http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/...f_contents.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Table of
Contents
Dedication--Samarpanam 
vIntroduction--Bhumika 
ix
No.   CHAPTER  Page In Printed Volume
  
1   Personal Encounters with Hinduism  1
2   Religious Loyalty and Commitment  103
3   Gurudeva Speaks on Entering Hinduism  113
4   Gurudeva Speaks on Ethical Conversion  131
5  
Does Hinduism Accept Newcomers?

149
6   Beliefs of All the World's Religions  169
7   Six Steps of Conversion  257
 
    Real-Life Severance Letters and
    Other Personal Documents

267
8   Choosing a Hindu Name  281 

    Sanskrit Birthstar Syllables
    A Collection of Hindu Names
291
297
9   Embracing Hindu Culture  337
10   Nine Questions About Hinduism  351
  Conclusion--Nirvahanam  369
  Glossary--Shabda Kosha 
373
  Supplementary Studies 
  Colophon--Antyavachanam 
435
  About the Author 
  An Invitation to Monastic Life 
  Reviews and Comments
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Second Edition, First Printing, 3,000 copies
Copyright 2000 by Himalayan Academy
Family_thru_door_gry

How to Become a (Better) Hindu, A Guide for Seekers and Born Hindus is published by Himalayan Academy. First published as Saivite Names in 1989. All rights are reserved. This book may be used to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the spiritual path, but reproduced only with the publisher's prior written consent. Designed, typeset, edited and ported to the Web by the sannyasin swamis of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii, 96746-9304, USA.


Logo_HA_3p_3_shades Published by Himalayan Academy
USA * India PRINTED IN USA
Library of Congress Control Number: 00-132420
ISBN 0-945497-82-2

Cover art: Chennai artist S. Rajam depicts some of the typical steps a soul takes in adopting Hinduism (clockwise from upper left): confronting previous religious leaders to inform them of this change; Lord Siva looks on; young aspirant studies the scriptures and philosophy of Sanatana Dharma; Western convert learns to wrap a sari as part of her cultural immersion; Chinese seeker worships Lord Ganesha; priests conduct the traditional homa rites for the final ceremony, the name-giving sacrament, namakarana samskara:

Hi, the "early medieval" period of our history i.e. age of the mighty Hindu kingdoms just before the onset of Turco-Afghan invasions is the apogee, the highest point in the development of our culture. It would be great to know the details of life of people during this period. Going in depth into every aspect say the politics, the economy, the religious aspects, social interactions, entertainment etc and even military affairs. which would help us understand this period. Too many times we foist our own modern day outlook in thinking of history of earlier periods. Lets put ourselves into their shoes for a change and think in their own way about their times. How would they view politicians of thier times, how were the politicians of those times. How difficult or easy was the life of an "aam aadmi" on the street.

Just to start off, want to talk of merchant guilds in south India. An excerpt

"The organisation of corporate enterprises became common in the 11th century.[43] Almost all arts and crafts were organised into guilds and work was done on a corporate basis; records do not mention individual artists, sculptors and craftsman. Only in the regions ruled by the Hoysala did individual sculptors etched their names below their creations.[44] Merchants organised themselves into powerful guilds that transcended political divisions, allowing their operations to be largely unaffected by wars and revolutions. Their only threat was the possibility of theft from brigands when their ships and caravans traveled to distant lands. Powerful South Indian merchant guilds included the Manigramam, the Nagarattar and the Anjuvannam. Local guilds were called nagaram, while the Nanadesis were traders from neighbouring kingdoms who perhaps mixed business with pleasure. The wealthiest and most influential and celebrated of all South Indian merchant guilds was the self styled Ainnurruvar, also known as the 500 Svamis of Ayyavolepura (Brahmins and Mahajanas of present day Aihole),[45][46] who conducted extensive land and sea trade and thereby contrbuted significantly to the total foreign trade of the empire. It fiercely protected its trade obligations (Vira Bananjudharma or law of the noble merchants) and its members often recorded their achievements in inscriptions called Prasasti. Five hundred such excavated Prasasti inscriptions, with their own flag and the bull as their emblem, record their pride in their business.

Rich traders contributed significantly to the king's treasury through paying import and export taxes. The edicts of the Aihole Svamis mention trade ties with foreign kingdoms such as Chera, Pandya, Maleya (Malayasia), Magadh, Kaushal, Saurashtra, Kurumba, Kambhoja (Cambodia), Lata (Gujarat), Parasa (Persia) and Nepal. Travelling both land and sea routes, these merchants traded mostly in precious stones, spices and perfumes, and other specialty items such as camphor. Business flourished in precious stones such as diamonds, lapis lazuli, onyx, topaz, carbuncles and emeralds. Commonly traded spices were cardamom, saffron, and cloves, while perfumes included the by-products of sandalwood, bdellium, musk, civet and rose. These items were sold either in bulk or hawked on streets by local merchants in towns.[47] The Western Chalukyas controlled most of South India's west coast and by the 10th century they had established extensive trade ties with the Tang Empire of China, the empires of Southeast Asia and the Abbasid Caliphate in Bhagdad, and by the 12th century Chinese fleets were frequenting Indian ports. Exports to China included textiles, spices, medicinal plants, jewels, ivory, rhino horn, ebony and camphor. The same products also reached ports in the west such as Dhofar and Aden. The final destinations for those trading with the west were Persia, Arabia and Egypt.[48] The thriving trade center of Siraf, a port on the eastern coast of the Persian Gulf, served an international clientele of merchants including those from the Chalukya empire who were feasted by wealthy local merchants during business visits. An indicator of the Indian merchants' importance in Siraf comes from records describing dining plates reserved for them.[49] In addition to this, Siraf received aloe wood, perfumes, sandalwood and condiments. The most expensive import to South India were Arabian horse shipments, this trade being monopolised by Arabs and local Brahmin merchants. Thirteenth century traveler Marco Polo recorded that the breeding of horses never succeeded in India due to differing climatic, soil and grassland conditions.[48]"

Its interesting that even in todays times we see organised retail and departmental stores first emerging and more prevalent in the south Indian metros and key towns. Even daily vegetables and fruits are bought in big stores called "Pazhamudhir Cholai" and like. In Tamil Nadu you find merchant and industry associations quite strong and who collaborate to achieve common ends.

