“The Indian caste system is perhaps the most extreme expression of a type of social organization that violates the most revered principles on which modern Western societies are based” (Stearns, et al. 24). This is the opening statement of a World History textbook passage on caste in India. With a self-righteous tone, this sentence indicts the entire Indian civilization and everyone associated with it, including innocent Hindu American students. The rest of the textbook pertaining to India employs bias by the commission to lay the blame for the inequities of the caste system entirely on the shoulders of Hindu civilization. It absolves the major Western colonizers, especially the British, of any blame in the current state of affairs. This is a pattern that repeats itself in other textbooks. However, history and Hindu scriptures paint an entirely different picture.

The Spanish and Portuguese origins of the word “caste” as “casta” are well known. What is less well-known are the European origins of birth-based caste, along with how Europeans imposed these concepts on their colonized peoples, as described by Sumit Guha in his online article. In addition, Hindu scriptures do not contain the word “casta” or any other derivative.

 Las Castas (The Castes), Anonymous.

The above painting was completed in the 18th century and depicts the 16 race-based castes at birth as defined and imposed by Spanish colonizers on the Natives of Mexico. This type of classification was devised prior to British interference with the indigenous social system of India. The idea of caste hierarchy being determined by proximity to the white race was first propagated by the Spanish and later implemented by the British in India. The subordinate status of Spanish women as compared to Spanish men can be concluded from the more limited marital options available to women, as shown in the painting.

At the time of the Spanish caste system’s development, Indian society was following a very different social order. Amongst the Vedas, which are the primary scriptures of Hinduism and are believed to hold true regardless of era or geography, the only kind of social structure that was mentioned pertained to the four “varnas.” The term “varna” referred to the four qualities or functions that were found in society: priests/scholars, rulers/administrators, merchants/farmers, and artisans/laborers. The Purusha Sukta contains the following hymn:

brā̠hma̠ṇō̎sya̠ mukha̍māsīt । bā̠hū rā̍ja̠nya̍ḥ kṛ̠taḥ ।
ū̠rū tada̍sya̠ yadvaiśya̍ḥ । pa̠dbhyāgṃ śū̠drō a̍jāyataḥ ॥

From His mouth came forth the Brahmins and from His arms were Rajanya made
From His thighs came the Vaishyas and His feet gave birth to Sudras.
(Rigveda 10.90.12)

Even though the above hymn is not referring to a hierarchy between the four varnas, the fallacy of a hierarchical varna system has gained widespread traction in today’s literature. In reality, the varnas represent the four parallel pillars of a holistic society. In Hindu thought, the entirety of existence is described as the manifestation of God, or Purusha. As God, or Purusha, is One, no part of Purusha can be considered higher or lower. Therefore, one varna is not considered higher or lower than another. Also worth noting is that Purusha is frequently taken to mean Lord Vishnu, who is oftentimes depicted in a reclining pose, with no part of his body higher or lower than the other. The hierarchy misconception can be refuted even further if one examines the next two verses from the Purusha Sukta in the Rig Veda:

cha̠ndramā̠ mana̍sō jā̠taḥ । chakṣō̠ḥ sūryō̍ ajāyata ।
mukhā̠dindra̍śchā̠gniścha̍ । prā̠ṇādvā̠yura̍jāyata ॥

nābhyā̍ āsīda̠ntari̍kṣam । śī̠rṣṇō dyauḥ sama̍vartata ।
pa̠dbhyāṃ bhūmi̠rdiśa̠ḥ śrōtrā̎t । tathā̍ lō̠kāgṃ a̍kalpayan ॥

From His mind the Moon was born, from His eyes was born the Sun

From His mouth, Indra and Agni, and from His life-breath was born Vayu

Space unfolds from His navel, the sky well-formed from His head

From His feet, the earth, and His ears the Quarters.

(Rigveda 10.90.13-14)

 If the Purusha Suktam referred to a hierarchy of the varnas, then, by the same logic, the Moon must be considered higher than the Sun, and space must be considered lower than the sky. Such nonsensical reasoning can be rejected, leading us to the conclusion that the Vedas do not recognize any sort of hierarchy in society. Instead, the varnas refer to psychological groupings of people based on their temperaments and qualities. These groupings achieve goals similar to that of today’s personality tests when they are used to predict what types of occupations may best suit a given individual. It is important to note that there are many examples of people having moved between varnas.

