(no subject)

From the Bhakti List Archives

• May 19, 1999


Namaskaram

I would like to know if any line exists between Hindu Mythology and Hindu
Religion.
Were the Mahabharatha and the Ramayana only literary masterpieces of two
great thinkers  , created only to explain philosophies upon which one could
base one's life ?
The Greeks as i understand also had a rich tradition of Mythology, but
looking at today's Greece it is clear that this has been passed on only as
Mythology and not as religion , unlike in India where Mythology and Religion
seem to be closely related and its hard to tell one from the other.

Also i would like to offer my humble opinion about the recent discussion on
the "external symbol" issues and the "jeans culture" issues. I would like to
quote from Gandhiji's Hindu Dharma where he says
"Even a Hypocrite may wear a string of beads or put the tilak mark or study
the vedas or keep repeating Rama's name with his lips. But such a one cannot
follow truth in his life, cannot without giving up his hypocrisy help people
in distress , or be self controlled in speech action or thought."
"One who does not follow the truth and does not acquire control over all his
senses is not a Vaishnava".
This explains my stance on this whole issue.

Adiyen Srinivasa Dasan
Badri Narayanan.