Also it would be interesting to know how much political influence these guilds had and to what extent they controlled the political landscape of the south. Feel free to discuss on this or any other aspect of the life during these times.

India takes back Kargil

Bharat Ratna may not be too far, as MF Hussain is all set to receive another award - Raja Ravi Verma Award - of all!

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Internationally acclaimed artist M F Hussain has been selected for Kerala government's prestigious Raja Ravi Varma Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of art.

Announcing this year's award, education and culture minister M A Baby said the award comprising Rs.1.25 lakh in cash prize, a citiation and a plaque would be presented to Hussain on his birthday on September 17.

Baby informed Hussain over telephone about Kerala government's award from the venue of the press conference. Hussain expressed happiness over getting the award instituted in the name of the great artist Raja Ravi Varma, Baby told reporters.

The jury was chaired by well-known artist Vivan Sundram. The other members were Ajayakumar, C N Karunakaran and Razia Soni. http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.as...31&sid=REG
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And why not! Both legendary Raja Ravi Verma, and MF Hussain share their passion of making the Hindu figures the subject of their canvas!

"Saraswati" by Ravi Verma:
<img src='http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/mfhussain-campaign/ravivarma/saraswati.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />


"Saraswati" by MF Hussain:
<img src='http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/mfhussain-campaign/paintings/saraswati.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Hindu Jagruthi campaign against the move: http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/cam...campaign/#award

<b>Gorakhpur market rocked by serial blasts, at least 6 injured </b>

Gorakhpur, May 22: Three blasts rocked Gorakhpur around 7 pm on Tuesday. The first blast took place near Baldev Plaza, the second near Golghar crossing and the third occurred in Jalkal Building. The bombs, apparently crude in nature, were kept in tiffin boxes which were planted in a scooter and a bicycle. At least six people were reportedly injured in the blasts as preliminary reports came in. The injured were carried to the hospitals by the local people.

The blasts took place in a crowded area one after another within an interval 10 minutes. People were seen running for cover when the blasts took place.

District Administration and senior police officials reached the spot to take stock of the situation. A red alert has been sounded in the districts of Lucknow and Varanasi.

The ADM City, P K Agarwal denied any serious injuries and said that the injured have been admitted to the nearby City Hospital. He said the bombs were kept in a polythene bag which were planted on a scooter and cycle.

Meanwhile, bomb defusing squads have been despatched along with a police investigative team to the different blast sites from Lucknow.

<img src='http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/out/images/1179379617_tiwari_peace_250.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
link

Iam so Glad that India Kepts these kind of Parades


"The parades carry on the regemental traditions established in the founding of the modern Indian army. They incorporate decorative and incredibly coreographed marches that fuse the best of Royal Indian Army and Indian military traditions. Each regiment, infantry, armoured, mechanized or air have their own unique dress and marches.

Drill formation is a very exact science in the Indian military, and is an integral part of regimental training, moreso than in British and American militaries. It's used to tech regimental standards, create regimental loyalty, increase unit cohesion and instill discipline."





<img src='http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n244/indian_sukhoi/Military%20Parade/1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
The tricolor flutters in the backdrop of the sky at the culmination of the Republic Day Parade



<img src='http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n244/indian_sukhoi/Military%20Parade/2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Soldiers stand alongside the Agni II missile during India's 57th Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

The Misuse of Terminology in the Study of Hinduism

Word As Weapon

By
Dr. Frank Gaetano Morales, Ph.D.
Email: fmorales@dharmacentral.com
http://www.dharmacentral.com

The inherent power of the word is a phenomenon that has been both omnipresent and essential throughout the long histories of literature, philosophy, religion and politics. The power of words has always been recognized for both its potentially constructive, as well as its devastatingly destructive, force. In the Vedic era, the potency of shabda (or the Divine Word) was lauded for its soteriological, liberating properties, as well as for its role as a means of epistemic insight into the nature of the Absolute. The word both liberated and revealed - and both of these functions were accomplished via mantra, sound frequencies precisely sequenced in such patterns as to most optimally utilize the inherent shakti - or potency - of sound resonance. The Divine Word in the form of mantra could heal illness, relieve suffering and deliver freedom. Many millennia later, borrowing from the much earlier Hindu concept of shabda, we find somewhat similar parallels duplicated in the Biblical literature, in which the Word is seen as being ontologically non-differentiated from the natura esse, or essential nature, of God. "In the beginning was the Word", the Gospel of John assures us, "and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Thus the power of the word has been attested to in the history of India, as well as the West.

The converse side of the positive power of words is seen in the destructive employment of words used, not to convey truth or to heal, but to obscure and deconstruct reality. Whether we speak of the sinister slogans of the Nazi leader Joseph Goebbles or the rabidly dishonest propaganda ministries of now defunct Marxist states, words have been repeatedly used with pointed polemic accuracy throughout the long history of human discourse. Words have always been employed by one group of individuals to control and delegitimize the political, social, religious, and philosophical freedoms of other groups. Academia has, unfortunately, been far from free of the use of such ideologically charged - even if infinitely more subtle - polemic terminology. For the last hundred years, if not arguably longer, the hallowed pronouncements of ideologically-driven professors and scholars have led to widespread bigotry and stereotyping of minority groups in America. Such biased and politically motivated scholarship has led in the last few decades to the necessary creation of such fields as African-American Studies, Women’s Studies, Holocaust Studies, and now Anti-Hindu Defamation Studies, as new academic movements designed to balance previously perpetrated intellectual injustices.