Another term that is native to Indian civilization and is mistakenly conflated with the caste system is “jati.” Unlike “varna,” the term “jati” is not found in Hindu scriptures. “Jati” typically refers to an endogamous community where a specific profession is often passed down in a hereditary fashion. Sharma quotes P.V. Kane in explaining how the jatis came into existence: “ …[jatis] arose from the unions of males of different varnas with women belonging to varnas differing from their own” (130). Sharma later calls out an important distinction between the traditional Indian concept of jati versus the modern Western misunderstanding of where jatis reside in the social fabric. In the traditional Indian view, jatis were formed outside of the traditional varnas. Jatis were formed to accommodate all of the different combinations of people in society that were derived from the original four varnas. The following figure depicts some of the many possible jatis that formed from the unions of the different varnas in succeeding generations:

Figure 1: Varna-Jati Relationship Prior to British Intervention

One can easily observe that over thousands of years, over many generations, and countless combinations resulting in thousands of different jatis, there was no way to create a definitive hierarchical order of jatis in pre-British Indian society. This indeed was the case, where the fluidity of movement between jatis and fluidity of jati status existed. Kane further describes this fluidity when he writes “Therefore, it must be admitted that the …social status of the several castes [ie. jatis] might have varied from country to country or from epoch to epoch…” (Sharma 130). Although there was jockeying for position within the larger society by the various jatis, there was no authority that dictated a jati’s social position. 

However, the situation drastically changed when the British gained power in India and they socially engineered the creation of the modern caste system. Sharma describes how the British administrators chose to think of the jatis as being contained within the varnas, as shown in the figure below:

Figure 2: Varna-Jati Relationship After British Intervention

Using the British methodology, each jati now had to understand itself in relation to the varnas. With a clear hierarchical structure, it was in each jati’s interest to be viewed as high as possible in the pyramid. Force-fitting the entirety of Indian society into a neat pyramid satisfied the British thirst for order and categorization, resulting in what they called the “caste system.” 

In their article, Walby and Haan describe how nineteenth-century Europeans felt a need to make sense of the world by classifying everything neatly into categories and then ordering them. Foucault proposed the creation of hierarchical taxonomies that would allow scholars to produce “truth,” or to reach conclusions about populations under study. 

The problem was that in India, many British census takers and data compilers ran into great difficulties when it came to reaching a neatly categorized and hierarchical view of nationwide caste data. During the British censuses of India, “…many people were reported to not know their caste, to claim they had no caste, or to provide a caste name to enumerators [census takers] when they should not have had one (as was the case for Christians and Muslims)” (Walby & Haan 304). They further describe that one of the ways for census takers to overcome these difficulties was “often through fudging the process” (304). Another commonly employed tactic, of which there is much evidence, is that castes were frequently fabricated. By doing so, British census takers and administrators not only created a new pecking order for the vast diversity of jatis in Indian society, but they also fossilized this pecking order in official government publications with the completion of each census. 

What before British rule had been an informal and fluid system of families and clans moving between different varnas and even jatis was hardened, with social hierarchy given official sanction by the colonizers. There are countless examples of jatis appealing to British officials to reassign their community to a higher status. These officials, and their census publications, became the ultimate judge of a jati’s stature in society.

ML Middleton, Superintendent of the Government of India, wrote the following in the 1911 census: “…we pigeon-holed everyone by castes and if we could not find a true caste for them labeled them with the name of a hereditary occupation…we are largely responsible for the [caste] system which we deplore.” (343)

Middleton further went on to speculate as to what may have happened if the British had not extensively tinkered with the indigenous system: “Left to themselves, such castes…would rapidly disappear and no one would suffer. The large number of people who have refused to record any caste at this census is a sign of progress and the breaking of customary bonds..[the British] Government’s passion for labels and pigeon-holes has led to a crystallization of the caste system, which, except amongst the aristocratic castes was really very fluid under indigenous rule” (343).

Aside from the European preoccupation with hierarchical categorization, there was another phenomenon at work that was even more pernicious. It was the nineteenth-century theory of race, which used pseudo-science in the form of anthropometric measurements to pin each race into a hierarchical order. Europeans considered the white race to be the most superior of the races, and they used this racial theory to justify the colonization and exploitation of other races around the world. In regards to the caste system, H.H. Risley reformulated caste along racial lines when he architected the 1901 Census of India. “Risley argued that caste was a system of social precedence deriving from a race-based hierarchy of social life” (Carlan). Risley used two anthropometric ratios to help him determine his social hierarchy based on race. The first was the nasal index, which was the ratio of the height to the width of the nose. The second was the cephalic index, which was the ratio of the length to the width of the head.

The British concoction of the modern caste system in India would change India forever, dividing its population against itself. Artificial racial boundaries of “Aryan” (ie. light-skinned) and “Dravidian” (ie. dark-skinned) were imposed on the native population, creating and shaping political movements that otherwise would never have existed. In addition to these effects, the modern caste system provided the British with yet another tool: the ability to deride Hinduism as the source of caste inequality and to position Christianity as a better alternative. Even though the caste system exists in other Indian religious communities such as Sikhism, Jainism, Christianity, and Islam, the British successfully perpetrated the “casteism in Hinduism” trope throughout the West, leaving this as another marker of their colonial legacy.

