindu political community in independent India fudged the larger dimension of the struggle and embarked on a policy of identity-dilution and Muslim appeasement. In other words, it ensured the continuation of the civilizational stalemate, rather than its termination. This monumental lapse of the Indian political elite has facilitated Islam's burning quest to re-join battle with its millennial foe. Kashmir is an expression of that renewed struggle, as is the silence of most Indian Muslims on this new theatre of the war. Viewed in the context of implacable Islamic hostility towards paganism and the expansionist nature of the faith, Pakistan 's policies towards India assume a frightening coherence. Its espousal of the cause of Kashmiri Muslims and silence on Muslims in the rest of India is indicative both of its strategy and objective. It stands to reason that if Muslim rights are ensured in the rest of India, they cannot be endangered in Kashmir, where in any case, the Muslims are treated by the Indian state as more equal than their co-religionists in the rest of the country. Clearly this dimension of the problem needs to be explicated. Today, there is a two-way battle being fought in the Indian sub-continent. There is, most prominently, the old millennial struggle between Islam and the kafirs. Less noticed, but not less crucial, is the contest between predominantly Sunni pan-Islamism with its international dimension and disdain of local cultures and a non-Sunni Islam that is wary of being swamped by the former and in search of allies and indigenous links. This latter Islam is yet very much a fledgling struggling for survival. Not surprisingly, its pre-eminent exponent hails from the strife-torn state of Jammu & Kashmir, where both the battles are acutely joined. He is the state's present Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah.

Shiva worship in ancient Arabia By Muzaffar Hussain CULTURAL affinity is stronger than even national unity. Because any chunk of land comes alive only when culture infuses life into it. Two hostile nations can be brought back to amity only when the cultural bonds between them are activated. This was the thread Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee picked up to revive the pre-partition cultural bonds between the two scions of the Akhand Bharat. He, therefore, chose artistes and poets to accompany him on his occidental odyssey in quest of amity with Pakistan, because only the cultural appeal could touch the right chord. Thus the sympathetic resonance alone can be expected to replace the chronic mutual distrust with mutual trust and friendship. The style of prayer or the method of worship can always be shorter in life than a nation. Therefore, the particular way of living that has evolved on a particular stretch of land is recorded in the history of that land. This history concretizes that country's heritage, and that country preserves this heritage and bases its plans for future development on this legacy. Pakistan may have declared itself an Islamic State. But it cannot shed its ancient heritage dating back to the Mohenjo Daro and Harappa civilization. And its most famous national hero can only be the great grammarian Panini. The fanatic religious madness called Taliban may attempt to destroy every vestige of pre-Islamic Civilization, but it cannot deny the historical reality of Afghanistan's ancient religions of Vedic or Parsi fire-worship. In spite of Iran's embracing Islam, Cyrus, Sohrab and Rostam are even today hailed as Iranian icons. Gandhar (modern Kandhar) cannot disown Gandhari and the Mahabharat. Iran may observe the most militant form of Islam, but when the question of their ethnic origin arises, the Iranians proudly claim their Aryan descent. Kafvinak Zikramin Ulumin tab aseru Kaluvan Amatatul hava a lazakkuru Na tazasveroha udan elelavada-a lilavra Valuka ene zatallahe aum tab aseru Va aha lolaha Azah aramian Mahadev Manozel ilamuddine Minahum va savatt aru That means : "Can the person, who indulged in bad deeds and lustful and angry activities, be granted salvation if he repents, atones for and proposes to embrace dharma and follow righteous path? If he worships Lord Mahadev with true devotion he can attain the highest position in spiritual attainments." The name of Mahadev is mentioned in the Arabic original exactly as it is pronounced in Sanskrit or other Indian languages. Umer bin Hashsham further says, "Oh Lord! Grant me a day's stay in India in exchange for my entire life, because by reaching there a man attains salvation." Va sahabe ke vam fim kamil Hinde you man Yakulun na lajaha jan fainnak tavajjaru Another poet is cited in this same book on p. 257 who says, Aya mubarekal araz vashaive nohaminar Hinde Va adarakkallah majye vashaiye nazzale zikaratun The means :- "Oh holy land India, you are great Because God has made you to spread His Wisdom." The above lines are enough to show what sentiments the Arabs entertained regarding Lord Shiva and India. Lord Shiva was held as God of knowledge, and India the land of knowledge and both were respected for their benign influence. "Hind" is the name Arabs gave to India. They considered India almost like paradise and so they endearingly called their beloved daughters "Hindus" (intention was the daughters were heavenly fairies). They borrowed the figures "0 to 9" from Indian mathematicians. They called the numerals "Hindsa". Arab traders were impressed with the mouth-watering taste of Indian "tamarind". The English word itself has been a corruption of Arabic—"tamar-i-Hind" which means the "fruit of India" in Arabic. The Arabs' trade with India has been going on from ancient ages. Those guides who guided Vasco-da-Gama, the Portuguese explorer who found a new route to India in early sixteenth century, were the same Arab traders. The noted archaeologist, Shri Wakankar, has described this extensively in his book.

The Rigveda: Widows don’t have to burn By O. P. Gupta Publication: The Asian Age October 23, 2002 In August, 2002, one case of committing sati and two failed attempts to commit sati in Madhya Pradesh were reported by the media. Reports also appeared that the Rajasthan high court allowed prayers within premises of Rani Sati Mandir of Jhunjhunu district, but prohibited organising fairs, distribution of pamphlets and performing chunri ceremony at the temple till final orders. Some people assert that richa X 18.7 (seventh richa of sukta 18 of chapter ten) of the Rigveda commands a Hindu widow to mount on the pyre of her deceased husband. In fact, the word vidhwa (widow) does not independently occur in this richa at all. So how can this richa be related to widows? The word vidhwa does appear in many other richas of the Rigveda. One website quotes Kane's translation of this richa as, "Let these women, whose husbands are worthy and living enter the house with ghee applied as corrylium (to their eyes). Let these wives first step into the pyre, tearless without any affliction and well adorned." From the moment of death of her husband, a woman is no more called "a wife" but a widow. So the phrase "these wives" in the above translation of Kane cannot be interpreted to refer to widows." In fact, sukta 18 commands a Hindu widow to return to the world of living beings; the Rigveda confers on her all the properties of her deceased husband. The third richa (X 18.3) commands "May those who are living remain separate from the dead..." (Rigveda Samhita by H.H. Wilson and Bhashya of Sayana edited by Ravi Prakash Arya and K.K. Joshi). Dr Wendy D. O'Flaherty, Ph.D., in her book, Rigveda (Penguin Classics, page 52) mentions, "Those who are alive have now parted from the dead." Shri Ram Sharma Acharya of Bareilly in his Rigveda (in Hindi) translates, "Mritak ke pass se jeevit manushya laut aavey..." This command of Rigveda to leave behind the dead is equally applicable to Hindu widows as they are also living. The English translation of the seventh richa (X 18.7) as given by H.H. Wilson etc. is, "Let these women who are not widows, who have good husbands, enter (anointed) with butter. Let women without tears, decorated with jewels, first proceed to the house." Shri Radhakrishna Shrimali and Smt. Ashalata Upadhaya of Jodhpur in their book Rigveda (Diamond Pocket books, page 156) give similar interpretations of X 18.7 and X 18.8. Thus, different authors from different places vouch that richa X 18.7 does not refer to widows at all. What this richa says in a nutshell is that, married women should be first (among others) to return to their homes. The eighth richa (X 18.8) specifically commands a Hindu widow to return alive to her home. H.H. Wilson translates: "Rise woman, and go to the world of living beings; come, this man near whom you sleep is lifeless; you have enjoyed this state of being the wife of your husband, the suitor who took you by the hand." Here again, it is confirmed that X 18.8 actually commands a Hindu widow to return to the world of living beings. Also, this very richa confers upon her full right on the house of her deceased husband (apne putradi aur ghar). In 1995, the Supreme Court interpreted Section 14 (1) of the Hindu Succession Act to the effect that a Hindu widow has full ownership rights over properties she inherits from her deceased husband. The Supreme Court said that the objective was to wipe out disabilities imposed by Hindu shastras. The Supreme Court thus reasserted rights conferred on widows under richa X 18.8. According to Acharya Sayana, it is the first six richas of sukta 16 of the chapter 10 of the Rigveda (X 16.1 to 6) which are to be recited at funeral pyres; and, none of these six richas either call for burning of widows or make any reference to widows. I would like to draw the attention of readers to richa X 40.8 of the Rigveda which praises Ashwin gods for protecting a widow. It shows gods were praised for protecting widows. How could gods go to protect widows, and, thus act against the Rigveda if the Rigveda had actually commanded burning of widows? Another richa, X 40.2, may come as a complete surprise to many Hindus. H. H. Wilson translates it: "Where are you, Ashwins, by night? Where are you by day? Where do you sojourn? Where do you dwell? Who brings you into his presence in the same place (of sacrifice) as on her couch a widow (brings) her husband's brother, as a woman (brings) her husband (to her)." Thus, the Rigveda not only sanctioned survival of a widow but also her living with her devar with full dignity and honour in the family. So it expressly sanctioned widow marriage. The third chapter of the Rigveda is considered the oldest part of the Rigveda. Richa III 31.1 commands that a son-less father accepts the son of his daughter as his own son. That is, all properties of a son-less father shall be inherited by the son of his daughter. Richa III 31.2 commands that if parents have both son and a daughter, the son performs holy acts of pindadaan (after death of father) and the daughter has to be enriched with gifts (rindhan, that is, to be made wealthy). Richa II 17.7 also attests share of a daughter in the property of her father. Those who misinterpret the Rigveda to say that it sanctions sati do this mischief by misspelling the last word of richa X 18. 7 as "yomiagne." The last word of this richa is actually "yomiagre." Thus, there is no richa in Rigveda calling for widow burning. Veda, Ramayana and Gita are the three supreme scriptures of Hindus. All others (like Brahmanas, Upanishads, Puranas, Dharmashastras, Sutras, etc. ) are just commentaries, explanatory notes or stories written by individuals. As commentaries written on the Constitution of India cannot override the articles of the Constitution of India, similarly, commentaries or explanations on Vedas by individuals cannot supersede richas of Vedas or the Ramayana or Gita. In the Ramayana, everyone knows that after the death of King Dasharatha, his wives were never asked to step into the pyre of Dasharatha. Rather, they lived in family with full honour and Ram always bowed his head before his widowed mothers with full respect. In the Mahabharata, Kunti, mother of the Pandavas did not commit sati. Thus, there is no command in the Ramayana or in Gita to commit sati. Over the centuries, relatives have been murdering relatives for property. This will continue in the coming centuries too. Greed is human nature. If greedy people incite a widow to commit suicide on the pyre of her husband, let us not say or believe that widow burning is sanctified by the Rigveda or by Hinduism. Richa X 18.3 commands a Hindu widow to separate from the dead and richa X 10.8 commands her to return alive to her children and her home. For their own empowerment, Hindu women should to remember the seven richas viz (II 17.7), (III 31.2) (X 18.3) (X l8.8) (X 40.2) and X 40.8) to assert and claim their status and rights. (O.P. Gupta is ambassador of India to Finland).

Manu Smriti (contributed by Prof. G.C.ASNANI, MSc., Ph.D. (United Nations Service, Retd.) Selections from Hindu Scriptures, Series No.1, “SMRITIS” IN India, particularly after Independence in 1947, the younger generation of Hindus has been ignorant and indifferent about the teachings of Hindu religion. There has also been persistent effort from some quarters to speak ill of Hindu religion. This has had the natural effect of younger generation developing indifference towards and even ridicule of Hindu religion in India. The Constitution of India encourages non-Hindu youngsters to be given education about the teachings of their respective religions in the Govt.- aided educational institution of India, but Hindu youngsters cannot be given such education about Hindu religion in Govt.-aided educational institutions. Outside India, the Christian missionaries have consistently worked for over three centuries to paint Hindu religion as demonic barbarism. These missionaries collect huge amounts of money and recruit large number of persons from outside India to remove Hinduism from the surface of the earth. This type of propaganda against Hinduism has affected and is affecting the political policies of foreign governments towards India. By now, we have also become familiar with Taliban Movement in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It correctly represents Islam without any hide-and-seek game. Government-aided Madrasas in India become factories for Talibanism inside India, for destruction of Hinduism. It is time that we Hindus assert ourselves and place the basic teachings of Hinduism before the whole world, for the people to read for themselves and come to their own conclusions directly without interference from those who have been profiting by hurling abuses at Hinduism. This is the first in the series of publications which we propose to publish. We are sure that a better knowledge about Hinduism inside India will strengthen the Hindu society, give it the self- confidence to understand, practise and propagate the noble teachings of Hinduism; this shall be for the benefit of the whole world which is being engulfed by inter-religious warfare under various pretexts. Religion is essentially a matter of self-discipline, self-culture, enriching of one’s inner self, realisation of divinity which lies dormant in every living being and the manifestation of this divinity in our daily conduct of life. Religion cannot be used and should not be used as a weapon in our hands and mouths to conquer and subjugate others, to win political power and destroy other religious communities; that would be barbarism and not religion. Religion should bring peace, tranquility and happiness to everyone on this earth. In this first book of the series, we are presenting Selections from some of the Smritis like Manu Smriti and Vasistha Smriti, and Smritis of Yagnavalkya, Apastamba, Gautama, and Baudhayana. In this collection, we have taken help from the following publications : a) Sacred Books of the East, edited by Max Muller, published by Motilal Banarsidass, Vols. 1 to 50. b) Publications of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune. Smritis are the Rules of conduct framed by Rishis at various stages of history of the Hindu Society. While there is some apparent diversity in these rules, it is not difficult to trace the underlying unity of self-discipline and the object of welfare of the society. With this underlying unity, there have been changes in rules from time to time, and no one would be right in picking up a sentence here and there and making much noise about it. We should look at the underlying structural basis of the Smritis. It may not be out of place to mention here that the Constitution of India framed by Independent India in 1948 has had 75 Amendments upto the year 1995. If in the course of less than half a century, the law makers of India have found it necessary to have Amendments at the rate of more than one Amendment per year, some changes in the rules of conduct suggested by Rishis into the sacred books of the Hindu society, over a period of several hundred centuries, should not be a cause of complaint by any rational reasoning. And then there is also the Grand Principle of Freedom of thought, belief and action given to every Hindu by the Hindu Scriptures: “For choosing your course of conduct at any time and place, keep in view the instructions given first in Sruti(Vedas), then in Smritis, Itihaas(History of great personalties) and finally you act according to your conscience.” (Manu Smriti, II, 6) This Grand Principle of Freedom given to an individual by the Hindu religion will, in course of time, form the basis for ending inter-religious and intra-religious conflicts. I have great pleasure in acknowledging the help given in this Collection, Compilation and Computer typesetting by Shri N. Madhavan, Shri Sudhindra Mujumdar and Shri Sanjay Chakane, without whose constant support, it would not have been possible at all to bring out this booklet. All of us have worked together with a common objective of rendering a little service to the Hindu Society, and our Sanatana Hindu Dharma. May the message be transmitted further and further. There has been too much public criticism against Manu Smriti, which criticism is not based on sound reasoning and thoughtful study. Before criticising Manu Smriti, we should consider the following points: i) Manu Smriti was compiled several thousand years back during which interval, social, economic and political conditions have changed in Hindu society. If Indian Constitution has required more than one Amendment per year, how many Amendments would be necessary in Hindu Constitution compiled several thousand years back? ii) There were no printing presses and standard reference editions several thousand years back. Naturally, the current edition of Manu Smriti has suffered from many interpolations for which Maha Rishi Manu cannot be held responsible and for which criticism of Maha Rishi Manu will not be justified. iii) Further, as has been seen the practice of Hindu religion, there is enormous, almost complete freedom for an individual to believe or to disbelieve any dogma, to accept or to discard any instruction written in any book, and to use one's own intelligence and conscience before adopting any course of action. This is the beauty of Hindu religion. vi) Maha Rishi Manu himself says that if there is anything in his Smriti which is not acceptable to the conscience of any person, that person should reject it and act according to his/her own conscience. Then, where is any reasonable ground for criticising Maha Rishi Manu? Rather, he deserves our respect for his giving us instructions to reject what is against our conscience even in his Manu Smriti. Which other religious scripture in the world outside Hindu religion and its branches gives such freedom? MALIGNING HINDUISM (i) Communalism: Proselytizing religious like Christianity and Islam are rabid communal religions which have created and continue to create inter-religious and inter-communal warfare. While indulging in activities of such perpetual inter-communal warfare, any resistance from Hindu society in India is termed by them as "Communalism! Communalism!". It is like a thief shouting "Thief, Thief" and getting away! (ii) Caste System: These proselytizing religions also accuse and nearly abuse Manusmriti for caste system. The underlying spirit behind Hindu religion codified by Maharishi Manu is that Religion is essentially a matter of self-discipline, self-culture, enriching of one's inner self, realisation of divinity which lies dormant in every living being irrespective of creed, colour or caste and the manifestation of this divinity in our daily conduct of life. Anything found in Manusmriti contradicting this spirit is a later interpolation and manipulation for which we cannot blame Maharishi Manu. We can easily identify such manipulations. If somebody does not care to find out this truth, then also the great Maharishi Manu has clearly stated in his Manusmriti, which statement fortunately remains inside Manusmriti till today, that if there is any statement in Manusmriti which is contrary to your conscience, please reject it outright and follow your own conscience. Then, where is the justification for decrying Maharishi Manu as is customary for critics of Hinduism? Maharishi Manu tells you to follow your conscience inspite of whatever is written in this or that Book. Our salutations to this Maharishi Manu for this freedom! Anti-Hindu fanatics call Hindus as "MANU-VADIS". Have they cared to read and understand Manusmriti, or they are just parroting what anti-Hindu missionaries have taught them to repeat and repeat? "Above every Book, follow your conscience" is the watchword of great Maharishi Manu; hundreds of salutations to Maharishi Manu who gave this freedom of thought, belief and action. Superiority by Birth or by Conduct ? Also, Maharishi Manu made it clear that superiority is not by birth but by Conduct. This Principle was further emphasized later by Maharishi Veda Vyasa in Mahabharata; relevant extract from Mahabharata Vana Parva, Section 179 is also given below. (Unfortunately, some selfish politicians in India are now taking a retrograde steps by giving superior positions not on merit but by birth caste-certificates). CASTE IS BY CONDUCT, NOT BY BIRTH * The Seniority of Brahmanas is from Sacred Knowledge, that of Kshatriyas from valour, that of Vaisyas from wealth in grain, but that of Sudras is from age alone. (II, 155) * A man is not therefore considered Venerable just because his head is gray; him who, though young in age, has learned the Veda, the Gods consider to be Venerable. (II, 156) * As an elephant made of wood, as an antelope made of leather, such is an unlearned Brahmana; those three have nothing but the names of their kind. (II, 157) * Just as a eunuch is unproductive with women, as a cow with cow is unprolific, and as a gift made to an ignorant man yields no reward, likewise is a Brahmana worthless, who does not know the Richas (Vedic Verses). (II, 158) NON - IMPORTANCE OF CASTE * He who possesses faith may receive pure learning even from a man of lower caste, the highest law even from the lowest, and an excellent wife even from a base family. (II, 238) * Even from poison, nectar may be taken; even from a child, good advice; even from a foe, a lesson in good conduct; and even from an impure substance gold. (II, 239) * Excellent wives, learning, the knowledge of Law, the rules of purity, good advice, and various arts may be acquired from anybody. (II, 240) POSITION OF WOMEN * Women must be honoured and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who desire their own welfare. (III, 55) * Where women are honoured, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honoured, no Sacred rite yields rewards. (III, 56) * Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers. (III, 57) * The houses on which female relations, not being duly honoured, pronounce a curse, perish completely as if destroyed by magic. (III, 58) * Hence men who seek their own welfare, should always honour women on holidays and festivals with gifts of ornaments, clothes, and dainty food. (III, 59) IS EVERY BRAHMAN TO BE ADORED ? * Manu has declared that those Brahmanas who are thieves, outcasts, eunuchs, or atheists are unworthy to partake of oblations offered to gods and ancestors. (III, 150) KILLING OF ANIMALS * He who injures harmless creatures from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness, neither living nor dead. (V, 45) * He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, must all be considered as the slayers of the animal. (V, 51) * There is no greater sinner than that man who, though not worshipping the gods or the manes seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings. (V, 52)

Composite philosophy Hinduism as stated earlier is considered as a religion only in the context of indigenous and Semitic religions of identifiable groupings; otherwise it is what had existed from time immemorial and continues to exist to the present. The Vedic and the later Upanishadic teachings have only imparted distinct character and philosophic thought and prescribed specific result-oriented rituals for various purposes, temporal and spiritual. It's a composite philosophy of various schools of thought, which had taken shape at various times of history. To say that Shaivism or Vishnavism does not form part of this composite philosophical conglomerate would be to betray ignorance of the evolution of Hindu religiosity and spirituality through the years. It contains even such streams as narcissism, nihilism and agnosticism advocated by some savants. If one does not take to the study of Hindu philosophy and its spiritual content in all its different aspects and schools and their birth at various points of time no idea could be got about the depth and width of its magnitude and the way it held sway over various sections of its practitioners over thousands of years of history even after invasion by foreigners and introduction of their religions even up to the present time. Mere study of the history or geography of this country or sociology or anthropology of the inhabitants over the past thousands of years would not yield knowledge to appreciate the greatness of Hinduism and its influence on the vast masses who had taken to the following of its various systems and their intricate nuances. The birth of several indigenous religions and the respectful place offered to Semitic religions in the country on their arrival are themselves proof of the catholicity of the original religionists of this country and the value they attached to different religions, indigenous and foreign. To understand the greatness of Hindu scriptures, one should understand the basic and fundamental point of what a mantra is. It is a garland of letters composed in such a way as to acquire for one chanting the same, power from the cosmic realm. Such power can be put to use for achieving mundane objectives or spiritual advancement. Basically, the Vedas and other scriptures are mantras for chanting for various applications. The Vedas are for the conduct of various yagnas (Vedic sacrifices) for propitiating the devatas. They also cause purification of the mind and rapid spiritual advancement. In the Hindu pantheon, everything is looked upon as a form of God (Supreme Power). The Hindu scriptures are all mantras for propitiating devatas. For what purpose such propitiation is put to is for the person who uses them to decide. In the normal context, they are chanted to acquire higher states of spirituality by cleansing the person of all bad qualities. If one looks upon the Vedas with the above basic knowledge, the purpose of the Vedas and other scriptures becomes clear. Mischievous insinuation The writer again questions the ``need to claim that Aryans originated in India''. It is a mischievous insinuation that the claim that the Aryans originated in India itself started ``from 1930s after the Dalit movements throughout India claimed an identity as original inhabitants''. There is as yet no hard evidence to say that Aryans had indeed come to India from outside. The most recent view of historians and researchers is that the Aryans were original inhabitants of India. In a scholarly article ``Are the Vedic Aryans aliens to India?'' Dr. M. Gopalakrishna Sharma of Hyderabad has stated that the theory of alienism of Vedic Aryans is cooked up by some European savants. States he: ``by the concoction of this theory they achieved tremendous success, beyond their hope which served the double purpose as with two birds with one shot. The first one is to create suspicion in the Indian mind about their own nativity, and the second one is to inject a strong and permanent feeling of natural distrust and dispute caused by the various racial genesis.'' Dr. Sharma further says ``and another factor, to be accounted here is that if at all the theory of alienism of Vedic Aryans is taken for granted as correct, why did they not mention at least the name of their motherland anywhere in the Vedic literature or in other ancient scriptures?'' In the light of overwhelming opinion of experts the statement of Ms. Omvedt, the author of the article that ``however that they came from outside is hardly challenged by any objective scholars'' betrays total lack of even a rudimentary exposure to the findings of researchers