In the following, I will explore only a few of the more insidious terms used specifically throughout the history of South Asian Studies and Hindu Studies that have been traditionally used to denote various phenomena and features of the Hindu religion. Such words have been used in the past to obscure the factual meaning of many philosophical, theological, social and ritual phenomena found within the Hindu context. I will proceed by outlining 1) the commonly used terms for these phenomena, 2) the proper Hindu view of the actual nature of these phenomena, and 3) I will offer several alternative terminological devices that will hopefully be more accurate indicators of the full nature and extent of these Hindu religious phenomena.
SanatanaDharma: Reclaiming Our Religion’s True Name

The first two terms that we will examine are the terms usually used to indicate the overarching spiritual/cultural matrix of traditional, indigenous South Asian religion itself. These are the very terms "Hindu/Hinduism" themselves. Used often as a matter of convenience even by followers of the religion itself (including by this author), the term "Hindu" is not a term that is inherent to the religion itself. Rather, the term is known to have been first coined by the ancient Persians, who were culturally, religiously, and perspectivally extrinsic to the culture. The term was first used by these ancient Persians in order to conveniently designate the ancient Vedic spiritual culture, and was mistakenly used to refer to the Vedic religion as primarily a geographic and ethnic phenomenon, more than as a religio-philosophical world-view. To the ancient Persians, the word “Hindu” simply referred to the culture, people, religion and practices of the peoples who lived on the other side of the Sindhu River. In the ancient Avestan Persian language ‘s’ grammatically became ‘h’. Thus, the Persians pronounced the name of this river “Hindhu”, rather than “Sindhu”. Thus, ironically, the currently used word “Hindu” is itself a corruption of the Persian word “Hindhu”, which is in turn a corruption of the term “Sindhu”, which is itself only referring to a river, and not a religion! Thus when the word “Hindu” is used today to refer to the ancient religion of India, the term is in actuality a corruption of a corruption of a word whose meaning is irrelevant to begin with.

The terms "Hindu/Hinduism" are not self-referential terms that the practitioners of the Vedic world-view chose for themselves or called themselves. These words are not attested to in any of the ancient Vedic or Classical Sanskrit literatures, or even in any of the many local dialects of ancient India until the medieval era. One will not find the term “Hindu” used to describe the Vedic religion in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, or anywhere else in the Vedic scriptures. The word “Hindu” is not intrinsic to the religion of the Vedas at all. It was not, in fact, until as late as the 19th century, under the colonial rule of the British Raj, that these dual terms even acquired any legal significance on a national scale in India.

The actual term that the Vedic tradition uses to refer to itself is “Dharma”. The word Dharma is found repeatedly throughout the entire corpus of the Vedic scriptures, from the Rg Veda to the Bhagavad Gita. There is almost no scripture in the entirety of Hinduism where one will not come across the word Dharma as the preeminent name of the religion in question. Sometimes the word Dharma is used by itself; at other times it is used in conjunction with other qualifying words, such as “Vaidika Dharma” (Vedic Dharma), “Vishva Dharma” (Global Dharma), or "Sanatana Dharma" (the Eternal Dharma). The diversity of adjectival emphasis will vary in accordance with the precise context in which the word is used. Of these terms, the name “Sanatana Dharma” has been the most widely used name of this ancient religion, and is used as far back at the Rg Veda, the very earliest scripture of Hinduism, and the earliest written text known to humanity. It is also the most philosophically profound and conceptually beautiful name for our religion.

While many reading this work have no doubt encountered the term “Sanatana Dharma” before, not every follower of Sanatana Dharma is necessarily as familiar with the full philosophical implications of the term’s meaning. Thus it is necessary to explicate the term’s full meaning in depth. The Sanskrit word "sanatana" is the easier of the words to translate into non-Sanskrit languages. It denotes that which always is, that which has neither beginning nor end, that which is eternal in its very essence. The concept of eternality that the word “sanatana” is trying to convey is a radically different concept than is ordinarily understood in the Western Abrahamic religions. When the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam employ the concept of eternality, it usually means that x thing, having come into being, will never come to an end. In other words, “eternal” for the Abrahamic religions, usually refers only to the future. A more accurate term for this Abrahamic concept is thus “everlasting”, rather than “eternal” proper.

In Sanatana Dharma, however, the concept of eternality denotes something quite different from the standard Western notion. In this more expansive and bi-directional model, the concept of sanatana extends not only into the infinite recesses of the future, but into the past as well. By referring to something as “sanatana”, the idea is that not only will it never come to an end, but it has always had necessary existence. Thus, God (Brahman), the individual self (atman), prime materiality (jagat or prakriti), Truth (satya), the Veda (Truth rendered into literary form), and Dharma itself all have necessary existence. They always have been - and they shall always be.
The Metaphysics of Dharma

Unlike the word “sanatana”, the term ''dharma" is a term that can be properly rendered into the English language only with the greatest of difficulty. This is the case because there is no one corresponding English term that fully renders both the denotative and the connotative meanings of the term with maximal sufficiency. Rather than merely communicating a nominal subject for which there can be an easy word for word equivalency, dharma is communicating a metaphysical concept. The denotative meaning of "dharma" straightforwardly designates an essential attribute of x object - an attribute whose absence renders the object devoid of either rational meaning or existential significance. A thing’s dharma is what constitutes the thing’s very essence, without which, the very concept of the thing would be rendered meaningless. To illustrate the full meaning of this term, we can use the following examples: It is the dharma of water to be wet. Without the essential attribute (dharma) of wetness, the concept and existential fact of water loses all meaning. Likewise, it is the dharma of fire to be hot, the dharma of space to be expansive, etc. The denotative meaning of dharma is easy enough to comprehend. It is, however, when we come to the connotative meaning of the term "dharma" that we then leave the more microcosmic concerns of Vaisesika categoriology behind, and then enter the realm of the overtly philosophical.