That is why in Social Studies textbooks today, the lens of caste is simplistically used to explain almost everything about Hinduism and Indian history: “What gave Indian civilization a recognizable identity and character was…a unique social organization, the caste system” (Strayer and Nelson 125). The same book later claims that the caste system prevented pan-India empires from surviving for any length of time. The book’s obsession with caste is evident throughout its coverage of India and Hinduism, eventually tying a person’s caste to their spiritual progress. The authors neglect to discuss any Hindu saints who belonged to the so-called lower castes. And not once is there any mention of the British intervention that produced the caste system as we know it today.

As another example, another textbook states that “…the caste system continued to serve as the most powerful organizing feature of Indian society” (Bentley, et al 318). A few pages later, this statement appears: “Caste distinctions first became prominent in northern India following [white] Aryan migrations into the subcontinent” (323). Thus, the book successfully promotes the superimposition of race onto caste, as envisioned by Risley and others over a hundred years ago. The false association between the so-called Aryans, Hinduism, and the caste system is something that is still pervasive in modern textbooks, an anachronism that has managed to outlive British rule in India.

        Books such as these are not purveyors of World History or World Cultures. They are purveyors of Hinduphobia.

Textbooks such as these come with real-world consequences. When the caste system is falsely tied to Hinduism as one of its defining characteristics, entire generations of Americans, both Hindus, and non-Hindus, walk out of the classroom with ingrained prejudices. The Hindu American Foundation published a report concluding that there is “a correlation between the intensity with which a school’s Hinduism unit focuses on caste and the likelihood both that the child will perceive that Hinduism has been taught negatively and that she/he will be bullied for her/his faith…” (HAF 6). The report goes on to suggest that when “an intense curricular focus on caste creates and reinforces a view of Hindu beliefs as uniquely repellant, it is the curriculum itself that needs to be reexamined” (6).

In conclusion, we find the lived reality of Hindu Americans to be at odds with the artificial reality found in Social Studies textbooks. No Hindu temple teaches its congregation about caste or any kind of social hierarchy. Many Hindu American children are not even aware of their caste affiliation. The colonial-era narrative that persists to this day in American textbooks insists that the hierarchical caste system is a fundamental part of Hinduism. This essay has attempted to point out that nothing could be further from the truth. With that being said, caste-based discrimination found in all of the religious communities in India must be eliminated because it is a social evil. When it comes to Hinduism, there is no room for this discrimination, or for any type of discrimination, in a faith community that recognizes each human being as divine. It is time for the narrative around caste and Hinduism to be rectified, especially in Social Studies textbooks for American students. 

This article is an adaptation of a term paper required for the course “Reconstructing Hindu History: The Commissions,” taught by Dr. Raj Vedam.

References

Anonymous. Las Castas. 19th century. Museo Nacional del Virreinato, Tepotzotlán, Mexico. Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casta. Accessed 6 June 2021.

Bentley, Jerry H., et al. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past, UPDATED AP Edition. 6^th ed., McGraw Hill, 2020.

Carlan, Hannah. “Sir Herbert Hope Risley.” southasia.ucla.edu/history-politics/colonialepistemologies/sir-  herbert-hope-risley/. Accessed 8 June 2021.

Guha, Sumit. “What Did Europeans Contribute to the Caste System in India?” www.jhiblog.org/2018/05/30/what-did-europeans-contribute-to-the-caste-system-in-india. Accessed 6 June 2021.

Hindu American Foundation. “Caste in the Curriculum & the Bullying of Hindu Students: Secondary Analysis of Survey Results.” www.hinduamerican.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/HAFN_16_018- CasteInCurriculumReport_r2_0.pdf. Accessed 5 June 2021.

Middleton, L. and S.M. Jacob. Census of India, 1921. Volume XV, Punjab, and Delhi, Part 1. Civil
and Military – Gazette, 1923.

Sharma, Arvind. The Ruler’s Gaze: A Study of British Rule over India from a Saidian Perspective. HarperCollins Publishers India, 2017.

Stearns, Peter N., et al. World Civilizations: The Global Experience Since 1200, AP Edition. 8^th ed., Pearson, 2020. 

Strayer, Robert W., and Eric W. Nelson. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources. 4^th ed., Bedford, Freeman & Worth, 2020.

Walby, Kevin and Michael Haan. “Caste Confusion and Census Enumeration in Colonial India, 1871–1921.”  Histoire Sociale/Social History, vol. 45, no. 90, 2012, pp. 301–318., doi:10.1353/his.2012.0026.

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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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Academic studies of Hinduism is a necessity, as it can shape the current and future generations’ understanding and appraisal of Hinduism. Academia has larger scale influence and starts impacting human life at a younger formative age. Next to the institution of family, academia has the strongest influence given the amount of time a student spends there. Also bringing an insider’s perspective to Hindu academic studies allows for development of an alternate Hindu worldview paradigm, which helps position Hindu thought, equitably, along with other worldviews. The symbiotic relationship between insiders in academic and non-academic settings, in terms of replenishing the “Śraddha Capital” or the level of one’s sincerity, in the Hindu society, ought to be recognized.

