HINDU

A Hindu Matrimonial Website Arranged marriages are traditional in India; parents begin looking for a suitable match while their children are young, and at times they use the formal or informal services of a “matchmaker.” In recent years, internet sites for marriage have sprung up in India. Parents can use them to find prospective spouses for their children, but more often they are used by young people themselves. Many of them take account of caste, and draw up Hindu horoscopes to increase the auspiciousness of the process. Visit a website that bills itself as the “largest matrimonial website in the world,” http://www.shaadi.com/.

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A Hymn to Soma from the Rig Veda Soma, a hallucinogenic drug, was used in some sacrifices during Vedic times. It is no longer used in Hindu sacrifice; where a substitute is desired, wild rhubarb juice is used instead, but of course it does not have a hallucinogenic effect.

▪▪ I have drunk these glorious drops [of Soma] that give me freedom. Closely they knit my

▪▪ joints.

▪▪ O Soma, let them protect my foot from slipping on the way; yes, let the drops I drink

▪▪ preserve me from disease. Make me shine bright like fire produced by friction: give us a

▪▪ clearer sight and make us better.

▪▪ As I carouse I think of you, O Soma. Shall I become a rich man and attain to comfort?

▪▪ May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit the juice you give, like ancestral riches. O King

▪▪ Soma, prolong our existence as the sun god makes the shining days grow longer.

▪▪ King Soma, favor us and make us prosper. We are your devotees; be mindful of this.

▪▪ Spirit and power are fresh in us now; give us not up unto our foe’s pleasure. For you

▪▪ have settled in each joint, O Soma; you are the aim of men’s eyes and the guardian of

▪▪ our bodies.

▪▪ When we offend against your holy statutes, as a kind Friend, best of all gods, be

▪▪ gracious to us. May you be a Friend to me whose heart is tender, who when I drunk him

▪▪ will never harm me.

▪▪ This Soma is now deposited within me. I pray for longer life to Indra.

Rig-Veda 8.48. Edited from Rig Veda, tr. by Ralph T. H. Griffith (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1895).Rig-Veda 8.48. Edited from Rig Veda, tr. by Ralph T. H. Griffith (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1895).

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An Upanishad Renunciation and Meditation Are Better Than Sacrifice In the post-Vedic age, the way of sacrifice to the gods and the way of meditation with renunciation vied with each other for dominance. In typical Indian fashion, both were affirmed and incorporated into Hinduism, but not before those advocating the superiority of meditation launched attacks like this on Vedic sacrifice.

▪▪ Those boats, the eighteen [Vedic] sacrifices, are truly frail. Fools who praise this as the

▪▪ highest good are subjected again and again to old age and death. Fools dwelling in

▪▪ darkness, wise in their own conceit and puffed up with vain knowledge, go round and

▪▪ round, staggering back and forth; they are like blind men led by the blind. ….

▪▪ Considering sacrifice and good works as the best, these fools know no higher good.

▪▪ Having enjoyed their reward in the height of heaven, gained by good works, they come

▪▪ back again to this world or a lower one.

▪▪ But those who practice penance and faith in the forest are tranquil, wise and live

▪▪ on alms. They depart free from passion through the sun to where that immortal Person

▪▪ dwells, whose nature is imperishable.

▪▪ Let a man of the Brahmins, after he has examined all these worlds that are

▪▪ gained by works, acquire freedom from all desires. Nothing that is eternal can be gained

▪▪ by what is not eternal. To understand this, let him take fuel in his hand and approach a

▪▪ guru who is learned and dwells entirely in Brahman. The wise teacher will tells him the

▪▪ knowledge of Brahman through which he knows the eternal and true Person. The guru

▪▪ tells this to a pupil who has approached him respect- fully, whose thoughts are not

▪▪ troubled by any desires and who has obtained perfect peace.

Mundaka Upanishad 2.7-13. Edited from F. Max Müller, The Upanishads, vols. 1 and 15 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1878, 1884).Mundaka Upanishad 2.7-13. Edited from F. Max Müller, The Upanishads, vols. 1 and 15 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1878, 1884).

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Gandhi Mohandas Gandhi was the most famous Hindu of the twentieth century. He led the movement of Indian independence from Great Britain by his understanding and use of “ahimsa,” which means “no harm,” in this struggle. “No harm” became “non-violent resistance” in the U.S. civil rights movement and the South African struggle against white repression of oth- ers. He was a reformer of Hinduism, and also built bridges with Islam, Jainism, and Christianity.

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Hindu Rejection of Buddhism and Jainism Remarkably few Hindu scriptures speak directly about the history of Hinduism. In this selection from the Vishnu Purana 3.18, dated by many scholars to around 1000 C.E., we get a perspective on a key moment in Hindu history, why Hinduism rejected Buddhism and Jainism. The story of how Buddhism began in India is told from a Hindu per- spective. Hinduism was not able to absorb and neutralize Buddhism, but eventually it was so reduced in India that it was no longer a threat to Hindu power. This story associ- ates Jainism’s naked monks carrying peacock feathers with Buddhism, and opposes it as well. The main Hindu complaint against these religions is that they disregard the Vedas, the caste system, and Hinduism’s occasional animal sacrifices.

After this great delusion proceeded to earth, the DaityasDaityas: A mythological race of giants who were taken over by evil. engaged in ascetic penances on the banks of the Narmada River. Approaching them as a naked begging monk, with his head shaven, and carrying a bunch of peacock feathers, the Buddha addressed them in gentle accents: “Greetings, lords of the Daitya race! Why do you practice these acts of penance? Is it for some reward in this world, or in another?”

“Sage,” replied the Daityas, “we pursue these devo- tions to obtain a reward hereafter. Why would you ask such a question?”

“If you are desirous of final emancipation,” answered the ascetic, “listen carefully to my words, for you are wor- thy of a revelation which is the door to ultimate happi- ness. The duties that I will teach you are the secret path to liberation; there are none beyond or superior to them. By following them you shall obtain either heaven or release from future existence. You, mighty beings, are deserving of such lofty doctrine.” By such smooth persuasions, and by many specious arguments, this deceptive being misled the Daityas from the teachings of the Vedas. The Daityas were seduced from their proper duties by the repeated

lessons of this teacher of illusions. The Daityas were thus induced to depart from the religion of the Vedas. They became teachers of the same heresies, and perverted oth- ers. The Vedas were soon deserted by most of the Daitya race.

Then the same deluder, putting on garments of a red color, assuming a benevolent aspect, and speaking in soft and agreeable tones, said to them, “If you cherish a desire either for heaven or for final repose, stop your sin- ful massacre of animals (for sacrifice), and hear from me what you should do. Know that all that exists is composed of discriminative knowledge. Understand my words, for they have been uttered by the wise. This world subsists without support, and is engaged in the pursuit of error, which it mistakes for knowledge; it is poisoned by passion “ In this manner, he exclaimed to them, “Be enlightened! “ and they replied, “It is enlightening.” These Daityas were induced by the arch-deceiver to deviate from their reli- gious duties. When they had abandoned their own faith, they persuaded others to do the same, and the heresy spread.

The delusions of the false teacher did not end with the conversion of the Daityas to the Jain and Buddhist heresies. Rather, with various erroneous tenets he pre- vailed upon others to apostatize, until many people were led astray. They deserted the doctrines and observances inculcated by the three Vedas. Some then spoke evil of the sacred books; some blasphemed the gods; some treated sacrifices and other devotional ceremonies with scorn; and others spoke evil of the Brahmins.

From Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning.Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning. from Vishnu Purana 3.18From H. H. Wilson, The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition (London: J. Murray, 1840), .H. H. Wilson, The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition (London: J. Murray, 1840), 338–341.

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From M. K. Gandhi, The Gospel of Selfless Action or The Gita according to Gandhi Much of Gandhi’s work was aimed at understanding Hinduism’s relevance for Indian independence, but he also drew on other religious traditions for inspiration and direction. For example, this selection is drawn from his book entitled The Gospel of Selfless Action. “Gospel” (“Good News”) is a term for the Christian religious mes- sage, but Gandhi adapts it for Hindu use. In this book, Gandhi discusses the Bhagavad-Gita, the most beloved of Hindu scriptures.

The author of the Mahabharata has not established the necessity of physical warfare; on the contrary he has proved its futility. He has made the victors shed tears of sorrow and repentance, and has left them nothing but a legacy of miseries. In this great work the Gita is the crown. Its second chapter, instead of teaching the rules of physical warfare, tells us how a perfected man is to be known. In the characteristics of the perfected man of the Gita I do not see any to correspond to physical warfare. Its whole design is inconsistent with the rules of conduct governing the relations between warring parties. ….

This belief in incarnation is a testimony of man’s lofty spiritual ambition. Man is not at peace with himself till he has become like God. The endeavor to reach this state is the supreme, the only ambition worth having. And this is self-realization. This self-realization is the subject of the Gita, as it is of all scriptures. But its author surely did not write it to establish that doctrine. The object of the Gita

appears to me to be that of showing the most excellent way to attain self-realization. That which is to be found, more or less clearly, spread out here and there in Hindu religious books, has been brought out in the clearest pos- sible language in the Gita even at the risk of repetition.

The Gita is not an aphoristic work; it is a great religious poem. The deeper you dive into it, the richer the meanings you get. Since it is meant for the people at large, there is pleasing repetition. With every age the important words will carry new and expanding meanings. But its central teaching will never vary. The seeker is at lib- erty to extract from this treasure any meaning he likes so as to enable him to enforce in his life the central teaching.

Nor is the Gita a collection of do’s and don’ts. What is lawful for one may be unlawful for another. What may be permissible at one time, or in one place, may not be so at another time, and in another place. Desire for fruit is the only universal prohibition. Desirelessness is obligatory.

The Gita has sung the praises of knowledge, but it is beyond the mere intellect. It is essentially addressed to the heart and capable of being understood by the heart. Therefore the Gita is not for those who have no faith

From M. K. Gandhi, The Gospel of Selfless Action or The Gita according to Gandhi (Ahmedabad: Navagivan Publishing, 1946), .From M. K. Gandhi, The Gospel of Selfless Action or The Gita according to Gandhi (Ahmedabad: Navagivan Publishing, 1946), 123–131.

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Reincarnation: Blessing or Curse? Many people in the West look upon reincarnation as a happy form of life after death, or even of eternal life. For example, the auto magnate Henry Ford once said in explaining his success, “Genius is experience. Some think that it is a gift or talent, but it is the fruit of long experience in many lives.” But is this how Hindus look at reincarnation? In a word: no. Believers look upon it mostly as a bad thing. Moreover, they don’t think that business knowledge from one life can be carried into the next, as Ford thought about his auto manufacturing prowess. A main goal of Hinduism is not to come back to this world again.

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Rudra and Shiva Although one of the main branches of devotional Hinduism worships Shiva, he does not have a well- known text to celebrate him as Krishna does in the Bhagavad-Gita. This late Upanishadic hymn from the Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.1–13 identifies the Vedic god Rudra and the cosmic Person known as Purusha with Shiva, and at the end of the hymn it identifies these three gods with Brahman, the world-soul. It is used today by the followers of Shiva to express his praise. This hymn shows well how the worship of one god characteristic of devo- tional Hinduism is related to the wider Hindu traditions with many gods.

The snarer [Rudra] rules alone by his powers, rules all the worlds by his powers. He stays the same while things arise and exist. They who know this are immortal.They who know this are immortal: This statement, repeated often here, expresses the leading Upanishadic teaching that deep knowledge of the Atman within one leads to release from reincarnation and its painful suffering. There is only one Rudra. They do not allow a second; he rules all the worlds by his powers. He stands behind all persons. Having created all worlds, he who protects it will roll it up at the end of time. This god has his eyes, his face, his arms, and his feet in every place. When producing heaven and earth, he forges them together with his arms and his wings. He is the creator and supporter of the gods. Rudra is the great seer, the lord of all… May he endow us with good thoughts.

O Rudra, dweller in the mountains, look upon us with your most blessed form that is auspicious, not terrible, and reveals no evil! O lord of the mountains, make lucky that arrow that you hold in your hand to shoot. Do not hurt man or beast! Beyond you is the High Brahman, the vast being hidden in the bodies of all creatures. He alone

envelops everything as the Lord. Those who know this become immortal. I know that great Person of sunlike lus- ter beyond the darkness.great Person …. darkness: Here the Cosmic Person (Purusha) is identified with Brahman; this passage will soon identify him as Shiva as well. A man who truly knows him passes over death; there is no other path to go.

This whole universe is filled by this Person, to whom there is nothing superior, from whom there is nothing different, than whom there is nothing smaller or larger. This Person stands alone, fixed like a tree in the sky. That which is beyond this world is without form and without suffering. They who know this become immortal, but oth- ers suffer pain.

The Blessed One exists in the faces, the heads, and the necks of all. He dwells in the cave of the heart of all beings. He is all-pervading, and therefore he is the omnipresent Shiva. That Person is the great lord. He is the mover of existence. He possesses the purest power reach- ing everything. He is light; he is undecaying. The Person, not larger than a thumb,The Person, not larger than a thumb: Although the Cosmic Person, Purusha, is typically described as very large (as “Cosmic Person” suggests), his dwelling in individual humans is remarkably small. always dwells in the heart of man; he is perceived by the heart, the thought, and the mind. Those who know this become immortal.

From Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning.Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning. from Shvetash- vatara Upanishad 3.1–13From F. Max Müller, The Upanishads (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1878, 1884).F. Max Müller, The Upanishads (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1878, 1884).

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“Save the Girl Child” The Indian government has been running a national campaign to “Save the Girl Child.” So many females in the womb are aborted after determining the sex of the fetus (and very young girls also neglected with early death as a result) that an imbalance of males and females of marriageable age has occurred. This poses large social problems for India—there are not enough young women of marriageable age. This is an issue not only for Hindus, but for Sikhs as well. Read more about this campaign at its website, http://www.indianchild.com/girlchild/save-the-girl-child.htm

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Sin and Forgiveness The god Varuna protects the cosmic order and punishes those humans who violate it by misdeeds. This hymn from the Rig-Veda presents the heartfelt pleas of the worshiper to Varuna to reveal his unknown sin to him and pardon it, so that he may return to prosperity and happiness. Note that the hymn begins and ends with praise for Varuna in order to impress him with the worshiper’s devotion.

▪▪ Creatures become truly wise through [Varuna’s] greatness.

▪▪ He has held apart the vast heaven and earth.

▪▪ He put the high and mighty sun into motion,

▪▪ and spread the earth before it.

▪▪ I commune with my own heart on how Varuna and I may be united.

▪▪ What gift of mine will he accept and not be angry with?

▪▪ When may I find him gracious?

▪▪ I question others to find out my sin;

▪▪ I seek the wise, O Varuna, and ask them.

▪▪ Everyone tells me: “Surely Varuna is angry with you.”

▪▪ What, Varuna, has been my large transgression,

▪▪ That you would slay the friend who sings your praises?

▪▪ Tell me, Unconquerable Lord, and quickly I will stop it;

▪▪ I will approach you with my praise.

▪▪ [5] Free us from sins committed by our fathers,

▪▪ And from those by which we ourselves offended….

▪▪ Our own will did not betray us,

▪▪ But seduction, thoughtlessness, wine, dice, or anger did.

▪▪ The old is near to lead astray the younger;

▪▪ Even sleep removes not all evil-doing.

▪▪ May I do slave-like service to you, O Bounteous One.

▪▪ May I serve, free from sin, the God inclined to anger.

▪▪ This gentle Lord gives wisdom to the simple;

▪▪ [Varuna is] the wiser God who leads the wise to riches.

▪▪ O Lord, O Varuna, may this praise come close to you and lie within your spirit.

▪▪ May it be well with us in rest and in labor.

▪▪ Preserve us always, O god, with your blessings.

From Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning.Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning. from the Rig- Veda 7.86From Ralph T. H. Griffith, The Rig Veda (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1896).Ralph T. H. Griffith, The Rig Veda (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1896).