For, according to the Vedic tradition itself, the very empirical cosmos in which we find ourselves currently situated also has its own inherent dharma, its essential attributive nature, without which the universe becomes meaningless. In this more macro-cosmological sense, the term dharma is designed to communicate the view that there is an underlying structure of natural law that is inherent in the very intrinsic constitution of Being itself. The Vedic world-view sees the universe as a place that has inherent meaning, purpose and an intelligent design underlying its physical principles and laws. The world is here for a purpose – God’s purpose. The word Dharma, in this more important philosophical sense, refers to those underlying natural principles that are inherent in the very structure of reality, and that have their origin in God. Dharma is Natural Law. Thus, if we needed to render the entire term “Sanatana Dharma” into English, we can cautiously translate it as "The Eternal Natural Way". Sanatana Dharma is the true name of our religion.

The term “Sanatana Dharma” more accurately communicates the axiomatic metaphysical nature of this concept than do the less meaningful and concocted terms “Hindu/Hinduism”. Thus, when the terms "Hindu/Hinduism" are repeatedly used by both Euro-American and Indian scholars, as well as by actual followers of this eternal spiritual tradition, we fall very far short from fully communicating the metaphysical, ethical and ontological components of the world-view of Sanatana Dharma. The former term – i.e., “Hinduism” - is a word mistakenly created to describe a culture in a purely ethnic, national and social context. The latter – “Sanatana Dharma” - is describing an illustrious science of Being in a purely philosophical - and therefore highly rational, and inherently beautiful - sense. It is understandable that the terms “Hindu/Hinduism” will continue to be used periodically as a matter of convenience. After all, it takes time, coupled with continuous education, for people to break themselves of a two hundred year old habit. For the sake of accuracy, as well as to uphold the dignity, beauty and grandeur of our ancient and sacred religion, however, we must always do our utmost to use the much more meaningful, linguistically correct and beautiful name Sanatana Dharma when referring to our religion. Our religion is Sanatana Dharma.
Euro-American Idol

Having examined the problematic issues of a very broad term that has been misapplied in the discussion of Vedic religion, I will now briefly examine several more specific terms that have been misemployed in the history of the study of Sanatana Dharma. The first of these more specialized polemically charged words is the term “idol”. This word has been repeatedly used by purported scholars of Sanatana Dharma (both Euro-American, as well as Indian scholars) in their study of our religion. Even more disturbing, however, is the fact that the derogatory term “idol” has been continuously and unthinkingly used by even religious Hindus, as well as by supposedly intelligent Hindu leaders, to this very day. At least once a month, for example, I get notices from various Hindu temples inviting me to “idol” installations, pujas to the “idol”, etc.

Unbeknownst to the vast majority of Hindus, the term “idol” is not an innocently neutral term meant only to signify the objective reality of a religious statue or some other focal point used as a means of meditation upon the Divine. In actuality, it is a term that is historically and theologically devoid of any positive connotations. It is a word that is purely negative in meaning. First arising from a purely Christian/Islamic religious and cultural context, the theologically derived terms “Idol/Idolatry” were quite clearly designed by the creators of the Abrahamic religions to signify the misguided worship of the graven images of fictitious gods. By its very definition, the word “idol” means an image of a false god. In the Old Testament, idol worshippers are repeatedly condemned to death. In the Koran, the worshipers of idols are relegated to the category of the demonic. This theological baggage attendant upon the word “idol” was later naturally imported into the nascent field of indology by the 18th and 19th century European founders of modern Vedic studies. Thus, over time, what originated as a purely religious term, specifically meant to designate a false practice and erroneous theological view, progressed to being accepted as an academic term meant to describe the practices and views of a “foreign” religion. In turn, tragically, the greater Hindu community has itself now unknowingly embraced this term as a legitimate word meant to convey one of the most sacred and integral mechanisms of Hindu worship.

Unfortunately, when a Christian theologian, a Muslim cleric, or a colonialist-tempered scholar is using the term “idol”, they are interpreting the specific religious phenomenon of murti-puja in a radically different manner than is the typical Hindu worshipper. For the Christian and Muslim, murti-puja is nothing more than the demonic worship of abominable graven images. For the atheist academician, it is merely an instance of primitive superstition, worthy of no more consideration than any other intriguing object of anthropological study. Consequently, each and every time we foolishly call our sacred images “idols”, we are actually insulting the divinities we are claiming to worship, and proclaiming to the world that we are worshipping false gods.

For those scholars who have allowed themselves to develop a more sophisticated and objective understanding of the phenomenon of murti-puja– that is one that arises from a Hindu, and thus an insider, perspective – it becomes rather apparent that the practice that is occurring via the process of murti-puja (or what is sometimes called archa-puja) is something radically distinct from the stereotyped image of idol worship that is dishonestly painted by rabidly iconoclastic ideologies. Followers of Sanatana Dharma are not blindly worshipping false idols, but are using divine images whose forms have been revealed via the non-mediated intuitive perception of the Absolute experienced by the rishis (the enlightened saints and sages of Sanatana Dharma). Moreover, such images are used primarily as focal points designed as aids to meditative awareness. Archa-puja is not a superstition, a form of primitive magical fetishism, or a concocted form of worship, but rather a tried and tested soteriological and meditative device. This being the case, I urge both scholars of Hindu Studies, as well as everyday practitioners of Sanatana Dharma, to refrain from using the derogatory term “idol” and to instead use one of the more culturally sensitive, and more academically accurate terms that are used by the tradition itself. Such terms include: murti, archa, etc. Take your pick.
Is SanatanaDharma Predicated upon Lies?

