It is a kind of day, when a long-suppressed civilization heaves a collective sigh of relief, after five hundred years. At 12:15:15 PM IST,  August 5, 2020, let us pause, recall and bow to the spirit, patience, perseverance and valor of our venerable ancestors.

In the land where Rama pervades

moh, lobh, krodh and kaam,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama has a

navmi and janma bhoomi,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama is in

one’s name and in the ideal state,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama stands for

the perfect nation and national integration,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama permeates

thoughts, speech & action,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama is invoked both in

trepidation and meditation,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama is in

salutation and salvation,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

When a long-suppressed civilisation heaves a collective sigh of relief, after five hundred years, it is that kind of a day. At 12:15:15 PM, August 5, 2020, let us pause, recall and bow to the spirit, patience, perseverance and valor of our venerable ancestors.

In this period of pandemic pandemonium when the rest of the world battles anxiety, Bharat is resplendent with piety. In a world that repeatedly witnesses, and glosses over, the inherent dichotomy of othering, rampant in the supposedly egalitarian later day belief systems, the intrinsically pluralistic Hindus invested their conviction in the modern justice system to undo a historic wrong, and won. That is Dharma – eternal and attuned to the times. This should make us unabashedly own every aspect of our faith and heritage. This should also empower us to proactively highlight and correct misinterpretation of our past by the outsiders’ lens of the present.

It would not be an exaggeration to state that today is the biggest festival in Bharat, after aeons. Know it, own it and exult in the absolute awareness that the oldest civilisation has infused the world with devotion, resilience and perseverance, for preservation and perpetuation, at the same time as another civilisation surreptitiously infected the planet with a virus.

Comprehend, appreciate and underline the magnificence of who we are. Bask in this glory with pride.

आज पर्व है

हिंदू होने पर हमें गर्व है।

The King of the North and all directions, the protector of all realms, here and beyond, the breaker of all chains of maya and more, has chosen to lead us today into an era of self-discovery and reacquaint ourselves with who we were, who we are and who we can potentially be. Rejoice, for, when He is for us, who can be against us!

As a descendant of a community persecuted over seven centuries for choosing the Hindu faith, I am filled with unbridled joy at this epoch defining moment – an inhuman civilizational wrong being righted, albeit, after centuries of exertions. Our uninhibited celebration shall create a surge of positive, harmonious energy, marking the end of the dehumanisation of Hindus in their own land. Two bigoted, plundering waves of colonialism, that questioned and scorned our very existence, dwindled our population and reduced our geographic expanse. The illegal insertion of secularism in the Indian Constitution continued this dehumanization in independent India where demonization and vilification of Hindus, by outside faiths, found active support and institutionalization.

We have had to face the ignominy of Jai Sri Ram, glory be to Sri Ram, being maligned as a militant war cry; Bhakt, sanskar, sanskriti and other such concepts corrupted into crude abuse; Bhagwa vilified as the uniform of Hindu fundamentalists and the latter itself being turned into a dog whistle to pillory Hindus. Today is the day to proclaim that a fundamentalist Hindu is the only fundamentalist capable of ensuring a world of peace, knowledge, valour and spiritual elevation. We have a documented history that substantiates the same.

Today is the day to proudly declare ourselves as traditionalist Hindus, for, the ancestors who fought for this day, through blood, sweat and tears, were traditionalists. We must strive hard to keep the faith in our faith and the tradition of continuing with and passing on our traditions. Remember their struggle to comprehend why some forces are intent upon breaking our traditions and violating the continuity of our rituals

Be aware that the longest extant civilization will cease to be one, without continuity.

Beware and pledge to uphold our sacred traditions and faith.

Today is the time to transmute the self-sabotaging programming internalized by generations of Hindus that any celebration or reminder of our faith, culture and traditions, is an affront that needs to be compensated for. Financial jaziya has long been abrogated; stop paying the psychological one. Upholding and celebrating our faith is our basic human right. Our motherland still bears the wounds inflicted by those whose core is othering. Bharat was, is and will unquestionably remain the civilizational home of all Hindus. Time to rise and end all external flogging and put an end to internal self-flagellation. Let us be proud of and proclaim our inherently pluralistic, loving, respectful, peaceful faith, culture and civilization. We have every reason to!

The observance of our faith is no longer at the coloniser’s mercy. Do not allow the Indian state to act like one, imposing fines, allowing and disallowing our tenets and practices, based on their whims, fancies and flawed, ill-equipped understanding. Our ancestors got us to this momentous occasion. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that Hindus have equal rights, our temples are free, we are at liberty to impart religious and cultural education to the next generation and that our history is correctly documented.

We must revive the skills, talent, crafts and occupations that built Hindu civilization before the two rapacious waves of colonization alienated us from our outstanding identity, turning us into outsiders. Now is the time to awaken and collaborate to build an inclusive Hindu society that offers equal opportunities for growth to all; to work towards harmony and mutual respect within our society and root for collective success; to recognise and refuse divisive agendas and to proclaim हर हिन्दू अपना बंधु है.

Today is also the day to pause, reflect and evaluate if we are leading a life of Dharma at all. Are our thoughts, speech and deeds in accordance and alignment with Dharma? Being a Hindu is not only a matter of pride and honour but also a huge responsibility towards the perpetuation of a philosophy not confined to one book. We have an entire curriculum that we need not necessarily study at length, but definitely be aware of. Are we courageous enough to embark upon this voyage of awareness that can last an entire lifetime? Before we do so, let us be careful in seeking teachers who are insiders and actively avoid being taught about our own civilisation by outsiders.

Each one of us is equipped with inherent abilities, skills and talent. Let us use those to create a world of opportunities for all. Our civilisation, where Gurus guided bright unknown youngsters to create a Rashtra, now grapples with insecurity and self-serving mental slavery of those who, instead of igniting young minds, pander to preserve selfish gains. Of what use is mentally colonised scholarship that either willfully or inadvertently enables outsiders to mock, malign and maul our own? Let us put up a united front based on Hindu kinship, compassion, respect and empathy. Do remember that the world treats us exactly as we treat ourselves. Let us be proud Hindus and spread the scintillation of Sanatan.

