Victorian India

July 25, 2003

BY PRADIP SHARMA

- A friend recently forwarded me an article by a

Swamiji from America who, while commenting upon homosexuality, referred to

India as being under 'Victorian' social standards. My first impression after

reading the Swamiji's statement was to wonder if Shree Swamiji had ever

bothered to learn anything about our nations history and social customs?

If modern Hindu India were in fact 'Victorian' then the moral part of our

countries' society, i.e. moral Hindus, Muslims and Christians would be quite

happy.

But the sad fact is that we have become far more 'Americanized' than

'Victorian'.

The 'Americanization' that I am referring to can best be summed up as a

progressively immoral society where sex, drugs, and MTV are constantly being

pushed into everyone's face. The degenerate wealthy people of our country

are administering us this slow poison.

During the 'Victorian' period of Indian history, ethics were at a high

standard and people were respected for their morality, their honesty, and

for their human dignity. Now all that has changed dramatically. Now boozing,

illicit sex, lying, cheating and other common forms of debauchery like

gambling have become the social accepted norm, especially in our larger

cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkota.

Moral men and women in India would be quite relieved if we were only a

'Victorian' society. Certainly that would be better than the cat-and-dog

society that we are quickly becoming.

As for the 'Americanized' view of a liberated women or liberated homosexuals

we can only pray that such perverted sub-human standards of social behavior

can be resisted in our country. But since we are in the evil age of Kali Yug

sooner or later we will regrettably have to face such disorders as are being

spread by rascals.

In the meantime we should try to give support to our old ways, our Hindu

ways and our Vedic ways even if some modern Swamijis ridicule as

'Victorian'.

A class of people known as Aryans established the Vedic ways of life. These

Aryan people were an enlightened race of people both materially and

spiritually and their understanding of the world, the universe, medicine,

mathematics, astrology, poetry, art, music, the kingdom of Vaikunta and all

things concerning the matters of life were far superior to anything the

world has seen to date.

In comparative study the American way of life that centres around the idea,

" If it feels good, do it!" pales in comparison to the Aryan way of life

which centres around 'atma-gyan' (knowledge of the soul). In the Aryan

civilization there were standards of human behavior, not simply based on

social trends of the time, but based on universal knowledge, knowledge of

the eternal soul. Knowledge of the soul, life after death, the next life and

knowledge of the stringent laws of material nature formed the basis of

socially accepted norms in Vedic society. The unauthorized trends that may

have cropped up in Vedic society at any given time were quickly cut down by

the raj-rishis (saint-kings) if the trends degraded the Vedic standard of

morality.

Because modern 'Americanized' society is a demonically driven society

without any proper knowledge of the atma, all types of social subhuman

behaviors are being accepted as normal. Not only in the United States but

also worldwide.

Greater knowledge informs us that the universal laws of God (known as

Dharma) does not change simply because a certain society in time degrades

itself morally. For example, in the time of Nazi Germany under Hitler it was

not a crime or a sin to kill a Jew. It was socially accepted in German

society to look down upon Jews and to treat them as less than animals. Many

Jews were experimented on in Nazi concentration camps like they were simply

rats in a science laboratory. But would our modern thinking Swamijis have us

believe that the Nazi leaders did not get any bad karmas for their

mistreatment and murder of the Jews? After all according to the Nazi

worldview it was perfectly acceptable behavior to persecute the Jews. The

Protestant Reich-bishop Ludwig Mueller and Pope Pius XII also supported

Hitler and turned a blind eye to his atrocities but would our modern

thinking Swamijis have us believe that God favored the decision of the Pope

because it was politically correct in the Nazi view? In all probability God

was not pleased with the Pope because the duty of God's representative is to

represent God's view and God's desire and not to simply bend to political

correctness.

But the controversy these days among many Vaishnavas is not the issue of it

being socially acceptable to kill members of a particular community or

religious denomination, but rather the controversy is about homosexuality

becoming 'socially acceptable' and therefore eligible to be an accepted part

of Vaishnava society - Gay Vaishnavas.

In the Aryan civilization homosexuality between man/man or woman/woman was

never accepted favorably toward the fulfillment of the purpose of human

life.

If a society degrades itself morally by accepting homosexuality as normal

then that is their choice but the laws of God, Shastric law, the Laws of

Manu and the laws governing Godliness do not change. A woman may not be

punished by the society she lives in if she exposes her breasts in public,

but under the watchful eye of the Cosmic Ruler (Paramatma) she will have to

accept the body of a tree in her next life. And the homosexual for his or

her failure of discrimination will have to accept the body of a pig and

other such lower animals in the next life. The universal laws do not change

and therefore the old ways are the best ways. Not the modern Americanized

concept of life which runs on without proper knowledge of the atma.

Some one may argue that the strong statements the Shastra makes against

illicit sex life, nudity and other such things are just to scare the people,

but if this is true then we should consider that the Shastra must have some

good reason to scare the people into following a pious life and not allowing

themselves to be degraded. Why then do our liberal Swamijis minimize the

Shastra and thus encourage degradation?

In a God conscious society (a human society) there is no place for

homosexual behavior simply because such behavior degrades one to accept the

body of an animal in the next life. Therefore in Ancient Indian society all

homosexual activities between men/men or women/women were immediately

curtailed. Such activities were not allowed to flourish or to be propagated

as they are in today's Godless world.

Some persons have mentioned the erotic sculptures at Khajuraho as being some

sort of proof that ancient Indian culture was more liberal and friendly

toward such things as promiscuity and homosexuality, but this is very

misleading. The fact is that Khajuraho was built by the Kings of the

Chandela Dynasty who belonged to a Tantrik fertility cult and not to the

main stream of Vedic (spiritual) culture.

Unfortunately the sculpture at Khajuraho also shows 'bestiality' (sex with

animals) so are we to accept that as also part of Vedic or spiritual

culture? I think not.

A major argument of the Vaishnava pro-homosexual movement in America is that

illicit sex between men and women or between man/man or woman/woman is

basically the same thing and since nobody really discriminates against the

former illicit sex (man/woman) then Vaishnava society should also not

discriminate the later (man/man or woman/woman).

Some Swamijis say that modern American society has come to better understand

the phenomenon of being born homosexual and that it is also important that

spiritual traditions do the same if they are to remain vital. But this idea

is highly debatable. First it is an undeniable fact that American society is

obsessed with sex. Sex is everywhere and at all levels in America. It is

like a cancer in the American brain.

What have they understood? The next thing from the Americans will be Viagra

in Coca Cola!

However, it is certainly not a fact that everyone in America (what to speak

of the world) accepts homosexuality as a natural occurring condition from

birth. In fact many tendencies towards homosexual behavior have been traced

through social studies to imbalanced childhood experiences and even child

abuse.

It is doubtful that every homosexual is simply born that way. In fact

according to social studies the homosexual community in America has an

agenda to convert otherwise 'normal people' to homosexual activity. They

say, "You don't know how great it is until you have tried it!"

But if one is a 'born homosexual' then this is due to their bad karmas from

a previous life. God does not make most people normal and from time to time

decides to randomly cause a few people to be born homosexual. Homosexuality

is a cultivated consciousness from a previous life. A person is born

homosexual due to their karmas from a previous lifetime. In a previous

lifetime that individual made a wrong choice and committed some sort of

forbidden sexual activity and as a result that person is now born

homosexual. So if we allow homosexual activity to spread in society then

more and more people will eventually be born homosexual. This appears to be

what is happening.

According to Shastra at the end of creation all living entities reside in

the body of Maha Vishnu. They remain in Maha Vishnu until the next creation

when they are born with their material desires from their previous

lifetimes. The homosexuals first appear in the new universe being born from

the anus of Brahmaji.

This is not a chance occurrence. This is due to their previous desires.

We do not hate a person because they may be born as a homosexual but these

persons should recognize that their consciousness is improper and they

should resist their lower tendencies and try to elevate themselves through

spiritual culture.

Secondly (concerning keeping Indian tradition 'vital') the situation with

homosexuality in America and India is quite different. In America you have

concentrated centres where thousands, if not tens of thousands of homosexual

men and women gather in one place to live like San Francisco and New York.

But in India we do not have that situation. India has its eunuch communities

and they are already accepted by Hindu society. And they are not so many in

number.

So to adjust the Shastra, to be more accommodating toward homosexuality in

India would not at all serve to vitalize our traditions. The traditions in

India (unlike America who basically has no culture of its own) are already

in place for centuries. Also if we adjusted the Shastra and became more

liberal towards illicit sex so as to accommodate the ultra modern men and

women in Indian society that would be of no use because our modern "cool

dudes" and "cool chicks" are not interested in God. They, like the American

materialist only want to enjoy life, at any cost. So what will be the gain

of bringing our Shastra down to their level.

It is a fact that homosexuality has been here since the beginning of the

universe (as mentioned above) when some offspring of Brahmaji tried to have

anal sex with their father. This was, according to Shastra, demoniac and

historically very demoniac societies like the Roman society openly practiced

homosexuality and even sex with children.

This brings us to another sensitive point and that is the similarities

between modern American society and Roman society. By comparison the

similarities are shocking. In fact the only Roman social behavior that is

not yet found its nitch of acceptability in America is pedophilia (sex with

children). All other remnants of Roman society are already in place in

America; the thirst for violent sports, the thirst for war, the lust for sex

(Viagra), the lust for consumption and covetousness are all norms in that

society.

The only thing missing in American society that differs from Roman society

is the accepted sexual activity with children. And that too could be just

around the corner or accepted by the end of this century if that society

continues on its liberal journey without guidance from the Shastras. This is

already happening to some extent when we see that famous rock stars like

Michael Jackson and even some clergy members can commit pedophilia and are

excused of the offence simply by paying a large amount of money to the

victims family. This resembles the old Roman Catholic tradition of

'Indulgences' where one could pay (even in advance) for their sins by paying

money to the church. Nowadays the pedophiles can just pay money to the

families.