The next term that we will examine is the word “myth” as used to describe the sacred stories of Sanatana Dharma. The related terms "myth", "mythology", "mythological", etc., have had an interesting history and a very pointed polemic use in Euro-American discourse on Sanatana Dharma. That the terms are rife with very negative connotations is doubted by very few. The way the terms are used today both within academia, as well as by the general public, is to denote something that is untrue, false, a lie, "primitive" (i.e., not Euro-American). Several months ago, during a visit to the dentist's office, I saw a pamphlet on the table called "The Myths About Sexually Transmitted Diseases". The ultimate question that all Hindus need to ask ourselves is: is it really of any intellectual necessity that such a powerfully negative term as “myth” also be associated with the sacred stories, teachings and history of Sanatana Dharma?

Polemically speaking, one culture's "myth" is another culture's sacred history...and visa versa. The academic field of the study of "mythological" literature was founded by 18th century European Classicists who took their simplistic misconceptions about their own Greco-Roman, pre-Christian religious and cultural heritage, and attempted to then graft these misconceptions onto all contemporary non-Christian cultures - including that of India. These founders of "mythology" studies - including such individuals as Sir George Grey, Rudolph Otto and Karl Kerenyi - were convinced, as is unarguably evident in their writings, that the entire realm of religious story could be clearly demarcated into two radically distinct camps: Myth and History.

1) The first category is "Myth" proper, that is: the “primitive” stories about gods, goddesses, spirits, demons, magic and mysticism, etc. found throughout all of the indigenous, pre-Christian, and non-Biblical cultures of the world. Such stories are all considered to be certainly no more than the ignorant "pre-scientific" attempts of primitive peoples (their words, not mine) to come to terms with and explain such frightening mysteries as natural weather phenomena (the stereotypical scenario offered by these atheistic scholars is that the inexplicable spectacle of lightning and thunder left our ancestors trembling in worshipful fear!). The study of such woefully mythologically ridden cultures was then relegated by these supposed mythology authorities to the nascent fields of anthropology, folk-lore studies, ethnic studies, and art history studies. The “myths” of all non-Judeo-Christian cultures were thus falsely portrayed as being archaic, primitive, and not worthy of serious scholarly study.

2) The second category that religious stories were placed in was termed "History", that is: Biblical literature and all supposedly factual accounts of events proceeding such literature to be found throughout the history of Europe and the post-Columbian Americas. Whereas stories about Rama as the Dharma-raja (Dharmic King) of Ayodhya were considered quaint heroic myths, for example, stories of Moses parting the Red Sea were accepted as being thoroughly historical – this, though there is more archeological and textual evidence for the former than for the latter being actual historical facts. In order to study these supposed historical facts about Judeo-Christian culture, Euro-American scholars employed a very different battery of academic disciplines entirely, including philosophical, ethical, literary, psychological, etc. The only overlapping exception to this biased division of study is the field of philology, which was employed to research both the glorious history of Europe, as well as the primitive utterings of the Rg Veda. Apparently, only the “history” of Western man is a worthy enough subject for liberal arts study, philosophical consideration, and serious intellectual analysis.

There is the wonderful saying that we have all encountered that assures us that "history" is written by the victors. Consequently, the mostly improvable stories of the Garden of Eden, Noah's Ark, Abraham, Moses, the Judges, David, etc. are unquestioningly accepted by most European historians - and tragically by many Indian historians! - as being incontrovertible and established fact. This, even though the evidence for these supposed historical facts are in many cases no stronger, or even less so, than the evidence supporting the historicity of the ancient stories of Sanatana Dharma. What these Western scholars and their Westernized Indian counterparts called the "mythical" Sarasvati River, for example, was later discovered to be a concrete geological fact in our century by no less empirical evidence than satellite photography. Krishna's "mythological" city of Dvaraka was, likewise, impertinently discovered off the coast of Gujarat about three decades ago (anyone out there have a crane?). The supposed myths of the Shastras seem to have the incorrigible habit of consistently allowing themselves to be proven factual.

Despite these hard geological and archeological facts, the histories of the Puranas and Itihasas are - unlike the stories of the Bible – summarily relegated by modern Euro-American scholars to the misty realm of myth. Or more bluntly: to the realm of primitive fables. If we would venture to speculate that what has brought this stark double standard about has been nothing less than European xenophobia and intellectual colonialism, coupled with a very strong element of Hindu inferiority complex, we would not be far from the mark. The terms "myth", "mythology", "mythological", etc., have been used as a powerful weapon for decades in order to delegitimizing the world-view of Sanatana Dharma, as well as the Hindu and Indian way of life.

Whether such unscholarly use of these otherwise legitimate terms will be allowed to continue as a weapon against the sacred stories of Vedic culture, or whether the use of such terms will be relegated to the same dust-bin of other such derogatory terms, is up to the will of the global Hindu community. We ourselves, as Hindus, need to stop using derogatory terms to describe the beliefs and elements of our religion. Such terms as “myth” should be absolutely anathema to every sincere and self-respecting Hindu when speaking about the sacred stories of Sanatana Dharma. If we ourselves don’t have the determination to describe our own religion in legitimate and positive terms, how can we expect anyone else to?

As a more positive alternative to these terms, I propose that scholars who study the religions of South Asia approach their purported object of research in a similar manner as do scholars who study many other formally oppressed non-Christian cultures (such as those who study Native American tribes). In these fields the religious stories of the subjects under study are often referred to by the more culturally sensitive term "Sacred Stories". I propose that we scholars of Hindu Studies owe the Hindu world no less respect. We need to begin referring to the stories of the Hindu scriptures as Sacred Stories, or divya katha in Sanskrit. We can later, as informed persons, debate over the actual meaning of these stories - whether they are literal history - which in many cases they very clearly are - or are meant to be taken allegorically or metaphorically. Let us all, in any case be in agreement that these Sacred Stories of Sanatana Dharma must never again be degraded by terming them "myth".
Reclaiming the Power of Our Words

The perennial use of politically surcharged words to stifle the aspirations of a people, to deflect the actual meaning of an action or concept, and to otherwise keep a people subservient to the dominant cultural mainstream is nothing new. Additionally, it is not new that the very people who have been the direct victims of such propangandistic terminology will inevitably come to adopt such terms in self-referential ways. We have the case of the Ethiopian Jews, for example, who for hundreds of years were termed “Falashas” – an incredibly derogatory term in the Ethiopian language– by those who persecuted them. After hundreds of years of such persistent persecution, sadly, the Jews of Ethiopia even began to refer to themselves as the “Falasha” community. If a people are called inferior for long enough a period of time, eventually that population group will start to call themselves inferior as well. Such instances of the victims adopting the polemic terminology of their oppressors has been witnessed repeatedly over the long course of human history – among the Jews, Native Americans, European Pagans, and Gypsies (Romani). Now the Hindu community has joined their ranks.

Consequently, the use of inaccurate, and often consciously and maliciously distorted, terminology has been a double-edged source of oppressive discourse. The use of such terms has been made use of by an intellectually lethargic tradition of South Asian scholars who view the religion of Sanatana Dharma, not as the noble living tradition that it is, but as their personal academic plaything. On the other hand, Hindus themselves have then blindly accepted these non-indigenous and inaccurate terms, and unknowingly adopted them as their own. Thus, while the bulk of the blame must be placed squarely on the shoulders of the oppressors, the victims too need to free themselves of a colonialist-induced mentality of inferiority and acceptance of their oppression. It is my fervent hope that we followers of Sanatana Dharma will stop using the terminology of our antagonists to describe our religion. We must begin to call our religion by its true name: Sanatana Dharma. We must never use the words “idol” and “mythology” to describe our murtis and sacred stories again. We must reclaim our heritage. Such positive change might come about slowly, one person at a time. Every revolution, however, begins with thoroughly grasping the power of the word.

* * *
About the Author

Dr. Frank Gaetano Morales, Ph.D. earned both a doctorate and a Masters degree in Languages and Cultures of Asia from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Previously, Dr. Morales earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Loyola University Chicago. His fields of expertise include Philosophy of Religion, Hindu Studies, Sanskrit, History of Religion, Comparative Theology, Contemporary South Asian Politics, and the interface between Hinduism and modernity. Dr. Morales is currently recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on Hindu philosophy and religion, as well as South Asian studies. In addition to directing his own institute, Dr. Morales works in conjunction with several educational institutes and think tanks globally. Dr. Morales maintains a very demanding schedule consisting of lecturing, consulting and writing. Dr. Morales has been a guest lecturer at over two-dozen major universities throughout the USA, including Cornell, Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois Institute of Technology, and University of Virginia. In addition, Dr. Morales has served as a South Asian affairs consultant for such corporations as Ford Motor Company, Lucent Technologies, Goodwin Procter Law Firm, and the Global Health Corporation. His first book, “Experiencing Truth: The Vedic Way of Knowing God”, is scheduled for publication in 2006. In addition to his academic duties, Dr. Morales has been a practicing orthodox Hindu for 30 years, and is an ordained Hindu priest. The practice of Yoga, meditation and puja are of central importance in his life. His website is www.dharmacentral.com.

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>12 injured in clash at Bathinda </b>
Pioneer.com
Satinder Bains | Chandigarh
Punjab CM appeals for peace, harmony
<b>At least 12 persons were seriously injured in a clash between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda of Sirsa and certain Sikh organisations at Bathinda</b>, the cotton hub of Punjab, 230 km from here.

The clashing groups openly used sharp-edged weapons, including swords and spears. Heavy police force was deployed after the incident, reports reaching here said.

Additional DGP Chander Shekhar who described the situation as peaceful and under control said no arrests had been made so far. He said that Inspector General Patiala range MK Tiwari would conduct an inquiry into incident.

The Bathinda incident is seen as a repeat of the Sikh-Nirankari clash in Amritsar on April 13, 1978 in which 13 Sikhs were killed in firing by followers of Nirankari chief Baba Gurbachan Singh. Nirankaris were ex-communicated from the Sikh Panth by Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs after the clash. The Amritsar clash was the turning point in the militancy that engulfed the State for over two decades till the late 90s.

<b>Communal tension was building up between the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations since the time of the Punjab Assembly elections in February, following Dera head Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh's instructions to back the candidates fielded by the Congress. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had lost at least 24 seats in the Malwa region of State due to this.</b>

In recent weeks there were reports of minor disputes between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations who criticised the Dera chief for serving vested interests.

<b>An advertisement issued by the Dera Sacha Sauda on Sunday in certain English newspapers was the flash point of Monday's violence. The Dera chief was shown dressed like Sikh Gurus and he had called a congregation on Monday to baptise his followers, a practice which is prevalent in Sikh religion.

The Sikh organisations opposed the action of the Dera chief and marched towards the function in the morning at around 8.30 am. where they were confronted by the Dera followers, police sources said</b>.