Centuries from now, humankind will be astounded to know that a civilisation, the people, that waited patiently for five centuries, yes 500 years, for the right to pray to their Bhagwan in His janm sthan, that civilisation, those people were vilified globally as intolerant! As some parts of the world sleep, Bharat, the longest extant civilisation in the history of mankind, reawakens.

The clarion call of Jai Sri Ram heralds a spiritually resurgent Bharat. May it reverberate as powerfully in the present and future, as it has in the past. May no individual, no society, no nation, no culture, no civilisation, no faith, ever have to go through what the Hindus have. May the entire world learn from the heroism, determination and spirit of the Hindus.

Jai Sri Ram is no ordinary chant. It is a cure and a balm for our civilizational wounds. It is also a civilizational clarion call.

This is what the civilizational clarion calls.

May we embark upon a transformational milestone in the history of human civilisation.

May mutual respect, harmony and peace prevail.

May the Divine bless all sentient beings.

May we all know who we are and work towards the greater good of all.

And so, it is!

– Dimple Kaul

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Sri Ram’s help is needed against today’s Ravanas

Something big is happening in Bharat after 500 long years. Common sense says that it should have happened much earlier: latest in 1947, when India was partitioned on religious lines and Indians who had converted to Islam got Pakistan. At that time, it would have been natural for Hindus to get back their temples which had been destroyed by invaders and mosques built on them as symbols of dominance and supremacy.

But maybe, now is just the right time for Bharat and the world to get back the Mandir at the birthplace of Sri Ram. The reason is that Ram is an epitome of Dharma, who fought and vanquished adharmik forces – and in our times, Adharma has become exceptionally strong and also needs to be fought and vanquished.

Humanity is presently not in good shape – without roots and direction, without meaning and values. It’s called “being woke” and even portrayed as positive. It spread among Westerners and already shows some impact among young Indians. Truth as such is now declared as non-existent, because “everyone has his own truth”. There is no objective meaning to life either, but it’s now a “personal matter”. Humans are dumbed down with junk food, drugs and low-grade entertainment, which only benefits the producers.

The belief in a Supreme Being and a soul has been ridiculed by “renowned” philosophers and scientists, like Yuval Noah Harari or Stephen Hawking. And many more terrible things, which were up to now hidden, are coming to light thanks to the alternative media and whistle blowers.

The worst of these things is probably the massive scale of child trafficking – for sex abuse, organ and blood harvesting and even for ritualistic “sacrifice” (means murder) to propitiate demonic forces by members of secret societies, who hold powerful positions on top of the pyramid. It’s all so unbelievable, but several whistleblowers have been silenced after speaking up, and this sadly gives them credence.

The eternal strife between Devas and Asuras is well underway in this world of Maya, and the Asuras seem to have the upper hand. Lust, anger and greed – the three gates to the hell of self-destruction according to Sri Krishna (Bh.G 16.21) – are rampant. Clearly, attempts are made to cut off humans from Atma, their divine Self – the worst thing that can possibly happen.

In the midst of this dark scenario, Bharat is still a beacon of light, even though Kali Yug shows its effect here, too. Yet most Indians still have faith in their Hindu Dharma. They still know about their divine core (Atma) and have devotion for the Devas.

Bharat is the only place on earth, where daily in many thousand temples the Devas are worshiped for the well-being of ALL, and NOT the Asuras or Satanic forces for personal wealth, power and sense-enjoyment. Every morning and evening the temples reverberate with the Arati for the Lord of the world (Om jaya Jagadisha hare) or for the Deities of the particular temple, who are all essentially one with the ONE Great Brahman or Sat-Chit-Ananda – blissful Consciousness.

The Deities are not somewhere in heaven, but present in the temple due to Pran Pratishtha having been performed, where the stone idol is infused with Prana, the divine life-force. And now, on 22 January 2024, a most special Pran Pratishtha will be performed: Sri Ram will become a living Presence in the newly-constructed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Ayodhya – the name evokes great emotions in Hindus:

Ayodhya is the place where Ram was born, and grew up with his brothers Lakshman, Bharata and Shatrughna; where the sage Vashishtha taught them the ancient wisdom, and sage Vishwamitra took Ram and his brother Lakshman to fight malevolent Asuras.

It is the place where he brought Sita as his wife from Janakpur; from where he, Sita and Lakshman left for his long exile on the very same day, when his coronation was planned.

It is the place where his father died of grief over the separation from his dearest son; where his brother Bharat ruled, putting the padukas of Ram on the throne… and to which Ram returned with Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman after he had defeated the demon king Ravana in Lanka, and established the benevolent Ram Rajya.

Every Hindu knows the details of Ram’s life. The Ramayana is ingrained in them. It is played on village stages, chanted in ashrams and was an absolute hit on TV. It is a sacred scripture that contains all that one needs to know to live a dignified life, and to behave in an ideal way in midst of challenges.

Sri Ram is an outstanding example for humans – noble, just, brave, ever protecting the weak, and keeping his word.And he is dearly beloved.

Therefore, is there any question at all why Hindus fought for 500 years to get back this very special place and sacrificed so much? They fought not only against the invaders. In recent decades, they also had to fight against their own people – scheming politicians, communists and former Hindus who had converted to Islam, who all denied that Ram was real and that there was a Mandir earlier.Yet this is now past, finally.

Bharat is in a celebratory mood. Many Hindus have taken vows in the run-up to Pran Pratishtha, to purify themselves for the historic occasion. Japa of the Ram Mantra is done and devotional bhajans are sung or listened to.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be a witness of the Pran Pratishtha on behalf of 140 crore Bharatiyas, too, has announced that he will follow certain rituals for 11 days prior to the Pran Pratishtha because – in his own words – “I have to awaken divine consciousness in myself, too”. As Prime Minister, he has tremendous responsibility. He surely needs and will ask for guidance from Prabhu Shri Ram.

There is a good chance that western media will criticize PM Modi for being so unapologetically Hindu. They may wonder, what it is about Hindu Dharma which makes people stick to it, in spite of all the negative propaganda against it by the Abrahamic religions, by communists and media. Why are the attacks on Hinduism from all sides not working as planned? Why do now even more Hindus again treasure their heritage? Why do even many foreigners consider Hindu Dharma as the best option for humanity and the world?

