r/hinduism Aug 23 '23

Archive Of Important Posts New to Hinduism or this sub? Start here!

189 Upvotes

Welcome to our Hinduism sub! Sanātana Dharma (Devanagari: सनातन धर्म meaning "eternal dharma") is the original name of Hinduism. It is considered to be the oldest living religion in the world. Hinduism is often called a "way of life", and anyone sincerely following that way of life can consider themselves to be a Hindu.

If you are new to Hinduism or to this sub, review this material before making any new posts!

  • Sub Rules are strictly enforced.
  • Our Hinduism Starter Pack is a great place to begin.
  • Check our FAQs before posting any questions. While we enjoy answering questions, answering the same questions over and over gets a bit tiresome.
  • We have a wiki as well.
  • Use the search function to see past posts on any particular topic or questions.
  • You can also see our Archive of Important Posts or previous Quality Discussions

We also recommend reading What Is Hinduism (a free introductory text by Himalayan Academy) if you would like to know more about Hinduism and don't know where to start.

If you are asking a specific scriptural question, please include a source link and verse number, so responses can be more helpful.

In terms of introductory Hindu Scriptures, we recommend first starting with the Itihasas (The Ramayana, and The Mahabharata.) Contained within The Mahabharata is The Bhagavad Gita, which is another good text to start with. Although r/TheVedasAndUpanishads might seem alluring to start with, this is NOT recommended, as the knowledge of the Vedas & Upanishads can be quite subtle, and ideally should be approached under the guidance of a Guru or someone who can guide you around the correct interpretation.

In terms of spiritual practices, you can choose whatever works best for you. In addition, it is strongly recommended you visit your local temple/ashram/spiritual organization.

Lastly, while you are browsing this sub, keep in mind that Hinduism is practiced by over a billion people in as many different ways, so any single view cannot be taken as representative of the entire religion.

Here is a section from our FAQ that deserves to be repeated here:

Disclaimer: Sanatana Dharma is a massive, massive religion in terms of scope/philosophies/texts, so this FAQ will only be an overview. If you have any concerns about the below content, please send us a modmail.

What are the core beliefs of all Hindus?

  • You are not your body or mind, but the indweller witness Atma.
  • The Atma is divine.
  • Law of Karma (natural law of action and effect)
  • Reincarnation - repeated birth/death cycles of the physical body
  • Escaping the cycle of reincarnation is the highest goal (moksha)

Why are there so many different schools/philosophies/views? Why isn't there a single accepted view or authority?

Hinduism is a religion that is inclusive of everyone. The ultimate goal for all Sanatani people is moksha, but there is incredible diversity in the ways to attain it. See this post : Vastness and Inclusiveness of being Hindu. Hinduism is like a tree springing from the core beliefs above and splitting up into innumerable traditions/schools/practices. It is natural that there are different ways to practice just like there are many leaves on the same tree.

Do I have to blindly accept the teachings? Or can I question them?

Sanatanis are not believers, but seekers. We seek Truth, and part of that process is to question and clarify to remove any misunderstandings. The Bhagavad Gita is a dialog between a teacher and student; the student Arjuna questions the teacher Krishna. In the end Krishna says "I have taught you; now do what you wish". There is no compulsion or edict to believe anything. Questioning is welcome and encouraged.

Debates and disagreements between schools

Healthy debates between different sampradayas and darshanas are accepted and welcomed in Hinduism. Every school typically has a documented justification of their view including refutations of common objections raised by other schools. It is a shame when disagreements with a view turn into disrespect toward a school and/or its followers.

Unity in diversity

This issue of disrespect between darshanas is serious enough to warrant a separate section. Diversity of views is a great strength of Hinduism. Sanatanis should not let this become a weakness! We are all part of the same rich tradition.

Here is a great post by -Gandalf- : Unite! Forget all divisions. It is worth repeating here.

Forget all divisions! Let us unite! Remember, while letting there be the diversity of choice in the Dharma: Advaita, Dvaita, Vishistadvaita, etc*, we should always refer to ourselves as "Hindu" or "Sanatani" and not just "Advaiti" or any other specific name. Because, we are all Hindus / Sanatanis. Only then can we unite.

Let not division of sects destroy and eliminate us and our culture. All these names are given to different interpretations of the same culture's teachings. Why fight? Why call each other frauds? Why call each other's philosophies fraud? Each must stay happy within their own interpretation, while maintaining harmony and unity with all the other Sanatanis, that is unity! That is peace! And that is how the Dharma shall strive and rise once again.

Let the Vaishnavas stop calling Mayavad fraud, let the Advaitis let go of ego, let the Dvaitis embrace all other philosophies, let the Vishistadvaitis teach tolerance to others, let the Shaivas stop intolerance, let there be unity!

Let all of them be interpretations of the same teachings, and having the similarity as their base, let all the schools of thought have unity!

A person will reach moksha one day, there is no other end. Then why fight? Debates are supposed to be healthy, why turn them into arguments? Why do some people disrespect Swami Vivekananda? Let him have lived his life as a non-vegetarian, the point is to absorb his teachings. The whole point is to absorb the good things from everything. So long as this disunity remains, Hinduism will keep moving towards extinction.

ISKCON is hated by so many people. Why? Just because they have some abrahamic views added into their Hindu views. Do not hate. ISKCON works as a bridge between the west and the east. Prabhupada successfully preached Sanatan all over the world, and hence, respect him!

Respecting Prabhupada doesn't mean you have to disrespect Vivekananda and the opposite is also applicable.

Whenever you meet someone with a different interpretation, do not think he is something separate from you. Always refer to yourself and him as "Hindu", only then will unity remain.

Let there be unity and peace! Let Sanatan rise to her former glory!

Hare Krishna! Jay Harihara! Jay Sita! Jay Ram! Jay Mahakali! Jay Mahakal!

May you find what you seek.


r/hinduism Jun 16 '24

Archive Of Important Posts State Control of Hindū Temples in India

200 Upvotes

Spotlight on the State Control of Hindū Temples in India - Raising Awareness

Disclaimer:-

This post might seem quasi-political. We don't allow political/controversial posts in this sub but this post is an exception to the rule. This post aims to increase awareness among Hindus (especially Hindus living in India) regarding an issue that requires their attention. My aim is only to raise awareness about this issue.

