Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter in response to an article The Mosque and the Temple: The Rise of Fundamentalism published in the spring 1993 issue of the Foreign Affairs.
The article said the use of a god’s name as a battle cry has no precedent in Hinduism, which is singular among religions in its reverence for all living things. Also, unlike the Muslims and the Sikhs, whose divines, as a maticr of course, have always been involved in politics (both religions are theocratic), Hindus traditionally stayed out of politics, in part because they have no one sacred book, no one god—indeed, no one set of beliefs. But now Hindu priests have entered politics.”
As for Hindu reverence for all living things go, most people have read of suttee, female infanticide, temple prostitution, and hosts of other Hindu practices, In fact, Hinduism is singular among religions (if at all it is a religion) in its reverence for brutality directed against one’s own family members as well as against fellow “coreligionists.” Another feature of Hinduism worth mentioning is the apartheid character imbedded within. Today, in India, there are about 150 million Untouchables getting the brunt of Hindu reverence. When you classify the followers of Hinduism according to their vamnas, about 85% of all “Hindus” fail under the Sudra vama (the lowest main caste level). In raw numbers, that amounts to roughly 600 million human beings. In the history of mankind, I do not know of another similar hunk of noxious apartheid as witnessed in Hinduism. It is not correct to portray that sort of thing with a word: religion. If there is any doubt, highly recommend a book Apartheid in India published by the Untouchables themselves. A copy can be obtained by addressing the letter to Dalit Sahitya Akademy 109/7th Cross, Palace Lower Orchards, Bangalore560 003, India. The same group also publishes a weekly magazine called Dalit Voice which I invite you to read on a regular basis. If anyone would like to know more of Hinduism and its true essence, you may contact me. I have devoted considerable portion of my life studying the Hindu phenomenon.
Talking about the divines and their politics. The article refers to the Muslim and the Sikh divines and insinuates that Hindu divines had not been involved in politics? A cursory reading of the Mahabharata will belie this argument in its entirety; The fact is there are quite a few more Hindu scriptures that are essentially political in nature.
What about Hindu priests? Or those males who fall under the category of Hindu holy men. Contrary to what you wrote, Hindu holy men have been playing with politics (dirty politics, if you will) for a long time. I would recommend you to read at least to begin with one book: The Face of Mother India by Katherine Mayo, New York Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1935. There is more books available detailing on the same topic. A new breed of Hindu holy men Quasi divines surfaced during the British rule in India, giving a crude facelift to the Classical Hinduism, commonly referred to as Modern (or Reformatory) Hinduism. A small sample should suffice.
Meet Moo! Shankar who is popularly known as Swami Sarswati Dayan and (18241883). He started a8 a holy man, without breaking off glided into a role of a political ideologist. As a result of which there had been a monstrous outburst of politicking into Modern Hinduism, Please read Dayan and’s own handwritten scripture, Satyarth Prakash. Dayan and went so far as to promote that India’s citizens be ruled by the one who “keeps the people in fear and awe.”
Meet Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, who in contrast to Dayan and, started as a political ideologist. But soon, Madhay transformed himself looking like a natural Hindu holy man. He was honored appropriately with a rule “Sri Gunyji,”SriGurujiGolwalkar aliened a notoriety with in the Hindu political circle. His vision of Hindus was not confined to India only but extended far beyond as recorded in Modern Trends in Hinduism by Philip H. Ashby, New York: Columbia University Press, 1974.
The Hindu people are the Virat Purusha, the Almighty manifest in Himself.” The ancient teachings which describes, that the “Brahmin the head, Khastriya the hands, Vaishya the thighs and Sudra the feet. This means that the people who have this fourfold arrangement, (the varna structure of Hindu society), i.e. the Hindu People, is our God.” Therefore, as expected, Sti Guruji and his faithful followers “secs every member of Hindu society as a part of the Divine Whole..and worthy of service from others.” “Others” signify those unfortunate non-Hindus. Being a devout Hindu, a deyout Hindu political ideologue, and a devout looking holy man, Guruji had another affinity and that was with Hit learned the Nazi’s race theory. Please read his own handwritten book titled we; or, Our Nationhood Defined. He incorporated Hitler’s racist creed into the body of Modem Hinduism.
Meet Mohan Chandra Rajneesh popularly known as Bhagwan Shree Rajnesh. That name should jolt some memory. Mohan as well as many others like him are the frontline prophets of Modem Hinduism. He came to America as a holy man. Smooth as one can be (a tait common among Hindu holy, men) Mohan rolled himself in the direction of the dirty political path.
With his blessings, Antelope, Oregon was renamed Rajneeshpurum. Asif that was not enough, he and his lieutenants planned a smallscale biological warfare on their neighbors adjoining the Big Muddy ranch before being deported. Back in India, he advocated ultra-socialism just in case India hadn’t had enough of socialism, It should not surprise anyone that the entire Hindu body politics take their inspiration not from Marx, Lenin, or Hitler only but mainly from their myrtad totalitarian infested ideologists camouflaged in the Hindu gods and goddesses, bhagwans, fakirs, gurus, mahatmas, sadhus, swamis, and other sacred viruses.
As tor depicting the Republic of India or Bharat (a Hindu name for India given constitutionally) to the world with nice attractive labels such as “democratic.” or even “secular,” I only urge you to read and analyze the Indian Constitution first before falling prey to the Hindu propaganda. I have yet to meet an Indian who has set an eye on Indian Constitution, let alone read it. Believe me, I meet and talk with many educated Indians.
G.B. Singh Waynesville, MO.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 6, 1993
