The Tolerance of Hinduism - 1

The Tolerance of Hinduism - 1
By
Jagdish R. Singh (Roy)


Authors’ Notes:

“The Tolerance of Hinduism” has been uniquely emphasized in a fictional story surrounding many of the sacred teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, commonly called the Song of God. When I first learned that great thinkers such as Albert Einstein, Thoreau, T.S. Eliot, Charles Wilkins, Emerson, Albert Schweitzer, and Mahatma Gandhi had contemplated and deliberated over the divine words of Krishna (incarnate God), I was easily drawn to think that the Gita must be
something thoughtful and highly inspirational to attract the attention of such great men. It was not until I read a copy of the Bhagavad-Gita fifteen years ago, translated by Christopher Isherwood and Prabhavananda, that I concluded that the knowledge revealed was enlightening and worthy of appreciation. Having gained a fair amount of knowledge from a comparative study of religion, I sincerely felt it was my duty to share some of it with people from all walks of life. To emphasize some of the teachings from the Bhagavad-Gita in this book, a number of verses have been grouped together at various parts of the story. Many are going to find that by occasionally reading some of these sacred verses, it will help to strengthen them mentally to cope with many of their sorrowful experiences.


The Tolerance of Hinduism

Herman Schneider was only thirty-two years of age when he was diagnosed as having the AIDS virus. He was one of many doctors who had volunteered to go to a village in India to tend to a number of people with AIDS. How Herman contracted the deadly disease left many of his coworkers guessing, as well as why Herman no longer showed up for work, and was not willing to share any information about how he got infected. Some nurses who knew Herman well seemed to think that he had gotten the virus from tainted blood. They claimed that for quite some time, Herman had been taking samples of blood from his patients to do private studies in hope that he could find a cure for the disease.


By now the disease was in its final stages and Herman, disheartened by what had happened, feared that he would eventually die from the deadly virus, since no one at the time had come up with any medication to counteract the disease. In a melancholy mood, he began to think that he would no longer be able to tend to his patients, and how greatly distressed his parents in Germany would become when they found out that he only had a few months or perhaps a year to live.


One day while Herman was sitting alone at home thinking about the sorrows of life, a nurse named Sunita who was part of Herman’s medical team came to visit him.

Seeing Sunita dressed in a white sari, and knowing that she was a Hindu by faith, Herman gently clasped his hands as in prayer to greet her. He then offered her a chair, but Sunita politely refused, saying that her visit would be a short one, as she had only come to offer him a gift. She then carefully unwrapped a red cloth to reveal a white marble statue of Jesus Christ, and gently handed it to Herman saying, “I believe you are a Christian. I hope this humble gift will remind you of your faith in this worrisome period of your life.” Herman, surprised by the gift, carefully examined it before commenting to Sunita that her gift must be an expensive one. In good spirits, Sunita affectionately told him not to worry about the price, since a Hindu priest had given it to her free of charge.


Even though Herman was a Christian, he had little time to reflect on his faith, since he had spent most of his time first studying to become a doctor and later tending to people who were very ill. Though he was brought up in a Christian home, he was not the religious type who frequently attended church or prayed to God.

Herman noticed that Sunita had a small wooden crucifix around her neck. He was puzzled when he saw this, and wondered how Sunita could be a Hindu when she wore a crucifix. Curious to find out if she was embracing two different religions, Herman asked her what faith she belonged to. Sunita replied that she was a Hindu. Brooding over this, Herman concluded that Sunita was open-minded, as judging from the gift she gave him, it seemed that though she was a Hindu, she wanted to make him a better Christian but not to uproot him from his faith.

Herman, not knowing anything about Hinduism, politely asked Sunita to explain what a Hindu was. Surprisingly, Sunita said that she could not answer his question with certainty; however, if he would like to know, she could take him to meet a Hindu sage who lived about two miles away. Sunita claimed that this sage was a wise man who had statues of many deities, including Jesus Christ. Herman began to think that there must be a reason why the sage kept so many idols. Thinking that the wise man might be a follower of Christ, and that it was also an opportunity for him to learn something about the Hindu faith, he politely asked Sunita to take him to meet the sage.


About two hours later when Herman and Sunita arrived at the sage’s home, Herman was a bit surprised when he discovered that the holy man lived in a mid-sized house made of logs, the roof of which was formed from the tightly knit branches of a tree. As Herman walked cautiously around the house, looking at the way it was made, Sunita entered the home of the sage to tell him that a visitor had come to see him. A minute later, the sage in a pleasant mood hurriedly came out of his home to greet Herman. With a broad smile, he introduced himself as Sudama, and then expressed how happy he felt when Sunita told him that Herman was a medical doctor. While they greeted each other, Sunita intervened to tell the sage about some of the voluntary work Herman had done in India, tending to many who were seriously ill. Sunita then courteously said that she was leaving to return home because she had to attend work later that day.

After Sunita departed, Sudama took the opportunity to tell Herman that he had been suffering from pains in his lower back for over ten years and was hopeful that doctors would one day find a cure for his complaint. Having said this, the sage noticed that Herman had a worried look. Concerned that he might have said something that offended him, he quickly asked Herman what was his reason for coming to see him. With a disheartened look, Herman replied, “My heart is filled with sadness, since I only have a short time to live because of a deadly disease I was diagnosed with. I am not here to ask that you pray for me, but all I ask of you is to tell me about your Hindu faith so that I could learn why it is so tolerant.” The sage, astonished to hear that Herman was not well, became concerned, and quickly told him to come into his house where there was a bed for him to sit or lie on.

Upon entering the home of the sage, Herman was somewhat surprised to see that with the exception of the bed he had mentioned, there was no other furniture. As he cautiously walked around, he saw that the floor of the house was covered with sheets of cloth, and there was an altar which had statues of many gods and goddesses. Among these deities, Herman was astonished to see a white marble statue of Jesus Christ and a small wooden crucifix. Baffled, he politely asked Sudama, “Why do Hindus worship so many gods?” Sudama replied that Hindus only worship one God, and all the statues of numerous deities he saw represented various attributes of God. Gently, Sudama picked up the marble statue of Jesus Christ and kissed it. He then said to Herman that this statue reminded him a great deal about the sacrifice one has to make to accomplish peace on Earth, and about God’s love for humanity. Gently, Sudama put down the statue of Christ and then picked up the statue of a Hindu goddess he referred to as Lakshmi, saying that this goddess reminded him that God is the Divine mother of all and the bringer of good fortune. Sudama then picked up another statue of a pot-bellied man with an
elephant head called Ganesha. Holding it carefully with both hands, he said to Herman that this deity reminded him that God is the bestower of knowledge and the remover of all obstacles. Reaching out once more, Sudama picked up the statue of a monkey-like deity whom he referred to as Hanuman that reminded him of moral values such as loyalty, friendship, trust and devotion. Lastly, Sudama picked up the statue of a deity he referred to as Lord Krishna, the one he claimed to be incarnate God. He said that the divine words of Krishna are reported in a holy book titled the Bhagavad- Gita, commonly called the Song of God. Sudama affectionately said to Herman that just as the way Christians treat a crucifix of Christ with reverence or a statue of mother Mary with sanctity, so too millions of Hindus show reverence for what reminds them of certain attributes of God. He politely told Herman that the list of deities he had mentioned were various names of one God.


Trying to give Herman a better understanding of his faith, Sudama said that each week he held a prayer service at his home which was attended by a few families in the neighborhood. Apart from this weekly service, there were special days during the year, when his fellow worshippers would come together to observe a specific religious or feast day. He said that paying special homage to God on days such as Janam Ashtmi (which celebrates the coming of Lord Krishna), Deepavali/Diwali (Festival of Lights, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil) and Phagwah/Holi (Spring Festival) reminds Hindus about their faith and tradition.


While listening to the sage, Herman appeared a bit confused, as practically everything he heard was new to him. Hearing the names of so many deities, he affectionately asked Sudama to tell him, what did Hindus call the one Supreme God they believe in? Sudama politely replied, Brahman, and then referred to God as That One which is infinite, all-pervading, unborn, undying, and has no gender. The sage said that Brahman (God) is the single source of everything, and has two attributes, commonly referred to as the impersonal and the personal.


When one hears the term Nirguna Brahman it means that God is the eternal unmanifest without description, form or qualities. He explained that the universe in its entirety is the infinite womb of Brahman, and we all exist in Brahman. Here, the sage made it clear that this does not mean that one should worship every aspect of nature, for seeking the path of knowledge through the discipline of understanding is more important. Sudama went on to say that everything originates from Brahman, which has the power to create, absorb and re-create again. Brahman quickens all beings to life and sets everything in motion, flowing through everything everywhere. He added that Brahman is birthless, limitless, immeasurable and everlasting, and to think of the infinite diversity of Brahman is to reflect on what Lord Krishna said:


“O Arjuna! Nothing is higher than Me. All that exists hangs on Me, like clusters of pearls on a string. I am the taste in water, Arjuna, the light of the moon and sun, the syllable AUM in all the Vedas, the sound in space, and the courage in men. I am the pure scent in earth, the heat in fire, the life in all beings, and the penance in ascetics. The entire universe is pervaded by My eternal form, all creatures exist in Me, but I do not exist within them.

Behold My divine mystery, these creatures are not in Me (physically), Myself brings them into existence, and sustains them without being in them. I am the source of all and everything proceeds from Me; wise ones who understand this are devoted to Me.

Just as the mighty wind, blowing always, constantly remains in space, so all beings exist in Me, know it to be so.

One who knows Me as unborn, beginningless, and the Supreme Lord of all the worlds is freed from delusion and all sins.”


The sage then went on to say that when the term Saguna Brahman is used, it means God with attributes as having a form - a personal and loving God being called by various names and so forth. This personal aspect of God reminded him of what Lord Krishna said:


“O Arjuna! Whenever righteousness decays and chaos prevails, I manifest Myself.

To protect the good and destroy evildoers, as well as to establish sacred duty, I appear age after age. One knowing Me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and penances, the Supreme Lord of all worlds, and the friend of all beings, one attains peace.

Love and adore Me with all your heart; always worship Me, bow to Me, and you shall come to Me, I promise this, because you are dear to Me.”

He pointed out that in the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna is the human form in which the impersonal God, Brahman, becomes the personal as a beloved friend of Arjuna. After explaining this, the sage said to Herman that the word Brahman should not be confused with the word Brahma (Creator deity) or the word Brahmin/Brahman (priestly) since their meanings and pronunciations are different. Sudama said that in Hinduism there are many paths to the Almighty and people are free to choose their own path. He said that Hinduism is partly based on the original religion of light-skinned nomadic tribes called the Aryans who settled in India approximately 3,500 years ago. The language used by the Aryans in India was an early form of
Sanskrit, similar to other Indo-European languages, and the hymns from the Rig Veda, mainly praising the Aryan Gods, were from their own religion. When the Aryans first came to India, they met people called the Dravidians who already lived there. The Aryans did not like the Dravidians who were dark-skinned and considered inferior, but in the course of time, the cultures of the two fused. With this, the Dravidians learned the language of the Aryans, and unto this day Sanskrit hymns are still recited during Hindu religious ceremonies.


The sage explained that amid the fusion of the lightskinned Aryans and the dark-skinned Dravidians, a caste system evolved as the Aryans tried to integrate the natives into their social structure. Not elaborating on this, he went on to say that Hinduism has no single founder, and is made up of various beliefs, ancient myths, philosophy, prayers, hymns and rituals which are expounded in religious books such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Puranas and so forth.


Sudama, continuing to talk about his faith, pointed out that in primeval times people of various nations worshipped many Gods. In ancient Greece a significant portion of the masses worshiped deities such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Demeter and Apollo. In ancient Egypt many worshipped Gods such as Osiris, Hathor, Horus and Amun. In ancient Rome, a sizeable portion of the masses worshipped deities such as Mithra, Mars, Venus, and Diana. Sudama said that these were only a few examples, and numerous stories about people and their gods can be found in ancient mythology. He did not take many ancient stories literally, since these tales — about gods that were married and had children, as well as their occasional disputes, with happy or sad endings — were aimed to teach moral lessons. Sudama then went on to say that with the coming of Christianity and later Islam, a significant portion of the masses was either converted, forced to relinquish their faith, or of their own accord became followers of a new religion. However, in Hinduism, the worship of ancient deities such as Shiva, Devi, Vishnu and many others never faded away, and to this day, their names are still uttered in hymns and prayers during religious ceremonies. The sage said that with hundreds of millions to this day still paying adoration in worship to such primeval deities, Hinduism is generally considered to be the oldest of the major living religions. He added that ancient stories about the good deeds of many of these deities became various attributes of God.