NECESSITY FOR HINDU STUDIES IN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT

Introduction

Hinduism is a vast collection of several traditions. It is referred to, by many insiders, in the Hindu fold, as Sanāthana Dharma. The word Dharma has a multi-faceted import. For the purposes of this discussion, we can understand Dharma as a sustaining framework of universally beneficial mass of knowledge and traditions, that guides humanity towards felicity. Thus, Sanāthana Dharma can be freely translated as “Eternal Sustenance” – a framework, in which several mathas (religious traditions) and siddhāntas (well ascertained philosophical foundations) can thrive, while retaining mutual respect.

Problem Statement

If the parents of today’s youth are qualified “insiders” – i.e. well-informed proponents and adept practitioners of Dharma, then their children will have the benefit of receiving right Dharmic education and thus keeping their respective Dharmic traditions alive. But on the other hand, a growing mix of today’s families (Hindu or otherwise), is a product of Western-style education (which has intrinsic anti-Hindu bias, in varying degrees). Such parents are most likely disconnected with their Hindu roots or worse antagonistic to it! If this trend continues, the insider population will dwindle sooner than we are able to imagine!

This raises a serious question, what is the best way of communicating the Dharmic ideas and practices, from one generation to another? The ideas that are in Sanāthana Dharma, have the power to change the world for the better, but only if presented in a manner consistent with the understanding and the will of the human society. The ability to take an idea and reliably disseminate it needs an institution, which systematically bridges the gap between human understanding and will. Family, the most ancient institution available to us, is necessary but not sufficient (as discussed in the previous paragraph), especially when there is a need to operate at a large scale of outreach and influence.

Today the most reliable centers of learning about Sanāthana Dharma are the various āśrams and Gurus (for example  Sri Ramakrishna Mission). But the percentage of population accessing these traditional Gurus and ashrams is very small, in comparison to the regular school and college goers. Also, exposure to such Gurus and āśrams often happens very late in most people’s lives.  This means that the reliance on Academic institutions (schools, colleges, universities), to introduce Hinduism properly and fairly, at an early age, cannot be avoided.

Power and Influence of Academic Thinkers

Thinkers in academic settings – mainly researchers and professors, often form a very tiny fraction of the human population, in any country or society, but they are powerful enough to decide what ought to be studied by children, youth, and students in general. They influence many aspects of society – from school textbook content to government policies.

From India’s past (i.e. during British India) till date, we know that the academic environment and its output have been utilized as a tool, to create “intellectual sepoys”, out of the Indian society [1]. So clearly the ability of academia, to influence our society, popular discourse, and future generations, is time tested and proven fact. The question then is not whether Hinduism ought to be studied in an academic setting, but how to significantly increase the number of Hindu insiders, in academic Hindu studies.

Evolving Alternate Paradigm – Hindu World View

The argument so far in this essay was focused on the need for accurate representation, reliable communication, and broader outreach, as it relates to Hinduism and how this can be achieved, with the injection of insiders, into academic study of Hinduism. 

Now we will consider another strong motivator for academic study of Hinduism – namely leveraging the unique vantage point Sanaathana Dharma offers to researchers, to study non-Hindu world religions and systems of thought. As mentioned in section I, Sanāthana Dharma offers a framework for sustaining several mathas and siddhāntas, which can coexist and thrive, with abiding mutual respect. Their mutual respect is due to the mature understanding that finite human attempts at exploring the infinite, are bound to give rise to multiple expressions or approaches, along the way. This plural, inclusive, mature understanding is rooted in Vedas (or sacred revealed knowledge of the Hindus), which forms the bedrock of Sanāthana Dharma. 

The Vedas and Sanāthana Dharma also offer a non-dogmatic framework, encouraging inquiry and study, which can be directed towards studying different traditions and worldviews. This approach helps evolve a fresh alternate paradigm to studying different world systems of thought and religions, through a versatile Hindu lens. This kind of study in an academic environment will serve to highlight Hinduism’s unique credentials (suited to studying world thought systems) and also position the Hindu worldview, equitably, along with other existing world views. Such an effort will surely have universally beneficial – academic, cultural, and political ramifications. 

Śraddhā Capital

Śraddhā plays a key role in the insider’s approach to studying Hinduism. One of the key tenets of a person, being endowed with Śraddhā, is his or her, well-reasoned acceptance of Vedas as “Pramana” or reliable means of knowledge. This is usually achieved, after receiving valuable traditional insights from the Guru [2 – verse 25]. Now, this creates a unique situation, wherein, to introduce people endowed with Śraddhā a.k.a insiders, into academia, we need to draw from the “Sraddha capital”, in the society. Developing this “Śraddhā Capital ”, is a key prerequisite for evolving Hindu studies in an academic setting. This clearly shows the symbiotic relation between academic insiders and non-academic insiders of today (i.e. parents, traditional ashrams, and Gurus), which is instrumental to growing the insider voice and population. 

Conclusion

Investing into promoting the insider’s voice in the academic study of Hinduism is necessary, to (1) present a fair appraisal of Hinduism to current and future generations (2) develop an alternate, distinctly Hindu paradigm, of studying world religions and systems, and (3) thereby enriching the world. This whole process relies upon drawing from the “Śraddhā capital” in the Hindu society, which in long run, can be replenished by a growing level of insiders voice in academia.

References:

• Rajiv Malhotra, “Academic Hinduphobia: A critique of Wendy Doniger’s erotic school of Indology”, Voice of India, New Delhi, 2016
• Swami Madhavananda, “Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya”, Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, 1944

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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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A personal quest of a Molecular Biology scientist, living far away from Bhārat, who wishes to teach the next generation not just ślokas and scriptures, but about what happened to our civilization and culture, and what their responsibility is in terms of their contribution to our dharma.

Reflections on Hindu Studies – An Eye Opener

When the Hindu Studies course from Hindu University of America was introduced to me, I was skeptical about what I would gain from this course. The question that came to my mind was, “Is the course conducted by a Hindu or by an outsider, as is usual in the Hindu departments at some western universities?” Even if it was conducted by aHindu, I was under the impression that it would be like learning the meaning of some complex verses from our scriptures. I never expected that I would get the answers for my long-unanswered questions. The course was and still is an eye-opener for me. Each slide from every presentation was informative; by week 2, I was thinking ‘I wish I could have done this course earlier’.

Even though I come from a traditional family with Hindutva leanings, even though I had a good understanding about how our history was changed and manipulated, the feeling of not being able to give correct and convincing answers for some of the questions asked by the outsiders (for e.g., about the caste system) bothered me for a long time. 

Very early in the course, when I read about the colonizer and colonized, I felt angry. How could this happen? How could colonizers see an advanced civilization and think of destroying it or manipulating it? It actually aggrieved me to learn of how they have made our people feel ashamed of our own tradition and culture, how they have made our people disparage our own medical systems like āyurveda, only because it has not been recognised by the colonizers. Things like – How they took all our Sanskrit texts and then claimed that it is a dead language; How they wiped the name ‘Gowri Shankar’ from history and called it ‘Mt Everest’;How Bhārat’s GDP—which was the highest when compared to all other countries before its colonization —changed after the paradigm shift, was really interesting to know. I felt extremely sad and angry to know about the many libraries, besides Takshashila and Nalanda that were burned,and how many of the remaining texts were looted. 

Then my anger changed direction towards the insiders. Why did we not fight against these atrocities? Each and every scripture we studied was always about victory over evil. In that case why did we not come together to fight these evils? How did society become unconcerned? Our ancestors had, of course, protected and preserved several temples and texts, but could they have done better? 

This course gave me an understanding of how the colonisers forcibly put their template on our system and misinterpreted our traditions, especially the system of varnashrama. Of how they applied their caste hierarchy to our system and made everyone believe Brahmins were the culprit behind the caste system. 

I know that I cannot travel back in time to fix everything. My concern now is these atrocities are still being perpetuated in various ways, including but not limited to portraying Hinduism in a wrong way in the text books, not only in Bhārat but also overseas, converting gullible Hindus, etc. The conversions are happening through ‘inculturation’. It is all done by both outsiders and our own people who have become outsiders. This is like a cancer spreading across Bhārat, slowly and completely changing our culture and traditions, and making our younger generations confused. Anyone who speaks against these atrocities are branded as Hindu fanatics. 

This course has also made me wonder if the so-called Hindu spiritual gurus who represent certain sects are aware of the facts and information covered in this course? While these gurus can influence several people, they carefully avoid using the word ‘Hindu’. I have noticed these gurus give talks about Bhagavath Gita and Ramayana, and they never mention a word about Hindu Dharma. My question is, why? They say that they are spiritual, and that spirituality is not just Hinduism, anyone can be spiritual. I feel such gurus are dangerous to our community, as they could confuse our next generation and are diluting our religion. 

Whether while growing up in Bhārat, or even after I became a scientist, I never had any issues in believing in any of our traditional systems, like āyurveda. However, the next generation, especially the children who are growing up away from Bhārat, are unfortunately made to think like outsiders and made to question every ritual and expect a logical answer where the parents themselves are not able to answer. 

Therefore, the consequent feeling I had was that I needed to do something. Being away from Bhārat for the past 24 years, I have been volunteering by teaching our dharma and Samskritam to children growing up in Australia during the weekends. We have Vidya Vihaar classes here, where we teach our children Samskritam language and value-education from our scriptures. The main objective is to make our children understand and be proud of their identity. We run these classes at the national level. The course has made me strongly feel that we need to take these classes to a different dimension, especially for the youth (ages 13-17). I feel that every child who goes through Vidya Vihaar should complete the Orientation to Hindu Studies course before they enter a University. That way, apart from learning shlokas, scriptures, and Samskritam, students would be completely aware of and understand what happened to our civilization and culture, and what their responsibility is in terms of their contribution to our dharma. 

Even though I spend my time on the weekends for community work, it is a big task to make the Hindu parents understand the importance of Hindu-Dharma-classes for children. My inspiration is Bhagawan Krishna, who explained the Gita to just one student – Arjuna. With this contentment, I decided that even if there was one student willing to learn, I would teach. After taking this course at HUA, I feel that I need to actively make the Hindu parents understand the facts, and request them to send their children to classes. We need to make the parents understand that being a Hindu is not just about going to the temple or praying at home. We need to protect our dharma, and each of us are responsible for doing our bit. 

I feel we need to have these Hindu Studies courses available in several universities in Bhārat. We need to make both the students as well as the parents think of these studies as important as any other professional course. I feel that even the Hindu gurus representing different sects need to take this course. I feel that this course can be a part of training at the Veda-pāthaśālas, so that those who graduate from Veda-pāthaśālas as archakas are aware of the facts and unknowingly don’t help the adversary. This will also hopefully prevent them teaching and translating treasures from our scriptures to ‘outsiders’.

I feel it is a mammoth task if we try to bring any change in Bhārat at the moment (for e.g. bring change in our textbooks). We can focus and educate our children through the weekend Vidya Vihaar classes. We need to make this a movement and create awareness among our next generation. It may take another 100 years, but we can make a start now.

We should especially focus on the children growing up outside Bhārat with the weekend classes and encourage our youth as well to do this course. I wholeheartedly thank the course-coordinator for such wonderful course content. I am happy to help in all possible ways to spread awareness. 

Dhanyawādah.

Cover Picture Credit: Pixabay

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The first President of Hindu University of America and the founder-President of WAVES (World Association for Vedic Studies), Shri Bhudev Sharma, attained sadgati. Om shanti!

We are sad to inform, that Dr. Bhudev Sharma, the first appointed full-time President of HUA, has breathed his last in India on April 23, 2021, at the age of 82.

Bhudev ji, as he was popularly known, served as the President of HUA during 2001-2002 and remained a member of the Board of Directors for more than 10 years. During his presidency he chose to live on the campus of HUA, so that maximum attention could be given to the newly acquired campus of HUA.

Born on June 23, 1938 in Bijnor – U.P., India, Bhudev ji had a very rich career both professionally and as a devoted Hindu. An M.Sc. Ph.D. from Delhi University, he was a Professor of Mathematics from 1957-2002, and had taught at University of Delhi, University of West Indies, Trinidad, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, USA, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, USA, and JIIT, Noida. He has, on invitation, visited Canada, Germany, Russia, China, Japan, Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, England, Poland, and many more countries. He published over 160 research papers in international journals, authored 23 books, and guided 28 Ph.D. students who are in India, USA, Brazil, West Indies, and Canada.

Besides mathematics, Bhudev ji worked for Vedic/Indian studies and Hindi. He spent 9 years in Trinidad, where he was the founder and President of Bharatiya Association of the Caribbean; wrote the book ‘Videshi Hindi Primer’ for teaching Hindi via English medium in schools; introduced Hindi in schools of Trinidad; succeeded in creating a Hindi chair at University of the West Indies and founded of a strong body ‘HINDI NIDHI’ that still works for Hindi. During his 20 years stay in America, he incorporated the Hindu Educational And Religious Society of America, New Orleans, edited and published a quarterly Hindi magazine ‘Vishva Vivek; wrote ‘A Complete Book of Hindu Poojas, Bhajans, Stotras, and Arties’, widely used in Hindu temples and families in USA.

Bhudev ji was also the founder and President of the World Association for Vedic Studies (WAVES), USA, from 1996 to 2005, and under his inspiring leadership WAVES – USA organized International Conferences in 1996 (Atlanta), 1998 (Los Angeles), 2000 (New Jersey), 2002 (Dartmouth, Maryland). WAVES continues to be a major platform for publications on Vedic studies. He was also the chief editor of many proceedings of WAVES conferences during his tenure. He was the president of Hindu Educational & Religious Society of America (1991-2021); he edited the proceedings: ‘Revisiting Indus-Sarasvati Civilization & Ancient India’, ‘New Perspectives on Vedic and Ancient Indian Civilization, and ‘Contemporary Views on Indian Civilization’.

In India, he founded ‘Janki Prasad-Shanti Devi International School’ in his birth village – Bankpur, Bijnor, UP, affiliated to CBSE in 2009, and ‘Kusum Sharma International Women College’ in Bhoorbaral Meerut, affiliated to CCS University, Meerut in 2019. Bhudev ji also authored, ‘Ganitagya: Srinivas Ramanujan’ (in Hindi) and edited ‘Hindi Vishwa-Kosh’ for the Central Institute of Hindi of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, India.

Bhudev ji won several awards and honors for his work in promoting Vedic Studies and Hindi. In 2003 Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee (the then Prime Minister of India) conferred the Hindi Videsh Prasar Samman, constituted by UP Hindi Sansthan, Lucknow. He also received ‘Agastya Award’ of Mauritius Ramayan Centre, Mauritius; ‘Ved Ratna Honour of Vedic Cultural Awareness’ award by Indo-UK Intellectual Forum, London, UK. On December 11, 2017, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, the honorable President of India, felicitated him as the ‘Visionary EduLeader of India.’

His ex-colleague from WAVES, Shri Dhiru Shah ji, the current Treasurer, has this to say about his work style: “We worked together in organizing WAVES international conferences in the USA till he was President of WAVES. He was a great intellectual with deep knowledge of [the] Vedas. He was a dedicated, sincere, and hardworking person who took care of the minutest details including venue, meals, audio, guest speakers and publicity. Bhudevji also edited all the conference papers and got the proceeding books published in India. During the time he lived in Atlanta, we used to meet often and discuss how to expand the activities of WAVES in the USA, India and other countries. His passing away has left a great void amongst the WAVES community.”

His obituary in Sanskrit. 

The HUA family joins the WAVES community in offering its condolences to the wider Hindu community for the loss of this great soul. We pray that Bhudev ji’s ātma attains sadgati.

Om Shanti!

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A look at the characteristics of formal academic settings where Hinduism’s traditions and the immense knowledge contained therein have been studied for centuries.

First, who is a Hindu?

Arguably, it depends on who you ask! 

Historically, the term “Hindu” was used to identify persons of specific cultural practices and geography, eventually evolving into a religious identifier for those living in India. 

Over time, Hindus became commonly defined as persons of Indian origin who hold beliefs and practice rituals that are opposed to logic and science. Who perform idol worship to many gods. Who make the cow supreme, and so, do not eat beef. Who follow the oppressive caste system and classify one’s importance in society and their right to education by birth and lineage. 

Any real “Hindu” reading the definition above would cringe. What an atrocious, and unfortunately, widespread misunderstanding of a most beautiful civilization, seen from an “outsider’s” perspective. 

Through colonialism, the sad truth is that this and numerous other similar misinterpretations became so popular that even many who saw themselves as “insiders” to Hinduism began believing the characterization, passing it down to future generations so that it still lives on today. 

Presently, combined with the definitions above, many associate Hindus with the Western definitions of reincarnation, karma, and hatha yoga. 

So, what does it really mean to be Hindu? 

“Know thyself!” 

According to Western history, this fundamental instruction takes its origin from the Coffin Texts of Egypt. The words were carved into Apollo’s temple of Delphi in Greece. They became the watchwords of Socrates, inspiring humanity to take a more in-depth look at its existence beyond the mundane and physical. Spiritual gurus such as Moses, Buddha, and Jesus have all advised man to look within himself to find this Truth. 

Who am I? From where, whom, or what have I come? And, where will I go after this? The moment these questions form in our consciousness, life itself takes on an entirely new dimension. We become seekers.

There is one society whose entire foundation and focus is built on answering these questions. One civilization maps this process of knowledge of the self by turning inwards and illuminating every aspect of life with the truths found within, even as scientists persevere in the search outwards. 

According to Sanatan Dharma (the original Sanskrit term for the way of life that Hinduism describes), one who follows this path is the true Hindu! In brief, the word “Hindu” is a name given to those who adhere to the principles and practices of Sanatan Dharma. Indeed, a Hindu inherits and applies an eternal way of life that speaks to every aspect of how one enters the world, functions within it, and subsequently transcends beyond it over one or many lifetimes. (We can see the disparity in this definition of “Hindu” from those mentioned previously.) 

With Hinduism believed to have its origins in India – the birthplace of civilization – what, then, is Hindu studies, if not an examination into the world’s history, a search for the realization of who we are, and the pursuit of absolute Truth? 

Even if one does not acknowledge that all civilizations take root in India, there is no arguing that 15% of the world’s population or approximately 1.25 billion people identify as Hindu today. With the mass marketing of “yoga” as a health and wellness tool, words like “karma” and “guru” infiltrating daily conversations, and the popularity of names like “Maya” and “Arya” increasing among non Indian descendants, even an “outsider” must acknowledge that the impact of Hinduism on daily norms are significant in ways that are both obvious and obscure. Yet, the “insider” knows that the less apparent impressions go far beyond the average person’s conscious perception. 