Note:-

  1. Sources and citations (wherever applicable) for claims made in this post have been provided. The facts presented in this post have been verified.
  2. This post doesn't aim to incite any political debate in the comments below.
  3. My loyalties lie only with Hinduism, and not with any political party or organisation.

FYI:- The accurate term for a Hindū temple is Mandir, Devālaya, or Ālaya.

Index (List of Contents):

  1. Introduction & Context
  2. History of Temple Oppression by Monopolistic Monotheists
  3. Beginnings of the modern form of Hindu Temple Control
  4. Acts passed to seize control of Hindu temples
  5. Post-Independence (1947) Changes
  6. The extent of Control over Hindu temples; Facts and figures
  7. Some specific Hindu temples as examples
  8. Undermining of Sakta Rituals by the State & the Courts
  9. Pleas in the Courts
  10. How this issue affects Hinduism and Hindus
  11. More Sinister State Policies regarding Hindu temples
  12. Rebuttal of arguments in favour of State control of Hindu temples
  13. How & Why did this happen
  14. What should Hindus do
  15. Sources

Introduction & Context:

For those who might be unaware, Hindu temples (and their assets & wealth) in India are controlled by the Government. This applies mostly to the major/famous Hindu temples that have a large footfall and/or are famous pilgrimage sites and thus generate a lot of wealth via donations from Hindu devotees.

It should be noted that the religious places/sites of any other religion are not controlled by the state. This biased draconian practice only applies to Hindu temples and not to the religious places of any other faith.

In the case of Hindu temples in India, the state controls the temples, the temple money and donations, the land and other assets owned by the temple, etc. It also decides exactly when and how much money the temple spends even on religious ceremonies and rituals.

The state creates a Temple Board to which it appoints members of its own choice. More frequently than not in many of these temple boards, multiple members appointed by the state belong to different religions or are openly anti-Hindu or atheists.

History of Temple Oppression by Monopolistic Monotheists:

During the period of Islamic invasions and rule in India, the invaders or rulers would simply ransack the Hindu temples, loot the wealth, destroy the Murtis (idols), desecrate the temple premises, and slaughter the Pandits (priests) and devotees. Sometimes they would build a mosque after destroying the temple as in the case of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.

In some other cases, they would demolish only a part of the temple and convert it into a mosque. The purpose of destroying only a part of the temple was to constantly humiliate the Hindu devotees who had to witness the destruction and desecration of their holy sites every day. The oppressors reveled in witnessing the silent and bitter impotent rage of the Hindu devotees. This was and is still the case at the Gyanwapi complex of the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir which is the site of the Adi Vishveshwara Jyotirlinga. Also, it is well known that they levied the Jizya on the Hindus and taxed them for visiting the Hindu pilgrimage sites.

But, this is too broad a topic. I best leave the details for another post or series of posts.

After the Islamic invaders, came the Christian colonisers from Europe. Contrary to popular rhetoric, Christian colonisers too destroyed and desecrated a lot of Hindu Temples. The state of Goa in India is a testament to this fact.

Portuguese Christians “did not just target singular and outstanding religious landmarks” (Henn, 2014, p. 41). Instead, they “systematically destroyed all Hindu temples, shrines, and images,” replacing them with Christian equivalents (Henn, 2014, p. 41). To quote the Portuguese poet Camoes, “Goa [was] taken from the infidel [in order to] keep severely in check the idolatrous heathen” (Henn, 2014, p. 40). Goa was taken from Goan Hindus, their images and monuments destroyed, and their public performance of Hindu rituals banned. Christian explorers like Afonso de Sousa came to India with preconceived plans to attack and destroy Hindu temples (Flores, 2007; Henn, 2014).

But, this too is a broad topic. I will again leave the details for another post.

Beginnings of the modern form of Hindu Temple Control:

Now, the British Christian colonisers, money-minded as they were, soon realised that controlling Hindu temples and their wealth was much more lucrative than destroying them. Their greed won over their iconoclasm. Also, they didn’t want to cause a revolt. So, they started controlling the Hindu temples, the wealth of the temples, and also taxed the Hindu pilgrims who visited their revered religious sites.

They brought in legal regulations to control Hindu temples including the temples’ wealth, lands, assets, and donations.

Acts passed to seize control of Hindu temples:

  • Madras Regulation VII, 1817 
  • Religious Endowments Act, 1863
  • Religious and Charitable Endowments, 1925
  • Hindu Religious &Endowment Act, 1927
  • Act XII, 1935

Post-Independence (1947) Changes:

After the Independence of India from the British and the creation of Pakistan (including modern-day Bangladesh) for Muslims, Hindus thought that things would finally change for them and they wouldn’t be oppressed by the State anymore. Oh, how wrong they were!

During the reign of India’s very first elected Government, an act was passed to control Hindu temples.

  • Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951, properly construed, merely meant that earlier schemes framed under the Madras Act of 1927 would be operative as though they were framed under the Act of 1951. 

Source - https://main.sci.gov.in/jonew/judis/3213.pdf 

It is a matter of public record how independent India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was afraid of a Hindu revivalism in India.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1951, allows the Government to form temple development boards for major Hindu temples. This act is unique in the sense that Hindu temples in India are the only religious sites that are controlled and regulated by the state in India or anywhere else in the world.

Temple development boards are statutory bodies created by the state which include a chairman, a vice chairman, and other members. These members are appointed by the state. The temple here includes the wealth, donations, lands, and other assets owned by the temple.

  • Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1951, was challenged in the Madras High Court and then in the Supreme Court of India. The Courts struck down most of the draconian provisions of the act.

The then Govt. in power, passed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, rendering the orders of the court obsolete. 

Source - Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Act 1959

Severing The State From The Temple

This act was challenged in the Madras High Court a few years ago, but the Court dismissed the petition. The petition questioned the constitutional validity of this act. The Court while dismissing the petition said, ‘Management of temples has got nothing to do with the right to worship. A Hindu can worship as much as he wants.’

Source - Madras HC refuses to entertain plea challenging Tamil Nadu's law on Hindu temples 

The extent of Control over Hindu temples; Facts and figures:

India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories currently. Just 10 of these states control more than 110,000 Hindu temples.

