[Reader-list] National Shame

Sat Apr 17 17:32:38 IST 2010

I respect Baba Saheb a lot . I have got some connections with Baba
Sahebs mission.

However , you have missed the line. We are not discussing the
Upanishads. The issue is about a rape of a tourist whom we should have
treated equivalent to how we treat our God .

Believe you missed the point ... or did you ?

Pawan

On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 5:27 PM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com> wrote:
> thanks for saying that Dr B R Ambedkar's ideas of Upanishads are strange and
> unwanted. that explains your respect to such leaders.
>
> good day
>
> On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 5:23 PM, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> And I thought I had shared a news about a tourist being raped in
>> India. The pathetic insensitivity shown and ending up in Hindu bashing
>> again is simply deplorable. I used a slogan which is also the official
>> slogan of Govt Of India in "Incredible India" campaign ,to highlight
>> an alleged rape of a tourist.
>>
>> But then , world consists of strange unwanted things as well.....like
>> the mail below
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> pawan
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 4:30 PM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > Let's see what Dr B.R. Ambedkar had to say about Upanishads:
>> >
>> > http://www.ambedkar.org/ambcd/17.Philosophy%20of%20Hinduism.htm#q7
>> >
>> > The philosophy of the Upanishads can be stated in very few words. It has
>> > been well summarised by Huxley[f29]  when he says that the Upanishad
>> > philosophy agreed:—
>> >
>> > "In supposing the existence of a permanent reality, or `substance',
>> > beneath
>> > the shifting series of phenomena, whether of matter or of mind. The
>> > substance of the cosmos was `Brahma', that of the individual man
>> > `Atman';
>> > and the latter was separated from the former only, if I may so speak, by
>> > its
>> > phenomenal envelope, by the casing of sensations, thoughts and desires,
>> > pleasures and pains, which make up the illusive phantasmagoria of life.
>> > This
>> > the ignorant, take for reality; their `Atman' therefore remains
>> > eternally
>> > imprisoned in delusions, bound by the fetters of desire and scourged by
>> > the
>> > whip of misery.
>> >
>> > Of what use is this philosophy of the Upanishadas? The philosophy of the
>> > Upanishadas meant withdrawal from the struggle for existence by resort
>> > to
>> > asceticism and a destruction of desire by self-mortification. As a way
>> > of
>> > life it was condemned by Huxley[f30]  in scathing terms :—
>> >
>> > "No more thorough mortification of the flesh has ever been attempted
>> > than
>> > that achieved by the Indian ascetic anchorite; no later monarchism has
>> > so
>> > nearly succeeded in reducing the human mind to that condition of
>> > impassive
>> > quasi-somnambulism, which, but for its acknowledged holiness, might run
>> > the
>> > risk of being confounded with idiocy."
>> >
>> > But the condemnation of the philosophy of the Upanishads is nothing as
>> > compared to the denunciation of the same by Lala Hardyal[f31]  :—
>> >
>> > "The Upanishads claim to expound `that, by knowing which everything is
>> > known
>> > '. This quest for ' the absolute ' is the basis of all the spurious
>> > metaphysics of India. The treatises are full of absurd conceits, quaint
>> > fancies, and chaotic speculations. And we have not learned that they are
>> > worthless. We keep moving in the old rut; we edit and re-edit the old
>> > books
>> > instead of translating the classics of European social thought. What
>> > could
>> > Europe be if Frederic Harrison, Brieux, Bebel, Anatole France, Herve,
>> > Haekel, Giddings, and Marshall should employ their time in composing
>> > treatises on Duns, Scotus and Thomas Aquinas, and discussing the merits
>> > of
>> > the laws of the Pentateuch and the poetry of Beowulf? Indian pundits and
>> > graduates seem to suffer from a kind of mania for what is effete and
>> > antiquated. Thus an institution, established by progressive men, aims at
>> > leading our youths through Sanskrit grammar to the Vadasvia the Six
>> > Darshanas! What a false move in the quest for wisdom ! It is as if a
>> > caravan
>> > should travel across the desert to the shores of the Dead Sea in search
>> > of
>> > fresh water! Young men of India, look not for wisdom in the musty
>> > parchments
>> > of your metaphysical treatises. There is nothing but an endless round of
>> > verbal jugglary there. Read Rousseau and Voltaire, Plato and Aristotle,
>> > Haeckel and Spencer, Marx and Tolstoi, Ruskin and Comte, and other
>> > European
>> > thinkers, if you wish to understand life and its problems." But
>> > denunciations apart, did the Upanishad philosophy have any influence on
>> > Hinduism as a social and political system? There is no doubt that it
>> > turned
>> > out to be most ineffective and inconsequential piece of speculation with
>> > no
>> > effect on the moral and social order of the Hindus.
>> >
>> > It may not be out of place to inquire into the reasons for this
>> > unfortunate
>> > result. One reason is obvious. The philosophy of Upanishad remained
>> > incomplete and therefore did not yield the fruit, which it ought to have
>> > done. This will be quite clear if one asks what is the keynote of the
>> > Upanishads. In the words of Prof. Max Muller[f32]  the keynote of the
>> > Upanishads is `Know thy Self". The `Know thy Self of the Upanishads,
>> > means,
>> > know thy true Self, that which underlies thin ego and find it and know
>> > it in
>> > the highest, the eternal self, the One without a Second, which underlies
>> > the
>> > whole world."
>> >
>> > That Atman and Brahman were one was the truth, the great truth which the
>> > Upanishads said they had discovered and they asked man to know this
>> > truth.
>> > Now the reasons why the philosophy of Upanishads, became ineffective are
>> > many. I will discuss them elsewhere. At this place I will mention only
>> > one.
>> > The philosophers of Upanishads did not realise that to know truth was
>> > not
>> > enough. One must learn to love truth. The difference between philosophy
>> > and
>> > religion may be put in two ways. Philosophy is concerned with knowing
>> > truth.
>> > Religion is concerned with the love of truth. Philosophy is static.
>> > Religion
>> > is dynamic. These differences are merely two aspects of one and the same
>> > thing. Philosophy is static because it is concerned only with knowing
>> > truth.
>> > Religion is dynamic because it is concerned with love of truth. As has
>> > been
>> > well said by Max Plowman[f33]  :—
>> >
>> > ". . . .Unless religion is dynamic and begets in us the emotion of love
>> > for
>> > something, then it is better to be without any thing that we can call
>> > religion; for religion is perception of truth and if our perception of
>> > truth
>> > is not accompanied by our love for it then it were better not seen at
>> > all;
>> > The Devil himself is one who has seen the truth only to hate it.
>> > Tennyson
>> > said "We must love the highest when we see it". It does not follow. Seen
>> > in
>> > pure objectivity the highest repels by its difference and distance; what
>> > we
>> > fear it, and what we fear we come to hate. . . . ."
>> >
>> > This is the fate of all transcendental philosophies. They have no
>> > influence
>> > on the way of life. As Blake said "Religion is politics and politics is
>> > Brotherhood. Philosophy must become Religion that is it must become a
>> > Working Ethic. It must not remain mere metaphysics. As Mr. Plowman says—
>> >
>> > "If religion were a Metaphysic and nothing else, one thing is certain,
>> > it
>> > would never be the concern of the simple and humble men.
>> >
>> > "To keep it wholly in the realm of Metaphysic is to make non-sense of
>> > it.
>> > For belief in religion as in something not directly and vitally
>> > effective of
>> > politics is ultimately belief that is strictly speaking idiotic; because
>> > in
>> > the effective sense such a belief makes no difference, and in the world
>> > of
>> > time and space what 'makes no difference' does not exist."
>> >
>> > It is for these very reasons that the philosophy of the Upanishads
>> > proved so
>> > ineffective.
>> >
>> > It is therefore incontrovertible that notwithstanding the Hindu Code of
>> > Ethics, notwithstanding the philosophy of the Upanishads not a little
>> > not a
>> > jot did abate from the philosophy of Hinduism as propounded by Manu.
>> > They
>> > were ineffective and powerless to erase the infamy preached by Manu in
>> > the
>> > name of religion. Notwithstanding their existence one can still say
>> > "Hinduism! Thy name is inequality!"
>> >
>> > **********************************************************************
>> >
>> > Inequality is the soul of Hinduism. The morality of Hinduism is only
>> > social.
>> > It is unmoral and inhuman to say the least. What is unmoral and inhuman
>> > easily becomes immoral, inhuman and infamous. This is what Hinduism has
>> > become. Those who doubt this or deny this proposition should examine the
>> > social composition of the Hindu Society and ponder over the condition of
>> > some of the elements in it. Take the following cases.
>> >
>> > First as to the Primitive Tribes. In what state of civilisation are they
>> > ?
>> >
>> > The history of human civilisation includes the entire period of human
>> > progress from Savagery to Barbarism and from Barbarism to Civilisation.
>> > The
>> > transition from one to other has been marked by some discovery or
>> > intention
>> > in some department of knowledge of Art resulting in advancing the onward
>> > march of man.
>> >
>> > The development of articulate speech was the first thing which, from the
>> > point of view of human progress, divided man from the brute. It marks
>> > the
>> > first stage of savagery. The Middle period of the state of savagery
>> > began
>> > with the knowledge of the manufacture and use of fire. This wonderful
>> > discovery enabled man to extend his habit almost indefinitely. He could
>> > leave his forest home, go to different and colder climates, and increase
>> > his
>> > food supply by including flesh and fish. The next discovery was the Bow
>> > and
>> > Arrow. This was the greatest achievement of primitive man and marks the
>> > highest state of savage man. It was indeed a wonderful implement. The
>> > possessor of this device could bring down the fleetest animal and could
>> > defend himself against the most predatory.
>> >
>> > The transition from Savagery to Barbarism was marked by the discovery of
>> > pottery. Hitherto man had no utensils that could withstand the action of
>> > fire. Without utensils man could not store nor could he cook.
>> > Undoubtedly
>> > pottery was a great civilising influence.
>> >
>> > The Middle State of Barbarism began when man learned to domesticate wild
>> > animals. Man learned that captive animals could be of service to him.
>> > Man
>> > now became a herdsman, no longer dependent for food upon the precarious
>> > chase of wild animals. Milk procurable at all seasons made a highly
>> > important addition to his dietary. With the aid of horse and camel he
>> > traversed wide areas hitherto impassable. The captive animals became
>> > aids to
>> > commerce, which resulted in the dissemination of commodities as well as
>> > of
>> > ideas.
>> >
>> > The next discovery was of the Art of smelting iron. This marks the
>> > highest
>> > stage of advancement of barbaric man. With this discovery man became a
>> > "tool-making animal" who with his tool could fashion wood and stone and
>> > build houses and bridges. This marks the close of the advancement made
>> > by
>> > barbaric man. The dividing line which marks off Barbaric people from
>> > Civilised people, in the fullest sense of the word Civilisation, is the
>> > art
>> > of making ideas tangible by means of graphic signs— which is called the
>> > art
>> > of writing. With this man conquered time as he had with the earlier
>> > inventions conquered space. He could now record his deeds and his
>> > thoughts.
>> > Henceforth, his knowledge, his poetical dreams, his moral aspirations
>> > might
>> > be recorded in such form as to be read not merely by his contemporaries
>> > but
>> > by successive generations of remote posterity. For man his history
>> > became
>> > safe and secure. This was the steepest assent and the climbing of it
>> > marks
>> > the beginnings of civilisation. Stopping here for the moment let us ask
>> > in
>> > what state of civilisation are the Primitive Tribes.
>> >
>> > The name Primitive Tribes[f34]  is expressive of the present state of
>> > people
>> > who are called by that name. They live in small-scattered huts in
>> > forests.
