THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH

सत्यम् ब्रुयात , प्रियम् ब्रुयात, अप्रिय सत्यम् न ब्रुयात। 

This inadvertently means that The Inconvenient Truths need not be spoken. Geeta has two distinct words. श्रेयस and  प्रेयस I The word श्रेयस means what is GOOD and Credible for the people and प्रेयस means what is convenient and or Palatable.

Can the Convenience gain immediacy over Credibility and or Truth.

A news from Neighbouring country i.e. Nepal has made me indulge in this drivel. In Nepal about 80% of the Muslims have expressed their desire that Nepal should opt for a Hindu Rashtra concept and reject secularism.  The word SECULARISM means that matters of Religion must not influence issues of State i.e. Governance.

Religion being a personal affair should never ideally be a subject of state. Yet the Muslims in Nepal have shown pragmatism and dared to speak out “The Inconvenient Truth” i.e.  the अप्रिय सत्यम्  or is it a mere submission to Majoritarianism.

Ideally Secularism must hold sway over any form of State’s allegiance to a subject that is private between an individual and his/her God. It is a cry from a child directed to his/her mother seeking HIS attention.  No reason for state to get itself involved in such private matters.

Yet state matters need a Reality Check and not an idealistic drool.

India has three principal streams of religion vying for it’s people’s attention. Hinduism (that includes Sikkhism, Buddhism and Jainism) followed by approx. 82%, Islam (Shia,Sunni,Ahmedias all included) approx 14% , Christians about 3% and smaller sects like Parsis, Jews etc., make up the rest.

When we practice secularism, we treat all religions  at par and give equal importance to each of them. We have EID and Christmas celebrated as Public Holidays. 

If state is declaring Holidays on religious festivals it can not be ideally said that State is not involving itself in the matters of religion. Ideally State may give 10 or 15 optional Festival Holidays and allow each individual to avail holiday as per his option. No compulsory holiday on Diwali or Eid. Indian style of secularism means giving equal importance to all religions and not ignoring any. Christians with a miniscule population of 2 to 3% have several designated holidays under N I Act.

In the matters of reality check, let us examine the basic tenets of each and try to understand where do they support the Nationalism of it’s nationals.

Whereas Christianity:: Pope declared while traveling in India that “Conversion is a basic tenet of Christianity”. I have seen several Christian Dharm gurus on TV emphasizing that indeed there can not be any restriction on Conversion as it would mean a restriction on one’s conscience.

Basic Tenets of Islam:: Shahada and Caliphate

"There is no god but God (and) Muhammad is the messenger of God."

Caliphate again another fundamental concept of Islam is alien to Modern society and concepts of Nationalism.

Hinduism:: " जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी॥"  depicts that Hinduism is close to Nationalism. The basic tenet अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि means ascendancy to Godhood by good deeds. No room for sectarianism unlike other two religions.

THENCE THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH

My belief a TRUE HINDU Rashtra would have Real Secularism as it’s core philosophy instead of the current pseudo secularism, wherein Christian NGOs peddle conversion and Islam that is competing for establishing of a Caliphate.

 
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Geography and Religion

धर्म
विश्व के सभी धर्मों की जन्मभुमि नदी टाइग्रीस व गंगा के मध्य का क्षेत्र ही है। कुल दो किस्म के धर्म पैदा हुये। पहला अब्राहमिक एव दूसरा हिन्दू। अब्राहमिक धर्म के अन्तर्गत मूलतः तीन धर्म आते हैं यहूदी,इसाई एवं मुस्लिम।तीनों के धार्मिक सिद्धन्तों में लम्बे समय तक एक भाई चारे की सी स्थिति रही थी। हंलांकि Crusade व जिहाद तबसे चल रहें जबसे इस्लाम की स्थापना हुयी है। तीनों धर्म के अनुयायियों ने तलवार की धार पर विस्तारवाद का अनवरत प्रयास किया है। हिंसा का प्रादुर्भाव भी भौगोलिक परीस्थितियों की देन रही है। मरुस्थल कभी बेहद ठण्डे और कभी कभी बेहद गर्म। Extreme मौसम स्वभाव में हिंसात्मकों भावना का जन्म एक स्वाभाविक प्रक्रिया है।
विश्व में इन सबसे भिन्न एक और भी मुख्य धर्म है वह है हिन्दू धर्म । इस धर्म की जन्मभूमि भारत वर्ष रही है।
पहले तीनों धर्मों में एक जो मुख्य साम्यता है ,वह है एकेश्वरवाद की।वहीं हिन्दू धर्म विविधताओं में विश्वास रखने वाला धर्म है। हिन्दू धर्म के अन्तर्गत तो तत् त्वम असि को उद्घोष के साथ ही हर व्यक्ति इश्वर या इश्वर की प्रतिमुर्ति है। यह एक से अनेक होने की प्रक्रिया है।
हमें इन धर्मों की तुलना करने हेतू इनकी पृष्ठभुमि खंगालने की आवश्यकता । अब्राहमिक परिवार के तीनों धर्म मरुस्थल में पैदा हुये हुये धर्म है और हिन्दू धर्म मूलतः नदी के किनारे पैदा होने वाला धर्म है।
मरुस्थल में विविधता नहीं होती है। एकमात्र चारों तरफ फैली हुआ बालुमय धरती ही दृष्टिगोचर होती है। ऐसे में एक ही असीम शक्ति का अनुभव एक सहज मनोभाव है। मनुष्य को इश्वर की चेतना साधारणतय प्रकृति के माध्यम से ही होती है। जब प्रकृति में कोई विविधता नहीं दिखायी देगी तब वहां से संस्कार और संस्कारों से निकला हुआ धर्म भी विविधता विहीन ही होगा। तीनों अब्राहमिक धर्मों का उद्भव स्थल रेगिस्तान ही हुआ। तो मरुस्थल की भांति MONOTONY या एकरसता है व मरुस्थल की तरह ही अपरिवर्तनशील भी है।
तीनों धर्मों में ढेर सारी समानतयें हैं।यथा एक इश्वर। एक सर्वशक्तिमान इश्वर जो संसार के जीवों को संचालित कता है और उनके पाप करने पर उन्हें सजा देता है। यानि इश्वर का शासन भय की सत्ता पर टिका हुआ है। आश्चर्यजनकरुप इन तीनों धर्मों से जुड़ी भाषाओं में किसी भी भाषा “पुण्य” के लिये कोई शब्द नहीं है। सिर्फ पाप के लिये शब्द (sin) है । अर्थात् समग्र रुप से भय के द्वारा इश्वर की स्थपना का प्रयास है। इश्वर किसी उंचें स्थान पर बैठ सबके पापों की गिनती कर कयामत का इन्तजार करता है।
हिन्दु धर्म में नदी के प्रवाह की भांति एक प्रतिक्षण परिवर्तनशील नूतनता है। इसी कारण से इन्द्रधनुषी विविधता भी है।
अब्राहमिक धर्मों में एक Prophet है जिसके माध्यम से इश्वर लोगों को TEN COMMANDMENTS की नांई आदेश देता है। एवं उनकी अवहेलना करने पर सजा देने का प्रावधान है। यह इश्वरत्व के अवरोहण की प्रक्रिया है। उपर से नीचे आने की प्रक्रिया है।
हिन्दु धर्म में अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि का उद्घोष है। यानि आरोहण की प्रक्रिया है। मनुष्य के अपने सत्कर्मों से ब्रह्मत्व को प्राप्त करने की प्रक्रिया है। यहां भय नही उत्साह का उपादान है।

