The 'H' word.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: I don't get it. What's wrong with the term 'Hindu'? I read stuff that sounds quite Hindu, or at least leaning towards Hinduism, but I see no mention of the term itself. What exactly are people afraid of?

Stuff like this:

I practice yoga, but its definitely not Hindu.
I follow Sanatana Dharma, not Hinduism.
I believe in karma, but it's not a Hindu concept.

I was browsing through a certain 'yoga' organisation's site, and I never saw the word ... not even once.

Is Hindu a curse word or something? Any insights, anyone?

Aum Namasivaya

[realdemigod]

Namaste EM,
There is nothing to be afraid of. It's just to derail new people from learning these ancient practices are from Hinduism and to devalue Hinduism so that articles are suited for westerns. I have come across many articles similar to the ones you read. This goes back to the influence of few supposed cults claim to be god's religions.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam rdg: Oh, I am not afraid of anything, but it seems some other souls are. Of what I don't know. Maybe they think Hindu is synonymous with 'evil' or some other thing. Personally, I love the term, even though I know it's not historically accurate.

I would be hesitant, and doubtful about reading about 'Hinduism' if the said organization can't even call themselves Hindu. Seems like going to a baseball game in New york with a Yankee fan who won't admit he's a Yankee fan, or that he claims we're actually watching cricket.

Aum Namasivaya

[surrenderindailylife]

Namaste EM

I had read some years back that immediately after WWII, Japanese firms were very reluctant to use tag 'Made in Japan' on their products. The reason was quite simple to grasp - Japan in WWII was a loser and consumers didnt want to buy from a loser! It took several years for the Japanese firms to be recognized for their quality focus, a new identity so to say... Only after that, 'Made in Japan' made its way back.

Hindu religion is usually associated with India. My guess is when India as a nation grows to play a more leading role on world stage, Hindu religion would grow in stature as well. Rest all things (as mentioned by you) would fall in place.

Om Namah Shivay

[Jainarayan]

I also think Hinduism is associated with India and Indian ethnicity only. Not in any wrong or bad way, but in a way of "I'm not Indian, so I really don't have anything to do with Hinduism". Someone, knowing I'm Hindu asked me how you'd say [I forgot what it was] in Hindu. I said there is no such language, and if you mean Sanskrit, I wouldn't even attempt it. It's a matter of education.

[realdemigod]

Namaste EM,
I'm reiterating nobody is afraid of Hinduism. West wants to devalue Hinduism so that the future generations would accept things like yoga is sophisticated aerobics developed by ingenious people from the west, we have advanced sciences, our psychologists and theologians have concluded the comic law of karma and nobody can claim the roots. Future generations will accept them as the concepts of the west like Pythagora's theorem. West still thinks we are big brothers we get to rule the world at the expense of the east and they are still uncivilised barbarians. Adding to all these BBC and other channels fudge the history of not only the east but also the Bosnian war to suit their supremacy in their documentaries.

[Sahasranama]

Vannakkam: I don't get it. What's wrong with the term 'Hindu'? I read stuff that sounds quite Hindu, or at least leaning towards Hinduism, but I see no mention of the term itself. What exactly are people afraid of?

Stuff like this:

I practice yoga, but its definitely not Hindu.
I follow Sanatana Dharma, not Hinduism.
I believe in karma, but it's not a Hindu concept.

I was browsing through a certain 'yoga' organisation's site, and I never saw the word ... not even once.

Is Hindu a curse word or something? Any insights, anyone?

Aum Namasivaya

There are multiple factors that cause people to avoid the word Hindu. Sometimes it is done by Indians who want to look sophisticated and say things like "I am not a Hindu, I am a follower of Sanatana Dharma." This is a completely meaningless utterance, because Hindu and Sanatana Dharma have become synonyms and are used interchangeably. They come with arguments that the word Hindu is of relative recent origin, but what they don't realise is that the word Sanatana Dharma in the context it is used nowadays is of even more recent origin. The word Hindu was already used by the ancient Persians to describe the location eastward of the sindhu river, later it started to denote the religion of the people in India. For some Indians its a matter of pride, they don't want to use a foreign word to describe their religion. Some see it as a British construct projected on the religions of India, but they don't know that the word Hindu was there before the British already and is even mentioned in some shastras.

