Hindu values: You are defined by your words, actions, and thoughts

Hindu value #6: You are defined by your words, actions, and thoughts

While this may seem obvious even from a common sensical point of view, two apparent features of Hinduism appear to be in direct conflict with this idea which I claim is a Hindu value: the "Varna" system and the caste system (please Google if you don't know what it is as it is not the intention of this article to explain what it is in detail). 

"Varna" are the four key stratifications of human society as espoused by Hinduism. It is deemed hereditary and is a source of several conflicts and differences that plague the Hindus. That it is there cannot be disputed. But, is its implementation in line with the Vedas, the highest authority in Hinduism? Definitely not.

Rig Veda presents Varna as a guidance. In Mahabharata, Yudhishthira was also known as Dharamraj (the king of Dharma) for his deep knowledge of righteous behaviour. When questioned about the various "Varna" divisions, he states unequivocally that this is defined by actions and not birth (though in practice it did not stop him from ridiculing Karna for his humble origins). Vedas describe this stratification in similar terms. There is no sanction for this being hereditary or to be used to promote practices like untouchability. These are inventions of people who wanted to control access to knowledge and prosperity. It doesn't matter who you were born to, only your actions and thoughts can determine whether you are a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or a Shudra (e.g. given the one who serves is always a Shudra, all the people in jobs would be Shudra. They are the only class that can accept employment). 

Caste system stands on even thinner ground as it is neither mentioned nor validated in the Vedas. It is based on later scriptures like Manusmriti, and even these scriptures recommend caste as a guidance and it is not supposed to be hereditary. Some people claim that it was done on basis of genetics to minimise genetic disorders. While that may have been true, it can be maintained only if it is strictly adhered to and then revised/ reviewed periodically to verify its success. Since this was not done (i.e. inter-caste marriages have happened and there is no documented evidence that it works), this argument doesn't hold much water either.

Think about it: have you heard about Rama Raghuvanshi, Krishna Yadav, or Arjun Pandu? Last names are a recent invention. At best, alternate names/ titles were earned by people by virtue of their actions. For example, to be called a "Chaturvedi" you would need to master the four Vedas. You could not use the title just because your father has mastered the four Vedas! In Mahabharata, Arjun earned the name "Dhananjay" after he gathered money for a religious rites for his elder brother. Or Krishna was named "Giridhar" after lifting the Giri mountain. Deeds, not birth, determined other names. 

Nevertheless, it is irrefutable that historically both Varna and caste have been used by elite to monopolise resources and maintain their position. Recently, it has been used by politicians to divide and rule people. It is a deep-rooted complex problem. However it doesn't mean that it is in accordance with the scriptures. 

To this date the Indian society is struggling to find an effective response to this problem. We need to awaken the spirit of "Vasudev Kutumbakam" (the world is my family) inline with true Hindu values to create a strong, united country, where social order is determined by merit and not birth. 

Hindu Values: Rational Non-violence

Hindu value #5: rational non-violence that does not exclude the self

With the law of karma as one of its key guiding force, Hindu philosophy strongly recommends to "do unto others as you might have them do to you". Non-violence is a natural offshoot of this thinking. However, Hindu non-violence is very different from the non-violence at all cost as in Jainism, or as advocated by Gandhi. Hindu non-violence includes yourself. Therefore, if somebody attacks you, you are allowed to defend yourself without guilt. Neither is it considered wrong to use violence to protect people from a violent person, or to use violence to protect what is yours by law against a person who is violent and will not listen to reason. Excessive fasting, suicide, not taking care of the body, self-mutilation qualify as violence as well. 

Hindu mythology is full of instances of Gods slaying demonic forces with utter disregard for their human rights. There is no concept of human rights for people who do not respect human rights for others. Even historically, taking the example of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna did everything possible to broker peace. But when Kauravas refused reason he had no hesitation in recommending war and winning it at every cost. In fact, for many years he counselled Pandavas to diligently prepare for war. 

The message is clear. Peace is preferable to war, but peace of a weak person has no value. Therefore, even if one is peaceful, one should be well-prepared for war and be ready to fight against the wicked without mercy. Forgetting this simple lesson cost India years of subjugation. Remembering it will help us to get less conflicted and more effective in dealing with our enemies.

