Hinduism (Past, Present & Future)

Char Dham

2011-03-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

According to the Hindu scriptures, the holy centres of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath - collectively called the Char dham (meaning the four sacred spots) - are the most sacred of all the pilgrimages. Undertaking a journey to these places will not just wash away one's sins but ensure release from the cycle of birth and death. The honour conferred on these places is not surprising. For one, they are all in the icy Garhwal ranges and regarded as the most sacred of all Himalayan ranges. It is also said that heaven and earth converge in these holy spots, and to be born or die here is a boon only the very fortunate have. The Chardham must be visited from left to right -beginning with Yamunotri, going on to Gangotri, Kedarnath and culminating the journey at Badrinath. This route follows the Hindu tradition of parikrama or clockwise circumambulation.

Owing to the significance of this religious circuit, devotees from all over the world, come here to experience the eternal bliss. Char Dhams are hustling and bustling with activity during the summer months, as hundreds of devotees embark upon the holy journey. The picturesque surroundings of the mountainous region are simply enthralling, giving the visitors a perfect opportunity to unwind themselves by filling their lungs with fresh air. Moreover, these otherwise silent and tranquil locales resound with the names of the Lord as the pilgrims advance towards their destination.

Yamunotri

The shrine of Yamunotri, situated at an elevation of about 3,235 m is a point of paramount religious importance for Hindus and an essential pilgrimage. Situated in the direction opposite to Gangotri, the road bifurcates from a place called Dharasu, somewhere between Rishikesh-Uttarkashi and goes on to Yamunotri. The shrine can also be visited via Mussoorie and Barkot.

General Information :-

Altitude	:	3,235 m.
Climate
Summers	:	Cool during the day and cold at night.
Winters	:	Snow-bound. Touching sub-zero.
Clothing
Summers	:	Light woollens.
Winters	:	Very heavy woollens.
Languages	:	Hindi, Garhwali and English.
Eating Out	:	Only local eating houses (dhabas) are available. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are prohibited in Yamunotri.

Attractions of Yamunotri

Yamunotri Temple
The main temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. The present temple was built by Maharani Guleria of Jaipur in the late nineteenth century. Once destroyed by an earthquake, it has been rebuilt. A holy dip in the nearby tank filled by hot springs and cooking rice in its water are common rituals performed by the devotees.
Surya Kund
One of the important thermal springs known for its very high temperature of 190°F. Pilgrims cook rice and potatoes here to offer to the deity in the temple.
Divya Shila
A huge rock pillar venerated before entering the Yamunotri Temple.
Hanumanchatti
The confluence of Hanuman Ganga and Yamuna rivers forms the starting point for the scenic Dodi TaL Trek.
Sayanachatti
A scenic spot along the banks of river Yamuna that makes a lovely sight enroute the trek upto Yamunotri.
Chamba
A sylvan spot on way to Tehri that offers an excellent view of the Himalayan peaks. Situated at an altitude of 1,676 mts., Chamba is an ideal summer retreat.

Photos of Yamunotri


Yamunotri Temple	Yamunotri - Char Dham

How to Reach Yamunotri:

Air	:	Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun.
Rail	:	Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh.
Road	:	The road to Yamunotri diverts from Dharasu bifurcation point. Important road distances: Hanuman Chatti (13 km), Dharasu (107 km). Tehri (149 km). Hanuman Chatti to Phool Chatti is 5 km by jeep, 3 km Phool Chatti to Janki Chatti on foot and 5 km from Janki Chatti to Yamunotri by trek (8 km trek), the roadhead for Yamunotri is connected by bus services of Samyukt Rotation Yatayat Vyavstha Samiti to Rishikesh, Haridwar and other major centres in the region. Important Road Distances: Rishikesh to Yamunotri 222 km. via Narendranagar 16 km, Chama 46 km, Brahmkhal 15 km, Barkot 40 km, Sayana Chatti 27 km, Hanuman Chatti 6 km, Phool Chatti 5 km, Janki Chatti 3 km and Yamunotri 6 km.

Accommodation in Yamunotri

State Tourism Accommodation

Tourist Rest House, Jankichatti (GMVN).
Tourist Rest House, Yamunotri, ( GMVN) - provides for only dormitory accommodation

Only local eateries/dhabas are available. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are prohibited.

Tourist Information Centre
Yatra Office: Yatra Office, GMVN Ltd., AGM (Tourism), Modern Reception Centre
(Advance Reservation Centre)
Shail Vihar, Haridwar By-Pass Road, Rishikesh, Pin: 249201.
Tel: 91-135-2431793, 2432648, 2430799, 2430357(R).
Fax: 0135-2430372.
Email: yatra@gmvnl.com, yatraoffice@sancharnet.in.

Gangotri

Gangotri, the source of the river Ganga and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri. Gangotri can be reached in one day's travel from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun, or in two days from Yamunotri, the first site in the Char Dham circuit. More popular and important than its sister site to the east, Gangotri is also accessible directly by car and bus, meaning that it sees many more pilgrims than Yamunotri.

This small town is centered around a temple of the goddess Ganga, which was built by the Gurkha General Amar Singh Thapa in the late 18th or early 19th century. The temple is closed on Diwali day every year and is reopened in May. During this time, the idol of the goddess is kept at Mukhba village, near Harsil.

Ritual duties are supervised by the Semwal family of pujaris. The aarti ceremony at the Gangotri is especially impressive, as is the temple, a stately affair that sits on the banks of the rushing Ganga. Adventurous pilgrims can make an overnight 18 km trek to Gaumukh, the actual current source of the river Ganga.

For a large number of tourists, Gangotri town serves as the starting point of the Gangotri-Gaumukh-Tapovan and Gangotri-Kedartal trekking routes.

Photos of Gangotri


Gangotri Temple		Gangotri Temple

Mythological Relation

According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga - the daughter of heaven, took the form of a river to absolve the sins of King Bhagirath's predecessors, following his severe penance of several centuries. Lord Shiva received Ganga into his matted locks to minimize the impact of her fall.

According to this legend, King Sagar, after slaying the demons on earth decided to stage in Ashwamegh Yagya as a proclamation of his supremacy. The horse which was to be taken on an uninterrupted journey around the earth was to be accompanied by the King's 60,000 sons born to Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas born of the second queen Kesani. Indra, supreme ruler of the gods feared that he might be deprived of his celestial throne if the 'Yagya' (worship with fire) succeeded and then took away the horse and tied it to the ashram of Sage Kapil, who was then in deep meditation. The sons of the King Sagar searched for the horse and finally found it tied near the meditating sage. Sixty thousand angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of sage Kapil. When he opened his eyes, 60,000 sons had perished by the curse of sage Kapil. Bhagirath, grand son of King Sagar, is believed to have meditated to bring down the Ganga to cleanse the ashes of his ancestors and liberate their souls, granting them salvation or Moksha. The Bhagirathi 'Shila' is located near the temple of Ganga where the holy Ganga first descended on earth from heaven.

General Information :-

Altitude : 3042 mts.

Climate : Summer - Cool during the day and cold at night.

Winter - Snow-bound. Touching sub-zero.

Clothing : Summer - Light woollen

Winter - Very heavy woollen.

Language : Hindi, Garhwali & English.

Season : April to November.

Attractions of Gangotri

Gangotri templeThe 18^th century’s temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga is located near a sacred stone where Kind Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva. Ganga is believed to have touched earth at this spot. According to another legend, Pandavas performed the great ‘Deva Yagna’ here to atone the deaths of their kinsmen in the epic battle of Mahabharata.The temple is an exquisite 20 ft. high structure made of white granite.

Submerged Shivling

The natural rock Shivling, submerged in the river, is an amazing sight reinforcing the power of the divine. According to mythology, Lord Shiva sat at this spot to receive the Ganga in his matted locks. The shivling is visible in the early winters when the water level goes down.

Accessibility / How to reach :-

Airport : Jolly Grant, Dehradun 226 kms.

Railhead : Rishikesh, 249 kms.

Road : Well connected to Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and Delhi.

Important Road Distances :

Dharasu ( 129 Km.), Yamunotri (224 Km.) Mussoorie ( 247 Km.), Tehri ( 172 Km.)

Accommodation in Gangotri

A number of Ashrams along the banks of Bhagirathi, Tourist Rest House, PWD Inspection House, Forest Rest House are available. Dharamshalas, Guest Houses and Private Hotels also ensure convenient accommodation

Where to Eat in Gangotri

Only local eating places (dhabas) are available. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are prohibited in Gangotri.

ENROUTE

Agrakhal, Tehri-Rishikesh route.
Chinyalisaur, Uttarkashi-Chamba route
Naitala near Uttarkashi-Gangotri root
Ginoti, Dharasu-Yamunotri route.

EXCURSIONS

Nandavan Tapovan ( 6 kms. )

An arduous trek along the Gangotri Glacier leads to scenic Nandanvan - the base camp for the Bhagirathi peaks, that offers a panoramic view of the surrounding Shivling peak. A trek across the snout of the Gangotri Glacier leads to Tapovan known for its beautiful meadows that encircle the base of the Shivling peak.

Uttarkashi ( 99 kms.)

An important pilgrimage centre, situated at an elevation of 1,150 mts. above sea level on the bank of river Bhagirathi. Some of the important temples worth visiting are - Vishwanath temple, Ekadash Rudra temple, Gyaneshwar temple and Kuteti Devi Temple. Nearby is the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Every year, during the ‘Magh Mela’ ( January 14 ), people visit Uttarkashi to take a holy dip in Bhagirathi along with the image of their village deity.

Kedar Tal ( 18 kms.)

An enchanting lake, 4425 mts. above sea level against the splendid backdrop of mighty Thalaiyasagar peak. Accessible through a rough mountain trail, it is the base camp for trekking to surrounding peaks. The trek to Kedartal needs a local guide.

Gaumukh ( 18 kms.)

The snout of the Gangotri Glacier and the source of the Bhagirathi river. Pilgrims trek upto the sacred spot on foot or on ponies to take a holy dip in the ice-cold water.

Bhairon Ghati ( 10 kms.)

Situated towards Uttarkashi, it is known for the temple of Bhairav Nath, surrounded by thick forests.

Harsil ( 28 kms. )

Located in the mountain district of Uttarkashi is the sylvan hamlet ( 2620 mts. above sea level ), known for scenic landscapes and delicious apples. Sat Tal or seven lakes, nearby ( 2 kms.) are a not-to-be-missed attraction.

Gangnani ( 59 kms.)

Noted for its thermal springs, spectacular views and tranquil surroundings. A small upcoming town - Bhatwari, lying 12 kms from Gangnani is worth a visit.

Maneri ( 86 kms.)

The dam across the Bhagirathi and a surrounding lake are worth a visit.

Dayara Bugyal ( 93 kms.)

A breathtakingly beautiful meadow, situated at a height of 3,048 mts. above sea level. A motorable road connects Bhatwari ( 27 kms. from Uttarkashi ) with Raithal village, from where follows a 6 kms. long trek to Dayara. The famous Sheshnag Temple enroute is an attraction of the trek. From Dayara, one can also trek down to Dodi Tal ( 30 kms. ). During winters, Dayara provides excellent ski slopes over an area of 28 sq. kms.

Dodi Tal ( 123 kms.)

A sparkling lake at an elevation of 2286 mts. surrounded by dense forests. The famous Himalayan trouts are found in abundance in the lake. Permit for fishing can be obtained from the Divisional Forest Officer, Uttarkashi. A beautiful camping site, a Forest Rest House and a log cabin are seen along the lake.

Nachiketa Tal ( 131 kms.)

A pleasant trek through lush green forests leads to this peaceful retreat. A small temple along the lake and lovely surroundings are an attraction.

Tehri ( 173 kms.)

Lying at the confluence of Bhagirathi and Bhilangna rivers is the former capital of Tehri Garhwal principality. It is the site of a giant hydel project.

Narendranagar ( 239 kms.)

The new capital of erstwhile Tehri state, offers a magnificent view of the Ganga valley of Rishikesh and the plains of Haridwar.

Kedarnath

Amidst the dramatic mountainscapes of the majestic Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve ‘Jyotirlingas’ of Kedar or Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584 mts. on the head of river Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus.
The origin of the revered temple can be found in the great epic - Mahabharata. According to legend, the Pandavas sought the blessings of Lord Shiva to atone their sins after the battle of Mahabharata. Lord Shiva eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed, HE dived into the ground, leaving behind HIS hump on the surface. This conical protrusion is worshipped as the idol in the shrine.The remaining portions of Lord Shiva are worshipped at four other places - the arms (bahu) at Tungnath, mouth (mukh) at Rudranath, navel (nabhi) at Madmaheshwar and hair (jata) at Kalpeshwar. Together with Kedarnath, these places are known as the Panch Kedar.
The lingam at Kedarnath is pyramidal, unlike its usual form. A status of Nandi – the celestial bull stands at the entrance of the temple and exquisitely carved images adorn the interiors of the temple.
During the winters, the shrine is submerged in snow and hence is closed. The ideal time to visit is between May to October. Kedarnath is reached through a 14 km. long trek from Gaurikund.

Location
Kedarnath is situated in the Uttar Kashi district of the northern state of Uttaranchal. Very close to the Indo-Chinese border, it is the source of the Mandakini River. It is couched in the scenic locales of the Garhwal Himalayas at 3583 meters above sea level. It is very cold in the winters with the ground being covered with snow. In the summers, the mercury barely crosses the 20°C mark. The place experiences about 150 cm of rainfall during the monsoons and so the best time to visit is between May and October. Kedarnath is near to Rishikesh (234 km) and Dehradun (250 km).

History
According to legend, Lord Shiva wished to elude the Pandavas, who had come to seek penitence for having killed their kin in the battle of Kurukshetra. He took refuge in Kedarnath in the form of a bull. Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, found Shiva amongst a herd of cattle. Having identified the meanest and most arrogant of the herd as Shiva, Bhima is said to have grabbed him by the hindquarters. What remains at the shrine in Kedarnath is the rear end of the bull, with the rest of its body scattered throughout the Garhwal. Shiva dived into the ground leaving behind him a hump on the surface. This conical protrusion is worshipped as the idol. It is the main site of the Panch Kedar temples.

There are Four Other Kedars

Madhyamaheshwar
Tunganath
Kalpeshwar
Rudranath

Three of these (barring Kalpeshwar) are in mountain meadows at higher altitudes than Kedarnath. The climb to Rudranath is the most strenuous though worth the trouble, as this meadow is one of the finest in Garhwal.

Mythological Myth
Legend has it that when the Pandavas sought penance following the great war of the Mahabharata they came in search of Lord Shiva. Arriving at this site they found that Shiva had elusively taken the form of a bull. Bhim the strongest of the Pandavas went after Shiva who dived deep into the ground. Only Shiva's tail was left in Bhim's hand. This spot is known as the Kedarnath and is also considered the main Kedar. The rest of Shiva's body emerged at four other places in Garhwal - Tunganath, Madhyamaheshwar, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath.

These five Kedars are worshipped as Panch Kedars

Tungnath
Shiva's arms came out at Tungnath. The Tungnath temple is at an altitude of 3,680 m and is the highest Shiva shrine among the Panch Kedars. However it is the easiest to reach from Chopta, the nearest road head.
Rudranath
Shiva's face is worshipped at the Rudranath temple. It is about 2,286 m above sea level and is 23 km from Gopeshwar. 5 km of the distance is motor able and 18 km is on foot. The trek passes through wild orchards and picturesque bugyals (meadows) and involves trekking over high ridges (sometimes 4,000 m). The temple site provides magnificent views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghungti, Trishuli and many other peaks. There are a number of holy kunds or ponds near the Rudranath temple like Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund. The entire area is utterly enchanting and unmatched in scenic beauty. Anusuya Devi temple is located on the trek to Rudranath involving an additional trek of 3km.

General Information :-

Area : 3 sq. km.

Climate : Winter: Sep. to Nov. cold during the day and chilly at night.

Summer: May - August- Cool during the day and cold at night.

Rainfall : 1475 mm.

Best Season : May to October except monsoon.

Clothing : Light woollens in summer. Heavy woollens in winter.

Language : Hindi, Garhwali and English.

Attractions of Kedarnath

Kedarnath Temple
The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Guru Shankaracharya lies adjacent to the site of an ancient temple built by Pandavas. The walls of the exquisitely architectured temple are embellished with figures of deities and scenes from mythology. The temple has a conical lingam - the main idol, a statue of Nandi - the celestial bull, a 'garbha grab' for worship and a 'mandap' for assemblies of piligrims and visitors. The temple is believed to be more than 1000 years old.
Shankaracharya Samadhi
Behind the Kedarnath Temple lies the samadhi or the final resting place of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. It is believed, after establishing the four dhams in India, he went for his samadhi at an early age of 32 years.

Excursions
Chorabari (Gandhi Sarovar) (2 kms.)
A small lake from where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas, is believed to have departed to heaven. The floating ice on the sparkling waters of the lake is a fascinating sight.

Vasuki Tal (6 kms.)
A picturesque lake, 4,135 mts. above sea level is encircled by lofty mountains and offers a commanding view of the Chaukhamba peaks.
Gaurikund (14 kms.)
The trekking base to Kedarnath. A temple dedicated to Gauri and thermal springs of medicinal value are noteworthy.
Sonprayag (20 kms.)
The confluence of Son Ganga and Mandakini rivers. The road to Triyuginarayan diverts from here.
Triyuginarayan (25 kms.)
A 5 kms. trek from Sonprayag, it is the mythological venue of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.An eternal flame, which is said to have been a witness to the marriage, burns in front of the temple even today.
Guptkashi (49 kms.)
The temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanath are noteworthy.
Ukshimath (60 kms)
Winter home of the deity of the Kedarnath Temple and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath.
Agastyamuni (73 kms.)
Famous for the temple dedicated to sage Agastya.
Chandrashila (93 kms.)
The Chandrashila peak provides a rare view of snow-clad peaks. The rhododendron Forests and alpine meadows dominate the trek fromTungnath to Chandrashila.
Deoria Tal (68 kms.)
Sari village is the last bus terminus on Chopta-Ukhimath road from where a 2 kms. trek leads to Deoria Tal. This beautiful lake at an altitude of 2,438 mts. gives the spectacular reflection of snow capped peaks in the lake water. Ideal spot for angling and bird watching.

Photos of Badrinath


Kedarnath Temple	Nandi - Kedarnath

How to Reach Kedarnath:

Air	:	Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, 239 km.
Rail	:	Nearest railway station is Rishikesh, 221 km.
Road	:	Kedarnath is approachable on foot, 14 km from Gaurikund, which is connected by road with Rishikesh, Kotdwar, Dehradun, Haridwar and other important hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon hills.
Local Transport	:	Horses, dandies and ponies are available at Gaurikund for going and carrying luggage to Kedarnath.

ACCOMMODATION

Dharamshalas, Ashrams, Cottages and Tourist Rest House offer a comfortable stay.
An Important Note
During the winters, the shrine is submerged in snow and hence is closed. The ideal time to visit is between May to October. Kedarnath is reached through a 14 km. Long trek from Gaurikund.Tourist Information Centre ( Kedarnath )
Rishikesh (Yatra Office), AGM (Tourism), GMVN Ltd., Tourist Information Centre,
(Advance Reservation Centre)
Shail Vihar, Haridwar By Pass Road, Rishikesh Pin: 249201.
Tel.: 0135-2431793, 2431783, 2432648, 2430799.
Fax: 0135-2430372.
Email: yatra@gmvnl.com, yatraoffice@sancharnet.in.

Badrinath

The Abode Of Lord Vishnu
Cradled in the twin mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan is the holiest of the four main shrines, Badrinath along the left bank river Alaknanda. With the splendid Neelkanth mountains as the backdrop, it is an important destination on the scared itinerary of every devour Hindu. Once the spot was carpeted with 'badris' or wild berries and hence was famous as 'Badri Van'.

Badrinath is considered the holiest of the four important shrines in Garhwal. The town is at an altitude of 3,133 m. above sea level, situated on the left bank of river Alaknanda and exactly between the two mountains Nara and Narayan. The shrine is dedicated to Vishnu, the preserver and falls in the religious itinerary of every devout Hindu.

The present temple was built about two centuries ago by Garhwal Kings. It is a conical structure, 15 m. tall and has small cupola of a gilt bull and spire. There are 15 idols in the temple complex, each sculpted in black stone. The principal idol represents Vishnu in a meditative posture and is flanked by Nara-Narayan. Legend dates it prior to the Vedic age though it is believed to have been re-established by Adi Shankaracharya, an important Hindu saint in 8th century A.D. Some of the other images include Laxmi (Vishnu's consort), Garud (Vishnu's mount), Shiva & Parvati and Ganesha.

The temple has been renovated several times due to damages by avalanches. It looks fairly modern now due to the colourful "Singh Dwara" or the main entrance gate. It has three parts- Garbha Griha (the sanctum sanctorum), Darshan Mandap (for pujas) and Shobha Mandap (for devotees to assemble). The revered shrine is still alive with myriad legends from mythology. Its sanctity is emphasised in the ancient scriptures as "There are many sacred spots of pilgrimage in the heavens, earth and the nether world, but there has been none equal to Badri, nor shall there be".

Mythological Legend of Badrinath
Legend has it, when the Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of its descent. Therefore the mighty Ganaga was split into twelve holy channels. Alaknanda was one of them that later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.

The temple of Shri Badrinathji on the banks of the Alaknanda river, dates back to the vedic times. Situated at an altitude of 3,133 mts., the present temple is believed to have been built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya- an 8th century's philosopher-saint, who also established a 'math' here. Also known as 'Vishal Badri', Badrinath is one of the Panch Badris

Panch Badris or Five Badris
Besides the main temple of Badrinath there are four other smaller badri temples. These are collectively called the panch badris or five badris. Very few pilgrims however, visit the other four Badri temples.

Yogadhyan Badri (1920 m.)
Closest to the main temple of Badrinath lies this tiny, sleepy hamlet which remains unnoticed by most pilgrims and is the winter home for the idol at Badrinath. Pandukeshwar is also an important archaeological site. Some years ago, four ancient metal foils engraved with a description of several kings in the region were discovered here. Believed to be over 1500 years old, these foils are kept at Joshimath, 30 km downstream.
Bhavishya Badri (2,744 m.)
The bhavishya or future badri is situated at Subain near Tapovan, about 17 km east of Joshimath. According to Hindu belief, when evil is on the rise in this world, the two mountains Nara and Narayan at Badrinath will close up on each other and destroy the route to the present Badrinath. This would also mark the end of the present world and the beginning of a new one. Lord Badrinath will then appear at the Bhavishya Badri temple and be worshipped here instead of at the present one.
Bridha Badri or the 'Old Badri'
Bridha Badri or the 'old Badri' is the third temple about 7 kms short of Joshimath, on the main Rishikesh-Badrinath motor road at Animath. It is believed that Badrinath was worshipped here before its enshrinement by Shankaracharya at the main Badrinath seat. The temple of Bridha Badri is open throughout the year.
Adi Badri
Adi Badri is the farthest from the other four badris. It is approachable from Karnaprayag by a motorable road enroute Ranikhet. The temple complex has 16 small temples with intricate carvings.

Seven of these temples belong to the late Gupta period. Local tradition assigns these buildings to Shankaracharya. The main temple is distinguished by a pyramid shaped raised platform, with a black stone idol of Vishnu.

General Information :-

Area:	3 sq km.
Altitude:	3133 m.
Season:	From opening to closing, generally from April to November.
Clothing:	Heavy woolen garments required through out.

Attractions of Badrinath

Badrinath Temple
On the right bank of Alaknanda lies the sacred spot perched at an altitude of 3,133 metres above the sea level. Encircled by a beautiful valley, the 15mtrs. High temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is built in the form of a cone with a small cupola of gilt bull and spire. Built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya - the philosopher-saint of the 8th century, the temple has been renovated several times due to damage by avalanches. Its colourful 'Singh Dwara' or the main entrance gate gives it a new, modern look.

The temple divided into three parts - the 'garbha griba' or sanctum sanctorum, the 'darshan mandap' where the rituals are conducted and the 'sabha mandap'where devotees assemble.The complex has 15 idols. Especially attractive is the one metre high image of Badrinath, finely sculpted in black stone. It represents Lord Vishnu seated in meditative pose.
Tapt Kund
Devotees take a holy dip in the natural thermal springs on the banks of the river Alaknanda, before entering the Badrinath Temple. The water of the kund is believed to have medicinal properties.
Hemkund Sahib (43 kms.)
Near the Valley of Flowers is the holy lake Hemkund- an important pilgrimage of the Sikhs and Hindus. Along its shores is the sacred Sikh Shrine where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru unified with God after prolonged mediation in his previous birth.
Nearby is the Lakshman Temple where Lakshman - the brother of Lord Rama performed his penance. The reflection of surrounding snow-clad peaks in its placid waters offers a scenic sight.
Brahma Kapal
A flat platform on the bank of river Alaknanda where Hindus perform propitiating rites for their deceased ancestors.
Neelkanth
A Pyramidical-shaped snowy peak towering above Badrinath, popularly known as the 'Garhwal Queen'.
Mana Village (4 kms.)
Inhabited by Indo-Mangolian tribe, it is considered to be the last Indian village before Tibet on this route. Nearby are Vyas Gufa- the rock cave of saint Ved Vyas, the writer of Mahabharata; Bhim Pul- a natural bridge over the Saraswati river and Vasundhara Falls- a 122 mts. high waterfall- all forming and important part of the pilgrimage to Badrinath.
Mata Murti Temple (3 kms.)
On the right bank of Alaknanda stands the temple dedicated to the mother of Sri Badrinathji.
Alka Puri (15 kms.)
The source of Alaknanda river from the glacier snouts of Bhagirath- Kharak and Satopanth glaciers.
Satopanth (25 kms.)
A three cornered lake with a circumference of about 1 km., situated at an elevation of 4,402 mts. above sea level. It is named ater the Hindu triad- Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who are believed to occupy one corner each of the lake. The trek is hazardous with dramatic landscapes. An experienced guide is advisable. Govindghat (25 kms.)
The confluence of Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers. It has an imposing Gurudwara named after Guru Gobind Singh.
Joshimath (44 kms.)
The winter home of Shri Badrinathji is situated on the slopes above the confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. It is one of the four 'maths' established by Adi Guru Shankaracharya.
Panch Prayag
The five important confluences- Deoprayag, Nandprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Vishuprayag, form the Panch Prayag.
Deoprayag
The confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers. Ancient stone scriptures are found here. Important pilgrim spots are Shiv Temple and Raghunath Temple.
Rudraprayag
The confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The temples of Rudranath and Chamunda Devi are noteworthy.
Nandprayag
The confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The Gopalji Temple is worth a visit.
Karnaprayag
The confluence of Alaknanda and Pindar rivers with temples of Uma and Karna.
Vishnuprayag
The confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers. An ancient temple of Lord Vishnu stands here by a pool called Vishnu Kund.
Srinagar
The old capital of Garhwal, it is an important cultural and educational centre. Places to visit include Kamleshwar and Kilkeshwar temples and the Shankar Math.

Photos of Badrinath


Tapt kund - Badrinath	Badrinath Temple

How to Reach Badrinath:

Airport
Jolly Grant (317 kms.)
Railhead
Rishikesh (300 kms.), Kotdwar (327 kms.)
Road
Well connected to Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun, Kotdwar and other hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region.

Tourist Information Centre for Badrinath
Tourist Office, Bus Station,
Gopeshwar, Tel.:01372-252468.
Yatra Office : Yatra Office, GMVN Ltd., AGM (Tourism), Modern Reception Centre.
(Advance Reservation Centre) Shail Vihar, Haridwar Bye Pass Road, Rishikesh - 249201.
Tel.: 0135-2431793, 2432648, 2430799, 2430357(R).
Fax: 0135-2430372.
Email: yatra@gmvnl.com, yatraoffice@sancharnet.in

names of 12 Jyotirlinga of Lord Shankar

2011-03-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

According to Linga Purana once Brahma and Vishnu started fighting over who was the supreme being. Suddenly, there appeared a Sivalinga before them as a huge column of fire. Both of them decided to find one end each. Whoever returned first would be acknowledged as supreme. Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and went down. Brahma, in the form of a swan, flew upwards. They searched for days but in vain. Then Shiva appeared in the fiery column. Brahma and Vishnu realised their mistake and acknowledged Shiva as the Supreme Being. The Shivalinga represents that column of fire as 12 Jyotirlingas.

There are 12 famous Jyotirlingas where Lord Shiva appeared in the form of light (Jyothi) lingam. These have been worshipped from time immemorial. They are mentioned in the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra given here.


Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga	Bhimashankara	Kedarnath


Mahakaleswar	Mallikarjuna	Omkaresswar


Somnath	Trayembakeswar	Rameshwaram


Nagneswar	Kashi Vishwanath	Grishneswar

Hindu Baby Names

2011-03-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Aakarshan - attraction
Abha - lustrous beauty
Abhay - a son of Dharma
Abhijit - a constellation dear to Hari
Achal - steady, mountainous
Achyuta - a name of Vishnu
Adhira - lightning
Adishree - exalted
Aditi - free and unbounded
Aditya - lord of the sun
Ahimsa - nonviolent virtue
Ajatashatru - a name of Vishnu
Ajay - unconquerable, god
Akaash - sky
Akshay - name of a God
Akuti - princess
Amal - bright, clean, pure; hope, wish, dream
Amandeep - light of peace
Amar - forever
Ambar - sky
Amberley - the sky
Ambika - goddess of destruction
Amit - endless
Amita - without limits
Amrit - nectar
Amrita - immortality
Amulya - priceless
Anand - bliss, happiness
Angada - a son of Lakshmana
Anika - very beautiful, graceful
Anjuman - a party place (mehfil)
Annapurna - one of the Hindu Goddesses
Anniruddha - son of Pradyummna
Anoop - incomparable, the best
Anuradha - a bright star
Anusree - pretty
Aolani - Cloud from Heaven
Aparna - same as Parvati
Arjun - one of the Pandavas
Aruna - radiance
Asha - hope, life
Ashish - blessings
Ashwin - strong horse
Asija - a great sage, brother of Brihaspati
Askini - daughter of Prajapati Virat
Asmita - pride
Asuman - lord of vital breaths
Asvathama - sun of drona
Asvin - (Nasatya and Dasra) gods of medicine
Athalia - God is exalted, the lord is mighty
Atharvan - knower of the Arthara vedas
Atmaja - daughter
Atmajyoti - light of Atma
Atman - the self
Avanti - ancient Malwa
Avasa - independent
Ayushmati - person who has a long life
Baka - crane
Balavan - powerful
Bali - Mighty warrior
Bansari - Bansuri
Bel - sacred wood apple tree
Bhoomi - earth
Bhrigu - a Prajapati
Bhudev - lord of the earth
Bina - a musical instrument, intelligence
Chaitra - aries sign
Chander - moon
Chane - name of a god, dependability
Chhaya - shadow
Chitra - portrait
Dahana - a Rudra
Damini - lightning
Darshan - a god's name
Dattatreya - a son of Atri, a god
Deepika - a little light
Devaki - black, mother of Krishna
Devarsi - sage of the Devas
Devi - resides in heaven
Dhananjay - Arjuna
Dharuna - a rishi
Dhatri - a son of Vishnu, Lakshmi
Dilip - a king, ancestor of Rama
Divya - heavenly, brilliant
Drisana - daughter of the sun
Dristi - sight, a form of the Devi
Duranjaya - a heroic son
Durga - unreachable
Durjaya - difficult to conquer
Ekachakra - son of Kashyapa
Eknath - poet, saint
Elina - pure, intelligent
Falgun - month in the Hindu calendar
Gajendra - elephant king
Ganesa - good luck
Ganesh - a Hindu God
Gauri - yellow
Gayatri - mother of the Vedas
Gopal - Lord Krishna
Harsh - joy
Hastin - elephant
Hema - snow, himalayas
Hinda - female deer
Inayat - kindness
Indira - India
Indra - God of rain and thunder
Indrina - deep
Ira - watchful, descendant
Iravan - son of Arjuna/Uloopi
Isha - one who protects
Ishana - rich
Jafar - little stream
Jaina - good character
Jaya - name of a God, victory
Jayani - a sakti of Ganesha
Jayant - victorious, a Rudra
Jayne - victorious
Jeevan - life
Jimuta - one of 108 names of the Sun God
Jivana - one of 108 names of the Sun God
Jivin - to give life
Jyoti - light
Kajal - eyeliner
Kala - time, black
Kalidas - the poet, musician
Kalkin - tenth incarnation of God Vishnu
Kamadev - god of love
Kamakshi - a Devi, same as Lalita
Kamal - lotus flower, name of a God
Kamna - desire
Kanak - gold
Kanchana - a celestial Apsara, gold
Kantha - name of a God
Kapil - name of a rishi
Karka - crab
Kartikeya - Subramanyam, Skanda, son of Shiva and Parvati
Kaveri - sacred river of India
Kavi - poet
Kavindra - mighty poet
Kavita - poem
Kedar - mountain lord, powerful
Kerani - sacred bells
Keshav - Krishna's name
Kimatra - seduce
Kintan - wearing a crown
Kiran - ray
Kirit - crown, tiara
Kirti - fame, a form of the Devi
Kripa - has a twin sister Kripi
Kriti - a work of art
Kshama - forgiveness, patience, a form of the Devi
Kusagra - a king
Kush - son of Rama
Lakshman - brother of Rama
Lakshya - target
Lalasa - love
Lavani - grace
Lolaksi - a sakti of Ganesha
Madhav - Krishna
Madhu - honey
Madhur - sweet
Madhusudhana - Krishna
Mahabala - strength
Mahavira - son of Priyavrata
Maitreya - disciple of sage Parasara
Maitryi - friendship
Malati - small fragrant flower
Maliha - strong, beautiful
Malina - tower, dark
Mamta - mother's love for child, wife of sage Asija
Mandara - mythical tree
Mandeep - light of heart
Mandhatri - prince
Manisha - sharp intellect, genius, sagacity
Marisa - mother of Daksa
Markandeya - a sage
Matanga - sage, advisor to Devi Lalita
Matangi - a Devi
Matrika - mother, name of goddess
Maya - divine creative forse in everything
Mayon - the black God
Medha - intelligence, a form of the Devi
Meena - precious stone
Meghana - raincloud
Mehul - A derivative of Mukul
Mela - religious gathering
Mena - mother of Menaka
Menaka - celestial damsel
Mesha - ram, born under the sign of Aries
Mitali - friend
Mohan - charming
Mohini - most beautiful
Mukta - means a pearl in Telugu
Naina - eyes
Namdev - poet, saint
Nandin - the delightful, follower of Shiva
Narayana - Vishnu
Narmada - name of a river
Narsi - poet, saint
Nartana - makes others dance
Neel - blue
Neelam - sapphire
Neerja - lotus flower
Neha - rain
Nidra - a form of the Devi
Nihar - mist, fog, dew
Niju - Pansophist
Nilini - perpetuator of the Kuru race
Nimai - name of Lord Krishna
Niraj - lotus flower
Niramitra - son of pandava Sahadeva
Nirvana - deep silence, ultimate bliss
Nisha - night
Nishad - the musical note Ni
Nitara - deeply rooted
Nitya - goddess Parvati
NityaSundara - good-looking
Niyati - fate
Padma - Goddess Lakshmi
Pandita - scholar
Pankaj - lotus flower
Paramartha - great entity
Paras - touchstone
Parnika - auspicious Apsara
Parnita - auspicious Apsara
Parth - A name given to Arjun by Lord Krishna
Partha - A name given to Arjun by Lord Krishna
Parthivi - the Goddess Sita
Parvani - full moon
Parvati - the Goddess Sarasvati
Parveen - star
Payal - anklet
Phoolan - flower
Pivari - a wife of Sukha
Piyali - tree
Pooja - prayer
Prabha - lustrous
Prabhakar - cause of lustre
Prabhati - morning
Pradeep - light
Pradeepta - glowing
Pragati - progress
Pragya - wisdom
Prama - knowing truth
Pramada - woman
Pramsu - A scholar
Pranati - prayer
Pranav - OM
Pranay - love, romance
Prapti - gain
Prasata - father of Draupad
Prashanti - peace
Prassana - cheerful
Pratik - symbol
Pratima - image
Praveen - proficient
Preeti - love
Prem - love
Preyasi - beloved
Prita - dear one
Prithu - first Ksatriya, son of Vena
Priti - satisfaction, renowned wife of Pulastya/Sukha
Pritika - beloved
Privrata - son of Satarupa
Priya - loved one, darling
Pundarik - white in colour
Purujit - conqueror of many
Purvaja - elder sister
Pusan - a sage
Pusti - nourishment, a form of the Devi, wife of Ganapati
Radhika - a form of the Devi, 5th Sakti, wife of Krishna
Raivata - a Manu
Rajendra - God
Ram - Lord Rama
Ramanuja - a saint
Ramya - elegant, beautiful
Rani - a queen
Rantidev - devotee of Narayana
Rati - a Devi
Ratri - night
Ravi - benevolent, sun God
Rekha - straight line
Reshma - silky
Revati - wife of Balarama
Riddhi - Siddhi will follow
Rina - queen
Rishab - the musical note Re
Rohana - sandalwood
Rohit - red color
Roshni - light
Rudrani - a wife of Shiva
Sachchit - Truth, Consciousness
Sachi - bliss-child; wife of Indra
Sagar - king
Sagara - ocean
Sahadev - prince
Saheli - friend
Sahen - falcon
Sahib - sir
Sahiba - lady
Sahila - guide
Sajili - decorated
Sajni - beloved
Sakti - energy, goodness
Saloni - dear, beautiful
Samir - wind
Sampriti - attachment
Samudra - lord of the ocean
Sanchay - collection
Sandeep - Rishi (Sega of Gods), named after Sandipani Rishi
Sandya - sunset time, name of a God
Sangita - musical
Sanjna - wife of the Sun
Sanjula - beautiful
Sapna - dream
Sarasvati - a Goddess
Sarika - thrush
Sarisha - charming
Sarita - stream, river
Sarmistha - a daughter of Vrsaparvan
Sarngin - name of God Vishnu
Sarojin - lotus-like
Saryu - A river in Ramayana
Satayu - brother of Amavasu and Vivasu
Satruijt - a son of Vatsa
Satyavati - mother of Vyasa
Saunak - boy sage
Savarna - daughter of the ocean
Savita - sun
Savitri - a form of the Devi, 4th Sakti
Seema - symbol
Sesha - serpent who symbolizes time
Sevati - white rose
Sevita - beloved
Shaili - style
Shamita - peacemaker
Shanata - peaceful
Shashi - the moon, moonbeam
Shashwat - ever lasting
Sheetal - cool
Shiv - Lord Shiva
Shreya - auspicious
Shri - lustre
Shrijani - creative
Shruti - hearing
Siddhi - then you must have a Riddhi
Simoni - obedient
Simran - God's Gift
Singh - lion
Smita - smiling
Smriti - recollection, a form of the Devi
Somatra - excelling the moon
Sona - gold
Sonakshi - golden eye
Sonal - golden
Sonika - golden
Sraddha - faith, a wife of Shiva
Subhadra - a wife of Arjuna
Subhaga - a fortunate person
Subhuja - auspicious Apsara
Sudesha - a son of Krishna
Sudeva - good Deva
Sudevi - wife of Krishna
Sukarman - reciter of 1000 Samhitas
Sukumar - tender
Sumadhur - very sweet
Sumantu - Atharva Veda was assigned to him
Sunita - a daughter of Dharma
Suparna - leafy
Suprabha - radiant
Supriya - Su means good and "Priya" means "loved one"
Surabhi - wish-yielding cow
Suravinda - a beautiful Yaksa
Surotama - auspicious Apsara
Surya - the sun
Sushanti - peace
Sushmita - smiling
Susila - wife of Krishna, clever in amorous sciences
Suvrata - a child of Daksa
Swarupa - truth
Taksa - a son of Bharata
Tara - rocky hill, tower
Thaman - name of a god
Trishna - thirst, a form of the Devi
Tulasi - a Devi
Tusti - peace, happiness, a for of the Devi
Uma - nation, mother, horse
Unnati - progress
Upendra - an element
Urjavaha - of the Nimi dynasty
Urmila - wife of Lakshmana
Urvasi - most beautiful of Apsaras
Uttam - 3rd Manu
Uttara - mother of Pariksit
Vairaja - son of Virat
Vaninadh - Husband of Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge)
Variya - excellent one
Varsha - rain
Varun - lord of the waters
Varuni - a goddess
Vasanta - spring
Vasava - Indra
Vasavi - mentaldaughter of the Pitrs
Vasuman - born of fire
Vasumati - apsara of unequalled splendour
Vedanga - vedas
Vidvan - scholar
Vidya - wisdom, knowledge
Vikas - progress
Vikram - glorious king
Vimala - pure, sakti of the Gayatri Devi
Vinata - humble, mother of Garuda
Vinay - good behaviour
Vinaya - good behaviour
Virat - supreme being
Visala - celestial Apsara
Visvajit - one who conquers the universe
Visvakarman - architect, son of Yogasiddha
Visvayu - brother of Amavasuand Satayu
Vivatma - universal soul
Vrinda - virtue and strength
Yaksha - a sister of Daksha
Zev - deer, wolf

Symbols in Hinduism

2011-03-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hinduism is rich in symbolism. Many acts of worship, such as puja, are symbolic, a form of visualisation in which worshippers simulate activities normally performed on higher planes of existence. Thus the scope of symbolism is broad and includes physical acts such as offering pranam(obeisances) with folded hands. Such physical gestures tend to induce the appropriate mood and awareness within the practitioner. Many symbols are considered auspicious, embodying the notion of inner purity. Sacred emblems are displayed in the home or temple to invoke good fortune. The most popular symbols are listed on the right.

