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A religion for the young
Book Reviews by Manju Gupta
Religion and Philosophy for Modern Youth by J.N. Nanda, Concept Publishing Company, pp 110, Rs 180.00
Armed with a string of academic distinctions, including two earned doctorates and a number of awards from the IBC and American Biography Association, Prof. J.N. Nanda subscribes to the view that there will be a ?dismal end of imperialism and fascism or of exploitation through captive markets or through captive population. No country or people can assume any divine indulgence over others?The whole world is in kinship to each other.? According to him, ?Indian secularism and the new Mahayana philosophy are the key to peace and prosperity.?
This book, introducing the background of oriental and Western philosophy, is directed towards the invention of a new philosophy and understanding that can facilitate the knitting together of the world into one family. The author presents a new way of looking at the development of ideas on sundry philosophical subjects by various individuals and cultures. He presents a philosophic view of the present situation in the world and feels that ?the basic need is to accept the desirability of being good and neighbourly and make this acceptance free from all props of religion primarily because religions apparently differ and in place of uniting people, often separate them into US and THEM. It is for this reason that there was the invention of Mahayana in times of the Buddhist heydays?Today also, there is need for equal solicitude for all religious striving, and the theories of mixed economy and co-existence of various political machines served by democracy and care for human rights.? He feels that the human population has reached a saturation point in existing resources and technology, because of which there is an urgent need ?to refine the human gene to root out violence and arrogance, so that there is no further threat of war, which may destroy the whole civilisation.?
Prof. Nanda then expounds his theories on the basics of religion that include worship, theories of creation, deity and prayer, priest-craft, religious obligations and a virtuous life. He says, ?Mysticism and spiritual experiences are often coloured by religious beliefs but are not confined to a specific religion.? He then describes the six milestones of Hindu philosophy?-purva mimansa, sankhya, yoga, nyaya, vaiseshaka and Vedanta. He says the Vedas are the ?epitome of all knowledge?.
According to the author, ?The Mahayana and the Gita brought about the acceptance of all religious striving as well as coexistence of all the gods. The new philosophy is against dictatorship of every kind: of labour, of capital, of clergy, or of demagogues or ulemas?The new Mahayana seeks to eliminate strife not only between different religions and philosophies, but also between different political and economic policies.?
Unfortunately, on completing the book, the reader emerges as a somewhat confused person because the author has not been able to clarify how the teachings of the Gita and the Mahayana philosophy will prove beneficial in establishment of secularism.
(Concept Publishing Company, A/15-16 Commercial Block, Mohan Garden, New Delhi-110 059.)
Defining the eternal religion
Hinduism Redefined by A.P. Sharma, Concept Publishing Company, pp 108, Rs 200.00
Both Indian and Western scholars differ on the exact dates of the origin and growth of Hinduism. However, a majority of them believe that Hinduism started some time 2,000 to 3,000 years before Christ. Notwithstanding the date of the birth of Hinduism, the book under review concentrates essentially on the issues, precepts and beliefs that led to the birth of Hinduism. It further seeks to redefine Hinduism in the modern perspective. Tracing the historical background of the ?religion??as the author calls it (which we refer to as a way of life and which has also been endorsed by the Supreme Court)?the first chapter of the book is devoted to the historical background starting from the Indus Valley Civilisation through the Vedic and Brahmanic periods to the rise of Hinduism, both classical and modern.
Talking of classical Hinduism, the author refers to the missionary zeal of Sankara during a.d. 800 and support to the Vedanta system where he claimed ?each human being consists of a self, that in an entity is related, in some manner, with the Ultimate Person, Brahman.? Sankara also said that this human self, the atman, was independent of the physical body. The second intellectual thinker within the Vedantic system was Ramanujam who conceived of Brahman as the primary and the individual self and the physical world dependent upon Brahman. He believed in visishta advaita (non-dualism). Then came Madhavacharya who believed in dvaita (dualistic) nature of reality.
Ultimately the paths evolved among the Hindu masses that came to believe in karma or the way of action or deeds that entailed performance of cultic sacrifices and discharge of social obligations. Second was the jnana or the way of knowledge, requiring discipline of the mind and the body. The third was the way of bhakti or way of devotion to attain moksha (salvation) and understand Brahman.
The author is confident that whenever there has been chaos in moral terms, God incarnate has appeared on Earth to rectify the situation; this has also been described in the Gita when Lord Krishna says:
?Whenever, O descendant of Bharat, there is decline of Dharma,
And vice of adharma, then I body myself forth.?
The book may prove beneficial in showing the path to those believers who have digressed from the path of righteousness or lost their way in the wilderness of life when they know not which direction to take.
(Concept Publishing Company, A/15-16 Commercial Block, Mohan Garden, New Delhi-110 059.)
