The oldest religion has
given us epics, knowledge, values, art and purpose of living and explained a
lot of mysteries of life still being proven by science. Hinduism has also been the
prime source of wisdom for newer religions like Sanathan, Jainism, Buddhism and
Sikhism which branched out due to the creeping ills. Hinduism has failed to
move with times though the whole world may be criticising Islam for being a medieval,
retro, outdated religion, Hinduism is not far behind , Islam is fighting back
Hinduism does not give a damn. What has Hinduism given us, is the root cause of
our failing as individuals, society and nation. The major ills could be
described as follows:-
Caste system. It is sickening to witness the
lower castes being treated shabbily in some regions. Their treatment at places
is worse than the animals. No respect and no one give a damn. Separate habitat,
cannot visit a temple, separate drinking water- at times common with the
animals; cannot sit or look into the eyes/face of higher castes. One wonders as
to how are we better than some of nasty Islamic states.
Misinterpreted version
of destiny, karma and soul theory has made the psyche of most of orthodox
followers almost illogical. Someone else is responsible and our lives are
remote controlled therefore we are helpless in front of destiny. We have made poor
God responsible for all the ills and cure of the same. He is your father so
better look after.
Family domination. The
kings fooled the populace through the system of monarchy, the king’s son to be
the king, notwithstanding the capability. Within the family my son is better
than your son.
Blind men Dhritrastra
was the king and look what merry hell he played with the destiny of the nation.
Kakayi did the same to look after Bharat and remove Ram.
Sycophants and Greed.
The power centres were surrounded by relatives, kith and kin and few slimy
operators who wielded all the power for personal greed and advancement. It was
the accepted norm and still continues.
Failure to grow on ancestral
wisdom- yoga, ayurved, herbs for health, herbs for beauty, herbs for disease
prevention and control; no follow up on Vedas
Charity hardly exists.
The rituals of distributing the surplus from the harvest, helping the needy,
contributing financially or materially to ashrams and constructing rest houses and
drinking water points for travellers always exited but seems to have got left
behind.
Mandirs are by and
large very wealthy but extremely filthy; full of beggars, few amenities and
limited solace or environment which such place must provide. Their sole aim
is to fleece a visitor ruining the very sanctity
of the occasion.
Holiday homes and
drinking water points – charitable issue of the past but it has vanished from
our priority
Superstitions; Begging
and bribing- beg anyone for wish fulfilment and go to ant extent of insanity. Some
days, times, months not auspicious. Film actress marries a tree; someone
marries a dog for better future. Corrupting and bribing the Gods, if you do
this I will give you that in return. Astrology, palmistry, numerology, Bhrigu
leaves, horoscope have combined to shape a psychology of someone else being in
total control but we can negotiate with him through rituals etc.
Rituals based on fear
and blackmail. For the dead, if you do
not do this your forefathers will be subjected to this scourge. Visit Hardwar Ghats
and see the fear and terror the pandas create in you without any shame or fear.
Hygiene. Clean your
house, litter the common space. Take care of self, to hell with the rest.
Dowry. She-God
worshipped but girls killed in the womb or burnt for dowry.
Fractured religion
there is just too many Gods and ways of life. However religion and its rituals
are supposed to help a being to progress further in life. It’s akin to doing KG
to graduate/post graduate. KG makes the base. However in Hinduism we damn well
do not move ahead beyond the rituals. The Yoga tells you to proceed on any one
or more disciplines amongst Raj, Bhakti, Gyan and Karma; however it’s practised
by few.
Lethargic People- Quite
happy with the status quo or aping the west. Not having much of self-esteem,
Hindus have made no effort to modify the bullock cart though we invented the
wheel. We invented the gun powder but never used it to protect the nation from
our enemies.
Maximal Gurus preaching
on TV but we are a society which adheres to none that’s taught. With so much of
preaching’s and following we should have transformed into a society of caring, righteousness,
truth supporting; helping the needy, honest and hard working society having
clean mandirs and leading the good way of life.
But what actually happening is that
we are becoming the most corrupt, cruel, lazy, non-progressive; sermonising in grandiose
morality but poor in application, me-my son first; with filthy mandirs and
common utilities; manipulative and divisive religion and society.
I have been a practising
Hindu for fifty tears but I am starting to hate Hinduism.
3 comments:
Dear RAJINDER,
You have very nicely brought out the shortcomings and weaknesses of what they call HINDUISM today. I can add two more that is ------one, it is another name for COWARDICE attitude in the name of TOLERANCE and PEACEFUL CO- EXISTENCE. Two, it is a name which has been given by Foreigners, like India.
Having said all this, I would like to draw your attention to one point and that is IT WAS NEVER A RELIGION BUT A WAY OF LIFE OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN A GEOGRAPHICAL CONFINE. It included, Shaivites, VAISHNAVITES, Budhists,Sanatanis and Jains,----- the temporal sects as they existed in the ancient times----- around let us say around 530 AD. John Keay , an indologist and Historian maintains in his books "Into India and" History of India" that as late as 19th Century, Budhists , Jains and Sikh called themselves as Hindus only.
The first time the name HINDU appears on a tablet by ancient Persian kig DARIUS -1 in 518 BC where he describes that his kingdom spread upto RIVER HINDU ( read SINDHU) ----- no other Vedic scripts or Sanatan literature has mentioned this word. Therefore all those who lived East of River Hindu were Hindus. You would appreciate that it was a GEOGRAPHICAL CONNOTATION till 530 AD.
Eaxctly 1000 years after the word first appeared on a Persian king's tablet, in 530 AD, it was given a religious connotation by a HUN king of KASHMIR, called GOPALDITYA. Who was impressed by the tolerance and peaceful coexistence of various Temporal sects such as Shaivites, VAISHNAVITES, Budhists, Jains etc and he converted to it and called himself a Hindu. By then SHAIVISM and VAISHNAVISM had merged to be called SANATAN DHARMA.
John kea explains on Page 10 of his book that word HINDU is a Persian connotation because ANCIENT PERSIAN pronounced S as apostrophe H----- so River SINDHU became HINDU and thus the name HINDU. He further goes on to explain that as the word HINDU travelled west To Greece from Persia ----- it lost its H and became INDU , INDIC, INDIE and INDIA. You see both names INDIA and HINDU are of Foreign origin. You can say INDIA is the new Version of word HINDU.
You can read me in my article ----- Hinduism, is it a euphemism for Religion or a way of life. I have touched upon the WHYs of Caste system also. In my definition of Hinduism , I include everyone who is an Indian---- no matter what TEMPORAL PRACTICE , he follows.
Regards.
Rajee
Thanks for the significant inputs. My disagreement is on certain fundamental issues. The advocated values of vedas have been lost and rituals and out religious teachers are ruling the roost. they are no less than the dreaded mualvis of Afpak border. See the way these people of God instil fear in you whilst tou visit Haridwar. Rituals; fear; superstitions is why I hate but certainly not the basic values. Today max hindus happy with rituals
Rajinder I think you are confusing the shortcomings of the current Indian Society and individuals with that of the Hindu religion. The first issue there is no Hindu religion as such, it is misnomer of Sanathan Dharam. Will appreciate for detailed research before you write on such serious issues.
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