Arya Samaj is not an illegal outfit, declares M. Lokananda

Arya Samaj President M. Lokananda informed reporters on May 8 in the office of the Arya Samaj at Balmatta that he had called meetings of the executive committee on Jan 16 and Jan 21 to discuss the Arya Samaj’s land dispute with Shraddanandha Ashram.

Honorary President Bhavani Shankar, President M. Lokananda, Deputy Secretary Dharmendra

M. Lokananda said that during the rule of the British, the English rulers gave a tough time to the Arya Samaj, in spite of which this social reform movement continued to conduct inter-caste marriages, protect helpless women, provide land for Harijans, and other work of social welfare.

During those early days, the Shraddananda Seva Samithi had been closed; and Arya Samaj had taken over its property. However, the members of the Seva Samithi were not inclined to close down the old Shraddananda Ashram, said M. Lokananda and added that the Ashram had no significant programme to take up either.

The present president of the Arya Samaj also said that the Arya Samaj was a legal body, and not an illegal outfit. Saying that no one must interfere in the current social reform and progressive activities of the Arya Samaj, he said that there are neither internal feuds nor sex discrimination in the Arya Samaj.

M. Lokananda had been accused of misappropriation of funds by K. Krishna Kamath, the then president of Arya Samaj.

Secretary Purushottam Shetty, Deputy Secretary Dharmendra, and Honorary President K. Bhavanishanker were present on the occasion.

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Ban “Sita Sings the Blues”

When I first heard about “Sita Sings the Blues,” Nina Paley’s animated film based on Ramayan, I was surprised. I had never heard of this movie, which has offended the religious sentiments of thousands of devout Hindus in India. I decided to research the matter further.

I feel that one can forgive the artist for her rendering of Ramayan, especially when she says that she empathizes and identifies with the suffering Sita. Since she is obviously not a Hindu, one understands that she has simply accepted Ramayan as a mere legend sans spiritual values and has identified herself as Sita and her ex husband as Ram.

But the Hindu community, especially those who worship Ram and Sita, cannot stomach the fact that Nina has used Ramayan to express her frustrated feelings and to purge her pain of rejection. Nina, who was dumped by her husband via an email, was naturally going through a bad phase in life.

However, in the process of using Ramayan, she has committed unforgivable blunders, the chief of which is the faulty and erroneous presentation of this epic, which is considered holy among the majority of the people in India. She has presented an unforgivably wrong picture of Ram and Sita; and by doing so, she has stripped Ramayan of its spiritual worth. This is not only insulting to the Hindu community, but is also dangerous in the sense that it will give the wrong idea about Hindus, Hinduism, and Ramayan to the Western audience.

One also cannot forgive Nina Paley for making one of her commentators say that “the Ramayan is not as true a story as the Bible.” Lord Ram and Goddess Sita are true enough for millions of Hindus just as Christ is true enough for millions of Christians. This statement reflects Paley’s mistaken idea that Christianity is superior to Hinduism, which simply isn’t true. Hinduism was here even before the birth of Christ, has sustained millions of Hindus in the past, and continues to do so. So this statement simply cannot be tolerated and must be protested against.

Although one respects the artist Nina Paley and her right to artistic self-expression, one cannot accept the damage done to Valmiki’s great epic, considered divine and holy by the Hindu community. To put it shortly, nobody can destroy another’s work while creating their own. Paley has destroyed Ramayan while creating her “Sita Sings the Blues.” And, above all, no one has the right to hurt the religious sentiment of another.

I therefore protest against “Sita Sings the Blues” and request its ban and ask you to do the same.

Protest Against This Movie

Objectionable Screenshots of “Sita Sings the Blues”

More Information about “Sita Sings the Blues”

Sun Times Media 

Sita Sings the Blues Website

Wikipedia Entry

Agniveer's Site

Diet Rules for Aryas

Maharashi Dayanand Saraswathi has mentioned some diet rules for Aryas in his Sathyartha Prakash.

Ø  Do not eat vegetables, fruits, and roots raised in night soil or other kinds of refuse.

