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

The post 17th HMEC in North Carolina appeared first on Hindu University of America.

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.

The post Hindu University of America (HUA) Hosts Inaugural Los Angeles Gala appeared first on Hindu University of America.

“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.

The post The Flawed Portrayal of Caste in Modern Social Studies Textbooks appeared first on Hindu University of America.

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

In the land where Rama pervades

moh, lobh, krodh and kaam,

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

In the land where Rama has a

navmi and janma bhoomi,

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

In the land where Rama is in

one’s name and in the ideal state,

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

In the land where Rama stands for

the perfect nation and national integration,

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

In the land where Rama permeates

thoughts, speech & action,

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

In the land where Rama is invoked both in

trepidation and meditation,

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

In the land where Rama is in

salutation and salvation,

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

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

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

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

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

आज पर्व है

हिंदू होने पर हमें गर्व है।

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

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

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

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

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

Beware and pledge to uphold our sacred traditions and faith.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is what the civilizational clarion calls.

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

May mutual respect, harmony and peace prevail.

May the Divine bless all sentient beings.

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

And so, it is!

– Dimple Kaul

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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

Cover Image Source: Pixabay

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HUA President’s Message

Chairman of the Board of HUA, Prof. Ved Prakash Nanda passes away.

Within a few hours, after I sent the New Year’s message on Monday, I heard the heartbreaking news of the passing away of the Chairman of the HUA Board, Padma Bhushan Sri Ved Nanda ji.

Nanda ji had a fall in his house on December 6^th, 2023, and was unable to get up. He was quickly hospitalized and diagnosed with a spinal cord injury as a result of the fall. He underwent surgery, and subsequently went into rigorous physical rehab for a short time, but unfortunately had an adverse turn of events with internal bleeding, requiring another surgical procedure. On Dec 26^th, 2023, we got a word that his family made the difficult decision to transition him into hospice care. We are told that he departed peacefully on Monday, January 01, 2024, in Denver, Colorado, at 12:30 p.m. Mountain Time.

Prof. Ved Nanda ji served as Chairman of the Board of the Hindu University of America from January 2019, for almost five years, and played a critical guiding role. I have personally known Prof. Nanda ji for well over a decade. I have seen him at events when I was a mere spectator in the audience when he was on the dais; I had interacted with him long before we became more intimately acquainted at the Hindu University of America. And then at HUA, I had the opportunity to work with him much more closely. His experience as a senior academic and administrator was invaluable in guiding me as well as the whole Board of Trustees of HUA over the past five years. He brought a sense of humor that easily smoothed over what seemed to be contentious issues, and was at all times a cheerleader and champion for the growth and development of Hindu University of America. At the same time, he kept an extremely full and busy calendar and was in constant demand from a wide variety of organizations and institutions.

Prof. Ved Prakash Nanda ji is seen here receiving the Padma Bhushan Award from the President of India, Shri Ramnath Kovind, in the year 2018 in the field of literature and education.

Professor Ved Nanda ji was born in 1934, in Gujranwala, near Sialkot, British India (now in Pakistan). His family migrated to India following the partition in 1947. Growing up in the aftermath of this significant and traumatic historical event, Nanda ji developed an awareness of the complexities of international relations and the importance of diplomacy in maintaining global peace. His early experiences and exposure to the challenges of post-partition life likely influenced his later academic and professional pursuits in the field of international law. Professor Ved Nanda ji ’s distinguished career and contributions to the field of international law have made him a respected figure in academia and beyond. Throughout his life, he has worked tirelessly to promote understanding and cooperation among nations through his teaching, writing, and advocacy in the realm of international law. His contributions invited the following message from the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji.

It is impossible to capture in a few short paragraphs, the multi-dimensional contributions of Prof. Ved Nanda as a Professor of Law, a Champion of Human rights around the world, an author who has left a legacy of over twenty-plus books and countless articles, and a champion of Hindu causes for more than six decades. Prof. Ved P. Nanda was a Distinguished University Professor and Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law at the University of Denver, where he founded the International Legal Studies Program in 1972 and later directed the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law.