as stated above. The author has spewed ridicule and contempt in describing the Vedas of which only a translation has been read by her according to her own statement. Considering the Vedas as holy is questioned on the ground that they contain verses about ``success in war,'' ``cattle stealing,'' ``lovemaking,'' etc. Since chapter and verse have not been quoted but a sweeping statement is made it is not possible to discuss the rationale or context of anything contained in the said verses or the Vedas as a whole. All that one could say is that the statements made about the Vedas are positively blasphemous and scurrilous to the extent of causing deep hurt to the religious sentiments of the Hindus who consider them as the holiest of scriptures. A punishable offence The author apparently does not know that hurting the religious sentiments of anyone is a punishable offence in this country. Take for example the statements ``some of the hymns are positively pornographic'', ``actually the Vedas can be fun (including the Atharva Veda with its fascinating spells for winning lovers, preventing child birth and so on)...'' etc. The Hindus do not go into the literal meaning of the scriptures of other religions but revere them as sacred in much the same way that their own scriptures are held sacred. The author might have read reports of a fatwa issued by a Muslim country for making certain references to the prophet considered as blasphemous in a novel by a writer. The Hindus do not go to such extents, nay, even invoking legal provisions for making disparaging statements about its scriptures but would feel sorry for a person for not adequately equipping himself/herself about the depth of the wisdom contained in the scriptures before making sweeping remarks. It is felt that a conscious attempt is on to drive a wedge between the so-called upper castes and the lower castes and the Dalits and to establish that the latter is despised by the former - to wean them away from the mainstream Hindu religion. Some recent writings by some authors had even tried to establish the tribals as not belonging to Hindu religion and had justified their conversion to other religions. If one suspects that the attempts could be to make a ``harvest of faith'' by conversions of the Dalits one could not be faulted. Caste hierarchy Existence of caste hierarchy and social ostracism, based on caste in the Hindu religion, is a development which has taken place during several millennia due to the dynamics of social change, play of vested interests, deep economic disparity, illiteracy and superstition and a woeful absence of adequate leadership in spiritual, religious and social milieu. Even in the Twentieth century, one of the most developed countries of the world, America, had practised racism in its worst form. As for India, serious attempts are on at governmental and social levels to obliterate caste differences and these will soon be a thing of the past. It can be asserted that neither the Vedas nor other Hindu scriptures lend any authority for creation or perpetuation of castes in the present hierarchical form. Any objective study of them would prove this. Hinduism and the Vedas: misconceptions by: T.R. ANANDAN

Jean-Sylvain Bailly said: "The motion of the stars calculated by the Hindus before some 4500 years vary not even a single minute from the tables of Cassine and Meyer (used in the 19-th century). The Indian tables give the same annual variation of the moon as the discovered by Tycho Brahe - a variation unknown to the school of Alexandria and also to the Arabs who followed the calculations of the school... "The Hindu systems of astronomy are by far the oldest and that from which the Egyptians, Greek, Romans and - even the Jews derived from the Hindus their knowledge." (source: The Politics of History - By N. S. Rajaram Voice of India ISBN 81-85990-28-X. 1995 p. 47). 128. Hans Torwesten (1944 - ) a native of Germany, studied art in Vienna and Indian philosophy, meditation, and yoga in England. A writer, lecturer, yoga teacher, and painter, he now lives in Austria. In his book Vedanta - Heart of Hinduism he writes: "A fair number of leading physicists and biologists have found parallels between modern science and Hindu ideas. In America, many writers such as J. D. Salinger (An Adventure in Vedanta: J.D. Salinger's the Glass Family), Henry Miller, Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard, and Christopher Isherwood, were in contact with the Vedanta. Most of them came from elevated intellectual circles which rejected the dogmatism of the Christian Churches yet longed for spirituality and satisfactory answers to the fundamental questions of existence. In Vedanta, they found a wide-open, universal, and philosophically oriented religion where even the penetrating scientific mind could find something to its taste". "To the Hindu, shruti is what cannot be thought up by the limited human intellect, but is of God. It is what is forever valid, never changes, is not dependent on the limited capacity for understanding of any one historical person. The Hindu for this reason is proud not to need a historical founder. The founder and foundation of the Vedas and the Upanishads is the Brahman itself, is what is indestructible and timeless." " The Upanishads are indeed thoroughly suffused with the spirit of transcendence. 129. Mark Tully former BBC correspondent in India, author of several books, including No Full Stops in India and The Heart of India, said: "The genius of Hinduism, and the very reason of its survival for so long, was that it does not stand up and fight." It changes and adapts and modernizes and its absorbs and that is the scientific and proper way of going about it as well." " Why is Christianity in so much trouble at the moment? Because it is so difficult for it to adapt," says the celebrated television journalist. Saying that Hinduism would prove to be the religion of the next Millennium." "The Kumbh Mela could only take place in India. In no other country would millions and millions of pilgrims, driven just by faith that the sins of this life and previous lives would be washed away by bathing in the confluence of two rivers at an auspicious time, brave severe hardships, some walking barefooted, to get to bathe. Where else would you find hundreds of holy men willing to march naked in processions through the crowds of pilgrims, or one thousand Brahmins sitting around a hundred sacred fires offering a sacrifice for world peace?" At what gathering of one religion would you find such a variety of teaching, such an acceptance that there are many ways to God?" (source: cnn.com). It was the promotion of the ancient Indian tradition of religious tolerance, a tolerance which owes so much to Hinduism’s own pluralism...This tradition provides a basis for Hindus and for Indians who believe in many of the many other religions of this country to live with self-respect, in peace, and proud of their national identity. This is very much an Indian tradition, a tradition which is very different too from the tradition of countries where Semitic religions like Christianity and Islam have dominated. It is the tradition which could meet the needs of so many other countries in the world" (source: Opposites distract - By Mark Tully - hindustantimes.com). 134. Klaus K. Klostermaier Professor of Religion at the University of Manitoba. Author of several books including A Survey of Hinduism states: "Hinduism has proven much more open than any other religion to new ideas, scientific thought, and social experimentation. Many concepts like reincarnation, meditation, yoga and others have found worldwide acceptance. It would not be surprising to find Hinduism the dominant religion of the twenty-first century. It would be a religion that doctrinally is less clear-cut than mainstream Christianity, politically less determined than Islam, ethically less heroic than Buddhism, but it would offer something to everybody. It will appear idealistic to those who look for idealism, pragmatic to the pragmatists, spiritual to the seekers, sensual to the here-and-now generation. Hinduism, by virtue of its lack of an ideology and its reliance on intuition, will appear to be more plausible than those religions whose doctrinal positions petrified a thousand years ago." 135. Professor Louis Renou (1896-1966) French Indologists, author of several books including Hinduism, Civilization in Ancient India, L'Inde fondamentale. He wrote in 1962: "Truth is for Hinduism an indivisible treasure; spiritual immediacy is widely distributed, the mystic path is open to everyone. In its purest forms, this religion becomes a type of wisdom, that wisdom which impressed the ancient Greeks when they visited India and which could be of some fruitfulness again for our blase cultures. It is as wisdom that we should like to define Hinduism rather than by the equivocal term spirituality." (source: Hinduism - By Louis Renou p. 56 - 57). India is the only country that feels like home to me, the only country whose airport tarmac I have ever kissed upon landing." "The Vedas still represent eternal truth in the purest form ever written. And they are what drew me to India in the first place, what kept me there, and what draws me back still. There is no stable principle of evil in Vedic philosophy. There is no infernal realm for sinners. Its non dualism is really beyond monotheism - which creates a fundamental duality of God and man. Evil is not envisaged as a quality opposed to good. It is the absence of good, just as darkness is the absence of light, not its opposite quality." (source: Empire of the Soul: Some Journeys in India.' p. 299 -325).

Name the false spiritulist and tell why they are false. As far as millions of followers including me find no fault in spiritualist like Sawmi Ragavendra, Saint Ramakrishna Paramamsa, Saint Ramalingam, Shiridi Sai and Sai Baba are saints who have awaken the spiritual awareness among millions of followers. These saints have given hope and faith to millions followers in their religion. Tell me what false do you find in them. Even the south Indian Saint Thiruvalluvar has instiled spiritual values in his book called the Thirukural. Did even try to read it? PART I. VIRTUE - Introduction Chapter. 1 - The Praise of God Kural-1 A, as its first of letters, every speech maintains; The "Primal Deity" is first through all the world's domains. As all letters have the letter A for their first, so the world has the eternal God for its first. Kural-2 No fruit have men of all their studied lore, Save they the 'Purely Wise One's' feet adore. What Profit have those derived from learning, who worship not the good feet of Him who is possessed of pure knowledge ? Kural-3 His feet, 'Who o'er the full-blown flower hath past,' who gain In bliss long time shall dwell above this earthly plain. They who are united to the glorious feet of Him who occupies swiftly the flower of the mind, shall flourish in the highest of worlds (heaven). Kural-4 His foot, 'Whom want affects not, irks not grief,' who gain Shall not, through every time, of any woes complain. To those who meditate the feet of Him who is void of desire or aversion, evil shall never come. Kural-5 The men, who on the 'King's' true praised delight to dwell, Affects not them the fruit of deeds done ill or well. The two-fold deeds that spring from darkness shall not adhere to those who delight in the true praise of God. Kural-6 Long live they blest, who 've stood in path from falsehood freed; His, 'Who quenched lusts that from the sense-gates five proceed'. Those shall long proposer who abide in the faultless way of Him who has destroyed the five desires of the senses. Kural-7 Unless His foot, 'to Whom none can compare,' men gain, 'Tis hard for mind to find relief from anxious pain. Anxiety of mind cannot be removed, except from those who are united to the feet of Him who is incomparable. Kural-8 Unless His feet 'the Sea of Good, the Fair and Bountiful,' men gain, 'Tis hard the further bank of being's changeful sea to attain. None can swim the sea of vice, but those who are united to the feet of that gracious Being who is a sea of virtue. Kural-9 Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold Excellence,' with unbent head, Who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead. The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation. Kural-10 They swim the sea of births, the 'Monarch's' foot who gain; None others reach the shore of being's mighty main. None can swim the great sea of births but those who are united to the feet of God. PART I. VIRTUE - Introduction Chapter. 2. The Excellence of Rain Kural-11 The world its course maintains through life that rain unfailing gives; Thus rain is known the true ambrosial food of all that lives. By the continuance of rain the world is preserved in existence; it is therefore worthy to be called ambrosia. Kural-12 The rain makes pleasant food for eaters rise; As food itself, thirst-quenching draught supplies. Rain produces good food, and is itself food. Kural-13 If clouds, that promised rain, deceive, and in the sky remain, Famine, sore torment, stalks o'er earth's vast ocean-girdled plain. If the cloud, withholding rain, deceive (our hopes) hunger will long distress the sea-girt spacious world. Kural-14 If clouds their wealth of waters fail on earth to pour, The ploughers plough with oxen's sturdy team no more. If the abundance of wealth imparting rain diminish, the labour of the plough must cease. Kural-15 'Tis rain works all: it ruin spreads, then timely aid supplies; As, in the happy days before, it bids the ruined rise. Rain by its absence ruins men; and by its existence restores them to fortune. Kural-16 If from the clouds no drops of rain are shed. 'Tis rare to see green herb lift up its head. If no drop falls from the clouds, not even the green blade of grass will be seen. Kural-17 If clouds restrain their gifts and grant no rain, The treasures fail in ocean's wide domain. Even the wealth of the wide sea will be diminished, if the cloud that has drawn (its waters) up gives them not back again (in rain). Kural-18 If heaven grow dry, with feast and offering never more, Will men on earth the heavenly ones adore. If the heaven dry up, neither yearly festivals, nor daily worship will be offered in this world, to the celestials. Kural-19 If heaven its watery treasures ceases to dispense, Through the wide world cease gifts, and deeds of 'penitence'. If rain fall not, penance and alms-deeds will not dwell within this spacious world. Kural-20 When water fails, functions of nature cease, you say; Thus when rain fails, no men can walk in 'duty's ordered way'. If it be said that the duties of life cannot be discharged by any person without water, so without rain there cannot be the flowing of water. PART I. VIRTUE - Introduction Chapter. 3. The Greatness of Ascetics Kural-21 The settled rule of every code requires, as highest good, Their greatness who, renouncing all, true to their rule have stood. The end and aim of all treatise is to extol beyond all other excellence, the greatness of those who, while abiding in the rule of conduct peculiar to their state, have abandoned all desire. Kural-22 As counting those that from the earth have passed away, 'Tis vain attempt the might of holy men to say. To describe the measure of the greatness of those who have forsaken the two-fold desires, is like counting the dead. Kural-23 Their greatness earth transcends, who, way of both worlds weighed, In this world take their stand, in virtue's robe arrayed. The greatness of those who have discovered the properties of both states of being, and renounced the world, shines forth on earth (beyond all others). Kural-24 He, who with firmness, curb the five restrains, Is seed for soil of yonder happy plains. He who guides his five senses by the hook of wisdom will be a seed in the world of heaven. Kural-25 Their might who have destroyed 'the five', shall soothly tell Indra, the lord of those in heaven's wide realms that dwell. Indra, the king of the inhabitants of the spacious heaven, is himself, a sufficient proof of the strength of him who has subdued his five senses. Kural-26 Things hard in the doing will great men do; Things hard in the doing the mean eschew. The great will do those things, which is difficult to be done; but the mean cannot do them. Kural-27 Taste, light, touch, sound, and smell: who knows the way Of all the five,- the world submissive owns his sway. The world is within the knowledge of him who knows the properties of taste, sight, touch, hearing and smell. Kural-28 The might of men whose word is never vain, The 'secret word' shall to the earth proclaim. The hidden words of the men, whose words are full of effect, will shew their greatness to the world. Kural-29 The wrath 'tis hard e'en for an instant to endure, Of those who virtue's hill have scaled, and stand secure. The anger of those who have ascended the mountain of goodness, though it continue but for a moment, cannot be resisted. Kural-30 Towards all that breathe, with seemly graciousness adorned they live; And thus to virtue's sons the name of 'Anthanar' men give, The virtuous are truly called Anthanar; because in their conduct towards all creatures they are clothed in kindness. PART I. VIRTUE - Introduction Chapter. 