Some misconceptions needing to be clarified

A friend of mine posted a news article stating Julia Roberts, an actress in the west, started following Hinduism. Well, that was nice. Each one has a right to follow his or her beliefs. There was a mixed response from netizens to Ms Robert's decision.  At least that's what it is reported till the date. I read through initial few comments below the articile. I found one interesting query. It was apperant that the author was trying to ridicule Hinduism on some counts. His comment read,

Please, can Julia or someone else tell me what I need to believe to become a Hindu. I am interesed. Also, tell me what caste I will be designated to, which god I should follow, can I marry more women if I chose to follow Krishna, is it possible to please god by giving them sweets...

There was response from others for this comment. And I can't say that it was all kind. Anyway, I thought that this is a person who represents a whole world which is trying to understand Hinduism but is not giving its best shot and, in the end, is getting confused. A confused person can never talk sense however honest his or her intentions be. Effectively, such person points fingers at 'the flaws'. Half baked cookies - I'd rather say half-baked wisdom! The above comment falls precisely in this category. Such a person needs to be taken into confidence and told, re baba, there are things in Hindu way of life which need thinking, which need application of rational thoughts; and at the same time there is a world, which is trying to ridicule Hinduism out of sheer ignorance, and it deserves an explaination.

An explaination which has some simple answers to the questions hurled like those in the above comment. Those simple answers could be the following.

• You need to believe that you can think and you can 'think and act' constructively. This religion allows you to think.
• Your caste will depend upon which work you will take up as your jeevan dharma hereafter.
• You may be asked to follow even your parents as elements of the God. And you may have to do that.
• If you choose to follow Krishna, you'll be asked to study his life and deeds. And you yourself will change your mind and will decide to marry only one good woman. Even otherwise, Law won't allow you to marry more than one woman. You're following Krishna; so what?
• You may not be able to please God/Gods by giving him/them sweet, nor meat!

Pleasing Gods is not so easy. It doesn't take any doctrine to prove this. Look how this gentleman's harmless but mindful comment has offended many. It makes me think how can he even think of pleasing the God!

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Understanding Mahābhārat 1

The following thoughts are the translated extracts from the chapter on the life of Maharshi Vedavyās by Shri Pandurang Shastri Athavale. His discourses on ten most significant contributors of ancient Indian literature are published in the Marathi book 'Rishi-Smaran'. I am going to make an effort to update this 'Understanding Mahābhārat' series with the thoughts of various thinkers and historians about this great epic in subsequent episodes. Given the nature of this portal, I will not be able keep the posts in this series continuous. So I have created a link to this series from where all the articles will be accessible to the reader along with the course of publishing the posts. The link is put on the side column.


Maharshi Vedavyās wrote purān and Mahābhārat. But unlike purān, Mahābhārat is a historical document. The vast document and its events have mesmerised the whole world. Dr. Winternids says, "No literature produced in this world is a match for Mahābhārat." If I state the same, you will say that a brahmin will certainly endorse another brahmin. Here it is not me but it is a statement by Dr. Winternids. He says, "We will not find any event in the history of universe that will match the enormity of Mahābhārat."

The history documented by Vedavyās has positivity and spontaneity. Take a case of Bhishma, or of Krishna or even Draupadi. None retracts from his or her chosen path. Every one is strong willed. In this document, the author has chronicled the lives of people who have not lost balance even when their life is in enormous danger. Nobody's mind sways in difficult situations nor anybody dishonors his or her word. Incredible! Mahābhārat is full of lives spent while enduring pains and sorrows. Maharshi Vālmiki's Rāmāyan too has pain and sorrow in it. But his portrayal is more divine or godly. It sounds less human. Whereas, the depiction of pain and sorrow by Vedavyās in Mahābhārat is human.