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Stages of Life for a Twice-Born Man The Laws of Manu presents the stages of life for Hindus of the three upper castes. The first stage is that of the stu- dent, who lives and studies with his guru (private teacher). The second stage is that of the householder, when the young man must marry and father children. Here the rules for whom to marry are presented. The third stage is that of retirement into the forest, and Manu sets forth the style of life and religious aims of this stage. The fourth stage is that of the ascetic, today called a “sadhu,” who renounces all typical life to find release from rebirth. These laws on the stages of life reflect the situation of about 200 C.E., when Manu was written. Some differ from present practice. Asceticism, for example, no longer requires a prior retirement stage but can be entered by an adult male at any time. Moreover, the pattern here is idealized—only a minority of Hindus in the past and present has experi- enced it fully. Nonetheless, it continues to be influential as a guideline for a traditional Hindu course of life.

[2.69, the Stage of Studentship] Having performed the rite of initiation,rite of initiation: The acceptance of a male into full membership in the Hindu community. the teacher must first instruct the pupil in the rules of personal purification, conduct, fire-worship, and twi- light devotions. A student who is about to begin the study of the Veda shall receive instruction after he has sipped water according to the sacred law, has made the Brahmangali,Brahmangali: The traditional Indian gesture of greeting and respect, explained more fully in the next verse. has put on clean clothing, and has brought his sexual organs under due control.sexual organs under control: Hindu students must remain celibate until they are married in the next stage of their life.

At the beginning and at the end of a lesson in the Veda, a student must always clasp both feet of his teacher. He must study by joining hands; that is called the Brahmangali [joining the palms for the sake of the Veda]. With crossed hands he must clasp the feet of the teacher, and touch the left foot with his left hand, the right foot with his right hand. The teacher must say to him who is about to begin studying, “Recite!” He shall stop when his teacher says: “Stop!” The student must always pronounce the syllable “Om” at the beginning and at the end of a les- son. Unless the syllable “Om” precedes it, the lesson will slip away from him, and unless it follows it will fade away….

When ordered by his teacher, and even without an order, a student shall always exert himself in studying, and in doing what is useful to his teacher. Controlling his body, his speech, his organs of sense, and his mind, let him stand with joined hands, looking at the face of his

teacher. Let him always keep his right arm uncovered, behave decently, and keep the rest of his body well covered. Only when his teacher says, “Be seated,” shall he sit down, always facing his teacher. When he is with his teacher, he should always eat less [than the teacher], and wear less valuable clothing and ornaments. Let him rise earlier and go to bed later. [195] Let him not answer or talk with his teacher while reclining on a bed, or while sitting, or eating, or with an averted face. Let him talk standing up, if his teacher is seated…

When his teacher is near, his bed or seat must be low, and he must not sit carelessly at ease. The student must not pronounce the name of his teacher without adding an honorific title, even when talking about him behind his back. He must not mimic the way his teacher walks, speaks, or any other behavior. If people justly criticize or falsely defame his teacher, he must cover his ears or leave. If he criticizes his teacher, even justly, he will become an ass in his next birth.his next birth: in reincarnation. By falsely defaming him, he will become a dog. He who lives on his teacher’s belongings will become a worm, and he who is envious of his teacher’s merit will become an insect.

[3.1, the Stage of the Householder] The vow of study- ing the three Vedas under a teacher must be kept for thirty-six years at most, or for half that time, or for a quarter, or until the student has perfectly learned them. A student who has studied in due order the three Vedas, or two, or even only one, without breaking the rules of studentship, shall enter the order of householders. He who is famous for the strict performance of his duties and has received his heritage, the Veda, from his father, shall be honored. He will sit on a couch and be adorned with a garland, with the present of a cow and honey-mixture. With the permission of his teacher, a twice-born man shall marry a wife of equal caste who is endowed with auspicious bodily marks…..

For the first marriage of twice-born men, wives of equal caste are recommended. But for those who take a second wife to satisfy their sexual desires, the following females are approved. A Shudra woman alone can be the [second] wife of a Shudra-caste male, a Shudra woman and one of his own caste the [second] wife of a Vaisya, a Shudra and Vaisya woman and one of his own caste the wife of a Kshatriya, those three castes and one of his own caste the wife of a Brahmin. A Shudra woman is not men- tioned in any ancient story as the first wife of a Brahmin or of a Kshatriya, though they lived in the greatest distress. [15] Twice-born men who foolishly marry [first] wives of the low caste soon degrade their families and their children to the state of Shudras….