4. Assertion of the Strength of Virtue Kural-31 It yields distinction, yields prosperity; what gain Greater than virtue can a living man obtain? Virtue will confer heaven and wealth; what greater source of happiness can man possess ? Kural-32 No greater gain than virtue aught can cause; No greater loss than life oblivious of her laws. There can be no greater source of good than (the practice of) virtue; there can be no greater source of evil than the forgetfulness of it. Kural-33 To finish virtue's work with ceaseless effort strive, What way thou may'st, where'er thou see'st the work may thrive. As much as possible, in every way, incessantly practise virtue. Kural-34 Spotless be thou in mind! This only merits virtue's name; All else, mere pomp of idle sound, no real worth can claim. Let him who does virtuous deeds be of spotless mind; to that extent is virtue; all else is vain show. Kural-35 'Tis virtue when, his footsteps sliding not through envy, wrath, Lust, evil speech-these four, man onwards moves in ordered path. That conduct is virtue which is free from these four things, viz, malice, desire, anger and bitter speech. Kural-36 Do deeds of virtue now. Say not, 'To-morrow we'll be wise'; Thus, when thou diest, shalt thou find a help that never dies. Defer not virtue to another day; receive her now; and at the dying hour she will be your undying friend. Kural-37 Needs not in words to dwell on virtue's fruits: compare The man in litter borne with them that toiling bear! The fruit of virtue need not be described in books; it may be inferred from seeing the bearer of a palanquin and the rider therein. Kural-38 If no day passing idly, good to do each day you toil, A stone it will be to block the way of future days of moil. If one allows no day to pass without some good being done, his conduct will be a stone to block up the passage to other births. Kural-39 What from virtue floweth, yieldeth dear delight; All else extern, is void of glory's light. Only that pleasure which flows from domestic virtue is pleasure; all else is not pleasure, and it is without praise. Kural-40 'Virtue' sums the things that should be done; 'Vice' sums the things that man should shun. That is virtue which each ought to do, and that is vice which each should shun. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 5. Domestic Life Kural-41 The men of household virtue, firm in way of good, sustain The other orders three that rule professed maintain. He will be called a (true) householder, who is a firm support to the virtuous of the three orders in their good path. Kural-42 To anchorites, to indigent, to those who've passed away, The man for household virtue famed is needful held and stay. He will be said to flourish in domestic virtue who aids the forsaken, the poor, and the dead. Kural-43 The manes, God, guests kindred, self, in due degree, These five to cherish well is chiefest charity. The chief (duty of the householder) is to preserve the five-fold rule (of conduct) towards the manes, the Gods, his guests, his relations and himself. Kural-44 Who shares his meal with other, while all guilt he shuns, His virtuous line unbroken though the ages runs. His descendants shall never fail who, living in the domestic state, fears vice (in the acquisition of property) and shares his food (with others). Kural-45 If love and virtue in the household reign, This is of life the perfect grace and gain. If the married life possess love and virtue, these will be both its duty and reward. Kural-46 If man in active household life a virtuous soul retain, What fruit from other modes of virtue can he gain? What will he who lives virtuously in the domestic state gain by going into the other, (ascetic) state ? Kural-47 In nature's way who spends his calm domestic days, 'Mid all that strive for virtue's crown hath foremost place. Among all those who labour (for future happiness) he is greatest who lives well in the household state. Kural-48 Others it sets upon their way, itself from virtue ne'er declines; Than stern ascetics' pains such life domestic brighter shines. The householder, who not swerving from virtue helps the ascetic in his way, endures more than those who endure penance. Kural-49 The life domestic rightly bears true virtue's name; That other too, if blameless found, due praise may claim. The marriage state is truly called virtue. The other state is also good, if others do not reproach it. Kural-50 Who shares domestic life, by household virtues graced, Shall, mid the Gods, in heaven who dwell, be placed. He, who on earth has lived in the conjugal state as he should live, will be placed among the Gods who dwell in heaven. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 6. The Goodness of the Help to Domestic Life Kural-51 As doth the house beseem, she shows her wifely dignity; As doth her husband's wealth befit, she spends: help - meet is she. She who has the excellence of home virtues, and can expend within the means of her husband, is a help in the domestic state. Kural-52 If household excellence be wanting in the wife, Howe'er with splendour lived, all worthless is the life. If the wife be devoid of domestic excellence, whatever (other) greatness be possessed, the conjugal state, is nothing. Kural-53 There is no lack within the house, where wife in worth excels, There is no luck within the house, where wife dishonoured dwells. If his wife be eminent (in virtue), what does (that man) not possess ? If she be without excellence, what does (he) possess ? Kural-54 If woman might of chastity retain, What choicer treasure doth the world contain? What is more excellent than a wife, if she possess the stability of chastity ? Kural-55 No God adoring, low she bends before her lord; Then rising, serves: the rain falls instant at her word! If she, who does not worship God, but who rising worships her husband, say, "let it rain," it will rain. Kural-56 Who guards herself, for husband's comfort cares, her household's fame, In perfect wise with sleepless soul preserves, -give her a woman's name. She is a wife who unweariedly guards herself, takes care of her husband, and preserves an unsullied fame. Kural-57 Of what avail is watch and ward? Honour's woman's safest guard. What avails the guard of a prison ? The chief guard of a woman is her chastity. Kural-58 If wife be wholly true to him who gained her as his bride, Great glory gains she in the world where gods bliss abide. If women shew reverence to their husbands, they will obtain great excellence in the world where the gods flourish. Kural-59 Who have not spouses that in virtue's praise delight, They lion-like can never walk in scorner's sight. The man whose wife seeks not the praise (of chastity) cannot walk with lion-like stately step, before those who revile them. Kural-60 The house's 'blessing', men pronounce the house-wife excellent; The gain of blessed children is its goodly ornament. The excellence of a wife is the good of her husband; and good children are the jewels of that goodness. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 7. The Obtaining of Sons Kural-61 Of all that men acquire, we know not any greater gain, Than that which by the birth of learned children men obtain. Among all the benefits that may be acquired, we know no greater benefit than the acquisition of intelligent children. Kural-62 Who children gain, that none reproach, of virtuous worth, No evils touch them, through the sev'n-fold maze of birth. The evils of the seven births shall not touch those who abtain children of a good disposition, free from vice. Kural-63 'Man's children are his fortune,' say the wise; From each one's deeds his varied fortunes rise. Men will call their sons their wealth, because it flows to them through the deeds which they (sons) perform on their behalf. Kural-64 Than God's ambrosia sweeter far the food before men laid, In which the little hands of children of their own have play'd. The rice in which the little hand of their children has dabbled will be far sweeter (to the parent) than ambrosia. Kural-65 To patent sweet the touch of children dear; Their voice is sweetest music to his ear. The touch of children gives pleasure to the body, and the hearing of their words, pleasure to the ear. Kural-66 'The pipe is sweet,' 'the lute is sweet,' by them't will be averred, Who music of their infants' lisping lips have never heard. "The pipe is sweet, the lute is sweet," say those who have not heard the prattle of their own children. Kural-67 Sire greatest boon on son confers, who makes him meet, In councils of the wise to fill the highest seat. The benefit which a father should confer on his son is to give him precedence in the assembly of the learned. Kural-68 Their children's wisdom greater than their own confessed, Through the wide world is sweet to every human breast. That their children should possess knowledge is more pleasing to all men of this great earth than to themselves. Kural-69 When mother hears him named 'fulfill'd of wisdom's lore,' Far greater joy she feels, than when her son she bore. The mother who hears her son called "a wise man" will rejoice more than she did at his birth. Kural-70 To sire, what best requital can by grateful child be done? To make men say, 'What merit gained the father such a son?' (So to act) that it may be said "by what great penance did his father beget him," is the benefit which a son should render to his father. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 8. The Possession of Love Kural-71 And is there bar that can even love restrain? The tiny tear shall make the lover's secret plain. Is there any fastening that can shut in love ? Tears of the affectionate will publish the love that is within. Kural-72 The loveless to themselves belong alone; The loving men are others' to the very bone. Those who are destitute of love appropriate all they have to themselves; but those who possess love consider even their bones to belong to others. Kural-73 Of precious soul with body's flesh and bone, The union yields one fruit, the life of love alone. They say that the union of soul and body in man is the fruit of the union of love and virtue (in a former birth). Kural-74 From love fond yearning springs for union sweet of minds; And that the bond of rare excelling friendship binds. Love begets desire: and that (desire) begets the immeasureable excellence of friendship. Kural-75 Sweetness on earth and rarest bliss above, These are the fruits of tranquil life of love. They say that the felicity which those who, after enjoying the pleasure (of the conjugal state) in this world, obtain in heaven is the result of their domestic state imbued with love. Kural-76 The unwise deem love virtue only can sustain, It also helps the man who evil would restrain. The ignorant say that love is an ally to virtue only, but it is also a help to get out of vice. Kural-77 As sun's fierce ray dries up the boneless things, So loveless beings virtue's power to nothing brings. Virtue will burn up the soul which is without love, even as the sun burns up the creature which is without bone, i.e. worms. Kural-78 The loveless soul, the very joys of life may know, When flowers, in barren soil, on sapless trees, shall blow. The domestic state of that man whose mind is without love is like the flourishing of a withered tree upon the parched desert. Kural-79 Though every outward part complete, the body's fitly framed; What good, when soul within, of love devoid, lies halt and maimed? Of what avail are all the external members (of the body) to those who are destitute of love, the internal member. Kural-80 Bodies of loveless men are bony framework clad with skin; Then is the body seat of life, when love resides within. That body alone which is inspired with love contains a living soul: if void of it, (the body) is bone overlaid with skin. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 9. Cherishing Guests Kural-81 All household cares and course of daily life have this in view. Guests to receive with courtesy, and kindly acts to do. The whole design of living in the domestic state and laying up (property) is (to be able) to exercise the benevolence of hospitality. Kural-82 Though food of immortality should crown the board, Feasting alone, the guests without unfed, is thing abhorred. It is not fit that one should wish his guests to be outside (his house) even though he were eating the food of immortality. Kural-83 Each day he tends the coming guest with kindly care; Painless, unfailing plenty shall his household share. The domestic life of the man that daily entertains the guests who come to him shall not be laid waste by poverty. Kural-84 With smiling face he entertains each virtuous guest, 'Fortune' with gladsome mind shall in his dwelling rest. Lakshmi with joyous mind shall dwell in the house of that man who, with cheerful countenance, entertains the good as guests. Kural-85 Who first regales his guest, and then himself supplies, O'er all his fields, unsown, shall plenteous harvests rise. Is it necessary to sow the field of the man who, having feasted his guests, eats what may remain ? Kural-86 The guest arrived he tends, the coming guest expects to see; To those in heavenly homes that dwell a welcome guest is he. He who, having entertained the guests that have come, looks out for others who may yet come, will be a welcome guest to the inhabitants of heaven. Kural-87 To reckon up the fruit of kindly deeds were all in vain; Their worth is as the worth of guests you entertain. The advantages of benevolence cannot be measured; the measure (of the virtue) of the guests (entertained) is the only measure. Kural-88 With pain they guard their stores, yet 'All forlorn are we,' they'll cry, Who cherish not their guests, nor kindly help supply. Those who have taken no part in the benevolence of hospitality shall (at length lament) saying, "we have laboured and laid up wealth and are now without support." Kural-89 To turn from guests is penury, though worldly goods abound; 'Tis senseless folly, only with the senseless found. That stupidity which excercises no hospitality is poverty in the midst of wealth. It is the property of the stupid. Kural-90 The flower of 'Anicha' withers away, If you do but its fragrance inhale; If the face of the host cold welcome convey, The guest's heart within him will fail. As the Anicham flower fades in smelling, so fades the guest when the face is turned away. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 10. The Utterance of Pleasant Words Kural-91 Pleasant words are words with all pervading love that burn; Words from his guileless mouth who can the very truth discern. Sweet words are those which imbued with love and free from deceit flow from the mouth of the virtuous. Kural-92 A pleasant word with beaming smile,s preferred, Even to gifts with liberal heart conferred. Sweet speech, with a cheerful countenance is better than a gift made with a joyous mind. Kural-93 With brightly beaming smile, and kindly light of loving eye, And heart sincere, to utter pleasant words is charity. Sweet speech, flowing from the heart (uttered) with a cheerful countenance and a sweet look, is true virtue. Kural-94 The men of pleasant speech that gladness breathe around, Through indigence shall never sorrow's prey be found. Sorrow-increasing poverty shall not come upon those who use towards all, pleasure-increasing sweetness of speech. Kural-95 Humility with pleasant speech to man on earth, Is choice adornment; all besides is nothing worth. Humility and sweetness of speech are the ornaments of man; all others are not (ornaments). Kural-96 Who seeks out good, words from his lips of sweetness flow; In him the power of vice declines, and virtues grow. If a man, while seeking to speak usefully, speaks also sweetly, his sins will diminish and his virtue increase. Kural-97 The words of sterling sense, to rule of right that strict adhere, To virtuous action prompting, blessings yield in every sphere. That speech which, while imparting benefits ceases not to please, will yield righteousness (for this world) and merit (for the next world). Kural-98 Sweet kindly words, from meanness free, delight of heart, In world to come and in this world impart. Sweet speech, free from harm to others, will give pleasure both in this world and in the next. Kural-99 Who sees the pleasure kindly speech affords, Why makes he use of harsh, repellant words? Why does he use harsh words, who sees the pleasure which sweet speech yields ? Kural-100 When pleasant words are easy, bitter words to use, Is, leaving sweet ripe fruit, the sour unripe to choose. To say disagreeable things when agreeable are at hand is like eating unripe fruit when there is ripe. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 11. The Knowledge of Benefits Conferred: Gratitude Kural-101 Assistance given by those who ne'er received our aid, Is debt by gift of heaven and earth but poorly paid. (The gift of) heaven and earth is not an equivalent for a benefit which is conferred where none had been received. Kural-102 A timely benefit, -though thing of little worth, The gift itself, -in excellence transcends the earth. A favour conferred in the time of need, though it be small (in itself), is (in value) much larger than the world. Kural-103 Kindness shown by those who weigh not what the return may be: When you ponder right its merit, 'Tis vaster than the sea. If we weigh the excellence of a benefit which is conferred without weighing the return, it is larger than the sea. Kural-104 Each benefit to those of actions' fruit who rightly deem, Though small as millet-seed, as palm-tree vast will seem. Though the benefit conferred be as small as a millet seed, those who know its advantage will consider it as large as a palmyra fruit. Kural-105 The kindly aid's extent is of its worth no measure true; Its worth is as the worth of him to whom the act you do. The benefit itself is not the measure of the benefit; the worth of those who have received it is its measure. Kural-106 Kindness of men of stainless soul remember evermore! Forsake thou never friends who were thy stay in sorrow sore! Forsake not the friendship of those who have been your staff in adversity. Forget not be benevolence of the blameless. Kural-107 Through all seven worlds, in seven-fold birth, Remains in mem'ry of the wise. Friendship of those who wiped on earth, The tears of sorrow from their eyes. (The wise) will remember throughout their seven-fold births the love of those who have wiped away their affliction. Kural-108 'Tis never good to let the thought of good things done thee pass away; Of things not good, 'tis good to rid thy memory that very day. It is not good to forget a benefit; it is good to forget an injury even in the very moment (in which it is inflicted). Kural-109 Effaced straightway is deadliest injury, By thought of one kind act in days gone by. Though one inflict an injury great as murder, it will perish before the thought of one benefit (formerly) conferred. Kural-110 Who every good have killed, may yet destruction flee; Who 'benefit' has killed, that man shall ne'er 'scape free! He who has killed every virtue may yet escape; there is no escape for him who has killed a benefit. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 12. Impartiality Kural-111 If justice, failing not, its quality maintain, Giving to each his due, -'tis man's one highest gain. That equity which consists in acting with equal regard to each of (the three) divisions of men [enemies, strangers and friends] is a pre-eminent virtue. Kural-112 The just man's wealth unwasting shall endure, And to his race a lasting joy ensure. The wealth of the man of rectitude will not perish, but will bring happiness also to his posterity. Kural-113 Though only good it seem to give, yet gain By wrong acquired, not e'en one day retain! Forsake in the very moment (of acquisition) that gain which, though it should bring advantage, is without equity. Kural-114 Who just or unjust lived shall soon appear: By each one's offspring shall the truth be clear. The worthy and unworthy may be known by the existence or otherwise of good offsprings. Kural-115 The gain and loss in life are not mere accident; Just mind inflexible is sages' ornament. Loss and gain come not without cause; it is the ornament of the wise to preserve evenness of mind (under both). Kural-116 If, right deserting, heart to evil turn, Let man impending ruin's sign discern! Let him whose mind departing from equity commits sin well consider thus within himself, "I shall perish." Kural-117 The man who justly lives, tenacious of the right, In low estate is never low to wise man's sight. The great will not regard as poverty the low estate of that man who dwells in the virtue of equity. Kural-118 To stand, like balance-rod that level hangs and rightly weighs, With calm unbiassed equity of soul, is sages' praise. To incline to neither side, but to rest impartial as the even-fixed scale is the ornament of the wise. Kural-119 Inflexibility in word is righteousness, If men inflexibility of soul possess. Freedom from obliquity of speech is rectitude, if there be (corresponding) freedom from bias of mind. Kural-120 As thriving trader is the trader known, Who guards another's interests as his own. The true merchandize of merchants is to guard and do by the things of others as they do by their own. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 13. The Possession of Self-restraint Kural-121 Control of self does man conduct to bliss th' immortals share; Indulgence leads to deepest night, and leaves him there. Self-control will place (a man) among the Gods; the want of it will drive (him) into the thickest darkness (of hell). Kural-122 Guard thou as wealth the power of self-control; Than this no greater gain to living soul! Let self-control be guarded as a treasure; there is no greater source of good for man than that. Kural-123 If versed in wisdom's lore by virtue's law you self restrain. Your self-repression known will yield you glory's gain. Knowing that self-control is knowledge, if a man should control himself, in the prescribed course, such self-control will bring him distinction among the wise. Kural-124 In his station, all unswerving, if man self subdue, Greater he than mountain proudly rising to the view. More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who without swerving from his domestic state, controls himself. Kural-125 To all humility is goodly grace; but chief to them With fortune blessed, -'tis fortune's diadem. Humility is good in all; but especially in the rich it is (the excellence of) higher riches. Kural-126 Like tortoise, who the five restrains In one, through seven world bliss obtains. Should one throughout a single birth, like a tortoise keep in his five senses, the fruit of it will prove a safe-guard to him throughout the seven-fold births. Kural-127 Whate'er they fail to guard, o'er lips men guard should keep; If not, through fault of tongue, they bitter tears shall weep. Whatever besides you leave unguarded, guard your tongue; otherwise errors of speech and the consequent misery will ensue. Kural-128 Though some small gain of good it seem to bring, The evil word is parent still of evil thing. If a man's speech be productive of a single evil, all the good by him will be turned into evil. Kural-129 In flesh by fire inflamed, nature may thoroughly heal the sore; In soul by tongue inflamed, the ulcer healeth never more. The wound which has been burnt in by fire may heal, but a wound burnt in by the tongue will never heal. Kural-130 Who learns restraint, and guards his soul from wrath, Virtue, a timely aid, attends his path. Virtue, seeking for an opportunity, will come into the path of that man who, possessed of learning and self-control, guards himself against anger. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 14. The Possession of Decorum Kural-131 'Decorum' gives especial excellence; with greater care 'Decorum' should men guard than life, which all men share. Propriety of conduct leads to eminence, it should therefore be preserved more carefully than life. Kural-132 Searching, duly watching, learning, 'decorum' still we find; Man's only aid; toiling, guard thou this with watchful mind. Let propriety of conduct be laboriously preserved and guarded; though one know and practise and excel in many virtues, that will be an eminent aid. Kural-133 'Decorum's' true nobility on earth; 'Indecorum's' issue is ignoble birth. Propriety of conduct is true greatness of birth, and impropriety will sink into a mean birth. Kural-134 Though he forget, the Brahman may regain his Vedic lore; Failing in 'decorum due,' birthright's gone for evermore. A Brahman though he should forget the Vedas may recover it by reading; but, if he fail in propriety of conduct even his high birth will be destroyed. Kural-135 The envious soul in life no rich increase of blessing gains, So man of 'due decorum' void no dignity obtains. Just as the envious man will be without wealth, so will the man of destitute of propriety of conduct be without greatness. Kural-136 The strong of soul no jot abate of 'strict decorum's' laws, Knowing that 'due decorum's' breach foulest disgrace will cause. Those firm in mind will not slacken in their observance of the proprieties of life, knowing, as they do, the misery that flows from the transgression from them. Kural-137 'Tis source of dignity when 'true decorum' is preserved; Who break 'decorum's' rules endure e'en censures undeserved. From propriety of conduct men obtain greatness; from impropriety comes insufferable disgrace. Kural-138 'Decorum true' observed a seed of good will be; 'Decorum's breach' will sorrow yield eternally. Propriety of conduct is the seed of virtue; impropriety will ever cause sorrow. Kural-139 It cannot be that they who 'strict decorum's' law fulfil, E'en in forgetful mood, should utter words of ill. Those who study propriety of conduct will not speak evil, even forgetfully. Kural-140 Who know not with the world in harmony to dwell, May many things have learned, but nothing well. Those who know not how to act agreeably to the world, though they have learnt many things, are still ignorant. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 15. Not coveting another's Wife Kural-141 Who laws of virtue and possession's rights have known, Indulge no foolish love of her by right another's own. The folly of desiring her who is the property of another will not be found in those who know (the attributes of) virtue and (the rights of) property. Kural-142 No fools, of all that stand from virtue's pale shut out, Like those who longing lurk their neighbour's gate without. Among all those who stand on the outside of virtue, there are no greater fools than those who stand outside their neighbour's door. Kural-143 They're numbered with the dead, e'en while they live, -how otherwise? With wife of sure confiding friend who evil things devise. Certainly they are no better than dead men who desire evil towards the wife of those who undoubtingly confide in them. Kural-144 How great soe'er they be, what gain have they of life, Who, not a whit reflecting, seek a neighbour's wife. However great one may be, what does it avail if, without at all considering his guilt, he goes unto the wife of another ? Kural-145 'Mere triflel' saying thus, invades the home, so he ensures. A gain of guilt that deathless aye endures. He who thinks lightly of going into the wife of another acquires guilt that will abide with him imperishably and for ever. Kural-146 Who home ivades, from him pass nevermore, Hatred and sin, fear, foul disgrace; these four. Hatred, sin, fear, disgrace; these four will never leave him who goes in to his neighbour's wife. Kural-147 Who sees the wife, another's own, with no desiring eye In sure domestic bliss he dwelleth ever virtuously. He who desires not the womanhood of her who should walk according to the will of another will be praised as a virtuous house-holder. Kural-148 Manly excellence, that looks not on another's wife, Is not virtue merely, 'tis full 'propriety' of life. That noble manliness which looks not at the wife of another is the virtue and dignity of the great. Kural-149 Who 're good indeed, on earth begirt by ocean's gruesome tide? The men who touch not her that is another's bride. Is it asked, "who are those who shall obtain good in this world surrounded by the terror-producing sea ?" Those who touch not the shoulder of her who belongs to another. Kural-150 Though virtue's bounds he pass, and evil deeds hath wrought; At least, 'tis good if neighbour's wife he covet not. Though a man perform no virtuous deeds and commit (every) vice, it will be well if he desire not the womanhood of her who is within the limit (of the house) of another. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 16. The Possession of Patience, Forbearance Kural-151 As earth bears up the men who delve into her breast, To bear with scornful men of virtues is the best. To bear with those who revile us, just as the earth bears up those who dig it, is the first of virtues. Kural-152 Forgiving trespasses is good always; Forgetting them hath even higher praise; Bear with reproach even when you can retaliate; but to forget it will be still better than that. Kural-153 The sorest poverty is bidding guest unfed depart; The mightiest might to bear with men of foolish heart. To neglect hospitality is poverty of poverty. To bear with the ignorant is might of might. Kural-154 Seek'st thou honour never tarnished to retain; So must thou patience, guarding evermore, maintain. If you desire that greatness should never leave, you preserve in your conduct the exercise of patience. Kural-155 Who wreak their wrath as worthless are despised; Who patiently forbear as gold are prized. (The wise) will not at all esteem the resentful. They will esteem the patient just as the gold which they lay up with care. Kural-156 Who wreak their wrath have pleasure for a day; Who bear have praise till earth shall pass away. The pleasure of the resentful continues for a day. The praise of the patient will continue until (the final destruction of) the world. Kural-157 Though others work thee ill, thus shalt thou blessing reap; Grieve for their sin, thyself from vicious action keep! Though others inflict injuries on you, yet compassionating the evil (that will come upon them) it will be well not to do them anything contrary to virtue. Kural-158 With overweening pride when men with injuries assail, By thine own righteous dealing shalt thou mightily prevail. Let a man by patience overcome those who through pride commit excesses. Kural-159 They who transgressors' evil words endure With patience, are as stern ascetics pure. Those who bear with the uncourteous speech of the insolent are as pure as the ascetics. Kural-160 Though 'great' we deem the men that fast and suffer pain, Who others' bitter words endure, the foremost place obtain. Those who endure abstinence from food are great, next to those who endure the uncourteous speech of others. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 17. Not Envying Kural-161 As 'strict decorum's' laws, that all men bind, Let each regard unenvying grace of mind. Let a man esteem that disposition which is free from envy in the same manner as propriety of conduct. Kural-162 If man can learn to envy none on earth, 'Tis richest gift, -beyond compare its worth. Amongst all attainable excellences there is none equal to that of being free from envy towords others. Kural-163 Nor wealth nor virtue does that man desire 'tis plain, Whom others' wealth delights not, feeling envious pain. Of him who instead of rejoicing in the wealth of others, envies it, it will be said "he neither desires virtue not wealth." Kural-164 The wise through envy break not virtue's laws, Knowing ill-deeds of foul disgrace the cause. (The wise) knowing the misery that comes from transgression will not through envy commit unrighteous deeds. Kural-165 Envy they have within! Enough to seat their fate! Though foemen fail, envy can ruin consummate. To those who cherish envy that is enough. Though free from enemies that (envy) will bring destruction. Kural-166 Who scans good gifts to others given with envious eye, His kin, with none to clothe or feed them, surely die. He who is envious at a gift (made to another) will with his relations utterly perish destitute of food and rainment. Kural-167 From envious man good fortune's goddess turns away, Grudging him good, and points him out misfortune's prey. Lakshmi envying (the prosperity) of the envious man will depart and introduce him to her sister. Kural-168 Envy, embodied ill, incomparable bane, Good fortune slays, and soul consigns to fiery pain. Envy will destroy (a man's) wealth (in his world) and drive him into the pit of fire (in the world to come.) Kural-169 To men of envious heart, when comes increase of joy, Or loss to blameless men, the 'why' will thoughtful hearts employ. The wealth of a man of envious mind and the poverty of the righteous will be pondered. Kural-170 No envious men to large and full felicity attain; No men from envy free have failed a sure increase to gain. Never have the envious become great; never have those who are free from envy been without greatness. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 18. Not Coveting Kural-171 With soul unjust to covet others' well-earned store, Brings ruin to the home, to evil opes the door. If a man departing from equity covet the property (of others), at that very time will his family be destroyed and guilt be incurred. Kural-172 Through lust of gain, no deeds that retribution bring, Do they, who shrink with shame from every unjust thing. Those who blush at the want of equity will not commit disgraceful acts through desire of the profit that may be gained. Kural-173 No deeds of ill, misled by base desire, Do they, whose souls to other joys aspire. Those who desire the higher pleasures (of heaven) will not act unjustly through desire of the trifling joy. (in this life.) Kural-174 Men who have conquered sense, with sight from sordid vision freed, Desire not other's goods, e'en in the hour of sorest need. The wise who have conquered their senses and are free from crime, will not covet (the things of others), with the thought "we are destitute." Kural-175 What gain, though lore refined of amplest reach he learn, His acts towards all mankind if covetous desire to folly turn? What is the advantage of extensive and accurate knowledge if a man through covetousness act senselessly towards all ? Kural-176 Though, grace desiring, he in virtue's way stand strong, He's lost who wealth desires, and ponders deeds of wrong. If he, who through desire of the virtue of kindness abides in the domestic state i.e., the path in which it may be obtained, covet (the property of others) and think of evil methods (to obtain it), he will perish. Kural-177 Seek not increase by greed of gain acquired; That fruit matured yields never good desired. Desire not the gain of covetousness. In the enjoyment of its fruits there is no glory. Kural-178 What saves prosperity from swift decline? Absence of lust to make another's cherished riches thine! If it is weighed, "what is the indestructibility of wealth," it is freedom from covetousness. Kural-179 Good fortune draws anigh in helpful time of need, To him who, schooled in virtue, guards his soul from greed. Lakshmi, knowing the manner (in which she may approach) will immediately come to those wise men who, knowing that it is virtue, covet not the property of others. Kural-180 From thoughtless lust of other's goods springs fatal ill, Greatness of soul that covets not shall triumph still. To covet (the wealth of another) regardless of consequences will bring destruction. That greatness (of mind) which covets not will give victory. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 19. Not Backbiting Kural-181 Though virtuous words his lips speak not, and all his deeds are ill. If neighbour he defame not, there's good within him still. Though one do not even speak of virtue and live in sin, it will be well if it be said of him "he does not backbite." Kural-182 Than he who virtue scorns, and evil deeds performs, more vile, Is he that slanders friend, then meets him with false smile. To smile deceitfully (in another's presence) after having reviled him to his destruction (behind his back) is a greater evil than the commission of (every other) sin and the destruction of (every) virtue. Kural-183 'Tis greater gain of virtuous good for man to die, Than live to slander absent friend, and falsely praise when nigh. Death rather than life will confer upon the deceitful backbiter the profit which (the treatises on) virtue point out. Kural-184 In presence though unkindly words you speak, say not In absence words whose ill result exceeds your thought. Though you speak without kindness before another's face speak not in his absence words which regard not the evil subsequently resulting from it. Kural-185 The slanderous meanness that an absent friend defames, 'This man in words owns virtue, not in heart,' proclaims. The emptiness of that man's mind who (merely) praises virtue will be seen from the meanness of reviling another behind his back. Kural-186 Who on his neighbours' sins delights to dwell, The story of his sins, culled out with care, the world will tell. The character of the faults of that man who publishes abroad the faults of others will be sought out and published. Kural-187 With friendly art who know not pleasant words to say, Speak words that sever hearts, and drive choice friends away. Those who know not to live in friendship with amusing conversation will by back-biting estrange even their relatives. Kural-188 Whose nature bids them faults of closest friends proclaim What mercy will they show to other men's good name? What will those not do to strangers whose nature leads them to publish abroad the faults of their intimate friends ? Kural-189 'Tis charity, I ween, that makes the earth sustain their load. Who, neighbours' absence watching, tales or slander tell abroad. The world through charity supports the weight of those who reproach others observing their absence. Kural-190 If each his own, as neighbours' faults would scan, Could any evil hap to living man? If they observed their own faults as they observe the faults of others, would any evil happen to men ? PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 20. The Not Speaking Profitless Words Kural-191 Words without sense, while chafe the wise, Who babbles, him will all despise. He who to the disgust of many speaks useless things will be despised by all. Kural-192 Words without sense, where many wise men hear, to pour Than deeds to friends ungracious done offendeth more. To speak useless things in the presence of many is a greater evil than to do unkind things towards friends. Kural-193 Diffusive speech of useless words proclaims A man who never righteous wisdom gains. That conversation in which a man utters forth useless things will say of him "he is without virtue." Kural-194 Unmeaning, worthless words, said to the multitude, To none delight afford, and sever men from good. The words devoid of profit or pleasure which a man speaks will, being inconsistent with virtue, remove him from goodness. Kural-195 Gone are both fame and boasted excellence, When men of worth speak of words devoid of sense. If the good speak vain words their eminence and excellence will leave them. Kural-196 Who makes display of idle words' inanity, Call him not man, -chaff of humanity! Call not him a man who parades forth his empty words. Call him the chaff of men. Kural-197 Let those who list speak things that no delight afford, 'Tis good for men of worth to speak no idle word. Let the wise if they will, speak things without excellence; it will be well for them not to speak useless things. Kural-198 The wise who weigh the worth of every utterance, Speak none but words of deep significance. The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them. Kural-199 The men of vision pure, from wildering folly free, Not e'en in thoughtless hour, speak words of vanity. Those wise men who are without faults and are freed from ignorance will not even forgetfully speak things that profit not. Kural-200 If speak you will, speak words that fruit afford, If speak you will, speak never fruitless word. Speak what is useful, and speak not useless words. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 21. Dread of Evil Deeds Kural-201 With sinful act men cease to feel the dread of ill within, The excellent will dread the wanton pride of cherished sin. Those who have experience of evil deeds will not fear, but the excellent will fear the pride of sin. Kural-202 Since evils new from evils ever grow, Evil than fire works out more dreaded woe. Because evil produces evil, therefore should evil be feared more than fire. Kural-203 Even to those that hate make no return of ill; So shalt thou wisdom's highest law, 'tis said, fulfil. To do no evil to enemies will be called the chief of all virtues. Kural-204 Though good thy soul forget, plot not thy neighbour's fall, Thy plans shall 'virtue's Power' by ruin to thyself forestall. Even though forgetfulness meditate not the ruin of another. Virtue will meditate the ruin of him who thus meditates. Kural-205 Make not thy poverty a plea for ill; Thy evil deeds will make thee poorer still. Commit not evil, saying, "I am poor": if you do, you will become poorer still. Kural-206 What ranks as evil spare to do, if thou would'st shun Affliction sore through ill to thee by others done. Let him not do evil to others who desires not that sorrows should pursue him. Kural-207 From every enmity incurred there is to 'scape, a way; The wrath of evil deeds will dog men's steps, and slay. However great be the enmity men have incurred they may still live. The enmity of sin will incessantly pursue and kill. Kural-208 Man's shadow dogs his steps where'er he wends; Destruction thus on sinful deeds attends. Destruction will dwell at the heels of those who commit evil even as their shadow that leaves them not. Kural-209 Beware, if to thyself thyself is dear, Lest thou to aught that ranks as ill draw near! If a man love himself, let him not commit any sin however small. Kural-210 The man, to devious way of sin that never turned aside, From ruin rests secure, whatever ills betide. Know ye that he is freed from destruction who commits no evil, going to neither side of the right path. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 22. The knowledge of what is Befitting a Man's Position Kural-211 Duty demands no recompense; to clouds of heaven, By men on earth, what answering gift is given? Benevolence seeks not a return. What does the world give back to the clouds ? Kural-212 The worthy say, when wealth rewards their toil-spent hours, For uses of beneficence alone 'tis ours. All the wealth acquired with perseverance by the worthy is for the exercise of benevolence. Kural-213 To 'due beneficence' no equal good we know, Amid the happy gods, or in this world below. It is difficult to obtain another good equal to benevolence either in this world or in that of the gods. Kural-214 Who knows what's human life's befitting grace, He lives; the rest 'mongst dead men have their place. He truly lives who knows (and discharges) the proper duties (of benevolence). He who knows them not will be reckoned among the dead. Kural-215 The wealth of men who love the 'fitting way,' the truly wise, Is as when water fills the lake that village needs supplies. The wealth of that man of eminent knowledge who desires to exercise the benevolence approved of by the world, is like the full waters of a city-tank. Kural-216 A tree that fruits in th' hamlet's central mart, Is wealth that falls to men of liberal heart. The wealth of a man (possessed of the virtue) of benevolence is like the ripening of a fruitful tree in the midst of a town. Kural-217 Unfailing tree that healing balm distils from every part, Is ample wealth that falls to him of large and noble heart. If wealth be in the possession of a man who has the great excellence (of benevolence), it is like a tree which as a medicine is an infallible cure for disease. Kural-218 E'en when resources fall, they weary not of 'kindness due,'- They to whom Duty's self appears in vision true. The wise who know what is duty will not scant their benevolence even when they are without wealth. Kural-219 The kindly-hearted man is poor in this alone, When power of doing deeds of goodness he finds none. The poverty of a benevolent man, is nothing but his inability to exercise the same. Kural-220 Though by 'beneficence,' the loss of all should come, 'Twere meet man sold himself, and bought it with the sum. If it be said that loss will result from benevolence, such loss is worth being procured even by the sale of one's self. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 23. Giving Kural-221 Call that a gift to needy men thou dost dispense, All else is void of good, seeking for recompense. To give to the destitute is true charity. All other gifts have the nature of (what is done for) a measured return. Kural-222 Though men declare it heavenward path, yet to receive is ill; Though upper heaven were not, to give is virtue still. To beg is evil, even though it were said that it is a good path (to heaven). To give is good, even though it were said that those who do so cannot obtain heaven. Kural-223 'I've nought' is ne'er the high-born man's reply; He gives to those who raise themselves that cry. (Even in a low state) not to adopt the mean expedient of saying "I have nothing," but to give, is the characteristic of the mad of noble birth. Kural-224 The suppliants' cry for aid yields scant delight, Until you see his face with grateful gladness bright. To see men begging from us in disagreeable, until we see their pleasant countenance. Kural-225 'Mid devotees they're great who hunger's pangs sustain, Who hunger's pangs relieve a higher merit gain. The power of those who perform penance is the power of enduring hunger. It is inferior to the power of those who remove the hunger (of others). Kural-226 Let man relieve the wasting hunger men endure; For treasure gained thus finds he treasure-house secure. The removal of the killing hunger of the poor is the place for one to lay up his wealth. Kural-227 Whose soul delights with hungry men to share his meal, The hand of hunger's sickness sore shall never feel. The fiery disease of hunger shall never touch him who habitually distributes his food to others. Kural-228 Delight of glad'ning human hearts with gifts do they not know. Men of unpitying eye, who hoard their wealth and lose it so? Do the hard-eyed who lay up and lose their possessions not know the happiness which springs from the pleasure of giving ? Kural-229 They keep their garners full, for self alone the board they spread;- 'Tis greater pain, be sure, than begging daily bread! Solitary and unshared eating for the sake of filling up one's own riches is certainly much more unpleasant than begging. Kural-230 'Tis bitter pain to die, 'Tis worse to live. For him who nothing finds to give! Nothing is more unpleasant than death: yet even that is pleasant where charity cannot be exercised. PART I. VIRTUE - Domestic Virtue Chapter. 24. Renown Kural-231 See that thy life the praise of generous gifts obtain; Save this for living man exists no real gain. Give to the poor and live with praise. There is no greater profit to man than that. Kural-232 The speech of all that speak agrees to crown The men that give to those that ask, with fair renown. Whatsoever is spoken in the world will abide as praise upon that man who gives alms to the poor. Kural-233 Save praise alone that soars on high, Nought lives on earth that shall not die. There is nothing that stands forth in the world imperishable, except fame, exalted in solitary greatness. Kural-234 If men do virtuous deeds by world-wide ample glory crowned, The heavens will cease to laud the sage for other gifts renowned. If one has acquired extensive fame within the limits of this earth, the world of the Gods will no longer praise those sages who have attained that world. Kural-235 Loss that is gain, and death of life's true bliss fulfilled, Are fruits which only wisdom rare can yield. Prosperity to the body of fame, resulting in poverty to the body of flesh and the stability to the former arising from the death of the latter, are achievable only by the wise. Kural-236 If man you walk the stage, appear adorned with glory's grace; Save glorious you can shine, 'twere better hide your face. If you are born (in this world), be born with qualities conductive to fame. From those who are destitute of them it will be better not to be born. Kural-237 If you your days will spend devoid of goodly fame, When men despise, why blame them? You've yourself to blame. Why do those who cannot live with praise, grieve those who despise them, instead of grieving themselves for their own inability. Kural-238 Fame is virtue's child, they say; if, then, You childless live, you live the scorn of men. Not to beget fame will be esteemed a disgrace by the wise in this world. Kural-239 The blameless fruits of fields' increase will dwindle down, If earth the burthen bear of men without renown. The ground which supports a body without fame will diminish in its rich produce. Kural-240 Who live without reproach, them living men we deem; Who live without renown, live not, though living men they seem. Those live who live without disgrace. Those who live without fame live not. PART I. VIRTUE - Ascetic Virtue Chapter. 25. The Possession of Benevolence Kural-241 Wealth 'mid wealth is wealth 'kindliness'; Wealth of goods the vilest too possess. The wealth of kindness is wealth of wealth, in as much as the wealth of property is possessed by the basest of men. Kural-242 The law of 'grace' fulfil, by methods good due trial made, Though many systems you explore, this is your only aid. (Stand) in the good path, consider, and be kind. Even considering according to the conflicting tenets of the different sects, kindness will be your best aid, (in the acquisition of heavenly bliss.) Kural-243 They in whose breast a 'gracious kindliness' resides, See not the gruesome world, where darkness drear abides. They will never enter the world of darkness and wretchedness whose minds are the abode of kindness. Kural-244 Who for undying souls of men provides with gracious zeal, In his own soul the dreaded guilt of sin shall never feel. (The wise) say that the evils, which his soul would dread, will never come upon the man who exercises kindness and protects the life (of other creatures) Kural-245 The teeming earth's vast realm, round which the wild winds blow, Is witness, men of 'grace' no woeful want shall know. This great rich earth over which the wind blows, is a witness that sorrow never comes upon the kind-hearted. Kural-246 Gain of true wealth oblivious they eschew, Who 'grace' forsake, and graceless actions do. (The wise) say that those who neglect kindness and practise cruelties, neglected virtue (in their former birth), and forgot (the sorrows which they must suffer.) Kural-247 As to impoverished men this present world is not; The 'graceless' in you world have neither part nor lot. As this world is not for those who are without wealth, so that world is not for those who are without kindness. Kural-248 Who lose the flower of wealth, when seasons change, again may bloom; Who lose 'benevolence', lose all; nothing can change their doom. Those who are without wealth may, at some future time, become prosperous; those who are destitute of kindness are utterly destitute; for them there is no change. Kural-249 When souls unwise true wisdom's mystic vision see, The 'graceless' man may work true works of charity. If you consider, the virtue of him who is without kindness is like the perception of the true being by him who is without wisdom. Kural-250 When weaker men you front with threat'ning brow, Think how you felt in presence of some stronger foe. When a man is about to rush upon those who are weaker than himself, let him

Satan according to Bible and Koran is a fallen angle. We hindus has a name for evil. We call him ASURAN and believe me they came in many forms. Even today they exist in the name of Sadam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden and disguised as Mullas and preaches like Billy Graham and amany others. So it is not a ploy but a reality. And beware any wrong move will take you straigh to HELL.

This could apply to Islam as it was created through word of mouth. The prophet said this the other day and another one said the prophet said that when he was with his 9 year old wife Aisha. But Hinduism was way beyond that. Even Christianity was as same as Islam. Jesus said this and that as narrated by Pete, Paul and John. But not Hinduism because Scince of Astronomy is there, Science of medicene is there, Science of sex is there and Science of Politics is there. What do you need for you spritual knowledge is there so, learn it and be wise.

Religion is an individual choice and do be a devotee of a divine person is also the right of one's choice. SP is not on divine birth but took the path of brahmacarya to spread the word of Gita to the westeren world. Whereas Sai Baba has a history of divine propagation from his boyhood. Read his life story before making as assumsion. If you are a crussader of Krishna so be it and no one is saying you cannot but you have a bad attitude of call others cheat and rascals and sending back such words back to you is no sin of mine. HC's are the followers of ISCK. Fans and devotees are not the same if you can understand that. As I have said the problem is people like you. Yopu are no different from Osama Bin Laden. He hates the non Muslims while you hate non Krishna devotees.

The Law of Divine Unity The whole universe is permeated with divine presence. Therefore one should deal with every object in it as if one is dealing with oneself or with God. God is omnipresent and omniscient. Everything in this universe is thus very sacred and very divine. Because it is filled with the presence of God, every thing here deserves respect and consideration. He, who is aware of this truth, treats every object in the universe with unconditional respect, love and consideration. He treats everything and everyone here the way he treats himself or the way he expects others to treat him. He treats everyone and every thing as if it is a part of him or an aspect of God. He knows that if he does not do so, somewhere he may have to pay for the consequences of his ignorance and selfishness. He realizes that if he treats the world around him wrongly, the world would become inhospitable for him, that if he indulges in the destruction of nature around him than surely nature would slowly make life difficult for him too. He lives with the awareness that if he treats people with goodness in his heart, he begets their goodness, but if he frowns at them, they too would. All religions preach this law. Those who seek harmony and peace in life understand this principle very well and treat every thing in the world with due respect and a sense of sacredness. This law demands that you have to treat every one as how you want to be treated by others. It enjoins that you develop the vision of oneness of the universe and deal with it accordingly. Those who observe this law are forever connected to the presence of Divine with in themselves and with in others. They are connected to the flow of universal love that stems from the Oneness of the universe. Those who are self-centred and ignore this law may achieve temporary gains at the cost of others, but they remain mostly unhappy, disturbed and unloved. This law can be followed sincerely only when a person comes out of the little cocoon he builds around himself, without excluding others from the gains he makes and without exploiting others for the gains he wants to make. When we fill our hearts, with expectations and unlimited desires for our own comforts and happiness, there would but be little scope to express the natural flow of divine love through us. The love that we block in our hearts also blocks the love that is due from others. When love for others and consideration for others desert a person, he has but loneliness only as his companion, that breeds in him the darkness of insecurity and unlimited anxiety towards his own future. But when he emerges out of his little world and tries to embrace the world with open arms and clean minds, he grows in the light of that awareness and learn see the world as an aspect of God. He lives with the assured feeling that when the need arises, the world would open its arms and embrace him too. The Law of Inherent Balance There is an inherent balance in all created things. If you want peace and happiness all around you and within you, you have to respect this law and keep this balance in your life as well as your environment. Everything in this world is balanced. For every force here there is an opposite and balancing force. Pairs of opposites hold the world. You destroy one and you will destroy the other soon. According to this law, happiness and peace are possible only when you do not disturb the harmony and the order that exists in yourself and in the whole creation around you. Whether it is in spiritualism or materialism, in your personal life or professional life, the middle path is always the best path. It is something else if you want to renounce the world and choose to lead the extreme ascetic life to extinguish all pairs of opposites and achieve stability of mind and union with God. But if you want to remain ordinary and lead a normal human life, it is better to stick to the middle path for there in lays your safety and stability. Whether it is your thoughts or your actions, your relationship with yourself or with others, what brings you ultimate peace and happiness is this balanced approach. It is a well-known fact that biologically human beings cannot tolerate extreme physical conditions. We tolerate neither extreme pleasures nor extreme pains. We cannot strain the mind or the body beyond a certain degree. Extreme rest or exertion is both harmful to our wellbeing. One cannot live for long if one chooses to indulge oneself beyond tolerable limits. Life on earth is conditioned on this principle. Our bodies and minds have evolved on the principle of balance and moderation. Whoever we are and whatever may be our achievements, we cannot withstand extreme situations in life. We should therefore understand this truth and maintain harmony and balance in our lives and activities by remaining within our limits and safeguarding the order and balance that exists both within and without. The Law of Individual Reality You are the creator of your life and your reality. Your thoughts become your actions and your actions create the circumstances in your life. You are responsible for everything that happens to you in your life. This is the simple law of as you sow so you reap. It can also be called the law of motion and emotion. Every thought that we send out into the universe comes back to us with accumulated energy of its own kind. When negative thoughts go out of our minds, they will come back to us with redoubled negative energy and give us lot of pain and unhappiness. Positive thoughts on the other hand bring in positive energy and energize us, establishing in the process peace and harmony in our consciousness. Our actions too yield the same results. Our positive actions bring in positive rewards and our negative actions bring negative rewards. The energy that we unleash, either in the form of a thought or action always comes back to us with increased force. Thus through our actions and thoughts we are constantly creating our own realities. Whatever we give comes back to us. We should therefore be very careful about our thoughts and actions as they have a lasting influence on the pattern of our lives. People blame others for what happens to them. Little do they know that if any one is to be blamed it is the person himself who made it happen to himself! Wisdom is when something happens to you, instead of looking around for excuses and placing the blame on others, look into yourself and ask yourself why you made it happen? Why you invited those conditions and circumstances into your life? Perhaps it was because you wanted to learn something out of that experience. Perhaps you wanted to strengthen some aspect of your personality or resolve some long troubling relationship. When you start accepting responsibility for the events of your life, you begin to learn more about yourself, your inner thoughts, your fears and aspirations. Out of this awareness you also start expanding your consciousness, become aware of your thought processes, and through this awareness you finally learn to change the conditions of your life. The Fifth Law: The Law of Harmony Truth is Harmony; Truth is 'Rta', order. The ancient believed in 'rta' (pronounced ritha) meaning the universal order or harmony. 'Rta' is an ancient word to which we can trace at least few important words that are known to us today. One is the Sanskrit world 'ritu', which means season. The others are the Latin word 'rhythmus', the French word 'rhythme', the Greek word 'rhuthmos' and the English word 'rhythm', all meaning, beat, pulse, metre, pattern, order, flowing, and harmony. Let us understand why the concept of harmony and rhythm was considered so important by our ancient generations and why they elevated it to the level of highest divinity. They did so because they considered Truth, harmony and order to be the Ultimate Reality lying beyond all realities, the hidden secret behind all manifest creation, or the Absolute Truth above all relative truths. What is truth? Truth does not necessarily mean only verbal truths. Truth is the fundamental reality where there are no conflicts and confusion, no divisions and separation, but only unity and harmony. Truth is where there is movement without obstruction and where there is order without confusion. Where there is conflict, separation and feeling of alienation, there is no truth. Where there is division and alignment of divisions into opposing parts there is no truth. There is no truth in ones life and ones being unless there is total harmony in ones whole being, which include ones activities, thoughts and environment. Truth resolves all conflicts, divisions and differences and establishes permanent peace, order and harmony in ones life. There is conflict when you consider the world outside is different and separate from you. There is conflict when you consider others are different and separate from you. There is conflict when you consider that some one is good, or some one is bad; that some thing is this or some thing is that. There is conflict as long as you pass petty judgements about yourself or about the world around you. Unless you learn to resolve these differences, by expanding your consciousness, and learn to appreciate them in their own light, you cannot have real harmony and peace in your life. The ordinary mind cannot understand this truth because it is still steeped in ignorance. But at the highest level of consciousness, all conflicts and confusion resolve themselves into one beautiful, harmonious whole. You may call it divine. You may call it God, This or That. The fact is, it is one, it is whole, it is harmony and order, without any divisions and without any conflicts. At that level even in the seemingly chaotic conditions of life one can perceive harmony and certain order. That which we understand as good or that we understand as bad, become but the facets of the same Truth. He who realizes this fundamental reality of our existence no more suffers from inner confusion and conflicts. He suffers no more from the relative conflicts of his life or relationships. He stops judging things from the limited values of his mind and consciousness. He learns to forgive people. He learns to tolerate opposition. He learns to accept the conditions of his life without complaint. He accepts people and their weaknesses without reservations. For him there is nothing higher or lower, nothing sacred or evil. Nothing motivates him to take sides or judge the diversity of creation. He lives in harmony with himself and with others, with the world within himself and with the world external to him. He suffers not from fear or insecurity, or from worries and anxieties about himself or his life. This is the truth. If you want to live in peace, stop categorizing and grouping things and people, and it includes you also. Stop judging things from the relative state of your mind, against the partial truths you know and believe in. Understand that harmony comes when you live in peace with the world around you, and when you accept it whole heatedly and unconditionally without measuring it against your limited knowledge. It happens when you become an