During his academic career, he wrote books and chapters on diverse subjects such as Human Rights, Third World Development, Refugee Law and Policy, Laws about Trans-national Business Transactions, International Criminal Law, Climate Change and the Role of International Law and Institutions, Litigation of International Disputes in US Courts, Water needs of the Future, International Environmental Law and Policy, Nuclear Weapons and the World Court, Law in the War on International Terrorism, Nuclear Proliferation and its Legality, Compassion in the four Dharmic Traditions, Hindu Law and Legal Theory, and so on. During his academic career, Prof. Ved Nanda was instrumental in graduating many students who went on to play distinguished roles in American society.

Here is a picture of one such student greeting him, Dr. Condoleezza Rice.

Prof. Ved Nanda ji served as Vice Provost at the University of Denver from 1994-2008 and has held numerous official posts in international, regional, and national professional and civil society organizations. He has also received several awards including the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award for Community Peace Building. He had been the Sanghchalak (President) of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), in America for many years, and guided its growth and development.

In the coming weeks, I am sure that we will hear more and more about the distinguished life of service and contribution of Ma. Shri Veda Nanda ji, from a great many sources. In the meantime, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire family of Hindu University of America, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and invite all of us at HUA to remember him.

May we all include Nanda ji in our prayers today.

OM Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!

Kalyan Viswanathan,

President, Hindu University of America

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Dr.D.K.Hari & Dr.D.K.Hema Hari, Founders, Bharath Gyan & Faculty at HUA

Inauguration Of The Statue Of Oneness – Ekatmata Ki Pratima

There are 12 Lingam in Bharat which are revered as the 12 Jyotirlinga. These are called so, as they specifically denote the process of Creation of the Cosmos. They denote the emerging Cosmos as the infinite pillar of flame. The process of Creation was accompanied by the first primordial sound, which this civilization has revered as OM. Among the 12 Jyotirlingam, the Jyotirlingam at Omkareshwar as its name goes, denotes both this flame and the primordial sound OM.

This Jyotirlingam is nestled in Omkareshwar, in the valley between the flanks of the Vindhyas and the Satpura ranges, along the banks of the Narmada river. This place also gains significance as the place where Acharya Adi Shankara, who propagated Advaita was given Deeksha, initiation by His Guru, Acharya Govind Bhagavatpada.

Narmada river flowing between Vindhya and Satpura ranges

Acharya Shankara left His home in Kalady, Kerala at a tender age of 8, after coaxing His mother to permit Him to take up Sanyasa at that age. After that, in search of a Guru, He kept travelling northwards and eventually reached Amarkantak the source of the river Narmada, which is located in the Vindhya mountains. From there, he walked along the banks of the Narmada till He reached Omkareshwar.

There, on a small island hill called Mandhata Parvat, in the middle of the Narmada, He was drawn to a cave, where a saint was deep in meditation. The young, Bala Shankara saw that Narmada which was in spate then, was going to flood this cave. He held out His Kamandalam, pitcher into the river and calmed the waters of Narmada. Bala Shankara had prevented the cave from flooding.

The luminous saint meditating there was Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada. Bala Sankara had found His Guru. Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada sensing the hallowed nature of Bala Sankara, too had found the disciple He had been waiting for. He gave Deeksha to Bala Shankara and asked Him to spread Advaita throughout the land.

This incident is depicted on the wall of the cave and can be seen even today.

Author D.K.Hari at the cave where Acharya Shankar had met his Guru, Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada at Omkareshwar. Panel above Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada’s murti depicts the scene where Bala Shankara had calmed the rising Narmada with His Kamandalu, pitcher in front of this cave.

Shankara then started on His own mission with His journey to Kasi, arriving there as a Guru Himself – Acharya Shankara Bhagavatpada. Acharya Shankara went on to write Bhashya, commentaries to explain the essence of the Advaita philosophy. He initiated disciples and traveled all over Bharatavarsha, establishing Mathas to propagate Advaita.

In a short lifespan of just 32 years, He had put Advaita on a strong foothold.

It was decided by the Madhya Pradesh Government to install a statue for Acharya Shankara on the Mandhata hill to commemorate the significant event wherein He had met His Guru. Care was taken to depict Acharya Shankara as a young boy, Bala Shankara, that He had been when He had set foot on this hill.

Bala Shankara is a 108 ft tall statue. Standing on a Lotus placed on a pedestal, the statue now towers over Omkareshwar at a height of 199 ft totally from the peak of the Mandhata hill. This statue is called the Statue of Oneness, Ekatmata ki Pratima.

This statue was inaugurated on 21st Sept 2023 after unprecedented floods in the Narmada.

It was a day when Omkareshwar was also characterized by a great gathering of sadhus and devotees as thousands of Sanyasis had arrived there to attend the inauguration. We, too, were fortunate to have been invited to witness this momentous event.

 A great gathering of Sādhus and Sanyāsis at the event

started to rain. A dark cloud stood still, persistently over the hill and showered a good rain on all – not a heavy downpour nor a light drizzle. Just right enough to drench everyone with the spirit of oneness.

All were equal there that day under the Sun and Rain as there was no cover for anyone – guests, dancers, singers, priests, and dignitaries including the Murti of Acharya Shankar. For, a covering would have obstructed the view of Acharya Shankar. But neither the Rain nor the Sun seemed to bother anyone present there. Everyone was soaking in all the forms of showers – radiant rays of the morning Sun, followed by the cooling cascade of Rain, under the benign shower of Grace emanating from the Murti of Acharya Shankar.

 Acharya Shankar, as a young boy, standing tall at a height of 199ft, strong as metal with clouds overhead and a hill underneath. A worker peering down from that height highlights the height in comparison.

It is indeed a matter of coincidence to note that

1. Narmada had flooded when Bala Shankara had arrived in person 2500 years ago.
2. Narmada flooded again when Bala Shankara came in the form of a Murti.

With this Murti, India now has 3 towering statues, with 2 of them along the Narmada itself.

We have,

• Statue for Sardar Patel at Kevadia, along the Narmada in the state of Gujarat, called the Statue of Unity.
• Statue for Saint Ramanuja who worked to propagate the Visishta Advaita philosophy. This statue at Muchintal near Bhagyanagar – Hyderabad is called the Statue of Equality.
• Statue for Adi Shankara, the proponent of Advaita at Omkareshwar as the Statue of Oneness.

All 3 are standing tall with a common message – all are equal in the eyes of the Divine and bear the Divine within them.

The Statue of Oneness emphasizes it further, with the Advaita message of Acharya Shankar that, all are themselves the Divine too

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Cultivating Unity, Empowerment, and Heritage: Insights from the 16th Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council in New Jersey

In a vibrant tapestry of unity, empowerment, and cultural preservation, the Hindu University of America proudly stood as a sponsor for the transformative 16th Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council (HMEC) in New Jersey. Formerly known as the Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference, this evolution underscores the conference’s commitment to empowerment and its pivotal role in nurturing the Hindu community’s strength and diversity.

From September 29th to Sunday, October 1st, the HMEC served as a dynamic platform for over 51 mandirs, with a cumulative participation of more than 500 mandirs across North America. The conference, an initiative of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, has become a crucial hub for the exchange of best practices, strategies, and concerns, offering a vital opportunity for the Hindu community to unite, learn, and grow.

Dr. Ved Nanda, the esteemed Chairman of the Board for the Hindu University of America, received well-deserved recognition during the conference for his devoted, committed, and effective leadership within the Hindu community. His honor not only highlights individual accomplishments but also signifies the collective strength derived from dedicated leaders within the community.

The Saturday program featured a pivotal presentation by Shri Kalyan Viswanathan, the President of HUA. His articulate and persuasive discourse not only emphasized the important mission of the Hindu University of America but also garnered recognition for the university’s purpose within the broader Hindu community. This aligns with the overarching theme of the HMEC, which focuses on empowerment and the role of educational institutions in shaping the community’s future.

The engagement continued with other key figures from HUA, including Vice President of Operations Aravind Swami, Board Members Gopi and Sajjan Agarwal, Board of Overseers Yelloji Rao Mirajkar, and Director of Advancement Ankur Patel. Their interactions with students, recruitment efforts, and the sharing of information about HUA’s initiatives like Hindu Living, Gita Pariksha, and the first Study Tour in India solidified the university’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of Hindu leaders.

Beyond the conference sessions, participants had the opportunity to explore the awe-inspiring BAPS Akshardham complex, an embodiment of the grandeur and cultural richness of the Hindu heritage. This visit underscored the importance of preserving and celebrating the heritage that forms the bedrock of the Hindu community’s identity.

The HMEC concluded with the inauguration of Hindu Heritage Month, marking a significant step in recognizing and cherishing the cultural tapestry of the Hindu community. It’s a reminder of the enduring importance of heritage, spirituality, and community in the lives of Hindu Americans.

Looking forward, the Hindu University of America reaffirms its commitment to supporting and partnering with mandirs across continents. By offering in-person classes, lectures, and locally-driven initiatives, HUA aims to contribute actively to the restoration, stewardship, and service of the Hindu community. The 16th HMEC not only strengthened bonds within the community but also set the stage for collaborative initiatives that will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Hindu empowerment, unity, and cultural preservation.

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About the eligibility of students who seek to know the knowledge of Brahman

Exploring The Upaniṣadic Understanding Of Adhikāri Sādhaka

Rooted in Saṃskṛtam, adhikāri means one who is empowered, authorized, qualified, fit for, and entitled to. Sādhaka, derived from the root word ‘sadh,’ means ‘to accomplish’ and refers to an efficient or skillful person. Therefore, an adhikāri sādhaka is not just any student but one who is qualified to receive the knowledge of Brahman.

In his commentary on Bhagavad Gita, Swami Dayananda Saraswati speaks of three types of students:

1. A vidyārthi is one who wishes to know but does not necessarily make an effort to find out
2. An antevāsi makes an effort by entering studies or a Gurukul but does not grasp the teachings effectively 
3. A śiṣya is one who is qualified to study and deserves to be taught because of his direction and commitment to the study

Based on this, we see alignment between the definitions of a śiṣya and an adhikāri sādhaka.

What are the qualifications for the study of Brahman?

Every Upaniṣad begins with a Śānti Pāth. Many of the mantras deal with the well-being of the mind and body before delving into philosophical discussions. At first glance, one thinks that the student is seeking a benediction. But, upon further contemplation, one realizes that the śloka is establishing the requirements for the study.

Anyone on the spiritual journey must nourish the body and mind to be instruments of learning. There can be no proper transfer of knowledge if this is not done. It is not just a prayer but a prerequisite, as a healthy body and mind increase one’s energy, ability, and capacity to know.

While those who experience ill health are not disqualified from the pursuit of this knowledge, their unwellness does pose apparent challenges. Focus, concentration, and stamina can be impeded when the mind pulls the intellect toward the distractions caused by bodily aches or mental diversions.

By closely contemplating the following Śānti Pāth, one can extrapolate various detailed requirements for an adhikāri sādhaka to pursue this path.

“ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श‍ृणुयाम देवा भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ।
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्तुवासस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः॥
Aum, may we, O Gods, hear what is auspicious with our ears, oh you, who are worthy of worship, may we see with our eyes what is auspicious. May we enjoy the life allotted to us by the gods, offering praise, with our bodies strong of limbs.”

~ Prashna Upanishad, Śānti Pāth

• AUM: Aum is the Supreme Brahman, manifest and un-manifest. Therefore, the student first acknowledges that there is a Reality greater than the individual self.
• May we: The student desires the well-being of humankind, not just himself. Moving beyond the individual to the whole—from the particular to the general—signifies the dissolution of the ego. He understands that the well-being of all means the welfare of the one. This is a second requirement of an adhikāri sādhaka.
• Oh Gods: The student recognizes the Devtas as personifications of the senses. He can direct them (through karmas) and not just respond to them.
• Hear what is auspicious with our ears: The student understands that the senses and sense organs are tools for elevation, going beyond sense enjoyment.
• Oh, you who are worthy of worship: The student also understands that the senses are worthy of worship, not that he becomes their servant, but that he takes care of them and respects them as instruments for progression. The senses are not neglected because they are phenomenal.
• May we see with our eyes what is auspicious: The student regulates himself and has healthy consumption for the mind and the body—consumption that is not driven by the senses but by the desire for complete well-being.
• May we enjoy the life allotted to us by the gods: The student understands that while pursuing knowledge is a yajña (sacrifice), it does not mean a life of torment or deprivation. He carries within him the mindset of joy.
• Offering praise: The student understands that Bhagavān is the karma-phala-dāta and considers everything to be prasādam. He offers praise with an attitude of gratitude.
• With our bodies strong of limbs: He understands that the śarīra is the vehicle of the ātma, and a strong body is to be used for worship, not simply for pursuits of kāma.

It is noteworthy that gender does not restrict one from the pursuit of knowledge of Brahman. While male students typically populated the Gurukuls and were prominent drivers of the conversations within the Upaniṣads, questions from women such as Maitreyi and Gargi in the Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad, which lead to elaborate discussions on metaphysics, validate them as worthy adhikāri sādhakas.

This knowledge is not restricted to seekers belonging to any particular varna or societal status. In particular, “Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ” is sufficient as a qualification within itself.

Even age is not a deterrent illustrated by the Nachiketa-Yama dialogue in the Kathopaniṣad.

The Upaniṣad’s illustration of an ideal Adhikāri Sādhaka

To see a true example of an ideal student, one needs to look no further than Nachiketa in the Kathopaniṣad. The child goes to Yama (death)—the most qualified Guru—and requests that he imparts to him the highest knowledge (parā vidya). Nachiketa doesn’t ask for freedom from death (liberation) because his great intelligence has already allowed him to achieve this through his other boon. He asks for knowledge, perhaps for the benefit of humankind.

Nachiketa’s character is resultant of the Sādhana Chatuṣṭaya (four means of practice). He has the ability to apply viveka to discern between the real and unreal, permanent and temporary, self and non-self. Consequently, Nachiketa has developed vairāgya and has no attachment to worldly things despite the many enticements presented to him. His mumukṣutvam, or intense longing for enlightenment, keeps him determined towards the relentless pursuit of knowledge of Brahman.

Consequently, Nachiketa is the epitome of Ṣaṭsampat or six virtues, which seem to come to him as second nature. These merits support the sādhaka’s journey towards antaḥkaraṇa śuddhi by helping to purify and stabilize the mind, emotions, and thoughts.

Nachiketa demonstrates:

1. Śama: Tranquility, peace of mind – he does not get carried away by his father’s declaration that he would be given to Yama. 
2. Dama – the child has complete control over his senses and does not succumb to the material temptations offered by Yama.
3. Uparati – He has no desire for worldly pursuits and pleasures but remains persistent in his thirst for higher knowledge.
4. Titikṣa – Nachiketa exemplifies forbearance and tolerance. He patiently awaits Yama’s return for three days to get his questions answered.
5. Śraddha – The child exhibits an intense sense of clarity (or desire for clarity) and has faith that his Guru (Yama) will provide it. 
6. Samādhāna – Nachiketa shows concentration and steadiness, making him the ideal student. He is unequivocal on the questions he wants answered and is not swayed by the temptation for anything else.