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[6.1, the Stage of Retirement] A twice-born Snataka,Snataka: A Brahmin who has completed his stu- dentship. who has lived according to the law of household- ers, may dwell in the forest in retirement after taking a firm resolution and keeping his sexual organs in subjection. He must carefully observe the rules given below. When a householder sees his skin wrinkled, his hair turning white, and the sons of his sons, he may depart to the forest. He must abandon all food raised by cultivation and all his belongings as he goes into the forest. He may either com- mit his wife to [the care of] his sons or be accompanied by her.accompanied by her: He may take his wife along, but not have sex with her. Note in the next passage that if the husband chooses the stage of asceticism, the wife cannot accompany him. In either case, she is in a difficult situa- tion: Having renounced his old life, her husband no longer belongs to her, but she still belongs to him. Taking with him the sacred fire and the implements required for domestic sacrifices, he may go forth from the village into the forest and reside there, controlling his senses.

Let him offer those five great sacrifices according to the rule, with various kinds of pure food fit for ascetics, or with herbs, roots, and fruit. Let him wear an animal skin or a tattered garment; let him bathe in the evening or in the morning. Let him always wear his hair in braids, with the hair on his body, his beard, and his nails uncut. Let him perform an offering with the food he eats, and give alms according to his ability. Let him honor those who come to his forest dwelling to give him alms of water, roots, and fruit. Let him always be industrious in privately reciting the Veda. Let him be patient in hardships, friendly toward all, collected in mind, always liberal in giving, and compassionate toward all living creatures. Let him offer the Agnihotra with three sacred fires, and never omit the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices….

[6.33, the Stage of Asceticism] Having passed the third stage of his natural term of life in the forest, a man may live as an ascetic during the fourth stage of his life. First he must abandon all attachment to worldly objects. He who offers sacrifices and subdues his senses, busies himself with giving alms and offerings of food, and becomes an ascetic gains bliss after death. When he has paid the three debts,the three debts: The three obligations discussed in the next verses: study of the Vedas, having sons, and sacrifice. These are similar to the modern Hindu expression “the three debts”: to the gods, to the guru, to be a father. he must apply his mind to the attainment of final liberation. He who seeks it without having paid his debts sinks downwards. Having studied the Vedas according to the rule, having fathered sons according to the sacred law, and having offered sacrifices according to his ability, he may direct his mind to the attainment of final liberation. A twice-born man who

seeks final liberation sinks downward if he has not studied the Vedas, fathered sons, and offered sacrifices.

Having performed the Ishti ceremony in which he gives all his property [to Brahmin priests] as the sacrificial fee, and having (spiritually) taken the sacred household fire into himself, a Brahmin may depart from his house as an ascetic. Worlds, radiant in brilliance, become his who recites the texts regarding Brahman and departs from his house as an ascetic, after giving a promise of safety to all created beings.promise of safety to all created beings: The vow of ahimsa, nonviolence to all creatures. For the twice-born man who causes not even the smallest danger to created beings, there will be no danger from anything after death frees him from his body.

Departing from his house fully provided with the means of purification, let him wander about absolutely silent. He must care nothing for enjoyments that may be offered to him. He must always wander about alone, seeking to attain final liberation (from reincarnation). The solitary man, who neither forsakes nor is forsaken, gains his desired result. He shall pos- sess neither a fire nor a dwelling. He may go to a village for his food. He shall be indifferent to everything, firm in his purpose, meditating and concentrating his mind on Brahman…. Let him not desire to die; let him not desire to live. Let him wait for his appointed time as a servant waits for the payment of his wages. Let him put down his foot purified by his sight,put down his foot purified by his sight: That is, in a place on the ground with no visible living beings on it; so too he must drink water purified of living creatures. This requirement, which follows up on the ascetic’s “promise of safety to all cre- ated beings,” will become more important in Jainism. let him drink water purified by straining with a cloth, let him utter speech purified by truth, let him keep his heart pure. Let him patiently bear hard words, let him not insult anybody. Let him not become anybody’s enemy for the sake of this perishable body. Against an angry man let him not show anger, let him bless when he is cursed, and let him not utter false speech…. Note the emphasis on ordinary Hindu morality (patience, calm emotions, speaking the truth, etc.) that accompanies instructions on ascetic practices. The physical and emotional hardships of an ascetic lifestyle can lead to bad behavior toward others, a problem among ascetics even today.