The answer is easy: Hindu Dharma is based on Truth and righteous living. It tells us who we really are in our essence (eternal Atma). And in this temporary world of Maya, it is on the side of Devas, who want to liberate us from Maya by realizing our divine consciousness, and not on the side of those who want to drive us deeper into ignorance and bondage.

Yet there is still a big challenge for Bharat: How to make those Indians who have been massively indoctrinated to look down on the faith of their Hindu ancestors – either by their newly adopted religions or by the education system – also see this truth?

Hopefully, Shri Ram gives Sadbuddhi to all.

And may all feel His Divine Presence in their hearts….

Satyameva Jayate

Jai Sri Ram

By Maria Wirth

This blog was first published here:

Sri Ram’s help is needed against today’s Ravanas

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 Śri Rāma – Vigrahavān Dharma

Celebrating Ayodhya – A Symbol of Sanātana Dharma

The Personal Connection

My parents named me Kalyanaraman, hoping and praying that some small fraction of Bhagavān Śri Rāma’s qualities and character may manifest in me. However, before I could fully understand the significance of that name, during my first visit to the USA, I changed it to better suit the Western tastes. Similar aspirations as my parents’ were perhaps held by those of notable individuals such as E. V. Ramasami Naickar, Ramachandra Guha, N. Ram, Jairam Ramesh, Sitaram Yechury, and Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who may have also desired a glimpse of Rama in their sons. It is important to acknowledge that not all prayers are answered, and in hindsight, in some of these cases, the answer was a resounding “No.” Nevertheless, our history has also witnessed the presence of illustrious figures like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharishi, Ram Swaroop, Sitaram Goel, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and C.V. Raman, where the answer to their parents’ prayers was a “Yes”, even if it is a partial Yes.

The Clash of Two Ideas

In the present times, there exists a clash between India and Bharat, each representing two dominant and distinct ideas of India, being played out in the grand stage of India’s political battleground – its modern-day Kurukshetra. On the one hand, there is the idea that the entire civilizational heritage of India, encompassing its spirituality, religion, culture, and traditional wisdom, indeed its Sanātana Dharma (eternal law) is an unnecessary burden, irrelevant and detrimental to India’s progress. A natural corollary of this idea is the notion that India is better off forgetting its past, and must focus on modernizing and westernizing as quickly as possible. A consistent and deliberate effort, to engineer this “forgetting of the past”, has been made as a critical political project for many decades now; with the disconnection of the people from their language, Sanskrit, serving as one of the significant pillars. As individuals became increasingly alienated from their own culture and heritage, they developed an indifference, and even disdain, and grew to look down at their past, their parents, and ancestors. This disdain soon came to be considered a precondition for progress. This was the idea of India that I imbibed through my education at school and college, during my time as a student in India.

On the other side is the idea, which propounds that the country’s future cannot be de-linked from its civilizational past, and rely solely and entirely on imitating the latest Western fashions and fads. That its future must be rooted in a meaningful recovery of the wisdom embedded in its ancient culture, its traditions, and civilizational heritage. Recognizing and embracing that such a meaningful revival of India’s civilizational past—its “Dharma” or law which is “Sanātana” or eternal—as necessary for its own self-respect, sense of identity and destiny, is the alternate idea of Bharat. This perspective unfolded for me only gradually. The realization that this recovery of the past and restoration of Bharat’s Hindu heritage is not antithetical to its progress and does not constitute a regression, was not easy for me. I did not arrive at this understanding in one dramatic moment of explosive illumination, but rather the idea grew on me over time. Many Gurus and Acharyas contributed to this gradual understanding – Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam being a central figure in that journey from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge. Just as the “forgetting” of India’s past was meticulously orchestrated, over many decades and perhaps even centuries, the “remembering” of India’s culture, wisdom, and civilizational heritage must also be consciously and diligently engineered. It cannot be left to the happenstance of accident, good fortune, or fate. And we all have a role to play here. To arrive at this understanding, I had to unlearn the previous idea of India that I had already deeply assimilated.

The Watershed Event and Pivotal Turning Point

In late 1992, I was a student at Ohio State University when the Babri Masjid was brought down. Like many poorly informed Hindus, I too was upset, and felt deeply disappointed with my fellow Hindus for having brought down the Babri Masjid. “It is not in our Hindu ethos or character to tear down a religious site of another religion, even if they had done it to us many times over”, I reasoned. I was filled with questions – “Why can’t we construct a Ram Mandir at a nearby site instead?” “Why do we have to claim that exact site for the Ram Mandir?” “Why do we need to stoke this controversy? Why can’t we be secular and work extra hard to get along with the Muslims?”

However, my perspective shifted after I came across the books Hindu Temples – What Happened to Them – Volume 1 and Volume 2. These books changed my thinking. I hold my encounter with these two “Rams” i.e., authors Śrī Sita Ram Goel, and his mentor Śrī Ram Swaroop, to be pivotal moments in my intellectual journey. I then went on to read another book by Śrī Sita Ram Goel titled How I Became a Hindu and one by Śrī Ram Swaroop titled On Hinduism – Reviews and Reflections. Until then, I had never heard about these two “Rams.” Their works left a profound impact on me and after this encounter, I couldn’t stop reading them. I highly recommend reading their books, and for those who have not read them, I have shared their links here. We must note with gratitude that the parents of both these authors had named them after the Bhagavān Śri Rāma.

The Symbiotic Juxtaposition

Vikās (development) and Virāsat (heritage) had always been pitched against one another in the old Idea of India. The current Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi, changed the rules of the game and showed us that Vikās (Development) does not have to be antithetical to Virāsat (Heritage). He taught us, and is still teaching, this invaluable and unforgettable lesson, through his ideas, his actions, and his accomplishments. It is unclear which of these he is more passionate about – Vikās or Virāsat. I must say here, that it was not entirely clear to me that this integration of Vikās and Virāsat was even possible. I often used to wonder, if a commitment to restore and recover our civilizational past, also invariably meant that we sacrifice a little in the realm of material progress i.e., in the general direction of modernization and westernization.

108 ft tall Statue of Oneness at Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh

Hi-Tech Vande Bharat Trains

However, the events that have unfolded in Bharat in the last ten years have shown otherwise. One day, Bharat inaugurates yet another of its latest Vande Bharat Railway Trains; and a few days later, it consecrates a newly created Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Corridor. One day, Bharat lands its Lunar mission Chandrayaan on the moon at a location where it has never been done before; a few days later, it inaugurates a newly refurbished Mahakaleshwar Temple Corridor. One day, Bharat celebrates completing nine billion Digital Payment transactions in one month; and a few days later it unveils a 108-foot Statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar. One day Bharat throws open its longest over-sea trans-harbor bridge from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai; and a few days later, the same Bharat is set to consecrate its Ram Lalla Mandir after a five-hundred-year wait in Ayodhya. We can go on with the examples. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is changing the grammar and structure of the democratic politics of India as we speak. He has moved it beyond family, caste, corruption, and appeasement, and created a new possibility – ‘Vikās with Virāsat’. He has overturned the Nehruvian idea that Vikās can come only at the expense of Virāsat and vice-versa. And the Nehruvians are in a state of shock now.

Chandrayaan III – The only Lunar Mission to land on the dark said of moon

Atal Setu – India’s Longest Sea Bridge

Ayodhya – A Testament

Ayodhya is a testament to this unique synthesis of Vikās and Virāsat. The whole city is re-emerging from a state of longstanding destruction, neglect, and abandonment. The Mandir is rising again, and is bringing in its wake a brand new airport, a new railway station, new trains, new facilities, and in time, new hotels, and other infrastructure will also emerge. The whole economy of the region is awaiting an impending transformation. When Rama returned to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile and numerous travails, the whole of Ayodhya lit up in joy. Now, when the Ram Lalla Mandir rises again in Ayodhya after its 500-year symbolic exile, Ayodhya will light up once more with unspeakable joy.

The proposed uplift of Ayodhya Railway Station underway

Interiors of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya

A Civilization is waking up from its slumber. Dharma is awakening. This potential for rebirth, for re-emergence, is what makes it ‘Sanātana’ or eternal. Rāma is simultaneously eternal and undying in his Ādhyātmika dimension; He is the Avatāra of Viṣnu in his Ādidaivika dimension as a Vigrahavān Dharma; He is a great example for us all to emulate, as a human Hero in his Ādibhautika dimension. It is the Spirit of Sanātana Dharma that is re-emerging once more in Ayodhya.

We at Hindu University of America stand with Prime Minister Modi and the billion-plus Hindus all over the world, those who believe and stand ready to rejoice, and those who are confused and don’t know what to do about this phenomenon, to celebrate with gratitude this ceremony consecrating the Rām Lallā deity in this newly built Rām Mandir, on January 22, 2024.

May it be a day when we Hindus remember our past once more with both joy and pride and contemplate our future with confidence and clarity.

Jai Śrī Rāma!

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This essay will cover the army composition, its organizational structure, troops distribution, war strategy, and weaponry.

Warfare in Ancient Bharat: Part 2 of 2

Army Composition

The army was considered one of the seven key elements of a state. According to Sukra Niti, what a mind is to man, an army is to a state. So, without an army, a state comes to a standstill. It also states, “There is neither kingdom, nor wealth, nor prowess. The treasury is the root of the army, and the army is the root of the treasury. It is by maintaining the army that the treasury and the kingdom prosper, and the enemy is destroyed.”

The ancient Hindu armies had a four-fold division called ‘caturanga-bala’ consisting of chariots, elephants, cavalry, and infantry in this order of prominence.

Chariots:

They were considered the most important in warfare. Sukra had mentioned of the iron chariot which consisted of swift-moving wheels, with good seats for the warriors and a seat in the middle for the charioteer and it was equipped with different offensive and defensive weapons. The Mahabharata had an elaborate mention of chariots.

Elephants:

Elephants are considered the next important force in the army. Greek ambassador Megasthenes explains how the elephants were hunted and tamed in Bharat. Some of the prominent works that deal with elephants are the Hastyayurveda of Palapakya and the Matangalila of Narayana. Roman historian Curtius Rufus mentions that the elephants created great terror and their trumpets frightened the Greek horses and their riders. They caused much disorder in the ranks, and veterans of many victories looked for shelter.

He also says that the most dismal sight was elephants gripping the Greek soldiers with their trunks, hoisting them above their heads, and delivering them to their soldiers to be beheaded. Similarly, Diodorus and Plutarch mentioned elephant warfare and their strength in the war between Alexander and Purushottam (Porus). According to Dhanurveda, the military training of elephants consists of mountaineering, moving through the water, running, jumping, rising, sitting, etc. The elephants should be made devoid of fear by putting them inside fire circles.

Cavalry:

The cavalrymen rode the horses with a whip that was fixed to the wrist unlike for the horses of a chariot. The cavalrymen were armed with bows and arrows or a spear or a sword. The cavalry had a wide range of tactical advantages. It was indispensable in situations requiring quickness of movement. Eminent works that deal with Horses and cavalry are Asva Sastra of Hemasuri and Asvacikitsa of Nakula.

Infantry:

According to the Agni Purana, victory attends to those armies where foot soldiers i.e., the infantry are numerically strong. The Sukraniti mentions foot soldiers possess firearms during combat. Dhanurveda mentions that the soldiers in an infantry should be of equal height and everyone in the infantry should be an expert in jumping and running. Moreover, they should be trained to move backward, stand still, run, and run apace rushing headlong into the hostile army, and move in different directions according to signals. According to Arrian, “They carry a bow made of equal length with the man who bears it.

This they rest upon the ground and pressing against it with their left foot, thus discharge the arrow having drawn the string backward: the shaft they use is little short of being three yards long, and there is nothing which can resist an Indian archer’s shot – neither shield nor breastplate nor any stronger defense if such there be”. Arrian also says, “All Indians are free. The Indian army was in constant pay, during war and peace. Arms and horses supplied by the state and army never ravaged the country. The bravery of the army is superior to any other army they had to contend with.”

Besides the four-fold classification of the army, Artha Sastra mentions a six-fold division. According to this division, the army consisted of six ‘limbs’ which are:

• Maula (hereditary troops)
• Bhrita (territorial army)
• Sreni (organized militias)
• Mitra (friendly troops)
• Amrita (alien forces)
• Atavi (jungle tribal forces)

Army Organizational Structure

According to Artha Sastra, Army’s organizational structure is as follows:

• Patika – Commander of ten units of the army.
• Senapati – Commander of 10 Patikas.
• Nayaka – Commander of 10 Senapatis.

Troop Distribution

Scriptures, such as The Mahabharata, mention the distribution of troops into nine different units namely: Patti, Senamukha, Gulma, Gana, Vahini, Pruthana, Chamu, Anikini, Akshauhini. Each unit consists of chariots, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers in the ratio of 1:1:3:5. The following table explains the composition of each unit taken from The Mahabharata, Aadi Parva (Adhyayam 2, verses 19-26).

War strategy

There are several different types of military formations mentioned in Hindu scriptures. Some of these formations are: Padma Vyuha, Chakra Vyuha, Ratha Vyuha, Sarpa Vyuha, Garuda Vyuha, Simha Vyuha, Agni Vyuha, Danda Vyuha, Matsya Vyuha, Makara Vyuha, Sucimukha Vyuha, Sakata Vyuha, Vajra Vyuha etc. The type of vyuha (array) used shall depend on the type of anticipated attack.

Weaponry

According to Dhanurveda, weapons fall into four categories based on their nature:

• Mukta – which are thrown
• Amukta – which are not thrown
• Muktamukta – which are thrown or not thrown
• Yantramukta – which are thrown by spells

Twelve weapons fall under the Mukta category: Dhanu (Bow), Arrow, Bindivala (Crooked club), Sakti (Spear), Drughana (Hatchet), Tomara (Tomahawk), Nalika (Musket), Laguda (Club), Pasa (Lasso), Cakra (Discus), Danta kantaka (Tooth-thorn), Musundi (Octagon-headed club)

The Amukta class consists of the following twenty weapons: Vajra (Thunderbolt), Hand sword, Parasu (Axe), Gosirsa (Cow-horn spear), Asidheny (Stiletto), Lavitra (Scythe), Astara (Bumarang), Kunta (Lance), Sthuna (Anvil), Prasa (Spear), Pinaka or Trisula (Trident), Gada (Club), Mudgara (Hammer), Sira (Ploughshare), Musala (Pestle), Pattisa (Battle-axe), Maustika (Fist-sword, Dagger), Parigha (Battering-ram), Mayukhi (Pole), Satagni (Hundred-killer)

The Muktamukta class weapons were further classified into two classes, namely Sopasamhara (connected with the withdrawing or restraining Upasamhara) and the Upasamhara themselves which are the restrainers of the previous class. There are forty-four varieties in the Sopasamhara class and fifty-four varieties in Upasamhara class.

There are only six weapons in the Yantramukta class, and nothing can defeat these six weapons.

1. Visnuchakra (Discus of Vishnu)
2. Vajrastra (Thunderbolt)
3. Brahmastra (Brahma’s Missile)
4. Kalapasaka (Noose of death)
5. Narayanastra (Missile of Narayana)
6. Pasupatastra (Missile of Pasupati)

Unlike Dhanurveda, the Agnipurana classified weapons into five categories. 1. Yantramukta, those thrown by a machine, 2. Panimukta, those thrown by the hand, 3. Mukta-sandharita, those thrown and drawn back, 4. Amukta, those which ate not thrown, and 5. Bahuyuddha, weapons that the body provides for personal struggle. Gustav Oppert in his monologue, ‘On the weapons, army organization and political maxims of the ancient Hindus’, mentions that there are other classifications besides the previously mentioned.

Likewise, various treatises consist of different opinions regarding the superiority of one weapon over the other. For example, Vaisampayana in his Niti Prakasika had high regard for the sword whereas according to Agnipurana, it was considered a subaltern weapon where battles fought with bows are considered noble followed by fighting with spears, swords, and wrestling is considered the worst form of fighting. He also says that the efficiency of the weapons varies and is subject to great changes. Because of the construction mode, the materials used to make a weapon are different, and the quality of a weapon is not the same in different ages and places.

Besides, increasing, decreasing, and preserving the efficiency of a weapon depends a lot on the strength and ability of a person who uses such arms. One notable mention is that according to Gustav, gunpowder can be attributed to Niti Prakasika and Sukraniti. He also mentions that the gunpowder equivalent in Sanskrit is ‘agnicurna’ also called ‘curna’.

Conclusion

Hindu civilization had a rich knowledge of warfare, weapons, military strategies, and martial arts. This made the Hindu kings resist armed Islamic and Portuguese invasions in its history for the longest time which was nowhere to be seen across other civilizations in the world. Despite the mention of gunpowder in Hindu scriptures, and the training of elephants with fire circles to make them devoid of fear, we don’t witness any usage of fire weapons in Bharat’s armed struggle concerning Islamic invasions.

Moreover, Muslim historians recorded instances where naphtha balls were thrown against the rushing elephants and frighten them in wars between Rajputs and Turkish invaders from the North-West (Elliot and Dowson, vol. I). In any case, this rich knowledge combined with our ancestors rooted in Dharmic values led to the failure of total Islamization and the Christianization of Bharat.

References and Works Consulted

Chakravarti, P.C., The Art of War in Ancient India (General Printers & Publishers, 1941), University of Dacca. Accessed at https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.282006

Hema Hari, D.K. and Hari, D.K., Autobiography of India: Breaking the Myths – About Identity (Sri Sri Publications Trust, 2018), accessed at https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-India-Identity-Breaking-Myths-Vol1-About-ebook/dp/B07C15GJMG

John C. Rolfe, Litt. D., Curtius Rufus, Quintus [History of Alexander], (Harvard University Press, 1946), University of Pennsylvania. Accessed at https://archive.org/details/quintuscurtius0002unse/page/n7/mode/2up

McCrindle J.W., Ancient India as described by Megasthenes and Arrian, (Thacker, Spink & Co., 1877). Accessed at https://archive.org/details/ancientindiaasd01mccrgoog/page/n6/mode/2up

Mookerji, Radha Kumud, Chandragupta Maurya and His Times, University of Madras, 1943. Accessed at https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281321.

Oppert Gustav, NitiPrakasika, (Higginbotham And Co, 1882). Accessed at https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.217444

Oppert Gustav, On the weapons, army organization, and political maxims of the Ancient Hindus, (New Order Book Co, 1967). Accessed at https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.46936

Rangarajan, L.N., Kautilya, The Arthashastra (Penguin Books, 1992). Accessed at https://archive.org/details/kautaliya-arthshashtra-ancient-India/mode/2up

Ramachandra Dikshitar, V.R., War in Ancient India (Macmillan & Co., 1944), University of Madras. Accessed at https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.503472

Ray, Purnima, Vasişţa’s Dhanurveda Samhitā (J.P. Publishing House, 2003). Accessed at https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.382701

Thippabhatla RamaKrishnaMurthy, Suram Srinivasulu., Shrimahabharatam aadiparvamu-sabhaparvamu-part-1 (Gita Press, Gorakhpur, 2018) Accessed at https://www.gitapress.org/bookdetail/shrimahabharatamu-aadiparvamu-sabhaparvamu-part-1-telugu-2141

Vittal, Vinay, “Kautilya’s Arthasastra: A timeless Grand strategy” (Graduate Thesis, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL. 2011). Accessed at https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1019423.pdf

Ancient Indian Warfare, accessed at https://www.worldhistory.org/Indian_Warfare/

Dhanurveda – Works on ancient Indian artilleries. Accessed at http://mahabharata-research.com/onewebmedia/chapter%203.pdf

Hindu Online, accessed at http://hinduonline.co/scriptures/dhanurveda/dhanurveda.html

Mahabharatam, in Telugu (Gita Press, Gorakhpur, 2016). First edition.

Surya’s Tapestry, accessed at https://www.hinduwisdom.info/War_in_Ancient_India.htm

We acknowledge the editorial assistance provided by Dr. Kalyani Samantray, Sri Sri University, Odisha, India.

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Despite growing support, Ayurveda struggles to compete with modern medicine in India due to a lack of awareness and misconceptions. Limited research and availability hinder its mainstream acceptance, but with increasing government support, awareness and confidence in Ayurveda can be fostered.

Modern Medicine and Ayurveda in India

India has been acknowledged as the pharmacy of the world and an advocate of modern medicine. However, there is a definite lack of awareness about Ayurveda amongst the Indian population, especially the younger generation. Despite growing Governmental support, the system has been facing challenges in disseminating the knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine and its modalities.

Today, the norm in India is that people seek doctors who have an MBBS, MD degrees over ayurvedic doctors with a BAMS, MD degrees. Since India is a fast-growing country with booming industries and overflowing working-class population, the restless need to achieve quicker results makes them choose modern over Ayurvedic medicine. The field of Ayurveda needs to take cognizance of educating the society on what is possible through Ayurvedic medicines along with highlighting its benefits.

Ayurveda and Allopathy have always had a challenging relationship. People have been influenced by modern medicine as they believe it to be scientific, faster in action, showing quicker relief from symptoms, easily available and above all endorsed by the media. Many label Ayurveda as a pseudoscience because of their limited exposure and lack of understanding about its basic principles. Treating a disease or any condition by cutting it open or addressing a symptom with a pill is a faster, easier approach than healing or reversing it from its roots.

The science of Ayurveda has been difficult to translate in terms of modern medical concepts and terminologies since they have different approaches to diseases and are not equivalent systems. Even then, many expect Ayurvedic concepts and its influence on healing to be validated by scientific evidence. There exist widespread misconceptions about this natural science of life. Let us look at some of the common aspects that have led people to not consider Ayurveda as a mainstream system.

Lack of awareness on origins of several Modern Medicines

According to researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the United States, around 70% of all new drugs introduced in the country in recent decades have been derived from natural sources. Friedrich Serturner- integrated natural medicine with modern medicine after extracting morphine from opium which is widely used as a painkiller. As Pharmaceutical industries began using synthetic techniques to develop medicines, many forget that the discovery of several modern medicines was through natural products or sources. The benefits and indications of Ahiphena (opium) have already been mentioned in our ancient Indian literatures.

Insurance Reimbursements

For most people, Insurance has become a major factor in choosing a treatment for most conditions. They are influenced by their health insurance and its coverage in making medical decisions. Cashless reimbursements are not available at most Ayurvedic Centers, where one must first pay out of pocket. Though insurance coverage for AYUSH systems have been introduced in India, the treatment must be done at a government recognized hospital or institution or be accredited by the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH).

Limited Scientific Data and Research Publications

During ancient times, acharyas (sages) of Ayurveda have written voluminous works on different specialties like living healthy lifestyles, curing diseases from its roots, performing surgeries etc. The collections of these resource materials have not been adequately translated or made accessible for modern medical research. Despite numerous efforts made by individuals and organizations to conduct research, the lack of investment into Ayurvedic research has been a major setback. With limited people undergoing treatment with Ayurvedic medicines, the availability of data for analysis and publication becomes limited. Research journals that do publish research on Ayurvedic treatment principles and concepts don’t get the necessary spotlight and attention from the media and public. People are hence aware of Ayurveda but are unaware of its true benefits and actual impact on health outcomes.

Western and Media Influence

Western influence has a lot to do with people’s psychology related to modern medicines. People are habituated to following the mainstream media that is heavily influenced by western cultures and way of doing things. This has increased endorsements and advertisements causing a large influx of modern pharmaceutical products into the country. Funding from government and the private sectors for research, testing, and publishing in AYUSH are also influenced by how things are done in the West. For 2022-23, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been allocated with a budge of Rs 86,201 crore, while the Ministry of AYUSH has received an allocation of Rs 3,050 crore (just 3.5% compared to the Ministry of Health). Practice of Ayurveda with a BAMS, MD degree has been a challenge in foreign countries. Lack of Ayurvedic institutions, courses, hospitals, or clinics have caused people to be unaware of its importance in the West. Nonetheless, as we saw a slow transformation in the recent past with adoption of yoga and meditation, the time for Ayurveda is next.

