Book Review | Arise Arjuna by David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri)
The Author
We Indians know that there are many Indians who are more American than Americans themselves. But then there are Americans who are more Indian than Indians themselves. And in the case of David Frawley, or Pandit Vamadeva Shastri, he is arguably also more Hindu than millions of Hindus themselves.
Largely self-taught but a well published author with dozens of books and numerous articles over the last forty years, David Frawley has authored multiple books on Sanatana Dharma, Vedas, and Ayurveda. He is among the few westerners recognized in India as a Vedacharya (teacher of ancient Vedic wisdom).
Although, he has also had his share of critiques from obvious group of “intellectuals” like Meera Nanda, Irfan Habib and others — calling him “Hindu far right”, “Hindutva ideologue and apologist”, “Hindutva pamphleteer”, and “practicing historical revisionism”. Some often exploit his “whiteness” to dismiss him as an outsider and accuse Dharmic entities (individuals and organizations), who engage with Pandit, as “using” him to legitimize the Hindu “supremacist” ideology.
The Book
The book “Arise Arjuna”, precisely talks about this modern Kurukshetra that the Sanatana Dharma faces against the Adharmic forces across the world. There are multiple fronts to this war and the book focuses on discussing each of the fronts in detail. The author presents the book as an alternative to the current news media and academic sources that are unsympathetic and inaccurate about Hinduism and often give a very distorted picture of Hinduism.
The book is divided into four parts:
- Social Issues: Misrepresentation of Hinduism in India and the West; and the need for Hindu awakening
- Religious Issues: Difference in Sanatana Dharma’s view of religion vs Islam and Christianity
- Historical Issues: Ayan Invasion/Migration Theory and the Aryan-Dravidian divide
- Cultural Issues: Hinduism relative to the world as a whole and the value of Hindu culture
While one can see these four areas as four different compartments, with no particular order (at least not specified by the author in the book), the topics discussed within the four areas, at certain places, may not weave into a storyline or a flow. They appear disjoint as we move from one topic to another.
It is also interesting that the first two topics (Social Issues and Religious Issues) occupy ~70% of the book indicative of author’s greater academic expertise, especially Religious Issues. That also suggests why Religious Issues is perhaps the best written section, according to me, among all four. While the author has discussed issues, the initial understanding of the “Unity of Truth” and “Vedanta” provides a critical background to understand the forthcoming commentary, especially when comparing the Sanatana Dharma with Abrahamic religions.
While Pandit Vamadeva Shastri has touched upon a multitude of issues, there are some which were eye opening and thought provoking.
Questioning the Term “Hindu Fundamentalism”
The author raises a question to the allegation of “Hindu fundamentalism” on any unapologetic Hindu. While it is true that nobody has exactly defined “Hindu fundamentalism”, it is also to be noted that even breaking down the words, especially the “fundamentalism” part, it doesn’t fit into the traditional definition of fundamentalists like Islam or Christianity that has a very exclusive connotation when it comes existence of one single God, believers vs non-believers, heaven and hell, one single book and so on.
“There is no monolithic faith called Hinduism with a set system of beliefs that all Hindus must follow which can be turned into such fundamentalism.” (Pg. 35)
The author asks to differentiate between bad Hindus who can develop monotheistic beliefs at an individual level but there aren’t any group that exists in the context of the traditional definition of fundamentalism.
Those shouting “Hindu fundamentalism” should ask themselves some questions — 1) Do these groups/individuals insist on one single God? 2) Do they claim a certain set of Gods, even the Abrahamic ones, as “false Gods”? 3) Do they claim that those who do not believe in their God, should be killed or will burn in hell?
All Religions Are Not Same
The author also advocates critical examination of the concept of “all religions are equal” which sounds very benevolent but, on a deeper examination, contradicts Sanatana Dharma’s concept of One Truth.
