Eulogy to B. M. Sinha I was very happy to read the beautiful editorial written by you, sir, in your May issue, which was a shradhanjalli to my father, the late Shri B.M. Sinha. I truly believe that my father was spiritual, that he had direct contact with God that is Lord Shiva. I can say this because he used to meditate twice a day for at least an hour each time. This is the reason he could write so well. He had a sharp mind due to which he could write on any type of subject. Sir, I also thank you for the words of praise you have written for my mother. She is really a brave lady. Thanks a lot, sir, for your wonderful writing about my father. Anybody who reads it can make out what type of man my father was. I was really proud and lucky to be called his daughter. Bhadra Sinha New Delhi, India
Unbiased Presentation I would like to thank the publisher for Hinduism Today. I especially like the cosmopolitan view adopted in covering a catholic range of issues. The strength of the periodical, particularly, lies in its unbiased presentation of news. Selvakumar Singapore
How Many Babies Came? In the August 1992 issue you ran a story on the Putrakameshti Yagna. A ritual designed to initiate conception in 1,100 infertile couples. My question is, how well did this yagna work? How many of the 1,100 couples were able to conceive a child? Keep up the great work! Addison Smith Athens, Ohio
Proud Hindu Supreme Praanam! Thank you for such great explanations of various religions listed in the April, 1993 issue. I am most proud that our great Hindu religion is the most powerful, sacred and the oldest religion around! We as Hindus should try to practice our dharma and not be somebody we are not. Let us all unite as one great big Hindu. I quote from your article, "I believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God's pure love and light deserving tolerance and understanding!" Mrs. Pirmattie Devi Kuldip Newark, New Jersey
A Buddhist Brother I am a practicing Buddhist for 40 years with a great love of Hinduism. There is no conflict between Hinduism and the teachings of Lord Buddha. Closer ties and cooperation should be seen between the two. These two great religions share many things. Despite the foreign persecution of monotheistic religions both have survived. Hinduism sees Buddhism as a sister religion. It is often hard though for a Westerner to be a full part of Hindu life with the stigma of being a non-caste person. I wish also to thank the Brahmi priest Khailash who welcomes so many non-Indians freely at the Ganesha Temple in New York. I hope to see more articles in Hinduism Today on the ever growing number of non-Indian Hindus as well as more about the relationship of Buddhism to Hinduism. Many of the higher tantric schools of Buddhism owe their roots to Indian tantra. American Buddhists should remember that is was India who gave house and help to Buddhist Tibetans when they had to flee. Charles O'Hara Susquehanna, Pennsylvania
More: What Jews Believe Jews are not the chosen people. Moses asked who would obey the Torah. Those who agreed are now known as Jews. Therefore, Jews were not chosen by God; they chose to accept God as outlined by Moses. Another note is the name Yaweh. Jews never have and never will have anything to do with this so-called name of God. In ancient times, there was a Hebrew mantra known as the 1001 names of God. One of these was powerful. Apparently some priests misused the power. A decision was made to drop the name but keep the letters YHWH. Some westerner decided to throw in the English vowels to create the name Yahweh. Jews do not believe in the devil, eternal damnation or Yahweh. I should know because before I embraced Saivism, I was born and raised as a conservative Jew. Bernard Konowitz Charlotte, North Carolina
Keeping Hindutva Strong This is my favorite paper. Wherever I go, I keep it in my hands to show to other Hindu brothers and sisters to influence them to subscribe, to be aware about Hindutva. At night, if I cannot read it for one hour then I cannot eat my dinner. I am also seeding Hindutva to my children. Each and every Hindu family worldwide should keep this paper at their home so that Hindutva may grow in the minds of children. I would like to highlight something here for the kind attention of all the Hindus worldwide. Always we should protect our women in our own fold. Sometimes our girls are getting married to non-Hindus by converting herself to the other religion. By any means we should stop it. If a Hindu girl wants to marry a non-Hindu, then the non-Hindu boy should be converted to Hinduism. Day by day, one by one, girls are going out from our Hindu fold. Sudhir Chandra Roy Botswana, Africa This applies to our boys, also.
From a Lifetime Prisoner I value the issues of Hinduism Today you sent to me. I particularly enjoy the uplifting, moral tone of the editorials, the focus on practical daily incorporation of the spiritual practices as well as historical traditions, and the wonderfully inspirational articles such as the one on Swamiji Vivekananda. I am not a Hindu, rather I follow the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, practice yoga and try to live my life in accordance with the yamas and niyamas as set forth in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. One cannot but be impressed with the great and powerful saints, seers and teachers who have arisen like clouds of light from the Hindu tradition. I only wish I could subscribe to your paper on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I am financially unable to at this time as I am serving a life sentence in prison. I have been here for fourteen years, and have found that I am able to do God's will and serve my fellowman no matter where I am. I am a vegetarian, teach Yoga classes here to the ladies on the psychiatric unit ( I am a "peer helper" which is an assistant to the psychologists,) meditate daily, pursue my studies and find that even when all else fails, I can always practice kindness. Ms. Jeri Becker California Institution for Women Frontera, California
We're Not Secular Secularism is the belief that the state, morals, education, etc., should be independent of religion. This word and its use and misuse has done incalculable harm to India and its Hindu majority. Hindus are not secular. They are "dharmic people." They are religious. The time is right to let Hindus guide humanity on the principles of life and let others live in a multiracial, multicultural society where people of all faiths learn to respect all the other faiths. Dr. S. Sharma Nottingham, England, UK
Don't Wait for the Avatar I read with intrigue your article entitled, "India Awaits Vishnu's Return." [March, 1992] According to Vaishnava understanding, He already incarnated 500 years ago in West Bengal, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So, if the Lord has incarnated, why are things so bad and getting worse? The next avatar won't come for 427,000 years. If we want to see a change, we had all better individually and collectively make our lives happy and trouble free. Michele Khurana USA
Correction An article in our July '93 issue stated incorrectly that Sri Sri Balagangadharanatha Swami was initiated into sannyasa by Sri Sri Thiruchi Swami of Kailasa Ashrama in Bangalore. In fact the then head of the Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt, Sri Ramanandanatha Swami, had sent the young Sri Balagangadharanatha Swami for training with Sri Thiruchi Swami. Upon completion of his training he returned to the Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt where he received sannyasa from Sri Ramanandanatha Swami, thus entering him into the Natha Sampradaya. Later he became the abbot of the Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt.