Meera Nanda on Yoga not being Hindu

[mohanty]

Meera Nanda has written an article called "Not as old as you think" in which she argues that all the hue and cry being made over Yoga having a Hindu origin is poppycock and Yoga is actually a very recent phenomenon.

The article is here: http://www.openthemagazine.com/artic...d-as-you-think

Thought it would be a good idea to have it here and discuss it.

[Ramakrishna]

Namaste Mohanty,

It really doesn't help our case when Indians themselves are claiming that yoga is not of Hindu origin. But I suppose this lady is another sellout just like Deepak Chopra.

It's true that some places that teach yoga in the US do sort of acknowledge the Hindu roots and they chant Sanskrit mantras and such, but the whole reason the Take Back Yoga campaign started was because growing numbers of people are trying to claim otherwise and refuse to acknowledge the Hindu roots of yoga.

I don't see the point of her argument that HAF is trying to move past the "cows, caste, and curry" stereotype that a lot of Americans have of Hinduism. They haven't made it any secret that this campaign is part of a larger goal of making Hindus in the US proud of their faith and all that it has given to the world. It's true that a lot of ignorant westerners just think of the caste system and many deities when they think of Hinduism. It's time to move past that.

"Chopra, who does indeed shun the Hindu label and calls himself an ‘Advaita Vedantist’ instead, declared that Hinduism had no patent on yoga." How ridiculous. An Advaita Vedantist...I can't believe I actually once respected this guy. He does say some interesting and intelligent things about reincarnation, but besides that he has really done nothing good for Hinduism. And his argument that Hindus have as much claim over yoga as Christians have over bread and wine is literally one of the stupidest things I've ever heard in my life...

"It seems this yoga-reclamation campaign is less about yoga, and more about the Indian diaspora’s strange mix of defensiveness and an exaggerated sense of the excellence of the elite, Sanskritic aspects of Hindu religion and culture."
And this lady is Indian? I'm assuming she's lived in India her entire life. She should try living in the West for a few years then she will know what this "defensiveness" is. I wonder if she is even Hindu? There is definitely no "exaggerated sense of the excellence of the elite, Sanskritic aspects" of Hinduism. Not even close. Not only the west, but most of the world has yet to realize all the wisdom and knowledge contained in the Vedas and other Hindu texts.

Jai Sri Ram

[mohanty]

Namaste Ramakrishna ji

Meera Nanda is a small cog in the Marxist history machine. Their work involves practicing the twisted version of secularism that is prevalent in India today. Indeed, they created this version.

Meera Nanda is a simple old Hindu hater. Her knowledge of Hinduism is laughable, but she claims tom be an expert and writes on how Hinduism is a threat to world peace. Interestingly, she makes no such claim about any other religion.

Read this: http://www.sandeepweb.com/2009/04/08...her-ignorance/

and this: http://koenraadelst.bharatvani.org/a...ics/bogey.html

... to know more about the nature of her work.

As for Deepak Chopra, my views are the same as yours. He has been instrumental in propagating the Hindu view of life in the west, but he always ignores and hurts the Hindu culture that is the source of his bread and butter.

[devotee]

Namaste Mohanty,

Meera Nanda is a small cog in the Marxist history machine.

You don't need any further information about this lady to predict her behaviour and explain why she does what she does !

I can quote Upanishads where various types of Yogas are described in detail .... but then this lady was perhaps born before those Upanishads were written ! So what is the use ? Bhains ke aage been bajaae baitha bhainsa paguraye ( Play flute in front of a buffalo ... buffalo keeps chewing the cud sitting in its position nonchalantly !).

OM

[mohanty]

Actually I do think we need to play the been in front of the bhains. The bhains may never change, but the people she is misleading with her propaganda should get to hear the other side of the story.

[Sahasranama]

She does not deserve to be called Meera, she should change her name to Aisha or Maria. She mostly writes articles with an anti-Hindu agenda, for example this one: The perils of "Vedic Science."

[mohanty]

I wouldn't be possible if that is her real name actually. She has written articles against Hinduism on atheism websites (the editors of which, sadly are nincompoops who failed to see her agenda). Also, she is a Marxist who keeps comparing Hinduism to Abrahamic religions and coming to the conclusion that Hinduism is evil and the Abrahamic ones are children of peace and light.

She is more messed up than she knows. Or maybe she isn't and this is all deliberate.

[Sahasranama]

It's possible she is really called that, she is not the first anti-Hindu with a Hindu name.

Here is a response to Meera Nanda by Koenraad Elst:
http://koenraadelst.bharatvani.org/a...ics/bogey.html

I have not read it yet, it's quite lengthy.

Another by Sandeep:
http://www.sandeepweb.com/2009/04/08...her-ignorance/

[devotee]

Thanks for good links, Sahasranama !

OM

[Sahasranama]

Oops, mohanty had already posted them I see.