GANESHA CHATURTHI THEME: M.U.D. NOT M.U.G.

 

Every year, devout Hindus celebrate the birth of Ganesha. Just like mud/earth is our common ground, Ganesha is the thread that holds all Hindus together. Hindus recreate His birth by making mud/clay Ganeshas. These sacred images are worshipped in the home for one week and then returned to the sea, or a river or lake. During this holy, joyous and contemplative time, Hindu individuals and groups get various messages from this primal Hindu MahaDeva. Many Hindus share these messages for the common good of all Hindus. This year, the theme for the Classical Yoga Hindu Academy is M.U.D. not M.U.G.

 

More Use Deva not More Use God It is clear that, in many respects, Hindu Dharma has been mugged by arrogant thieves and permitted by complacent Hindus. For example, many Hindus wrongly use the English and Christian terms: God, Lord, Monotheism and other forms of Theism. "Theos" means God/Male Supreme Being (n.) Hindus do not believe in this God. When Hindus (mis)use these Christian, English terms they are insulting both Christianity and Hindu Dharma. Of course, there are Hindu fundamentalists/sectarianists who believe in a One, Male Creator be it Siva or Vishnu. These Hindu monotheists have no problem using the word "God." To use English terms, Hinduism, in general, is monistic polymorphism. In other words, Hindus recognize a provable Being (v.) of light/energy and bliss/Love/warmth (Satchidananda) that flows through and creates form.

 

God is defined as a One, Male, Creator Being (n.) associated only with the Christian Heavenly Father that Created all things. Lord refers only to this God/Jesus, hence, the Christian slogans: Jesus is Lord, and Jesus is the only way. Of course, to date, no one has proved such a Being (n.) exisits. When some Hindus (mis)use the words God and Lord, they may be referring to Brahman, Siva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Muruga, Krishna, Rama and Hanuman, to name a few. To the Christian, the use of Siva or Vishnu, for example, in place or with "God" and "Lord" is totally blasphemous. So confused over the God/god issue some sources (Christian, secular and even Hindu) use god (with a small "g") to refer to these "other gods" different from the "real One God." Interestingly, one uses capitals for their own name and, of course, other proper nouns.

 

The language of the Hindu/Yogic Dharma is Sanskrit. Hindus have many appropriate names for that which is Divine. Along with the aforementioned, rather than (mis)using God and Lord, Hindus should use MahaDeva, Deva, Pita, Isvara, Prabhu and Esana, to name a few. To further contrast with the male monotheism, Hindu Dharma respects the equal and to some supreme role of the female nature of the Divine; i.e., Aditi, Devi, Mataji, Amba, Amma and of course, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati, Durga and Kali, to name a few.

 

Clearly, Christians will never use the words Siva or Vishnu in place of God nor is there ever a reference to the Goddess much less Kali, for example. Throughout history, Hindus have been mugged. Hindus have been attacked, and, many times, they open themselves up to these invasions. Because of being too tolerant and actually not very astute, many Hindus regularly participate in M.U.G. It is because of this misuse of "God" that many Hindus are easy prey for conversion to Christianity.

 

In a misguided acceptance or blind "universalism" many Hindus do not realize that those of other religions will never give the same recognition to the terminology of Hindu Dharma. In fact, many scurrilous individuals and groups are out to blatantly steal from the Hindus. Simply consider the fact that due to theft and complacency Hindus now have a problem using many of their sacred terms. For example, the Swastika, the term Aryan and other Sanskrit/Hindu terms like Yoga, Guru, Mantra, Pundit and Swami have been almost totally perverted.

 

 

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