The Hidden Narrative of Global Hindu Pluralism and Universal Unity
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Synopsis
This article highlights the unifying nature of the Hindu tradition through the celebration of diverse deities and teachings, emphasizing the importance of communal harmony among various faiths.
Key Takeaways
- Hinduism promotes unity amidst diversity.
- Shri Rama and Shri Swaminarayan exemplify universal values.
- The teachings of Swaminarayan advocate for social reform and spiritual empowerment.
- Global Hindu sites like BAPS Mandir spread these teachings worldwide.
- The principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ emphasizes global harmony.
New Delhi, April 7 (NationPress) While some may perceive religion as a source of division, my journey through the Hindu tradition has revealed its unifying essence. On the morning of January 22, 2024, I found myself chanting Siya-Rama and Swaminarayan as I watched Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the Rama Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Amidst the crowd, I noticed not just the diversity but also the solidarity that binds us. Shaivas, Shaktas, Vaishnavas, Swaminarayans, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, and Muslims all identified as Bharatiya. This emphasis on our shared essence reflects the spirit of Bharat — a nation rich in religions, sects, divine manifestations (deities), languages, cuisines, and cultures.
As Hindus worldwide geared up to commemorate Ramanavami and Swaminarayan Jayanti during Chaitra Shukla Navami, the events of that morning in Ayodhya remained vivid in my mind, even as I sat in Abu Dhabi.
It brings me joy to reflect on the rich plurality of deities in India, particularly through the lives of Shri Rama and Shri Swaminarayan.
The diverse lineages or sampradays have enriched the Hindu Sanatan tradition for nearly two millennia. These sampradays commonly venerate different forms of the divine and hold distinct theological views or darśans. Despite these variances, Hinduism has thrived as a cohesive identity.
This diversity underscores the universal teachings of Hinduism across regional communities, languages, and historical periods. Shri Rama is revered for his discipline, dignity (maryada), and respect for all individuals, regardless of their social standing or gender.
These narratives are well-known and often recounted. I first encountered them in my youth while reading the Amar Chitra Katha series and later shared them in sermons throughout India, Europe, and the Middle East.
Just across the Saryu River from Ayodhya lies Chhapaiya, a small village in the Gonda District of Uttar Pradesh, recognized as the birthplace of Shri Swaminarayan.
Every year, millions visit this quaint town to pay tribute to Shri Swaminarayan’s teachings. He departed home at the tender age of eleven, traversed the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, and eventually settled in Gujarat.
In Gujarat, Swaminarayan's sabha became a hub for open discussions among devotees, theologians, and political leaders, as well as a venue for showcasing music and literature from various cultural traditions across India.
These dialogues were compiled into a text of 273 teachings known as the Vachanamrut. The dissemination of these teachings expanded upon the earlier lessons of Maryada Purushottam Shri Rama and Lila Purushottam Shri Krishna, whom Shri Swaminarayan held in high regard.
The significance of Swaminarayan’s teachings highlights the Hindu notion of manifestation (avtara) — not to segregate and isolate believers through reverence for various divine forms, but to unite them in sharing these timeless lessons across diverse communities over the millennia.
Shri Swaminarayan's advocacy for social reform embodies these fundamental Hindu values and encourages spiritual growth. His focus on enhancing women's roles in both domestic and societal realms has garnered praise from esteemed scholars and historians like Kanaiyalal M. Munshi.
His nuanced yet impactful reforms against class-based oppression and superstitious practices have earned accolades from contemporaries and future Hindu leaders. It can be posited that his teachings laid the groundwork for an interpretation of Hinduism that resonated with a transforming Colonial India and later contributed to a grand global Hindu identity.
Most importantly, Shri Swaminarayan’s community has effectively resonated the Vedic Hindu Sanatan teachings beyond India, making a significant impact.
BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Jersey, BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, and the newly inaugurated BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and Cultural Complex in Johannesburg, South Africa are making the universal teachings of Hinduism accessible to millions beyond India.
Once more, I reflect on the work and teachings of Shri Swaminarayan as a celebration of the unity and common ground inherent in all of Hinduism — a continuation rather than an alteration of the legacies left by those who came before him.
I pen this final thought while seated beneath the central dome of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
In these mandirs and cultural complexes, Shri Rama and Shri Swaminarayan, alongside many other deities, bless all attendees. The devotions extend beyond those who identify as Swaminarayan or even more broadly as Hindu.
There are no discussions of superiority or hierarchy — only blessings for all who arrive with curiosity, spiritual yearning, or a desire for personal growth or cultural connection. These are the teachings of love, peace, and harmony, which are essential for all nations, communities, cultures, and religions today.
It is no surprise that the universal principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — the world is one family — resonates deeply here, especially on the Day of Ram Navami.
(Sadhu Brahmaviharidas is a Hindu monk initiated into the Swaminarayan Sampraday by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1981. He currently serves as the head monk responsible for the design, creation, and management of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.)
