07-14-2006, 07:52 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-14-2006, 08:02 AM by Bharatvarsh.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Sri_Lanka
There are no good articles about Hindus of Srilanka so I have to rely on wikipidea. In context with this community 2 important people must be mentioned:
1) Arumuga Navalar
2) Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
The first of these was one of the great Hindu reformers who stemmed xtian conversions, the second one is a first class intellectual (half Lankan Tamil and half English) who was an ardent admirer of India and defended Indian culture, religion and art from xtian attacks vigorously.
Here is a good article I found:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Architects of the Hindu Heritage of Sri Lanka
R.N. SIVAPIRAGASAM
Editor of the "Hindu Organ"
How far have we dveloped our spiritual attitude? Have we such a rich heritage as to be worthy of worldwide consideration? Finding answers to these questions would certainly be intricate, but nevertheless instructive and interesting.
In his excellant essay on 'The Religion we need' Dr. S. Radhakrishnan dwells on the true religious life and argues, inter alia, that "religious life is spiritual certainty offering us strength and solace in the hour of need and sorrow". It is the conviction that love and justice are at the heart of the universe, that the spirit which gave rise to man will further his perfection. It is our faith which grips us even when we suffer defeat, the assurance that though the waves on the shore may be broken the ocean conquers nevertheless. The renowned philosopher speaks of the highest Love that works for the welfare of the world and reaches the conclusion that "this ideal of religious life cannot be reached except by deep meditation and strenuous self-discipline."
On this basis of approach to our questions, let us evaluate the spiritual growth of Lanka during the immediate past and preceding eras by paraphrasing the pronouncements of renowed scholars who had made full and fruitful use of their rare scholarship to learn for themselves the significance of the lofty thoughts of those religious stalwarts who had preceded them and to bequeath to the succeeding generations the benefit of their benign studies of spiritual ideas.
In this context, our mind speeds back across the past ten decades to the glorious past when they rode across the religious sphere like a Colossus, a noble savant in whom precept and practice combined in the required ratio. He was Navalar the Great (Sri la Sri Arumuga Navalar of Nallur in Jaffna-1822-1879). A Hindu of Hindus, affectionately called the 'Champion Reformer of the Hindus', author of numerous treatises on Saiva Literature, was a pioneer prose writer and publisher of rare books of the Sangam Age. That such a devout Hindu should have been called upon to translate the Holy Bible into Chaste Tamil is true testimony of the broadness of Navalar's learning. None but the truly great could embark on the study of an alien religion and made a faithful exposition of the Gospels of the other religion.
Particular mention must be made of that international intellectual, Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, who in the course of his lucid exposition of the Dance of Shiva, answering his own query says "If it be asked what inner riches India brings to aid in the realization of a civilization of the world, then from the Indian standpoint, the answer must be found in her religions and philosophy, and her constant application of abstract theory to practical life.
Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy's lectures at the Atheneum, London on the truth of Hinduism, his translations of Tayumanavar-Hindu philosophic Poems-and his synopsis of the 'Saiva Sittantam' all go to indicate that a religioner's enthusiasm will always lead him to the inevitable course of sharing his experiences with his bretheren. Swami Vivekananda in his memoirs of European Travels refers to Coomaraswamy as the foremost man among Hindus.' It would be appropriate here to note that Swami Vivekananda returning from his historic visit to America as the Hindu Representative at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1896 arrived in Colombo in January 1897 and made such a profound impression on the already enlightened minds of the leading Hindus of Lanka that organisations for the spread of religious knowledge in this country were soon establised. The Colombo Vivekananda Society is in memory of the Swami's visit. The Ramakrishna Mission soon after inaugurated its branch in Colombo, another great factor in the evolution of religious awakening in LANKA.
In this laudable line of literators who have embellished the religious sphere of lively Lanka, priority of place must be assigned to Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan, who like unto his illutrious uncle, Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy was himself a statesman and scholar besides being a distinguished King's Counsel (1851-1930). The broader outlook of this brilliant intellectual could be seen from his "Eastern Exposition of the Gospel of Jesus according to St. John" and his "Culture of the Soul among Western Nations." Even before the vibrations that were caused in America by the vigorous per-orations of Swami Vivekananda could ebb, Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan had made a triumphant visit to this Western Sphere re-iterating the majesty and magnificence of spiritual understanding. To the enraptured American audiences, Sir Ramanathan who Swami Parananda. It was on his return to Lanka that Sir Ramanathan had been able to give a pratical touch to his unbounded spiritual awakening. Hence the establishment of the two great educational institutions-Ramanathan College for Girls and Parameswara College for Boys, establishments that have stood the test of time and have made the famous founder's dreams come true by ushering in the University of Jaffna (with the Faculty of Fine Arts in the premises of the Ramanathan College).
Swami vipulananda, one of the purest products of Religious Lanka, first as layman and then as monk of the Ramakrishna Order, had enriched the progress of this ancient land in the path of true spiritual prosperity. As Professor of Tamil at the Annamalai University and the Unversity College of Colombo, as editor of the Prabuddha Bharata and as Principal of Ramakrishna Mission Schools and above all as inspiring preacher, Swami Vipulananda had placed religion in its proper perspective and encouraged religioners to continue the holy work of showing the sure way to Salvation.
The torch of knowledge is that which stimulates the sense of reflection of the real truth. The torch-bearers of religious light are those that illumine the path of the seekers after the truth. Blessed is the land that has an endless line of torch bearers and whose torches, holden aloft in radiant resplendence, enlighten the entire area that is covered by the emitted rays. One such torch bearer, this little Isle was destined to greet, was Mahatma Gandhi, on pilgrimage to his neighbouring country. The Mahatma appeared before an admiring nation as Dharithira Naravana, in the cause of the oppressed. He was a mighty man of prayer. He went further than the poet who mused 'that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of ' and said that all things were wrought by prayer. His conception of Religion is simply captivating. "Religious Faith is steady and infallible. It is not a faith which merely appeals to the intelligence, but a faith which is indelibly inscribed on the heart. First we want to realize our religious consciousness and immediately we have done that, the whole department of life is open to us, and it should then be a sacred privilege of all." He had seen the truth so very convincingly that he was able to interpret its significance in the simplest of language.
And extra-ordinarily impressive his pilgrimage was, Lanka, the land of great traditions had has as its benefactors many a spiritual stalwart. The name of the Venerable Anagarika Dharmapala lies engraved in gold in the annals of this ancient land.
Peeping into the picturesque past, just before the beginning of the Buddhistic Era, the priceless epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha, disclose how hallowed Lanka had been then. The names of cities, towns, rivers, tanks, peaks and bridges invariably suggest the strongest possibilities of the spheres of incidence of the Great Wars of Ramayana and Mahabharata as having been extended to bring Lanka within the orbit of action. Apart from historical accounts, the fundamental truths around which the stories move count. The Bhagavad Gita has become universally recognized as propounding great ideals about duty. (Work along thou art entitled to, not its fruits). To Mahatma Gandhi the Gita was a book of solace. Said he somewhere "But I must confess to you that when doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of over whelming sorrow.
Now there are the standing mounments of spiritual significance, those ancient and hallowed Temples all over the Island with Majestic Raja Gopurams objectively rising above into the clouds, proclaiming to the universe that here is a land of lofty ideals, a home of the faithful, a shelter for all from misery and misgivings. Thiruketheeswaram, Thirukoneswaram, Munneswaram, Naguleswaram, Maviddapuram, Nallur, kathirkamam, Sivanolipathamalai (Adam's Peak), are but a few of the sanctified places of worship that help devotees find solace in their religions. Myths there are, so are traditions and legends; but the fact remains that these sacred places are all suggestive of the rich heritage of religionism.
This enabling feature has been enhanced by the periodical appearances of sages and saints, Yogis and other Spiritual teachers. Accounts of such impacts will form some of the chapters of the spiritual history of the land. "The mind of the sage being in repose, becomes the mirror of the Universe"-(Chuang Tzu). Yoga Swamigal of Columbuthurai, one in the glorious line of classic Yogis, was a tower of spiritual strength to the people of this country including foreign visitors. Young Soulbury a son of Lord Soulbury sat at the santified feet of Yoga Swamigal and was fortunate to inherit the yogic inclination.
Swami Subramaniya an American, is another who received initiation from Yoga Swamigal. The Swami has established an Ashram in remote rural surroundings at Alaveddy in the Jaffna District, in addition to the Saiva Siddhanta Church in the Islands of Hawaii spreading the gospel of Saiva Siddhantha all the world over. Yoga indicates the path to enlightenment and emancipation and is cryptically described by Schelling as "the perceiving self merging in the self perceived." The Yoga is verily the beacon lamp of truth that cannot be blown out. Lanka has had the enduring benefit of such beacon lights.
http://www.intamm.com/samayam/hindu.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There are no good articles about Hindus of Srilanka so I have to rely on wikipidea. In context with this community 2 important people must be mentioned:
1) Arumuga Navalar
2) Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
The first of these was one of the great Hindu reformers who stemmed xtian conversions, the second one is a first class intellectual (half Lankan Tamil and half English) who was an ardent admirer of India and defended Indian culture, religion and art from xtian attacks vigorously.
Here is a good article I found:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Architects of the Hindu Heritage of Sri Lanka
R.N. SIVAPIRAGASAM
Editor of the "Hindu Organ"
How far have we dveloped our spiritual attitude? Have we such a rich heritage as to be worthy of worldwide consideration? Finding answers to these questions would certainly be intricate, but nevertheless instructive and interesting.
In his excellant essay on 'The Religion we need' Dr. S. Radhakrishnan dwells on the true religious life and argues, inter alia, that "religious life is spiritual certainty offering us strength and solace in the hour of need and sorrow". It is the conviction that love and justice are at the heart of the universe, that the spirit which gave rise to man will further his perfection. It is our faith which grips us even when we suffer defeat, the assurance that though the waves on the shore may be broken the ocean conquers nevertheless. The renowned philosopher speaks of the highest Love that works for the welfare of the world and reaches the conclusion that "this ideal of religious life cannot be reached except by deep meditation and strenuous self-discipline."
On this basis of approach to our questions, let us evaluate the spiritual growth of Lanka during the immediate past and preceding eras by paraphrasing the pronouncements of renowed scholars who had made full and fruitful use of their rare scholarship to learn for themselves the significance of the lofty thoughts of those religious stalwarts who had preceded them and to bequeath to the succeeding generations the benefit of their benign studies of spiritual ideas.
In this context, our mind speeds back across the past ten decades to the glorious past when they rode across the religious sphere like a Colossus, a noble savant in whom precept and practice combined in the required ratio. He was Navalar the Great (Sri la Sri Arumuga Navalar of Nallur in Jaffna-1822-1879). A Hindu of Hindus, affectionately called the 'Champion Reformer of the Hindus', author of numerous treatises on Saiva Literature, was a pioneer prose writer and publisher of rare books of the Sangam Age. That such a devout Hindu should have been called upon to translate the Holy Bible into Chaste Tamil is true testimony of the broadness of Navalar's learning. None but the truly great could embark on the study of an alien religion and made a faithful exposition of the Gospels of the other religion.
Particular mention must be made of that international intellectual, Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, who in the course of his lucid exposition of the Dance of Shiva, answering his own query says "If it be asked what inner riches India brings to aid in the realization of a civilization of the world, then from the Indian standpoint, the answer must be found in her religions and philosophy, and her constant application of abstract theory to practical life.
Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy's lectures at the Atheneum, London on the truth of Hinduism, his translations of Tayumanavar-Hindu philosophic Poems-and his synopsis of the 'Saiva Sittantam' all go to indicate that a religioner's enthusiasm will always lead him to the inevitable course of sharing his experiences with his bretheren. Swami Vivekananda in his memoirs of European Travels refers to Coomaraswamy as the foremost man among Hindus.' It would be appropriate here to note that Swami Vivekananda returning from his historic visit to America as the Hindu Representative at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1896 arrived in Colombo in January 1897 and made such a profound impression on the already enlightened minds of the leading Hindus of Lanka that organisations for the spread of religious knowledge in this country were soon establised. The Colombo Vivekananda Society is in memory of the Swami's visit. The Ramakrishna Mission soon after inaugurated its branch in Colombo, another great factor in the evolution of religious awakening in LANKA.
In this laudable line of literators who have embellished the religious sphere of lively Lanka, priority of place must be assigned to Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan, who like unto his illutrious uncle, Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy was himself a statesman and scholar besides being a distinguished King's Counsel (1851-1930). The broader outlook of this brilliant intellectual could be seen from his "Eastern Exposition of the Gospel of Jesus according to St. John" and his "Culture of the Soul among Western Nations." Even before the vibrations that were caused in America by the vigorous per-orations of Swami Vivekananda could ebb, Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan had made a triumphant visit to this Western Sphere re-iterating the majesty and magnificence of spiritual understanding. To the enraptured American audiences, Sir Ramanathan who Swami Parananda. It was on his return to Lanka that Sir Ramanathan had been able to give a pratical touch to his unbounded spiritual awakening. Hence the establishment of the two great educational institutions-Ramanathan College for Girls and Parameswara College for Boys, establishments that have stood the test of time and have made the famous founder's dreams come true by ushering in the University of Jaffna (with the Faculty of Fine Arts in the premises of the Ramanathan College).