>> > They live on wild fruits, nuts and roots. Fishing and hunting are also
>> > resorted to for the purpose of securing food. Agriculture plays a very
>> > small
>> > part in their social economy. Food supplies being extremely precarious,
>> > they
>> > lead a life of semi-starvation from which there is no escape. As to
>> > clothes
>> > they economise them to a vanishing point. They move almost in a state of
>> > complete nakedness. There is a tribe, which is known as “Bonda Porajas”
>> > which, means "Naked Porajas". Of these people it is said that the women
>> > wear
>> > a very narrow strip which serves as a petticoat almost identical with
>> > what
>> > is worn by the Momjak Nagas in Assam, the ends hardly meeting at the top
>> > on
>> > the left thigh. These petticoats are woven at home out of the fibre of a
>> > forest tree. Girls wear a fillet of beads and of palmyra leaf and an
>> > enormous quantity of beads and neck ornaments extremely like those worn
>> > by
>> > many Komjak women. Otherwise the women wear nothing. The women shave
>> > their
>> > heads entirely. . . . . Of these Chenchus, a tribe residing near
>> > Farhabad in
>> > the Nizam's Dominions it is said that "their houses are conical, rather
>> > slight in structure made of bamboo sloping to the central point and
>> > covered
>> > with a thin layer of thatch..... They have very little, indeed, in the
>> > way
>> > of material effects, the scanty clothes they wear, consisting of a
>> > langoti
>> > and a cloth in the case of men, and a short bodice and a petticoat in
>> > the
>> > case of women, being practically all, besides a few cooking pots and a
>> > basket or two which perhaps sometimes contains grain. They keep cattle
>> > and
>> > goats and in this particular village do a little cultivation, elsewhere
>> > subsisting on honey and forest produce which they sell". Regarding the
>> > Morias, another Primitive tribe, it is stated the men generally wear a
>> > single cloth round the waist with a slap coming down in the front. They
>> > also
>> > have a necklace of beads and when they dance put on cock's plumes and
>> > peacock's feathers in their turbans. Many girls are profusely tattooed,
>> > especially on their faces, and some of them on their legs as well. The
>> > type
>> > of tattooing is said to be according to the taste of the individual and
>> > it
>> > is done with thorns and needles. In their hair many of them stick the
>> > feathers of jungle cocks and their heads are also adorned with combs of
>> > wood
>> > and tin and brass.
>> >
>> > These Primitive Tribes have no hesitation about eating anything, even
>> > worms
>> > and insects, and, in fact, there is very little meat that they will not
>> > eat,
>> > whether the animal has died a natural death or has been killed four days
>> > or
>> > more before by a tiger.
>> >
>> > The next groups of the people he will come across are the Criminal
>> > Tribes.
>> >
>> > The Criminal Tribes live not in Forests as the Primitive Tribes do but
>> > in
>> > the plains in close proximity to, and often in the midst of civilised
>> > life.
>> > Hollis in his "Criminal Tribes of the United Provinces" gives an account
>> > of
>> > their activities. They live entirely by crime. A few may be ostensibly
>> > engaged in agriculture, but this is only to cover up their real
>> > activities.
>> > Their nefarious practices find largest scope in dacoity or robbery by
>> > violence, but being a community organised for crime, nothing comes amiss
>> > to
>> > them. On deciding to commit a dacoity in any particular locality spies
>> > are
>> > sent out to select a suitable victim, study the general habits of the
>> > villagers, and the distance from any effective aid, and enumerate the
>> > number
>> > of men and firearms. The raid usually takes place at midnight. Acting on
>> > the
>> > information given by the spies, men are posted at various points in the
>> > village and by firing off their guns attract attention from the main
>> > gang
>> > which attacks the particular house or houses previously appointed. The
>> > gang
>> > usually consists of 30 to 40 men.
>> >
>> > It is essential to emphasis the great part played by crime in the
>> > general
>> > life of these peoples. A boy is initiated into crime as soon as he is
>> > able
>> > to walk and talk. No doubt the motive is practical, to a great extent,
>> > in so
>> > far as it is always better to risk a child in petty theft, who, if he is
>> > caught, would probably be cuffed, while an adult would immediately be
>> > arrested. An important part is also played by women, who, although they
>> > do
>> > not participate in the actual raids, have many heavy responsibilities.
