TRAVAILS OF THE ORTHODOX

NATIVE  CHARM

TRAVAILS   OF  THE  ORTHODOX

Orthodoxy is taken to mean adherence to the accepted norms and standards of belief and conduct in religious matters. In practice, it always refers to the conservative sections, which are not eager to change with the times. We have orthodox elements in all religions-  though it has a specific connotation among the Christians, based on theological belief.  In general we may consider the Catholics as the orthodox among the Christians as they resist all attempts at 'modernisation' or reform, which in fact means to change their basic approach to life. Thus, they are not willing to concede  or accommodate demands for gay rights, abortion, divorce, live-ins, marriage for priests, euthanasia, etc. 

This adherence to their old standards is both their strength and weakness. It gives them a sense of historic  continuity and fellowship with old masters and authorities. It strengthens their feeling of community and psychological security. It provides for a corner of stability and permanence in this ever changing modern madness. However, since the changes they resist are all the popular ideas and demands  of the modern generation and secular societies and governments, adherents of orthodoxy will be singled out for ridicule , vilification, and may be, possible discrimination.. This is in fact happening in almost all Western countries, especially the US.

Hindus in India face the same problem. All the issues which are advocated by reformist elements abroad are also advocated here by groups calling themselves liberal, progressive, intellectual, etc. The govt is secular; but in India this word is used in the sense of pampering religious minorities at the expense of the Hindus.  The govt will freely legislate on Hindu religious matters; they will run Hindu temples, while other religions are free because of their minority status. In short, Hindus are denied public space to advocate or defend their views. If someone talks of cow protection, (which is in the Constitution) it will be called "communal" while the Vice-chancellor of  the Central Pondicherry University could pass orders that only 'Halal' meat should be served to the Muslim students!

But there are internal problems within the orthodox sections.  Broadly speaking, Hindus who have have been through school and college are secular in outlook- they could be called the children of Macaulay! They have been de-Hinduised., in the sense that they do not subscribe to the basic tenets of their ancestral religion. They are eclectic in their approach, and modern in interpretation. It means they follow the interpretation of foreigners. This is reflected increasingly in such serious matters as marriage , dress, food., performance of rituals,etc. They may call themselves  Hindu officially or nominally, but they do not adhere to the orthodox stipulations. In many families, the older elements are still orthodox- in the sense of being old fashioned, but they do not have a voice or control over the younger elements. This happens even if the older elements are also educated. This does cause some friction.

One of the areas seriously affected is the family. The joint family system has collapsed, and with it, the informal security and protection that were available to the less-endowed in each family. The aged parents are no longer cared for by the sons, especially after marriage, as the girl insists that the boy separate from their parents immediately after marriage. In some cases, the sons may provide some money but not physical company and protection, thus depriving the elders of physical  and emotional support. . Thus the famed Hindu family system has collapsed.

In the nuclear family too, since both partners work, the house resembles more a campsite  than a home- where the family deities are worshipped, the guests are honoured. In fact, in many homes the youngsters do not cook, but make do with ready-made or ordered food. Since such marriages are not considered sacred, but  increasingly as contracts of convenience, they are at risk of dissolution. Divorce rate is rising alarmingly among Hindus, especially among the educated.[ The latest news is that Rohan Murthy (son of Infosys Narayanamurthy and Lakshmi Venu, daughter of TVS Motor's Venu Srinivasan), whose marriage in 2011 got wide notice in the press, have filed for divorce by 'mutual consent'. Both are highly qualified- he from  Cornell and Harvard, and she from Yale.] Is modern education digging the grave of the institution of marriage?

This is mainly due to the result of secular and professional education among girls. They take up employment and career roles become more important than family . Indeed, it is  doubtful if they have any conception of family at all.

Hindus have never had a fixed hierarchy in religious matters. Each sect has its own order, but the control or influence of the leaders is tenuous. Their advice may be sought, but is not binding; and there is no penalty for noncompliance. Anything may be suggested, nothing enforced.

