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

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font-family:Arial">Namaste all,

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font-family:Arial">The second part of chapter 22.from

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/books/lg/lg_ch-22.html

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12.0pt;font-family:Arial">Om Shanti

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font-family:Arial">Neil

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SIX STEPS TO ETHICAL CONVERSION

After

teaching Hinduism in America for more than fifty years, we at Himalayan Academy

have become expert at helping sincere

and ardent non-Hindus to enter the Hindu faith in a sincere and lasting manner.

Our decades of experience have resulted in the following six steps. This is

strictly a program of self-conversion. The motivation comes solely from the

individual, and the steps are rigorous enough to require continual demonstration

of sincerity.

font-weight:bold">1. Joining a Hindu community

First and

most importantly, the devotee mixes socially with and earns acceptance into an

established Hindu community. He worships regularly at the community's satsangas or

temples, makes yearly pilgrimages, performs daily puja and sadhanas within the home and strives to

live up to the culture.

font-weight:bold">2. Point-counterpoint

The

devotee undertakes certain assigned studies according to the Hindu denomination

he seeks to enter. Simultaneously, he makes a formal analysis of his former

religions, denominations, sampradayas

or philosophical systems. He then writes a point-counterpoint comparing

Hinduism with each such school of thought, carefully noting the similarities

and differences. Part two of this assignment is to complete a written analysis

of all former pledges or vows (such as those taken at confirmation), indicating

when and why each point mentioned in those vows was abandoned. This

point-counterpoint is presented to a Hindu elder for review and comment.

font-weight:bold">3.

Severing from former mentors

Formal

severance is required if the devotee was officially a member of a particular

religious denomination, such as the Catholic Church. If he did not formally

belong to any religious denomination or institution, he goes on to step four.

To complete formal severance, he returns to the former institution and attends

services or lectures for a few weeks. Then, accompanied by a relative or friend

as a witness, he meets personally with the minister, priest, rabbi, imam or

mentor. The devotee explains that he will be joining the Hindu religion and

wishes to sever ties with this church or institution. The object is to give the

minister the face-to-face opportunity to talk the devotee out of his change of

faith. If the devotee successfully conveys his sincerity to the minister, he

requests an official letter of severance, stating that he is no longer a member

of the former institution. The minister or priest may not give a letter, may

give a release verbally or may refuse to give any form of release. Even in the

latter situation, having declared his apostasy, the inner severance is

accomplished. In the case of the Catholic Church, anyone who adopts another

religion is automatically an apostate and not allowed to receive communion,

confession, penance or other rites of the Church.

font-weight:bold">4.

Adopting a Hindu name

The

devotee then proceeds to have a legal change of name. The new name is placed on

his passport, driver's license and all important financial or legal

instruments, including credit cards, library cards and bank accounts. Even

before formal entrance to Hinduism, the devotee is encouraged to begin using

his Hindu name -- first and last -- at all times.

font-weight:bold">5. The Namakarana Samskara

The

name-giving sacrament, namakarana samskara, can

be held at any Hindu temple. Before the ceremony, the devotee informs family,

relatives and close friends of his or her name change and intended entrance

into Hinduism. At the sacred name-giving rite, the Hindu name is formally

received, vows are taken and a certificate is signed, documenting the former

name and the new name, place of ceremony and signature of the priest and at

least three witnesses. Below is a sample namakarana certificate for this

purpose.

font-weight:bold">6. Announcing the name-giving

After the

severance and name-giving, the devotee publishes a three-day announcement in a

local newspaper stating that the name-change has been completed and that he or

she has entered the Hindu religion through the namakarana samskara. The devotee should keep a

copy of these announcements and all other documents related to the conversion

(such as letters from attorneys and elders) as part of a dossier verifying the

name-giving, as these may be needed in the future, such as when seeking

acceptance into a conservative Hindu organization or seeking permanent

residency or citizenship in a foreign country. Similarly, many temples in India

and other countries will ask to see the

passport or other appropriate proof of Hindu identity before admitting devotees

of non-Indian origin for more than casual worship.

THE CEREMONY OF WELCOMING HOME

The vratyastoma

ceremony ("vow pronouncement"), dating back to the Tandya Brahmana of the

Rig Veda, is performed for Hindus

returning to India from abroad and for those who have embraced other faiths.

One finds a wide range of converts in India, from communities such as the

Syrian Malabar Christians who adopted Christianity shortly after that

religion's founding, to the Muslim converts of a thousand years ago, to Indians

converted in the last few generations. Especially in the case of many recent

converts, the conversion is often superficial, and the return to Hinduism is a

simple matter of ceremonial recognition. In other cases, complete reeducation is required.

There are

many organizations in India active in reconversion, some motivated

by fears of non-Hindu dominance in regions once all Hindu. The Masurashrama in

Mumbai specializes in reconversions

through a Shuddhi Shraddha

ceremony, bringing dozens of converts back into the Sanatana Dharma each month.

Masurashrama founder, Dharma Bhaskar

Masurkar Maharaj, set a

strong precedent in 1928 when he organized the purification rite for 1,150 devotees

in Goa who had previously converted to

Christianity. About the same time, Swami Agamanandaji

of the Ramakrishna Mission in Kerala reconverted

hundreds to Hinduism, as did Narayana Guru. More

recently, two South Indian ashrams -- Madurai Aadheenam and Kundrakuddi

Aadheenam -- have brought thousands of Indians back into

Hinduism in mass conversion rites. Since the early 1960S, the Vishva Hindu Parishad has

reportedly reconverted a half-million individuals through Shuddhi

ceremonies all over India. The VHP activities are extremely

distressing to the Christian missionaries who, according to an analysis

published in Hinduism Today, February, 1989, spent about US$6,000 to win over

each convert.

It is

vital that reconversion campaigns are followed up

with continuing education, social improvement, community temple building and

priest training to create fully self-sustaining groups.

VRATYASTOMA CERTIFICATE

Below is

a vratyastoma

certificate that can be photocopied (enlarged) to document this purification

ceremony held at any temple. This sacrament marks the

formal reentrance into a particular sect of Hinduism,

through the acceptance of established members and the blessings of Gods and

devas invoked through rites performed by an authorized

priest.

 

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font-family:Arial">Loving Ganesha by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

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font-family:Arial">Web sites: http://www.hindu.org/

& http://www.himalayanacademy.com/

email: contact (AT) hindu (DOT) org

Himalayan Academy

Kauai's Hindu Monastery

Arial">107 Kaholalele Road

Kapaa, HI 96746-9304

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