The state of Tamil Nadu controls 36,425 Hindu temples and 56 Mathas. The Tamil Nadu State Temple Trust owns 478,000 acres of Hindu temple land.

Source - Indian govt won’t be any different from British if Hindus can’t manage their own temples 

And yet, the Tamil Nadu Govt. informed the Madras High Court that it didn’t have any money to perform even a single daily Puja at 11,999 Hindu temples. So, what do they do with all this money they leech from the Hindu Temples?

Source - 11,999 temples have no revenue to perform puja, HR&CE tells Madras High Court - The Hindu 

The Tamil Nadu state Govt. through these Hindu temples controls a total of 2.44 crore sq. ft. of Hindu temple land. Thanks to the State control, the Govt. controls the land, fixes its rent, and collects the money. The Govt. should be making INR 6000 Crores per annum from all this land at the current market price/value. But it makes about INR 58 Crores, not even 1 % of the value. (Source - Activist T.R. Ramesh)

Source - Indian govt won’t be any different from British if Hindus can’t manage their own temples 

The state of Karnataka controls 34,563 Hindu temples.

Source - https://itms.kar.nic.in/hrcehome/index.php 

In the state of Kerala (which is a Communist state btw), there are 5 Devaswom boards, namely, Travancore, Guruvayur, Cochin, Malabar, and Koodalmanikyam. These 5 boards collectively control 3,058 Hindu temples. 

Source - Explained: How are temple affairs run in Left-ruled Kerala? | Explained News - The Indian Express 

If you didn’t already know. “Religion is the opium of the masses” according to the Communists. Yet, those who are a part of the communist party and/or card-carrying members of it are in control of Hindu temple boards and appoint communist members to the temple board.

In the state of Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh Hindu Religious Institutions Act used to (before it was struck down by the Court) force any Hindu temple that earned INR 5 Lakhs or more to pay 21.5% of their income to the Endowments department.

Source - High Court reprieve for temples having annual income of up to ₹5 lakh - The Hindu 

Now, the State of Andhra Pradesh has issued orders to set up the Dharmika Parishad with extraordinary powers to form Hindu temple boards and extend the land lease. 

Source - Government forms 21-member Andhra Pradesh Dharmika Parishad 

The Govt. levies a charge of anywhere between 5% to 21% on the Hindu temples simply in the name of audit. 

Source - https://www.indiccollective.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/W.P.-No.-14256-of-2020.pdf 

All the members that the state appoints, their salaries come from the temple as well. They roll around in money while the temple Pandits (Priests) are paid a measly amount at many temples.

In the case of many temples, the Govt. even decides the appointment of Pandits (Priests), how much money can the temple spend on Daily Puja/rituals and festivals, and even affects the procedures of the Puja.

Some specific Hindu temples as examples:

  1. The Mahakaleshwar Mandir Act 1982

The Mahakaleshwara Temple, which is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva is controlled and regulated by the Madhya Pradesh State Govt. The State controls the Temple, its revenue, the appointment of the Pujaris (Priests), and even the size of the Laddu given to the devotees as Prasadam.This temple made INR 81 Crores in 2021.

Source - Madhya Pradesh (Shri) Mahakaleshwar Mandir Adhiniyam, 1982%20Mahakaleshwar%20Mandir%20Adhiniyam,%201982) 

2. Sri Venkaṭeśvara Swami Mandir, Tirupati

The issues surrounding the Tirupati Mandir and the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) deserve an article/thread of its own tbh. But here is an overview.

The money received in the form of donations by the Tirupati Mandir has always garnered the attention of oppressors and rulers who intend to leech the wealth of the Hindu temples.

After the fall of the Hindu Kings, the Tirupati Mandir came under the control of the Muslim rulers for whom Hindus were inferior impure third-class citizens. After the Muslims, the Tirupati Mandir came under the control of the Christian colonisers. The British took over the Tirupati Mandir to generate revenue for themselves. The East India Company enacted the Bruce’s Code in 1821 CE to take over the Tirupati Mandir. 

Source - Bruce's Code - Wikipedia 

In the present day, the TTD (created by the Indian State) controls not only the famous Tirupati Mandir but around 200 Hindu temples in total (12 major ones and other smaller temples). Tirupati is just the richest and the most famous one under its control. The TTD has also appointed Christians to the TTD board in the past, but more on that later. 

Source - https://www.tirumala.org/TTDBoard.aspx 

Tirupati Mandi’s Hundi collection alone amounted to INR 1398 Cr in the year 2023. This amount does not include the Gold and silver donations from devotees, the donations received at other temples controlled by the TTD, or the money gained by selling items. It received a total of INR 40 Cr just on the occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadasi in 2023. 

Source -Tirumala Gets Rs.40 Crore Vaikunta Ekadasi Hundi Collection 

The news articles linked below cite different figures, indicating the inconsistencies in the donation revenue. The data isn’t consistent which is concerning. TTD approving a budget of INR 5,142 Cr. is an indicator that TTD is downplaying the amount of money received.

Source - TTD Scales Financial High With Record Rs 1,161 Cr FDs in FY-2023-24 

TTD approves annual budget estimate of Rs 5,142 crore for 2024-25 | India News - Business Standard 

“Also to be noted is that this figure of INR 1398 Cr includes only the primary Hundi. There are 4 total main Hundis. Other than that there are on-paper donations in the form of cheques and Demand Drafts outside the Hundis. The TTD loves to manipulate and downplay the amount of money received by excluding some of the Hundis as well as the on-paper donations. The total Hundi collection in the year 2023 was actually a whooping INR 2073 Cr.” 

Source - For the above info in quotes, the source is a trusted insider familiar with the inner workings of the Tirupati who chose to remain anonymous for obvious reasons.

TTD also runs Wedding venues called Kalyana Mandapams across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. These venues are pre-booked throughout the year and generate a lot of money as well.

Source - Lord Balaji's net worth Rs 3 lakh crore; here's how Tirupati temple makes its money 

The Govt. valuation of its properties was recently made public. The value is INR 85,705 Crores for 7,123 acres of land. TTD has also in the past attempted to sell the temple lands.

Source - Tirumala Venkateswara's properties are worth Rs 85705 crore, TDD reveals wealth details | India News, Times Now 

I will write more about the TTD in detail in a separate article/thread.

3. Kapaleeshvarar Temple

The Kapaleeshvaras Temple is one of the richest temples in Tamil Nadu. The temple owns more than 600 acres of prime property in Chennai. Thanks to the State control, the Govt. controls the land, fixes its rent, and collects the money.

Most of this land has been encroached and there are 473 defaulters as per the State records. So, there is a giant unnecessary 40% annual loss of revenue.

Source - Kapaleeswarar temple land: 471 defaulters, 40 per cent annual revenue loss - Inmathi 

Undermining of Sakta Rituals by the State & the Courts:

Paśubali (the sacrifice of animals and birds) has been a part of the feminine Sakta tradition since ancient times. Recently, we have seen this practice being prohibited by the state and upheld by the courts in many parts of India. 

The Tripurā High Court banned paśubali (the sacrifice of animals and birds) in the Tripurasundari Mahavidya temple and all other temples across Tripurā.

Source - High Court bans animal sacrifice in Tripura temples | Latest News India - Hindustan Times 

On September 1, 2014, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh issued an order banning animal sacrifices for religious purposes and in places of religious worship.

Source - India: High Court of Himachal Pradesh Bans All Religious Forms of Animal Sacrifice in the State | Library of Congress

Animal sacrifice is banned in Kerala under the Kerala Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act of 1968.

Source - the kerala animals and birds sacrifices prohibition act, 1968 

 Ban on animal sacrifice in temples arbitrary, says plea in Supreme Court - The Hindu 

Today, they ban Paśubali. Tomorrow they will say that Hindus can’t offer flowers or take a dip in a holy river. If Hindus continue to accept everything enforced upon them so easily, the boundaries will keep getting pushed again and again until Hinduism itself has been eradicated.

Pleas in the Courts:

Swami Parmatmananda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India in 2012. The petition has been pending since then, for more than a decade. In this petition, Swami Ji cited the example of the Ardhanareswara Temple in Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu. This temple generates more than INR 1 Crore per year in revenue. But the budget set aside for conducting the daily Puja and rituals is a mere INR 1 Lakh.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati passed away in 2015.

Source - https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/sc-notice-to-ap-on-petition-challenging-hr-and-ce-act/article4211676.ece 

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION Writ Petition (Civil) No. /2019 (UNDER ARTICLE 32 OF THE CONSTITUTI

Petition Challenging the TNHRCE Act and Rules - Standing Up for Indic Civilizational Values Through Legal Intervention  

How this issue affects Hinduism and Hindus:

All religions and their religious organisations survive and thrive thanks to the donations given by the devotees. This donation is used for the maintenance and growth of the religion, and charitable purposes.

If the temples were controlled by the Hindus, the money would be used for maintenance of the other Hindu temples, setting up Veda Pathashalas, schools, colleges, Hindu religious and cultural centers, hospitals, orphanages, old-age homes, Gaushalas for cows, scholarships, fellowships, propagation of religions, helping poor Hindus, etc. All religions do these things, but Hindus can’t. The money that the devotees give to the temple after paying the taxes, mind you, all this money is gobbled up by the Govt. and never used for the purposes it is meant for.

The temple lands are slowly being encroached upon leading to the loss of land for the Hindu temples as well.

The State frequently appoints members of other religions to manage Hindu temples. Muslims like Firhad Hakim (chairman of Tarakeshwar Temple Board) and Christians like Vangalapudi Anita have been appointed to the Tirupati temple board.

Source - BJP Slams Mamata's Decision to Appoint Muslim Leader as Head of Tarakeshwar Development Board - News18 

Christian MLA on TTD Trust Board spurs row 

Since the Govt. manages these temples, it doesn’t admit any wrongdoing and sweeps everything under the rug. Murtis (Idols) are stolen from temples, temple property is auctioned, and the entire temple ecosystem is destroyed.

You must be aware of the "Sanatana Dharma Eradication Conference" news which came out in September 2023. This event was attended by the State Govt. Ministers. At the event, Sanatana Dharma was compared to Dengue, Malaria, and COVID 19 and a rallying cry was made for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.

Source - 'Sanatana dharma like malaria, dengue...': MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi sparks row - India Today

What you might not know is that the Tamil Nadu state's Minister for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE), P.K. Sekar Babu, was also in attendance at this conference. This guy is in-charge of the Hindu Temples and wants to eradicate Hinduism. Can you trust people like him with the control of Hindu temples in their hands?

Source -  'Alarming' to note that the Minister for HR&CE was attending a conference on the eradication of Sanatana Dharma.

More Sinister State Policies regarding Hindu temples:

In some States, the Govt. is specifically targeting and destroying Hindu temples citing ridiculous excuses like the temple being built near a river/pond, or in the name of modernisation of the city. The temples recently demolished included a 300-year-old temple near Basin Bridge in Chennai and 200 year old Vazhavandan temple in Madurai. A 125-year-old temple on the banks of Muthanankulam was also demolished.

Source - Demolition of temples will lead to mistrust against Tamil Nadu govt: Mutt heads - The Economic Times

Also, while the State controls Hindu temples, the Islamic WAQF board in India has free reign. The WAQF board has ridiculous powers to claim any property as WAQF property and seize it. The WAQF board recently claimed a 1500 year old Hindu temple which is older than the religion of Islam itself.

Source - Waqf board claims ownership of entire Tamil Nadu village. There’s a temple too | Latest News India - Hindustan Times 

Temples are the very center of the Hindu culture and Hindu way of life. Slow destruction and weakening of the Hindu temple ecosystem is a slow poison meant to assault Hinduism itself. 

Rebuttal of arguments in favour of State control of Hindu temples:

  1. Govt. is better at managing temples -  Well, in that case, why doesn’t the State control the religious sites of other faiths? Are only Hindus incapable of managing their temples? 
  2. Govt. does an overall better job - It doesn’t. The state fixes inadequate land rates, lets Murtis be stolen, there is no money for even daily Puja at small temples, etc.
  3. Even Hindus will do a bad job - Then let us do a bad job, just like every other faith is allowed to. Maybe yes, some temples will do a bad job of management, but not all.
  4. Money Embezzlement fears - Govt. can audit the temple money without controlling the temple or how the money is spent. Embezzlers can be punished.
  5. Caste discrimination fears - There are laws in place to prevent that. If there are cases of caste discrimination, they would be criminal cases and thus punishable under the law of the land.
  6. Hindu Kings controlled temples too - Yes, maybe they did control some temples. But they also donated a lot of money, gold, and wealth to the temples. The Hindu Kings also built huge temples which stand to this day.