In any case homosexuality is a diseased conditioned and ignoring it as such

will never help a spiritual tradition to remain 'vital'. The vitality of a

spiritual tradition depends on the purity of its followers and not on

compromising moral standards in society. Truthfully speaking, homosexuality

should be dealt with much like SARS or any other disease that threatens the

well being of our society. It should be isolated.

Some people will be outraged by such talk but are we to forget that

homosexuality has spawned one of the deadliest diseases ever known, AIDS! A

homosexual with AIDS who engages in sexual activity is spreading a murderous

disease and should be dealt with by society like a criminal, like the

criminally insane. (sexually insane).

And should we also forget that illicit sex in general breed's uncleanliness

and thus is the cause of a variety of other venereal diseases!

If sex and all its lusty expressions were acceptable in God's eyes then why

has He attached so many killer diseases to it? Did not the sages of India

observe and learn from Mother Nature and all her creatures - and shouldn't

we also learn by such observances?

The first step toward normalizing a society plagued with homosexual activity

would be to recognize homosexuality as a disease and then minimize its'

spreading. If those who have the disease are not willing to recognize it as

a disease, then basically they become an enemy to normal healthy society and

they should be rejected. Even those who are a "dancing dog" in the hands of

a woman are rejected in spiritual circles, what then to speak of

homosexuals. How will accepting them "vitalize" our tradition?

Some of our modern Swamijis have proposed that if materialistic society

accepts homosexual behavior as normal then in the name of progressiveness,

the Vaishnava communities should also accept homosexuality in their circles.

However, we do not find in the Vaishnava Shastras such terms as

homosexual-Vaishnavas, bisexual-Vaishnavas, or heterosexual-Vaishnavas. What

we do find in Shastra are the terms Kanishta-adhikari Vaishnava,

Madyama-adhikari Vaishnava, and Uttam-adhikari Vaishnava,

The position of a Vaishnava is never determined according to their fallen

state of sexuality be it any of the above. Sexuality is not a characteristic

(lakshan) of a Vaishnava. In fact a Vaishnava knows that all types of

sexuality in this material world, even sexuality under the strictest laws of

Dharma are dangerous. Lord Krishna says in Shree Gita that he is sex life

that is not contrary to religious principles.

The sex life that Shree Krishna speaks of in Gita is sex life according to

samskar i.e. sex between a married man and woman for the purpose of

begetting offspring, not for sensual pleasure. But even that sex life is

dangerous. Sometimes while impregnating a woman the man dies of a heart

attack or sometimes while giving birth the mother also dies. Sex life is

dangerous and there is no getting around it.

Not only is sex even under Dharma dangerous in that one takes his/her

chances with death, but one also runs the risk of becoming attached to the

pleasures of sex or to one's partner. And material attachment leads to again

taking birth in this material world.

A Vaishnava does not identify him or herself with their sexuality. A

Vaishnava does not say, "I am a heterosexual Vaishnava" or "I am a gay

Vaishnava." If he or she does make such identifications then they are not

really Vaishnava at all. Being a Vaishnava is not a casual thing and a

Vaishnava does not have any material designation. To be a Vaishnava is a

very great achievement. A Vaishnava says, "I am servant of Shree Krishna, I

am servant of my Gurudev, I am the servant of the Vaishnavas." That is

Vaishnava, and all other false identifications must be left behind,

especially sexual identifications born out of lust.

It is said that at the end of Kali Yug it will be socially acceptable for a

man and woman to eat their own children. Should the liberal Swamijis of that

time then introduce the term 'cannibal-Vaishnava'? We may laugh or say that

this is offensive but the fact is that such things have already been norms

in Mediterranean and Mesoamerican cultures within the past 4000 years where

the clergy of the temples authorized such acts. In several instances

archeologists have unearthed evidence that reveals that these people and

cultures eventually became so pagan that they stooped to eat their own

children. Not only thousands of years ago, but even in recent times

America's infamous celebrity Andy Warhol was said to have eaten aborted

human fetuses. So what makes American 'morality' any different now?

Pradeep Sharma (History and Sociology Major)

pradeep5808@

July 25, 2003

well i agree with the guy who says victorian attitudes

are still prevalent in India,although american

culture has also invaded.

in the traditional vedic society there were no prohibitions

against so called immoral lifestyles, gambling,drug use,

prostitution, sexual promiscuosness, etc.

these things were not tolerated in relgious settings, but vedic society in general was an open ,liberal, libertarian society, one need only look at the erotic carvings on many temples to see the attitude towards sex.

in fact gambling was a common pastime of ksatriyas also.

the modern indian culture has lost that open liberal

vedic consciousness, first islam then england imposed restrcition against what they considered to be the lewd and lascivious "hindoo" ,they railed against nudity, which was common, they destroyed many,many temples due to erotic carvings,they railed against ganja which was in common use by the people,

and imposed laws punishing those who

ignored their strict islamic and victorian standards.