It may be a coincidence that Parkash Singh Badal was the Chief Minister in 1978 and is again in charge in 2007 when communal violence has rocked the State.
...............link
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

History of Israel, from 1850-present
http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~jkatz/index.html

Here are some essays on the history of
the Land of Israel, "Eretz Yisroel".
Essays in italics are still being worked on.
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Political Mythology

# The History and Meaning of the words "Palestine" and "Palestinians", which means "Sea Invader"
# Politically motivated mythology of "Palestine"
# Myths of the Middle East
# More Myths of the Middle East
# A Photographic Tour of the Holy Land 1831-1910

Biblical History

* Background: Timeline of "Palestine" 1273 BCE to 1948
* The Land of Israel, map of the inheritance of the 12 tribes
* Jewish forms of Government: the interplay of "Church and State"
* Persian (Iranian) assistance in rebuilding the Jewish Temple
* Non-Jewish worship in the Temple "House of Prayer for all people"
* Traditional Jewish Views on Religious Tolerance
* The Maccabees, Hasmonean dynasty and Herod until 135CE
* Jonathan Hyrcanus and the conversion of Syria and Jordan to Judaism
* Maps of Jewish "holy sites", the final resting places of Rabbis in Israel, Jordan and Syria
* History of Israel, an Overview

4th-7th centuries, The Jewish Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

* After the destruction of the second Temple, the Jews fled to Arabia
* Medina, Islam's second holiest city, was originally a Jewish "settlement"
* The Islamic Cresent was originally a Jewish Symbol
* One thousand years of Jewish-Persian (Iranian) alliance, 4th BCE-7th CE
* Himyar - The Jewish Kingdom of Arabia 390-626 CE, decimated by the rise of Islam
* The Byzantine-Ethiopian conquest of Himyar and the beginnings of the Falashah Jewish community of Ethiopia

7th Century, The rise of the faith of Islam

* The Prophet Mohammed, a Jewish pseudo-Messiah
* Islam as a form of Judaism, a continuation of the Jewish Prophets.
* Islamic 'endtimes' theology requires the restoration of Jews to their homeland and Arab assistance in rebuilding the Jewish temple
* Quotes from the Qu'ran and Hadith about Jews, Jerusalem and Israel

8th-13th centuries, The Jewish Kingdom of Khazaria

* Fleeing Islam, Jewish nationalists headed to Southern Russia
* The rise of the powerful Jewish Convert Kingdom of Khazaria 786-1237 CE
* Wars between Khazaria and Islam, stopping the expansion of Islam into Russia
* Movement of Khazarian Jews and converts as refugees to the Ukraine in the 12th CE

8th-16th centuries, Islamic conquest and expansion

* Continuous Jewish Presence in the Holy Land (Samuel Katz)
* Continuous Jewish Presence in the Holy Land (Peters)
* The Qur'an (Koran) & institutionalized anti-Semitism
* Religious Persecution of Jews by Arabs
* Throwing Stones at Jews is based in Ancient Islamic Ritual
* Forced conversions in the Islamic conquests
* The forced conversion of the Jewish community of Persia and the beginnings of the Kurds
* An appeal to Moslems of Jewish descent
* Non-Arab and/or non-Muslims in the "Arab" world
* The Islamic claim to the Temple Mount is very recent, since 1930
* The name Al-Quds is an abbreviation for "The Jewish Temple"

14th-19th Jewish Semi-Autonomy, Migration and Expulsions

* A History of the Jews, a list of expulsions for 2000 years
* Rise of European Nationalism: Expulsion from Spain to Chmielnicki massacres
* Messianic hope and rise of Shabbetai Zvi and his conversion to Islam 1626-1676
* Awakening in the Christian world in support of a Jewish Restoration 1830-1930

1850-1920 Restoration of the Jewish Homeland and Arab-Jewish cooperation

* Descriptive Geography and Brief Historical Sketch of Palestine, 1850
* Ottoman Rule Map (Eve of W.W.I), 1516 to 1917
* British Mandate Map 1920-1946
* British Administrative Division Map 1922 - 1946
* Palestine was inhabited by a mixed population
* Palestine, a land virtually laid waste with little population
* Bareness and oppression of Palestine due to feudal system of taxes by absentee Arab Landowners
* Joint Arab-Jewish agreement on Jewish Homeland, between Emir Feisal Husseini and Dr. Weizmann, January 3, 1918
* Jewish proposal for Jewish Homeland, presented to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
* Feisal-Frankfurter Correspondence, further to Arab proposal for Jewish Homeland, March 3, 1919

1920-1948 The British Mandate for Palestine

* Document: An Interim Report on the Civil Administration of Palestine to the League of Nations, June 1921, on the condition of Palestine
* Evidence of Haj Amin al-Husseini Before the Royal Commission in 1937 stating Jewish land was legally purchased from Arabs
* The Myth of Palestinian Nationalism, narrowly defined, anti-Semitism
* Arabs in, Jews out: Britain's role in trying to create an artificial Arab majority in Palestine 1920-1948
* British Plans against France, and against the Jews in 1915
* Britain, Haj Husseini and the Arab Riots of 1920
* British Efforts Against the Nascent Israeli State, in 1948
* The proposed partition of Western Palestine in 1938 & The British Policy of Appeasement
* The Struma & The unmitigated policy of the British against Jewish refugees fleeing Hitler's war against them
* Britain's Partition Map 1946
* U.N. Partition Plan Map 1947
* Document: Official British Police Report Regarding Jews' Appeal to Arabs to NOT leave Haifa in 1948
* The Arab Invasion of 1948

1948 Arab and Jewish refugees

* Palestinian Refugees, invited to leave in 1948
* How many Palestinians Refugees? inflating the numbers
* Arab-Jewish Refugees, the other Middle Eastern Refugee problem
* Exchange of Populations
* Why are Palestinian Refugees treated differently than all other refugees in the world?
* Legal Background to the "Palestinian Right of Return"

1948-1967 Early Israeli History

* Armistice Agreements Map 1949
* Fedayeen Raids Map 1951 - 1956
* The Sinai Campaign Map 1956
* Palestinian Refugees, unlike other refugees in the world, were denied resettlement opportunities, for political reasons
* A collection of historical quotations relating to the Arab refugees
* History of Jordan, Jordan as Palestine & Two states for two people, Jordan must contribute
* The Communist - atheist - anti-religious roots of Israeli's political "Left"

