Samanvaya (Reconciliation) of Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, and Dvaita

Vedānta is the corpus of knowledge at the end of the Vedas. These are the Upaniṣad. These are the core texts capturing revelations by Ṛṣis. Bhagavad Gītā as part of Mahābhārata is the second important text to put the Upanishadic knowledge in the context of human life. The Brahma Sūtra written by sage Bādārayaṇa summarizes the teachings of Vedānta in the form of short statements. Upaniṣad, Bhagavad Gītā, and Brahma Sūtra are called “Prasthānatrayī” – the trinity of Hindu thought. Various ācāryas have been writing the interpretations of the Upaniṣad, Bhagavad Gītā, and Brahma Sūtra giving rise to multiple schools of Vedānta. Upanishadic thought means the relationship of jīva (living beings), jagat (the physical world around the living beings – matter), and Īśvara (Sat-Cit-Ānanda Ātman) with each other. For these three entities (jīva, jagat, Īśvara) various possibilities of relationships emerge. Out of those, the following 3 are the most prominent-

1. Jīva, jagat, and Īśvara as being one (abheda) – nondual or Advaita.
2. Jīva, jagat, and Īśvara are fundamentally different and do not merge into each other (bheda)– dual or Dvaita.
3. Jīva, jagat, and Īśvara being one under specific conditions and being different under specific conditions – Viśiṣṭādvaita.

Sri Śaṅkarācārya (8^th century) is the most prominent proponent of Advaita. Sri Rāmāṉujācārya (11^th century) was for Viśiṣṭādvaita and Sri Madhvācārya (13^th century) was the proponent of Dvaita. Each of them humbly says that they are merely interpreting the Vedānta and Bhagavad Gītā and not the founders of each school. As per them, their view is firmly established in Vedānta and supported by Bhagavad Gītā. If we look at the core principles of each of the schools, it feels that each school is showing a new path different from each other. Our common experience is that Hindus subscribe to these schools and vehemently ground themselves in their schools. Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, and Śakta Saṃpradāya worship Śiva, Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, and Goddess Śakti respectively in various forms. It means each of the forms for their Saṃpradāyas is the ultimate form of truth.

A historical perspective shows that Viśiṣṭādvaita came out as a critic of Advaita and later Dvaita came out as a critic of both Advaita and Viśiṣṭādvaita. This gives a view that the three schools of Vedānta have so many differences that it is not possible to reconcile those as consistent with one another.

After understanding the core tenets of each school and considering that Advaita came first, followed by Viśiṣṭādvaita and then Dvaita, I feel that each of the schools of Vedānta is a continuation of the same thought of achieving Muktī – freedom from suffering and freedom from the cycle of rebirth. Each ācārya guides us to take the path that they propounded in the light of the Upaniṣad and Bhagavad Gītā (only Sri Śaṅkarācārya wrote a commentary on Brahma Sūtra).

Evolution of Vedic Thought

The early Upaniṣads were revealed to ṛṣis and were written 7,000 years ago. The original Vedic thought originated at least 1,000 to 1,500 years before the Upaniṣads. The original Vedic thought worshiped Indra, Varuṇa, Soma, and other devatas of nature. Various rituals and sacrifices were at the core of the Vedic life and were meant to deliver a happy and prosperous life in terms of progeny and wealth during life and svarga (after life). Slowly Vedic thought evolved beyond the rituals and sacrifices. Vedic thought evolved to describe

the limits of the rituals and sacrifices to achieve truth and peace – the Sat-Cit-Ānanda Ātman. Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12 says –

परीक्ष्य लोकान् कर्मचितान् ब्रह्मणो निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन ।

तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत् समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम् ॥ १२ ॥

A mature human being (in worldly affairs) resorts to renunciation after examining the worlds, acquired through karma, with the help of this maxim: the uncreated (eternal/reality) is not accomplished by karma. For knowing that reality he should go to the Guru with samidhā in hand.

