The Great Hindu Civilisation- Achievement, Neglect, Bias And The Way Forward

About the Book 'The fact that a great Hindu civilization existed, and continues to exist, is not in doubt. It is marked by great antiquity, substantial-even unprecedented-refinements, audacity of thought, and achievements both in the spiritual and secular realms. This does not mean it is unblemished, and objectivity demands that the blemishes too must be taken into account. Nor does it mean that it evolved in an insular silo or untouched by outside influences. On the contrary.

And yet, this intermingling has not diluted or erased its essential identity as a verifiable civilization. Unlike many other great civilizations of the past, the Hindu civilization has not become a historical relic, an antiquary of the past, but has survived as an unbroken continuum to the present.

'It is important to know more about this civilization, most of all for Hindus themselves.

The civilization faces a rather unfortunate paradox. On the one hand, it is notable for its resilience and continuity, and its spillover into every aspect of a Hindu's life; and, on the other, Hindus themselves show little real curiosity or interest in knowing more about it. This indifference is a matter of concern, not least because, if Hindus do not know about their own civilisationallegacy, their authenticity as Hindus-based on knowledge-is stunted and reduced to ritualistic tokenism.'

About the Author Diplomat-writer Pavan K. Varma is the author of several best-selling books including The Great Indian Middle Class, Being Indian, Adi Shankaracharya:

Hinduism's Greatest Thinker and The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. He was an MP in the Rajya Sabha between 2014 and 2016. Earlier, he was Advisor to the Chief Minister of Bihar, with the rank of Cabinet minister. He was India's Ambassador in several countries including Bhutan, also Director of the Nehru Centre in London, Official Spokesperson of the MEA, and Press Secretary to the President of India.

He was conferred an Honorary Doctoral Degree for his contribution to the fields of diplomacy, literature, culture and aesthetics by the University of Indianapolis in 2005. He was also conferred the Druk Thuksey, Bhutan's highest civilian award, by His Majesty the King of Bhutan in 2012. In 2018, on the instructions of His Holiness the Shankaracharya of Sringeri, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management. He is currently a Distinguished Professor at Symbiosis International University. He is also a well-known columnist and TV personality.

Preface From my point of view, the fact that a great Hindu civilization existed, and continues to exist, is not in doubt. It is marked by great antiquity, substantial- even unprecedented- refinements, audacity of thought, and achievements both in the spiritual and secular realms. This does not mean it is unblemished, and objectivity demands that the blemishes too must be taken into account. Nor does it mean that it evolved in an insular silo or untouched by outside influences. On the contrary. And yet, this intermingling has not diluted or erased its essential identity as a verifiable civilization. Unlike many other great civilizations of the past, the Hindu civilization has not become a historical relic, an antiquary of the past, but has survived as an unbroken continuum to the present.

It is important to know more about this civilization, most of all for Hindus themselves. The civilization faces a rather unfortunate paradox. On the one hand, it is notable for its resilience and continuity, and its spillover into every aspect of a Hindu's life; and, on the other, Hindus themselves show little real curiosity or interest in knowing more about it. This indifference is a matter of concern, not least because, if Hindus do not know about their own civilisationallegacy, their authenticity as Hindus - based on knowledge - is stunted and reduced to ritualistic tokenism.

It is true that Hinduism is a way of life rather than a prescriptive religion like the Abrahamic faiths. In Hinduism, there is no one Pope, no one text, no inflexibly mandatory ritual, no compulsory congregations, and no one presiding temple. But this is no reason for Hindus to be unaware of the remarkable philosophies and deeper meanings that animate their religion. It is important to always remember that a civilization evolved in parallel with the evolution of Hinduism. To have only a vague idea about what it was, and what an extraordinary degree of cerebration inspired it, is to do disservice to a great and abiding legacy.

The need for Hindus to be more knowledgeable about their heritage also exists because there is an influential section of western Ideologists who question the very existence of this civilization.

One of the more specious arguments is that because Hinduism and Hindu civilization have so much internal diversity and freedom of expression, there is no definitive core to it. Hindus who do not take the trouble to know a little more about their past are likely to become unintentional accessories to this untenable-and sometimes mischievous-point of view masquerading as academic scholarship.

In this book, I have sought to rebut arguments that question the existence of Hindu civilization, and deal also with the notion that the narration of history should expediently exclude Hindu religion and its civilization consequences. I have also discussed in some detail the philosophical, cultural, social, political, scientific and other aspects of this civilization, as also the impact on it of the Islamic invasion and the British conquest. Finally, I have discussed the way forward, and what the imperatives of a real Hindu Renaissance should be.

Today, the need for Hindus to become confidently aware of what their religion and heritage stand for has become critically important because there is an attempt by some to posit themselves as the sole interpreters of this great legacy. Distortion can only be countered by knowledge. As Adi Shankaracharya said: Satyam Janna; Anantam Brahman: Knowledge is Truth and Brahman is Eternal.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages