what can hindus do

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From: swamijyoti
Date: Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: [* VivekaJyoti *] New comment on An important question to
(a Spiritual Leader) from....

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To: agrasen
Cc: soumyasai@gmail.com


From: "Babu Sushilan"
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 5:49 AM
Subject: What Can One Hindu Do?

WHAT CAN ONE HINDU DO?

Dr. BABU SUSEELAN

What can one Hindu do? Individuals who are concerned about the state
of Hindus around the world and want to correct it frequently ask this
question. More often than that, it is asked in a form that indicates
the cause of their helplessness: "What can one Hindu do?" "How can an
individual propagate the ideals of Hinduism on a scale large enough to
effect the immense changes which must be made in every walk of life in
order to create the kind of ideal society? Some ask the right
questions, some feel that some wider scale of action is required. Many
others ask the question, but do nothing. Some expect to perform
instantaneous miracles; some however paralyze themselves by projecting
an impossible goal. Some want to overhaul Hindu society overnight, and
they tend to regard knowledge of Hinduism as irrelevant.

CHANGING MINDSETS

If you are a Hindu and are concerned with the present state of
affairs, begin by identifying the nature of the problem. The battle is
primarily intellectual, political, social and religious. Politics is
the practical implementation of the ideas that dominate our culture.
One cannot fight or change the consequences without fighting and
changing the cause, nor can one attempt any practical implementation
without knowing what one want to implement.

In an intellectual battle, one need not convince every one. History is
made of minorities, or more precisely, intellectual movements which
are created by minorities. They make history. Intellectuals with
foresight and commitment can develop abstract and functional
strategies to change the society. An intellectual battle is a battle
for man's mind, not an attempt to enlist blind followers. Only people
who understand them can propagate ideas. An organized movement has to
be preceded by an educational campaign, which require active and
willing participants. Such trained persons are the necessary
precondition of any attempt to change the Hindu society.

The immense changes, which must be made in every walk of life, cannot
be made singly, piecemeal or retail. But the factor that underlies and
determines every aspect of Hindu life is Hindu ideals. Teach every man
the right Hindu ideals and his own mind will do the rest. The starting
paoint is the family. Teach your children Panchatantra, Ramayana,
Bhagavat Gita, Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Chanakya Sutra, Vedas,
Upanishads and Darsanas. These books contain everything you need to
know about moral life, healthy living and spiritual directions.
Practice our rituals, protect it and promote it without reservations.
Make temple visit a daily routine. Partcipate in temple festivals and
pilgrimage.

Hindus cannot exist without practicing and protecting Hinduism. Every
Hindu is not intellectual innovators, but they are receptive to the
ideas, when and if it is offered. There are also great numbers of
Hindus who are indifferent. Such Hindus accept subconsciously
dualistic and divisive ideas of other religions and thoughts without
critical evaluation. They also accept whatever is offered by the
distorted secular culture, and swing blindly with any transient ideas.
They are merely oscillators- be they politicians, bureaucrats,
businessmen, or educators-and by their own choice, irrelevant to the
fate of the world.

Today, most Hindus are acutely aware of cultural pollution, coercive
religious conversion, Jihadi terrorism, ideological confusion,
distorted secularism, and political turmoil created by the pseudo
secularists and alienated intellectuals. But they are anxious,
confused and groping for answers. Are we able to enlighten them? Can
we answer their questions? Can we offer them a consistent ideology? Do
we know how to convince them? Are we immune from the fallout of the
constant barrage aimed at the destruction of our Hindu culture? To
provide them with clear, consistent, and correct concepts, we need an
intellectual, social and political struggle.

If we want to influence a country's intellectual trend, the first step
is to bring order to our own ideas and integrate them into a
consistent case, to the best of our knowledge and ability. Knowledge
necessarily includes the ability to apply abstract principles of
Hinduism to concrete problems, to recognize the principles to specific
issues, to demonstrate them, and to advocate a consistent course of
action. Our Rishis and Acharayas have given us philosophical
guidelines in the Vedas, Upanishads and Darshanas.Our Puranas and
Ithihasas are replete with examples, illustrations and guidelines to
handle any imaginable human problem.

When our convictions and commitment to Hinduism are in our conscious,
orderly control, we will be able to communicate them to others. This
does not mean one must make philosophical speeches on Hinduism when
unnecessary and inappropriate. We need the philosophy of Hinduism to
back us up and give us a consistent case when we deal with or discuss
specific issues.