It is a common experience of any mature person who has some experience of the world, that any amount of fulfillment of desires does not generate a lasting peace and freedom from suffering. The desires keep changing and new desires keep developing. So, in such situations, the mature person surrenders to the Guru who is well-versed in Brahmavidyā. This Upanishadic thought did not hinder the rituals and sacrifices but provided a new meaning of Mukti. Now it was no longer related to going to svarga by practicing sacrifices but freedom from suffering in human life and freedom from the cycle of birth-growth-death. Taittirīya Upaniṣad (Brahmānanda Vallī) 2.1.1 says- ब्रह्मविदाप्नोति परम् । तदेषाऽभ्युक्ता । सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म । यो वेद निहितं गुहायां परमे व्योमन्‌। सोऽश्नुते सर्वान्‌ कामान् सह ब्रह्मणा विपश्चितेति॥ The knower of Brahman attains the highest. Here is the verse about that very fact: “Brahman is satya, jñāna and ananda. He who knows that Brahman as existing in the intellect, lodged in the supreme space in the heart, enjoys, as identified with the all-knowing Brahman, all desirable things simultaneously.” Here Vedānta reveals that path of freedom from suffering in human life while continuing to follow worldly engagements. The human needs to understand his or her connection with the physical world, other living beings, and the ultimate truth – Brahman. Various Upaniṣads provide different models of the origin of jagat (physical world), jīva (all living creatures), and Brahman.  Chāndogyopaniṣad in 6.2.3 describes बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति – It (Being, or Brahman) thought: ‘May I be many; may I grow forth.’ So, Brahman had a thought and it decided to become many and from there, the origin of jagat and jīva started.  This is like Nāsadīya Sūkta (Ṛgveda 10.129) कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि मनसो रेतः प्रथमं यदासीत्। – “In the beginning, desire descended on It (Brahman), that was the primal seed, born of the mind.” Brahman had a desire to create the jagat and jīva. This desire can be termed as māyā the Śakti that created everything including time and space. This is explained in Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad in 1.1.7 as – यथोर्णनाभिः सृजते गृह्णते च यथा पृथिव्यामोषधयः संभवन्ति। यथा सतः पुरुषात्‌ केशलोमानि तथाऽक्षरात्‌ संभवतीह विश्वम्‌ ॥ “As the spider puts out and gathers in, as herbs spring up upon the earth, as hair of head and body grow from a living man, so here all is born from the Immutable (i.e., Brahman).” In summary, Vedānta through various Upaniṣads reveal the connection between the physical world (jagat), living beings (jīva), and Īśvara (Brahman). Now comes the Bhagavad Gītā. Ācārya Madhusudana Saraswati praises Bhagavad Gītā in his Gītā dhyānam – सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः| पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत्|| “All the Upaniṣads are the cows and Kṛṣṇa is the one who milks them. Arjuna is the calf; the devotees are the consumers of the great nectar of Gita.”. Bhagavad Gītā provides a systematic path to understanding the Upaniṣads and implementing the revelations of the Upaniṣads in the daily life of devotees to free oneself from suffering. Kṛṣṇa – the Īśvara – incarnation of Brahman – says following ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति । एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥ ९-२१ ॥ “After having enjoyed that vast svargaloka, their puṇya is exhausted, and they re-enter into martyalokam (human world). Thus, those who follow the rituals and sacrifices prescribed in the three Vedas – merely the Vedic rites and duties; are desirous of pleasures. They attain only the state of going and returning (from svarga to this world – rebirth cycle), but never that of mokṣa.” In 5.29 Kṛṣṇa says – भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्। सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति।।5.29।। “One attains Peace by knowing Me who, as the great Lord of all the worlds, am the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, (and) who am the friend of all creatures.” With multiple such references across Bhagavad Gītā, it becomes clear that Kṛṣṇa provides clarity on Mukti. If one follows the Vedic rituals and sacrifices, one will reach svargaloka but will eventually have to reenter jagat. If one worships Kṛṣṇa, one will attain peace – peace from cycles of birth, growth, death, and suffering. In other words, this reflects the entire Vedic teaching. The Pūrva Bhāg of Veda (Mīmāṃsā) deals with the rituals and sacrifices that take one to svarga and the evolution of Vedic thought through Upaniṣads provides the path of true happiness – Sat-Cit-Ānanda. So, are these 2 separate paths for the devotees? The answer is no. The path that the devotee takes depends on his or her readiness of mind through three Guṇas (satva, rajas, tamas) and free will – the choice of actions one wants to exercise while choosing the path. Now with this background, we can go back to the three ācāryas.

Vedānta Schools: Sri Śaṅkarācārya, Sri Rāmāṉujācārya, and Sri Madhvācārya

Note that none of the Ācārya says that they are teaching their “school”, but they say that they are teaching Vedānta. It becomes puzzling and unsettling to know that each of the Ācāryas has interpreted the same Upaniṣad and Bhagavad Gita differently in many aspects while having few commonalities.

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President of HUA Kalyan Viswanathan gave a presentation that punctuated Saturday’s program, Director of Outreach Ankur Patel spoke on a panel on youth engagement during the day, Dr. Madhu Sharma presented on her continuing work on Hindu Chaplaincy, while many students, faculty, and friends of HUA attended and participated, including Chairman of the Board Dr. Jashvant Patel.

From September 29th to October 1st, the Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference featured a range of Hindu leaders addressing many issues, challenges, and opportunities. Pointedly, the last session of the conference was the inauguration of Hindu Heritage Month.

The HMEC has become a key opportunity for mandirs across North America to come together and share best practices, strategies, and concerns. An initiative of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, the rebranded Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council is an important and overdue step in the Hindu movement. Spearheaded by Smt. Tejal Shah, many prominent members of the Hindu community eloquently presented on a wide range of topics.

Over 500 mandirs from across North America have participated in this rotating conference with 51 mandirs actively participating in this year’s HMEC.

President of HUA, Shri Kalyan Viswanathan gave a poignant and persuasive presentation on Saturday morning that left participants aware of the important mission and recognizing the purpose of Hindu University of America. “There is no doubt that HUA has acquired more mind space in the HMEC”, Kalyanji.

The conference provided HUA an opportunity to share information about our many initiatives aimed at engaging and synergistically working with the robust network of temples and mandirs across America. Some of the specific initiatives that gained traction include the Hindu Living initiative, the Bhagavad Gita Pariksha, Study Retreats at our Pine Lake Campus in Florida, and our wide range of courses and programs. 