Ø  Do not eat food that is detrimental to the growth of the intellect.

Ø  Avoid food that is decomposed, fermented, unclean, or foul smelling.

Ø  Avoid food that is not properly cooked.

Ø  As far as possible, avoid food cooked by those living on meat diets and intoxicating drinks because their bodies are saturated with fine particles of meat and alcohol.

Ø  Do not kill useful animals such as goats and cows for food.

Ø  Never eat any food or drink obtained by injuring or killing others, by stealing, dishonesty, breach of faith, fraud, or hypocrisy.

Ø  Do not eat anything that does not agree with your constitution and can produce diseases or other evil effects.

Ø  Eat food that is obtained through righteous means without killing or injuring any living creature.

Ø  Eat food that gives health and strength, destroys disease, promotes intellectual power and energy, and prolongs life.

Ø  Eat rice, wheat, sugar, milk, butter, fruits, tubers, and roots cooked properly and in hygienic conditions.

Eating out of the same dish as the other should be avoided because people are of different natures and constitutions. The act of eating out of the same dish, therefore, can produce unfavorable results.

Meals can be taken in any place as long as it is clean and tidy. In times of war or other emergencies, people can eat and drink in all positions and places—such as standing up or driving a car. But food should be taken in moderation and at the right time.

It does not really matter who prepares the food; but the food should be prepared in a clean and hygienic manner. The cook must maintain personal cleanliness, wash his/her hands before cooking, trim his/her hair and nails regularly, and place a cloth around his/her mouth while cooking the food.

The kitchen should be kept clean and tidy. Great pain must be taken to wash, plaster, sweep, clean, and tidy up the kitchen. It should never be allowed to get dirty.

Source: Maharshi Dayanand Saraswathi’s “Sathyartha Prakash”

Hindus believe in one God – Rita Sherma

Theologian Rita Sherma sought to bust the biggest myth about Hinduism among the non Hindus—the myth that Hinduism has many gods. She said that Hindus believe in the one and only God who is “both personal and beyond personal, the God who has many powers and energies.”

Rita Sherma, the founder president of the Centre for Convergence Spirituality in Casa Grande, Ariz, delivered the keynote address on May 2, Sunday at the 24th annual brunch of the Interfaith Brotherhood/Sisterhood Committee of Bergen Country for the Baha'i, Catholic, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Protestant, Jewish, and Sikh communities of the locality. Rita Sherman, in her talk on “Building a Sustainable Society through Interfaith Understanding and Social Action,” threw light on Hindu beliefs and principles.

Michael Hinton, a Leonia-based Presbyterian, remarked that he loves Hinduism and began loving it more after listening to Ms Sherman’s talk.

Jyothi Gandhi of Saddle River, the previous president of New Jersey Arya Samaj, said that the Hindus are one of the fastest-growing communities in New Jersey. Gandhi established the first Hindu temple in Bergen County; and now there are three more temples in Closter, Mahwah, and Garfield.

The annual brunch was organized at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe and more than 400 people attended it. The sponsors this year were the local Hindus. 

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2200 people re-embrace Hinduism

Over 2,200 members of 384 families residing in 20 villages re-embraced Hinduism at a special function organized in Sutarpada, a village in Kapvada Tehsil in the district of Valsad. Dharma Prasar Samiti was the organizer of this event. A team of Arya Samaj purohits conducted the yajna and the people offered ahutis.

The people who returned to the Hindu fold are members of Varali and Konkana Vanvasi communities, who had embraced Christianity in the recent past. A gathering of 300 people warmly welcomed them back home.

Shri Mohan Joshi, the central secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), spoke about the glorious history of our Hindu ancestors who fought to protect Hinduism from foreign invaders.

Saying that Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world advocating peace and love, Swami Omkaranand Maharj called upon everybody to guard it with their lives.

Shri Dilipbhai Trivedi, the Gujarat State president of VHP; Shri Dharmaendrabhai Patel, the Prant Dharma Prasar Pramukh; Shri Lalit Suvakia, the joint secretary; Shri Neeraj Patel, the state secretary; and many others were present.  

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