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Newsletter of the District of Asia Jul - Dec 2003 Hinduism
at a Glance
The West, however, is attracted to the hollow facade of the Eastern religious 'Anubhava" i.e., 'Experience' made manifest in various forms ranging from the Exoteric dimension of Hindu Polytheism of thirty three crores (330,000,000) of deities to the Exoteric dimension of 'Self-realisation', 'Yogic disciplines or meditations' to the Occult practices of TANTRA which includes animal as well as human sacrifices.
The foundation of these varied forms of Hinduism are Six Darsanas (Schools) of Indian philosophy which in turn are based on the Hindu Scriptures known as the VEDA [means "knowledge"]. The Six Systems of Hindu thought are: Nyaya-Vaisesika, Samkhya-Yoga, and Mimanisa-Vedanta. One would observe that the Six Systems are grouped in three pairs; the rationale for this is the alleged affinity between the members of each pair, in such a way that the second member of the pair is primarily concerned with the practical applications of the teachings of the first member. And since, these Six Systems are based on the Authority of the Veda, they are called "Orthodox" Schools (Astika) as against Jainism, Buddhism and Carvaka (materialists), which are called "Heterodox" (Nastikavada). The 'Veda' however, is a vast corpus of works—religious mantras, treatises and injunctions on performing sacrifices to deities, instruction for meditation and philosophical speculations (Upanishads) — composed and assembled during the millennium after the Aryan invasion around 1500 BC. The end of the Vedas comprises the Vedanta (Upanishads) consisting of approximately 4,000 mantras that expound the doctrine of the ultimate reality (Brahman) and the realisation of the Self (Atman) as 'Brahman' explained by the Upanisadic dictums — "Tat Tvam Asi' and 'Aham Brahmahmi' [I am Brahman]. Rightly called the "Vedantic Egocentricity." From the abstract speculation of Vedanta resulting into Egocentricity, we now move on to the Hindu Polytheism wherein lie the dangers of "SPIRITISM" and "IDOLATRY" that are inseparably intertwined in Hinduism. The deities are the evil spirits that are invoked and propitiated by performing various rituals, prescribed in the Veda—also animals as well as human sacrifices — bloody offerings to placate the fierce deities like Shiva, Kali, Durga etc. The cult of Kali well known as "Shaktaism" consists of Occult practices which are technically called 'TANTRA" which form the major part of Hinduism. Religious procession exhibit men and women who are possessed with these deities. There have been instances, which I have witnessed, of exorcisms performed by an old priest of Bombay, Fr. Rufus Pereira, who was till recently on the Pontifical Commission for Exorcism (now Parish Priest of St. Pius X Church, Mulund in Bombay), whereby many people who entered Hindu temples or in any way participated in Hindu prayers (ceremonies) or even consumed food offered to idols (prasad) were possessed by the deities, of whom Kali, Ganesh, Shiva, Krishna were common. In the Hindu practices, even that which appears as a merely social element is not really free of the 'spiritual' significance (I mean in the Occult sense) such as men and women applying the red powder (Tilak) on their foreheads which signifies the third eye of Shiva known as "Jnana-Chakshu,", (Eye of Wisdom) from which flows the 'river of fire' and destroys everything, for Shiva is the destroyer of the worlds (Hellish indeed). The Hindu syllable 'OM' (which today is adapted and used in the Inculturated Novus Ordo Indian Rite Mass) is the abode of the 33 crores (330 million) of deities that are contained in the infinite cosmic sound 'OM'. The Hindu Puranas (Epics) demonstrate that 'OM' is the sexual sigh of Shiva while engrossed in mystical union of generation with his consort Parvati (Shaiva Purana). One of us, Anthony Rodrigues, has witnessed Fr. Rufus Pereira exorcising a woman possessed with the spirit of 'OM'. Hence, we see magical practices as well as witchcrafts performed with the help of Tantra. There is a vast array of practices to suit every temperament. Hence, the chosen deity may be with form or formless. At the time of initiation, the Guru gives his disciple a 'mantra' and this determines the path he will follow and the practices he will take up. The disciple then, according to the instruction of the Guru whom he regards as 'Shiva' or 'Krishna' incarnated (Guru: Sakshat Parabrahman), performs Japa, ie. chanting of the magic mantra. Another form of Hinduism that fascinates many is the 'Exoteric' part of Yogic meditations, Yogic exercises (Asanas), exercises regulating and retaining breath (Pranayama) and concentration (Dhyana) that hideously contains the exoteric world of 'spirits' and 'gods'. The ultimate purpose that is spelled out in the Exoteric practices is to attain 'peace' (shanti ), 'Equanimity' (Ekagrata) and finally 'liberation' (moksa) from the cycle of 're-birth' (punarjanma). Meditation is a 'One-pointed Concentration' on the chosen deity such as Shiva or Krishna who are both called "Yogeshwara" [means Lord of the Yoga]." I would like to elaborately dwell a bit on 'Yoga' towards which many in Asia as well as in the West are fascinated. The Yogic meditations are the highest stage of meditations, beginning with physical exercises, then concentration, culminating in 'Samadhi' — Union with the deity. This union is attained by the releasing of the 'serpentine power' [Kundalini Shakti] which Yoga believes lies asleep in the generative organ [sexual energy]. By practicing Yogic exercises, concentration and Pranayama, the Kundalini Shakti is released thus travelling through the 7 wheels (chakras) invisibly present in every human body, it reaches its climax in the 7th chakra present in the mind that results in the illumination of the mind, like Shiva himself, who facilitates this illumination in 'Samadhi'. Even the physical exercises are evil, for they implicitly contain the influence of the higher states of meditation and hence, Yogic exercises too are to be refrained from. Buddhism, as we have seen earlier was in the traditional ethos considered heterodox. But later, in the VIIIth century A.D., the Brahmins (the Hindu priestly cast) included the 'Buddha' as an incarnation of Visnu in order to prevent the Lower Caste Hindu masses from converting to Buddhism, which they were doing, being tired of suffering oppression from High Caste Brahmins. Hence now Buddhism too falls under the banner of Hinduism, though not very successfully. Nevertheless there are other Buddhist forms of meditation such as Vipasana, Zen meditation, centering prayer, Transcendental meditation (of Maharshi Yogi) that today ensnares many people. Also many other occult practices such as Reiki and Pranic healing that are practices dabbling with the element spirits of the universe (which they call 'energies'). Hinduism is called "A Way of Life". Indeed so, for the diabolic pervades every aspect of a Hindu. Every little food cooked by a Hindu is offered to the deities (Saraswati, Durga who is called Annapurna — which means 'the One who completes the deliciousness of the food'). The idols installed in houses, temples or on the roadsides are diabolic too: the spirits of the deities they represent are breathed into them through the ceremony which is called "prana pratishta" ('prana' is breath; 'pratishta' is to install) performed by the Brahmin, who by chanting efficacious mantras infuses into the idol the spirit of the deity. Such is this all-comprehensive phenomenon called 'Hinduism'. One among the many forms of the 'diabolos', who cunningly has distributed and manifests himself in various religions and cultural forms according to times and places. All that can be said is "Watch out! For your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion goes about seeking someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the Faith! (1 Pet 5, 8-9) Ave Maria |
