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Thread: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

  1. #1
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    Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    David Frawley thinks that we are the least aggressive of all religions.

    It is unfortunate that this this approach has not been questioned more, particularly by Hindus. Even though Indian Vedic scholars like Dayananda saraswati, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Arobindo rejected it, most Hindus today passively accept it. They allow Western, generally Christian, scholars to interpret their history for them and quite naturally Hinduism is kept in a reduced role. Many Hindus still accept, read or even honor the translations of the 'Vedas' done by such Christian missionary scholars as Max Muller, Griffith, MonierWilliams and H. H. Wilson. Would modern Christians accept an interpretation of the Bible or Biblical history done by Hindus aimed at converting them to Hinduism? Universities in India also use the Western history books and Western Vedic translations that propound such views that denigrate their own culture and country.

    The modern Western academic world is sensitive to critisms of cultural and social biases. For scholars to take a stand against this biased interpretation of the 'Vedas' would indeed cause a reexamination of many of these historical ideas that can not stand objective scrutiny. But if Hindu scholars are silent or passively accept the misinterpretation of their own culture, it will undoubtly continue, but they will have no one to blame but themselves. It is not an issue to be taken lightly, because how a culture is defined historically creates the perspective from which it is viewed in the modern social and intellectual context. Tolerance is not in allowing a false view of one's own culture and religion to be propagated without question. That is merely self-betrayal.

    http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_histor...n_frawley.html
    Any attempt to revive Hinduism is attacked with accusations of Hindu nationalism. What is wrong in stopping Hinduism from being misrepresented all over the world? Should we become more aggressive?

  2. #2

    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Aggression is probably not a good word to use here. It usually can be interpreted as violence of some sort, which obviously is opposite to hindu beliefs.

    I would say that the biggest defence against misrepresentation is just confidence. That usually comes from a careful study of the dharmic principles. While I would agree that misrepresentation needs to be countered, I don't think it is necessary to be excessively harsh about it. It can be countered in many ways, principle amongst them would be if we contribute positively to the society around us. Good karma would pay off. Also, know why things are the way they are in our dharma. Then no can make you insecure. If you are a guru then you can teach dharma to others too thus enhancing their confidence.

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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Quote Originally Posted by kumar_s View Post
    Aggression is probably not a good word to use here. It usually can be interpreted as violence of some sort, which obviously is opposite to hindu beliefs.
    I disagree, we should practice yoga and prepare ourselves to defend ourselves against anyone who might cause us harm. This is dharma and even Krishna would agree with this.

    Aṇimā: reducing one's body even to the size of an atom.
    Mahima: expanding one's body to an infinitely large size.
    Garima: becoming infinitely heavy.
    Laghima: becoming almost weightless.
    Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all places.
    Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires.
    Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship.
    Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all.
    tri-kāla-jñatvam: knowing the past, present and future.
    advandvam: tolerance of heat, cold and other dualities.
    para citta ādi abhijñatā: knowing the minds of others and so on.
    agni arka ambu viṣa ādīnām pratiṣṭambhaḥ: checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on.
    aparājayah: remaining unconquered by others.
    anūrmi-mattvam: Being undisturbed by hunger, thirst, and other bodily appetites.
    dūra-śravaṇa: Hearing things far away.
    dūra-darśanam: Seeing things far away.
    manaḥ-javah: Moving the body wherever thought goes (teleportation/astral projection).
    kāma-rūpam: Assuming any form desired.
    para-kāya praveśanam: Entering the bodies of others.
    sva-chanda mṛtyuh: Dying when one desires.
    devānām saha krīḍā anudarśanam: Witnessing and participating in the pastimes of the gods.
    yathā sańkalpa saḿsiddhiḥ: Perfect accomplishment of one's determination.
    ājñā apratihatā gatiḥ: Orders or commands being unimpeded.

    I would say that the biggest defence against misrepresentation is just confidence.
    Its not confidence what we need, we need knowledge of Vedic deities.

    That usually comes from a careful study of the dharmic principles. While I would agree that misrepresentation needs to be countered, I don't think it is necessary to be excessively harsh about it.
    When they over take our traditional values, principles, interpretations with their own biased interpretations and when they enforce this upon us as the truth of our religion, how can someone who knows the truth can be silent about it without being harsh?

    It can be countered in many ways, principle amongst them would be if we contribute positively to the society around us. Good karma would pay off. Also, know why things are the way they are in our dharma. Then no can make you insecure. If you are a guru then you can teach dharma to others too thus enhancing their confidence.
    I don't want to be a guru, I want to be a karma yogi and revive Hinduism.

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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste,

    I think we should try to understand the nature of aggression and anger.

    Aggression and anger are inter related though there is a slight difference.

    Anger is an adrenaline based fight response.

    Some degree of adrenaline based anger is essential for individual survival in emergency situations where one's life could be in danger where we might need to react to defend ourselves.Its more of a reflex.

    Aggression on the other hand has anger as its substratum but its not a reflex.

    Aggression is an act where the body acts to the dictates of the mind which has been influenced to react hostilely.