Hindu Values: Sexuality is Normal

Hindu value #4: sexuality is normal

Hinduism has a multi-pronged, complex take on sexuality. Unlike Abrahamic religions, it is not considered sinful and is acknowledged as a powerful force necessary for the world to continue. Nevertheless, its highly addictive nature is considered an obstruction in self-realisation. It is considered important to both understand and revere it to escape its negative impact. However, years of subjugation and cultural influence has made us forget this, and unfortunately the Indian society is still subjugated by the misogynistic mindset of the children of Abraham. 

The sexual revolution in the US, evolution of human rights, and rise of feminism have helped to slightly correct a destructive, nihilistic approach to sexuality. However, denial and suppression over a very long time have led to perversion and criminalisation of sexuality. Horrible working conditions of prostitutes are a direct result of a mindset that sees sex as a sin. Rape is a result of a mind that sees women as objects and second class citizens, or as a temptress who needs to know her place and limits. Even most of the words people use to abuse others are related to sex!

Hinduism's approach, at least in theory, is very refreshing and practical. Our philosophers recognised four pillars for a fulfilling life: Dharma, Artha, Kaama, and Moksha. Dharma is being able to do the right action in the present moment. Artha is being able to do well economically. Kaama is being able to enjoy the pleasures of this world. Moksha is attaining liberation from the cycle of life and death by means of self-realisation. In context of this article, it is worth nothing sex is an integral part of Kaama (hence the Kamasutra). Nothing is forbidden, but moderation is strongly advised. The wise sages understood the havoc hormones can play with the human mind, and did not try to control the basic instinct by forbidding it. They did not recommend Roman style promiscuity or orgies either. Marriage was held sacred. The yoni (womb) and linga even found place as symbols of worship, subtly trying to establish that sexuality is natural and sacred for there can be no life without it. Not making a big deal about it prevented the perversion that we witness in the world today. 

More of the same will not solve the problem. Muslim hordes brought rape as an instrument of war to the Indian subcontinent. Their long rule pushed the women down the social ladder and changed our attitude to sexuality. British Christian rule did not help much. Not too long ago even US didn't allow women to vote, and equal pay for men and women is still a big issue in the west. I understand that it is very difficult to go back to the free-minded, rational approach of the sages as the predominant cultures of the world are ruled by Abrahamic religions, who cannot accept this. Even most people within India, conditioned so long by their rulers, cannot imagine such a society. And will never do until we have high level of literacy and establish the rule of Dharma. Nevertheless India would do well to not emulate such misogynistic cultures and try to revive at least some elements of its own ancient rational approach. 

Why Target Media?

If you are reading my blogs, a logical question can be why pick on media when the whole system is bloody corrupt? The reason is simple: reach. 

People see and hear what media shows them. If they lose trust in it, it would become much easier for demagogues like Arvind Kejriwal to spread rumours and misguide people. With its independence and reach, media has considerable power and is rightly considered one of the key pillars of democracy. Additionally, since it is out of government control, theoretically it should be easier to reform them and use it as a starting point for positive change in the nation. Conversely, any positive change will become double hard if media is either corrupt or simply a tool of government propaganda. 

Key issues are that such a media house would have lukewarm friends and red hot enemies. The very people it tries to save may destroy it. Without a well-resourced, well-connected person determined to change things for good, this is unlikely to happen. This is a paradox as if one is rich and well connected, they are less likely to be motivated to change things. Why not profit from the current situation instead like Kejriwal? Thankfully we now have one such person in India: Narendra Modi. While he is not perfect, he is the best this country has had so far (with exception of Lal Bahadur Shastri) and I am hoping he will make a positive change to the nation. That is if he is able to overcome the stiff resistance both from the left and within his own party. He is the country's best chance in decades, and I hope he delivers. And if he hopes to be successful, he should not ignore the current state of media.

Time to hold Indian Mainstream Media to Account

How many people in India (or outside) have heard about Canning riots in 2013? The fact that for many it won't even ring a bell without Google says a volume. In summary, a crowd of “misguided youths” with no religion burned Hindu homes and shops, leading to around 2000 of them being displaced and forced to live in relief camps. Strangely, I could not find any statistics about loss of life due to limited coverage overall, with most of the webpages removed. No awards were returned, there was no outrage about the damage to secular fabric, and of course no media coverage. This is just one of the several examples of selective, agenda based reporting by the mainstream media in India. All violence needs to be condemned and punished. Crude tactics to shame the majority to benefit the minority is a dangerous game to play (or the other way round). Balanced, issue based reporting is the need of the hour (fat chance). In pursuit of electoral maths and power both political parties and media have lost sight of the nation.