Pseudo Advocates have not helped

Commercial companies instill the word ‘Ayurvedic’ in their products as a marketing strategy to attract and retain customers, whereas, in reality, it wouldn’t even be an Ayurvedic formulation. Several street vendors setup stores proclaiming to treat various diseases in the name of Ayurveda and other irrational methods. These spurious claims impact the reputation of Ayurvedic doctors who spent nearly a decade studying and training in Ayurveda. They tamper with the reputation of Ayurveda and cloud people’s judgment.

Everything takes time and effort with Ayurveda

Ayurvedic treatments require consistency and patience. The number of medicines prescribed are more and repeated consultations are necessary to properly assess the effect of medicine on the patient’s body. Since people demand quicker results, they opt for a faster modern medicine approach compared to Ayurveda. Moreover, as Ayurvedic formulations are all naturally derived, its shelf life is lesser compared to modern medicines. The procedure to source herbs to prepare an Ayurvedic formulation is tedious and requires lot of manual labor, whereas modern medicines are synthetically prepared with the help of machines.

Common Misconceptions

There are many common misconceptions associated with Ayurveda that have been bred in people’s minds. For instance, some think that Ayurveda is outdated and hence slow to work. Some blindly believe that Ayurveda means just massages and decoctions, but didn’t know that there is a lot of knowledge in Ayurveda around Surgeries, Deliveries, Pre-conception, Neonatal care etc. Some feel that Ayurvedic treatment does not require a doctor and self-medication can be done with herbs at home. Many others start adopting Ayurvedic treatments only after the modern medicine approach has failed.

Outgoing Thoughts

The roots of Ayurveda being the primary public health system has transformed into deep reliance on modern medicine, especially for the next generation. Though western influence has always impacted the healthcare system in India, people are gradually coming to terms with the benefits of Ayurvedic Medicine. Of course, every healthcare system has its own flaws, but it is important to recognize and acknowledge the advantages of different systems of medicine. Recently, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “AYUSH doctors are equally recognized as Allopathic doctors now.” With increasing government support, it is time to come out of comfort zones for common good and envision a smart strategy to create awareness, build scientific evidence, foster confidence in the youth and open the minds of the public to acknowledge Ayurveda as a mainstream healthcare system.

Enroll in one or all of HUA’s Fall 2022 Ayurveda Courses:

Essential Nutrition

Disease Through the Lens of Ayurveda

Ayurveda – The Wisdom of Wellbeing

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WHOSE COMMON ERA?

Students are taught a one-sided history, no matter the school or state. 

Millennia of history, written by winners of wars and purveyors of ethnocide, is unravelling. Disrespect and erasure of non-European civilizations has been etched into the fabric of the English-speaking world at all levels, especially in the public education system. In elementary school, the history of this settler colonial state starts with Christopher Columbus sailing West across the Atlantic Ocean in three tiny ships to trade with Indians. No discussion of the fact that India was prosperous [1] and complex with a Vedic literature [2] that plausibly seeded Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Democritus. Instead, there is a mention that India had nice spices.

We get pablum on how the Christian/Catholic Capitalist Settler Colonizers used brutal violence to expand their Dominion in their New World, while the Native American Indian was nearly eradicated. Instead of 500 years of attempted genocide against the Indigenous people of this land, children are taught that Indians helped the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving. We are going from Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 to Columbus sold 9-year-old girls into slavery, to be raped. It is written in the words of his men [3] and his own words [4]. I will not hold back my words.

Starting with the word “Indian” itself, Europeans mislabeled a diversity of cultures and civilizations, which has stuck. The ancient people of the Americas were diverse and complicated, but nearly wiped out and replaced. The mislabeling of an oppressed people by the oppressor in the oppressor’s language, is part of the conceptual framing of colonization and ethnocide. Fundamentals of the way society is organized in the English-speaking world, are about to change.

The resurgence and rejuvenation of indigenous human civilizations shall be crucial to transcending the European colonizer’s Christian narrative that used Manifest Destiny to conquer, destroy, and create the modern world. The strategic pre-meditated systematic assimilation and then destruction of numerous indigenous civilizations needs to be recognized and reconciled if this truly shall be humanity’s common era.

Mahmud of Ghazni [4] is very much like Christopher Columbus in that he documented his ruthless barbarity in his own words, in his own journals, and in the letters shared with his people. Plenty of Muslim mosques are known to have been built using materials from razed Hindu mandirs to express social order and religious hierarchy under Islam. We were never even given a hint at the numbers of Hindus who were erased — murdered, captured, enslaved, raped and/or forced to convert — to create the Mughal Empire and then the British Raj. In that same way, winners of wars project a heroic accounting of history to justify the spoils of their barbarity.

There was no lesson on the rapacity of the East India Company [5] and how $45 trillion in wealth was extracted from India through a sophisticated colonization plan [6]. The colonial roots go deep in America’s education system and it is no accident that winners write the history and then project their narrative. In high school, the first Advanced Placement class many students take is European History. For teenagers in America, it is the one-sided history, the accumulating micro-aggressions in popular culture, and the continued bullying of Hindu youth to this day [7], that illustrates the fact that we are only scratching the surface of Hindudvesha [8].

The Mughal Empire was a unique civilization where a minority of Muslims dominated the more numerous Hindu, Jain, Buddhist plurality, and under which Sikhism grew along with a sophisticated government that codified apartheid. Europeans learned Sanskrit to interpret Hindu texts, especially the Vedas [9] and then proceeded to tell Hindus what their ancient texts really mean while laying the groundwork for conversion to Christianity – the ultimate gaslighting. Both Muslims and Christians co-opted key parts of Hindu culture to facilitate their control of the land, resources, and people.

William Jones “discovered” Hinduism, James Mill denounced it, Thomas Macaulay disrupted it, Max Mueller digested it, and Jawaharlal Nehru regurgitated the colonizer’s narrative about Sanatana Dharma. At the crux of the battle for history is the specious speculation of European Christians like Max Mueller and Mortimer Wheeler that Vedic civilization was seeded by Aryan invasions [10], later changed to migrations [11]. The Aryan empire, especially the hypothesized Aryan invasion seeding Vedic culture around 1,500 years Before Christ (fitting the literal Biblical timeline) has been thoroughly refuted [12][13].