    Aggression is dangerous because a person who gets carried away by acts of brainwashing might resort to violent destructive acts that endanger others and also self.

    So personally I feel anger is a basic reflex human emotion but aggression is a
    anger based dangerous reaction.

    We need to know the difference.

  5. #5

    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Aggression, by itself, is not violence. It is a highly energetic and energised way of action. It is agreed that aggression can lead to violence in those who have no self-control or wisdom. If we do not want violence, let us practise self-control and wisdom – all of us, the entire population, in keeping with the tenets of Sanatana Dharma. We don’t even know what these tenets are!

    Violence is not contrary to original Hindu beliefs, as believed by kumar_s. It is the excessive influence of the ‘ahimsa’ of Buddhism on Hindu thought, followed later by Jainism, to whom ‘ahimsa’ is almost a fetish. Any authoritative book on Indian history will tell you that. It was precisely this submissive attitude that had crept into Hindu thought that the original Shankaracharya tried to defeat in his long crusade against Buddhism and the re-establishment of the Hindu way of thinking.

    If you are a practising Hindu, it means you are a practitioner of Sanatana Dharma, for that is what the word ‘Hindu’ essentially means. When you see Hindu beliefs and the Hindu way of life diminishing or distorted or being supplanted by another, a practising Hindu has every right to defend his beliefs and his faith. Practitioners of all beliefs and faiths do so; a Hindu NOT doing so is, therefore, unusual and strange!

    The Mahabharata war is described as a ‘Dharma Yuddha’ – a war in defence of Dharma. It was orchestrated and initiated by no less than an Avatara, who also re-established the obligations and duties of the true Kshatriya as a defender not only of geographical territories but also of the real Dharma.

    Shri Krishna taught us to fight evil with all our might – even including fighting evil with evil, so long as we do not ourselves become evil. But it is difficult to follow His exhortations when we have lost our self-confidence, when we see ourselves in a poor light on the world stage and when we have lost our self-esteem, thanks to the crafty and sustained misinformation spread about Hindu thought for long periods of our history. One must read articles by Francois Gautier on Indian History among other articles written by him and other French writers like Claude Arpi and Michel Danino (‘The Lost River’). These writers (and several others) expose the crafty British mind fully. I understand that there is the beginning of an acknowledgement to this effect in some quarters in Britain, itself!

    I have read a great deal of David Frawley and am in complete agreement with him. I will go one step further and say that the language used in the quotation at the start of the post is very mild. One should say the same things in much more emphatic language.

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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Vannakkam: I don't think we need to be rude or aggressive, unless it's really called for, but I do think we need to be aware. When that missionary comes to the door, we just need to politely close it.

    I think 'less-friendly' might be apt, just as a victim of bullying has to stand up and be counted.

    Aum Namasivaya

  7. #7

    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste to all,

    I disagree that we should close the door on that poor missionary politely. I believe that we should engage them like this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54XGQ6ZXxf8

    The Ori was somehow caught and knocked out and his power staff taken away from him by Unit SG-1 of Stargate SG-1 (a TV series). It is time to not only face them, but help them see that what they're doing is wrong and why. It's time to break the chain of slavery. Eventually, you run out of people who don't ridicule your way of life and make life difficult for you.

  8. #8
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Just look at the amount of misrepresentation of Yoga in the west, they want our culture, they want our discoveries, they want all the benefits that Yoga offers but they don't want our Hindu deities, no respect is given to our deities, not even a single prayer of thanks. What's wrong if they give a prayer of thanks to Surya Deva while they do sun salutations, that clearly speaks their cruel hearts, our gods are in the bottom of the pit, who cares for Hindu deities, no one does it any more.

    If they do not want our deities then let them go to a gym, Yoga is not the answer for their crappy lives, Yoga is for the unification of the Self with God and every Indian knows that Yoga asanas can not be separated from the Vedic deities, every asana is associated with a Vedic deity.

    Who has the authority to practice Yoga?

    1.5 Who has the Authority to practise Yoga

    “Arjuna, one who practises yogabhyasa following yama and niyama is a superior atma to those who are tapasvi, g˜nani and those who practise nitya naimitya kaamya karma etc. Hence you should follow the yama and niyama and conquer your mind and become a yogi.”