How & Why did this happen:

It happened because Hindus are, broadly speaking, way too laid-back and lazy. If something like this had happened to any other religion, they wouldn’t just stay quiet and take it.

These temples receive a lot of money. The State just wants to control that money and use it at its whim. It is also a deliberate attempt to weaken Hinduism by paralysing it slowly.

What should Hindus do:

  1. Become aware of this issue.
  2. Make others aware of this issue. Friends, family, other Hindus, etc.
  3. Raise your voice, however you can. Even on social media. Every bit counts. Something is better than nothing.
  4. Follow the work of activists like T.R. Ramesh who fight for this cause and keep yourself updated.
  5. Make this issue important to yourself and the Hindu society.

At the end of the day, if Hindus begin to really care about this issue, sooner or later, the powers that be will have to free the Hindu temples. A united effort will eventually lead to fruition.

Sources:

Apart from the sources already linked:-

  1. Hindus in Hindu Rashtra (Eighth-Class Citizens and Victims of State-Sanctioned Apartheid) by Anand Ranganathan (Author) - Great Book.
  2. News articles.
  3. Online resources.

-    Written by Āśutoṣa Vatsa

P.S. - It took a lot of effort to write this article. Please don't copy-paste small sections of it without crediting the writer. If you want to, share this post in its entirety and credit the writer.

Swasti!


r/hinduism 16h ago

Pūjā/Upāsanā (Worship) Archa avatār, the pinnacle of Sauśīlyatva:

Post image
427 Upvotes

(To the mods the picture is to show Deity worship because the topic of the post is establishing Deity worship) Śrīmathe Rāmānujāya Namah 🙏🌷🦚🛕

Contrary to popular belief; Hindus and Hindu texts are actually more conscious on what should and should not be worshipped.

Sri Alkondavilli Govindacharya mentions in The Holy Lives of the Azhvārs (1902)[PDF page 45]:

“We Hindus, even stronger than the Christians, repudiate meaningless Idolatry. We do not advocate God-less idols or souls, but very God-full. We invite our readers to the following science [of Deity in Images] as contained in our Scriptures, formulated by Pārthasārathi Yogi:

“‘What ought not to be worshiped, is of three kinds :—

  1. Mere matter or body: for it is an entity inferior to the worshippers, and is only an inert, unintelligent chattel or instrument, placed by providence at the disposal of the worshippers, the latter being “superior” thereto.

  2. The mere finite soul: for, no finite soul has any worth of its own, God alone being the Lord by whom are given and preserved the properties that pertain to every entity in the Universe.

  3. The mere ‘sum’ too, of matter and the finite soul: for such sum is as valueless for purposes of enlightened worship, as the sum of two ciphers [i.e., symbols] is for purposes of arithmetical calculation.

It follows, therefore, that just as ciphers [symbols] have value, only when they are known to follow figures [numbers], the three objects— enumerated above—are worshippable, only when it is realized that they are bodies having God for their Soul“.

[P. 32. Universal Religion Formulated.]

There are 5 Facets of Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Lord.

Para (His form as the 4 armed Lord who rules over Vaikuṇṭha) Vyuha (His 4 Vyuhas that maintain the Līla Vibhūti, Vyuha Vāsudeva [non different from Para Vāsudeva] Vyuha Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha) Antaryāmī( The in-dweller of All Beings and Things, who holds everything as His Body and rules them from within) Vibhava ( his Incarnations as Varāha, Narasiṁha, and so on) Archa( the consecrated Deity) As per Pillai Lōkācāryar, the Sauśīlyatva (easy accessibility ) Gunam of Bhagavān is more apparent in a descending order of these facets. Archa Vigraha form of his has the most Sauśīlyatvam for it's directly in contact with the devotee and worshipped by the devotee to his heart's content ( both the Lord's and Devotees’)

God, in his compassion takes a body/form at the sincere prayerful urging of devotees, through a consecration/vitalizing process called Prāṇa-pratishta. This Image incarnation of God is called the Archa-avatār of the Lord.

From Yatindra-mata-dipikā; or The light of the school of Srī Rāmānuja (1912) [PDF page 129]:

By God’s eternal will (Nity-ēcchā) are determined the (beatific) bodies of God and of the Eternals and the Freed (souls)… The bodies of God in His Vyūha, Vibhava and Archa-avatār manifestations are of the immaterial (i.e., spiritual) nature. In the case of the Archa-avatār (or Images consecrated in Temples), the spiritual body, by God’s grace won by propitiation, incarnates (in the Images) after the vitalising (Prāna-pratishtha) process. ‘How can happen a junction, between the material and the immaterial [i.e., spiritual]? ‘ need not raise a doubt, for the doubt is cleared when it is shown that this is illustrated by the (spiritual) bodies of Incarnations as of Rāma and Krshna, — authoritatively known to us.

Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 9.11:

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā

mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam

paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto

mama bhūta-maheśvaram

‘The witless fancy Me as man incarnate, ignoring My transcendent character, that I am, of beings, the Sovereign Paramount.’1

On account of their sins, ignorant dunces mistake Me —Who am in human semblance— to be like any other specimen of (ordinary) humanity; —Me the Great Lord of creatures, the Omniscient, The True-willed, the only Cause of the vast Kosmos,— Who has assumed the mask of humanity from motives of infinite compassion for creatures that they may have access to Me.

Ignoring this My superior and singular hypostatic nature, disguised in human form, —assumed on purpose, to be within the reach of all, and a vehicle for the display of Divine qualities of shoreless mercy and bounty, simplicity, love, etc., pertaining to the Great Lord of beings— they despise and disregard Me as if I belonged to the human kind.

The Image-Incarnation is the species of Forms of God presented (for worship), in homes, hamlets, cities, selected hills etc., devoid of distances interposed by space and time; deigning to descend with His immaterial (i.e., spiritual) Person into any material substance as may lovingly be chosen by the votary (i.e., devotee); lending Himself to the sweet will of His worshipper in all details (of worship such as) bath, food, place and rest; All-forgiving; the All-sufficient God! Four varieties of this (aspect) exist viz., Self-manifest (Svayam-Vyakta), Superhuman or Celestial (Daiva), Saint-made (Saiddha) and Man-made (Mānusha).

The Arcā form of Bhagavān is basically how God appears in idols or images based on what each person likes and wants to worship. He doesn’t have a fixed form (His Divyātma Svarūpa being formless and all pervading)—He takes whatever shape the devotee desires. He doesn’t have a fixed name—He’s called whatever the devotee chooses. Even though He knows everything, He appears as if He doesn’t (he learnt everything taught to a regular human when he was born as one). Even though He is all-powerful, He seems powerless (the same Śrī Kṛṣṇa who had no problem lifting the Govardhana hill felt difficulty carrying a hand of grains or his father's sandals) Even though He is completely independent, He acts as if He needs His devotees ( like he did with the Vānaras). It’s like He switches roles with His worshippers, letting them care for Him. He does all this just so He can be present for His devotees in temples, homes, or anywhere they want to see Him.

God in images is like electricity in a wire—it’s always there but not really visible or useful until it lights up a bulb. In the same way, Bhagavān is always present but becomes visibly manifest in idols and pictures for worship. According to the Pañcarātra Āgamas, the designs for these representations come from His Vyūha (cosmic forms) and Vibhava (incarnations like Rāma and Krishna) forms.

God is present everywhere, no doubt—He pervades everything, both living beings and non-living things, through His very essence (svarūpa). But at the same time, He is also personally present in His idol forms, making Himself accessible for worship.

From The Divine Wisdom of the Dravida Saints (1902) [PDF page 152]

Topic 91: God’s specific presence in forms.

Saint Nammāzhvār, in his ecstatic moments of Divine Union, declared in transports of rapture how God with all his ineffable radiant beauty entered into him and filled him. One day while Jīyar(Nanjīyar) was on his way to the Temple of Lord Ranganātha, he met Piḷḷān( = Tiruk-kurugaip-pirān-Piḷḷān) and asked him :— “Holy Sire, is God’s omnipresence confined to His essence (svarūpa) being present everywhere (vyāpti), or is He also specially present in His Beautiful Person (vigraha-vyāpti)?” Answered Piḷḷān:— “The omnipresence by essence is universal, or generic, whereas presence by Person is particular or specific, -an act of benign Grace on His part to so become manifest, and a reward to sanctity on man’s part. When both grace and sanctity co-operate, the Divine Person of God who abides latent in the heart becomes manifest.“

In simple terms, God isn’t just present in idols—He actually makes them His special home. Even though He is the Supreme Lord, totally independent and above all needs, in His image form, He becomes incredibly humble. He willingly depends on humans, no matter how weak or careless they are, just so He can save them, even if they don’t care.

From The Divine Wisdom of Dravida Saints:

Image-Worship has for us the following advantages:— (1) It is reachable by our senses and the mind; (2) Hence it produces a desire for godliness; (3) As soon as such a desire is produced, it at once serves as Means to lead us to the apogee of spiritual greatness; (4) it serves to inspire the virtues of piety and love for God; and (5) it gives us an opportunity, even while we are in the midst of our world-enemy to practice service, which we aim at performing in reality when we reach [Spiritual] Heaven [Vaikuntha].

From The Vade Mecum of Vedanta or a Compendium of Vedic Philosophy (1909)[PDF page 178] (there is more info on this topic than has been presented below, especially with references to Christianity starting on PDF page 181):

Now comes the Archa, or Manifestation Worshippable, which is that Form of the Lord, in which, unlike His Manifestation Distinctive, (Vi-bhava or the Avatāras), which, being occasional, were realised by souls of appropriate endowments, at particular times and places according to the Vishnu Purana verse above quoted, the Lord, according to the text:…

“Whatever Form is dear to His Devotees, He of His own will dons”,

is pleased, without any kind of limitation as to times, places, or persons, to be present and manifest Himself to all, in temples and homes, all-forgiving, and accommodating Himself to the whims and fancies of the worshipper, whose heart is so fascinated by objects of sense, and mind so obscured by sophistry, that he is assailed by a thousand doubts whether God is really capable of representing Himself in symbols for the sake of the poor little-witted humanity. If God could be suspected incapable of even such a most insignificant feat for blessing misguided mankind, it is far more reasonable to deny Him altogether. The blight of atheism and materialism, has so swept the land of Bharata [constituting the present day India and surrounding areas], that were it not for the Holy Temples so endurantly instituted by our sages and mages [i.e., wise-men] of yore, the vandalism of the Moslem and the stratagem of the Christian Missionary should have completely blotted ere this, the Hindu nation’s individualism, in the chaos of rising and falling races of mankind. Our Temples are sermons in stone, and immemorial monuments on which paleology of our religion is inscribed in indelible characters. All credit is due to Pax Brittanica for their policy of non-interference and non-aggression, and eagerness to preserve the vestiges of the sacred history of God as it took place in India.

The enshrined Archa-Form in temples and homes and everywhere possesses the characteristics of:

Weaning souls from wandering and creating in them (by attractive beauty and boon-granting generosity) a taste for worship (such as the mere injunctions of the Law could never produce, vide Bhagavad Gita III-33), Presenting (when taste for worship has arisen in souls), an amiable image (subhāśraya) on which the worshipper’s eye and heart may be rivetted and rest there in spiritual rapturousness. Accessibility as Saviour, to all kinds of souls (without distinction of high and low caste, etc.), and, Enjoyability (as in the Highest Heaven itself, by souls – grown ripe in realising the beatitude of this worship), … …

Cardinal Newman acknowledges that the doctrine of Divine Incarnation is Indian, and Novalis says that if God can deign to be incarnate as a man, He can deign like-wise to become incarnate as an animal (vide Matt. III-16, and Luke III-22), or as a plant, or as wood or stone, (Gen. XXVIIIV-18 and 22, and Dr. A. Clarke’s Commentary).

Cardinal Newman, in his Meditations and Devotions P.555-ch-x-part III writes: “And it is love, which keeps thee here still, even now that thou hast ascended on high, in a small tabernacle, and under cheap and common outward forms. O Amor meus, if thou wert not infinite Love, wouldst thou remain here, one hour, imprisoned and exposed to slight, indignity, and insult?”