He shall delight in matters of the Soul, and sit in the postures prescribed by yoga. He shall be independent of external help, entirely abstain from sensual enjoyments, and have himself for his only companion. He shall live in this world, but desire only the bliss of final liberation.

From Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission.Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learn- ing. Used by permission. from Laws of Manu 2.69–74, 191–201; 3.1–19; 6.1–9, 33–49From G. Buhler, The Laws of Manu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1886).G. Buhler, The Laws of Manu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1886).

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Symbol of Hinduism The Om sound is one of the most famous aspects of Hinduism. It’s considered the sound the universe itself makes, and students, meditators, and other Hindus use it often in meditation and in study of sacred texts.

Listen to the Om sound, and if you like, make it yourself: http://www.meditationiseasy.com/mCorner/techniques/ Aum.mp3

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“Take Back Yoga!” Yoga has become one of the most popular exercise-and-meditation systems in the Western world. In the process, many explicitly Hindu elements of yoga have been eliminated or “toned down,” with the result that many North Americans do not know about yoga’s Hindu roots. In the last decade or so, a group of North American Hindus has waged a campaign to “Take Back Yoga.” This entails making its Hindu roots and contemporary meaning explicit for all yoga students. Read more about this, and watch the CNN-TV video, at http://www.hafsite.org/media/pr/takeyogaback

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The Four Castes from Institutes of Vishnu Indian society is traditionally divided into four castes, from Brahmins to Shudras. (Groups below the Shudras are “Dalits,” the term meaning “oppressed ones” that replaces the older, now illegal term outcastes.) Each has its own duties and privileges in society and is divided into many subcastes. These caste divisions are thought to be an essential part of Hindu belief and practice.

Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras are the four castes. The first three of these are called twice-born. They must perform with mantras the whole number of ceremonies, which begin with impregnation [of a Hindu woman] and end with the ceremony of burning the dead body. Their duties are as follows. A Brahmin teaches the Veda. A Kshatriya has constant practice in arms. A Vaishya tends cattle. A Shudra serves the twice-born. All the twice-born are to sacrifice and study the Veda. Their

modes of livelihood are as follows. A Brahmin sacrifices for others and receives alms. A Kshatriya protects the world. A Vaishya engages in farming, keeps cows, trades, lends money at interest, and grows seeds. A Shudra engages in all branches of crafts. In times of distress, each caste may follow the occupation of that below it in rank. Duties common to all castes are patience, truthfulness, restraint, purity, liberality, self-control, not to kill, obedi- ence toward one’s gurus, visiting places of pilgrimage, sympathy, straightforwardness, freedom from covetous- ness, reverence toward gods and Brahmins, and freedom from anger.

Institutes of Vishnu 2–1.17. Edited from Julius Jolly, The Institutes of Vishnu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1880).Institutes of Vishnu 2–1.17. Edited from Julius Jolly, The Institutes of Vishnu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1880).

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The Life of Women The first passage is often quoted as an example of a positive Hindu attitude toward women. It gives some indication of the respected place of Hindu women in the home, but in the context of a strongly patriarchal society. Much of this passage from the Laws of Manu 3:55–60 has as its background the participation of the wife in the sacred rites of the household. The second passage from 5.147–165 contains rules for the whole life of women, emphasizing respect and obedience to husbands during their life. After her husband’s death, a woman must not remarry and must live an ascetic life. This is her way to live with him in heaven and then be reincarnated into a better life.

[3.55] Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers-in-law, if they desire their own welfare. Where women are honored, the gods are pleased. Where they are not honored, no sacred rite yields rewards. Where the female relatives live in grief, the family soon perishes completely. But the family where they are not unhappy always prospers. Female relatives pronounce a curse on houses where women are not honored. These houses perish completely, as if destroyed by magic. Men who seek their own welfare should always honor women on holidays and festivals with gifts of jewelry, clothes, and dainty food. In a family where the husband is pleased with his wife and the wife with her husband, happiness will certainly be lasting.

