This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism. For bias and/or prejudice against Hindus, see anti-Hindu. Anti-Hindu prejudice is a negative perception or Religious intolerance against the practice and practitioners of Hinduism.
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Some aspects of Hinduism have been criticised, from both within the Hindu community and externally. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Early Hindu reformers, such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, questioned practices such as Sati and discrimination based on the caste system.
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Varna System
The Hindu system of varnas identified four varnas in Indian society. Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose" Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose" Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose" [1] The term varna is sometimes used synonymously with "caste" or "class"[2] The Sanskrit term for caste, in the sense of social categories, is jāti. [3][4] Class (varna) obligations were a major concern of the Dharma Sutras and Dharma Shastras, where fulfillment of one's obligation (dharma) with regard to class (varna) and stage of life (ashrama) was a sign of brahmanical orthopraxy. [5] The four varnas are in descending hierarchical sequence: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra or the priests, warriors, business people and laborers. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय kṣatriya from क्षत्र kṣatra) is one of the four varnas (social orders in Hinduism The Hindu varna (class System, a Vaishya ( Sanskrit वैश्य vaiśya) is a member of the third of the four classes of traditional Shudra ( IAST: Śūdra is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in historic Hindu society Untouchables (Dalit (outcast)) are considered either a lower section of Shudra, or outside of the caste system altogether. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. In practice this resulted in a great deal of social oppression and mistreatment of the lowest ranked castes, the Shudras and Dalits, who originally came from the older inhabitants of India (Adivasis). Ādivāsīs (in Devanagari script: आदिवासी literally "original inhabitants" comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population As a result, Hinduism and the implementation of the caste system are often criticized for allowing oppression of people of lower castes, even though the original design of the caste system was not intended to harm or oppress.
Hindu religious literature, such as the Rig Veda, suggests that the original varna system was based on a flexible system, where people joined a varna and a related occupation based on their skills, qualities, and nature. The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" However, over time, the varna system became a rigid caste system, preventing the 'lower' classes (also called 'backward-caste') from rising. Discrimination against classes began as a result of this rigid fixing of the caste system. Also, religious literature suggests that the inclusion of Dalits ('untouchables') outside of the caste system was a later addition, not part of the original system.
Dalit status has often been historically assigned to occupations regarded as ritually impure, such as any occupation involving killing or handling of animal dead bodies, the collection and disposal of bodily waste, and other jobs that brought the Dalit into constant contact with what society considered to be utterly vile. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. These occupations, however, were not merely seen as something unpleasant that nevertheless needed to be done: they were considered unclean and polluting towards the individual. Thus, those rendered polluted were considered unfit for physical or social contact with the other sections of society.
Untouchables used to live separately within a separate subcultural context of their own, outside the inhabited limits of villages and townships. No other castes would interfere with their social life since untouchables were lower in social ranking than even those of the shudra varna. As a result, Dalits were commonly banned from fully participating in Hindu religious life (they could not pray with the rest of the social classes or enter the religious establishments).
The inclusion of lower castes into the mainstream was argued for by Mahatma Gandhi who called them "Harijans" (people of God). The term Dalit is used now as the term Harijan is largely felt patronizing. As per Gandhi's wishes, reservation in universities is now in place for the Dalit community to bring them to the upper echelons of society. Dalit movements have been created to represent the views of Dalits and combat this traditional oppression. Caste-based discrimination is not unique to Hindus in India; converts to other religions and their descendants frequently preserve such social stratification[6]. Caste system among South Asian Muslims refers to units of social stratification that have developed among Muslims in South Asia despite Islam's
Arguments on the Caste System
The varna system is a part of the organization of Hindu society as prescribed(not required) by the Hindu scriptures. Every society even today has intellectuals, scholars, priests (i. e. Brahmins), soldiers (i. e. Kshatriyas), businessmen (i. e. Vaishyas) and laborers (i. e. Shudras). The supposed purpose of the varna system was to ensure an efficient organization of society. It was misinterpreted by people, and that is why it is often criticized, because some people failed to interpret it correctly. The varna system was never rigid and there are significant historic instances of people moving from one varna to another. Some of the notable examples are Sage Valmiki; the author of the great epic Ramayana who was initially a wood-cutter and a robber, Sage Vyasa; the author of the epic Mahabharata, who was the son of a fisherwoman (who herself went on to marry a king later on), Sage Parashurama, a Brahmin who went on to become one of the greatest warriors etc. The greatest example is perhaps Lord Krishna, who was bought up as a cow-herd. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism He is depicted in many paintings as a young cow-herd playing a flute.
The Bhagawad Gita which is one of the many holy books of Hindus mentions that every living being has a soul which is a part of God and has several references against discrimination between not just humans but even animals. The Chapter 5, verse 18 of Bhagawat Gita sums this up by saying that "The enlightened and wise regards with equal mind a Brahmin endowed with learning and humility, a cow, an elephant, and even a dog and an outcaste. " The system of four classes incorporated in Righteousness (Dharma) is meant to provide guidance with regard to behaviour and spiritual practice to be undertaken in accordance with qualifications, that is potential and requirement, so as to acquire Bliss. [7]
Untouchability was outlawed after India gained independence in 1947.
Status of women
Condemned practices like Sati (widow self-immolation or "bride burning") and widow remarriage were social practices that arose in India's Middle Ages, mostly in the northern regions of India, and had little to do with Hindu laws and scriptures. Satī ( Devanagari: सती, the feminine of sat "true" (also suttee) is a Funeral practice among some India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In the later medieval ages, this practice came to be forced on the widows. However this practice was abolished from the society in the 20th century due to the efforts of Lord William Bentinck, the Governor-General of India (1828-1835) and many Hindu reformists, including Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck (14 September 1774 &ndash 17 June 1839 was a British statesman who served as Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835 Ram Mohan Roy ( August 14, 1774 – September 27, 1833) was a founder in 1828 (with Dwarkanath Tagore and other Bengali
Sati was not prevalent in ancient history. In the epic Ramayana, King Dasharatha (Rama's father) left behind three widows after his death who never committed Sati. In the same epic, Vali's wife, Ravana's wife, and wives of other fallen warriors did not commit Sati after the death of their husbands. In the Mahabharata, Kunti, the mother of Pandavas, was a widow who never committed Sati. There are no references to Kaurava wives committing Sati after their husbands died in Mahabharata war. Sati was also not practiced by south Indian Hindu communities, and arose after the establishment of Hinduism, around the time of the Gupta Empire, 400 AD. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C
Notes
References
- Apte, Vaman Shivram (1965). The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 81-208-0567-4. Fourth Revised and Enlarged Edition.
- Flood, Gavin (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43878-0.
- Keay, John (2000). India: A History. Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3797-0.
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