At times, the very notion of orthodoxy is quixotic. Taking the South, the Brahmin community was considered the pillar of orthodoxy. When Brahmins were occupying high positions in the administration ( govt. depts, education, law, medicine, etc, ) they tended to convert all religious functions as public show of their position, and events like Upanayanam, marriages became lavish and ostentatious.It was the orhodoxy then! Along with it other habits were acquired. Over 80 years ago, the Sankaracharya of Kanchi, who commanded great personal respect, thundered against such practices and told the Brahmin community, who considered themselves his prime followers:

- to give up coffee, silk saree and cinema
-to avoid all social aspects and follow the purely religious dictates in respect of upanayanam and marriage

-to adhere to the basic requirement of observing Sandhya and Gayatri

-to give up dowry

- to follow minimum household dharma ie obligations in respect of worship of family deity, honouring the manes, extending hospitality, helping the poor,etc.

He also said definitely that  Brahmin girls should not be sent for jobs. 

Though the number of his self-styled devotees increased over the years, none of these things was observed by the Brahmins. Once he said in exasperation that people kept his photos and those of Gandhiji  but followed neither.

This Sankaracharya was an intellectual, besides being a spiritual colossus.

.He went into the root of the matter. He identified the problems as arising from the desire of Brahmins for a secure and lucrative govt job, for which they sought  a modern, secular education at the cost of their religious tradition , learning, and obligations. But he saw that it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to secure govt jobs, and foresaw that it would become difficult to get admission to educational institutions too! During his visit to Madras city in 1957, he advised the community that their efforts at secular improvement had come to nought and they should return at least partly to their heritage. He made two definite proposals.

- Brahmins should give up their craze for formal, secular schooling. They should take to private education. Elders in the community who were educated and qualified could teach the subjects. They could then appear for the public exams and obtain the certificates.

- Learning and preservation of the Veda was the primary duty of the Brahmins. As far as possible, Brahmins should return to it. Every Brahmin boy should devote at least an hour daily for formal Vedic studies, and reach some minimum level.

Again the community which worships the Swami spurned his advice.  There are any number of 'leading devotees'  among the numerous professionals- doctors, lawyers, accountants; and others like businessmen.Many of them support the maintenance of traditional  Vedic schools. 

But ask them how  many of them sent their own children  to such schools- you will draw a blank.

Vedic students  from Kerala chanting.
from: https://mitchellktravelphoto.wordpress.com.
Copyright status not stated. Thanks.

Will such hypocrisy among the educated  serve the cause of orthodoxy and save the situation?

This is a stunning picture of a more orthodox manner of teaching Veda!  Veda Mata and Go Mata together! How wonderful!
This is from Sri Shankara  Vedavidya Gurukulam  near Dharmastala in Karnataka. 
Picture taken from www.Vedopasanain/pathashala.htm. Thanks.

New Veda pathashalas have been opened, but it is reported that many students do not complete the full course of study but leave after reaching a stage where they can officiate at rituals ie when they can start earning independently! Vedic education today is looked at only from the point of economic gain! Yes, we are reminded that we are in Kali Yuga! 

I have given this example because this Sankaracharya was the most candid and vocal and articulate in this matter. He served longest as the Pontiff- for over 80 years! He was utterly, almost unimaginably simple. He never used a modern gadget, never travelled in a car or plane, and walked all over the country twice.His spoken words have been recorded and preserved in many volumes.He was also the most publicly celebrated and respected. But in the end, it had no effect on the overall situation. The brahmins are still after secular education and employment. Not only do the  Brahmin girls all take up employment, many of them also go abroad! So much for orthodoxy (Sanatana Dharma) in the south!

There are  other Sankaracharya Mutts. There are many other organisations supposedly serving the Hindu cause. None of them has a cohesive, over all plan. Cow protection, spread of Gita education etc are themes spoken about but in the end they all end up in the celebration of some institution and personality. Many of the modern outfits- ashrams- have global ambitions ( or pretensions) and do not speak exclusively for the Hindus, especially for the orthodox elements.