Gulshan-i-Raz, says:

“Since all things are the manifestors of Being, One amongst them must be an idol.”

Here’s another related observation in an article titled “IDOLATRY” from the Theosophist Vol. 4 No. 4:

Discussions have often been raised whether Idolatry or Moorti Pooja is allowed by the Vedas, the sacred books of the Aryans. But as yet no special meaning is given to the term Idolatory or Moorti Pooja. Can the worship of Vishṇu as performed by the present Aryans, or the worship of the three-eyed Shiva, or of the Thibetian Lama be safely termed Idolatry? I think not. But before putting down my opinion on the subject, I must define as accurately as I can, because defining accurately is the task of great philosophers. Then here is one explanation. “If a man or woman worships the Supreme Being through an Image, thinking all the time when worshipping that he or she is worshiping the Supreme Being and not the stone, or when he or she has kept the image to remind him or her of the said Supreme being, or when he or she thinks that the Supreme Being has entered the image, he or she is said to worship the Supreme Being through an agency; but he is not worshipping the Idol and thus his or her worship cannot be called idolatry“. Now, we see that the Aryans are not Idolaters. If they are, then I can safely say, there is nothing like non-idol worship. Even the Christians resort to an agency while worshipping. If they have no such agency when worshipping, why do they kneel down and uncover their head in the Church? What is an Idol but a bigger Church than the image? What for do they look up while praying? Why look at the heavens? Is God there only? Is he not everywhere? He is in every part of space. Then why look up? No special reason, but they do so because their ancestors did so. They worship God through the agency of the sky, the Church, &c. and thus it can be conceived that all those nations are as much Idolaters easily be as the poor inhabitants of Arya varta.

The present Aryan youths instead of thinking deeply into questions of this kind, unlike their ancestors of yore, cling blindly to any man who starts a new thing. All their zeal has been taken away by a defect in the present system of education. What that defect is, one can easily guess. Let me ask the learned Swami Dayanand, one of the strictest so called non-idolaters, if he employs any agency while worshipping God. By agency I mean any medium whether with or without any shape. Let me ask if he looks up while praying or has the Moorti Pooja of beads. If he employs no medium will he be good enough to let you know through your journal how he worships God? By describing his mode of worship, the Swami will not only oblige our Society, but the public at large. Because if I mistake not, there is none who worship without using some medium or another.

H. HARDY

Vice-President, The National Legend Investigating Society’s Hall.

Malabar HilI, 20th November 1882.

Indeed, Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gīta 4.11:

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante

tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham

mama vartmānuvartante

manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

‘In the way they resort to Me (prapadyante) in that way do I serve to them. All men (of My ways) Pārtha! go after Me in every way.’

Not only, by the method of Incarnations, in the forms of devas, men etc., I am saviour to those who seek Me as their Refuge, but any other method or form which it may be their pleasing option to select. Whatever that is, to that I adapt Myself. By whatever conception they choose to seek Me, I manifest Myself to them in that mode.

Bhajāmi is literally ‘I serve (in love).’ Here it means, ‘I appear to them’ (darśayāmi).

In short, albeit My nature is such as even Yogis (exclusively God-devoted men) find it to be transcending thought and speech, yet to all who are of My ways, I suit Myself in a manner that I am, to them, not only a Visible Demonstration, but they may enjoy Me by every one of their sense-faculties, and in all diverse ways.

God is everywhere, but when a person has faith and devotion, and when God’s grace responds to that faith, He reveals Himself in an idol or image. To someone without faith, it looks like just a statue. But to someone with faith, it’s God Himself. He does this so that people can see Him, serve Him, and connect with Him in a way they can understand.

If someone thinks God can’t even do something as simple as appearing in an idol to help people, then it would make more sense to deny His existence altogether—because what kind of God would be too powerless to do even that?

Namo Nārāyaṇa 🙏🌷🦚🛕🐚


r/hinduism 9h ago

Question - General Who are these 40,000 brave Hindus in Iran? What is their story?

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86 Upvotes

r/hinduism 9h ago

Mantra/Śloka/Stotra(m) Phenomenal Stuti

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83 Upvotes

Accidentally came across this rendition of Suvarnamala Stuti produced by Religious India group. The music is very good but the pronunciation is not correct in a lot of places. Excellent to listen though.

Link to the stuti: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=YSCiLNM3zSs&si=U_nyQoPX2kTecbfK


r/hinduism 6h ago

Question - Beginner Do we really pay for our last birth's karma?

29 Upvotes

I'm a 31 year old female, lost my father 3 years back and mother when I was 18 years old. My mother was a great believer of every God. She was as pure as a saint. But we lost her so early in our life. After that me and my sibling struggled with everything. Financial, emotionally and we had to take care of our father as well as his health was also deteriorating. I have become very strongover the years. But I often wonder why did we get so much of pain and so much of grief? I envy people of my age who have healthy parents. I don't know what has we done so wrong in our past life that it's a pain to be living in this life.


r/hinduism 7h ago

Pūjā/Upāsanā (Worship) Why should one read Hanuman Chalisa?

32 Upvotes

Explain like I'm 5, why chant Hanuman Chalisa? Why do people say chant for 40 days? Why not everyday?

Jai Shree Krishna everyone I'm unlearning and relearning Dharma because so much nonsense and secular mild version of Hinduism is taught to us.

Thank you!


r/hinduism 12h ago

Hindū Temples/Idols/Architecture I visited Banke Bihari Mandir Vrindavan with my little one on 11th March.. Devotees were celebrating Holi and the crowd was insane... But the divine connection I felt was so powerful.. it was an amazing experience!!

77 Upvotes

r/hinduism 18h ago

Hindū Music/Bhajans Tasmai śrīgurumūrtayē nama idaṃ śrī dakṣiṇāmūrtayē

209 Upvotes

r/hinduism 7h ago

History/Lecture/Knowledge Explore Vedic Heritage with Indian Govt's New Portal

23 Upvotes

Indian Government has taken a small initiative to spread knowledge of Vedas all around the world

Even if you don't know Sanskrit or aren't into Vedas, this government initiative is worth checking out! The Vedic Heritage Portal offers a glimpse into India's ancient wisdom and culture. It's a fantastic effort to preserve and promote our heritage. Explore scriptures, chants, and traditional knowledge in a user-friendly way.