What prevents one from becoming an Adhikāri Sādhaka?

Kathopaniṣad 1.2.24 says:

“नाविरतो दुश्चरितान्नाशान्तो नासमाहितः । नाशान्तमानसो वाऽपि प्रज्ञानेनैनमाप्नुयात् ॥ 

One who has not desisted from bad conduct, whose senses are not under control, whose mind is not concentrated, whose mind is not free from anxiety cannot attain this self through knowledge.”

Adhikāri sādhaka status is not achieved by chance or accident. Knowledge is not fully received without profound effort and commitment. Unless one is intentional and determined to do what is necessary, parā vidya and its resultant experience of the Self will not be achieved. There is no chance of knowledge of Brahman if one chooses an adharmic life, or one consumed with the relentless pursuit of sense desires. There must be a deliberate effort towards Antaḥkaraṇa śuddhi as the student prepares for the knowledge of the Self.

¹Bhagavad Gita: Home Study Course, Chapter 2 verse 7, Swami Dayananda Saraswati

²Brihadaranyaka 2.4.3

³Brihadaranyaka 3.6.1

⁴Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ – One who knows and realizes Brahman, the Absolute Truth, he is called Brāhmaṇa. https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/bhagavad-gītā-41213 

⁵Kathopanishad 1.1.1 onwards

⁶Kathopanishad 1.1.20

⁷Antahkarna Shudhi, Viveka, Vairagya, Mumukshutva

The post Exploring Adhikari Sadhaka – Part 1 appeared first on Hindu University of America.

The Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT), which subsequently morphed into the Aryan Migration Theory (AMT) due to compelling evidence negating the invasion hypothesis has also run against factual headwinds (Danino 2016). These developments, however, have not prevented the misinterpretation and eventual misuse in political discourse of a convenient narrative for the supposedly marginalized groups to rise up, and reject the invaders and their ideologies in order to establish a secular society free from “Aryan influences.” This is also the prevailing leftist and Marxist-influenced academic view and it remains a dominant narrative in Indian schools even today: “As such, it has long been used to neatly divide India into dichotomous categories such as North and South Indians, Aryans and Dravidians, the fair-skinned and the dark-skinned, ‘high castes’ and ‘Dalits’, all of these binaries representing the classic division between the privileged and the oppressed.” (Chavda 2017).

However, evidence-based reinterpretations are increasingly providing an alternative and increasingly authentic version of Indian or Hindu history, and more importantly, a new narrative on South India or Tamil Nadu itself. There is a compelling body of archaeological, epigraphy, and literary evidence that instead suggests a concurrent, not separate, development of the South Indian/Tamil culture along with the original and indigenous Vedic culture. The notion of ‘Aryan vs. Dravidian’ is now becoming “speculative at best and resides in the domain of conjecture.” (TCP 2016).

Pioneering work by Dr. Ramachandran Nagaswamy, a historian, epigraphist who has specialized in deciphering and interpreting inscriptions in Tamil and Sanskrit from artifacts throughout Tamil Nadu, has helped amplify this relatively recent revision of history (TAA 2020). His lifelong work has led to the creation of verifiable data and supporting evidence that distills a realistic and credible version of history that questions and even negates the prevailing views about Tamil Nadu, its history, and its culture. This article attempts to provide a brief summary of Dr. Nagaswamy’s book (Nagaswamy 2016) based on published reviews as well as video materials available online (Nagaswamy 2020).

Dr. Nagaswamy’s book, Tamil Nadu, the Land of the Vedas, is a scholarly work presented in twenty chapters covering Vedic life, devotional, philosophical, and worldly literature, inscriptions, shastras, and records of kings and their administrations. It establishes that Tamil is one of the oldest classical and regional languages of India with a history that can be traced to the 2nd or 3rd century BCE. Subsequent to that period, Tamil has continued its development along dialectical and cultural lines.

Dr. Nagaswamy shows how the Vedas served as the principal basis for the administrations of the various rulers and kings in Tamil Nadu. Placing emphasis on native knowledge and daily life, the administrators blended both Tamil and Sanskritic values and traditions. This perspective, verifiable by available documents, challenges the prevailing myth that Tamil Nadu developed independently from the rest of India.

The book uses a wide variety of evidence such as written records from administrations under the Ceraņ, Cōḻaņ, Pallavā, and Pāṇḍya kings. The author establishes that these rulers traced their genealogies to well-known names in the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. The Cerās considered themselves descendants of the Yādavas (to which Śrī Kṛṣṇa belongs), the Cholās descendants of Rāma, Pallavās descendants of Droṇa, and Pāṇḍyās descendants of Arjuna. This line of associations suggests linkages to the concurrent lives of the South Indian rulers to the Mahābhārata protagonists who were based in the northern part of the land.

Of particular importance is that Dr. Nagaswamy relies on records from the Sangam period, which is considered to be between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE. It has been named after the Sangam academies which flourished during that era under the royal patronage of the Pāṇḍya kings of Madurai. At these sangams, scholars gathered to discuss and debate literary works. Major contributions to Tamil literature from this period include Tolkāppiyam, Eṭṭuttokai, Pattuppāṭṭu, Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku, Cilappatiāram and Maṇimekalai (Dikshitar 1941).

Dr. Nagaswamy’s book further explains that the kings under the four dynasties mentioned above not only studied the Vedas and the Dharmaśātras but also performed sacrifices and rituals as prescribed in the Vedas (presumably the Yajur Veda) and made generous contributions for the upholding of Vedic and Dharmic values. Records contain references to specific yagnas such as Hiraṇya-garbha, Tulābhāra, Gosahasra, Bahusuvarṇa, Rājasūya, and Aśvamedha.

In addition, the society under the South Indian dynasties was organized according to the principles of Vedic dharma. The Brahmaṇas helped the kings in judicial and financial administrations. The Vanigas (Vaiśyas) oversaw trade, and the vellalas developed agriculture and were the principal government revenue administrators. Interestingly, the Brahmanas, Kṣatriyas, Vanigas, vellalas studied the Vedas and nearly 80% of the population studied the functional/practical aspects of the Vedas. In other words, South Indian people lived a life based on Vedic frameworks. The Patiṟṟuppattu poems point out that the ancient Tamil kings studied Vedas, Vedāṅga, and performed daily Vedic rites mentioned as Pañcamahāyagña in Vedic tradition. Avvaiyār, the greatest poet of the Sangam age, praises the three crowned Tamil kings for performing Vedic sacrifices. In birth, marriage, and death rites, the ancient Tamils followed Vedic injunctions. The kings appointed Vedic scholars as their chief ministers and presented them with lands called “Brahmadeyas.” Trade, both internal and international, was conducted by the Vanigas and there are several references in the records from the kingdoms about transactions with the Romans. The Cholās recognized that the country was mainly based on a rural economy and therefore entrusted the revenue administration of the village to the Muvendavelars—the officers who belonged to the agrarian family of the Vellalas. The Cholā kings established several Nallur as exclusive cultivators’ villages in addition to Brahmadeyas of Vedic Brāhmaṇas. It is also seen that it was the duty of the Brāhmaṇas to interpret the law for the benefit of the villagers (Nagaswamy 2016, 2020).

According to a book review published in The Hindu newspaper, “[w]ars in ancient Tamil country were fought according to tenets of the Dharma Śāstra, where battles with armies happened only as a last resort when individual combat failed. Moving to bhakti literature, the chapters look in detail as to how the inner message of the Shaivite and Vaishnavaite hymns is consonant with the message of the Upanishads that self-realization in thought and deed is the ultimate form of reaching freedom from this endless cycle of births and deaths” (Hindu 2017).