Swami vipulananda, one of the purest products of Religious Lanka, first as layman and then as monk of the Ramakrishna Order, had enriched the progress of this ancient land in the path of true spiritual prosperity. As Professor of Tamil at the Annamalai University and the Unversity College of Colombo, as editor of the Prabuddha Bharata and as Principal of Ramakrishna Mission Schools and above all as inspiring preacher, Swami Vipulananda had placed religion in its proper perspective and encouraged religioners to continue the holy work of showing the sure way to Salvation.
The torch of knowledge is that which stimulates the sense of reflection of the real truth. The torch-bearers of religious light are those that illumine the path of the seekers after the truth. Blessed is the land that has an endless line of torch bearers and whose torches, holden aloft in radiant resplendence, enlighten the entire area that is covered by the emitted rays. One such torch bearer, this little Isle was destined to greet, was Mahatma Gandhi, on pilgrimage to his neighbouring country. The Mahatma appeared before an admiring nation as Dharithira Naravana, in the cause of the oppressed. He was a mighty man of prayer. He went further than the poet who mused 'that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of ' and said that all things were wrought by prayer. His conception of Religion is simply captivating. "Religious Faith is steady and infallible. It is not a faith which merely appeals to the intelligence, but a faith which is indelibly inscribed on the heart. First we want to realize our religious consciousness and immediately we have done that, the whole department of life is open to us, and it should then be a sacred privilege of all." He had seen the truth so very convincingly that he was able to interpret its significance in the simplest of language.
And extra-ordinarily impressive his pilgrimage was, Lanka, the land of great traditions had has as its benefactors many a spiritual stalwart. The name of the Venerable Anagarika Dharmapala lies engraved in gold in the annals of this ancient land.
Peeping into the picturesque past, just before the beginning of the Buddhistic Era, the priceless epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha, disclose how hallowed Lanka had been then. The names of cities, towns, rivers, tanks, peaks and bridges invariably suggest the strongest possibilities of the spheres of incidence of the Great Wars of Ramayana and Mahabharata as having been extended to bring Lanka within the orbit of action. Apart from historical accounts, the fundamental truths around which the stories move count. The Bhagavad Gita has become universally recognized as propounding great ideals about duty. (Work along thou art entitled to, not its fruits). To Mahatma Gandhi the Gita was a book of solace. Said he somewhere "But I must confess to you that when doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of over whelming sorrow.
Now there are the standing mounments of spiritual significance, those ancient and hallowed Temples all over the Island with Majestic Raja Gopurams objectively rising above into the clouds, proclaiming to the universe that here is a land of lofty ideals, a home of the faithful, a shelter for all from misery and misgivings. Thiruketheeswaram, Thirukoneswaram, Munneswaram, Naguleswaram, Maviddapuram, Nallur, kathirkamam, Sivanolipathamalai (Adam's Peak), are but a few of the sanctified places of worship that help devotees find solace in their religions. Myths there are, so are traditions and legends; but the fact remains that these sacred places are all suggestive of the rich heritage of religionism.
This enabling feature has been enhanced by the periodical appearances of sages and saints, Yogis and other Spiritual teachers. Accounts of such impacts will form some of the chapters of the spiritual history of the land. "The mind of the sage being in repose, becomes the mirror of the Universe"-(Chuang Tzu). Yoga Swamigal of Columbuthurai, one in the glorious line of classic Yogis, was a tower of spiritual strength to the people of this country including foreign visitors. Young Soulbury a son of Lord Soulbury sat at the santified feet of Yoga Swamigal and was fortunate to inherit the yogic inclination.
Swami Subramaniya an American, is another who received initiation from Yoga Swamigal. The Swami has established an Ashram in remote rural surroundings at Alaveddy in the Jaffna District, in addition to the Saiva Siddhanta Church in the Islands of Hawaii spreading the gospel of Saiva Siddhantha all the world over. Yoga indicates the path to enlightenment and emancipation and is cryptically described by Schelling as "the perceiving self merging in the self perceived." The Yoga is verily the beacon lamp of truth that cannot be blown out. Lanka has had the enduring benefit of such beacon lights.
http://www.intamm.com/samayam/hindu.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->