embodiment of 'Rta', the rhythm of life and creation, in which the ancients believed so much. The Law regarding Belief, Reason and Emotion. You must learn to use appropriately the three forces of your personality namely emotion, reason and faith, to achieve peace and harmony in your life and move closer to God. Emotion, reason and belief are equally important in human life. They serve different purposes. But they are complimentary, which means that you need them all equally to conduct yourself in this world. Be it your ordinary life or spiritual, without the one the other two do not take you far. These three help us to conduct ourselves in this world, but in their own different ways. It is difficult to say which is more useful than the other two. He who has mastery over these three forces, is a master of himself and is qualified to reach God than any one else. Emotion, reason and faith actually emanate from the body, the mind and the inner spirit, or alternatively, the animal, human and divine components of the human personality. The Great Trinity, namely Lord Siva, Vishnu and Brahma, the divinities that exist at the microcosmic level also, where as the whole human personality can be compared to the Cosmic Man (Purusha) or Supreme Being of the macrocosm. Without these three components, creation and our existence are incomplete. Emotions connect us to the world while reason helps us to solve the problems of our existence. Belief help us to transcend ourselves to reach the world beyond. Emotions bring people together through the power of love or the joy of being together. But do not help us maintain them for long. Reason helps us to understand the world around us intelligently, but does not take us far in building relationships that are based upon unconditional love, especially when the relationship are no more yielding the expected results. Reason cannot also explain properly the mysteries of our existence or the need for us to become spiritual. Its vision and its field of activity are limited to the tangible and to the sensory world. It is where faith comes to our aid. It helps us to reason beyond reasons to pursue the path of spirituality so that we may realize Truth in a different way. It enables us to overcome our selfishness and petty mindedness so that we learn to love others unconditionally and sacrifice our selfish interests for the common welfare of all. When difficulties surround us and we have exhausted our rationale means to deal with them, or when we are overwhelmed with the negative emotions of fear and hostility, faith provides us with some meaningful clues and the required answers to sustain ourselves. When emotions and reason let us down, faith is the comforting and soothing companion. If you have faith in yourself and in God, you can withstand greater difficulties and maintain your inner balance. Trust is an aspect of faith only. Trust can bring diverse individuals and groups together so that they can work together and live in harmony, though this does not happen all the time, as we do not have enough faith in each other. It is trust, which is responsible for our social, political or economic institutions. But when people lose faith in them, they either use reason to change them or succumb to their emotions to destroy them. Emotions on their own destabilize our lives. Reason on its own leads us to unlimited ambition and selfishness and in the process endangers the very safety and survival of our existence. Faith on its own binds us to blind superstition and dogmatism. Emotions may cause harm if used inappropriately or not regulated properly. The body can suffer from enormous damage because of negative emotions. But take emotions completely out of our systems and what you find will be automatons, devoid of any love for life or concern for them-selves or others. If you take emotions completely of our consciousness, the institutions of family and society would collapse under the heavy burden of reason and conditional relationships alone. We should therefore know when and where to use these three instruments appropriately for the greater benefit of all. Cultivate the positive emotions of love; compassion, courage and inner joy, discarding wherever possible it’s corresponding negative emotions. Whether it is in your physical life, material life or spiritual life, learn to use three forces of your personality for your peace and inner happiness. Bring out the best of your emotions in your relationships. Use the best of your reasoning in times of difficulties and when you stand alone in the contemplation of God, let the light of your faith shine through your heart. Be a complete man, with the Trinity firmly balanced in you. The Law of Suffering Suffering comes to us because of our inner imperfections. To the extent we learn from our suffering and learn from it, our suffering is mitigated. Suffering is not a negative but a positive and dynamic force. Its aim is to open our eyes and correct our ways. It comes into our lives, not because we are destined to suffer, but because it has a message to deliver. When you pursue a wrong path, aim for a wrong goal, make some wrong choices or give expression to some inner imperfection, you suffer and in that suffering lies a warning that you need to change. To the extent you become aware of it and respond positively to it and to the extent you correct yourselves or your actions, your suffering disappear. The hidden purpose of suffering therefore is not to really subject you to physical or mental anguish, but to improve you in some aspect of your life. Those who refuse to listen to its message continue to suffer, perhaps more intensely, till good sense prevails and the required change comes in them. The reason why every one suffers to some degree in the world is because every one is imperfect in some way and is in need of some improvement. It is through suffering that life evolves on earth. So when suffering comes into the life of an individual, he must look into himself deeply and find out the root cause. He must find out what its true message is, what it wants in him to change or improve. Once he identifies the cause, he must take necessary steps to change himself. He should strive sincerely remove the cause. This way suffering becomes not a dark affliction, but a beacon of light guiding us in the right direction towards the future.

OM SHIVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Auspicious One OM MAHESHVARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Great God Shiva OM SHAMBHAVE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who exists for our happiness alone OM PINAKINE NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva, who guards the path of dharma OM SHASHISHEKHARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who wears the crescent moon in his hair OM VAMADEVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is pleasing and auspicious in every way OM VIRUPAKSHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God of spotless form OM KAPARDINE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord with thickly matted hair OM NILALOHITAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God splendid as the red sun at daybreak OM SHANKARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the source of all prosperity OM SHULAPANAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who carries a spear OM KHATVANGINE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who carries a knurled club OM VISHNUVALLABHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva, who is dear to Lord Vishnu OM SHIPIVISHTAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord whose form emits great rays of light OM AMBIKANATHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Ambika's Lord OM SHRIKANTAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to he whose throat is shining blue OM BHAKTAVATSALAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who loves His devotees like new born calves M BHAVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is existence itself OM SARVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who is all OM TRILOKESHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who is the Lord of all the three worlds OM SHITAKANTHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the primal soul whose throat is deep blue OM SHIVAPRIYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the god who is dear to Shakti OM UGRAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva whose presence is awesome and overwhelming OM KAPALINE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God whose begging bowl is a human skull OM KAMARAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who conquers all passions OM ANDHAKASURA SUDANAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who killed the asura Andhaka OM GANGADHARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who holds the Ganges River in his hair OM LALATAKSHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord whose sport is creation OM KALAKALAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who is the death of death OM KRIPANIDHAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is the treasure of compassion OM BHIMAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva whose strength is awesome OM PARASHU HASTAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who wields an axe in his hands OM MRIGAPANAYAE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who looks after the soul in the wilderness OM JATADHARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who bears a mass of matted hair OM KAILASAVASINE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who abides on Mount Kailas OM KAVACHINE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who is wrapped in armor OM KATHORAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who causes all growth OM TRIPURANTAKAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who destroyed the three demonic cities OM VRISHANKAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God whose emblem is a bull (Nandi) OM VRISHABHARUDHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who rides a bull OM BHASMODDHULITA VIGRAHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord covered with holy ash OM SAMAPRIYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God exceedingly fond of hymns from the Sama Veda OM SVARAMAYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who creates through sound OM TRAYIMURTAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who is worshiped in three forms OM ANISHVARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the undisputed Lord OM SARVAGYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who knows all things OM PARAMATMANE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Supreme Self OM SOMASURAGNI LOCHANAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the light of the eyes of Soma, Surya and Agni OM HAVISHE NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who receives oblations of ghee OM YAGYAMAYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the architect of all sacrificial rites OM SOMAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Moon-glow of the mystic's vision OM PANCHAVAKTRAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God of the five activities OM SADASHIVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the eternally auspicious benevolent Shiva OM VISHVESHVARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the all-pervading ruler of the cosmos OM VIRABHADRAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva the foremost of heroes OM GANANATHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God of the Ganas OM PRAJAPATAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Creator OM HIRANYARETASE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who emanates golden souls OM DURDHARSHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the unconquerable being OM GIRISHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the monarch of the holy mountain Kailas OM GIRISHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord of the Himalayas OM ANAGHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who can inspire no fear OM BUJANGABHUSHANAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord adorned with golden snakes OM BHARGAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the foremost of rishis OM GIRIDHANVANE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God whose weapon is a mountain OM GIRIPRIYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who is fond of mountains OM KRITTIVASASE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who wears clothes of hide OM PURARATAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who is thoroughly at home in the wilderness OM BHAGAVATE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord of prosperity OM PRAMATHADHIPAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is served by goblins OM MRITUNJAYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the conqueror of death OM SUKSHMATANAVE NAMAHA Obeisances to the subtlest of the subtle OM JAGADVYAPINE NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who fills the whole world OM JAGADGURAVE NAMAHA Obeisances to the guru of all the worlds OM VYOMAKESHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God whose hair is the spreading sky above OM MAHASENAJANAKAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the origin of Mahasena OM CHARUVIKRAMAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva, the guardian of wandering pilgrims OM RUDRAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who is fit to be praised OM BHUTAPATAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the source of living creatures, including the Bhutas, or ghostly creatures OM STHANAVE NAMAHA Obeisances to the firm and immovable deity OM AHIRBUDHNYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who waits for the sleeping kundalini OM DIGAMBARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva whose robes is the cosmos OM ASHTAMURTAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who has eight forms OM ANEKATMANE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is the one soul OM SATVIKAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord of boundless energy OM SHUDDHA VIGRAHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to him who is free of all doubt and dissension OM SHASHVATAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva, endless and eternal OM KHANDAPARASHAVE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who cuts through the mind's despair OM AJAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the instigator of all that occurs OM PAPAVIMOCHAKAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who releases all fetters OM MRIDAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who shows only mercy OM PASHUPATAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to the ruler of all evolving souls, the animals OM DEVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the foremost of devas, demigods OM MAHADEVAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the greatest of the gods OM AVYAYAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the one never subject to change OM HARAYE NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who dissolves all bondage OM PASHUDANTABHIDE NAMAHA Obeisances to the one who punished Pushan OM AVYAGRAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who is steady and unwavering OM DAKSHADHVARAHARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the destroyer of Daksha's conceited sacrifice OM HARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who withdraws the cosmos OM BHAGANETRABHIDE NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who taught Bhaga to see more clearly OM AVYAKTAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to Shiva who is subtle and unseen OM SAHASRAKSHAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord of limitless forms OM SAHASRAPADE NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is standing and walking everywhere OM APAVARGAPRADAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the Lord who gives and takes all things OM ANANTAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the God who is unending OM TARAKAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the great liberator of mankind OM PARAMESHVARAYA NAMAHA Obeisances to the great God