Aum, also written "Om" and called pranava, is the most important Hindu symbol. Its prolonged intonation is associated with the primeval sound through which the universe was created. It is thought to contain all things. It consists of three syllables — a-u-m — which are sounded progressively from the throat to the lips. The three sounds are considered to symbolise many items, but perhaps most importantly the three states of consciousness – waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. The entire symbol represents the fourth state, which is the awareness of one's own spiritual identity. Aum is the most important mula (root) mantra and is thus chanted at the beginning of many prayers, mantras, and rituals.

Hindu people greet each other by placing their two hands together and slightly bowing the head, whilst saying namaste or a similar phrase. They adopt the same posture when greeting the temple deity or a holy person. Thus when greeting another person, a Hindu is offering respect to the soul within (atman) and also to God within the heart (Paramatman).

Ten Important Symbols

Om (Aum) – the most important Hindu symbol, often used as the emblem of Hinduism (see above).
Hands in prayer – a sign of respect for the sacred, that which is dear to the heart (see above).
Lotus (padma) – symbol of purity/transcendence. Growing out of the mud, it is beautiful, and though resting on water, it does not touch it.
Conchshell – used during arati: one of the four symbols of Vishnu. The others are the lotus, club and disc.
Swastika – an ancient solar sign considered to invoke auspiciousnes.
Trident (trishul) – the symbol of Shiva; often carried by Shaivite sannyasis (renunciates).
Kalasha – coconut circled by mango leaves on a pot. Often used in rituals such as the fire sacrifice.
Cow – symbol of purity, motherhood and ahimsa (non-violence).
Lotus feet (of guru or deity) – touching the feet of superiors shows an attitude of submission and service.
Dipa/lamp – symbol of light.

Hanuman Ji Wallpapers

2011-03-12T05:29:00.000-08:00

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Were the Anunnaki alien race, the same hindu gods???

2011-03-07T20:54:00.000-08:00

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread556312/pg1

HOLY TRINITY, THE UNIQUE AND REMARKABLE TEAM OF GOD

2011-03-07T20:41:00.001-08:00

Trinity.
How would you imagine the unexplainable Nature of God as three persons? Seems too impossible; let's admit that, for no one can know exactly who God is. Many Christian believers don't easily believe in the doctrine of Trinity, because they believe God has only One Person, that is, Him alone as a Unitary Soul existing with many manifestations. Trinity is a unique description, which tantamount to human expression for infinity, which difficultly explain the type of matter or reality.

EVIDENCE I: The Original Hebrew Translations Supporting Trinity
Take note of the most used verse in confronting Trinitarians - Deuteronomy 6:4. Although we believe that God is One, and Christianity believing in One God, this does not mean trinity is a big mistake. The original word used in this verse referring to God as One is "Echad" which means "Unitary One"; however, Jews, instead of it, use "Yachid" to refer to God as "Numeric One". Unitary One explains that God has a mysterious nature of having more than One Person, which was lost when the Jews shortly after the rise of Christianity replaced "Echad" with "Yachid" which makes a different and worse belief on our Creator as One being easily described as Solitary One, meaning, as One Entity, other than this no more and no less. In Genesis and Isaiah, God in Hebrew "Elohim" (plural of "El" which can only mean of God's unique Persons) has been the Antecedent of the pronoun, "Us" like in "Let Us create man in our image and likeness (Genesis 1:26)", "behold, the man has become one of Us (Genesis 3:22)" and "Who will go for Us? (Isaiah 6:8)" However, this is why Trinity was considered as a big fault considering such simple explanations yet it was not; due to this catastrophe, later centuries, theologians began to question and search for clues on such existence of Trinity. Fortunately, "Trinity" had been recovered as one of the indispensable doctrines of the Holy Word in the late centuries. Men should not make God's Nature as if it is very comprehensible, like having an arithmetic to be studied for clarification and for the sake of the students. What is impossible to man is possible to God! LUKE 18:27.If many of the extremists claim that Trinity is not said in the Bible, then why does the word "monotheism" (believing One God) never exist in the Bible too? Though both do not appear exactly in the bible, their ideas are set completely in the Word. Therefore, the word "Trinity" had already existed before, and never started at the Council of Nicea and formulated a dogma, Nicean Creed confirming Trinity. The reason why the Council of Nicea had to come up with this matter was because the apostles were martyred within the Third Century, which may only mean the possible fall of the integrity and unity of Christianity due at time. By this the Church divided into two major groups at that time: the Gnostic Christians (abounded in Egypt, the ones who were emphasizing further knowledge about Christ's humanity based on human interpretations) and the Pauline Christians (abounded in Turkey, Jerusalem, and most countries in Europe, who were under Apostle Paul, that is, believing the importance of Deity of Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection). On the third Century, it was Constantine's idea to unite the Christian bishops from every church within the three continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa. It was then believed that the bishops who were there formed the Council of Nicea which had a meeting for theological premises and agreement; one of the premises was in fact drew in the doctrine of the Three Persons commonly emphasized in the New Testament. Although the word "Trinity" did not appear as a term in the bible, which some people believe that this is published by the Council under the command of Constantine in 4th Century A.D., the earlier and practical believers already set a belief on One Father who is the Almighty God, and His Son Jesus, whom He sent and conceived by the Divine Spirit, that is, making a point to the significance of the Three Persons. In other words, they believed the doctrine of trinity in a way it expresses not as a convincing vocabulary, but as a convincing unification of God's Nature in practical sense. No man has ever explained best about Trinity, since if he would, he might lose his head!

EVIDENCE II: THE REQUIREMENT IN BAPTISM AND SALVATION
The Greatest Commission was declared by Jesus before He had to ascend to heaven and send the Holy Spirit to men. MATTHEW 28:19-20 says "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Take note the noun, "Name"; there could be something odd about this word. Why? Old Testament scholars know that the Name being pertained here could be possibly the word "YHWH" (Indicating Jehovah or Yahweh meaning 'I am the One who Is')" which in the New Testament, the Hebrew word "Yahweh" is too much worthy to be pronounced in Greek and Latin versions, hence, declaring it as LORD, instead which is also pertaining to God. Despite the fact of that YHWH is so majestic, there is a Name which is given to be known from generations to generations, that is, the name "Jesus" (a variant of the Hebrew word, Joshua, Jehoshua, Yeshua, or Yehoshua) which also means "YHWH who saves" considered as the Savior of men MATTHEW 3:16-17 depicts the existence of the Three Persons during Baptism. In the Old Testament, Jesus is strongly pertained to as the Branch (Zechariah 6:12), the Servant (Zechariah 3:8), the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6), the Alpha and Omega who is coming soon, who was dead, now alive forever and ever (Isaiah 44:6 confirmed in Revelations 22:12-13,18), the Arm of the Lordwho saves had persevered and died for our sins (Psalms 98:1 & Isaiah 53), the Lord of Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6) a title given for a Messiah. In our case, Baptism should be bonded by the Seal of God's existence, the Three Persons: One who will join us to death and resurrect us to Life, The Other One who will engrave a seal of fire in our hearts all throughout our days, and the One who will confirm delight and salvation on us for eternity.

EVIDENCE III: THE TEAM OF GOD
2 Corinthians 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." Inside the Church, it is very important to acknowledge the Presence of the Three Persons. This is to declare the God's Unique Nature. God's purpose is to see the church as One with God and with its members inside, as God's Three Persons are one in the absolute team.

THE FALLACY I
TRINITY AS TRITHEISM (BASIS OF PAGAN BELIEF)

The Bible does not teach that God has been divided into three entities, the First God, the Second God and the Third God. Otherwise, the concept of Trinity would be a pagan belief like that of Hinduism recognizing three powerful triads (Brahma [the creator], Vishnu [the sustainer] and Shiva [the destroyer), like that of Greek Myths recognizing three unitary gods (Zeus [ruling heaven], Poseidon [ruling earth and ocean], and Hades [ruling the underworld]). ISAIAH 44:6 -There is Only One God, beside him are false. Trinity is depicted as a Triangle with the Three Persons at each corner representing "God" at the center field, NOT, Three gods at each corner. TAKE NOTE: In terms of relationships, do not explain "Divine Trinity" with simple explanations as Three Entities of man: The Flesh (Greek word, "Sarx"), The Soul (The Greek word, "Psyche" which is also considered the Spirit, "Pneuma") and the Body (The Greek word, "Soma"), or with the molecular composition of the Ice as Solid in original form, as Liquid in intense heat, and as Gases in terms of evaporation in the atmosphere; otherwise, God's persons will remain as limited and possible for men at all times to consider.

There are some reasons why Trinity should not be compared with concrete examples:

1. TRINITY IS NOT LIKE MAN'S EMBODIMENT (BODY, SOUL [SPIRIT], AND FLESH)
-If a man has three parts to make him whole as an existent being, then man is an explainable and limited, whereas Trinity does not explain three parts, but as Three persons. Man can be called flesh, man can also be called a soul, and man can certainly be called a body, but man's parts are separable, unlike God's: The Father remains God and cannot separate with the Two Members of the Trinity as depicted in the Baptism of Jesus. The Son remains God (Philippians 2:6), and same with the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). Thus, the Three Persons of the Trinity is inseparable. In addition, the man has a beginning in the creation, whereas the Trinity does not have any beginning. God already existed in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), even the Holy Spirit of God that hovered the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:2) and of course Jesus in the form of the "Word" (pertained to John 1:1) as God said, "Let there be..." (Genesis 1:3). Thus, the Three Persons of the Trinity have no beginning, but they are the Beginning.

2. TRINITY IS NOT LIKE MOLECULAR COMPOSITION OF ICE
-in Physics, when heat energy is absorbed by a matter, especially in low-temperature matter like Ice, the matter undergoes "Physical Change". Therefore, ice is changeable. Whenever the ice changes its phase, it can no longer be called Ice. If Ice turns liquid, it is already called Water. If Ice turns gas, it is already called Vapor. Unlike God's, The Three Persons remain unchanged; if the God who is known as the Father does not change (Malachi 3:6), Jesus is still the Same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and the Holy Spirit who promises and seals our salvation throughout our days (Ephesians 1:13), then it only means that the Three Persons of the Trinity is unchangeable. When Jesus turned flesh (John 1:12), He still existed as God who is in the Flesh that would dwell among His people, and has been given the title Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14,8:8) which means in Hebrew, "God is with us" prophesied in the Old Testament.

THE FALLACY II
TRINITY AS MANIFESTATIONS (BASIS OF NUMERIC ONENESS)
Yes, it is true that God is One. We can't deny that fact though. The problem relies on how many people believe that God is automatically in One Person; this belief is called "Oneness". Oneness explains that God is Numeric One Person who has many manifestations, thus, the Three Persons are God's manifestations or major roles -meaning, Jesus is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Such thing can twist the fact that Jesus appears as the Son of God, and definitely neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit. 1JOHN 5:7-8 obviously declares God's Three different Persons but AGREE in one, although there are times that we fail to distinguish them in terms of manifestations, hence, we centralize our minds and hearts instead to One God in Spirit and in Truth with respect to such common words like "Lord", "Healer", and "Savior", because these may pertain to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit. There is a strong debate concerning Isaiah 9:6 which explains that the Son of God can be called as the "Everlasting Father", however, if all of us would study the whole books of the New Testament, Jesus is never pertained to the Father whom He glorified, and revealed, although we believe He is God, but since Jesus represents the Son, it is very erroneous to equate Him with that position as the Father. It is said in Psalms 110:1, "The LORD (YHWH, the Father) said to my Lord (David's Adonai, the Son, the Messiah), Sit at my right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool."

THE FALLACY III
TRINITY AS BINITARIANISM (BASIS OF DIVINE PARTERNERSHIP)
One of the worst things to consider is that the Holy Spirit is out of the team. There are some religions, almost with the Jehovah Witnesses, considering only the Father and the Son as the central object of Divine worship. It is understood in ACTS 5:3-4 that the Holy Spirit is equal to God. Besides, The Old Testament has many verses there acknowledging the Holy Spirit as God's very own Presence.

****Trinity is a Wonderful, Invincible, Inseparable, Immortal, Incredible, Unlimited, Indispensable, and Unexplainable Existence of God. It is a team wherein this created the foundations of the universe, the salvation of humanity, and accomplishing Divine Glory in terms of Divine manifestations throughout history and time.****

Hinduism for Beginners

2011-03-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

If you're new to this faith, here's where to begin. In this simple introduction to a complex religion, get your basic questions on Hinduism answered and explained in brief.

What is Hinduism?:

Hinduism is the world's oldest extant religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world's third largest religion. Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India, characterized by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and the desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

Read More: How do you define Hinduism?

How is Hinduism unique from other religions?:

Hinduism cannot be neatly slotted into any particular belief system. Unlike other religions, Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the law that governs all action. It has its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology. The religious tradition of Hinduism is solely responsible for the creation of such original concepts and practices as Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu, Jyotish, Yajna, Puja, Tantra, Vedanta, Karma, etc.

Read More: The Uniqueness of Hinduism

How and when did Hinduism originate?:

Hinduism has its origins in such remote past that it cannot be traced to any one individual. Some scholars believe that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000 B.C. and that the earliest of the Hindu scriptures – The Rig Veda – was composed well before 6500 B.C. The word "Hinduism" is not to be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term "Hindu" was introduced by foreigners who referred to people living across the River Indus or Sindhu, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is believed to have originated.

Read More: Theories About the Origin of Hinduism

What are the basic tenets of Hinduism?:

There is no “one Hinduism”, and so it lacks any unified system of beliefs and ideas. Hinduism is a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, in which the prominent themes include:

Dharma (ethics and duties)
Samsara (rebirth)
Karma (right action)
Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara)

It also believes in truth, honesty, non-violence, celibacy, cleanliness, contentment, prayers, austerity, perseverance, penance, and pious company.

Read More: The Main Tenets of Hinduism

What are the key Hindu scriptures?:

The basic scriptures of Hinduism, which is collectively referred to as "Shastras", are essentially a collection of spiritual laws discovered by different saints and sages at different points in its long history. The Two types of sacred writings comprise the Hindu scriptures: "Shruti" (heard) and "Smriti" (memorized). They were passed on from generation to generation orally for centuries before they were written down mostly in the Sanskrit language. The major and most popular Hindu texts include the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Read More: The Sacred Texts of the Hindus

What are the major Hindu deities?:

Hinduism believes that there is only one supreme Absolute called "Brahman". However, it does not advocate the worship of any one particular deity. The gods and goddesses of Hinduism amount to thousands or even millions, all representing the many aspects of Brahman. Therefore, this faith is characterized by the multiplicity of deities. The most fundamental of Hindu deities is the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - creator, preserver and destroyer respectively. Hindus also worship spirits, trees, animals and even planets.

Read More: Gods & Goddesses in Hinduism

Who is a Hindu and how to become one?:

A Hindu is an individual who accepts and lives by the religious guidance of the Vedic scriptures. While the teachings of the Hindu tradition do not require that you have a religious affiliation to Hinduism in order to receive its inner teachings, it can be very helpful to formally become a Hindu because it provides one a formal connection to the “world's oldest continually existing enlightenment tradition."

Read More: Who is a Hindu?

Ayyappa

2011-03-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

"Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa" (Give me shelter, Lord Ayyappa!)
- Popular Hindu Mantra in Malayam

Ayyappa, the son of Vishnu & Shiva

Lord Ayyappan or simply Ayyappa (also spelled as Ayappa) is a popular Hindu deity worshiped mainly in South India. Ayyaappa is believed to be born out of the union between Lord Shiva and the mythical enchantress Mohini, who is regarded as an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Ayyappa is also known as 'Hariharan Puthiran' or 'Hariharputhra,' which literally means the son of both 'Hari' or Vishnu and 'Haran' or Shiva.

Why Ayyappa is called Manikandan

Ayyappa is also commonly known as 'Manikandan' because, according to the legend of his birth, his divine parents tied a golden bell (mani) around his neck (kandan) soon after his birth. As the legend goes, when Shiva and Mohini abandoned the baby on the banks of the Pampa river, King Rajashekhara, the childless monarch of Pandalam, found the newborn Ayyappa and accepted him as a divine gift and adopted him as his own son.

Why the Gods Created Ayyappa

The legendary story of the genesis of Lord Ayyappa in the Puranas or ancient scriptures is intriguing. After Goddess Durga killed the demon king Mahishasur, his sister, Mahishi, set out to avenge her brother. She carried Lord Brahma's boon that only the child born of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva could slay her, or, in other words, she was indestructible. To save the world from annihilation, Lord Vishnu, incarnated as Mohini, wed Lord Shiva and out of their union Lord Ayyappa was born.

The Story of Ayyappa's Childhood

After King Rajashekhara adopted Ayyappa, his own biological son Raja Rajan was born. Both the boys grew up in a princely manner. Ayyappa or Manikantan was intelligent and excelled in martial arts and the knowledge of various "shastras" or scriptures. He surprised everyone by his superhuman powers. Upon completing his princely training and studies when he offered 'gurudakshina' or fee to his guru, themaster aware of his divine power asked him for a blessing of sight and speech for his blind and dumb son. Manikantan placed his hand on the boy and the miracle happened.

Royal Conspiracy Against Ayyappa

When it was time to name the heir to the throne, King Rajashekhara wanted Ayyappa or Manikantan, but the queen wanted her own son to be the king. She plotted with the diwanor minister and her physician to kill Manikantan. Feigning illness, the queen made her physician ask for an impossible remedy - lactating tigress's milk. When no one could procure it, Manikantan volunteered to go, much against his father's will. On the way he chanced upon the demon Mahishi and slew her on the banks of the river Azhutha. Manikandan then entered the forest for tigress' milk where he met Lord Shiva and at his behest sat on the tiger, and came back to the palace.

The Deification of Lord Ayyappa

The King had already understood the queen's machinations against his son and begged Manikantan's forgiveness. Manikantan then left for his heavenly abode after telling the king to build a temple at Sabari, so that his memories could be perpetuated on earth. When the construction was complete, Lord Parasuram sculpted the figure of Lord Ayyappa and installed it on the day of Makar Sankranti. Thus, Lord Ayyappa was deified.

The Worship of Lord Ayyappa

Lord Ayyappa is believed to have laid down strict religious adherence to receive his blessings. First, the devotees should observe a 41-day penance before visiting him in the temple. They should maintain abstinence from physical pleasures and family ties and live like a celibate or 'brahmachari.' They should also continuously contemplate on the goodness of life. Moreover, the devotees have to bathe in the holy river Pampa, adorn themselves with three-eyed coconut and 'aantha' garland and then brave the steep climb of the 18 stairs to the Sabarimala temple.

The Famous Pilgrimage to Sabarimala

Sabarimala in Kerala is the most famous Ayyappa shrine visited by over 50 million devotees it every year, making it one of the most popular pilgrimages in the world. Pilgrims from around the country brave the dense forests, steep hills and inclement weather to seek the blessings of Ayyappa on the 14h day of January, known as Makar Sankranti or Pongal, when the Lord himself is said to descend in the form of light. The devotees then accept 'prasada' or the Lord's food offerings and descend the 18 steps walking backwards with their faces turned towards the Lord
.

Is Barack Obama a secret...Hindu?

2011-03-07T20:08:00.001-08:00

No. Absolutely, unequivocally he is not. He is a Christian. For months now there have been slanderous and bigoted emails circulating around the internet suggesting that he is really a “secret Muslim.” This further appeals to the most base fears of a small portion of Americans who are just scared that the potential leader of the free world might end up being a man of color with a “funny name.” Snopes.com in particular does a fantastic job at discrediting all the false Obama rumors. However, my very observant friend Arun in L.A. sent me the following email with a link to a picture in Time Magazine. Says Arun:

I spend an extraordinarily unhealthy amount of time surveying political blogs for the most minute of minutia on the election. Mostly I marvel at the absolute inanity of most punditry (see: Stephanopolous, George) and the fact I’m stupid enough to waste time reading it. Occasionally, I’m surprised by something particularly astute or though-provoking (usually the blogs at the Atlantic). However, this picture caught me completely off-guard:

Caption from Time: Amongst the things that Barack Obama carries for good luck are a bracelet belonging to a soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler’s lucky chit, a tiny monkey god and a tiny Madonna and child.

Yes SM readers, that is correct. The Democratic nominee for President carries Hanuman with him for good luck (although to beat McCain, who carries a penny, he might need to upgrade to this Hanuman, or else use this stick that he got earlier this week).