For instance, many of them advocate Vedanta. Obviously, it derives from  the Veda and is based on the Upanishads. Though they study the Upanishads and the Gita, they neglect the Veda which is the base. And the Upanishadic study too is done in an academic spirit and atmosphere, and not as part of an exclusive living system. And some of them (including the Ramakrishna Math) have spread the sinister notion that the Upanishads differ from Veda.

Sri Aurobindo  alone among the modern-educated Indians studied and interpreted the Veda originally, independently of all other European views and Indian errors and established beyond all doubt how the Veda formed the root of all the ideas that were later developed in the Upanishads and Puranas, without any contradiction.

In these two books Sri Aurobindo explained the real, esoteric and mystical meaning of the Vedic hymns which were product of the highest wisdom and vision of the Rishis, not made by them but seen by them.This went beyond the mere dictionary meaning of the words. The mantras contained far more than mere formulae for ritual. He showed the idiocy of Western translators like Max Muller and the mistakes of Indian interpreters like Sayana.  No Hindu who wants to understand the real meaning of the Veda can afford to fail to read these books.

The pictures show the front cover of publications from Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Gratefully acknowledged.

It seems no one has paid attention to the basic problem.  The true Sanatana dharma  in practice depended on some social and political structure. The social structure in the form of Varnasrama has collapsed, and we only have the debris now. The king supported the dharma but now the rulers are governed by mlechcha ideals and in the guise of secularism are anti-Hindu. The religion not having a central authority, no one has any final say in any matter. The established  old Mutts think that they are carries of tradition, and have no authority to change anything. The result is that the common followers are carried by any trend or current, and changes are made everywhere; though not officially sanctified by any authority, they do prevail. The orthodoxy thus faces problems both from the outside and from within. And the problems do seem intractable.

 In Hinduism, orthodoxy ultimately means fidelity to the Veda, which is the source and ultimate sanction of all Hindu dharmas.The Brahmins were meant for learning and preserving the Veda. It has been so till the recent generations. But now large sections of Brahmins have deserted Vedic learning in the traditional way. There is an undeniable force or hand of economic compulsion, and may be the Time Spirit is at work. So, the Brahmins alone cannot be blamed. But then what is the solution?  We may ponder the following passage from the New Testament:

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost his flavour, wherewith shall it be salted?  It is then good for nothing but to be cast out.

 Matthew 5:13

NOTE:

Sri Aurobindo  said about the Veda:

The Vedas come to us ..." in a language we have ceased to understand, a vocabulary which often, by the change of meaning to ancient terms, misleads most where it seems most easy& familiar, a scheme of symbols of which the key has been taken from us.Indians do not understand the Vedas at all; Europeans have systematised  a gross misunderstanding of them.@

 "At the root of all that we Hindus have done, thought and said through these many thousands of years, behind all we are and seek to be, there lies concealed, the fount of our philosophies, the bedrock of our religions, the kernel of our thought, the explanation of our ethics and society, the summary of our civilisation, the rivet of our nationality, a small body of speech, Veda.

 There is no part of the world's spirituality, of the world's religion, of the world's thought which would be what it is today, if the Veda had not existed. Of no other body of speech in the world can this be said." #

@ From: The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, vol.17. p.361-362

# From: Sri Aurobindo Archives and Research, April 1977,p.31

The meaning of the Veda is so profound that it is not intelligible to the unrefined intelligence. (That is why the Gayatri, the most fundamental mantra of the Veda prays for 'dhi'- refined, purified intelligence.) The Tamil language uses the word "MARAI" for the Veda  which means 'hidden', 'concealed' etc. A separate discipline was required to study and understand that. That is why a whole Varna was dedicated for its study and practice as the sole lifetime occupation, not to be exchanged for money. People, and especially Brahmins should think about this deeply.