HUA looks forward to taking our engagement with HMEC to the next level with brand new courses and a program soon to be announced! Meanwhile, HUA will continue to support and partner with mandirs across the continents on a range of initiatives, in person classes, lectures, or unique locally driven initiatives to restore, steward, and serve the Hindu community.

[From HMEC] About the event

Rebranded last year, the Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council is the largest annual conference for all the mandir stakeholders, including past and present executives, community leaders, volunteers, teachers of balvihar, and those engaged in various seva activities through temples. It brings together scholars from Mandirs, Gurudwaras, Ashrams, Derasars, and Hindu organizations in North America and the Caribbean to network, collaborate, and share best practices.

2024 Conference Theme: Hindu Diaspora: Deepening Their Sanatan Dharma Roots

Sanatan Dharma’s influence transcends spiritual traditions, intricately weaving itself into the social and cultural fabric of native civilization. The timeless wisdom of the Vedas and other shastras, including the Itihasa, Ramayan, and Mahabharat, continues to inspire and guide billions, upholding the principles of dharma encompassing justice and morality.

Hindus worldwide enrich the tapestry of the global spiritual, social, and cultural milieu through their lives and by respecting and honoring ancient traditions in their adopted lands. To fully understand the essence of Dharma and Hindu Thought, one must explore its core, its roots, stems, leaves, and flowers in depth. Practice it, realize it, and stay connected to Bharat.

Agenda includes:

• Webinars on temple safety and security
• Educational webinars in partnership with the Hindu University of America
• Building positive narratives on Hindu symbols like Swastika
• Helping temples when faced with Hinduphobic attacks

Some of the recent HMEC activities

• Publication of books on Hindu rituals and practices
• Alerts and webinars on temple safety and security
• Educational webinars in partnership with the Hindu University of America
• Helping temples when faced with Hinduphobic attacks
• Building positive narratives on Hindu symbols like Swastika

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Speaking on the occasion, in his keynote address, Dr. Marc Halpern said: ‘Thank you so much
for welcoming me into your community. The California College of Ayurveda was founded in
1995 in Nevada City, California. We have a beautiful campus up there in the foothills of the
Sierras. To bring together our journey of CCA of almost thirty years with the journey of HUA is
truly beyond words for me. We have been promoting the knowledge and principles of
Ayurveda, Yoga, and Hindu Dharma all this time. Coming together with the traditional Hindu
community is a dream beyond anything I could have imagined. This union is itself a yoga for the
benefit of humanity.’

Dr. Halpern then offered a prayer to Lord Dhanwantri and invoked his blessings on the
upcoming occasion of International Ayurveda Day. Dr. Halpern spoke about his seven-year
healing process, which led him through his personal, professional, and spiritual journey to
Ayurveda. He wondered what it would look like to bring the best of the West and the best of
the East together. He said, Vedic knowledge is the path of understanding how to create
harmony in our lives,’ adding that ‘Ayurveda holds the key to healing our communities and the
world as it goes deeper into the psyche and consciousness.’ Dr. Halpern received a standing
ovation for his remarks.

In his talk, Shri Kalyan Viswanathan, President of the Hindu University of America, said, ‘Marc is
now part of the Hindu University of America. A fundamental commitment of this merger
between HUA and CCA is the recognition of the growing Western community of spiritual but
not religious (SBNR) people in the USA, who have been nurtured in the wake of the many
teachers from India who brought Hindu thought to the US. Starting from Swami Vivekananda in
1893, Paramahamsa Yogananda in the early twentieth century, followed by Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi, Swami Vishnudevananda, Swami Chidananda, Osho, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Mata Amritanandamayi, Sri Sri
Ravishankar, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, and many more have seeded ideas from Bharat in the West, resulting in this ever-growing community that is now open to Yoga, Ayurveda,
meditation, mindfulness, and spirituality in general.’

Speaking on the potential of this merger, Mr. Viswanathan spoke about the possibilities and
challenges that lay ahead, highlighting the opportunity for ‘filling the evidentiary gap in
Ayurveda that remained a stumbling block when it came to mainstreaming Ayurveda in the
West.’ He said that the ‘development of clinical studies, the publication of papers, accreditation
standards, procedures for licensure at the state levels, and securing the potential for
reimbursements from insurance companies all lay ahead in the future, as milestones yet to be
accomplished.’ He also called out the possibility of ‘defining the field of integrative medicine
from an Ayurvedic foundation, as opposed to an allopathic as yet another exciting possibility
that lay in front of us.’ Shri Kalyan Viswanathan added that ‘creating a university such as HUA is
the work of many generations. We are merely marking a significant milestone now. Many more
crucial developments in the form of other schools, centers, departments, and institutes will
emerge in the next few decades.’ He then called on the Hindu community to embrace HUA and
contribute generously towards its growth.