I’ve heard many of my friends who are minorities say that they can relate to Obama because he has a multi-ethnic background like them. In addition, he has lived abroad (Indonesia) and spent timein both Pakistan and India as I previously blogged, so it isn’t all that surprising that he is aware of Hanuman. Looking into Obama’s open hands above I am reminded about a great article by David Brooks that was in the New York Times a few weeks ago. In it he coined a new term “neural Buddhism.” He writes:

First, the self is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of relationships. Second, underneath the patina of different religions, people around the world have common moral intuitions.Third, people are equipped to experience the sacred, to have moments of elevated experience when they transcend boundaries and overflow with love. Fourth, God can best be conceived as the nature one experiences at those moments, the unknowable total of all there is. [Link]

Hinduism and Science

2011-03-07T20:04:00.000-08:00

“The most beautiful and deepest experience a man can have is the sense of the mysterious. It is the underlying principle of religion as well as all serious endeavor in art and science.” – Albert Einstein

1. Introduction
The essence of Hinduism is contained in the Vedanta, the scientific and theological doctrine of Hinduism, and in the timeless wisdom of the Vedas. Its “Bible” is the Bhagavadgita, the divine song of God. Its scientific and intellectual contents have attracted the attention of some of the world’s finest scientific and philosophical minds, such as Erwin Schrödinger, Robert Oppenheimer, Albert Einstein, and Aldous Huxley. It speaks of billions of years of history, creation of the universe, medicinal science, metallurgy, space travel, embryology, art, music, etc. It is no exaggeration to say that there is almost no branch of knowledge that is left untouched in the Vedas.

There are five core features in Hinduism: (1) God – Isvara, (2) Soul – Jiva, (3) Time – Kala, (4) Matter – Prakriti, and (5) Action – Karma. Of these the first four principles are eternal whereas the last feature is temporary. Based on these principles, Hinduism provides a deep knowledge and understanding of life and the universe. In its pure form, Hinduism is also known as Sanatana Dharma or the eternal function of the living entity. One of the unique features of Hinduism is that it provides a very vivid and broad description of God and His energies.

This post outlines the Vedantic worldview in reference to many of modern science’s perspectives including the subjects of mind, consciousness, embryology, epistemology and cosmology.

2. Nature of Life and Matter
According to Vedanta, there is another reality in nature different from matter. It is the fundamental spiritual particle (called atman in Vedantic terminology), which the author has coined as “spiriton.” It is a transcendental particle and is ontologically different from matter. It has a conscious property and has free will contrary to material particles like electrons. It is only by the presence of the spiriton that matter appears animated. In Vedanta this seemingly animated matter is referred to as embodied life.

2.1 Spiritual Particle ‘Spiriton’ and Consciousness

“… all knowledge relates to the spirit, or more properly, exists in it, and that is the sole reason for our interest in any field of knowledge whatsoever.” – Erwin Schrödinger

According to Vedanta, every life form has atma or spiriton, within it. In other words not only do human beings possess a spiriton, but so do all microorganisms, insects, aquatics, plants, reptiles, birds, and so on. In this regard, Vedanta is unique and different from the scientific and theological views of many other world traditions. The Bhagavadgita (verse 15.7), states: mamaivamso jivaloke jivabhutah sanatanah, which means that all spiritons are eternal conscious particles of the Supreme Lord. The fundamental qualities of the spiritual particle, or spiriton are of the same nature as the Supreme Lord’s and are as follows: sat (eternal existence), cit (full cognition), ananda (blissfulness), sveccha (free will) and cetana (consciousness).

Vedanta explains that matter, however complex, will never generate life or its inherent symptom, consciousness. There are two categories of consciousness, universal and individual. God’s consciousness is universal (all pervasive) whereas the spiriton’s consciousness is individual (localized) and always remains so but both are ontologically non physical in nature.

2.2 The Law of Karma, Free Will and The Three Modes of Material Nature
Vedanta states that the material nature is broadly divided into three modes (gunas)— sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance). In order to accommodate the different desires of the living entities (spiritons), the material nature, by the will of the Lord, manifests a variety of forms through the mixing of the three modes of nature. All embodied spiritons—human beings, animals, birds, plants, etc., are influenced to different degrees by the three modes of material nature. Any activity that the spiriton performs under the influence of the three modes of material nature, either psychologically or physically is known in Sanskrit as karma -action.

In the Vedantic tradition there is the concept of a natural ‘Law of Karma.’ The law of karma is similar to the rules of action and reaction in Newton’s Law. All spiritons are engaged in different activities within this cosmic manifestation. From time immemorial the spiritons are enjoying or suffering the fruits of their activities according to the law of karma. The results of the law of karma are singular and pointed and there cannot be any error in them. The answer to the question, ‘why bad things happen to good people?’ is ‘karma’. The law of karma remains although an individual may not remember the action that has caused the current reaction. The wheels of karma are driven by the free will and desire of the embodied spiritons.

It is difficult to deny that we all have free will although it cannot be detected in a laboratory. Professor Charles Townes, Nobel Laureate in Physics says, “Many scientists will say, ‘I can’t believe in religion.’ On the other hand, if you ask them, do you think you have some free will, almost every scientist instinctively thinks so. He has free will. He can choose some things. He can decide to go this way or that way. There is, in fact, no room for free will in present scientific laws and yet almost every scientist essentially assumes he has it.” In regards to modern science’s inability to explain free will which Vedanta describes as a fundamental quality of the individual spiriton or life, Roger Penrose, the world renowned mathematician from Oxford University, has expressed, “The issue of ‘responsibility’ raises deep philosophical questions concerning the ultimate causes of our behavior. … Is the matter of ‘responsibility’ merely one of the convenience of terminology, or is there actually something else – a ‘self’ lying beyond all such influences – which exerts a control over our actions? The legal issue of ‘responsibility’ seems to imply that there is, indeed, within each of us, some kind of an independent ‘self’ with its own responsibilities – and, by implications, rights – whose actions are not attributable to inheritance, environment, or chance. If it is other than a mere convenience of language that we speak as though there were such an independent ‘self’, then there must be an ingredient missing from our present-day physical understandings. The discovery of such an ingredient would surely profoundly alter our scientific outlook. … it will tell us to broaden our view as to the very nature of what a ‘cause’ might be. A ‘cause’ could be something that cannot be computed in practice or in principle. … when a ‘cause’ is the effect of our conscious actions, then it must be something very subtle, certainly beyond computation, beyond chaos, and also beyond any purely random influences. Whether such a concept of ‘cause’ could lead us any closer to an understanding of the profound issue of our free wills is a matter for the future.”

Free will is a quality of the life particle or spiriton and by exercising free will an individual performs actions and is implicated in various reactions according to the law of karma. The use of free will either appropriately or inappropriately will decide the course of life’s journey. In the human form of life, free will is fully manifest and the chain of karma can be cut off by choosing the appropriate action, the spiritual action. Therefore, karma is not eternal.

Vedanta describes that all other forms of life below the level of human consciousness cannot escape the chain of karma under normal circumstances. Therefore, Vedanta emphasizes the importance of the human form of life.

The human race has an obligation to protect and guide not only mankind but also all lower forms of life. We can either destroy ourselves and other life forms or we can act in a way that uplifts and benefits the world, thus making a meaningful use of our human form of life. If a person uses his or her free will for destroying innocent lives, he or she will be regarded as ‘committing crimes against creation’ and be subject to the law of karma.

2.3 Biodiversity and Evolution of Consciousness

According to modern biology, biodiversity is due to a genetic variation caused by the process of occasional chance mutation. However, according to Vedanta, the law of karma and the three modes of material nature — sattva, rajas and tamas — are responsible for biodiversity as well as for diversity in terms of levels of intelligence, degree of development of mind and consciousness of the embodied being within the same species. Furthermore, the Vedas state that biodiversity is a process to accommodate the various states of consciousness in different life forms. There is a gradual evolution of consciousness through various species of life according to the subtle laws of karma. These life forms are said to number 8.4 x 106 and include – microorganisms, insects, plants, aquatics, birds, reptiles, animals, humanoids and human beings.5 According to the conscious evolutionary cosmic time scale, one gets the human form of life after passing through millions of varieties of life forms.

Vedanta further explains that many life forms manifest simultaneously. In other words, genetic variation is already within a cosmic plan. Nobel Laureate Werner Arber’s observation that genetic mutation is not due to error or mistake is in line with the Vedantic conception. He says, “Evolution does not occur on the basis of errors, accidents or the action of selfish genetic elements. Rather, the evolution genes must have been fine-tuned for their functions to provide and to replenish a wide diversity of life forms. . . .” Both of these viewpoints support that biological forms are already within the cosmic plan and are opposite of Darwin’s concept of biological evolution. In fact Darwin’s theory of evolution has many loopholes. Stephen Jay Gould, a prominent evolutionist from Harvard University writes, “The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology . . . In any local area, a species does not arise gradually by the steady transformation of its ancestors, it appears all at once and fully formed.” It is not that natural selection and random mutation are the cause of biodiversity. According to Hinduism, the spiriton continually transmigrates from one life form to the next until it reaches the human form where consciousness is fully developed and has a chance to reestablish its pure divinity of existence (see section 10 on ‘Spiritual Evolution’). This conception is beyond the scope of modern biological science. Thus, the Vedic doctrine of evolution of consciousness concept is contrary to the Darwinian evolutionary theory. It is the consciousness that evolves, not the bodies, in the Vedantic tradition.

Darwin’s mistake was that he could not conceive of an eternal existence of consciousness. Thus, Vedanta does not accept Darwin’s theory of evolution. Under normal circumstances, the consciousness of the spiriton evolves linearly as well as stepwise. As previously referenced, the Brahma Vaivarta Purana affirms, asitim caturas caiva laksams tan jiva-jatisu bhramadbhih purusaih prapyam manusyam janma paryayat, meaning one gets the human form of life after having changed 8.0x106 other forms of life. The Padma Purana gives a detailed statement regarding the different forms of life as follows:

jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati krimayo rudra-sankhyakah paksinam dasa-laksanam trimsal-laksani pasavah catur-laksani manusah
Translation: There are 8,400,000 forms of life. There are 900,000 forms of life in the water, and 2,000,000 forms of trees and other plants. Then, there are 1,100,000 species of small living beings, insects and reptiles, and 1,000,000 species of birds. Finally, there are 3,000,000 varieties of beasts and 400,000 human species.

As stated earlier, biological forms impose a limitation on the development of consciousness. Therefore, different degrees of consciousness are expressed through different bodies. Vedanta divides the degrees of consciousness into five broad categories: acchadita (covered), sankucita (shrunken), mukulita (budding), vikasita (blooming) and purnavikasita (fully bloomed).

Trees and plants, for example, are almost inert. They fall into the category of ‘covered consciousness.’ When we observe them carefully, we see that they have a limited or covered consciousness. The famous scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose reported that plants do have consciousness.9 Other living entities, such as worms, insects, and other animals are in ‘shrunken consciousness.’ They are not as covered as plants, but their consciousness is not fully developed either.

Human beings have ‘budding consciousness.’ A bud appears shrunken, but it has the potential to bloom into a flower. Human consciousness has a similar potential. Thus, human beings have the innate ability to develop their consciousness to an almost unlimited extent, up to the point of knowing the Absolute Truth -God. Other species do not have this special ability. That is why Vedanta emphasizes that brahmajignasa, inquiry into the Brahman, God, is specifically meant for the human form of life. When one begins to sincerely inquire about Brahman, one’s bud-like spiritual consciousness begins to bloom and as a result of this blossoming of consciousness one practices regulated spiritual discipline and evolves further and further. Finally, one attains complete transcendental realization, God consciousness – saccidananda -the ‘fully bloomed’ state of consciousness.

2.4 A Glimpse of Embryology
It is very interesting to note that there is a significant description about the science of embryology in Vedantic literatures. Srimad Bhagavatam, Third Canto mentions a brief description of human embryology. Garbhopanishad, one of the ancient Upanishads, also serves as a brief treatise on embryology. These are very relevant to modern science and technology.

According to Vedanta the manifestation of life begins from the moment of conception. Life first enters the semen of the male and is injected into a womb of a woman. Dr. Jerome Lejeune, known as "The Father of Modern Genetics," also said, “Life is present from the moment of conception” before the Louisiana Legislature's House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice on June 7, 1990. He explained that within three to seven days after fertilization we can determine if the new human being is a boy or a girl. "At no time," Dr. Lejeune said, "is the human being a blob of protoplasm. As far as your nature is concerned, I see no difference between the early person that you were at conception and the late person which you are now. You were, and are, a human being." He pointed out that each human being is unique – different from the mother – from the moment of conception.

A man’s semen contains millions of cells called sperm cells (about 107 /ml). Each sperm cell is an actively motile, free-swimming and elongated cell from 60-75 µ in length. F.M.

Burnet remarked about this sperm cell as “It is intimidating thought that there is more information on organic chemical synthesis packed into the head of a spermatozoon than in all the 200 volumes of the Journal of Biochemical Chemistry.” According to vedic literatures, spiritual particle, spiriton (soul) enters this sperm cell which then fertilizes the ovum, the female gamate, to form a single cell called zygote. The various stages of development of embryo in the womb of the mother are described in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.31.2-4, 3.31.10, 3.31.22-23:

“On the first night, the sperm and ovum mix (to form zygote), and on the fifth night the mixture ferments into a bubble (blastocyst). On the tenth night it develops into a form like a plum, and after that, it gradually turns into a lump of flesh.”

“In the course of a month, a head is formed, and at the end of two months the hands, feet and other limbs take shape. By the end of three months, the nails, fingers, toes, body hair, bones and skin appear, as do the organ of generation and the other apertures in the eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth and anus.

“Within four months from the date of conception, the seven essential ingredients of the body, namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen, come into existence. At the end of five months, hunger and thirst make themselves felt, and at the end of six months, the fetus, enclosed by the amnion, begins to move on the right side of the abdomen.

“Deriving its nutrition from the food and drink taken by the mother, the fetus grows and remains in that abominable residence of stools and urine, which is the breeding place of all kinds of worms.

“Placed within the amnion and covered outside by the intestines, the child remains lying on one side of the abdomen, his head turned towards his belly and his back and neck arched like a bow.

“Thus endowed with the development of consciousness from the seventh month after his conception, the child is tossed downward by the airs that press the embryo during the weeks preceding delivery. Like the worms born of the same filthy abdominal cavity, he cannot remain in one place.

“Lord Kapila continued: The ten-month-old living entity has these desires even while in the womb. But while he thus extols the Lord, the wind that helps parturition propels him forth with his face turned downward so that he may be born. Pushed downward all of a sudden by the wind, the child comes out with great trouble, head downward, breathless and deprived of memory due to severe agony.”

In the Markandeya Purana it is said that in the intestine of the mother the umbilical cord, which is known as apyayani, joins the mother to the abdomen of the child, and through this passage the child within the womb accepts the mother’s assimilated foodstuff. In this way the child is fed by the mother’s intestine within the womb and grows from day to day. The role of the umbilical cord is also mentioned as -"The dhamanis in the foetus take their rise from the umbilical cord, thus bringing nourishment from the mother. The embryo is held at the navel. It grows without taking food, that is, there is no effort made on the part of the embryo to take food and no food is specially served to it. The food in its final form is assimilated automatically and directly into the system of the embryo. The child is nourished of its own accord as it were. The mother is not conscious of the nourishment given to the young one below her heart."

There are also the restrictions and precautions to be taken by the pregnant mother mentioned in the smriti scriptures of Vedic literature. From the very day of begetting a child there is a purificatory process of garbhadhana-samskara. Garbhadhana Ceremony is a vedic ceremony of purification to be performed by parents before conceiving a child. It is said in Caraka Samhita that the mental condition of a child depends upon:

(a) the mental status of his parents at the time he is conceived
(b) the sounds heard repeatedly by pregnant woman
(c) the actions performed by the embryo in his previous life and
(d) the frequent desires for a particular type of mental faculty by the progeny in his previous life.

Therefore, before begetting a child, one has to sanctify his perplexed mind. If the mind of the father is not sober, the semen discharged will not be very good. By performing this Garbhadana ceremony, both the husband and wife become completely pure and sanctified and a good child will be produced. (For example, Rig veda X. 186 mentions two mantras to be repeated by bridegroom before conception).

So in Hinduism, there are systems from the very beginning of the birth of human life for begetting good population. To take care of the child is the primary duty of the parents because if such care is taken, society will be filled with good population to maintain peace and prosperity of the human race.

2.5 Inquiry and Uniqueness of Human Life
The unexamined life is not worth living. – Socrates

In Hinduism, inquiry, jignasa, is the fundamental duty of human life. Everyone inquires about something or the other. In the course of life, one experiences different phases like old age, disease and many kinds of sufferings. Therefore, we want to find out the solution to these problems. Every research work is a kind of inquiry. Srila Prabhupada says that unless a person is awakened to the position of questioning his sufferings, he is not to be considered a perfect human being. Humanity begins when this sort of inquiry is awakened in one’s mind. Therefore, inquiry forms the most important process of acquiring knowledge. We want to know about things that are beyond what we can see conventionally. We invent electron microscope, telescope, etc., to satisfy our curiosity. But this is not enough. Our senses and extended senses are still very limited.

Can a bird inquire about the meaning of its existence? Innocent and ordinary living beings like birds and animals inquire only of bodily needs. They inquire, ‘where is water?’, ‘where is food?’, ‘where is shelter?’ and so on. However, they do not have the capacity to inquire about the deeper purpose and meaning of life. But in the human form of life, one is endowed with the unique ability to inquire beyond these bodily needs. This is the special and unique qualification of the human form of life. When a child is growing up, he inquires from his parents about many things around him, such as ‘What is this?’, ‘what is that?’ etc. In this way, the child gathers knowledge from his parents. Since the conscious intelligence is fully developed, human beings can make different levels of inquiry including the deeper questions about life. The most important inquiry of human life should be to find out about the Absolute Truth, jivasya tattvajignasa.

Srimadbhagavatam (1.2.10) states:

kamasya nendriyapritirlabho jiveta yavata jivasya tattvajignasa nartho yasceha karmabhih
Translation: “Life’s desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal for one’s works.”

The ability to inquire about the ultimate truth of life makes the human being uniquely different from all other forms of life. Thus Vedanta emphasizes that the primary subject matter of the human form of life is to inquire about the science of Absolute Truth, God.

The Katha Upanisad (1.3.14) in a very strongly and carefully worded tone makes a clarion call to all human beings in the following sloka:

uttistha jagrataprapya varan nibodhata ksurasya dhara nisita duratyaya durgam pathas tat kavayo vadanti
Translation: Arise! Awake! Please try to understand the boon that you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor’s edge, difficult to tread and hard to cross, so say the learned sages.

‘Who am I?’, ‘what is the Supreme Absolute Truth?’, ‘what is the origin of life?’, ‘what is existence?’, and ‘what will be the fate of the human soul when the body dies?’ are some of the basic questions that a human being can inquire.

Presently, scientific inquiry without spiritual knowledge is one-sided. All forms of human inquiry should be utilized in search for Absolute Truth, God. Hence, the purpose of all sciences should be to inquire about the nature of God. A physicist should inquire: what is the real source of the laws of nature? A chemist can inquire: who is the Supreme Chemist behind all the wonderful molecules, DNA, chlorophyll, proteins, etc.? Vedanta explains that if we do research far enough, we will find that the ultimate source is God. Thus, Vedanta cautions that intelligent people should not be mislead by the temporary and incomplete pronouncements of atheistic scientists who try to remove God from everything. This will be the proper use of the modern scientific knowledge. When one realizes the Absolute Truth through such an inquiry, he will understand the actual basis of reality. And then, his duty is to glorify the Supreme Lord through the scientific understanding. This is the secret and the real platform of happiness. This is what Narada Muni, the foremost transcendentalist instructed his disciple, Vyasadeva, the literary incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the Bhagavata Purana, the natural commentary on the Vedantasutra.

Albert Einstein once remarked, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery everyday.”

In the human form of life, the consciousness (cetana), intelligence (buddhi), mind (manas), senses (indriyas) are fully developed. Thus, human being is totally equipped to make the deepest jignasa (inquiry), the spiritual inquiry. A similar message echoes in the statement of Albert Einstein who states that knowing the plan of God is most important and the rest are details. By this inquiry, sambandha, the relationship between the individual self and God will be established and the pure spiritual knowledge of the self will be understood. Isa Upanisad further declares, isavasyamidam sarvam, everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. Therefore, everything should be used, including the works of the scientists and all the leaders of the world in the service of the Supreme Lord. In a nutshell, this is the view of Vedanta regarding the prime duty of humanity.

3. Hindu Epistemology
“Our science – Greek science – is based on objectification. … But I do believe that this is precisely the point where our present way of thinking does need to be amended, perhaps by a bit of blood-transfusion from Eastern thought.” – Erwin Schrödinger

The vast area of philosophical enquiry known as epistemology is an enquiry into knowledge and many authors also call it as the theory of knowledge. In scientific approach to knowledge, an empirical logic based on experiments, observations and inferences is fundamental. In Vedanta this process is called aroha-pantha or jnana marga, ascending path/process or the bottom-up process. But this process has its own limitations. This scientific process can, at the most, indicate about the existence of God. It cannot lead to the deeper knowledge of God. This is because of the fact that our senses have four inherent limitations. Hence, scientific knowledge based on one’s intellect and sense perception is incomplete and the spiritual knowledge provides the deeper knowledge for the existence of God.