But Hinduism is so much more than these fragments of culture that it has influenced. Sanatan Dharma offers the ultimate truth and brings to light the very critical questions that spark self-discovery. Long before Socrates reminded humanity that our search must go beyond the superficial, Yama expressed to Nachiketa in the Katha Upanishad, “Those who realize the Self are forever free from the jaws of death.” In Bhagavad Gita, chapter 13, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, “This is true knowledge, to seek the Self as the true end of wisdom always.” 

We’ve established that Hindu studies are, in fact, the study of the self, and there is nothing more important than that for the seeker. But, is it necessary for this study to take place in an academic setting?

The proper setting for Hindu studies

Before we answer this question, let’s go back a little further. 

What exactly is the truth? Where do we find it? Can we find it on our own? And, when we do, how can we identify it? 

As insiders to Hinduism, many of us may be able to look at these questions and formulate some level of intelligent response based on received knowledge. We may have our subjective definitions of truth and might even agree on authentic places where this truth is found, such as the Shrutis, Smritis, and today – even Google! With a wealth of information on every secret of the universe available at our fingertips, there is rarely an inquiry that someone hasn’t already addressed on the internet. Can’t we read informally and interpret what is presented in the privacy of our homes? I may have a master’s degree or a high IQ. Indeed, I am equipped to interpret what I read without assistance! What does the environment have to do with it? 

An academic environment for hindu studies can be defined in simple terms as the conditions under which one undertakes study. It typically refers to a formal classroom setting where an instructor imparts or facilitates knowledge to the student(s) in a structured manner. 

The question put forward is: are Hindu Studies in an academic environment important? 

The answer to this question is a resounding YES! With skewed definitions and misinterpretations on Hinduism as colossal as the ones described above and the enormity of uncontrolled information available to seekers, it is almost impossible for the individual seeker to weed through with an acceptable level of clarity. 

From time immemorial, Hinduism’s traditions and the immense knowledge contained therein have been passed on in a formal setting. Whether through Parampara in the official Gurukulas or Satsangha in the Naimisharanya forest, an academic environment’s characteristics were adhered to for many reasons. 

Let’s look at some of these and how they remain applicable to Hindu studies in an academic environment today. 

1. Subject matter expertise – the concept of a qualified “Guru” or expert in the specific field of truth is always of utmost importance. A Guru imparts knowledge acquired either through pramana or studies through their system of sampradaya, and this is sustained for quality control, maintaining the integrity of the information being imparted. Learners can identify existing challenges with received knowledge or simply available information and move away from subjective to absolute truth. 
   
2. Structure – There is always a logical sequence or “syllabus” for imparting the knowledge being disseminated to make sense to the learner. When Raja Parikshit put forward a question asking about life’s meaning, Suka Deva explained the entire Bhagavat Maha Purana to him, discussing the Das Avatars, etc., before getting to the heart of the answer. Suka recognized that Parikshit needed this background information for his ultimate understanding. Independent learning without structure or guidance of a qualified Guru often results in misinformation, misinterpretation, and more confusion.
   The student does not always know the proper prerequisites for studying a subject, especially one as elaborate as Hindu Studies. An academic environment provides that structure and proficiency that affords clarity to the learner’s journey. 
   
3. Discipline – The student is held accountable for learning, accuracy, and proper application. We see an excellent example of this in the Mahabharata, where Guru Dronacharya places a wooden target in a tree and asks his students to describe what they see. He does not just impart knowledge but tests his students’ understanding to gauge where they are in their learning and their ability to implement in real life situations. In a modern-day academic setting, this is done through essays, presentations, dissertations, internships, etc., allowing the Gurus and educational bodies to verify that the knowledge remains authentic and is adequately understood. 
   
4. Clarification opportunities – In Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna allows Arjuna to ask clarifying questions. In Rama Gita of the Ramacharitamanas, Rama tells Lakshmana to listen with his mind and intellect fully engaged, ensuring that what he is saying is understood in its entirety. Many of our Puranas contain conversations where students seek and receive clarification where there is doubt. This opportunity to clarify is invaluable to a novice of Hindu studies, especially when one finds it challenging to accept that their received knowledge conflicts with what is stated in authentic sources. 

These are just a few reasons why an academic setting is ideal for Hindu studies. These methods were not formulated in a haphazard manner, but with great importance given to effectiveness and integrity. They have been tried and tested through the ages. Even though the classroom’s appearance has evolved, the benefits the academic setting provides, not just to the learner but to preserving the purity of the subject of Hindu studies itself, is invaluable. 

In Kaliyuga, Truth is the last remaining leg of Dharma, but in a world where “fake news” is so prevalent, merely finding the truth is an arduous journey. Like the one provided by the Hindu University of America (HUA), an academic setting that facilitates genuine learning gives seekers a fighting chance.

Cover Pic License: Creative Commons

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