1967-1984 Later Israeli History

* Position of Arab Forces Map 1967
* Six Day War Map - June 1967
* Cease Fire Lines Map 1967
* Discrediting Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries, Official Arab "Invitation" for Jews to return, 1970-1977
* "Palestinian" as an Arab ethnic group is a modern political creation since 1967
* Palestinians only one politicized segment of the larger problem of state-less, citizenship-less migrant workers of the Middle East
* Who are the Palestinians?
* Record of the United Nations, why is it so anti-Israel
* Jewish Settlements are Legal according to International Law
* Egyptian Attack Map 1973
* Syrian Attack Map 1973

1984-2000 The Olso Years and the rise of Arabic-Islamic Nationalism

* The First Oslo Agreements, 1993-1995
* U.S. House of Representatives: Task Force on Terrorism, 1996
* Al Aksa Tunnel Riots of 1996
* Corruption within the Palestinian Authority, 1997; PLO has $10b in assets
* U.S. House of Representatives: The Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction Challenge - Myths and Reality, 1998
* Peace with Jordan
* The Wye Agreement - November 1998
* Sharm Agreement, 50% Withdrawal, 1999
* Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon, May 2000
* Proposed 80% Withdrawal, May 2000
* Proposed 95% Withdrawal, July 2000
* Israel's Compromise on it's "Red Lines", Camp David II
* Proposal for dividing Jerusalem, Camp David II, Taba
* Relative sizes of areas in Middle East
* Israel size comparison maps
* Graphs of Increase in Terror and Crime since Oslo
* Arafat’s Strategy: Lebanonization and Entanglement
* The rise of Israel's Oriental Jews (Sefardim), Israel's shift away from secularism

Arabic settlement policy in the West Bank and Gaza

* The West Bank population under Jordanian rule 1948-1967
* Draft Report of Arab Settlement Activity in the West Bank (261 settlements since 1950)
* Illegal Arab immigration into "Palestine" - part of Oslo
* Arab Population in the West Bank & Gaza - THE MILLION-AND-A-HALF PERSON GAP

2000-present The Multi-Media War

* Erasing Jewish History, Destruction of the Temple Mount
* The Main Reason for the Present Middle East Conflict: ISLAM not "The Territories"
* Who Started the Al Aksa Intifada? List of events of Temple Mount Destruction in June, until Ariel Sharon's visit in September
* "How PA Violence was planned", Report by Palestinian Media Watch
* Palestinian Authority Communications Minister says Al Aksa Intifada was planned since July (for six months)
* Breakdown of casualties during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
* "Palestinians" killing "Palestinians"
* Who killed Muhammad al-Dura?
* I am a Jew. I am a poet. I am heartbroken
* Document: Israeli Government White Paper on PA/PLO non-compliance
* Document: Israel's Preliminary Report To the Mitchell Inquiry
* Journalists describe constant Palestinian intimidation
* Why Israel Newspapers are the most anti-Israel in the world
* History of Israel's Broadcasting Authority: a Politically Left-leaning (Relativistic, Revisionist) Ideological Entity
* Media Bias: CNN and others are misreporting the news
* CNN, BBC and others in fierce competition for lucrative, emerging Middle Eastern Markets

Muftism, Nazism, Communism and Traditional Anti-Semitism give birth to Islamism, 1917-present

* The new Arab "identity" derives from the impact of the West in the last fifty years
* Wahhabism, the Saudi Arabia-based puritanical heresy at the base of Islamism
* Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem
* Muftism and Nazism: World War II Collaboration Documents
* Bosnian Moslems recruited the Nazi SS by Yasser Arafat's 'Uncle'
* Turning the West Bank into another "Bosnia" (Photo Album)
* The Farhud, the Mufti inspired Krystallnacht in Iraq, 1941
* A "Fatwa " Issued by Haj Amin al-Husseini in Iraq, pro-Nazi coup May, 1941
* The Syrian-Iraqi Baath party and its Nazi beginnings
* The Roots of Muslim Rage: Why so many Muslims deeply resent the West, and why their bitterness will not easily be mollified
* The history of the PLO and the International Legitimization of Terrorism
* History of Fedayeen, PLO, Fatah, PFLP, PFLP-GC, DFLP, etc Militant Palestinian Groups
* Saddam Hussein, nephew of Khayrallah Tulfah, of the 1941 Pro-Nazi coup in Iraq
* Hitler and the Arabs, How could they have missed it?
* A technique of propaganda called "Turnspeak"
* Arafat's use of "Turnspeak" to say Israel causes terrorism
* Yasser Arafat's Biography
* Yasser Arafat worthy successor to Haj Muhammad Amin al Husseini
* Yassir Arafat, 1929-2004
* Islamic Sermons on Temple Mount by the grandson of the Haj Amin al-Husseini, 2000

After World Trade Center bombing, Sept 11, 2001

* Al Qaeda Training Manual (United States Department of Justice Website)
* Israeli Government uses PsyOps on Settlers (Government pursuing appeasement of terrorists policy)
* Israeli Government Violations of the Civil Rights Of Opponents of Disengagement (Israel Policy Center)

Other Essays

* Catholic Views on Israel, Dealing with the theological problems of a successful Jewish State, illustrating growing moderation and tolerance
* The Roots of Anti-Judaism in the Christian Environment
* Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

Rabbi Joseph E. Katz
Middle Eastern Political and Religious History Analyst
Brooklyn, New York
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"This site is dedicated to many: to the countless thousands whose lives have been lost in Arab-Jewish conflict; to the courageous on both sides whose longing for lasting peace between Arabs and Jews transcends politics"