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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/br/2002/03/05/stories/2002030500170400.htm)

 

 

Festschrift volume

 

 

 

 

 

CHARISMA AND CANON Essays on the Religious History of the Indian

Sub-Continent: Vasudha Dalmia and others Editors; Oxford University

Press, YMCA Library Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110001. Rs. 650.

 

THIS BOOK contains the papers that were presented in a symposium held in

Blaubeuren, Germany, under the auspices of the Institute for Indology and

Comparative Study of Religions at the University of Tuebingen. The symposium was

organised as a tribute to the work of Heinrich von Stientencron by his

colleagues. The occasion brought together professors and research workers in the

fields of philosophy, Indology, comparative religion, anthropology and political

science. The essential gain of the meet is claimed to be the revision of the

past agendas and conflicts and projection of trends for the future.

 

Admittedly the two concepts, charisma and canon, cannot encompass all religious

beliefs and practices, that are discussed by different participants. But the two

would help as a good pivot for discussion. Canon implies the means and norms

binding in a faith and the writings of the leaders of that faith. Charisma (a

term of Greek origin) means the gift of grace. One could explain it, in the

modern context, as a certain quality of individual personality, by virtue of

which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with

supernatural, superhuman or at least specifically exceptional powers (These

explanations are credited to Weber). These two appear to be opposites,

representing the dynamic and the static, operating in religious communities.

Whereas canon once fixed is permanent, charisma operates as a time-dependent

force; it is not the rule, but an exception.

 

The papers are classified under three categories: Religious authority in

medieval and pre-modern India; Prophets of the modern age; Convergences and

contestations the contemporary trends. F. Hardy's paper on Vaishnavism

describes the life and charismatic role of Alwars. Incidentally, it is not

pertinent to designate the Alwar's works as the fifth Veda, which term connotes

the epic, the Mahabharata. The Alwar's works constitute the Tamil Veda. A

parallel article, by J. Gengnagel, on Saiva Siddhanta, pertains to the Sanskrit

works on the Saiva Agamas, totally precluding the work of Nayanmars, the authors

of Tamil hymns on Siva. There is a paper on Bhagavatapurana, by M. Christoff;

this work assumes great importance as an authority in all schools of

Vaishnavism. Interestingly, it makes a veiled reference to the birth of Alwars

in the Dramida (Tamil) country to promote Vishnubhakti.

 

Sankara, the monist, exemplifies Weber's definition of charisma as characterised

by a revolutionary posture, since he can be truly acclaimed as the defender of

Vedic authority and Varnasrama dharma. A. Malinar provides a detailed account of

the biographical work, of the 14th century. The author considers that the

Buddhists and Jains oppose the Vedic path, while the Vaishnavites and Saivites

cling to Agamas in preference to Sruti (Veda), and that Sankara took over the

task of preservation of the Vedic path from Vishnu and his avatars. The story

narrated herein speaks of the Devas complaining to Siva about the consequences

of Vishnu's incarnation as the Buddha (sic). This line of representation would

appear to be all the more ironic burlesque, if one recalls that post-Ramanuja

Vaishnavite writers would like to club Sankara (called a crypto-Buddha) with

Buddha! Incidentally it might be worth pointing out, at least to set the record

straight, that Ramanuja's school accords autho!

rity and importance to all the three canons Vedas, the Tamil Vedas and

the Agamas (Pancharatra and Vaikhanasa).

 

Vasudha Dalmia writes on the North Indian Bhakti votaries, Vallabha, Chaitanya

and the like. Peter Schreiner's paper is on Swami Sahajananda (1781-1830) and

his Swaminarayan movement, emphasing Narayana-bhakti and dharma, seeking to

eradicate social and religious evils.

