Being a hindu and advaita ... ..

[Guest guest]

Dear Saiji :

 

i am glad you decided to share your reservations about Steven Knapp

and his writings .

 

but , let us first take up the article that Sri Sunderji was

directing us to :

 

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/about_the_name_Hindu.htm

 

 

Frankly speaking , i thought that particular article that Sri

Sunderji referenced was very well researched and very informative .

So did mr. Nairji! At this point of time, i am not even worrying

about the credentials of the Author ( steven knapp and his views on

Taj mahal being a hindu architecture) 0 i am sim,ply looking at the

article 'hindu' and i can say in all fairness it is a great

article ! in fact , i loved this little verse Steven quoted :

 

Himalayam Samaarafya Yaavat Hindu Sarovaram

 

Tham Devanirmmitham desham Hindustanam Prachakshathe

 

in malayalam

 

Himalyam muthal Indian maha samudhram vareyulla

 

devanirmmithamaya deshaththe Hindustanam ennu parayunnu

 

meaning :

 

These again indicate that the region between the Himalayas and the

Indian Ocean is called Hindustan. Thus, the conclusion of this is

that all Indians are Hindus regardless of their caste and religion.

 

i thought this was a neat explanation, don't you ?

 

and i thought Stephen did a fairly good job of describing why the

word 'hindu' has received a bad connotation ! In fact , i loved the

way he ended his well wriiten essay upholding Vedic culture and

vedic dharma !

 

And Narji says in his response - " Derogation is nothing new to us,

the so-called Hindus. We can counter it only by propagating to

those who are intelligent and ready to listen that the word

Hinduism, whatever its origin, is truly SanAtana Dharma. "

 

and Dear Sai , SANTANA DHARMA IS A BETTER DESCRIPTION and that

Dharma is eternal !

 

i leave you with these two wonderful quotions from the upanishads on

what constitutes Sanatana Dharma :

 

The separate self dissolves in the sea of pure consciousness,

infinite and immortal. Separateness arises from identifying the Self

with the body, which is made up of the elements; when this physical

identification dissolves, there can be no more separate self. This

is what I want to tell you, beloved.

(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Chapter 2, 4:12)

 

As the rivers flowing east and west

Merge in the sea and become one with it,

Forgetting they were ever separate rivers,

So do all creatures lose their separateness

When they merge at last into pure Being.

(Chandogya Upanishad. 10:1

 

 

Sai , by now you are familiar with my views. You are right ,

somewhat ! Steven kknapp's web site also contains some 'unsavory'

articles and you really opened our eyes when you mentioned about

the 'Taj Mahal ' Article ! in fact , there is 'jokes and anecdotes'

section on the same web ite which leave a bad taste in the mouth !

But m, this particuolar article sri sunderji has referenced is

a 'good' one !

 

Disclaimer : folks ! i do love studying the vedas , upanishads and

the Gita ! in fact, if you make a thorough study of 'gita' , you

do not need to study any other scripture !

 

AS VIVEKA CHUDAMANI SAYS

 

" In the same way, speech alone, even a deluge of words, with

scholarship and skill in commenting on the scriptures, may achieve

some personal satisfaction but not liberation. " 58

 

Saiji , you have made a good point so we will all be wary of Stephen

knapp's views and take it with a pinch of salt ! Really speaking ,

does it matter whether Taj Mahal is a islamic architecture or Hindu!

Thank god/allah ! it was classified as 'islamic' otherwise by now it

would have met the fate of other wonderful hindu temples! ( tne

muslim invaders would have plundered and looted it)

 

regards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , " Indian Rediff " <indianrediff

wrote:

>

> I have never posted to this elite list. Please accept my apologies

if

> this seems to be very 'in your face'.

>

> Frankly, it is very difficult for me to take something from Stephen

> Knapp as being correct. Please read

> http://www.stephen-knapp.com/was_the_taj_mahal_a_vedic_temple.htm

to

> see what I mean.

>

>