cut back to the last days of Mughal rule in Delhi: the saltanat was in disarray, crumbling from invasion after invasion. The Marathas are the final nail on the coffin, invading the streets of that capital of 'Hindustan' like a scourge, pillaging and plundering like a vanara sena. This was it: the long Islamist invasion of India starting from 8th century was being rolled back. The Marathas won the war for Hindus. But what they then did is emblematic of the damaged Hindu psyche, down to this present day. They installed a Mughal prince on the throne, a token emperor and withdrew, instead of throwing the legacy out and occypying it themselves.
This is the fact that Hindus have refused to accept: in the war against foreign imperialism over India's flesh, heart and soul, India won. But Hindus somehow think, they have been defeated. This was the the strongest and meanest military machine that humanity has yet produced, the Islamist juggernaut that rolled over into India in waves after waves successively. The Arabs, the Perians, Thr Turks, the Mongols.. That same juggenaut which none of the anicent civilizations it struck could resist, Egypt, Byzantium and Persia all fell to its sword. Yet India took that shock and rolled it back. The sword of the heathen Hindus did that work. By 18th century the vast Maratha confederacy was entrenched in those areas which once constituted the Indo-Islamic empire of Hindustan.
This refusal, this fear in ones' own ability, strength, is emblematic of the Hindu psyche. Why if the Lord Himself is the sarathi of this ratha of Hinduism, will any Kaurava army however powerful can ever defeat it - this faith is totally lacking. Thats why you talk to a Sangh activist and he will sound as if Hinduism is on its detah bed, is teetering on its legs and is about to collapse tomorrow. negativism is our bane. infidelity- in the sense of faithlessness-is our emblematic problem
4 comments:
I am afraid I have to strongly disagree with you.
You are unfairly stereotyping san.gh activists. They are usually upbeat and active in social service.
What incentive does a Hindu have to believe that the Lord is the sArathi of Hinduism? Lord also has a destructive and evil aspect.
To say one way or other - that Hinduism will survive non-dhimmi-cally more evidence is needed.
They are usually upbeat and active in social service
with fullest appreciation of that noble work of theirs, their negativity is very unfortunate. at every turn they keep talking about Hinduism in threat.
What incentive does a Hindu have to believe that the Lord is the sArathi of Hinduism?
the birth of Sri Ramakrishna
To say one way or other - that Hinduism will survive non-dhimmi-cally more evidence is needed
as a devout Hindu, for me the Lord's promise in th Gita - as evidenced by his succssive incarnations down to the modern times as exemplified by SRK, SV and SA - is evidence enough for me.
ofcouse I'm not advocating Gandhian pacifism - we must work, as the Sangh is doing, but in faith and knowledge that the Lord is ever there behind, as the guiding light and as the protecting spirit. without that shraddhA our work will become narrow and even have difficult consequences.
Okay, I have replied in my livejournal.
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