 

A paper by Catherine Clementine-Ojha brings to light an interesting religious

conflict that rocked the princely state of Jaipur in the 1860's, between

Nimbaraka-Vaishnavites, and Smartha-Brahmins of Advaitic conviction in regard to

worship of Vishnu vs. Siva and the type of "Pundra" (caste-mark, as it is

called), whereon the ruler gave a judgement favouring the latter, on the ground,

be it noted, that Nimbaraka clan could not claim a distinct Guruparampara!

Sathya Sai Baba has advanced a cult, so to say, in the past 50 years, with a

great charisma, spread over urban middle-class population.

 

The paper on him by Smriti Srinivas theorises the spiritual mould as structured

on a triad the Brahmin, the king and the Sannyasin corresponding

to the Islamic version of the Sufi, the Sultan and the Ulema. Both Shirdi Baba

and Sathya Sai Baba belong to the renouncer class. They revere Vedic principles,

godhood, spirituality, congregational prayer, etc., and then extend the zeal to

the social plane of establishing schools, hospitals and rural projects. Gita

Dharampal-Frick writes on Athavale's new movement of Swadhyaya. This Sanskrit

term traditionally implies Veda, Veda-chanting, tapas and japam, all the

spiritual exercises. In the 1950's, Athavale gave an expanded import: service to

society. It then implies the symbiotic functioning of canon and charisma.The

place of a deity, named Shugden, that has been serving as the source of canon

and charisma to the Tibetan Buddhism and Dalai Lamas over four centuries, that

cannot be thrown away even if the present incum!

bent would like to do it, is commented upon with intimate perceptiveness by

Michael von Bruech.

 

Anandayoga is a hybrid cult, so to say, of Sufism and Hinduism. How its founder

Ramachandra Chauduri (b. 1873) was recognised and canonised by a Sufi Pir,

Hazrat Maulvi Fazl Ahmed Khan Raypuri of Aligarh and how the movement spread

among Hindus and Muslims is described by G. G. Filippi and T. Dahnhardt.

 

A very similar assimilation of Islamism by the Khojas in Gujarat is described by

F. Mallison. These people, actually Ismaili Shiite Muslims, live their daily

life in the Hindu way; Ismailism is an esoteric Islam clad in a regional

culture.

 

Their scripture, called Ginans (from Skt. Gnana), equivalent of Quran, had been

composed in different local languages of North India, between the 13th and 20th

centuries; they run to some 800 in number and they resemble Vaishnavite Bhakti

hymns. The Aga Khan is their Imam, hereditarily so, by reason of a judgement of

Bombay High Court in 1866.

 

The papers pertain to the different, but associated, movements of Hindu

revivalism and speak on recent events that evoked great controversy. There is,

then, a paper on partial or total opposition to the Ramayana story Telugu

songs by Andhra women specially in praise of the women characters; Ramnamis in

Chattisgarh who censor Tulsidas Ramayana to eliminate unpalatable social steps

attributed therein to the much respected Rama, and Periyar E. V. Ramasami's

opposition to it on grounds of anti-Dravidian stance of Rama that he perceived

therein.

 

The author, Paula Richman, comments that the latter assumed that the Hindus

viewed Rama's story as canonical and so attacked it, and that, in a sense, he

confirmed its canonical character, adding even more status to it.There is a

unique paper on Gandhiji by D. Conrad, a specialist in legal and constitutional

systems of South Asia. In an effort to find the real meaning of "Mahatma", he

has resorted to Swetaswatara Upanishad, 4.17.

 

There the word is put in apposition to God, the maker of all things and

in-dweller in all beings. Such a name as a designation to Gandhiji is definitely

inappropriate. Conrad should have read the simple meaning, for the word, "as a

great soul, high-minded, noble", as Sir Monier-Williams says in his dictionary.

 

Very informative, with scholarly papers by able research workers, the book yet

suffers in planning, organisation and uniformity. May be that each participant

merely chose some subject, by own liking. An index of subjects, if provided,

would prove very helpful. The publication is a very valuable addition to the

libraries of colleges and universities.

 

 

 

V. N. VEDANTA DESIKAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

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