Across multiple disciplines such as archeology [14], linguistics [15], astro-archeology [16][17], genetics [18][19], and through common sense, the evidence shows there was no Aryan invasion or large-scale migration bringing Vedic civilization to India. Yet, academics and some European Indologists still believe, regurgitate, and defend weak positions, while avoiding debate. The alternative is the more coherent and parsimonious explanation that Vedic civilization grew out of India [20].

As we discover more ancient archeological sites [21] we get a fuller version of history that shows that the Indus River Valley Civilization was flourishing millennia before a fictional Aryan people migrated. Harappa was robust with representation of Vedic knowledge systems in the form of altars, rituals, idols, figurines, and urban planning 5,000 years ago [22].

Because generations of people have been indoctrinated in the Eurocentric global education system with a whitewashed history, the critical period of 1453 to 1492 needs attention as a fulcrum of civilizational battle between the Abrahamic peoples. We are on the verge of the refutation of the Eurocentric global economy dependent on violence and exploitation since Inter Caetera in 1493 and the other Papal Bulls of the 1400s.

The crescendo of Muslim jihad forced the Catholic Church to reformulate their crusade in 1453 when Constantinople was claimed as Istanbul by Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire. On one side of the world, the Roman empire evolved and spawned the English-speaking United Kingdom, which created and distributed the self-reproducing colonial project across the planet in competition with the equally rapacious Spanish, Portuguese, and French colonial projects, all supported by an unbroken line of Catholic Popes.

Colliding into it, was the Muslim world which assimilated [23] and then tried to erase thousands of years of Hindu contributions, expanded the scope of slavery in Africa [24], and stretched from the Great Wall of China to the Steppes of Europe. There is a pervasive oppressive denigration of all things indigenous, and with the conflation of the Hindu and Indian identities, the complicated genocidal-existential tension that exists across civilizations continues through modern day geo-politics.

Our global economy has evolved from blatant slavery, mass murder, dispossession of land, and genocide through “civilizing colonization” to a complicated geo-political framework where independent and semi-dependent nation states and non-state actors with layers of religious, economic, geographic, genetic, cultural, political, and historical identities are constantly triangulating against each other and for their people.

The systematic effort to marginalize, disrespect, and trivialize Hinduism has been an ongoing project of Europe for nearly three centuries. Most Americans are not aware of this, and some subconsciously buy into simplified false narratives that depict Hindus as tribal, superstitious, hierarchical, oppressive, violent, and dangerous. The British creation and enumeration of caste [25] still shapes public consciousness, while stereotypes and generalizations supported by anecdotes regurgitated by a biased media are held up by a colonial academic framework and continue to poison public discourse.

Hindus throughout the common era have been a huge, fractious, and diverse population. Divide and conquer was used expertly by claiming Varna as a system of hierarchy and oppression where the Brahmins ruled, dominated, and oppressed the others. Do public intellectuals, teachers, and spiritual leaders oppress wide swaths of society today? Could that even be possible?

It is the epitome of hypocritical anti-intellectualism to claim that educators and curators of knowledge, wisdom, and indigenous culture were the ones oppressing laborers, exploiting merchants, and manipulating soldier/administrators to subjugate society. The insidious genius of English colonization was to undermine, destroy, and denigrate all forms of Hindu knowledge systems, language, and culture to the point that a section of Indians, including a former Prime Minister, participate in and support the devaluation of Hindu knowledge, tradition, culture, and contributions.

History from different perspectives presents different theories, facts, experiences, biases, and even timelines. There are forces on all sides that would use religion, violence, economics, and knowledge systems as tools for power and control. Throughout ancient history with modern warfare no outlier, lies and manipulation buttressed by ideologues have led to hundreds of millions of unnecessary human deaths and the destruction of cities. Instead of the cycle of violence, let us elevate Vedic thought and dharmic principles towards enlightenment for those who seek it, while moving all of us towards peace, comfort, opportunity, and a new common era founded on the unflinching truth.

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Hindu University of America (HUA) stands in solidarity with the American Hindu community in its shock and sadness at the brutal lynching of these Hindu sādhus in Mahārāśṭra, India, and joins them in condemning it.

On 16th April, 2020, two unarmed Hindu sādhus and their driver were brutally lynched in the presence of local police at Palghar, Mahārāśṭra, by a mob of over hundred people. The Hindu community woke up in shock to the gory lynching of these two Hindu sādhus and their driver, when four days after the incident, on 20th April, 2020, video evidence surfaced, which showed how the local police officials handed the three unarmed Hindu men over to a blood-thirsty mob of over a hundred people, and stood as bystanders while the three men were brutally lynched by the crowd. The victims, 70-year-old Kalpavrikśa Giri Mahārāj and 35-year-old Sushīl Giri Mahārāj, of the Junā Akhāra (an ascetic lineage tradition of Hinduism), along with their driver, 30-year-old Nilesh Telgade, were said to be traveling through the region to pay their respects to their Guru who had recently passed away, when they were violently lynched to death. The videos show heart wrenching cries of these frail men as they pleaded to the police to not hand them over to the crowd.  Early investigations have unearthed the involvement of local politicians. This is just the latest in the long list of instances where Hindus have been targeted by members of communities driven by intolerant and violent ideologies, backed by politicians with vested interests. The silence of the media and intellectuals on these lynchings stands in a stark contrast to their earlier response when Hindus were suspected to be culprits rather than victims. The relentless and sustained anti-Hindu propaganda in academia and mainstream media around the globe has normalized Hinduphobia to such an extent that the blood-curdling killing of two benign sādhus at the hands of a mob did not even get a mention in most media outlets. The few who did mention, made it a point to brush the extremely communal nature of the lynchings under the carpet, giving it a socio-economic spin. It has been reported that the victims were killed primarily for trying to stop conversion activities, and were beaten to death for the reason. The media and the academia, by their conspicuous silence and deliberate cover up, become complicit in this violence against Hindus, and against sādhus, all across India. 

Many Hindu organizations have expressed shock at the killings and have condemned it. Hindu University of America (HUA) stands in solidarity with the American Hindu community in its shock and sadness at the brutal lynching of these Hindu sādhus in Mahārāśṭra, India, and joins them in condemning it. HUA also urges the Mahārāśṭrian government to investigate these killings and punish the culprits in proportion to their act of terror.

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