Vedanta recognizes the scriptures as the authority and the deciding factor for the complete knowledge of God. Just like the words of the mother are the authority in regard to our question about the true identity of the father, similarly, according to Vedanta the scriptures are the authority for the proof of God’s existence. This Vedantic process is called avaroha-pantha in sanskrit language. This means that real knowledge should be received by the parampara, descending process or top-down approach.

In nutshell, Vedantic epistemology stresses the acquisition of knowledge mainly from three different ways: pratyaksa (sense perception), anumana (inference) and sabda (revealed knowledge). These terminologies are briefly explained below. Srila Jiva Goswami, an erudite philosopher of the sixteenth century India, has elaborately presented the vedantic epistemology in his treatise Tattva Sandarbha. As it will be evident below, the Vedantic epistemology justifies the necessity for a synthesis of avaroha-pantha --the top-down process and aroha-pantha ---the bottom-up or scientific approach to the complete knowledge of God.

3.1 Pratyaksa (direct perception)
According to Vedanta, knowledge gained directly with the help of the senses is known as pratyaksa. The gross senses are the eyes (vision), ears (sound), nose (smell), skin (touch) and tongue (taste). In addition, mind is regarded as the subtle and sixth sense and one can also acquire knowledge with the help of the mind. The role of pratyaksa is certainly important in acquiring knowledge in Vedantic approach. However, because of the physical limitations of the senses, knowledge gained through pratyaksa may not be complete. For example, a blind man and a mad man have limitations to acquire knowledge through their eyes and mind, respectively. However, a normal man whose senses are all in a proper condition can acquire knowledge using all his senses and can have a better knowledge than that of a blind or a mad man. Under ordinary circumstances, knowledge gained from pratyaksa has four limitations. Thus the bottom-up approach will be unable to have the complete knowledge of God. However, in the Vedantic tradition a spiritual seeker is trained to perfect one’s senses by undertaking a very rigorous spiritual discipline and the senses and the mind can be totally purified and at that stage one can receive the knowledge of the Ultimate Reality through pratyaksa. At this point the material senses are completely transformed into spiritual senses.

3.2 Anumana (inference)
Although the sense capability of ordinary human beings is limited, the quest for scientific knowledge in Vedantic tradition is to know the absolute reality which is beyond the domain of material senses. Anumana means inference about an unknown object based on its relationship with another object that is conceivable through the senses. For example, a stream of alpha particles which have electric charge would leave a trail of ions as it passes through the gas in a cloud chamber. When water vapor condenses on these ions, the track of alpha particle becomes visible as a line of water droplets. Thus, although we can’t see the alpha particles, we can infer them from the trail of water droplets condensed on the ions. Anumana involves logic. Logic constitutes the development of a set of arguments that can represent an observed phenomenon in nature. Since the sense perception is limited, logic, therefore, also has limitations and cannot be referred to be the absolute answer for an observed phenomenon.

There are four limitations of the senses. Srila Jiva Goswami has discussed these limitations in the Sat Sandarbha as follows: (a) Bhrama: The senses including the mind often malfunction under various circumstances and are thus illusioned, for example, a mirage seen in the deserts. (b) Pramada: This means that the senses may misguide a person and he is liable to commit mistakes. Due to the limitations in our intellectual conception we sometimes wrongly interpret the sense observations. Therefore, in this world everyone is liable to commit mistake. Thus the popular saying, “To err is human.” (c) Karanapatava: It means that our senses are very limited and can perceive only a very limited portion of reality. For example, we do not hear sounds which have frequency below 20 Hertz and over 20,000 Hertz. Similarly, we cannot detect electromagnetic radiations in the ultra-violet or infra-red range. (d) Vipralipsa: It refers to the cheating propensity. Honesty is the virtue of human life. However, sometimes one is overcome by pride, false ego and arrogance and one’s senses are polluted by the lower material modes of nature and one becomes dishonest and the cheating propensity dominates a person at that time. According to Vedanta this cheating propensity is a symptom of the lack of spiritual knowledge.

Logic cannot provide a final proof of anything. This is further supported by the statement – one should not use logic to understand what is inconceivable. (Mahabharata, Bhisma Parva 5.22). Hence it can be concluded that a scientific and logical study will always be incomplete. An argument is the famous Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem. This theorem states that if ‘A’ is a mathematical system which involves the natural numbers 0,1,2,3,… then there are questions in ‘A’ which cannot be answered using the axioms of ‘A’. In order to answer a question of this kind, one could expand the set of axioms by adding a new one. But the new system will again be subject to Gödel’s theorem and there will be other questions that cannot be answered. Thus, Gödel’s theorem ensures that there will always remain unanswered questions. In other words, scientific knowledge will always remain incomplete and cannot fathom the depths of Ultimate Reality or God. Hence, we should seriously consider the role of metaphysical conception beyond logic and sense perception in understanding transcendental knowledge and God. In this regard, Max Planck stated, “… the fundamental and indispensable postulates of every genuinely productive science are not based on pure logic but rather on the metaphysical hypothesis – which no rules of logic can refute – there exists an outer world which is entirely independent of ourselves. It is only through the immediate dictate of our consciousness that we know that this world exists.” Freeman Dyson also expressed, “God may have more qualities than we humans are capable of imagining. If we could enlarge our senses and our emotions beyond the human range, we would experience a very different God… My conception of God is not weakened by my not knowing whether the physical universe is open or closed, finite or infinite, simple or multiple. God for me is a mystery, and will remain a mystery after we know the answers to these questions. All that we know about Him is that He works on a scale far beyond the limits of our understanding.”

In Vedantic epistemology sabda is the most important in receiving a valid knowledge and the other two epistemic elements, pratyaksa and anumana are to assist the sabda pramana. A revealed knowledge is transmitted from the Supreme Authority, God, to the bonafide and sincere recipients. The qualification of the recipient is that he should be a completely surrendered soul to the Supreme Lord and he should be eligible to receive the transcendental mercy of the Lord. As mentioned earlier this process is also called a top-down approach in receiving knowledge (avaroha-pantha). A simple example is to make an investigation about the true answer to the question, “Who is the father of child A?” In a scientific or the bottom-up process, one can make an extensive research work by matching the DNA profile of several candidates with that of the child. However, it will be extremely difficult to find a real answer by this process. Most likely, needless to say, a real answer may never be found by this approach. This is because the real person may not be tested for a variety of causes. So, the easiest and most reliable approach will be to simply ask the genuine mother, and her answer will be the final verdict. The fact is that a genuine mother will never tell a lie to her loving child. If somebody wants to confirm this answer scientifically, a DNA test can still be done. In this way, the matter is resolved. This process implies a genuine faith the child has in the words of the mother. According to Vedanta, this genuine faith is a deep spiritual quality of life.

In avaroha-panthah (top-down approach) or descending process of Vedantic tradition, God is the ultimate source of everything, and the divine consciousness flows downward from God to every living being. In scientific discoveries and other artistic and poetic works and spiritual works of total sacrifice and renunciation, many sincere individuals receive knowledge through inspiration from a guiding source. This type of knowledge can also be regarded as some kind of revealed knowledge. In this way, knowledge is also directly transmitted by the Supreme Authority to the sincere seekers of truth. Lord Sri Krsna states in the Bhagavadgita (15.5):

sarvasya caham hridi sannivisto mattah smritir jnanam apohanam ca vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krid veda-vid eva caham
“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.”

There are three fundamental principles in realizing the revealed knowledge. Firstly, every revealed knowledge should be accepted as a divine axiom. All the aphorisms of the Vedantasutra can be regarded as divine axioms. Secondly, the genuine scriptures should be understood as they are and they should not be interpreted in any way to suit the motives of any particular individual or group. The author would like to mention that it is because of the misinterpretation of scriptures and over-intoxication by the materialistic concept of religion that people kill each other in the name of religion and God. Thirdly, in the Vedantic tradition, a mood of true humility is essential in receiving divine knowledge of God. In this regard, we also see many great scientists who show symptoms of utter humility. For example, we often quote what Sir Isaac Newton had once remarked, “I am still collecting pebbles on the sea shore, while the vast ocean of undiscovered truth lies before me.”

4. Time and Space
The concept of time and space is extremely important in both science and Vedanta. In Vedanta, Kala, time is eternal. It is the impersonal aspect of the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavadgita Lord Krishna says, kalo ’smi loka-ksaya-krit pravriddho — “Time I am, the great destroyer of the world.” This was the verse uttered by Robert Oppenheimer at the first test of the atom bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA on July 16, 1945. In the Srimadbhagavatam sage Maitreya explains that eternal time is the primeval source of the interactions of the three modes of material nature. It is unchangeable and has no limit, and it functions as the instrument of the Supreme Lord for His manifest activities in the material creation.

When the living entity comes in contact with material nature and under the control and purview of eternal time, many different activities called Karma are created. Real time is measured in terms of its covering a certain space of atoms, and space is calculated in terms of atoms. Thus time and space are closely connected in Vedantic cosmology and Kala – time is the root cause of all events and drives all activities in the material universe.

Srila Prabhupada writes in his commentary of the Srimadbhagavatam, “Metaphysically, time is distinguished as absolute and real. Absolute time is continuous and is unaffected by the speed or the slowness of material things. Real time is astronomically and mathematically calculated in relation to speed, change and life of a particular object. Factually, however, time has nothing to do with the relativities of things; rather, everything is shaped and calculated in terms of facility offered by time. Time is the basic measurement of the activity of our senses, by which we calculate past, present and future; but in factual calculation, time has no beginning and no end.”

5. Two States of Matter and Generation of Matter from Spirit
It is to be noted that in Hinduism the fundamental cosmic ingredients are in two states – inactive and active. The unmanifest, inactive and primordial total substance is called pradhana. At the time of creation, pradhana is activated by the Supreme Lord, and matter becomes manifest, which is called prakriti. Both matter and spirit are eternal. However, at the time of creation, which goes on in cosmic cycles like the change of seasons, the unmanifest sum-total of matter is activated by the Supreme Spirit and the cosmic energy begins to manifest. This is called the temporary manifestation of material energy. This material energy is then transformed by the presence of a conscious spiritual entity. In other words, matter as such is inactive but gets animated by the presence of the spirit, just like a live bird. The bird can fly because jiva or atman, the spiritual spark, “spiriton”, is within. However, because of the arrangement of nature, the body has a limited time period. When the spirit leaves the body, the body becomes dead and inert again. When the entire universe is wound up the material components return again to the unmanifest form, which is eternal. That is the distinction between spirit and matter. The Supreme Spiritual Being is the primeval source of both matter and spirit. The spirit however is transcendental and beyond sense perception, and according to Vedanta the Supreme Lord or the Supreme Spirit is behind the cosmic creation.

6. Explanation of God in Hinduism

Hinduism is monotheistic. There have been many streams in Hinduism and many of them propound many aspects of God. This generally arises due to the misconceptions about the nature of personal aspect of God being steeped in pantheism or anthropomorphism.

From the Vedantic perspective however, the Personality aspect of God is most important. This does not imply that the concept is anthropomorphic. It is not that we give a human shape or characteristic to a god or anything whimsically. Rather it is the revelation of God Himself. A divine maxim is found in the Srimadbhagavatam (S.B. 3:26:49) stating that the cause exists certainly in its effect as well. Following this argument, since we all experience very clearly that all developed living beings have individual personality, it is certainly conceivable that the Supreme source of all must also possess personality. According to Vedanta, this material creation emanates from God. Taittiriya Upanisad declares:

yato va imani bhutani jayante yena jatani jivanti yat prayanty abhisamvanti tad vijignasasva tad brahma
“The Absolute Truth or Brahman or God is that from which the cosmic manifestation has emanated, by which it is maintained and into which it merges after annihilation.” Similarly, Chandogya Upanisad declares: sarva khalv idam brahma – “Brahman, the Supreme, is present in everything.” Hence according to Vedanta this material nature is not working blindly. It is working under the control of the Supreme Lord.

6.1 Three Aspects of God
According to Vedanta, there are three aspects of Absolute Truth or God. All these aspects form the foundation of Supreme Reality. These are:

vadanti tattattvavidastattvam yajjnanamadvayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavaniti sabdyate
Translation: Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman (the Attributeless Absolute), Paramatma (the Indwelling Supersoul), or Bhagavan (the Supreme Lord Himself).

(i) Brahman or Brahmajyoti -Impersonal Effulgence of the Lord

The impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord’s transcendental body is brahman or brahmajyoti and it is beyond cause and effect. This is also evident from the Sri Isopanisad mantra:

hiranmayena patrena satyasyapihitam mukham tat tvam pusann apavrinu satya-dharmaya dristaye
Translation: “O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives, Your real face is covered by Your dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that covering and exhibit Yourself to Your pure devotee.”

Einstein’s conception of a cosmic religion is very close to this idea of impersonal aspect of God or brahmajyoti. He said, “Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discerning concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion.” He also stated, “My God created laws. . . . His universe is not ruled by wishful thinking, but by immutable laws.”

(ii) Paramatma Feature – Inspiration and Guidance for all Living Beings

Paramatma is the partial expansion of the Supreme Person. This Paramatma feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is responsible for inspiration, discovery, creativity and for the movement of all living entities. In Bhagavadgita, the Lord says, “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

Each and every living entity has been given a free will. Paramatma is responding and guiding each and every living entity in the universe according to the desires and activities of the individual living entities. In our day-to-day activities we can feel a seemingly inexplicable guidance, what is sometimes described as intuition or inspiration. This guidance is something more than mere algorithmic process. This happens often, when we are deeply contemplating on a problem. And solution comes like a flash without any connection to the line of thought that we have been contemplating. Many renowned scientists, mathematicians, artists, poets, etc., have reported their experience of inspiration. According to Vedanta this is an act of the Lord seated in the heart of everyone as Paramatma.

Otto Loewi, a German physiologist who won the Nobel prize in 1936 for his work on the chemical transmission of nerve impulses, had the idea that there might be a chemical transmission of the nervous impulse rather than an electrical one — which was the commonly held belief. But he was at a loss on how to prove it. He let the idea slip to the back of his mind until seventeen years later he had the following moment of inspiration. He recalled, “The night before Easter Sunday of that year I awoke, turned on the light, and jotted down a few notes on a tiny slip of paper. Then I fell asleep again. It occurred to me at 6 o’clock in the morning that during the night I had written down something most important, but I was unable to decipher the scrawl. The next night, at 3 o’clock, the idea returned. It was the design of an experiment to determine whether or not the hypothesis of chemical transmission that I had uttered 17 years ago was correct. I got up immediately, went to the laboratory, and performed a single experiment on a frog’s heart according to the nocturnal design.” Loewi had proved his point. The result of the experiment became the foundation for the theory of chemical transmission of the nervous impulse. According to Vedanta such inspiration comes from Paramatma. In a similar manner, all the moment-to-moment activities of all living beings – from microorganisms to man are all guided by the Paramatma feature of the Supreme Lord.

iii) Bhagavan – The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Object of Love

The Srimadbhagavatam describes Lord Sri Krishna as the Supreme origin of everything. All other forms of the Lord are subjective portions of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahma, the first created cosmic living being defines Isvara, God, as the Supreme original Personality (Adipurusa). His transcendental body is made of three spiritual elements, sat (eternity), cit (knowledge) and ananda (bliss), saccidanandavigraha. He is the origin of everything, animate and inanimate, and is the cause of all causes. He is the Supreme Controller and the prime mover of all cosmic manifestation. He has Universal Consciousness and He is the well-wisher of every living being. He is beyond the perception of the material senses. However, His symptoms are visible in the effects (products) of His creation. He is Supreme Eternal among all eternals and Supreme Consciousness among all consciousness. He is realized by His devotees who have completely exhausted all the experiences of the material nature and is accomplished by the practice of the ninefold paths of Bhaktiyoga. This is the goal of dvaita vedantis or vaisnava vendantis.

There is a Big Vision behind this creation – to establish the transcendental connection between the ignorant living entity and the Supreme Lord, Bhagavan. This relationship is carried out through bhakti, the devotional yoga. The seed of bhakti is in all living entities but due to the covering of material desire it does not get fructified so easily. The material world is created by the Supreme Lord with this Big Vision to bring living entities to the platform of pure bhakti and ultimate happiness. The role and importance of bhakti in human life as well as in scientific research work is of paramount importance.

William D. Phillips, a Nobel Laureate physicist from the University of Maryland, USA, expresses remarkably, “Many subscribe to a belief in what is sometimes called ‘Einstein’s God’, an embodiment of the intelligence and order behind creation, but not a personality who cares about and interacts with the creation. … My belief (is) in a personal God, a God who is both the creator of the universe and is intimately concerned with the welfare of the creatures of that universe. ‘Einstein’s God’ is not nearly enough for me. I believe in a God who wants good things for us, and who wants and expects us to care for our fellow creatures. I believe that God wants genuine, loving relationships with us, and wants us to have such relationships with each other.” His statement supports the Vaisnava Vedantic view of God in Hinduism.

According to Vedanta, God has three kinds of internal potency or energy, namely, the (i) Sandhini-sakti, or existential potency, (ii) Samvit-sakti, or cognitive potency and the (iii) Hladini-sakti or pleasure potency. This is also confirmed in the Visnu Purana (1.12.69). In the Bhagavata-sandarbha (103) Srila Jiva Goswami explains these transcendental attributes of God elaborately. (CC Adi 4.60) The living beings are also endowed with these attributes in different degrees.

The Absolute Truth, God is the transcendental Reality (cit-svarupa) possessing all these attributes in full. The manifestation of these internal potencies or energies of the Lord is the inconceivable variegated spiritual world (cit-jagat), the manifestation of the marginal energy of the Lord comprises the living entities, and the manifestation of the external energy of the Lord is the material cosmos. (CC Adi 4.62 purport)

Thus Brahman, the Absolute Truth includes these four principles – the Supreme Godhead Himself, His internal energy, His marginal energy and His external energy.

The form of the Lord (svayam-rupa) and the expansions of His form (vaibhava-prakasa) are directly enjoyers of the internal energy in the spiritual world. The external manifestation, the material energy, provides the material bodies of all the conditioned living entities.

In order to manifest the physical universe God manifest Himself as three expansions called purushaavatars, namely Mahavisnu, Garbhodakshayi Visnu, and Khirodakshayi Visnu to fulfill the desires of every living being according to the karma of every being. Maha Visnu is the source of all physical universes and Garhodakshayi Visnu enters in each universe and Ksirodakshayi Visnu enters into each living being as paramatma and guides every living being from microorganisms to human beings to demigods. In this way the whole material world is run and maintained.

Thus the cosmic creation and dissolution go on periodically according to the Big Vision of the Supreme Lord. The creation of this physical universe is the facility given to conditioned living beings by God in order to get liberated from false conception of life (materialism).

According to ancient vedic culture, religious principles are directly given by God to guide the human beings – dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam (Srimadbhagavatam 6.3.19) The essence of all religions consists of morality, ethics, humility and love of God. Spiritual or religious life is a must for every human being which provides moral codes of living in order to be released from the bondage of wordly life and will thus be qualified to return to the spiritual world. All these will be achieved by developing the sambhadajnana-the knowledge of relationship of individual being with God knowing that the living being is fully dependent on the mercy of Supreme Godhead as a conscious spiritual particle or spiriton of God, the sincere human being can transform himself to become a sincere servant of God. Thus the next step which is to adopt abhidheya – which culminates in unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord – which consists of nine devotional activities: hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshipping, praying, obeying, maintaining friendship and surrendering everything -which will lead to proyojna – attaining the highest goal of life, which is love of God. Further works in this connection will be presented elsewhere.

Thus by developing the understanding of God’s existence and by purifying one’s heart by devotional service to the Lord, an individual life, community, nations and the entire world can all live together in harmony and peace. A God-centered life is, therefore, the solution to all the problems of material struggle.

7. Universe – A Brief Overview of its Origin, Maintenance, and Dissolution
In this section, we will very briefly examine the Vedantic cosmology (please refer to author’s article in Savijnanam-Scientific Exploration for a Spiritual Paradigm, Journal of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Vol. 2 for a more detailed description of Vedantic cosmology). Vedantic cosmology describes that the universe is maintained for a specific period before it is wound up. At the beginning of each cycle of creation of the universe, Lord Brahma, the first created cosmic living being is born. A day of Brahma is called a kalpa and one kalpa consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas, or ages, called Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. The same number comprises one night of Brahma and he lives one hundred such years and then dies. Satyayuga lasts 1,728,000 years; Tretayuga lasts 1,296,000 years; Dvaparayuga lasts 864,000 years; and Kaliyuga lasts 432,000 years. Thus one hundred years of Lord Brahma equal 311 trillion and 40 billion earth years. According to Vedantic cosmology, our universe starts with the birth of Lord Brahma and he is at present a little more than 50 Brahma-years old.

Thus our present universe started about 155.522 trillion (155.522 x 1012) years ago and will end in 155.518 trillion (155.518 x 1012) years and just after that a new cycle of creation will begin again. According to modern cosmologists, our universe began around thirteen to fifteen billion (13-15 x 109) years ago. Thus in the Vedic time scale, the universe is an order of 104 times older than that reported by modern cosmologists.

During the life of each universe, according to the karma of the conscious living beings, some living forms will manifest in certain periods of the different kalpas and some may not. Also, at the end of each day of Brahma, a partial annihilation of the universe takes place, bringing catastrophes in which a whole group of living forms can disappear. At the end of the life of Lord Brahma, that is, at the end of each 311,040 billion years, a total or complete annihilation takes place. Thereafter, creation begins again. Thus, in the Vedantic account of cosmology, it is reasonable to assume that one will be unable to find a systematic account of universal or global history in fossil records. In the Vedantic model, the disappearance of the giant lizards, or dinosaurs, which is still a mystery to Western science, is not unreasonable.

8. Hinduism and Modern Issues such as Bioethics, Abortion and Euthanasia
Today the entire world is facing a great dilemma with regard to the values and ethics of human actions. We are faced with many questions in the fields of biotechnology and bioengineering. Vedanta has a lot to contribute in this direction. The biomedical issues like abortion and organ transplantation cannot be resolved unless we have a deeper understanding of life. As described above, according to Vedanta, material life begins at the moment of conception. Life is sacred and human life is very rarely obtained. Thus Vedanta does not encourage killing at any stage of life, starting from the moment of conception. Hence, the issues like abortion, etc., are easily resolved in Vedanta. Moreover, as mentioned above, the Vedic literature provides purificatory process of garbhadhana-samskara to obtain a good child and thus good population for peace and happiness of human race.

Vedanta proclaims that the problems of unrest, political, social, communal and even religious are all due to the lack of spiritual qualities among the people. It thus provides varnasrama system, the most scientific culture for attainment of spiritual life. This system consists of four divisions of occupation and four orders of human life for training and acquiring of spiritual qualities. The four orders of life as brahmacari (celibate student), grihastha (household life), vanaprastha (retired life) and sannyasi (renounced life) are to be followed by all, irrespective of the occupational division. Thus it will be very important to undertake scientific research how to have good children in the world.

Vedanta also mentions that everything belong to God and one must not encroach upon another’s share. This understanding can guide one to not involve in unnecessary killing certain groups of trees, animals, birds, fish, and so on beyond the limits of his quota for food or self-defense. This will protect us from ecological disasters and various other problems.

9. Synthesis of Science and Religion in Hinduism for Solving Difficult Issues
In Vedanta there has always been harmony between science and religion because their domains and relationships are clearly defined and understood. Science deals with external or material knowledge (apara vidya) — knowledge of matter and its particles, like atoms and quarks whereas true religion deals with internal or spiritual knowledge (para vidya) — knowledge of the spirit, or seer. The first one deals with the changing, temporary, and external reality whereas the later deals with the changeless, eternal, and transcendental reality. Both these categories of knowledge are important, complementary, and extremely useful.

In Hinduism the complimentary relationship between science and religion is quite close. As we can infer knowledge of an object from its shadow, so by apara vidya, or material knowledge or science, we can understand something about the existence of para vidya, or spiritual knowledge. One does not negate the other. From his experiences while studying the atom, Max Born, one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics, proclaimed, “I saw in it [the atom] the key to the deepest secrets of nature, and it revealed to me the greatness of creation and the Creator.” The author refers to this as a view of synthesis of science and religion. Thus it is conceivable that many unsolved issues in biology, physics, cosmology, etc., can be resolved by the synthesis of science and religion in Hinduism.

The Crisis of Hinduism

2011-03-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

Today there is no living Hindu society in India. The process of the decay of Hindu society and religion (which must be distinguished from Hindu spirituality) began very long ago. It reached a decisive phase during India's encounter with Islam and continued in a different form throughout the comparatively brief but radically significant period of British rule. It has taken yet another form in independent India. So far, I have seen no signs of a genuine renewal. And the future is dark; more so because our vision is obscured by a false light.

Was there not a renaissance of Hinduism during the early British period? And right now, do we not see in India a violent attempt to revive Hinduism? Has India not been passing through a new wave of Hindu nationalism that signifies a reinforcement of counter-secular forces in Indian politics? Has there not been in recent years a noticeable set-back in the modernizing processes, and does it not indirectly strengthen Hinduism? And above all, is not Hinduism showing, once again, its unique strength to meet the new challenges of secularism and modernization?

At the level of facts, the answer to all these questions is broadly in the affirmative; and at that level, there is a certain obvious persuasiveness about it. But this in no way compromises the truth of the statement that there is no living Hindu society in contemporary India, even though the Hindu tradition is not decayed or dead.

What instinct is to the animal order (which is passive and non-self-conscious), tradition is to the human (which is active and self-conscious). Man too has instincts, but unlike animals, he cannot live by them alone. Tradition, then, is that by which man, qua man, lives.

This presupposes the definition of man. Man cannot define man without falling into contradiction. So man is the being who cannot define himself and yet who, by virtue of his self-consciousness, cannot live without seeking self-definition; in other words, without yearning for self-knowledge. This yearning, this search, implies his finitude; the contradiction of its fulfillment, his infinity. The tension between finitude and infinity is man's existence. Tradition enables him to cope with (not resolve or eliminate) this radical tension. To lose (or reject) tradition is to be sick in the soul.

Since man as man cannot live without tradition, the existence and continuity of tradition is simply the reality of human existence. However, since tradition is concerned with man's transcendent destiny, it is greater than, and prior to, man. (Hence no merely anthropological and sociological theory of tradition can be adequate). But man ultimately has to transcend all hence he is more than tradition. Man himself lives between temporal realities and a temporal meaning: he cannot be identified with either of them. Tradition, as the mediator between time and eternity, duplicates this Janus-like quality of man. Thus the relation of Man and Tradition is one of synonymy but without mutual reducibility.

As symbolic system Tradition points to the Transcendent, the Absolute, the Unmanifest; in a dialectical identification with the symbolized, it is, therefore, primordial, a-historical; hence perennial and universal. As a mediator, it is a specific formulation of transcendent or supra-temporal truth. A formulated tradition, though always pointing beyond itself, exists in time and space, and has a history. The Hindu tradition is one of the earliest formulations of the Primordial Tradition. There are other formulations: Judaism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam and the Far Eastern and Near Eastern ancient traditions.

The Hindu tradition, though a modality of the Primordial Tradition, is intended to be complete and universal. (This does not exclude other modalities of the Primordial Tradition—say, Judaism, Christianity or Islam—from being universal and complete in their own way. This point cannot be elucidated here, but it is important to mention it).

In virtue of its universality and completeness, the Hindu tradition provides for man a whole way of life grounded in a theory of cosmic history, worked out in all necessary detail. A "sacred" science of society and history thus becomes a necessary aspect of the Hindu tradition. This is not true, for instance, of the Buddhist tradition, in which a social order is presupposed rather than derived from its first principles. "Why have I taught you nothing about the world? Because that would be in no way useful to you for deliverance". (A saying of the Buddha).

Thus to be a Hindu is to participate wholeheartedly, in the prescribed manner and at the prescribed level, in a social order based on, and functioning in accordance with, the "Sacred" Sociology. The progress of the Hindu towards his ultimate goal, Mukti, the authenticity (or meaningfulness) of his life, is thus a function jointly and integrally of the participant's sincerity and the conformity of the social order to traditional principles (sacred sociology). Any antithesis of the two, though not excluded empirically, is theoretically ruled out. It follows that one has no way of being a Hindu—in fact, of leading an authentic human life—if there is no traditional (sacred, normal) society in which one can participate.

There is one important exception to this. Besides the religio-social mode of the Hindu tradition, there is another, the intellectual-spiritual. The intellectual-spiritual mode of the Hindu tradition is basically a Sadhana (spiritual exercise). It is the effort to realize directly the ultimate Transcendence, the supreme identity of the individual and the Absolute. This, in the last analysis, is not a matter of doing anything or of participating in a traditional social order. One can realize the supreme Self-knowledge whatever one's situation. The whole question is one of cultivating purity of mind.

One can try to do this by stepping out of the social order and joining a monastic order which, theoretically, can exist within any kind of society and yet preserve its integrity; or by cultivating inner detachment in a degree that enables one to remain completely unaffected by one's participation in the socio-cultural system. A high level of detachment is, in fact, also required in the case of the monastic option when it is not an integral part of the dominant world-view of one's times.

This exception is an extremely restricted one. For obviously, only those already endowed with superior intellectual-spiritual qualities can follow the direct mystical-intellectual way to Self-realization. Indeed, at this level it is no longer a question of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity or Islam, etc.: it is entirely a question of following the technique of spiritual growth (Sadhana) most suited to one's nature (Svabhava). A number of different Sadhanas have always been available within the historical world of Hinduism, but a Hindu can, quite consistently with tradition, follow a Buddhist, Christian or Islamic technique of interior spiritual-intellectual growth.

Thus the asocial, personal, spiritual-intellectual mode of Hinduism being available only to extremely few people, it remains true to say that for the vast majority of Hindus the disintegration of the religio-social mode means the absence of all opportunity for an authentic (normal) life.

The distinction between the two modes of the Hindu tradition (the religio-social and the mystical-spiritual-intellectual—or, more simply, Hindu Religion and Hindu Spirituality) is not new; but it has often been misunderstood. In the first place, it is not an evolutionary or developmental distinction: the two modes do not and cannot represent different stages in the historical development of Hinduism. Secondly, they are not equivalent modes: the one cannot replace the other.

It is of the utmost importance to understand the true relationship of the two.

The religio-social and the spiritual-intellectual modes are asymmetrically related: the second is logically independent of the first which is dependent on it (the spiritual-intellectual) both logically and existentially. This implies that the two modes represent two levels which are logically discontinuous but existentially continuous. The contradiction that this involves is internal to the Hindu tradition as a whole and represents a Mystery.

The asymmetrical relationship of the two modes, however, does not imply any relationship of inferiority and superiority insofar as the modes represent discontinuous levels. At the existential level they are hierarchically related: the first leading to the second.

It is in this way that the Hindu tradition in its spiritual-intellectual mode is perennially alive, while in its religio-social mode it is in utter decay today. The death or near-death of Hindu society does not prevent one from becoming a saint, a Yogi, a Siddha; but it does hinder one from attaining to a meaningful level of life short of actually being a saint.

To understand the contemporary situation of Hinduism, to see the unauthentic nature of the Hindu response to the present challenges and to understand the false consciousness of which the contemporary Hindu is a tragic victim, a backward glance—brief in the extreme—is necessary.

In its encounter with Islam, there were three possible responses for the Hindus:

   1. to be converted to Islam en masse;
   2. to resist Islamic domination relentlessly and unceasingly in the spirit of do or die;
   3. to evolve a mode of coexistence with Islam including the effort to create a synthesis of Hinduism and Islam.

The first possibility arises from the a-historical, transcendent nature of the Hindu tradition. Islam too is a modality of the Primordial Tradition. In transferring from the Hindu to the Islamic mode one would still remain within the Tradition. The collective conversion to Islam could be thought of as the contemporary mode of Hindu renewal: by dying as an old and defeated religion it might be reborn as the youngest modality of the Primordial Tradition. (One could picture this as the generalization of the custom the Rajput women developed of putting themselves to death when their kingdom and men were hopelessly defeated and captured. This was interpreted as martyrdom, for suicide is not permitted by Hinduism)

I do not think this possibility ever emerged as an actual option.

The reason for this too is to be discovered in the dialectic of Hindu metaphysics. If all religious traditions are spiritually equivalent at the highest level, the question of transferring to a tradition other than the one of one's birth does not arise: there can be no logical grounds for such a move. Only exceptionally can there be a true case for religious conversion, namely, when one discovers that the perspective and spiritual resources of another tradition are far better suited to one's nature than those of the tradition of one's birth. How one ascertains the truth of such a discovery—indeed, how one is led to make it in the first place—is not a relevant question in this context.

The point is that, in the nature of the case, the grounds for conversion apply only to individuals: a collective decision to convert to Islam cannot be taken without implying the ultimate superiority of one tradition over another and that is incompatible with the Hindu position. In the historical context, a proposal for collective conversion would have required one to equate the political victory of Islam with the death of Hindu religio-social tradition and the descent of a new modality of the Tradition for the Hindus. It is clear that there was nothing in the historical situation to provide spiritual authority for such a decision that could not but look like a rationalization of political defeat. In the absence of such an authority any such decision would have been unconvincing.

The actual options for the Hindus were therefore only the second and third. Throughout the long history of Muslim domination the Hindus oscillated between these two, leaning naturally quite heavily on the third option in which, however, they eventually did not succeed. With some modifications which I will mention subsequently, the following paragraph well sums up the situation: "The standpoint taken here is the treatment of Muslims by Hindus as merely another caste; the interpenetration of Hindu customary law among Muslims in the villages; the creation of a Hindu-Muslim ruling class by the Mughal emperors with a system of rank in the imperial service and common interest in polo, elephant fighting and common modes of dress; the development of a lingua franca, Urdu, combining Hindi grammar with Arabic and Persian vocabulary; the study of Hindu thought by Muslims such as al-Biruni or Abu'l Fazl; the composition of histories in Persian by Hindus; the syncretist religions of Kabir and Guru Nanak—all of these notwithstanding neither educated Muslims nor educated Hindus accepted cultural co-existence as a natural prelude to cultural assimilation.

Thus, long before British rule and long before modern political notions of Muslim nationhood, the consensus of the Muslim community in India had rejected the eclecticism of Akbar and Dara Shikoh in favor of the purified teachings of Shaikh Ahmad of Sirhind and Shah Wali-Ullah. Cultural apartheid was the dominant ideal in mediaeval Muslim India in default of cultural victory".

It is obviously out of the question to substantiate this thesis here. A few comments however may be in order. First about Kabir and Guru Nanak. Kabir himself was a radical critic of both Hinduism and Islam in their religio-social form: as such he could not be, and was not, interested in sponsoring any religion or sect. He was a master of the Hindu Intellectual Way, having his own system of esoteric Yogic Sadhana. There did arise a sect named after him (Kabir panth), but that is a different story.

Sikhism, which developed from the teachings of Guru Nanak, could be said to represent a synthesis of Islam and Hinduism; but it is remarkable that in becoming a religion, from its origin as a Sadhana (personal way of spiritual realization) it eventually developed into a violent anti-Muslim movement (though not necessarily a pro-Hindu one). In other words, only at the level of esoteric personal realization, the level of saints and aspirants to sainthood, could there be any genuine synthesis or interaction.

The other thing to note is that it was not cultural but religious apartheid that was the dominant ideal in India under Muslim rule. Religious apartheid was the response of the Hindus to their political defeat and of the Muslims to their religious defeat.

It is important to see why it is truer to say that it was religious and not cultural apartheid in Muslim India. Leaving aside the interaction of Islam and Hinduism at the spiritual level (Vedanta and Sufism, Kabir, etc.), all efforts toward synthesis were, as the cited passage briefly indicates, in the socio-cultural sphere. This was the inevitable consequence of the Hindu acceptance of Islam as the sovereign political power while rejecting it as a religion. This acceptance involved the active collaboration of the Hindus with the Muslims in the political and economic spheres, and in this process it was just too hard, if not impossible, for the Hindu not to accept and adopt a large measure of Muslim culture.

What is deeply disturbing and of far-reaching consequence is that this process of "cultural interaction" between two different and exclusive traditions introduces into the Hindu world an idea which is completely foreign and unintelligible to both the Islamic and the Hindu tradition, namely, the idea of an autonomous culture i.e. patterns of thought and behavior which are unrelated to the religious and spiritual belief systems. In other words, since in both the Hindu and Islamic traditions culture cannot be independent of religion nor of the Intellectual-Spiritual tradition, Hindu adoptions from the Muslim world, given religious exclusivism, would imply precisely the introduction of meaninglessness into Hindu life, the existential expression of which is a lie in the Soul.

Both Hinduism and Islam being total systems, all efforts at developing a mode of co-existence involved serious and far-reaching loss. The Hindu tradition does not allow any dichotomy between the inner and the outer life: it closes the gap by making both the inner and the outer different but equivalent expressions of the Transcendent—beyond time and space. In its encounter with Islam, this unity was disrupted with the development of the Bhakti tradition (devotionalism) and the so-called social reform and humanist movements associated with it.

The Bhakti movement was essentially asocial and emphasized the cultivation of an inward emotional life dedicated to one's God or deity. It thus opened to every Hindu the possibility of seeking an authentic existence, of following a direct path to Self-realization, independently of his society but without renouncing it. Thus it authorized a gap between the inner and outer life which the saint transcends by the high level of his inward detachment; but the ordinary man cannot do so and therefore has to mask it by a kind of structural self-deception. In effect, the Bhakti movement allowed a general personalization of the tradition, such as the Hindu tradition permits only at a high spiritual level, and, by implication, to a small minority alone. Thus for the majority Bhakti strongly encourages the privatization of religion, which, in the Hindu theory, is a contradiction in terms and necessarily leads to falsification of consciousness itself.

The Bhakti movement, it is true, did generate social criticism; it was against the caste-system and untouchability. But in this, as well as in other "humanistic" and "progressive" ideas that can be found in the movement, one can see the beginning of the tragic confusion between Hindu spirituality and Hindu religio-social tradition which persists up till now. If the institutional forms of Hinduism were outworn and stood in need of reform, the task for mediaeval leaders was to formulate and fight for a whole new social system which would be the contemporary application of the traditional Hindu sociology. In the absence of this, the Bhakti movement, in spite of its social criticism, remained asocial.

Thus Tulsidas (1532-1623) whose Ramayana is read and venerated almost as scripture by the Hindus, could be an uncompromising supporter of the Varna system (caste) and yet sanction, even glorify, its non-observance on the part of the Bhaktas (devotees). Such an inconsistency is too important to be ignored even by a great poet. Clearly Tulsidas thought that the norms for the Bhaktas operated at an asocial level. The Bhakti movement gave us a new form of Hindu spirituality which was accessible to all. But since the two modes of the Hindu tradition are at two different levels and so are not mutually substitutable, this universalization of Hindu spirituality tended only to sanctify and thus mask the disintegration and even the perversion of the Hindu religio-social tradition.

The other side of the process that sustained the Bhakti movement was fanaticism and formalism expressed internally by the growth of sectarianism, cultism, empty and rigid ritualism and resultant intolerance and persecution, and, externally, by violent waves of anti-Muslim activity.

Was this lie in the Hindu's soul, this falsification of his consciousness, an unavoidable consequence of Hinduism's encounter with Islam? I do not know.

As Islamic rule moved towards its decline, the Hindus, spiritually enfeebled but unreconciled, made persistent efforts to regain their political sovereignty in the name of restoring Hinduism. By this time, it was no longer a straight contest: European powers and Christianity had entered the scene. After a century of confusion and struggle the British succeeded in establishing their rule over the whole of India. It was a complete defeat for both Hindus and Muslims.

Both now faced common challenges: Christianity, foreign rule, modern Western civilization. I will refer here to the Hindu response alone.

The option of mass conversion, which in one sense was open to the Hindus in the case of Islam, was not open to them in the case of Christianity. If all the Hindus had become Christians they would still be confronting the most radical challenge of a "rationalistic" scientific, humanist, technological, industrial, secular world-outlook of which India's newest conquerors were the carriers. For the Hindus, therefore, British rule presented three distinguishable challenges even though overlapping and often confused: Foreign rule, Christianity, Modernism and Secularism.

The response to foreign rule eventually developed as a straight opposition up to the point of do or die. But it cannot be discussed here for want of space even though it was an important factor in the development of the responses to the other two challenges.

The basic principle of the Hindu response to the challenges of Christianity and modernism (and secularism) may be called the Nilkantha syndrome. It is assimilation, synthesis, harmonious co-existence; this was the strategy the Hindus had unsuccessfully used earlier in their encounter with Islam. This period (1800-1947) has usually been regarded as a vital and creative period. It has been generally called the Renaissance of Hinduism. However, the fact that no advance was made beyond the untenable idea of assimilation and synthesis shows how deeply the Hindu consciousness had been falsified.

One of the first movements of the "renaissance" of Hinduism was the Brahma Samaj (1828), an underlying idea of this movement being that a reformed Hinduism could assimilate Christianity; or in any case, that a synthesis of Hinduism and Christianity could be created. In spite of a number of Hindu features (including caste consciousness) being present in the ways of thought and life of the Indian Christians, it was and remains unrealistic to think in terms of absorbing Christianity into Hinduism.

There are at least two related doctrines that will always prevent this: one, the doctrine of Jesus Christ as the Savior; and two, the world-historical and missionary nature of Christianity. Hinduism can make an idol of Jesus Christ; this will be a misunderstanding of the Christian tradition. Alternatively, it can understand him as a symbol (an iconic symbol), or else it can accept him as an Avatar. Neither of these modes of understanding Christ will be acceptable to Christianity (except, perhaps, to the mystical tradition; this, however, is not the level in question here).

But whatever the validity of these interpretations, the very fact of understanding Christ through Hindu categories makes Christianity a sect within Hinduism and this seriously compromises the world-historical mission of Christianity. Moreover, the dialectic of Hindu categories blunts the uniqueness of Christ and hence will always be resisted by Christianity.

In the whole religio-social development of the 19th and 20th centuries the impact of Christianity is clearly discernible. But it is equally clear that Christianity cannot absorb or replace Hinduism, for the same reasons as make it impossible for Hinduism to absorb or replace Christianity. It is significant in this context to note that the Brahma Samaj and its offshoot Deva Samaj, which are the earliest religious movements responding to strong Christian and Western impact, became more and more heretical and non-Christian as they moved more and more towards Christianity.

Both Keshab Sen (of the Brahma Samaj) and S. N. Agnihotri (founder of the Deva Samaj) set themselves up as new Christs, as the bearers of new post-Christian revelations. It is true that Keshab Sen was not consistent in this; if he said, "If Christ was the center of his Dispensation, am I not the center of this?", he also said in the same lecture, "No, a prophet's crown sits not on my head. My place is at Jesus' feet". And, according to a testimony quoted by Farquhar, on his deathbed he prayed: "Buddher Ma, Sakyer Ma, Nirban dao". (Mother of the Buddha, Mother of the Sakyas, grant me Nirvana) But this precisely illustrates my central point, namely that the meaninglessness which entered Hindu life through the Islamic encounter only deepened during the Western encounter. As Keshab moved farther from the tradition of his birth, he failed to find roots anywhere else.

The other, and perhaps more important, aspect of the "renaissance" of Hinduism was a continuing movement towards reform of Hindu customs and institutions. From Raja Rammohan Roy and the Brahma Samaj through the Arya Samaj, the Ramakrishna Mission, the Indian National Social Reform Conference, the All-India Women's Conference, the Depressed Classes League, the Jat Pat Torak Mandai, Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress and many other men and organizations, down to the present day when it has been taken over by the Indian State, one can see social reform as a powerful element in the Hindu response to the Western challenge.

Christianity was only one, and perhaps not a major, source and inspiration for this movement. It was inspired very much by eighteenth and nineteenth century rationalistic and humanistic thought in England and Europe. A large part of this thought (and the values it espoused) was non-Christian, some of it even anti-Christian. Raja Rammohan Roy denied the divinity of Jesus Christ and, in general, did not accept a specifically Christian foundation for his ethical system.

He definitely sought the foundation of all the new ethical and social ideas in ancient Hindu thought. And whatever the immediate sources and contexts for social reforms, their ultimate legitimation was always sought in the Hindu tradition, however reinterpreted.

The other important source and context for all these reform movements was the Indian Freedom movement. A number of leading figures in the social reform movement, Rammohan Roy, Lala Lajpat Rai and other Arya Samaj leaders—Gokhle, Kelkkar, Gandhi—were also leaders of the freedom movement and realized that in order to unify and strengthen Hindu society, as also to give people a strong sense of self-respect and identity, certain major reforms in customs, habits of thought and institutions were imperative. A dynamic interpretation of Karma, reform or abolition of caste and untouchability, advancement of women's education and of their social status, development of social activism and the missionary spirit, were often seen more as conditions and requirements of success in the struggle for freedom than as a religio-social concern.

This political and defensive (rather than creative) character of Hindu social reform was reinforced by the fact that whatever its true source, its context was one of subjugation by an alien power claiming legitimacy in terms of the socio-cultural superiority of the modern West and, unofficially, in terms of religious superiority as well.

If the Hindus (in fact, the Indians) had accepted this theory of Western domination, there could have been no demand for freedom: the Western rulers would grant the Indians independence when they would be fit for it; that is, when they would be sufficiently civilized. And what does "sufficiently civilized" mean? Does it mean `better' Hindus and Muslims? Does it mean superior Indians? Does it mean Christianized Indians? Does it mean Indians anglicized? If the theorists of Western imperialism, old and new, ever had a coherent answer to these questions, I am unaware of it.

Whatever the imperial answer to these questions, Colonial India had to face them, for even though the majority of Indians never accepted the "civilizing mission" theory of British Rule, they, as a subject people, had to prove their "freedom-worthiness" as part of the legitimization of the independence struggle. And to make the freedom struggle stronger this proof had to be given largely in terms of the West's own standards. But this involved a separation of culture and society from religion, which led to a concept of social reform as distinguished from religious reform. In other words, the history of Hindu response from Rammohan Roy to Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, and the present day Hindu revivalisms (the Jana Sangh, the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and Anti-Cow slaughter movements) centers once again on one key issue: is the separation of society and culture from Tradition compatible with Hinduism?

It would seem that broadly the answer of reformists and revolutionists is, yes, and that of revivalists, no. But this division is far less clear-cut than it looks: in fact, notwithstanding important differences, there is a unity in their responses.

A very early revivalist movement was the Arya Samaj (1875) founded about fifty years after the Brahma Samaj. It was both reformist and revivalist. It successfully sponsored a number of important social changes; it was against the existing system of caste. However, in all this it claimed to have gone back to the traditional form: the Vedic Society; it did not want any change as such. And yet the existing society in India was not Vedic, but one that was heavily menaced by the forces of modern Western civilization. A consistent revivalist theory of the Arya Samaj type can hardly stop at piecemeal reforms, it requires a complete rejection of modern Western civilization (whatever that may mean).

But the Arya Samaj in practice took a different view. It stuck to the doctrine that the Vedas contain all possible human knowledge. So all modern science and technology, indeed, all knowledge in any sphere past, present or future must be in the Vedas and one can, by going back to their study and practice, become even more modern than the modern West: even more advanced scientifically and technologically. For the Arya Samaj therefore the question of adjustment to the West, as also the resultant problem of separating religion from society and culture, does not arise. When India regains the full possession of its Vedic heritage it will replace the West completely. Society will be inseparable from Vedic religion, but it will be, by the same token, scientific-technological, industrially and politically advanced. In a book, published in 1965, Nirad C. Chaudhry offers a variant of this theory. Modern Indians, he says, are ancient European Aryans, Let us take possession of our true inheritance and thus eliminate the problem of meeting the Western Challenge: we are the original West!

There were other movements and organizations which differed from or opposed the Arya Samaj, the Theosophical Society, the Bharat Dhama Mahamandal, the Sanatan Dharma Sabha, the Shuddhi League, the Hindu Mahasabha, the Ram Rajya Parishad, the Jana Sangha, the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and others. They, in the main, differed in defending the whole, or nearly the whole of Hindu historical tradition and not just the Vedic. Thus some of these organizations have been opposed to most of the social reforms proposed or legislated. They do believe in the inseparability of Hindu society from Hindu religion, but either do not consider the Western challenge of modernization (secularization and industrialization) really serious or believe in Hinduism's capacity to assimilate it.

The reformist group from Roy to Vivekanand and the contemporary Indian State answer the question of separation of religion and society in terms of synthesis, Indian society will be an Indian version of the modern Western one; in fact, it will be one far better equipped since it can and will represent a synthesis of the best in Hinduism, Islam, Christianity (and, of course, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikkhism, and other religions) and the best in the modern scientific, secular, humanist world-view. The great exponent of this view is the former President of India, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan.

Mahatma Gandhi stands apart. He believed in the Hindu tradition; he believed in the equality of all religions; he believed in and sponsored, often successfully, far-reaching changes in the customs, beliefs, thinking, attitudes, and institutions of Hindu society; at the same time he did not believe in the modern secular, technological-industrial society and culture, and though he could see certain valuable things in modern civilization, he clearly did not believe in any real synthesis between tradition and modernism; on the other hand, he wanted to change radically the modern Western civilization itself.

Vinoba Bhave, who is generally regarded as Gandhi's successor, is the leader of the Gandhian Sarvodaya movement. He also believes in Hinduism, the unity of all religions and a simple non-technological society. But his attitude to Western science, technology and secular humanism is quite different from that of Gandhi. In his own way he does seem to believe in a synthesis of tradition and modernity, between traditional metaphysics and modern science and technology, between the Hindu and other religions as also between secularism and Hinduism.

Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Aurobindo Ghosh and Ramana Maharshi have remained unmentioned so far. Though Ramakrishna Paramahansa by implication authorized Swami Vivekananda's world-historical mission of Hindu revival, he himself remained occupied with personal realization in the spiritual-mystical mode of the Hindu tradition; and, though one of the most dynamic and effective social action and social work organizations in India bears his name (The Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekanand), he himself often strongly discouraged social work.

Aurobindo Ghosh began as a political leader of India's freedom movement; he withdrew from the movement and retired into an Asram as he realized that the spiritual regeneration of India came absolutely before everything else including political freedom. He became a Yogi and, through his writings, a noted interpreter of the Hindu tradition. I have no access to his later thinking, but earlier writings show him as concerned simultaneously with the religio-social and the spiritual modes of the Hindu tradition. He thought he could mediate the descent of the spirit at a collective level and thus a new spiritual social system could be brought into being. In this sense, Aurobindo was deeply concerned with Hindu religion and society even though, apart from his own Sadhana, he remained preoccupied only with guiding devotees who were themselves engaged in personal Sadhana. The Aurobindo Ashram is now the scene of an educational experiment designed to lay the foundation for a new man and society.

The realization and knowledge of the Self was the sole concern of Ramana Maharshi's life and teaching. He taught people to seek the answer to the question: Who am I? And in this search, the whole meaning of life is to be found. He definitely discouraged any concern with society and history.

Ramakrishna, Aurobindo and Ramana actually embody the perennial spiritual tradition of India "and thus serve as an impressive warning, lest the demands of the soul be forgotten amid the novelties of Western civilization with its materialistic technology and commercial acquisitiveness. The breathless drive for power and aggrandizement in the political, social and intellectual sphere, gnawing at the soul of the Westerner with apparently insatiable greed, is spreading irresistibly in the East and threatens to have incalculable consequences. Not only in India but also in China, too much has already perished where once the soul lived and thrived. The externalization of culture may do away with a great many evils whose removal seems most desirable and beneficial, yet this step forward, as experience shows, is all too dearly paid for with a loss of spiritual culture". The synthesis ideology, or the Nilkantha Syndrome which has continued to possess the Hindu consciousness from the days of Muslim and British domination down to the present time, is the Hindu way not only of paying the fatal price for some kind of survival, but also of masking the fact that such a tremendous price is being paid.

The Reform movement started by Rammohan Roy, supported by Vivekanand, and today by the Indian State, has failed to understand that effecting reforms and changes in response to emerging situations carries the danger of slowly undermining the social structure and of reducing it to mere congeries of institutions, often expressing conflicting principles and realities. This is not the way of renewal but of deeper decay.

The reason for this has been the belief that the basic principles of Hinduism are compatible with the ideas, institutions and principles that have to be accepted from the West. But this compatibility has almost always been sought at the level of Hindu spirituality and this is wholly fallacious. Swami Vivekanand felt this from time to time in his heroic career. What he was really interested in was monastic reform: he established a new kind of monastic order. But in order that this may transform the social structure, more than the personal social involvement of spiritual men is required; for, as he knew, there is a discontinuity between the religio-social and the spiritual orders. What Hinduism needed was a new theory of society: a new application of sacred sociology which would be a bridge between religion and spirituality by reflecting the Transcendent in time as the spiritual reflects it atemporally.

Again, contemporary Indian social legislation is not based on any coherent theory of society. The modern ideas that are expressed in these social reforms are shown to be compatible with Hinduism at the level of spirituality, whereas what is required is that they should fit in with a new systematic reinterpretation of traditional Hindu theory. This has not been accomplished.

Though the Arya Samaj theoretically eliminates the challenge of modernity, in practice it assumes, without noticing it, the synthesis ideology. For it does not grapple with the problem of unifying the values of Vedic society with those of the technological society. (We have a similar problem with van Leeuwen's doctrine that technological society is the latest phase of Christianity: technocracy being here regarded as a development from the theocratic Christian cosmology)
The other parties and movements in contemporary India (Jana Sangh, etc.) insofar as they do not ignore it, hold to the synthesis ideology.

If one does not confound the spiritual and the religio-social levels, one can easily see the incompatibility between a Hindu society and the secular technological world-view.

The two are incompatible because the autonomy of society and culture necessarily required by the synthesizing process contradicts the Hindu tradition.

The modern world-view denies the doctrine of karma. If contemporary Hinduism too rejects this doctrine in order that Hinduism may not be an obstacle to "modernization", it has to devise or import (from where?) a new metaphysical system as consistent as the traditional metaphysic. Has this been done? Are we even aware of this problem?

The technological society of today is not a random development which has just happened to man and is still happening and to which man simply has to adjust himself. The problem is not to develop another human power to counter, and thus to use and master, man's technological power. Not at all. Technology itself is an expression and product of contemporary man's highest powers. Its gigantic, overwhelming development in modern times is the consequence of asking the proud question: What can I do?, without bothering to ask the absolutely prior, human question: What ought I to do? In technical words, a technological society develops from the rejection of the traditional hierarchical theory of knowledge and the adoption in its place of the modern autotelic (self-sufficient) theory of knowledge. Between these two theories there is no possible synthesis. (This shows up the fallacy of Vinoba Bhave's theory).

Is the modern world-view (secular, humanist, technological) a consistent system? If it is, and if the traditional world view too is a consistent system, can there be a selective synthesis between the two except in terms of a third system? Where is that third system?

If the modern world-view is not a consistent system, what is it to which the Hindu tradition must adjust? Do Hindus today realize that the modern Western world view is already obsolete and itself needs radical renewal?

Contemporary thinkers and religious and political leaders do not, apart from a few exceptions, concern themselves with these questions; the synthesis shibboleth has, by constant repetition, dulled contemporary Hindu sensitivity in this respect. Synthesis is the present form of the meaninglessness and rootlessness towards which Hindus have been moving ever since the Muslim Conquest.

How have we tried to cope with this absence of meaning? By fanaticism; by ritualism; by other forms of sentimental revivalism; by politicization of religious feelings and urges.

The Hindu political parties sense that the real challenge to tradition is constituted by secularism and the technological society. But unwilling to accept this, they obscure the fact by the synthesis ideology and project, instead, Islam and Pakistan as the major threat to contemporary Hinduism. This is a form of our false consciousness. Its dangers cannot be overemphasized. But this self-deception is unavoidable as long as the false hope in the synthesis ideology persists, for it is simply the other side of the untenability of that ideology.

It is not that the Hindu political parties have not opposed secularism. The division of India in 1947 was against the ideology of the Hindu Mahasabha and was opposed by it. But the resistance was half-hearted, nor did the Hindu Mahasabha or the Jan Sangh continue the struggle for a re-united India. One can even say that the Hindus accepted the division of India. Some leaders of the Jan Sangh now support secularism on the ground that Hinduism is fundamentally secular in the sense of tolerance for, and equality of, all religions (Sarva-dharma-samabhava). Early in Independent India, the Raina Rajya Parishad (now practically defunct) and other predominantly Hindu parties opposed the Government of India's legislation that introduced fundamental changes in Hindu personal law. But here again the opposition was not sufficiently determined and was not continued after its initial failure.

This continued failure is connected with the fact that the Hindu intellectuals did not develop any systematic theory of society and state which would be traditional and adequate to the needs of the contemporary plural society of India. This non-contemporaneity of the Hindu consciousness also throws light on the fact that a large number of Hindus joined the nationalist freedom movement led by the Indian National Congress without being personally committed to secular nationalism. The point here is not, of course, that commitment to secular nationalism was a precondition for being active in the freedom struggle. That is false. The point is that those (Hindus or Muslims) who were opposed to secular nationalism did not see sharply enough the conflict between the official Congress ideology and their own. Not being clear in their own feelings, attitude and thinking about nationalism and secularism, they could not be effective in prevailing upon the Congress to reject the two-nation theory. The almost sudden acceptance of the two-nation theory on the basis of a religious difference represents the abandonment of the secularist ideal of Indian unity. However, the Hindus who did not accept this theory wholeheartedly nevertheless indirectly contributed to this result because Hindu intellectuals had not worked out a contemporary and traditional form of personal law or of the hierarchical principle of social organization. Thus they lacked and still lack an intellectual basis for resisting the secularization of contemporary society.

And if there cannot be a contemporary institutional form of traditional principles, it is far better, in the last analysis, to accept this and prepare to face the consequences of the secularization of man and society with clear vision and fortitude.

It is this consciousness of a decisive movement of history that is lacking in the Hindus, if not in the entire Indian people. What we find is that loyalty to Hinduism is expressed in fanatical and, therefore, necessarily sentimental forms (agitation and demonstration against Cow-slaughter, anti-Muslimism, anti-Pakistanism, etc.). A fanatic, sentimental approach and a clear-headed, responsible approach are two very different things.

Gandhi was deeply aware of these tremendous problems. He knew the meaninglessness, the despair of the false ideology of synthesis.

He was fully aware of the disastrous forms in which the Hindus were wont to express their betrayal of their tradition. He had not worked out a solution. I do not know if he could have done so. But he was not deceiving himself. Nor us. And he was responsible.

He was shot dead by a Hindu on 30th January 1948, a few months after India gained her independence from the British.

Attack on Hinduism

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Can Hinduism Survive so much attack?

A unilateral war against Hinduism is being waged by anti−Hindu forces to wipe out Hinduism from the face of the earth the way other native cultures and religions have been obliterated from the world.

It is tragic that Hinduism, the faith proclaiming universal brotherhood and oneness of humanity is the target of vexatious attacks, and is threatened with extinction.

Bharatvarsh comprising the present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan and even Zabol in Iran was Hindu land till Muslims attacked the subcontinent in the 8th century. Hindus lost Afghanistan to Muslims in 987 in a fiercely fought battle. After many centuries, Muslims got Pakistan in 1947.

In 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh. Though India is a secular republic, Pakistan and Bangladesh are Islamic republics and have driven out most of the Hindus and Sikhs from their land.

And in independent India, Hindus have undergone genocide and eviction from Kashmir to become refugees in their own country. And even this tragedy has not stirred India's secular soul.

Besides, Pakistan's ISI and Bangladesh are determined to create one more Islamic country on Indian soil for which they have sent many terrorists, Pakistanis and crores of Bangladeshis into India. Moreover, ISI has planted numerous madrasas on India's border with Bangladesh,

Nepal and Pakistan
Since secularism implies separation of State and religion, government control over Hindu temples is anti−secular, and deprives temples of their income. Besides, it is discriminatory since only Hindu places of worship have been brought under government control.

Missionaries' TargetIf Pakistan and Bangladesh are focussed to Islamize India, missionaries are determined to Christianize India. While addressing bishops and priests in New Delhi on November 7, 1999 (which happened to be Diwali, an important Hindu festival), Pope John Paul II gave a call to convert

Asia to Christianity as follows:−"Just as the first millennium saw the Cross firmly planted in the soil of Europe, and the second in that of America and Africa, so may the Third Christian millennium witness a great harvest of faith on this vast and vital continent."

Hindus and India are favourite targets for this harvest of faith. Missionaries have already conquered the north−east India. Every where else in India, missionaries and their non−government organisations (NGOs) having large funds at their disposal are aggressively busy converting poorer Hindus to Christianity under pretence of charitable social service.

Reinhard Bonnke, the global evangelist famous for his crusades in Africa, is reported to have stated that during 20 years of his activity in Africa, Christian population rose from 2 per cent to 40 per cent, and now India tops on his conversion agenda. With each passing day, India is becoming more Islamic and more Christian; and less Hindu.

The Only SolutionThough for several centuries, Hindus fought the invaders bravely to defend their faith and motherland, Macaulay's education has made Hindus ignorant of their religion, heritage and history; and indifferent to attacks on Hinduism.

Hindus have to re−invent themselves, become pro−active, and tackle this attack at political, social and religious levels. Following steps must be taken immediately if Hinduism is to survive the ceaseless onslaught.

Genuine SecularismThough a sublime concept, 'secularism' has been wrongly equated with anti−Hinduism in India. Since in the name of secularism, sectarian and anti−Hindu agenda is being followed, Hindus and their organisations have to assert themselves and force the government to act as follows:

Article 30 of the Indian Constitution giving special privileges to minorities regarding educational institutions is fragmenting Hindu society since various Hindu sects claim non−Hindu status to get benefit of Article 30. Vide the Supreme Court's judgement reported as Bramchari Sidheswar Shai & Others versus State of West Bengal (AIR 1995 Supreme Court 2089), even Ramakrishna Mission, a leading Hindu organisation, unsuccessfully claimed a minority (non−Hindu) status to fall under Article 30. Justice demands that fundamental right under Article 30 must be extended to every community, whether majority or minority.

Government control over Hindu temples is another aberration. Since secularism implies separation of State and religion, government control over Hindu temples is anti−secular, and deprives temples of their income. Besides, it is discriminatory as only Hindu places of worship have been brought under government control.

In a truly secular country, all religious communities must have identical rights. Accordingly, constitutional direction as per Article 44 regarding Uniform Civil Code has to be implemented urgently. And none can have any objection to Hindus being treated at par with other communities.

Conferring a special status on Muslim−majority Jammu and Kashmir, Article 370 has led to genocide of Hindus and their eviction from Kashmir. To bring Jammu and Kashmir at par with other states, Article 370 has to be abrogated.

And instead of having passport and visa−free Muzaffarabad−Srinagar bus services which would open floodgates for Pakistani infiltrators, all steps to deport Bangladeshi and Pakistani infiltrators have to be taken immediately. Besides, terrorist training camps in Pakistan and Bangladesh have to be smashed; and if necessary, an all−out war with these nations to make them see reason has to be undertaken. Hindus have undergone genocide and eviction from Kashmir to become refugees in their own country. And even this tragedy has not stirred India's secular soul.

Anti−Hindu MediaIn India, many of print and electronic media are indulging in blatant anti−Hindu propaganda. They are denigrating Hinduism, spreading misinformation about Hindu scriptures, dividing Hindu society and hurting Hindu sentiments. Though deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings of any community is a non−bailable offence punishable with imprisonment of upto three years and/or fine under Section 295−A of the Indian Penal Code, Hindu reluctance for legal action has emboldened anti−Hindus to continue their tirade.

Besides taking legal action against malicious propaganda, and boycotting anti−Hindu media, Hindus must have unbiased daily newspapers and television channels in various languages to defend Hinduism, and to enlighten the readers about Hindu religion, heritage and history.

Why Conversions?Any attempt at conversion from one religion to another by fraud, inducement or coercion is horrible, and must be defeated. Apart from helping the needy sections of society, Hindus and their organisations have to confront and thwart those who are bent upon converting Hindus to Christianity by deception, enticement or force. Inflow of foreign funds meant for subversion and conversion has to be barred. Conversion by fraud, allurement or coercion must be banned. Besides thwarting questionable conversion, all efforts to welcome the converts back to Hindu fold have to be made.

Hindu UnityOnly a united Hindu society can tackle anti−Hindu forces. Besides, there is an urgent need for a strong global Hindu forum covering all Hindu sects.

Four Vedas containing 20,416 verses, many Upanishads, Ramayana with 24,000 stanzas, Mahabharata with 1,00,000 stanzas, and several other holy books are the sources of Hinduism. Codification of Hinduism in one book is indispensable to widen its reach. For this codification, appropriate Vedic mantras and shlokas of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata (which contains the Bhagvad Gita), and Tirukkural etc. will provide basic material.

As per the Mahabharata, samvibhaga (sharing of wealth) is an important attribute of Dharma. Many Vedic mantras direct humans to share their wealth with others. Rig Veda (1−15−8) stipulates, "Let us become God's instruments and distribute fortune to the poor and needy." Similarly, the Atharva Veda (3−30−7) commands humans to share their comforts with others. Apart from helping the needy, practice of samvibhaga will unite Hindu society. If affluent Hindus utilise one per cent of their income to help vulnerable sections, expansionist religions will be unable to prey upon Hindu society. Besides, every Hindu family has to devote time to defend Hinduism. As per the Mahabharata, Dharmo rakshiti rakshitaha (Dharma protects those who protect Dharma).

Remember Your HistoryHindus need to remember valour of Dahir, Lalitaditya, Bappa Rawal, Raja Bhoja, Jayapala, Vidyadhar Chandel, Bhimadeva, Govindachandra, Prithviraj Chauhan, Lakshman Sen, Pratap Rudra, Hakka (Harihara), Bukka (Bukkaraya), Kota Rani, Rana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shiva Ji, Hari Singh Nalwa and many others who defended their faith and every inch of motherland.

Now or NeverLulled into complacence, many Hindus feel that since Hinduism has survived for thousands of years, it will continue to flourish for ever. But they overlook the worst ever attack threatening Hinduism now. Unless Hindus confront their tormentors, and take the above−mentioned measures immediately, Hinduism, also known as eternal religion (Sanatan Dharma), will vanish from this earth just in a few decades.

Any further delay or reluctance in fighting the attack will hasten disappearance of Hinduism from the world.

Evolution of Indian languages

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In the Vedic age, Saunskrut was a spoken language. After scripts were invented, it was discovered that language changed with time. Horrified by the discovery, attempts were made to fix the language. Around 500 BCE Panini wrote a grammar for Saunskrut. It is the shortest, unambiguous grammar, a grammar followed by computer languages nearly 2500 years after him. His monumental work Ashtadhyayi, freezed Saunskrut in time. This is the Classical Saunskrut.

The spoken language kept on evolving, deviating more and more from classical Saunskrut. By the time of Buddha, local versions of Saunskrut called Prakrut (Magadhi, Pali, Sourseni) languages were in use. The latter literary works like some Puraanas were written in these Prakrut languages. Buddha’s teachings were propagated in the Prakrut languages. Buddha himself probably spoke Magadhi.
Later casteism prevented the lower classes from learning Saunskrut. Saunskrut was no longer the language of the common man. Still later, after the Islamic invasions, the royal patronage for Saunskrut stopped. Veda and Saunskrut teaching universities were destroyed. Saunskrut language was used only for religious purposes and few odd scholars who found it fascinating. Though Saunskrut is no longer a mother tongue, thousands of people are Saunskrut literate. There are several times more documents preserved in Saunskrut than in Latin and Greek combined. Saunskrut still enjoys the status of religious language.
The Prakrut languages were used throughout India for nearly fifteen centuries. Modern languages received the status of official language by 12th century AD. Marathi received the status of official language in the 12th century, during the Yadav rule. Kannada and Telugu derived from Tamil, Prakrut and Saunskrut received the status of court language in Krishnadev Raya's reign. Malayalam derived from Tamil, became a distinct language somewhere around the 9th century.
Tamil is a very ancient language, probably as old as Saunskrut. It is believed that Saunskrut and Tamil had a common source. All modern Indian languages share common words, and grammar structures, including the retroflex alphabets (the hard Ta, Tha, La , Na etc. A feature not inherited by the European languages.)

Influence of Saunskrut outside India

The European languages (Greek, Latin, French, German, English, Russian etc.) are derived from Saunskrut (or proto-Saunskrut?) The languages of the Middle East (Persian, Pushtu, Kurdish) have words and structures similar to Saunskrut. Avestan, the classical language of Zoroastrianism is almost identical to Vedic Saunskrut.
Saunskrut has influenced the languages of the Far East as well. Sinhalese was derived from Prakrut (Pali) language. According to a legend, Prince Viajaya of Bengal carried Prakrut to SriLanka @500 BC. Chinese has many words derived from or transliterated from Saunskrut. The Philippines language has loan words from Saunskrut that were traded by Hindu seafarers. The Malayan language has words derived from Saunskrut like: Bhoomiputra. The Indonesian language is called 'Bahasha Indonesia' (derived from bhasha). The Indonesian Airways is named Garuda (meaning Eagle in Saunskrut and Indonesian.). Thailand has places named like Aranyaprathet (Aranyapradesh). City names like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have Saunskrut roots. The name Burma is derived from its Saunskrut name Bramhadesh.

Scripts:

The earliest known script is the Braahmi. Later Kharoshti and Devanagari scripts developed from Braahmi script. Today Saunskrut, Hindi, and Marathi use the Devanagari script. Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam scripts have a one-to-one correspondence with Devanagari. Though Saunskrut is usually written in Devanagari script, Saunskrut works have been written using other scripts as well.

Devanagari script is the source for Burmese, Thai and Cambodian alphabets. The Javanese Kawi script has been developed from the Pallava script.

The Future

Languages become simpler with time. A language acquires new words as science advances. But it only adds to the vocabulary, not to complexity. It is predicted that, local languages will disappear, as some major languages become standards.
The languages that do not adapt to the new technologies will go out of use. Malayalam script was reformed in 1981 for better adapting to keyboards. Reforms might be required for other languages too!
In India, technical education is imparted in English. No Indian language adapted itself like Japanese or German or Chinese to create new words for scientific / technical discoveries. Thus almost every high-educated person thinks in English, rather than his mother-tongue. Does this ring any warning bells? Will the new generations respond to this?

Saunskrut roots of Tamil words

Saunskrut word	Tamil Word
sangam	sangam (meeting)
faLam	fazam (fruit)
pushpa	pushpam (flora)

Tamil roots of Saunskrut words

Tamil word	Saunskrut Word
kunTu	kunDa (lake)
kuntal	kuntal
baL	baL (strength)
panD	panDit
singa	simha (lion)

Languages spoken in India

Languages spoken in India also include Munda languages and a few Sino-Tibetian languages. Around 850 languages are in daily use. 15 languages are National / Official languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Saunskrut, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and English (associate official language).

Northern India	Hindi, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Kashmiri, Awadhi, Braj Bhasha, Gadhavali, Ladakhi, Urdu, Nepali
Eastern India	Assamese, Manipuri, Sikkimese, Naga , Nepali, Tibetan, Bodo
Central India	Bengali, Oriya, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Chhattisgarhi, Hindi, Magadhi, Maithili, Bundeli.
Western India	Gujarati, Marathi, Mewari, Hindi, Marwari, Ahirani, Khandesi, Konkani, Gujari, Kachchi, Koli, Saurashtri, Sindhi, Bareli, Gondi, Vadari, Malwi, Sindhi
Southern India	Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tulu, Yerukula, Konkani, Kodagu, Badaga, Irula

Measuring Time

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1 Nimish = @ 0.213 sec Time required to blink an eye.

1 Kastha = 15 Nimish

1 Kaal = 30 Kastha

1 Muhurta = 30 Kaal

1 Day = 30 Muhurta 15 for the day and 15 for the night.

1 Month = @ 29 Days The Lunar Month starts one day after new moon to next new moon. The Lunar month is approximately 29 days.

1 Year = 12 Months. Lunar Year is approximately 354 days. Solar year about 365.25 days. When the accumulated difference between the Solar year and Lunar year exceeds 29 days, an extra month Adhika maas is added to the lunar year.

Yug Ganana:

   SatyaYug = 1,440,000 years

   TretaYug = 1,080,000 years

   DwaparYug = 720,000 years

   KaliYug = 360,000 years

   Sandhi kaal = 720,000 years Period between two yugas

1 MahaYug = 4,320,000 years 1 cycle of Satya, Treta, Dwapar & Kali Yug.

1 Manvantr = 71 MahaYug The number of years in the Yugas vary in different sources. But the total of all the Yugas (MahaYuga) comes to 4,320,000 years in each account.

1 Kalpa = 14 Manvantr (Jan 2000 CE is year 5102 of the Kali Yug of 28th MahaYug, of 7th Manvantr, of 1st Kalpa.)

1 Brahama day = 2 Kalpa (approx 8.7 billion years). One Kalpa for day, one Kalpa for night.

1 Nimish of Vishnu = 100 years of Brahma

1 Nimish of Rudra = 100 years of Vishnu (how many years is that???!!!)

Time is measured with the help of of 4 Mandala's: Chandra, Pruthvi, Surya, and Parmeshthi. Each Mandala denotes the time required for a revolution around its parent.

Chandra Mandala: is revolution of the Moon around the Earth. Time it measures is a Month.

Pruthvi Mandala: is revolution of the Earth around the Sun. Time it measures is a Year.

Surya Mandala: is revolution of the Sun around the Centre of the Milky Way. Time it measures is a Manvantar. @300 million years (by modern sciences this figure is @250 million years)

Parmeshthi Mandala: is revolution of the Milky Way around Brahmanda (Universe?) Time it measures is a Kalpa 8.7 billion years.

English words that have Sanskrit roots

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Word Origin

saunskrut word	english word	saunskrut word	english word
ma	me, my, mine	agni (fire)	ignite (latin ignis)
swa	self	anta	end
tva	thou, thee (you)	antar (between)	inter-national, interior
naam	name	apekshit	expect
matru	mother	asti	is (greek esti)
pitru	father (pater)	bandha (bind)	bind, bandage
bhraatra	brother	dama (home)	domicile, domestic
swasar	sister	daana (gift)	donate
suunu	son	dev (god)	divine
duhiter	daughter	dwar	door
		ga	go
ek (one or same)	equal	gam	come
dvi (two)	duet, dual, double, duo	gouh (earth)	geometry, geography (greek geos)
tri (three)	three, triple	gow	cow
chatur (four)	quarter, quarternary, quadrate	hanta (kill)	hunt
panch (five)	pentagon	hara (destroy)	harass
sapta (seven)	septulets, septagon	iccha, isha (to wish)	wish
ashta	eight, octagon	jan (produce offspring, born)	generate, genocide
nav	nine	jhampa	jump
dasha (ten)	decagon, decade	kaal (time)	calendar (latin kalendae)
shatam (hundred)	century, centipede (latin centum)	kath (say, talk)	quote
kon (angle)	octa-gon, penta-gon (8 angled, 5 angled etc.)	kroor	cruel
miti (measure)	metric, meter, measure (latin metiri)	lok (place)	location, locus, locale
tri-kona-miti	trignometry	maas (month)	month, moon
		madhya	middle, mediocre, moderate
manav	man, men	mooshak	mouse
yuva	youth, young	mruta (death)	mortal, murder, mortuary (latin mortalis)
manas	mind, mental	Na	No
mukh (face)	Mouth (old english muth)	Nawa	New
kapal (head)	as in "per capita", captain	nou	navy, navigation
bhru	brow	path	Path
akshi (eye)	occipital, occular	raaj (king, rule)	rich, regal, regulate
nasika	nose, nostril, nasal	sama	same, similar
danta (tooth)	dental, denture	sarpa	Serpent
hrid	heart	sharkara	saccharin, sucrose, sugar
hasta	hand	smit	smile
nabhi	Navel	swadu	sweet
janu	knee (french genou)	syu	sew, suture
pad (feet)	pedicure, pedestrian, centipede	taru	Tree
sweda	sweat	tat	That
bhramachaari (unmarried male. in student life a person was expected to be bhramachaari.)	bachelor in english, the word bachelor is used for unmarried males and also for the preliminary degree conferred on students!	vahan	vehicle
		vak, vaacha	voice, vocal
		vastra (clothing)	vesture (latin vestitura)
		veda, vidya (from vid) (knowledge)	wit, wise (from vid)

Brief History

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10,000 BC - 300 BC	Ancient Era (9700 years)
300 BC - 300 AD	Medieval Period (600 years)
300 AD - 1320 AD	Golden Phase (1000 years)
1300 AD - 1850 AD	Invasions and Fusion (550 years)
1600 AD - 1947 AD	British Rule (350 years)
1947 AD - onwards	Independence to Democracy (60+ years)

Maps and Ancient Cities

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Maps
Ramayan Map

Mahabharat Map

600 BCE Map

100 BCE Map

100 CE Map

400 CE Map

625 CE Map

900 CE Map

1050 CE Map

1280 CE Map

1320 CE Map

1400 CE Map

1630 CE Map

1800 CE Map

1860 CE Map

1947 CE Map

1975 CE Map

2000 CE Map

Afghanistan to America (a2a)

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World Leaders Flock To Afghanistan After Mysterious ‘Time Well’ Discovered

By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers

A peculiar report prepared for Prime Minister Putin by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) circulating in the Kremlin today states that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has become the latest in a growing line of Western leaders to make a ‘surprise’ visit to Afghanistan this month and follows visits by United States President Obama (December 3^rd), British Prime Minister David Cameron (December 7^th) and French President Nicolas Sarkozy (December 8^th).

Only Sarkozy’s trip, this report says, was concealed as he was already in

India

on a state visit when ‘rushed’ by a US Military aircraft to the Afghan war zone.

What caused the sudden rush of these most powerful leaders of the Western World to go to Afghanistan, this report continues, was to directly view the discovery by US Military scientists of what is described as a “Vimāna” entrapped in a “Time Well” that has already caused the “disappearance” of at least 8 American Soldiers trying to remove it from the cave it has been hidden in for the past estimated 5,000 years.

From the ancient accounts found in the Sanskrit epic The Mahabharata, we know that a Vimāna [photo bottom left] measured twelve cubits in circumference, with four strong wheels. Apart from its 'blazing missiles', The Mahabharata records the use of its other deadly weapons that operated via a circular 'reflector'. When switched on, it produced a'shaft of light' which, when focused on any target, immediately 'consumed it with its power'.

To the “Time Well” encasing the Vimāna, this report continues, it appears to be an electromagnetic radiation-gravity field first postulated by Albert Einstein as the Unified Field Theory and long rumored to be behind the infamous American World War II experiment in teleportation called the Philadelphia Experiment that in 1943, like the events occurring in Afghanistan today, likewise, caused the sudden “disappearance” of US Soldiers.

The seemingly “perpetual” power source to this mysterious “Time Well”, this SVR report says, appears to be based on the technology of Edward Leedskalnin, who claimed to have discovered the “Secret Knowledge of the Ancients” and from 1923-1951 “single-handedly and secretly” carved over 1,100 tons of coral rock by an unknown process that created one of the World's most mysterious accomplishments known as the Coral Castle.

Most intriguing of all about this report is its stating that not just any Vimāna has been discovered, but from the ancient writings contained in the cave where it was discovered, it claims that its “rightful owner” is the ancient prophet Zoroaster [pictured top left] who was the founder of arguably one of the most important religions of all time calledZoroastrianism.

Though little known to the World today, the religious philosophy of Zoroaster is credited with being the basis of all known religions that said the purpose of humankind, like that of all other creation, is to sustain aša [truth]. He further stated that for humankind, this occurs through active participation in life and the exercise of constructive thoughts, words and deeds.

Pliny the Elder, the first Century Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, further names Zoroaster as the “inventor of magic”, a claim historians say was based on the over “two million lines” written about Zoroaster contained in the Ancient Royal Library of Alexandria that was ordered destroyed by the Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I in 391 AD.

Important to note is that for the new Christian religion to grow, all of the elements relating to its true beginnings with Zoroaster had to be destroyed, and as we can read from the 440 AD notation about this destruction written in the ancient Historia Ecclesiastica, and which says:

“At the solicitation of Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, the emperor issued an order at this time for the demolition of the heathen temples in that city; commanding also that it should be put in execution under the direction of Theophilus. Seizing this opportunity, Theophilus exerted himself to the utmost to expose the pagan mysteries to contempt. And to begin with, he caused the Mithreum to be cleaned out, and exhibited to public view the tokens of its bloody mysteries. Then he destroyed the Serapeum, and the bloody rites of the Mithreum he publicly caricatured; the Serapeum also he showed full of extravagant superstitions, and he had the phalli ofPriapus carried through the midst of the forum. ... Thus this disturbance having been terminated, the governor of Alexandria, and the commander-in-chief of the troops in Egypt, assisted Theophilus in demolishing the heathen temples.”

The largest resurgence of Zoroaster “magic” among human beings, since the destruction of the Ancient Royal Library of Alexandria, occurred in the 13^th Century among theCathers who lived in Southern Europe. Sadly, however, when the “power” of Zoroaster “magic” began to reappear in the World once again, the threat to Christianity was undeniable and prompted Pope Innocent III (1161-1216) to order the largest massacre in Europe not duplicated until the horrors of World War II.

To how brutal the Cathers were suppressed by Catholic Rome we can read from the history of those times:

“Arnaud, the Cistercian abbot-commander, is supposed to have been asked how to tell Cathars from Catholics. His reply, recalled by Caesar of Heisterbach, a fellow Cistercian, thirty years later was "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius."—“Kill them all, the Lord will recognize His own.”

The doors of the church of St Mary Magdalene were broken down and the refugees dragged out and slaughtered. Reportedly, 7,000 people died there. Elsewhere in the town many more thousands were mutilated and killed. Prisoners were blinded, dragged behind horses, and used for target practice.

What remained of the city was razed by fire. Arnaud wrote to Pope Innocent III, “Today your Holiness, twenty thousand heretics were put to the sword, regardless of rank, age, or sex”. The permanent population of Béziers at that time was then probably no more than 5,000, but local refugees seeking shelter within the city walls could conceivably have increased the number to 20,000.”

Today, in the ancient Afghanistan city of Balkh, where Zoroaster is said to have lived and died, and claimed by Marco Polo to be one of the World’s “noble and great cities”, a new Global Empire, the United States, holds both our past and our future in its hands with the discovery of this ancient Vimāna.

To if the Western leaders who have seen this ancient wonder will allow it to be known it is not in our knowing. What is in our knowing, though, is that if the past is truly an indicator of the future, the words soon to flow from Christendom will echo those of times past…. “Kill Them All, The Lord Will Recognize His Own”.

[Ed. Note: Western governments and their intelligence services actively campaign against the information found in these reports so as not to alarm their citizens about the many catastrophic Earth changes and events to come, a stance that the Sisters of Sorcha Faal strongly disagrees with in believing that it is every human beings right to know the truth. Due to our missions conflicts with that of those governments, the responses of their ‘agents’ against us has been a longstanding misinformation/misdirection campaign designed to discredit and which is addressed in the report “Who Is Sorcha Faal?”.]

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