The highlight of the gala event was the honor bestowed on Shri B. U. Patel by Dr. Jashvant
Patel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hindu University of America, for his significant
contribution towards the growth and mission of HUA at a formative time in its journey of
rejuvenation. Dr. Jashvant Patel recalled that ‘when I took over as the Chair of the finance
committee of HUA, Shri B. U. Patel and his family were the first stop I made to ask for funds,
and the HUA family is deeply grateful to Shri B. U. Patel and Pushpaben for their invaluable
contribution to HUA. We cannot acknowledge them enough for their support.’ On behalf of the
university, Mr. and Mrs. B U Patel were warmly felicitated with the ‘Dharma Rakshaka’ award
inscribed on a plaque. Shri Naresh Solanki, the Mayor of Cerritos, presented a proclamation
from the city honoring the Hindu University of America for its contribution, Shri B. U. Patel for
his philanthropic gifts that have made a significant impact on society, and Dr. Marc Halpern,
who has served the Ayurveda community in the West for nearly three decades. This was
followed by a beautiful four-minute video presentation of Shri B. U. Patel and Pushpaben’s life
and accomplishments. The short film covered their early days in India, their initial venture into
Africa, their emigration to the USA in 1976, and their extraordinary business success in the
West. However, the film’s highlight was the selfless philanthropic work they have focused on
for the last quarter century, which has sown so many seeds that will impact millions of people
for generations to come, both in India and the West.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Jashvant Patel added, As allopathic doctors, we know that we
can heal people fast, but Ayurveda excels in providing long-term health. Medical communities
globally recognize the value of integrative medicine today, especially that of Ayurveda.
Recently, I had the privilege of meeting the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on
September 22, and he received the news about the merger of our two institutions with great
enthusiasm. He gave us the responsibility to authenticate Ayurveda using modern methods of
science and promised the support of the Government of India for our efforts.’

The décor was Diwali-themed. Attendees had the opportunity to celebrate Hindu culture,
support HUA’s mission of preserving and promoting Hindu traditions, and network with like-
minded individuals. The event featured various cultural activities, including a live Bhakti music
performance by the renowned duo Ashwin (AKS) & Lakshmi, an exhibition of Hindu-themed
paintings and art provided by Shri Srinivas Rao Mangu, and devotional music on the keyboard
during lunch by Aniketh Arun, a young and upcoming musician.

About Hindu University of America (HUA):

Hindu University of America (HUA) is an upcoming university offering an extensive curriculum in
the knowledge systems rooted in Hindu thought, including its philosophy, culture, Sanskrit,
yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, and more. HUA equips students with deep insights into Hindu
culture and traditions and their contemporary relevance in the modern world.
For more information about Hindu University of America, please visit the university website at
www.hua.edu or contact us at info@hua.edu.

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Dīpāvali is a Hindu festival celebrated through the lighting of lamps, bursting of crackers, offering puja and sharing delicacies. Celebrated to mark the return of Śrī Rāma to Ayodhya, it inspires a commitment to righteousness in the face of challenges at ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika and ādhyātmika levels.

Celebrating Dīpāvali

Dīpāvali, a festival celebrated across the globe, is observed as a festival of lights when Hindus illuminate their homes and streets with long rows and arrangements of earthen lamps. Many Purāṇic stories represent the origin of this festival, such as Bhagavān Rāma returning to Ayodhyā after his 14-year exile, the Pāṇḍavas returning home to Hastināpura, or Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s victory over the demon Narakāsura. Despite the diversity of these stories, they all carry a single message: the triumph of Dharma over Adharma after a great existential struggle, when a demon with extraordinary destructive power is vanquished.

The rise of Adharma is one of the characteristics of this age, the Kali Yuga. Adharma is characterized by ignorance (Avidyā), which leads to desire (Kāma), anger (Krodha), greed (Lobha), attachment (Moha), egoism (Mada), and jealousy (Mātsarya). The demons in Hindu Purāṇas represent the power of Adharma, rising to engulf the world with their darkness and violence, sowing chaos and fear among the people.

The colonial era was one such period of darkness, engulfing much of the world in unrestrained plunder, leaving vast regions subjugated, impoverished, dislocated, and illiterate. India suffered through two hundred years of this demon—the darkness of the colonial era. On August 15, 1947, it finally managed to throw off the colonizer and emerged from darkness into light. The two world wars fought in Europe in the last century were also periods of intense darkness and violence that descended onto the European continent. The Islamic invasions of India were another such age of wrath and darkness, devastating thousands of Hindu mandirs across the country. The Rāma Mandir in Ayodhyā, built to consecrate Bhagavān Rāma’s birthplace, lay in ruins for over five hundred years, a period of darkness so long and despairing. However, earlier this year, in 2024, the temple was re-inaugurated, symbolizing once again the triumph of Dharma over Adharma. These examples reveal malevolent demons of immense destructive power dominating vast swaths of history for long periods.

