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Thread: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

  1. #11
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste,

    If I may weigh in on this topic...I may not have the authority to say this as a Westerner, so if I offend anyone with what I say here, please let me know and I will delete my post.

    That being said, there's a difference between being aggressive, and being exclusionary. Do I agree with what "yoga corporations" are doing with Hindu deities, denigrating them and turning them into mere marketing icons? No! Do I agree with the prevailing Western attitude of divorcing the practices from the religion that founded them? No! But my point is that if a Westerner is respectful of Indian culture, can appreciate it for what it is and be respectful of all the Hindu deities and practices, he/she should be allowed to practice yoga/Hinduism. It is possible for a Westerner to respect Hindu dharma.

    I guess I just had to say this because some of the language here veered dangerously close to saying only "born Hindus" can practice yoga/Hinduism. I am not discounting the sentiments expressed here in any way, they are completely justified. I just wanted to say, once more, that there's a difference between aggression and exclusion.

  2. #12

    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Om Shanti.

    @Webimpulse: I don't think that is being implied here. Thread initiator savithru started off by quoting some western hindus like David Fawley.

    However, I think that a pure approach to yoga is the idea of savithru.

    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.
    I am unable to agree with the parts of the bolded text. In fact, I am not sure if my own yoga teacher in India would qualify according to the conditions being set (he used to eat meat). In fact, I find the word 'caste dharma' (used later) objectionable.

    As far as separating yoga from hinduism is concerned, HAF (Hindu American Foundation) did take a stance on this where they launched an awareness campaign about Yoga's hindu roots. This is where I stand too. Yoga has become a science today and hindus should be proud of this contribution.

    That said I myself have seen several people now have begun to embrace hindu deities while performing yoga. In fact a Hanuman yoga festival occurs now (annually I believe) in Denver.

  3. #13
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    It is very clearly stated in Lalitha Sahasranamam that the knowledge of kundalini and chakras should be kept secret from cruel minded people. The west and Indian marketers are making us very angry, very very very angry. To which lineage do these modern practitioners of yoga belong to? Vishwamitra? Vashishta? Agasthya? What is their gothra?

    No guru of any lineage in the past traded Yoga and Vedic knowledge for a few dollars. Its like throwing 100 dollars at the feet of a guru and buying health, wealth and knowledge of Brahman. Where is the bhakti, shraddha, sankalpa and nishta which is required for the practice of Yoga. Western people are welcomed but they have to become one of us, a very good example is David Frawley, he certainly knows more about Hinduism than what a common Hindu knows about Hinduism, the whole eastern philosophical tradition should not be transformed into a new form just because of these arrogant modern practitioners of yoga who know nothing about the divine.

    How Yoga Became A $27 Billion Industry -- And Reinvented American Spirituality

  4. #14
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Frawley himself has asked this similar question and has defined what this kind of aggression means.


    Hindus suffer from passivity and disunity. These are their main enemies. They are not only not aggressive in asserting themselves, they are generally apologetic if they assert themselves at all. A more positive, expansive self-confident spirit in their religion is essential.

    This does not require that Hindus become militant or violent, but it does require that they wake up and become active. Perhaps in this process some Hindus may become temporarily over assertive but that is better than being overly passive. The present crisis in the world today, and in India, demands action both inwardly and outwardly. Let us all rise to the occasion and bring the light of Truth and Self-realization into the world.

  5. #15
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste Savithru,

    Thank you for clarifying your points, I do better understand what you're saying now. And yes, I do agree that for Westerners to practice yoga and other Hindu practices, they should become Hindu themselves.

    I guess the reason I took it a little personally is because even though I'm trying my best to be a devout practicing Hindu, I'm not perfect. But do I need to be perfect? Shouldn't sincerity and love for Hindu ways be enough? And I mean true sincerity and love, not the false love Western yoga companies attempt to sell.

    Also, I'm glad you pointed out David Frawley being a Western Hindu. I previously did not know that. I will read up on him.

  6. #16
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Dear WebImpulse.,

    What your direction and location of birth has to do with your practice! You know, ISKCON founder even let forgo this title "Hindu" just to make sure, it is not misunderstood as "label" culture!

    David Frawley should call himself just a Hindu rather than western Hindu - Are you going to identify yourself once you are in say indra loka! (Yes dear Indra, i am western Hindu - so please give me a place in your abode - Just joking)

    You want to be perfect and you know you are not perfect - if you already know you are perfect, there is no more wanting! Isn't such a simple thing?

    Hare Krshna!

  7. #17
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Quote Originally Posted by grames View Post
    Dear WebImpulse.,
    What your direction and location of birth has to do with your practice!
    Absolutely nothing, even if you are born on mars and meditate on venus you will receive enlightenment but practice should be shastriya, means in accordant with tradition, scriptures and lineage.

    You know, ISKCON founder even let forgo this title "Hindu" just to make sure, it is not misunderstood as "label" culture!
    He has a name Srila Prabhupada, he introduced a new term called "Sanatana Dharma" replacing the "Hindu" label but he had a long historical tradition of Bhakti movement behind him.

    David Frawley should call himself just a Hindu rather than western Hindu
    He never called himself a western Hindu. He is just Hindu.

  8. #18
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    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.

    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.
    And yet all I see in India is more and more young minds leaning towards atheism without recognizing that this is a time when Hindus need to be actively studying and practising their religion because we have nothing to lose, absolutely nothing. The metaphysics of Vedas and Upanishads doesn't in any way contradict modern science, even science doesn't have answers and it is pointing directly to the Vedas and the Upanishads, all we have to do now is just prove our religion empirically, that's it.

    I am extremely disappointed with the attitude of people of my generation, at a time when philosophers and scholars of other nations visit India and study the Upanishads and take back a wealth of knowledge with them the people of India on the other hand show scorn and hatred against the Vedas and the Upanishads. This is not how our nation was, we were Aryans, noble men known for their learning, wisdom and kind-heartedness. India has completely lost its power as the spiritual hub of the world.


    índraṃ várdhanto aptúraḥ kṛṇvánto víśvam âryam apaghnánto árāvṇaḥ

    "[the Soma-drops], performing every noble work, active, augmenting Indra's strength, driving away the godless ones." (trans. Griffith)
    Just who are you threatening with that remark?
    To all those people who are not Hindus so that they are aware of the fact that Yoga is a pure Hindu ritual and something which should not be messed with.

    Are you the one volunteering for this job or does your responsibility end with making this post?
    What do you know about how much effort I put for Hinduism?

    And what purpose would it serve to waste your emotional/spiritual energy on carrying out something like that?
    As Krishna says work has been given free to us, I am not the doer of my works. I don't care what is lost or what is gained but dharma is important we should never be silent when adharma is happening around us.

    Please be calm
    I cannot be calm.

  9. #19
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    Re: Should Hindus be more aggressive?

    Namaste,

    I fully understand your frustration with the attitude of Hindus in Bharat and elsewhere and I share your concerns. All I am asking is for you to channel your anger into something positive for Hinduism. It is such a big gift to Hinduism to have people like you who are so passionate about our culture/heritage/religion, but at the same time it would be such a waste if you did not turn your passion/anger/frustration into something positive for Hinduism. Always strive to move to a peaceful state when you are in the middle of a mental/emotional turmoil. One cannot think straight with a turbulent mind. In fighting Adharma you have to be part of the solution. When you are not peaceful, you become part of the problem. Try to lower your body temperature.

    Pranam.

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