For example, the key issue is that why parts of India have such low level of human development index even after several decades of independence? I would love to see an in-depth issue based analysis on the performance of various governments since independence and the lessons we can learn from it. May be a panel discussion on what can be done to change reservations, as clearly the current system is not working? Or, a daily discussion on how we can realign our political system to look beyond electoral maths?

The crude, decibel intensive, shallow, negative, biased news that we are seeing today is playing a negative role in the Indian democracy. The challenge is to legislate to make it accountable without damaging its independence. 

Following may help:

• requirement to clearly label strictly factual news, opinions/ conjectures/ gossip/ rumours, and paid news. 
• speeding up court decision times to kill rumours soon
• if a media house has run a news extensively 24/7 so as it is likely to damage somebody's reputation, they should be required to run a clarification multiple times over similar number of days at prime time to demonstrate their intention to do fair reporting. The number of clarifications should be determined by hours of footage, language used, negative opinion espoused, and history of false reporting. Serial offenders should be heavily fined
• the same should apply for any false positive news, if so proved in a court of law
• clear guidelines should be established on reporting in sensitive situations (riots, wars, terrorist attacks)
• a media channel should clearly indicate what kind of news they aim to cover and ensure that their viewers know what they are watching. E.g. if the intention is to cover and sensationalise a select list of cognisable offences, they may as well say it clearly

A well-functioning democracy needs a strong, independent, ethical media. It is about time that the media articulates what role it wants to play and how it will determine the ethical and cosntructive behaviour of its members. I sincerely hope to see the emergence of a media group that works towards issue based reporting and improving the state of our democracy.

Hindu Values: Women are not second class citizens

या देवी सर्वभूतेषू शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता,

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः।

“O Goddess you who reside everywhere in form of power

I bow to thee, I bow to thee, I bow to thee.

-Markandeya puran

Hindu value #3: Women are not second class citizens

This value may come as a surprise to many Westerners given the perception built about crime against women and the actual social status of women in the Indian society today. Let me say this categorically. Anybody who considers women to be a second grade citizen does not know Hinduism (even if they call themselves Hindu). The issue, however, is a complex one and I will try to address it to the best of my ability. I will first talk about the theological stand, then talk about its implementation in ancient India, and finally about its distortion after the arrival of the Original Sin.

Theologically, women are deemed slightly superior to men in Hinduism. The ultimate creator of the world is deemed Mahalakshmi, who created the primary Gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) and their consorts (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Kali). She is the source of all power, wisdom, and wealth. You reckon the great Mother Goddess would care about the opinion of her husband about her dress? She is the quintessential power woman who does not even have to try to be a man. Three things in particular struck me while reading the scripture:

(1) Dressing was not a big deal, and going topless with nothing but body paint (sandalwood paste) was deemed ok –which to be honest makes sense for a hot place like India. There are several descriptions of various manifestations of the Mother Goddess in the Marakandeya Puran, with many going topless.

(2) Drinking was not a big deal. In many battle descriptions, Mother is depicted as having a bowl of “Madhu” in one of her hands, which she sips merrily during the battle while kicking demon butt. Is it honey? I don’t think so as the description elaborates that she slurs after taking a mouthful, indicating intoxicating effect of what she is drinking. There are several such descriptions.

(3) Sex was not criminalised. It is seen as necessary to creation, which is highly addictive to enable the creation to go on. It is deemed to be a powerful force and ability to control it is essential to attain salvation. It is, however, not seen as an anathema. The womb is worshipped, and the key mudra to worship the Goddess is called the “yoni” (womb) mudra. Same for the phallus, taking form of linga worship.

How did this translate into real world? While I cannot claim that women held a superior social status in ancient India, it did see levels of women freedom not seen even today in modern Europe and US. A good example is Kautilya’s Arthashastra, which describes the various law and order mechanism employed to secure the king and govern the city. Three key highlights:

·         When the king slept, the pack of guards in the adjoining room consisted of specially trained women warrior skilled with the bow

·         Prostitution was legalised (as was gambling and drinking) and not seen as a fringe profession. They had defined rights, and many of them were actively recruited for spying and monitoring any new comers to the town. The most skilled of courtesans (referred to as “roop jeevikas”, the one who lives off her beauty) would be tasked with training the young rich (guys and girls) in the art of love.

·         There was no dress code to mandate wearing something on the top. Given the hot climate, jewellery and thin muslin with a dab of perfume/ colour was deemed sufficient.

Besides these, there are umpteen examples of women scholars, saints, and professionals, though they were not allowed to actively participate in war for practical reasons.

If you are still with me, you may be thinking what changed? How did we ever end up the way we are today? To answer that we need a brief history lesson.

It is to be noted that by end of the first century the Hindu culture was at its zenith, and eerily similar to what Europe is today (slightly better though). Years of prosperity meant people did what they liked and were generally peaceful, well-educated, intellectual, and arrogant. They thought there is no God like theirs, no king like theirs and no science like theirs. “Dharma” was the key, and there was a strict code of conduct for war in which civilians were not harassed or killed unless they took up arms. So, even if war was going on in a field, a farmer could work nearby without fear. Even unarmed soldiers were not to be harmed. With every generation (especially due to pacifist influence of Buddhism and Jainism) war was seen a game for kings, waste of money, and not good for the soul. The result was ever lesser investment in defence.

This prosperous, rich, snobbish, peaceful fruit was ripe for plucking when the barbarians arrived at the gate in form of the Muslim hordes. To the barbarians everything in the Hindu culture was an anathema, especially the worship of the phallus, idol worship, and the uncovered women. They had no respect for any rules, no regard for civilian life, no intention of keeping their word, and no idea what freedom for women meant. The hundreds of prosperous kingdoms, ever engaged in petty squabbling, did not know what hit them. E.g. the invaders asked the soldiers in a fort in Kashmir to surrender, promising safe passage. The few soldiers promptly surrendered only to be butchered and the fort being put to torch. This new enemy knew only plunder. Cities were burned to the ground, women raped, people taken into slavery, temples destroyed. With time the Hindus learned to cover their women and increasingly pushed them to the status of second class citizens, emulating their invaders in the hope of protecting the women. The great Gurukuls and Universities were put to torch (it is said that the books of the Nalanda University burned for 4 days). The land that once produced the Vedas and boasted universal education slowly slipped into ignorance and illiteracy. Not all of India succumbed as easily, with the South and the East holding out for longer than others. It is a shame that the mainstream history books don’t talk as much about Vijaynagar and Ahoms, and the brutal long-term impact of the invasions. We never really recovered from this setback.

Today we are at such a juncture that even people within India will not be able to accept the level of freedom accorded to women in scriptures. Nevertheless, it may help to remember what our real roots are, that we are born out of love and are the one pure consciousness (and not really born out of sin), that sexuality is normal, and that women are not second class citizens. Enough said. 

Hindu Values: Being humble and open

Hindu value #2: Humility and willingness to learn

Last we saw how debate is important to Hindu values. Similarly, it is considered good to be humble and willing to learn from anyone. For example, when Ravana, the demon king and the villain of the epic Ramayana lay dying, Lord Rama went himself to his feet to request the enemy he had mortally wounded to kindly teach him something about statecraft!

This is unheard of in any other culture. Ravana was a villain, but he had a heroic side as well. He knew all the scriptures by heart, was a mighty warrior, an excellent musician, an able dancer, a genius poet, a staunch Shiva devotee, and a shrewd ruler. His subjects worshipped him. Rama saw no shame in learning from him, even though Ravana had abducted his wife and they had fought a bitter war over it. Rama had slain several of Ravana's kin and children. Yet he went and asked respectfully for knowledge from the mighty demon. And Ravana consented to teach. Such honour, such large mindedness in both the hero and the villain.

There is another corollary to this: Hinduism has no concept of devil. The light and dark dance in a delicate balance. They oppose and complement each other. Without the dark the light has no value, and vice versa. A good story is incomplete without a good hero and a good villain. It is all deemed a play and display of one consciousness. As a prism splits the light into seven colours, the consciousness expresses itself in infinite ways. Diversity is the nature of the world, yet everything is but one. 

Hindu Values: Honouring debate and using your own mind

Before we can talk about Hinduism, there are some Hindu values that we need to understand. Without this understanding we risk being influenced by jokers on either side of the fence of "Hinduism sucks" vs "We want a Hindu Rashtra" thinking, most of whom have very little idea about these values. Judge for yourself if the people you have heard talk about Hinduism positively or negatively truly understand this.