In our own time, a new demon has arisen: the demon of disinformation. Today, falsehood masquerades as truth, truth is distorted, and news is manipulated, obscuring the distinction between reality and illusion. We are passing to the younger generation a world where it is no longer clear what is true or false, forcing them to retreat into a personal world of their own ‘truths’ and to social networks of like-minded individuals. An epidemic of mental illness is now plaguing the world, with anxiety and depression, loss of confidence, and a lack of purpose. This new demon gains power when fanned by the flames of social media outrage (Krodha). The Upaniṣads declare “Satyameva Jayate”—Truth alone triumphs. Yet, falsehood has its day when it rules the world. Furthermore, the demon of corruption plagues many societies globally, where politicians seek power not for public good but for personal gain (Lobha). The battle between Dharma and Adharma is ever-present, whether we stand and fight for Dharma or disengage into our own private worlds.

Dīpāvali, therefore, holds great significance. At the manifest, physical realm—the Ādhibhautika level—it marks the end of an āsuric era of Adharma, filled with darkness, negativity, violence, fear, and sorrow, and the inauguration of a new era filled with hope, joy, positive energy, and the anticipation of peace and prosperity. The lamps pierce the darkness of the night and herald the dawn of a new day.

At the subtle, unmanifest psychic realm—the Ādhidaivika level—it invokes the Devas to bring us inner joy and transformation, burning away the inner negativity and despondency that often besiege us through the fire (Agni) of yoga. It calls on us to recommit to Dharma in its eternal struggle against Adharma. The lamps symbolically pierce the darkness of inner confusion and herald the dawn of a new understanding.

Finally, at the Ādhyātmika level, Dīpāvali represents the light of illumination—the fire of knowledge (Jñānāgni) that shatters the darkness of ignorance (Avidyā). The lamps symbolize the movement toward the knowledge of Brahman (Brahma Jñāna) and the establishment of the bliss of the Self (Brahmānanda).

On this Dīpāvali 2024, may we celebrate this ancient festival at all three levels of our being: the Ādhibhautika, the manifest physical level; the Ādhidaivika, the subtle psychic and divine level; and the Ādhyātmika, the unmanifest causal level, which is the source of truth, knowledge, fullness, and freedom.

Om Tat Sat.

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Plenary sessions like “The Global Hindu Experience”, “Hindu Dharma and Its Promise for the 21st Century”, and “A Dharmic Approach to Mental Health” expanded the theme of education and advocacy, with discussions on how Hindu Americans are navigating modern challenges while rooted in Dharma.

One key breakout session was “Defining Hinduphobia on Campus” led by Dr. Indu Viswanathan, Director of Education at HUA. Dr. Viswanathan introduced her experience of growing up in the American education system and some of the nuanced subtleties of Hinduphobia that so many Hindu students in America face, often without being able to clearly define why they feel discriminated against. Dr. Viswanathan said, “The purpose of this initiative of Understanding Hinduphobia is to clear a path for young Hindu scholars to contribute.”

There is currently a strong negative reaction to Hindu joy from across the political spectrum, partially due to the subtle Hinduphobia that permeates American and European academia, media, and politics. Three key components of Hinduphobia are Stereotypes, Erasure, and Epistemic Injustice. Dr. Viswanathan walked through each with recent examples punctuated by an interaction with a student who said they hadn’t experienced it because they were a STEM major. “Did you ever learn about Hindu contributions to STEM?” Documenting Erasure is difficult to prove, but that is what the next Understanding Hinduphobia Conference will explore. Dr. Viswanathan is also planning to offer a course on Understanding Hinduphobia at HUA starting in January.

While navigating, explaining, and engaging the students in these tricky mechanisms that animate Hinduphobia, Dr. Viswanathan invited a representative from the Northwestern Yuva Chapter to share their experience. “They were basically saying none of us should exist.” The language used to argue that Hindu clubs shouldn’t be on campus “puja promotes Hindu fascism” reeks of ignorance, and is also an opportunity for education. While each chapter and campus has a unique dynamic, the Northwestern Student Senate may define Hinduphobia in their next session.

Dr. Viswanathan outlined what we can learn from other communities, what challenges we have within the community, and emphasized “It is about being effective, not about being right.”

The development of the Hindu ecosystem is going to take a lot of collaboration across Hindu institutions and requires intergenerational organizing. It is clear that Western academia lacks a Hindu perspective, and while Yuva can provide a Hindu presence on campus, it is going to take faculty, professors, researchers, and an institution like Hindu University of America giving intellectual-academic support for our community to be properly represented on campuses and in classrooms. To continue fostering a culture of collaboration and partnership, HUA is proud to offer Yuva Scholarships for Courses, Paid and Unpaid Internships, Work Letters for Optional Practical Training (OPT), and Faculty for the Speaker on Campus initiative.

With the success of this Summit, Hindu YUVA has solidified its role as a leading force in fostering collaboration and leadership among Hindu youth at universities across North America. Sankalp has set a new benchmark for engagement, paving the way for continued growth and unity across the campus life of Hindu student

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The event began with bhajans and Vedic chanting and an address by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Padma Bhushan Professor Ved Nanda. He welcomed and commended the graduating students as well as the chief guest of the event, Shri Anupam Kher. Dr. Nanda said that America was very receptive to Hindu ideas and thought, and that he was confident that Hindu University is on its way to fulfilling the expectations of not only the immigrant Hindu community, but also of many other Americans. The students, who received their degrees to appreciative applause, spoke briefly but movingly about the gift of knowledge that they had received from their teachers and guides. The graduating class of MA Sanskrit students deeply appreciated the precious gift that they now possessed, i.e., a direct access to the Shastras that contained the Hindu knowledge systems.