The author urges us to go deeper than this superficial equality of all religions, identify the core similarities and acknowledge the differences. Majority of the times, these assertions are made to appease certain groups and attempt to hide the differences and prevent critical examination of belief systems. The appeasement itself is Adharmic since Sanatana Dharma, being individualistic, never shies away from debates, discussion and exploration of the truth. This has been the most inherent and fundamental difference of Sanatana Dharma from the organized religions of the world and that cannot be ignored.
“While it is crucial the we unify all religions, this cannot be done by pretending that religions are already one. To discover the real unity behind religion and behind all life is a much greater endeavor that requires a tremendous inquiry and deep examination until we arrive at the core of Truth hidden behind the veil of forms and dogmas.” (Pg. 87)
The author, to further explain the differences, explores the differences in religions when it comes to recognition of God as an entity, nature of Spiritual Reality, ethics and practices, concept of karma, cycle of rebirth and so on.
The author emphasizes that acknowledging differences doesn’t and shouldn’t mean disrespect. One can respect all religions while acknowledging the differences between them. The author strongly advised against the need to place all religions at the same pedestal in order to respect them.
“Hindus appear to think that it is a sin to disagree with non-Hindus on religious matters, however much Hindus may disagree among themselves, and however much non-Hindus may criticize Hinduism!” (Pg. 96)
Ram Swaroop’s book “Hindu View of Christianity and Islam”
While talking about the differences among the key religions in the world — Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism — the author also provides views of Swami Rama Tirtha, one of the greatest spiritual figures of modern India, on Islam and his thoughts on the word “kaafir”. It shows a very compassionate, but truthful, way of analyzing Islam and its evolution. The emphasis on following the basic tenets of Sanatana Dharma, while doing such analysis, couldn’t be more pronounced.
In addition, the author also comments on Ram Swaroop’s book “Hindu View of Christianity and Islam” which is one of those rare and important books that examines the two Abrahamic religions from the standpoint of yogic spirituality. There is definitely need for more such analysis since there is plenty of western analysis on Hinduism but never has there been a critical analysis the other way round. It’s very clear that the author idolizes Ram Swaroop and encouraged the audience, especially Hindus, to go through his work.
At the end, the author appeals to India to get out of the intellectual morass of appeasing a section of the society, minorities, by preventing their critique as it’s against the Dharmic traditions.
Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory
While the author has dedicated an entire section (Historical Issues) on the Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory, the topic hasn’t gone into the level of depth required. Even if the theory is new to the reader, a more recommended read would be Rajiv Malhotra’s book “Breaking India: Western Interventions in Dravidian and Dalit Faultlines”, co-authored with Aravindan Neelakandan, that goes into greater depth and details to understand the genesis and the faultlines in the theory.
In the Nutshell
The book, essentially, is a call to all Hindus unite and be unapologetic for your religion, for your culture, and follow the principles of Dharma. Even though it may appear less sophisticated than the western intellectual culture, which provides plenty of recognition by the wealthy and like-minded western organizations, it will still be Adharmic to abandon it. Instead, one should work to revive it and share the wisdom with the world without any doubt.
The author provides an amazing example to show how Hindus self-censor to avoid confrontation (which may not even happen) with people from another religion.
An American Yoga teacher and friend of mine, who also studies Tibetan Buddhism, told me once that he was given a great new secret and powerful meditation teaching from a Lama, unlike anything he had gotten from his Yoga teacher, who stressed Hatha Yoga, though he had lived and studied with him four years in India. This practice was meditating on a Tibetan deity and doing a puja to it. When I told him that such puja and devotional meditation was the main practice of Hinduism and was much more developed in the Hindu tradition than the Buddhist, which had largely adopted it from the Hindu, he was shocked. Why had he not heard of this form from his own teacher? When he had asked for religious instruction from his Hindu teacher, he was told to stick to Christian approaches, which was particularly disturbing to him as his own religious background was Jewish! (Pg. 204)