From a performing arts perspective, Tamil literature includes music and dance traditions that are based on Bharata’s Nāṭya Śāstra. It is also suggested that the Tamil grammar work Tolkāppiyam is a derivative of Nāṭya Śāstra. One of the most important of all Tamil works, the Tirukkuṟaḷ composed by Thiruvalluvar, has been assigned to the 1st century BCE period. This pioneering work is virtually a reflection of Dharmaśāstras. In a separate book (Nagaswamy 2017), Dr. Nagaswamy demonstrates that Thirukkural is derived from the Hindu Vedic tradition: the former imitates the latter’s śāstras as well as its fundamental outlook of Dharmic life including artha, kāma, dharma, and mokṣaa. Thiruvalluvar also talks about the pañcamahāyajña—the five daily offerings every human must make—that are also mentioned in the Dharmaśāstras. Reverence to ancestors through worship was also very popular and the various rituals and practices were performed according to Vedic principles.

In a separate and concurrent work by David Shulman (Shulman 2016), the Tamil language and the associated culture has been found to have had deep roots in south India and certainly the case before the AIT narratives were proposed. Recounting a story about the great sage Agastyar, who is the author of the first formal text on Tamil grammar, Agattiyam, that served the early poets in the Sangam period, Śiva himself endowed Agastyar with knowledge of Tamil grammar before he was sent southward to balance the earth.

Dr. Nagaswamy’s extensive findings fundamentally challenge the prevailing but increasingly questionable framework that asserts the development of an independent non-Bhāratīya Dravidian culture in Tamil Nadu. Dr. Nagaswamy has presented compelling evidence based on the epigraphical wealth of Tamil Nadu to show that the region has always been the Land of the Vedas. With this type of deep research and re-interpretation possible today, it is high time Hindu historical research evolves to re-interpret our collective history first and then re-educate the world based on evidence.

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

References

Chavda, Abhijit., The Aryan Invasion Myth: How 21st Century Science Debunks 19th Century Indology. https://indianinterest.com/history/the-aryan-invasion-myth-how-21st-century-science-debunks-19th-century-indology/debunks-19th-century-indology/. Accessed May 2017.

Danino, M., Aryans and the Indus Civilization. In A Companion to South Asia in the Past (eds G.R. Schug and S.R. Walimbe). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119055280.ch13. 2016

Dikshitar, V. R. Ramachandra, and V. R. Ramchandra Dikshitar. “THE SANGAM AGE.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 5 (1941): 152–61. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44304708.

Nagaswamy, R., Tamil Nadu the Land of Vedas. Chennai: Tamil Arts Academy, 2016.

Nagaswamy, R., Tirukkural, An Abridgement of Sastras. Chennai: Tamil Arts Academy and Giri Trading Agency, 2017.

Nagaswamy, R., Tamil Nadu and the Vedas (By Padma Bhushan Dr. R. Nagaswami). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e49F52JOdwY. Accessed June 2020.

Shulman, David., Tamil. Cambridge, MA and London, England: Harvard University Press, 2016. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674974678

Tamil Arts Academy (TAA). https://tamilartsacademy.com/aboutrn.html. Accessed January 2020.

Tamizh Cultural Portal (TCP). Tolkappiyar, Ilango, and Bharata. https://tamizhportal.org/2016/03/tolkappiyar-ilango-and-bharata-part-1-sivam-illaiyendral-sakthi-illai-sakthi-illaiyendral-sivam-illai/. Accessed March 2016.

The Hindu, Vedic route to the past. https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Vedic-route-to-the-past/article14397341.ece1. fridayreview/Vedic-route-to-the-past/article14397341.ece1. May 2017.

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