>> > Besides being clever in disposing off stolen property the women of the
>> > Criminal Tribes are experts in shop lifting.
>> >
>> > At one time the Criminal Tribes included such well-organised
>> > Confederacies
>> > of Professional Criminals as the Pindharies and the Thugs.
>> >
>> > The Pindharies were a predatory body of armed gangsters. Their
>> > organisation
>> > was an open military organisation of freebooters who could muster 20000
>> > fine
>> > horse and even more. They were under the command of brigand chiefs.
>> > Chitu
>> > one of the most powerful commanders had under his single command 10000
>> > horse, including 5000 good cavalry, besides infantry and guns. The
>> > Pindharies had no military projects for employing their loose bands of
>> > irregular soldiery, which developed into bodies of professional
>> > plunderers.
>> > The Pindharies aimed at no conquests. Their object was to secure booty
>> > and
>> > cash for themselves. General loot and rapine was their occupation. They
>> > recognised no rulers. They were subjects of none. They rendered loyalty
>> > to
>> > none. They respected none, and plundered all, high and low, rich and
>> > poor,
>> > without fear or compunction.
>> >
>> > The Thugs[f35]  were a well organised body of professional assassins,
>> > who,
>> > in gangs of from 10 to 100 wandered in various guises throughout India,
>> > worked themselves into the confidence of wayfarers of the wealthier
>> > class,
>> > and, when a favourable opportunity occurred, strangled them by throwing
>> > a
>> > handkerchief or noose round their necks, and then plundered and buried
>> > them.
>> > All this was done according to certain ancient and rigidly prescribed
>> > forms
>> > and after the performance of special religious rites, in which was the
>> > consecration of the package, and the sacrifice of sugar. They were
>> > staunch
>> > worshippers of Kali, the Hindu Goddess of destruction. Assassination for
>> > gain was with them a religious duty, and was considered a holy and
>> > honourable profession. They had, in fact, no idea of doing wrong, and
>> > their
>> > moral feelings did not come into play. The will of the Goddess, by whose
>> > command and in whose honour they followed there calling, was revealed to
>> > them through a very complicated system of omens.
>> >
>> > In obedience to these they often travelled even the distance of hundred
>> > miles in company with, or in the wake of, their intended victims before
>> > a
>> > safe opportunity had presented itself for executing their design; and
>> > when
>> > the deed was done, rites were performed in honour of that tutelary
>> > deity,
>> > and a goodly portion of the spoil was set apart for her. The Thugs had
>> > also
>> > a jargon of their own, as well as certain signs by which its members
>> > recognised each other in the remotest part of India. Even those who from
>> > age
>> > or infirmities could no longer take an active part in the operations
>> > used to
>> > aid the cause as watchmen, spies or dressers of food. It was owing to
>> > their
>> > thorough organisation, the secrecy and security with which they went to
>> > work, but chiefly to the religious garb in which they shrouded their
>> > murders, that they could continue for centuries to practise their craft.
>> > The
>> > extraordinary fact was that Thugee was regarded as a regular profession
>> > by
>> > Indian Rulers of the day, both Hindu and Mahomedans. The Thugs paid
>> > taxes to
>> > the state and the state left them unmolested.
>> >
>> > It was not until the British became rulers of the country that an
>> > attempt
>> > was made to suppress the Thugs. By 1835, 382 Thugs were hanged and 986
>> > were
>> > transported or imprisoned for life. Even as late as 1879 the number of
>> > registered Thugs was 344 and the Thugee and the Dacoity department of
>> > the
>> > Government of India continued to exist until 1904 when its place was
>> > taken
>> > by the Central Criminal Intelligence Department. While it is not
>> > possible
>> > for the criminal tribes to live by organized bodies of criminals, crime
>> > continues to be their main occupation.
>> >
>> > Besides these two classes there is a third class which comprises a body
>> > of
>> > people who are known as Untouchables.