The graduating students enumerated in the table above, Zoomed in along with over 100 family members, HUA supporters, and even Padma Bhushan and Chair of the HUA Board of Trustees Ved Nanda.

Swami Sarvapriyananda, the resident Swami and head of the Vedanta Society of New York City, was also a featured speaker at the event.  He spoke about the need for the ‘Hindu community to build institutions that can transmit Santana Dharma systematically to the next generation of Hindu Americans.’ He added that ‘Hindus in North America have been great temple builders… but the younger generation is interested in the meaning and philosophy behind the rituals… it is good that Hindus have made large donations to Harvard and Columbia, but when you make a contribution to Hindu University of America, it is a matter of great merit, (punya), and you will be contributing to the protection and transmission of this Dharma – without making such investments, we run the risk of losing an entire generation to meaninglessness and rootlessness’.

The President of Hindu University of America, Shri Kalyan Viswanathan acknowledged the graduating students of the university. He read out the Mission and Vision of the University, laying out the need for protecting this small emerging university. He recalled how near his ancestral hometown, there is this great temple for Shiva, called the Brighadeeshwara Temple, in Tanjore, Tamil Nādu. He said, ‘This temple has stood for more than 1000 years and will probably stand for many 1000’s more’ and wondered if ‘we too could imagine building a university that could live for more than 1000 years?’

Shri Kalyan Viswanathan, President of HUA

Dr. Jashvant Patel, Member of the Board of Trustees of HUA, and the Chair of the Finance committee of HUA, conferred the honorary Doctor of Philosophy to Shri Anupam Kher, and recognized his extraordinary contributions to the world of art, films, and culture, and in particular to world cinema. Dr. Patel spoke of Shri Anupam Kher’s courageous and righteous stand for Hindu philosophy and thought, adding that  ‘the world may not know this – but Anupam Kher began his life in great adversity when he and his family had to leave Kashmir valley under difficult circumstances and start life afresh in a new town. And his journey from Shimla to Chandigarh, to Mumbai, and then to USA, is a true inspiration for millions of people worldwide.’ 

Dr. Padma Bhushan Anupam Kher who attended the event in person in New York City said ‘I am honored and humbled to be awarded this honorary Doctoral degree from Hindu University of America and I accept it with pride.’ He added that ‘I am a proud Hindu, because in thousands of years, Hindus have never invaded any other country – India has never colonized any other country through military dominance – and even though many hundreds of thousands of my fellow Kashmiris were forced to live in refugee camps, it is due to the Hindu philosophy of non-violence that no one picked up a gun or any weapon to settle any scores through violence. We believe in resurrecting our lives by resurrecting our minds.’

Dr. Jashvant Patel Chair of Finance Committee and Dr. Anupam Kher

Established in 1993, Hindu University of America is a School of Theology, offering a Master’s and Doctoral Program in Hindu Studies, and a Master of Arts in Sanskrit. In addition, it offers a variety of Certification and continuing education courses. In the Fall 2021 quarter beginning in the first week of October 2021, the university has announced more than 30 courses. After enrolling more than 500 students in each of the past 3 quarters, HUA anticipates sustained growth over the next year.

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(Morrisville, NC) – On August 24th, Fifty-One (51) students from North Carolina, mostly from the Triangle Area participated in this year’s Bhagavad Gītā Pariksha (BGP) competition. Over 200 members of the community attended to cheer the students and a $10,000 prize pool was awarded to the winners who showed exemplary knowledge and understanding of the Bhagavad Gītā.

In the Elementary Section, Srikeerthi Tirumalapeddinti (age 7) and Renusri Palemkota (age 9) tied for First Place with Riaan Patel (age 9) Winning Third Place. In the Junior Section, Jayanth Avula (age 13) was the First Place winner, with his twin brother Jathin Avula (age 13) the Second Place finisher, and Akshaj Vemuri (age 12) the Third Place winner. In the Senior Section, Maithili Kulkarni (age 20) was the First Place finisher with Amishi Gupta (age 14) in Second Place and Ayush Tripathi (age 14) in Third Place. The prizes, including participatory certificates and medals awarded by Dr. Raj Polavaram and Dr. Kishor Trivedi in a closing celebratory session.

Kalyan Viswanathan, President of Hindu University, said, “We hope this pilot program catches on and more Hindu Temples in North America come forward to create this competition in their communities in partnership with HUA. We aspire to enable young Hindus to grow up with the Bhagavad Gītā as a companion resource for the rest of their lives.”

Dr. Kalika Uttarkar, Faculty at HUA who served as a judge and test writer for the BGP shares that “We are trying to inculcate into the students that knowledge without application is redundant, so philosophy of Gītā needs behavioral application. This competition helps parents open the doors of culture to their children.” She went further into the depth and purpose of the BGP, “Language is a window, isn’t it? Not being able to transfer their wisdom through English, it is important for Indian born parents to find ways to share cultural history and heritage.”