How can we propagate our ideals of Hinduism? Do not wait for a
national audience. Speak on any scale open to you, large or small---to
your friends, your associates, your professional organizations, or any
legitimate public forum. You can never tell when your words will reach
the right mind at the right time. You will see no immediate
results---but it is of such activities that public opinion is made.

Make any issue or problem an ideological issue. An issue of Hindu
ideals versus sectarian philosophy (pluralistic, all inclusive,
spiritual, open, and systemic philosophy versus pseudo secular,
fundamentalist, dualistic, divisive, rigid, all exclusive, mechanical
models).

Do not pass up a chance to express your views on important issues
affecting Hindus. Whether it is discrimination, prejudice, race
relations, international affairs, religious conversion, terrorism,
distorted secularism, fundamentalism, personal law, polygamy, or any
social, political or religious issues. Write letters to the editors of
newspapers and magazines, to TV and radio commentators and, above all,
to the political leaders.

Remember, the best democracy is still no guarantee against intolerance
and bigotry, and eternal vigilance is an expression that will never
become obsolete. The opportunities to speak about Hindu philosophy are
all around you. Hindus need to repeatedly examine incidence and issues
of prejudice and false propaganda. Hindus should not keep silent when
the philosophy of Hinduism and Hindu values are being questioned.
Always be vigilant and recognize warning signs of intolerance and its
perpetrators, and contribute to efforts to preserve religious freedom
to practice and promote Hindu values.

Always explore the nexus of pseudo-secularists and deprogrammers who
want to demoralize Hindus. Above all, do not join the wrong
ideological groups or movements, in order to do something. By
ideological (in this context), I mean group or movements proclaiming
anti-Hindu values. Many anti-Hindu groups substitute anarchism for
liberal democracy, pluralism for theological fundamentalism, and
reason to whims and faith. To join such groups means to reverse the
noble philosophy of Hindus, and to sell out pluralistic principles for
the sake of some superficial and intolerant ideologies. It means that
you help defeat the noble values of Hinduism and the victory of
sectarian and exclusive ideas.

FORGE PARTNERSHIP

The groups one may properly join today are organized to achieve a
single, specific, clearly defined goal, on which men of differing
regions and backgrounds can agree. Actively participate in
organizations like RSS, VHP, Bajarang Dal, and Hindu Munnani. These
groups have no hidden agenda, selfish motives or sectarian political
purpose. These organizations have a mandate, mission and desire to
assist those Hindus in difficult circumstances to improve their life.
It is important to establish close working relationships with such
Hindu organizations to foster coordination, cooperation and coalitions
addressing specific Hindu needs. All across the globe thousands of
volunteers regularly give their time and talents to make a positive
difference in the lives of Hindus. They are proud of their part in a
great endeavor. For Hindu society to prosper and survive, we all must
live up to our responsibilities as Hindus.

It is a mistake to think that the intellectual movement to propagate
Hindu ideals is without difficulties. It requires a profound
conviction, that ideas based on Hinduism are important to you and to
your own life. If you integrate that conviction to every aspect of
your life, you will find many opportunities to enlighten others.

There is no short cut to achieve our objectives. Hindu philosophy is a
permanent fuel and ideological powerhouse. So propagate it with
activism. If others destroy our identity, and establish a mechanical,
all exclusive, narrow minded and rigid political philosophy and life
style, it will be the default of those who keep silent. We are still
free enough to speak, organize and act. Do we have time? No one can
tell. But time is on our side-because we have an indestructible and
invincible thought system-Hindu ideals.

On Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 7:49 PM, agrasen wrote:
>
> Dear Sureshji,
>
> Namaskar and Jai Hind.
>
> Thank you for your note. I am glad to learn tht there are other
> people as well like you who really care about India's future. But
> what can anyone do in the present circumstances and also seeing the
> past history of India when many of the Hindus, kings or others, who
> were in a position to do something about the upliftment of Hindu
> religion, only took a selfish course at the cost of Hindus and India.
> And this is happening today even more!
>
> In the ultimate analysis, it appears to me that it is all destiny or
> God's will that all this is happening, I wonder. But we have to keep
> trying in our own way if we can bring some change. Rest we have to
> leave to God.
>
> JAI SITARAMJIKI, JAI RADHAKRISHNJIKI, JAI VEER HANUMAN,
>
> Bhavdiy,
>
> SHER AGRAWAL,