>> >
>> > Below the Untouchables there are others who are known as unapproachable.
>> > Untouchables are those who cause pollution only if they touch. The
>> > Unapproachable are those who cause pollution if they come within a
>> > certain
>> > distance. It is said of the Nayadis—a people, who fall into the category
>> > of
>> > the Unapproachable, "that they are the lowest caste among the Hindus—the
>> > dog-eaters.
>> >
>> > They are the most persistent in their clamour for charity, and will
>> > follow
>> > at a respectful distance, for miles together any person walking, driving
>> > or
>> > boating. If any thing is given to them, it must be laid down, and after
>> > the
>> > person offering it has proceeded a sufficient distance, the recipient
>> > comes
>> > timidly forward, and removes it. "Of the same people Mr. Thurston says,
>> > "The
>> > subject (i.e. the Nayadis) whom I examined and measured at Shoranus,
>> > though
>> > living only about three miles off, had, by reason of the pollution which
>> > they traditionally carry with them to avoid walking over the long bridge
>> > which spans the river, and follow a circuitous route of many miles".
>> > Below
>> > the Unapproachable are the Unseeables. In the Tinnevelley District of
>> > the
>> > Madras Presidency there is a class of unseeables called Purada Vannans.
>> > Of
>> > them it is said, "that they are not allowed to come out during day time
>> > because their sight is enough to cause pollution. These unfortunate
>> > people
>> > are `compelled' to follow the nocturnal habits, leaving their dens after
>> > dark and scuttling home at the false dawn like the badger, the hyena,
>> > the
>> > avordvark."
>> >
>> > Consider the total population of these classes. The Primitive Tribes
>> > form a
>> > total of 25 million souls. The Criminal Tribes number 41/2 millions and
>> > the
>> > Untouchables number 50 millions. This makes a grand total of 791/2
>> > millions.
>> > Now ask how these people could have remained in the state of moral,
>> > material, social and spiritual degradation surrounded as they have been
>> > by
>> > Hinduism. Hindus say that their civilisation is older than any
>> > civilisation,
>> > that Hinduism as a religion is superior to any other religion. If this
>> > is so
>> > how is that Hinduism failed to elevate these people, bring them
>> > enlightenment and hope; how is it that it failed even to reclaim them ;
>> > how
>> > is it that it stood with folded hands when millions and millions were
>> > taking
>> > to life to shame and crime? What is the answer to this? The only answer
>> > is
>> > that Hinduism is overwhelmed with the fear of pollution. It has not got
>> > the
>> > power to purify. It has not the impulse to serve and that is because by
>> > its
>> > very nature it is inhuman and unmoral. It is a misnomer to call it
>> > religion.
>> > Its philosophy is opposed to very thing for which religion stands.
>> >
>> > ENDS
>> >
>> > On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 12:43 PM, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >>
>> >> What happened to our teachings in Upanishads  where it is written
>> >> Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava, Atithi devo
>> >> bhava". Means One should worship Mother, Father, Teacher and Guests as
>> >> God. ...What happened to our "Atithi Devo Bhavah". This act is a
>> >> National Shame.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> http://www.hindustantimes.com/Japanese-tourist-gangraped-in-Bodh-Gaya/H1-Article1-532395.aspx
>> >>
>> >> A 25-year-old Japanese tourist was gangraped by five unidentified men
>> >> at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, police said on Saturday.
>> >>
>> >> The five pulled the woman out of an auto-rickshaw, carried her to the
>> >> Gaya railway station before committing the crime at an isolated place
>> >> on Friday night, Superintendent of Police, Sushil Khopade said.
>> >>
>> >> The victim lodged an FIR with the Amawa police station this morning, he
>> >> said.
>> >>
>> >> The Japanese woman is a resident of Itabolutachi in Tokyo and is
>> >> currently on a tour of various Buddhist pilgrim towns in India.
>> >> Two persons have been detained for interrogation, Khopade said, adding
>> >> that raids are on in the area to arrest the criminals.
>> >> _________________________________________
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