Shastra Puja: An archaic and dangerous tradition
Shastra Puja must have had its relevance in the distant past. However, in the present volatile atmosphere of our country this practice seems more to frighten the minorities rather than appease the Gods or deities of arms.
I HAVE the highest regards for all the religions and I fully appreciate their traditions. However, reading two news items recently, I am at a loss to comprehend the logic, relevance and continuance of many practices followed by them.
In one case, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi performed a ‘Shastra Puja’ (weapon worship) on the occasion of Dussehra at his house in Gandhinagar. Weapons worshipped in this Puja were those used by Modi’s security jawans. Modi also gave a pep talk to personnel of various security forces present at the ceremony.
Shastra Puja must have had its relevance in the distant past. However, in the present volatile atmosphere of our country this practice seems more to frighten the minorities rather than appease the Gods or deities of arms. Our cool and dispassionate Hindu brothers themselves can see the game behind it.
In the other, Naresh Motwani, a 50-year-old flour mill owner, was participating in a ‘‘Shastra puja (worship of arms)’’ as part of the RSS’s foundation day programme. According to the police, a bullet from a pistol went off accidentally and shot through his throat killing him instantly. The incident occurred in RSS-run Saraswati Sishu Mandir school under Kamla nagar police station.
If RSS exudes with so much love for weapons, it should demand the government to make at two to three years compulsary military training of all youth of both the sexes with an attractive stipend. Rather than these provocative demonstrations of belligerence, they should devote their energies to teach the masses about keeping our rivers clean.
They should inculcate the virtues of honesty and integrity in every walk of life in our society. Let our smart Indian Army handle these games of arms. Let all the citizens of the country live in peace and friendship. Will someone tell these religious vigilante that their venomous Prachar and sowing of the seeds of religious hatred is no more acceptable to emerging India? These putrid policies have lost much of its sting.
Secularism in the Indian context connotes the eradication of all attitudes and practices derived from religion which impedes the development and retard the growth of India as an integrated nation. Can’t we learn something from the cataclysmic dismemberment of Pakistan? It was a country founded on negative philosophies and ideologies. It was sewn and held together for a brief period on a questionable religious homogeneity. This homogeneity is nothing but the same as Cultural nationalism of RSS.
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.With due regards to all whose feelings are hurt on my comments on so-called Shastra or Ayodhya Pooja I am reproducing the comment of an enlightened friend:
Why Ayudh Pooja for Children?By: N Raju | Saturday , 3 Oct '09 22:20:37 PM . But why Ayudh Pooja should be prescribed for the children in "Shishu Mandirs'? Is it to introduce them to the gun culture as in the West? Of course some 'intellgent persons' would say that "Ayudh" means Discriminating, Sharpness of Mind and Using force against evil.But glorifying weapons in children's minds at Schools would make them only 'Intelligent Monsters' and produce more Nathuram Godses. What a different approach than singing "We are the Children; We are the World"?
.Shastra or Ayudha Pooja is an age old tradition in hinduism and is present all over India. To ask everybody to wish it away is simply asking us to forgo all our past traditions. Traditionally it has involved paying reverance to weapons this includes all weapons of one's own trade and is a way of dedicating oneself to his or her karma and dharma...which is the underlining feature of Hinduism. I think whosoever was writing this article had no clue as to what hinduism is about and what it has stood for during the centuries. Let me point out, this is one religion which has never ever waged a war against another and defending oneself against any terror or adharma is the primary right or duty of one...as per Bhagavad Gita.
.Shastra Puja is an ancient Hindu custom. It predates Budhist philosophy of suicidal pacifism even when one is attacked by criminals or jihadis. Restarting this ancient ritual is necessary if India is to win the war unleashed aginst innocent citizens by jihadis. It is a purely defensive philosophy. No peaceful Indian fear it. Jihadis, however, will have to reckon with shastra pujak Hindus. Pl. remember that 'Ahimsa parmo dharmah' as propagated by Gandhiji is only half portion of the shloka in Mahabharata. The full shloka says 'ahimsa parmo dharmah, dharama himsa tathaiva cha. It meeans that alhough ahimsa is the best dharma, recourse to violence for protecting dharma is equally important duty. That means use of weapons to protect dharma is as sacred as ahmisa.
.The writer seems to have got carried away by his self-created obssesions and pre-concieved notions. Since we have understood him and his hidden motives now is the time to ignore him and his ilk.
.Why minorities are frightened? Christians pray cross daily which is used for killing people. Actually books which spread hatred against kafir and heathens should be baned. The two majority religions of world using their sheer money and muscle power frightening all other religions of the world.
.your ignorance and pathetic comment has left me speechless. i apologize to the writer myself. yes, we do have thsese kind of people on sites for citizen journalism!
.Let the enemies of nation be worried of weapons, why are the minorities crying out, do they consider themselves as the enemies of nation.
Well this article is written by a person whose people cut off a part of a human(foreskin) without him giving the consent for it, for it is done before his legal age.
People are brutally causing pain to children in name of stupidity, better write a article on that.
People who do not allow women to even see the sun light come up with these articles, also they breed like dogs following polygamy, SO CONSIDER THE THESE THINGS FIRST.
THE WEAPONS, TOOLS, BOOKS ARE WORSHIPED ON THAT SAME DAY, THEY REPRESENT ALL THE ASPECTS OF LIFE, SO DO NOT WORRY, NO HINDU HAS EVER TAKEN ARMS FOR A SELFISH AND FANATIC DEED, YES FOR PUNISHING AND REVENGE YES WITHOUT ANY MERCY. IT IS THE HUMAN NATURE UNLIKE THE ANIMALS WHO ARE AGGRESSORS NOT DEFENDERS LIKE HUMANS.
I would like to add one more thing, the weapons on the day of pooja are just a symbolic representation, the pooja is done to pray that let the family be safe from all evils for the coming days, and let the evil know we are not folding our hands and it has to go through us if it ever wants to take over the good.
I do not understand what was the need for this article, if we were to oppose and label everything bad, its not far when people would question why should we have a Freedom or republic day celebrations or even nation.
Few things are symbolic, to make the life free from concerns and worry.
I apologise for harsh words earlier, it was an instant reaction but i feel lots of bad things are far more visible in others than what is being written here.
@Ayurdhi well thanks for your gesture, but still Journalism is not something everyone has to accept and it can be opposed until you are right. I feel the content of my above comment is right but may not be polished with suitable words with sarcasm to give my befitting reply to the writers article, I hope he can get the content than the symbolic words, just like the Symbolic pooja which he couldn't get.
."this practice seems more to frighten the minorities rather than appease the Gods or deities of arms. Our cool and dispassionate Hindu brothers themselves can see the game behind it" Perhaps the numerous bombing, cutting the throat in a halal manner and rape of Hindu girls might be passive and peaceful expression of the religion of peace? Not just in India but the world over???.
.shastra pooja is symbol to remove all the evils from the society... so called minorities do not worry about this...
.Thanks for your unique perspective.
What about the exhortations blaring from loudspeakers? God is great. There is no god but Allah.
Is that a very meek expression of freedom by the minorities?
.i think main idea about bhopal incident should be about investigating the case by required authorities and not insulting the the legacy , traditions of various kshatriya communities whose ancestors laid down their lives so that their future generations can live as brave ''hindu''........i think this sick mentality of blasting away traditions and rituals of hindu religion should stop!............and moreover they were worshipping the weapons and not goin out and firing endlessly into innocents people....
.This author wa nts to ban Hindu religious practices under the guise of secularism. Interstingly these same guise will step up to the defense of terrorists at the drop of a hat.
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