    Thus advised Sri Krishna paramatma, extolling the virtues of yogabhyasa, and from this it is clear that yoga gives very superior benefits. Everyone has a right to do yoga. Everyone — brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra, g˜nani, strong, women, men, young, the old and very old, the sick, the weak, boys, girls, etcetera, all are entitled to yogabhyasa with no restrictions on age or caste. This is because yogabhyasa rapidly gives maximum visible benefits to all. It does not stop anybody from acquiring the visible results of practice, whatever their capabilities. Everyone is entitled, irrespective of caste, to follow the path of yogabhyasa even in order to obtain divine virtues and the resulting eight animadi siddhis, and, if one ignores these siddhis, to proceed further on the ultimate path. But many do not agree with this opinion. This only reveals their confusion and the absence of a sattvic state of mind. (The sastras do not forbid yoga for anyone.) Whoever wishes to do yoga has the right to do it. Yet whoever it is, it is very important that they should only learn all the aspects and practise it under the guidance of a proper guru. One encounters obstacles and problems if yoga is practised without a guru. But "Ruffians, those who eat wrong food, talk filth or use abusive language, those who speak ill of others, lie about others, are obsessed with food, those who are addicted to sensual pleasures, those who pretend to be good, those who destroy and cheat, carry aversion in the mind, those who are disrespectful of the vedas, are alcoholics, or have any such bad habits, these people, no matter what caste or religion, are not fit to practise yoga.” This is firmly stated by Gherandacarya. The reason for this is that although these people are capable of practising yoga, these practitioners with their cunning could cause problems and injuries to others in spite of the yogabhyasa being “pure”. There have been many examples to substantiate this in the puranas and in our experience. For example, everybody knows that pure cow’s milk gives good health and happiness. Yet if it is poured in a cup made of pig’s skin or dog’s skin, it turns into poison and becomes harmful. Similarly if you teach the pure divine nectar of yoga to ruffians and cheats, it will only cause disaster. Like a king who entrusts his kingdom to a no-good useless son who destroys it instead of protecting it, a guru with good intentions may teach yoga to cheats and the latter will not know how to use it properly and will cause only destruction to the world.

    Those who are eager to learn good skills, those who can learn to control their senses and are peaceful by nature, those who speak the truth, who wish to serve their guru, who are devoted to their mother and father, who do karma according to the sastra, who are clean, who love bathing in the Ganga, who follow their caste dharma, who are modest and patriotic, who have pride in their family, all these people are good vessels for yoga. If the guru, following the correct path and method, advises such people and makes them practise in front of him, they will quickly become adept. The readers should remember this very well. You will not become a skilled yogi just by putting on the costume and faking it. Whatever occupation you are engaged in, you have to be very serious and strict and dedicated and at least follow the proper standards and restraints. Those who do not fall under the previous categories do not have the right to practise yoga.
    Marketers of Yoga do not understand the big anartha that they have caused, it is not an issue to be taken lightly, impure practices of Yoga will definitely lead to being victims of evil spirits and it will definitely cause the destruction of the world.

    How would Christians, Jews and Muslims feel if we misrepresent and play with their baptism and other rituals, I think we should warn them and if they do not listen we should definitely distort their rituals and make them feel exactly the way we feel. It will definitely not be an offence because we know we revere all religions. If we somehow turn people away by doing such things from Yoga marketers then they will shut their doors and go home.

  9. #9

    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste everyone. Om shanti

    @deafAncient - I always liked the Stargate series. They lifted the whole ascension idea right out of hinduism !

    @savithru - I still don't know what is implied by aggression here. if you are saying we should challenge any missionaries that approach us to a theosophical debate then I would not necessarily categorize that as aggression. Regarding yoga, Hindu American Foundation took a stance a couple of years ago called the 'Take Back Yoga' campaign. I won't again necessarily call it aggressive (though you can). I think they are performing a service to the Dharma.

    Regarding missionaries the problems are two pronged. One where they target individuals, specially in cities. The second where they target small villages and convert them all in one go. As far as the former is concerned, one can/should challenge a missionary to a debate when approached. However, other than a sense of personal fulfillment, I don't think it would make much of a difference though. The second is a different beast.

    There are many things that can help reclaim credit where it rightly belongs to us. Scholars like Dr. Koenraad Elst and Rajiv Malhotra are doing an amazing service through their books/essays. We need more people like that. We need more people writing good blogs. We need more schools like Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas. We need people doing seva through organizations like Seva International. Finally, we also need India to prosper. Dharma is the soul of India and if India becomes stronger so will the Dharma.

  10. #10
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste,

    I understand your frustration and please know that you are not the first one to express your feelings on this topic. It has been discussed several times before in this forum.

    Quote Originally Posted by savithru View Post
    Should we become more aggressive?
    What needs to be done is to be more assertive. The way to be more assertive would be to take our religion and traditions more seriously, and learn our religion thoroughly so as to be able counter any false anti-Hindu propaganda being floated out there.

    Quote Originally Posted by savithru View Post
    I think we should warn them and if they do not listen we should definitely distort their rituals and make them feel exactly the way we feel.
    Just who are you threatening with that remark? Are you the one volunteering for this job or does your responsibility end with making this post? And what purpose would it serve to waste your emotional/spiritual energy on carrying out something like that?

    Please be calm, take stock of your capabilities and your love for Hinduism and then come up with what you can do to enhance it. Trying to rile up the crowds like a politician is fruitless because mere posts in a forum would accomplish nothing. If venting your anger is your goal, then sure go ahead and post all you want. But if real results are your goal, then do something about it at a personal level. Never mind the Westerners using yoga to improve their physical appearance. Don't get caught up in trivial things that you can do nothing about. So, think about it with a calm, clear mind; make a list of things that YOU can do to rectify the things that you see wrong with the Hindu world, and let us know how we can help you to accomplish your goal. Be a leader, not just another complainer!

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 17 August 2014 at 12:34 PM.

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