Hindu Value #1: The ability to use your own mind and challenge all principles, including the “divine” word.

"Rama, even a child's words are to be accepted if they are words of wisdom; else, reject it like straw even if uttered by God himself".
-Sage Vasishtha to Lord Rama on means of gaining knowledge 

The above quote is from "Yoga Vasishtha", the conversation between Lord Rama and sage Vasishtha as in the Hindu epic "Ramayana". The conversation is primarily about the means of liberation and the nature of mind. You will hear some of the Sanskrit chanting from this conversation being played at end of the first "Matrix" movie, and its ideas have inspired "Inception". Ramayana is an integral part of the Indian culture: the festival of Diwali is closely linked with it.

The quote above clearly specifies that any word, including the divine word, should be rejected/ challenged if it sounds unwise. Yes, in Hinduism even God's word is fit to be rejected and challenged without risking death for apostasy/ hurting somebody's idiotic sentiments.

Such level of freedom, however, comes with responsibility. While one is free to debate logically, twisted logic hell-bent on proving a single point of view (Kutarka) is categorically rejected.  E.g. arguing that if door is half close it is half open, therefore if door is fully closed it is fully open. Respectful debate with a genuine desire to find the truth rather than chest bashing to prove whose daddy is strongest. It is not an open license to disagree without using your mind, it is a command to actively use your brain to find your way while studying anything, and trust it more than any divine word.

Debate is the only way that knowledge can be refined, and the stories of scholars engaging in "Shastrarth" i.e. debating knowledge is pretty common in Indian folk lore. And no, there was no prosecution for that. Scholars discussed knowledge while people revelled in the debates. Respectfully challenging the teacher with the intent of learning was a sign of intelligence and character. A society that cannot allow a healthy debate on the principles it wishes to enforce will soon find itself sliding into bigotry.

As Hinduism tries to get a bit more organised and militant in the face of Abrahamic religions, where God brooks no dissent, we risk losing this core value. Ours is not a vengeful God who insists that we are born of sin/ vermin crawling in the mud. Our God insists on the divinity of every single cell of this universe, and that to understand it you need to truly think and not obey. I doubt if even all Hindus understand this.

The word in Devanagari script used for religion is "Dharma". Dharma is the righteous action, a code of conduct that urges people to do the right thing in accordance with the scriptures under the guidance of a person who understands these scriptures from experience. However, while this is deemed as the best way, it is acknowledged time and again that you cannot force somebody to become spiritual with brute force, and it is important that seekers of truth use their own mind to convince themselves of the truth.

As far as religious commands go, I haven't come across anything as sensible and beautiful as this. Rote learning and unquestioning obedience is the worst thing to have in any learning system as it stifles thinking and promotes fanaticism. Rote learning can create only parrots, with the knowledge just becoming a concept in the mind.

Hinduism is not a classic religion, but a journey of self-discovery to find the subtle truth permeating every part of this Universe. Not everybody will have either the courage or the intellect to follow it. Nevertheless, I hope and pray that may we completely revive this spirit of independent thinking in India, and stand out as a positive example to rest of the world.

Under a Veil

Anonymity gives man courage, I have to admit. With a world full of prickly fools short of sense of humour, anonymity helps. The feeling of being able to write without the burden of being judged is certainly liberating. Irrespective of what people say, freedom of speech is a tricky business. But, what do I intend to write behind this mask? Anything irreverent, true thoughts that pass my mind. Pretty much just a window to my mind.

For the purpose of this blog, you can know me as a Hindu Indian, familiar and well-versed in a wide variety of subjects including history, politics, economics, philosophy, psychology, and statecraft. What I will write, not many will like. It is true nevertheless to the best of my knowledge.

I will primarily write about Indian politics, India, Hinduism, statecraft, religion, philosophy, and psychology. As is with most forms of truth, many people will find some of my opinions unpalatable. To them I have only one thing to say: I am open to change my opinion unless I am talking to somebody with preconceived, bigoted notions. The one who cannot change his own opinion in light of facts has no right to ask another to do the same. Being anonymous, sensitivity and political correctness would be the last things on my mind. Only reality shall be my judge.

Hope you enjoys my articles, and I hope they provoke at least some people to think beyond the apparent reality they are a prisoner of.