The competition included three categories: Elementary (K-4th grade), Junior (5th-8th grade) and Senior (9th grade and above). In the Elementary competition, participants chanted five shlokas from a selected set of 25 shlokas and explained their meaning. The Junior and Senior competitors took a written exam in the morning with the five top scorers in each category interviewed on their understanding of the concepts of the Bhagavad Gītā during the afternoon finals. In between the morning and afternoon sessions, families had lunch, students participated in the unique game of Gītā Shloka Antakshari, and also chanted Adhyayas 16 and 17.

The Second Annual Gītā Pariksha was hosted by the Hindu Society of North Carolina (HSNC) in a joint effort with Sri Venkateswara Temple of NC, Radio Nyra, and Bharat FM. Co-Sponsors organized volunteers, raised funds, and created a unique competition that elevated and shared discourse around the Bhagavad Gītā.

Shri Manoj Pandya, President of HSNC added, “There are lots of tests for chanting but we wanted to emphasize the meaning as well.” Dr. Raj Polavaram, Chair of Friends of Hindu University of America, NC Chapter, said “People these days glamorize temporary, transient things, but what if we make the good things like Gītā more fun? So that’s why we came up with this idea of the Gītā Pariksha. We started this initiative last year, are very extremely pleased with the response this year, and look forward to creating regional competitions and making it a national competition next year!”

Hindu University of America provides education in knowledge systems based in Hindu thought involving critical inquiry, ethics, and self-reflection. HUA is committed to fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma in an atmosphere of academic excellence, through community education courses, and local events designed to energize the community. Dr. Uttarkar will be teaching a course on Hindu Parenting starting in October. If you think your children and community would enjoy such a Gītā Pariksha competition in your city, reach out to Director of Outreach, Ankur Patel.

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“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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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

The post The Civilisational Clarion Calls appeared first on Hindu University of America.

Studies have shown the positive effects of children growing with a shared spiritual relationship during their childhood.

Why Spirituality for Youth

Introduction

“Spirituality is the central organizing principle of inner life in teenagers,” says Dr. Lisa Miller, Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University. Children are naturally spiritual and are closest to the rhythm of the universe.¹ They are filled with a sense of wonder — the Rasa of Vismaya — for all things new and dynamic, be it nature, animals, or man-made technological wonders. 

Religion and Spirituality are not two separate concepts. Similarly, yoga and spirituality are not separate concepts. When there is a leap of faith in something beyond the body and mind that makes us who we are, there is a seeker in us. When there is a faith in the rhythm of nature and its laws to take care of everyday life, there is peace within us. Practices such as worship and rituals, asana practice on the mat, or a seated meditation are all different paths of yoga and spirituality to reach Moksha, the highest freedom and supreme happiness. 

Dr. Lisa Miller has also shown in her research studies that children who grow up with spirituality and religious practices in the household are better at coping with difficulties in life; better than children who have no religious background. 

Adolescence – the cusp of life

Emotionally, adolescence is the most difficult stage of human life. As children turn into adolescents, they try to individuate and find their own identity. However, they lack the life skills and the strength of character needed to take complete responsibility for their lives. They are at the cusp of needing parents and wanting to be free from parental patronage. This brings duality in both the adolescent and the parent. Spirituality offers emotional resilience to be able to handle this confusion. Spirituality also helps adolescents build healthy relationships with their peers and keep an open communication with their parents.

As the child grows to be a teenager, their sense of wonder and curiosity turns into creativity and innovativeness, along with adventurous and risk-taking behaviours. They like to try everything new, whether it is positive or negative. They are prone to making mistakes, being impulsive and careless, and defy the rules set by the parents and by the community. 

Toxic environment

Adolescence is the time of life when one needs their entire “village” for support and encouragement if one wishes to grow up to be a healthy and happy individual. A positive spiritual experience with a family member or a mentor can bring a total inner transformation to the life of an adolescent. Dr. Lisa Miller notes in her book, “Spiritual Child”, “Even a single powerful childhood experience of spiritual awareness can be a lasting source of guidance through adulthood”.

However, youth today are growing up in dangerously difficult environments. The competitive atmosphere where they are pressured to outperform their peers brings a toxic environment where they are forced to develop jealousy and a judgemental nature towards their peers. It also forces them to seek unethical shortcuts to beat the competition. Social bullying is perhaps one of the side effects of this toxic environment. A few decades ago, youth were bullied in school during break time or after school. However, when they were back home, they were free of this humiliation. With social media weighing down on today’s youth, they are in a pressure chamber of being judged or bullied constantly. This ghost of a bully does not leave the teenager even at night. 

According to Center for Disease Control (CDC), 8.9% of American high school students surveyed attempted suicide and 18.8% of high school students “seriously considered” attempting suicide. This number is higher in competitive atmospheres such as within Asian families. 

Boredom and Restlessness

With a surge of technological advancements, youth are bombarded with devices to distract them. The pace of life has gained so much speed that every minute, the youth need something new and exciting to keep them busy. They are easily bored.² It is true that teenagers generally have raging hormones that make them restless. If they are not taught to handle this energy, they can easily get into trouble. 

Acting out

Youth are seeing their identity, but this is a slow process during their adolescence. They need leisurely time and space for trial and error before they know who they are or want to be. They will be unpredictable and impulsive because that is how they figure out their identity. However, this stage of psychosocial development where there is identity versus role confusion is exacerbated by peer pressure and parental expectations.

As a result, they tend to “act out” instead of being genuine and honest about themselves. This acting out can initially be seen as a show they are putting up for others. If this behavior continues, however, it can lead to self-denial and self-deceit. If they are not taught to be true to themselves, and express their vulnerability, they may become complex individuals with personality disorders and can develop anxiety and depression.

It can affect their growth, career, relationships and their social wellness. Youth need a safety net where family, friends, a yoga teacher, a mentor, or a guru is holding that space for them. We need to give them freedom to explore.

Addictions

We all seek happiness in the objects outside. Youths are no different. Adolescence is the most unhappy and restless period of our lives, owing to the identity-seeking that this period compels us towards. When the teenager is not trained to find happiness in the right way, they take to substance abuse or develop sexual irresponsibility. However, one should understand that the only attempt that the teenager is making is to become happy. If they are not properly guided, they can get into pleasure seeking substances compulsively.²

Sacred Relationship 

Youth need an environment to become authentic and to be willing to share their vulnerability with a mentor. While the West has developed the entire field of psychotherapy for this reason, it does not offer a sacred relationship. Almost half of people drop out prematurely (Swift, J. K., & Greenberg, R. P. (2012).³ And Western psychology is beginning to acknowledge the importance of “Therapeutic Relationship” for client compliance.

Yoga brings a relationship of reverence and an environment of ethical coziness for the youth. Here ethics (Yama and Niyama) are explored but not mandated. Patanjali’s yoga sutras start with ethics as the basic foundation to calming down the mind (Chitta Vritti Nirodha). The entire Ashtanga Yoga is centered on mastering the mind. Rituals such as namaste, bowing down, a little prayer/mantra before and after the class, or a simple Aum chanting are all followed, but never forced on anyone.

Divine and sacred blessedness is present, but there is no scope for debate of confusion about “my path” or “your path”. It is a purest form of religion that the ancient Hindu sages have nurtured from time immemorial.

Such a sacred relationship alone can enable the adolescent to be able to share their vulnerabilities and seek solutions. Let us provide our youth with such a space.

Yoga for the Youth

Yoga helps with the overall development of youth. It teaches patience and tolerance to the high achievers who might need to be in a class which is slower than their pace. On the other hand, yoga teaches will power, confidence, and concentration to those who are struggling. Mental awareness during their studies helps develop memory retention, and relaxing after every learning session helps them develop associative memory where they develop the ability to think deeper, associate concepts with real life situations, and develop intuition. 

Techniques to Build Concentration and Awareness

Gazing helps students to improve their focus and attention. In fact, one of the tests that is done for children to measure their attention span is by asking them to gaze on objects as instructed. An observed characteristic of some ADHD individuals is their inability to follow simple instructions related to focusing visually on two objects in succession. Classic Vriksasana (Tree Pose) helps them gaze at one point as they stand on one leg. With repeated practice, they will learn to stand still, gaze fixed and focus on a point. 

Balancing practices help youth develop focus as well. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) or Veerabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) helps them to stand balancing their body along with giving them physical strength in the legs and the core. 

Chanting – Sound is the other way to calm down the mind, since the mind thinks in terms of chatter. Simple chants of Aum help them calm down the inner chatter. Chanting Bhramari in shashankasana (Child Pose) is shown to help with ADHD. 

Challenging Yoga poses – Practicing yoga helps youth strengthen their body and mind. A strong body makes a strong mind. When they regularly practice yoga as a weekly regimen, their awareness improves. It also sets the stage towards a healthy lifestyle as adults. A benchmark of health and happiness once tasted, will always be a thing to look forward to as they grow up.

In Summary

• Spirituality is necessary for children to grow up to become healthy and happy adults. Studies have shown the positive effects of children growing with a shared spiritual relationship during their childhood.
  
• Emotionally, adolescence is the most difficult stage of human life. They need to individuate and find their own identity. Unfortunately, adolescents of today are in a toxic environment of peer pressure and intense competition. The problems of adolescence include hormonal surges leading to boredom and restlessness, addiction tendencies, and acting out to seek validation from peers, teachers, and parents.
  
• Youth need an environment to become authentic and to be willing to share their vulnerability with a mentor. They need a positive shared relationship with a guru or a yoga teacher.
  
• Spirituality practice as family rituals can help them grow spiritually. Also, the practice of different yoga practices such as balancing poses, gazing practices, strengthening and challenging asanas, pranayama and meditation can help youth develop self-confidence. Healthy body can bring forth a happy mind. Then the youth does not have to seek happiness in substances outside.

Acknowledgements

1. The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving by Dr. Lisa Miller.
   
2. Harvard Graduate School of Education – Bored Out of Their Minds By Zachary Jason https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/17/01/bored-out-their-minds
   
3. Swift, J. K., & Greenberg, R. P. (2012). Premature discontinuation in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(4), 547–559. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028226
   
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychotherapy_discontinuation

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