The last argument is also used by the Universalists, but for other reasons altogether. They do not want to use the word Hindu, because for them it signifies a geographic location and they don't want to confine Hinduism to certain place on the planet, sometimes because they still have strong attachments to their birth religion. They are in a phase where they are unhappy with their birth religion, but still use it as a filter to look at Hinduism. These people see Hinduism as an "open source software" that they can use to update their old religion. They still have a place in their heart for Jesus Christ, light candles in front of their altar to commune with god and read from the Bible or if they are muslim, they still pray to Allah five times a day. Hindus have to be very careful for these type of people. They will act friendly as long they are absorbing from Hinduism to fill that empty hole that their birth religion has created. But as soon as they have had enough, they will become the most vicious missionaries of (upgraded) monotheism 2.0 and start condemning idol worship, animal and nature veneration and devotion towards multiple deities. Just like Rahu was able to obtain amrita from Mohini, these asuras will absorb Hindu knowledge only to become bigger demons. Hindus should be very careful not to spill any amrita in their hands.

हीनं च दूष्यत्येव हिन्दुरित्युच्यते प्रिये
(Meru Tantra)

Hindu is one who discards the mean and the ignoble.

ओंकारमूलमन्त्राढ्य पुनर्जन्मदृढाशयः।
गोभक्तो भारतगुरुर्हिन्दुहिंसनदूषकः॥
(Madhava Digvijaya)

One who meditates on Omkar as the primeal sound, believes in karma & reincarnation, has reverence for the cow, who is devoted to Bharat, and abhors evil, is deserving of being called Hindu.

हिंसया दूयते यश्च सदाचरणतत्पर।
वेदगोप्रतिमासेवी स हिन्दुमुखशब्दभाक्॥
(vriddha smriti)

One who abhors the mean and the ignoble, and is of noblebearing,
who reveres the Veda, the cow, and the idol, is a Hindu.

हिमालयं समारभ्य यावदिन्दु सरोवरम्।
तं देवनिर्मितं देशं हिन्दुस्थानं प्रचक्षते॥
(brihaspati aagama)

Starting from Himalaya upto Indu waters is this God created country Hindustan

(Translations are by Dr. Murlidhar H. Pahoja)

[wundermonk]

I practice yoga, but its definitely not Hindu.

Yoga is as much Dharmic as red is a colour. Yoga is the practical aspect of Samkhya. Samkhya is non-theistic Vedanta. Vedanta accepts the ontology of Samkhya. So, all are Dharmic in essence. Anyone who denies Yoga is Hinduism is probably reacting to the cognitive dissonance in his mind - "how could these Indians, of all people, have come up with something as stupendous as Yoga and all these other philosophies. I was thinking my religion (Islam/Christianity) is the best in the world thanks to it being drummed into my head since birth...but lo and behold, my religion cannot hold a candle light in front of Hinduism....So, Yoga is definitely not Hindu."

I follow Sanatana Dharma, not Hinduism.

No big deal - just a nomenclatural issue.

I believe in karma, but it's not a Hindu concept.

Karma was accepted by all Dharmic faiths in some form or the other - be it Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism or Buddhism.

I was browsing through a certain 'yoga' organisation's site, and I never saw the word ... not even once.

This could be because the organization is trying to sell it to non-Indians. When their clientele predominantly consists of Xians/Mohammedans whose Gods are jealous and fire-spewing, it is best to lie about Yoga. Capitalism.

As others have pointed out, it could also be because India is currently poor. As India gains economic ascendancy, credit will be given where it is due. I think it is human nature to want to be associated with a winning side. Thus far, even though Hinduism beats all other religions hands down, India as a country has managed to screw things up. People are as of yet unwilling to disassociate Hinduism and India.

[realdemigod]

Namaste EM,
Just to give you an example, I'm reading a book (Sexual Secrets - The Alchemy of Ecstasy) where the author talks about dream yoga and here is one line taken directly.

These practices are simple, direct, and especially suited to the highly developed intellectual capacities of the Western mind.

I know I'm stereotyping but thing like these clearly show that the west isn't grateful of the things the east taught to the world and unrightly claim many as theirs.

[Mana]

Namaste EM,

I am sad to say that I have heard it said, by a very kind and well practised yoga teacher, "the Hindu religious fanatics are just as bad as in any other religion, some are worse". She did not want to associate with fundamentalism. To her "Hindu" meant an association with fundamentalism.

This is not my view but it does reply to your question.

Maybe she is not understanding of the Warrior class?

I am intrigued to learn of the evolutionary flow of Durga, Bindu, Hindu, Bindi and Hindi ...

praNAma

mana