Tattva

Namaste,

Best wishes to everyone on the auspicious occasions of Maha Shivaratri and Holi. In this month’s edition of Tattva, we have a variety of interesting articles. There is an interview with a Yuva for Sewa volunteer, who spent last summer volunteering in India. We also have an editorial reflecting on the recent Hindu-Christian clash in Orissa and conversion in India, an important topic that we must all be aware of. With so much going on in today’s world, it is now more important than ever for youth to reflect on current events and challenges faced by society. As you read through this month’s edition of Tattva, please consider writing an article and sharing your own thoughts and opinions with other readers. We are eagerly looking forward to your contributions.

Please visit http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2008/03 to read the March 2008 edition of Tattva. 

The recent Hindu-Christian clashes in Orissa during Christmas where many churches were burnt again shed light on the complexity of religious conditions in India. As usual Hindus and Hindu organizations are being blamed. But, before getting into these blame games, it’s important to state the facts.

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This article is from the book Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations, written by David Frawley and published by Voice of India in 2001. It is reprinted here with permission from the author.

In media accounts today, particularly in India, it seems that any group which identifies itself as Hindu or tries to promote any Hindu cause is quickly and uncritically defined as ‘right-winged’.

In the Marxist accounts that commonly come from the Indian press, Hindu organizations are routinely called fundamentalists, militants or even fascists. This may be surprising for the western mind, inclined to think of India as a Hindu country. But not only have states in India like Bengal and Kerala been long dominated by Marxists, most of academia and much of the English-language media has been as well. Their slanted views are often uncritically accepted by the western media as well.
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In the last issue of Tattva, we featured an article on the Yuva for Sewa program. Yuva for Sewa (www.sewausa.org/yuva-for-sewa) provides unique opportunities for youth to volunteer at service projects in the US, Caribbean, and India. Suneeti Gupta, a medical student at the University of Iowa, spent her last summer in Sangola, Maharashtra volunteering through the Yuva for Sewa program. Suneeti shared her volunteer experiences with Tattva.

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Bharat is a country known for its numerous cultural and religious festivals. One of these is Maha Shivratri also known as the night of Lord Shiva. This year it falls on March 12th, 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

Every community sets up standards or morality for secular life. These deal with our relation to the entity called God and our interaction with the rest of the society, including those who do not subscribe to our view. We shall deal mainly with these standards and discuss the Hindu outlook from this standpoint. Read the rest of this entry »

A few months back I introduced Shri Ganesh ji to you, on the eve of Sri Ganesh Utsav. It’s time I introduce his father, Maha Dev- Shiv Shankar, now, on the eve of coming Maha Shiv-Ratri. The following news item of few years back, in the Times of India has prompted me to do so:

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Chanchalam hi manah krsna
pramaathi balavaddrdham
tasyaaham nigraham manye
vaayoriva sudushkaram.

The heart of men is unfixed, Krishna,
rash, tumultuous,willful and strong.
It were all one, I think,
To hold the wayward wind, as tame man’s heart.                       Verse 34 Ch VI

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In the Hindu way of life, food (bhojan) goes beyond just a means of body nourishment. It is also believed to influence our mental and spiritual development. Many great rishis have expounded on this aspect in our scriptures. In fact, the very first mantra of the Yajur Veda gives a scientific explanation of the relation between food and energy. The body needs nourishing food and the mind needs noble thoughts. These two aspects emphasizing the importance of physical and mental nourishment are beautifully captured in the format of a Bhojan mantra followed by a Shanti mantra.

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