In his recently published book, Indra’s Net, author Rajiv Malhotra describes Professor Anantanand Rambachan as the foremost and most influential exponent of what Malhotra describes as the Neo-Hinduism thesis. This thesis, according to Malhotra, argues that Hinduism was fabricated during the British rule and that Swami Vivekananda plagiarized Western and Christian ideas. He accuses Professor Rambachan of working to fragment the Hindu tradition. In the essay that follows, Professor Rambachan contends that Rajiv Malhotra distorts and misrepresents his work. He identifies and responds to some of Malhotra’s principal allegations.
Read MoreReligious traditions that survived the colonial experience have done so with a bruised and even battered sense of self. Colonialism undermined Hindu pride and the confident profession of a Hindu self-identity. This was not just the consequence of political subjugation and economic exploitation. The religious traditions of the colonizers, with exceptions, entered as partners in empire building, reflecting the colonizers disdain for India’s indigenous traditions.
Read MoreAlthough we may rejoice at our growing percentage of the adult population, the rise of the “nones” is particularly worrying for Hindus. Hindus are not immune from these wider trends in the United States. When I was a child attending a Hindu elementary school in Trinidad, we recited a series of questions and answers about Hinduism from a small catechetical text. One of the questions was, “Why are you a Hindu?” The answer followed: “Because I was born a Hindu.” It may have been a good answer in its time, but it will not work for a new generation of Hindu Americans. Affiliation with the Hindu tradition will not be guaranteed by birth.
Read MoreThe religious map of the United States has been and continues to be radically transformed by the opening of its doors to immigrants from Asia. Diana Eck, Harvard University, Professor of Religion, describes us as the world’s most religiously diverse nation. Today, people of other religions are our neighbors, friends, colleagues and competitors.
Read MoreThe tears of our earth, poignantly described by Tulasidas, have not ceased, afflicted as she is by pollution, the rapid loss of her bio-diversity and by climate change that threatens her ability to sustain life itself. Our religious traditions must awaken and re-awaken us to a reverence for the earth and inspire energy and action to respond to her plea and to relieve her from suffering.
Read MoreThroughout the electoral campaign, however, concerns about Shri Modi's leadership were focused not so much on economic theory and policy, but significantly on the nature of his Hindu identity and the potential implications of his religious self-understanding for a multi-religious India. Discussions about religion and politics have a long and intense history in India, but the current anxiety about a leader's religious worldview seems unprecedented. The attention on Shri Modi personalizes this anxiety, but there is a sense in which what it means to be Hindu is under scrutiny.
Read MoreThe decision by Penguin (India) to withdraw Wendy Doniger’s controversial book, The Hindus: An Alternative History, has, not unsurprisingly, elicited a huge volume and range of responses. On one side are those who see the issue solely as one of freedom of expression and worry that Penguin’s capitulation undermines free speech. On the other side are supporters of Shiksha Bachao Andolan, the group that filed the lawsuit against Doniger’s book.
Read MoreThe radical divide between Nye and Ham reflects, however, the historically contentious and combative relationship between Christianity and science. At the heart of this divide are conflicting claims about truth and the validity of knowledge. Traditionally, the Christian tradition, locating itself in the authority of the Bible, claimed to offer truths, not only about the meaning of life, but also about the nature and functioning of the universe. It claimed infallible authority in all matters of human knowledge.
Read MoreThe meaning of Diwali, however, is not limited to the celebration of Rama’s return from exile, and we must look also beyond this event. In his version of the Ramayana, the account of the life of Rama written in the 15th century, the poet Tulasidasa tells us that the return of Rama ushered in a new human community in which all enjoyed peace and prosperity. Tulasidasa describes the characteristics of this new community in beautiful details that have profound contemporary relevance. I want to highlight four of its most important features. First, poverty was overcome, and none suffered for lack of life’s necessities. Second, illiteracy was overcome and opportunities for learning available to everyone. Third, diseases were overcome, no one died prematurely, and all lived healthy lives. Fourth, violence and hate were overcome and relationships characterized by love and the service.
Read MoreAlong with their physical skills and knowledge of sugar cultivation, Hindu immigrants introduced to the Caribbean the essential elements of one of the world's most ancient, culturally rich and philosophically sophisticated cultures. The insights and achievements of India found expression in the songs, dances, myths, stories and religious texts transported in the memories and meager belongings of the immigrants. Immigrants to the Caribbean, and specifically immigrants to Guyana, were the first to sow in the soil of the western world the seeds of Hindu consciousness and way of life that had evolved in Asia. Fifty-five years before Swami Vivekananda spoke at the Parliament of World Religions in 1893 in Chicago, Hinduism was being practiced in the Caribbean.
Read MoreIn Swami Vivekananda’s vision, the religious life was a necessity, although he was deeply concerned about the fact that we too often get lost in what is trivial and non-essential. In its highest expression, religion liberates us from self-centeredness and greed; it makes possible the discovery of a profound inner fulfillment. For Vivekananda, however, these accomplishments of the religious life must find expression in a commitment to service. Liberation from ignorance and greed awakens compassion for the service of the poor and oppressed and dedication to the work of overcoming human suffering. The religious life frees us for a high and noble purpose.
Read MoreIn ancient Greece, the agora or the public square was the space where the community gathered to discuss matters of shared concern. The public square was the vital center of civic, religious, artistic and athletic life. Although most nations today may not have an easily identifiable physical space for dialogue on matters of civic importance, the public square remains a useful metaphor for our reflection on the nature of dialogue among religions and for the dialogue between religions and secular agencies and world-views. We may think of the public square as the physical, psychological and, with the development of the Internet, the electronic space, where the significant issues of our common life are discussed and considered.
Read MoreWe recently lost a beloved family elder. He lived out his life within the structures of meaning and ritual provided by the Hindu tradition. These guided his commitment to work, his devotion to family, and his sense of justice. The beginning and the end of his life were marked by traditional Hindu ceremonies. He was a paragon of fidelity and a repository of rich life experiences that he shared passionately in stories with receptive grandchildren.
Read MoreFor centuries, Hindus have worshiped and described God through the name and form of Shiva. The name Shiva connotes kindness, benevolence and grace. Shiva is also commonly known as Shankara, meaning one who acts unceasingly for the good of all. The many names and forms of God available in the Hindu tradition are not just expressions of India’s religious and cultural diversity. These also express profound insights about the nature of God and human existence that enrich our theological understanding. I want to suggest four ways in which the name and form of Shiva speak relevantly to us about divinity and the meaning of human life.
Read MoreThe Hindu understanding of human worth and the diversity of sexual identity have direct implications for our voting choices on the proposed amendment of the Minnesota Constitution. Same-sex relationships should be recognized by the state and afforded the legal benefits and privileges granted to heterosexuals.
Read MoreThe term murti is familiar to all Hindus and is used to indicate the various representations of God in our temples and homes. Perhaps the most widely used English term to translate murti is idol. I often shudder when I hear a Hindu guide, giving a temple tour to a visitor, describing the murtis on the altar or in the sanctum as idols. The problem is that this term is commonly used today to indicate something which is false and untrue. In the West, still deeply influenced by the views of the Judeo-Christian tradition, the term has a specific religious connotation
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