[5.147] Nothing must be done independently by a girl, by a young woman, or by an old woman, even in her own house. In childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth to her husband, and when her husband is dead she is subject to her sons. A woman must never be independent. She must not seek to separate herself from her father, husband, or sons. By leaving them she would make both her own and her husband’s families contemptible.

[150] She must always be cheerful, clever in household affairs, careful in cleaning her utensils, and

economical in expenditure. She shall obey the man to whom her father may give her (in marriage) as long as he lives. For the sake of getting good fortune for brides, the recitation of sacred texts and the sacrifice to the Lord of creatures are used at weddings; but the betrothal by the father or guardian is the cause of the husband’s dominion over his wife. The husband who wedded her with sacred texts always gives happiness to his wife, both in season and out of season, in this world and in the next. Although a husband may be completely lacking in virtue, or seek pleasure elsewhere, or be lacking any good qualities, he must be constantly worshipped as a god by a faith- ful wife. No sacrifice, no vow, no fast must be performed by women apart from their husbands. If a wife obeys her husband, she will for that reason alone be exalted in heaven.heaven: As elsewhere in Hinduism, usually a temporary reward before reincarnation.

A faithful wife who desires to dwell after death with her husband must never do anything that might dis- please him, whether he is alive or dead. After he dies, she may emaciate her body by living on pure flowers, roots, and fruit; but she must never even mention the name of another man after her husband has died. Until death she must be patient in hardships, self-controlled, and chaste. She must strive to fulfill that most excellent duty that is prescribed for wives, to have one husband only. Many thousands of Brahmins who were chaste from their youth have gone to heaven without continuing their race. A vir- tuous wife who constantly remains chaste after the death of her husband reaches heaven although she has no son, just like those chaste men.

From Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission.Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learn- ing. Used by permission. from Laws of Manu 3.55–60; 5.147–165From G. Buhler, The Laws of Manu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1886).G. Buhler, The Laws of Manu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1886).

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The Practice of Yoga This passage from the Shvetashvatara Upanishad 2.8–15 relates some of the main components of yoga medita- tion. Yoga is a spiritual and mental discipline to promote knowledge that the individual soul and the world soul are one.

Holding his body steady with the three upper partsthree upper parts: Head, neck, and torso. erect, and causing the senses with the mind to enter the heart, a wise man with the Brahma-boat will cross all the frighten- ing streams. Compressing his breathings here in the body, and having his movements checked, one should breathe through his nostrils with diminished breath. Like that chariot yoked with vicious horses, the wise man should restrain his mind until it is undistracted.

In a clean level spot, free from pebbles, fire, and gravel, by the sound of water and similar things favor- able to thought but not offensive to the eye, in a hidden retreat protected from the wind, one should practice yoga.

Fog, smoke, sun, fire, wind, fire-flies, lightning, a crystal, a moon—these are the preliminary natural things indicating that Brahman [is being found in] yoga. When

the fivefold quality of yoga is produced, arising from earth, water, fire, air, and space, no sickness, no old age, no death has he who has obtained a body made from the fire of yoga. Lightness, healthiness, steadiness, a clear complexion and pleasantness of voice, sweetness of odor, and scanty excretions—these, they say, are the first stage in the progress of yoga.

Even as a mirror stained by dust shines brilliantly when it has been cleansed, so the embodied one, on seeing the nature of the Soul, becomes unitary, his end attained, from sorrow freed. With the nature of the self like a lamp, one who practices yoga sees the nature of Brahma. He becomes unborn, steadfast, and freed from his [human] nature. By knowing God one is released from all bonds!

From Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning.Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures, 8th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013). Copyright © 2013, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Used by permission of Cengage Learning. from Shvetash- vatara Upanishad 2.8–15From F. Max Müller, The Upanishads (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1878, 1884).F. Max Müller, The Upanishads (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1878, 1884).

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Yoga Today A large controversy over yoga is roiling in many parts of the world. Yoga has become popular in many nations, an exercise-and-meditation system that is appealing to people of many religions and no religion. But lately some Hindus have been waging a “Take Back Yoga” campaign to restore yoga to its proper place. They argue that the “yoking” that is the meaning of “yoga” is not only the yoking of the body and the mind, but more importantly the yoking of one’s own soul with the world soul. It is a deeply religious practice.

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