Having listened attentively to the sage, Herman came to understand that Hindus only worship one God and the statues of various deities he saw on the altar represent certain attributes of the Almighty.


As Herman continued to examine some of the things displayed around the altar, he saw a metal pot which seemed to be used for lighting a small fire, as there was a box of matches and a jar of clarified butter beside it. Next to this, he saw a bowl containing the leaves of a plant, some fruits and a bunch of flowers. Adjacent to the bowl was an earthen lamp and a number of small utensils containing various spices in powdered form. Seeing it all, Herman asked the sage what was the reason for displaying them. Sudama replied that on Sundays he performed a short ritual with his followers which lasted about twenty minutes. After this, he gave a brief talk on the scriptures and sang a few religious songs with his fellow worshippers.


Herman was somewhat surprised when the sage also said that during the ritual, he recited prayers in the oldest Indo- Aryan language called Sanskrit, which still exists today for traditional learning. Herman was also surprised when Sudama indicated that the majority of his followers did not understand what he recited in Sanskrit, since the language was mainly used by Hindu priests during religious ceremonies, and by people who have a special interest in learning it. The sage said that to help others understand what he recited during the ritual, he occasionally paused for a few minutes during the ceremony to explain it. He went on to say that it pleased him a great deal while performing this ancient ritual to see the tolerance shown by devotees when they came together to worship God. He said that even though many devotees had a favorite or personal deity that they worshipped, it was pleasing to hear them sing praises and glorify the name of the favorite deity of the other person seated next to them. Sudama said that this is truly “unity in diversity.”


The sage, in emphasizing tolerance among Hindus, went on to say that it is common in India and various nations around the globe to find Hindus making their own personal choice pertaining to observances of certain religious days or performing certain sacraments in memory of their ancestors. He said that while some Hindus might be less interested in austerities, some sacraments and lengthy rituals, it is common to find other devotees choosing to practice meditation or performing selfless actions for the betterment of humanity. The sage said that in spite of the varying choices devotees make, the vast majority of Hindus remain united, respectful and supportive of one another, since they have a common belief in Karma (action) and in Dharma (righteousness).


Herman, wanting to gather more knowledge about the teachings of Hinduism, politely asked the sage if he could tell him in brief what the holy book titled the Bhagavad-Gita was all about. Sudama explained that the sacred book is a philosophical dialogue between a warrior named Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (incarnate God). The Bhagavad-Gita commences with the armies of two sets of cousins and their companions arrayed for battle. On one section of the battlefield was the army of the Kauravas, who were considered evil because of their unlawful and sinister deeds. On the other side of the battlefield were the Pandavas, one of whom was the famous warrior Arjuna. For many years, the Pandavas were unfairly treated by the Kauravas. The sage said that this great battle was recounted in one of the longest epics in the world known as the Mahabharata, containing about one hundred thousand verses, and the Bhagavad-Gita was an integral part of it.


Sudama explained that during the events leading up to the famous battle, all forms of dialogue to avert war by peaceful means had failed because the Kauravas were uncompromising. With the two armies gathered on a battlefield in preparation for combat, the warrior Arjuna suddenly fell into despair while surveying the enemy when he saw that the men he was about to fight against were his own relatives and friends. Overwhelmed with compassion when thinking how little he would benefit from killing them, he told his charioteer Krishna that he would not fight. The incarnate God Krishna, seeing the warrior Arjuna so despondent, began to encourage him to rise up and fight, saying that if he relinquished his duty, evil would certainly triumph. He explained to Arjuna that if he did not fight, sin would be his reward, and if he gave up his duty, people would speak ill of him. Krishna further said to Arjuna that for someone like him, with such a noble reputation, to abandon his duty, shame was worse than death. While Arjuna stood dejected, Krishna, after telling him why it was so important to uphold righteousness, affectionately said to him that everyone gathered here on the battlefield, including Him and Arjuna, had lived before, and never in the future would they cease to exist. Krishna went on to say that just as the Supreme Soul, also referred to as Brahman, is unborn and undying, so too the human soul is imperishable, and it is only one’s physical body which suffers death.