WHY I AM A HINDU

There are three main religions in the World. There have been three widely acclaimed works criticizing all three RELIGIONS with identical titles.
The title of each work has been “Why I Am Not A Christian or Muslim or Hindu” Each of the authors Namely Nobel Prize winner Bertrand Russell, Ibn Al Rawandi and Illiah Kancha have looked up the discrepancies , blemishes in their respective religions and have espoused on them. It is healthy to criticize and introspect one’s belief. It is a prerequisite for evolution. Accordingly I would welcome all such works. Yet one must tread with caution with all such works. At least the one by Illiah Kancha is an
extremely superficial work and filled with Hatred. When one has been at the” receiving end “ of a social system, Loss Of Objectivity is an obvious fall out.
I am euphemistically a “Born Hindu”. Yet the phrase of being born Hindu or Muslim beats me. One is born a Human being. One is born of Hindu or Muslim parents. But no one is born with a religion. Why can’t it be like our professional careers, matter of simple choice, without any baggage to be discarded or vented against?
Coming to the Subject of the blog, Why I am a Hindu. Primarily one must define the premise first and then extrapolate from there. Hence the premise WHAT IS HINDUISM. I have read several articles expounding on the origin of the word Hindu and its Arabic origin. This intellectual exercise itself in Un Hindu. The word Hindu and its Arabic origin are absolutely irrelevant and all such deliberation is a mere intellectual diarrhea. Let us discuss its contents. There are several texts which have explained the Concept of Hinduism without using the word. Swami Vivekanand rejected the word outright and substituted it with Vedantik. Supreme Court of India too opined that one who believes and abides by Vedas and Upanishads is a Hindu.
Hindu is a DHARM disparate from Religion. Hinduism is a DHARM and not a religion. This is the first important input required to get even a faint understanding of Hinduism. All other systems of belief commonly known as RELIGION begin with a Founder and culminate in a BOOK. Once you have dead institution prevailing over intellect the “Man” becomes a “Great Beast” as described by Alexander Hamilton.
In Hinduism one of the important works is “Brahma Bhasya” by Adi Shankaracharya the 8th Century philosopher. The opening lines are “Atho Jigyasa Bhav”, “Let us question (Brahma the Creator)”. Signifying that everything all concepts are subservient to man’s intellect and subject to examination.
I would like to simplify the perception of Hinduism. An anecdote of an encounter of a Rabi and Goering illustrates percepts of Hinduism.
A Rabi was brought in the presence of Goering. Goerring maliciously told him that Talmud was a very ordinary book. There was nothing great about it. He did not understand why Jews accepted such an ordinary text with so much veneration. Rabi smiled and said “Mr. Goering , you have not been bale to understand Talmud”.
Goering took it as an affront and asked the Rabi to prove his contention.
Rabi said:”I would ask you three questions. If you are able to answer any one, I would accept that you have understood the Talmud”.
Goering in contempt asked him to go ahead.
Rabi : The First question,” Two men wearing WHITE clothes slide down a chimney. One emerges spotless, other all darkened with soot. Who will go for a WASH”?
Goering says, “Obviously one who has emerged all covered with dark soot, he will go for a wash”
Rabi,” Wrong! They look at each other. The one in spotless clothes sees other darkened guy and presumes that he has become dirty too and goes for a WASH. While the other guy looking at his friend all spotless believes that he too is spotless and does not go for a WASH”
Rabi: The Second question,” Two men wearing WHITE clothes slide down a chimney. One emerges spotless, other all darkened with soot. Who will go for a WASH”?
Goering: “It is the same question”.
Rabi, No It’s different.
Goering: “OK now I know the answer. The Guy with spotless clothes would go for a wash”.
Rabi: “Wrong. They are human beings and would not react such mechanically. The one with soiled and darkened clothes would go for a WASH”.
Goering got exasperated said,”OK! Let us have the last question”.
Rabi: The Third question,” Two men wearing WHITE clothes slide down a chimney. One emerges spotless, other all darkened with soot. Who will go for a WASH”?
Now Goering got really annoyed and said “What nonsense this question has been comprehensively answered and yet you pose again”.
Rabi: “No Mr. Goering, this is a fresh question. Please answer.”
Goering:” Well I don’t know of any third answer. Both the possible answers have already been tried”.
Rabi: “The correct answer is, it is impossible for one person to remain spotless and one dirtied, if both have undergone identical experience.” The correct answer to all three was this only. But you without referring to the Basics kept mulling over frivolous details”.
Hinduism too says one thing,”Go to the basics”.
The FOUR MAHAVAKYAS’ The Kernel of Upanishads’ emphasize that “Superimposition of WE over ME is God hood. Dharma is an attempt to manifest the inner self. Understanding ones own consciousness is DHARMA. Being a more alive and a conscious person is DHARMA”.
I would like to distinguish between Religion and Dharma with another analogy. We say “अग्नि का धर्म है जलाना”। now let us translate it verbatim. It would say “The Religion of Fire is to Burn”. The statement becomes meaning less. Hence it is evident that Religion and DHARMA are two very distinct ideas.

Most of the apologists decrying “Hinduism or Hindutva” do it by cognizing PRIESTCRAFT for Hinduism.
The level of discussion on Hindutva in the Talk shows in the media with Pygmies masquerading as Intellectuals is of the level of EKTA KAPOOR serials. Totally devoid of any substance. These talk shows are vain efforts to have a fabricated consciousness.

I am a Hindu as it TELLS ME “Aham Brahmasmi”. As it says “Atho Jigyas Bhav” as it says “Ekal Satya, Vipra Bahudha Vadanti”. As it liberates me to THINK and not be relegated to being a “Great Beast” of Alexander Hamilton.

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Mr Shashi Tharoor you are wrong

This is a response to an Article penned by Mr Shashi tharoor and published by TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Columnists/Shashi_Tharoor/Stop_the_politics_of_division/articleshow/3585029.cms) on 12.10.08
Well Mr Shashi you are entitled to have your opinion right or wrong. Yet as a reader I would like to comment on certain incongruities in the said Article.
You have stated that the Anti Christian Violence has occurred as a consequence to Conversion or divisive politics. You have conveniently ignored that the immediate cause of Violence in Orissa was the murder of a Saint Swami Laxamananand Saraswati and wide spread perception that it was engineered by Christian Missionaries. In Karnataka it was distribution of a banned and derogatory booklet.
As per “The Orissa Freedom Of Religion Act 1967” any and all conversions are to be done after informing the district collector and in his presence. Till now on no occasion or maybe at best a couple of occasions when advance information has been given to the concerned authorities. In 1993, 21 Pastors were arrested also under the said act. Government under Congress regime immediately transferred the SP of the district.
Any conversion not as per law invites legal penal action.Yet it has been going on for decades with an extreme non chalance with the covert Government (Irrespective of the party in Power) sanction.
Besides in Orissa there is a Gross disparate aspect to the violence which again has been overlooked by you. Here the main warring parties are Kandhas and Panas. Their enemity goes back over several decades. Again it is because of several layers of issues. Panas though are schedule cast people but being Christian are not entitled to the “Reservation”. Thousands of them have obtained false certificates showing themselves to be Hindus. This has caused ire amongst the other dominant community i.e,Kandhas (Hindus).
Causing angst and violence.
There was a picture and a quote of Swami Vivekanand in your article published in TOI. Read what Swamiji had to say about conversion “One Hindu converted is not one Hindu less, but it is one enemy more”.
When you contend that being a non Hindu does not mean being an anti national.
I too could largely agree with you but for the secessionist activities of Christian Dominated North East and ethnic cleansing and secessionist activities in Muslim Dominated Kashmir. Timor is another live example.
I would concur with you that Hiduism is an inclusive religion with “Ekal Satya….”.
Yet the way Vatican City has opened retail counters peddling christianity and conversion, it is abhorrent.
The way TOI has been virulent in the matter it appears that they have either sold their soul to Missionaries or their Shares.