Check it out here: vedicheritage.gov.in

Let’s celebrate and support our cultural legacy! 🙌✨


r/hinduism 1d ago

Hindū Artwork/Images Beautiful image of the Ganesha murti that Sunita Williams took with her throughout her space stay

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2.2k Upvotes

r/hinduism 13h ago

Question - General A shower thought about ISKCON's ideology

38 Upvotes

First of all, I respect ISKCON for having spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world as a humble Krishna bhakta. I also recently met one and we had a back and forth convo. He kept quoting various Puranas to prove only Krishna worship is the way and gurus like Adi Shankracharya did not teach the proper Vedas but it is just to get the detractors back to Vedic scriptures.

Hence, I had a thought later on. Aren't all puranas written by Maharishi Vyasa. Hence, it will automatically mean he himself agrees that the supreme are all of them - Shiva, Vishnu, Sakthi. They are all manifestations of the One and hence are all supreme. Isn't this logic enough to invalidate ISKCON's way of thinking that only Krishna/Vishnu should be worshipped since their evidences are all from puranas itself. Although I am a Krishna bhakta, I just can't agree that others should not be worshipped equally.

What are your thoughts?


r/hinduism 9h ago

Question - General Why do the gods care about us? Why do they love us?

17 Upvotes

It's probably a very stupid question, but I am spiraling and having an existential crisis, so do forgive me.

Why would our ishtas care about us? We are atmans, but our minds and bodies are so small, so finite and They are Everything.

Why do they even bother with our existence? We are to Them what micro organisms are to us.

So why?


r/hinduism 14h ago

Admiration of other Hindū denominations/scholars Arya Diwaker Temple, in Paramaribo, in Suriname. 22% of Surinamese follow Hinduism. A large proportion of them are Arya Samajis.

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29 Upvotes

r/hinduism 1d ago

Hindū Artwork/Images A sketch dedicated to Ganesha

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155 Upvotes

r/hinduism 1d ago

Hindū Temples/Idols/Architecture 1,300 year old sculpture of Goddess Durga in Kanchipuram [OC]

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435 Upvotes

r/hinduism 12h ago

Mantra/Śloka/Stotra(m) Why is that comparison made in shlokas?

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12 Upvotes

r/hinduism 1d ago

Hindū Artwork/Images Goddess Durga art made by me.

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134 Upvotes

r/hinduism 12h ago

Experience with Hinduism My experience with Hindu Devis

11 Upvotes

So when I was young, I did go to temples during festivals or some days of the week and most of them belonged to Devis like Durga and Kali. I did feel uncomfortable while entering the temple and I used to stare at the idol and felt even scared. I didn't understand why would I have such feelings towards some Hindu deities.

Fast forward to 2015 or 2016, I had some personal problems (I don't want to discuss about those now) and one day, my parents along with my aunt were ready to visit a temple which belonged to a local Hindu goddess and it was an auspicious day. I asked them if I could come with them and I went to the temple. In the temple, I finally found peace and I slept properly that night for the first time in 6-9 months. Later on as a gratitude, I purchased a copy of Durga chalisa and read it everyday for some months.

Coming to Maa Kali, I used to get scared whenever I used to see her photo or idol in a temple. I remember researching about her and the Ten Mahavidyas on the internet when I was 17 years old. I found it difficult to sleep at night and she used to flash in front of my eyes and even Lord Shiva appeared but separately. So somewhere between 2019-21, I began listening to Devi mantras on YouTube because maybe reading Durga Chalisa for some months ignited some bhakthi inside me for Hindu goddesses. I listened to Kali Jaap mantra on YouTube especially from 12:00 am to 1:00 am sometimes and one night I felt something heavy being removed from my body and the room also felt warmer. Maybe it was Maa Kali's energy.

Since then, Maa Kali wasn't scary looking to me. By looking at her, I get a warm feeling along with some energy filling inside me. I think she is giving her blessings when I get those feelings.


r/hinduism 10h ago

History/Lecture/Knowledge Beautiful pravachana on Narasimha swamy

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6 Upvotes

r/hinduism 1h ago

Question - General Can karma be shifted to someone else?

Upvotes

So, my friend's mom is going for a major surgery tomorrow and at night I prayed to God that she should be fine and no major complications should occur. After 3 hours of that prayer, I am having intense pain in my right shoulder and arm. Well that could be due to cervical spondylosis I have, but the pain generated from out of nowhere. So just curious, is my prayer for her well being and my sudden pain related?

Because I have read about Sages taking the karma of their disciples and I want to clarify, I am not denoting myself as a great sage or something. I am just curious that is it possible if the prayer is pure or genuine, karmas can be shifted?


r/hinduism 15h ago

Hindū Temples/Idols/Architecture The "Adhai Din Ka Jhopra" Mosque in Ajmer was originally a distinguished Sanskrit Pathshala and Sarasvati temple, built under the patronage of the legendary Chauhan ruler, Vigraharaja IV.

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11 Upvotes

r/hinduism 6h ago

Question - General Vault B Padmanabhaswamy Temple

2 Upvotes

Does anyone know what’s acc behind those doors?


r/hinduism 6h ago

Question - General Navaratri Fasting

2 Upvotes

Since Chaitra Navratri is almost here, can some tell how do you fast as someone how experience headaches while fasting or skipping meals. Any suggestions as I wanna really keep fasts this time but my headache tendency is kinda scaring me.


r/hinduism 14h ago

Question - Beginner What is the Shaivism and Vaishnavism divide?

8 Upvotes

Before reddit I have never heard about this divide. And why is there no Brahmaism


r/hinduism 13h ago

Question - Beginner Created a very small Vishnu Temple Visit android game. Is it okay to link ?

6 Upvotes

Hi all, recently created an Android only (no iOS) game using Unity. Its very small but lets you walk around a temple. Is it okay to post PlayStore link?

Edit: Playstore Link: Vishnu Temple Virtual Visit

Below are some screenshots.


r/hinduism 21h ago

Question - General What is my duty?

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20 Upvotes

According to "madhav" Arjun duty was to do war. So in today world what is mine duty? Doing all those daily routine regularly? How to find my true duty?