Essays on India and Hinduism

Notes & Writings

Wide-spread love for Dr.

Wide-spread love for Dr.

Dr. Kalam has been one of the most loved President the country has seen. The joy on him becoming the President during Vajpayee’s term and…

Rahul DewanOct 25, 2015

Does the Hindu religion score over its Abrahamic counterparts — Is it better?

And if one does believe so — does this not amount to asserting the same superiority about itself that, for instance, Abrahamic religions do…Does the Hindu religion score over its Abrahamic counterparts — Is it better? ¶ Often these days in debates on religion and violence, it is not uncommon to hear statements like “all religions are equally bad” (or equally good). I contest this apologetic statement which is designed to reduce pressure from religions to wean themselves away from terrorism and violent value systems. I also propose case that all ‘indic religions’ (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) have value systems that…

Rahul DewanFeb 1, 2015

Idea of Hindu “Brahman” similar to “The Force” (of Star Wars) and “Eywa” (of Avataar)

The idea of Brahman in Hinduism is closer to “the Force” of the movie Star Wars OR to “Eywa” (the Great Mother) of the movie Avataar, than…to the idea of God of the Abrahamic religion. ¶ Such a non-judgemental idea of a Creator is also much more liberating than the God or Allah of Christianity or Islam. I say this because the God or Allah, beyond the layer of mysticism, gets down to “dos and donts” and “rewards and punishments” (of heaven and hell) — which are among the worst of human behaviour. ¶ The idea of a simple all pervading Creative Force, simply shoves all responsibility of making meaning out of life on the individual…

Rahul DewanMar 26

Excerpt from “Being Hindu” by Hindol Sengupta (Page 26).

“As R.C. Majumdar explained in the introduction to “The History and Culture of the Indian People”, it is pre-islamic India that laid the…“As R.C. Majumdar explained in the introduction to “The History and Culture of the Indian People”, it is pre-islamic India that laid the philosophical bedrock for the syncretic, composite culture that India has been able to build, therefore to credit this foremost Hindu imagination of a tolerant geography is neither incorrect, nor is in any manner, shape or form discriminatory” ¶ Excerpt from “Being Hindu” by Hindol Sengupta (Page 26).

Rahul DewanJan 17

Rahul DewanJan 251 min read

“Brahman” is not God

The ultimate goal and Absolute of Hinduism is termed “Brahman” in Sanskrit. The word comes from the Sanskrit verb root brh, meaning “to grow”. Etymologically, the term means “that which grows” (brhati) and “which causes to grow” (brhmayati).

Brahman is not “God…

Rahul DewanJan 241 min read

Lyrics of a song from the Jain tradition

There are no celestial beings I know of
There is no God either
Neither heaven nor hell
Neither a preserver, nor an owner of this universe
Neither a creator, nor a destroyer
There is only the law of causality
I take responsibility for my actions
and their…

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