Conversion to Hindu Dharma - Textual Precedents

Conversion into a “Generic” Hinduism – Textual Precedent

Now, that leaves us with the question as to whether it is possible for a foreigner to convert into a less-defined Hinduism that falls outside well-defined sampradāya spaces. And that is intertwined with the 2nd issue that we highlighted at the beginning of this article: What does conversion to Hindu Dharma mean in terms of belief and/or praxis? Surely, if an outsider can convert into what we may call a “generic” or non-denominational Hinduism, then it must be possible to identify beliefs or practices which become binding on a convert to this non-denominational Hinduism.

In this regard, we can see an interesting passage from the Mahābhārata in Śānti-parvan, where the god Indra, in his discourse to the king Māndhātṛ, an ancestor of Śrī Rāma, delineates the religious obligations of seventeen groups/tribes collectively described as “dasyu-s”.

māndhātovāca||

yavanāḥ kirātā gāndhārāścīnāḥ śabarabarbarāḥ |

śakāstuṣārāḥ kaṅkāśca pahlavāścāndhramadrakāḥ ||13||

oḍrāḥ pulindā ramaṭhāḥ kācā mlecchāśca sarvaśaḥ |

brahmakṣatraprasūtāśca vaiśyāḥ śūdrāśca mānavāḥ ||14||

kathaṃ dharmaṃ careyuste sarve viṣayavāsinaḥ |

madvidhaiśca kathaṃ sthāpyāḥ sarve te dasyujīvinaḥ ||15||

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ bhagavaṃstadbravīhi me |

tvaṃ bandhubhūto hyasmākaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ sureśvara ||16||

“Māndhātṛ said: Yavana-s, Kirāta-s, Gāndhāra-s, Cīna-s, Śabara-s, Barbara-s, Śaka-s, Tuṣāra-s, Kaṅka-s, Pahlava-s, Āndhra-s, Madraka-s, Oḍra-s, Pulinda-s, Ramaṭha-s, Kāca-s, Mleccha-s and all, those born from the Brahma (i.e. brāhmaṇa-s) and the Kṣatra (i.e. kṣatriya-s) as well as the vaiśya-s and śūdra-s.

How shall all (these groups/tribes), abiding in my territory, adhere to dharma? How, by those like myself, shall all those subsisting as dasyu-s be established (in dharma)?

I desire to hear this; tell me oh Bhagavān! You are the kinsman of us kṣatriya-s, oh Lord of the Gods!”

A non-exhaustive commentary on the identity of some of these tribes follow: The term, “Yavana” is used to refer to Ionians/Greek and, in later times, Arabs. “Kirāṭa” is used to denote northeastern tribes. “Cīna” will refer to the Chinese and possibly extends to related groups such as the Japanese and Korean peoples. “Barbara” and “Śaka” refer to Indo-Scythian ethnic groups while “Tuṣāra ” likely refers to Tocharians in Northwestern China. ‘Śabara” and “Pulinda” are generally understood to refer to Austro-asiatic tribal peoples spanning across Madhya Pradesh and Odisha (such as the Sora/Munda tribes). “Pahlava” refers to Iranic enthnic groups. I have amended “Kahva” to “Kaṅka”, following Ganguli as I have not been able to identify “Kahva” as an ethnonym anywhere. Finally, “mleccha” could refer to groups far west of Iran or we could maximally interpret it as a “catch-all” reference to any non-Indian ethnic group not expressly included in the other ethnic groups named in the list. Now, we shall see Indra’s reply.

indra uvāca||

mātāpitrorhi kartavyā śuśrūṣā sarvadasyubhiḥ |

ācāryaguruśuśrūṣā tathaivāśramavāsinām ||17||

bhūmipālānāṃ ca śuśrūṣā kartavyā sarvadasyubhiḥ |

vedadharmakriyāścaiva teṣāṃ dharmo vidhīyate ||18||

pitṛyajñāstathā kūpāḥ prapāśca śayanāni ca |

dānāni ca yathākālaṃ dvijeṣu dadyureva te ||19||

ahiṃsā satyamakrodho vṛttidāyānupālanam |

bharaṇaṃ putradārāṇāṃ śaucamadroha eva ca ||20||

dakṣiṇā sarvayajñānāṃ dātavyā bhūtimicchatā |

pākayajñā mahārhāśca kartavyāḥ sarvadasyubhiḥ ||21||

etānyevamprakārāṇi vihitāni purānagha |

sarvalokasya karmāṇi kartavyānīha pārthiva ||22||

Indra said: To their mothers and fathers, service should be rendered by all the dasyu-s; as well as service to their ācārya-s and guru-s and residents of hermitages.

To the protector of the land (i.e. King), services should be rendered by all the dasyu-s. The dharma (in the sense of duties) and rituals (ordained) in the Veda are provided for as their (the dasyu-s’) dharma.

Sacrifices to ancestors, wells, tanks and beds [for the needy], charitable and timely gifts for the dvijas they should give. Non-injury, truth, freedom from anger, supporting kinsmen by maintaining them, supporting one’s wife and children, purity and freedom from treacherous conduct; the dakṣiṇā (ritual fees) at all sacrifices should be given by one (the dasyu/foreigner) seeking prosperity. pākayajña-s (simple vedic sacrifices) should be performed grandly by all dasyu-s.

These modes [of conduct] were laid [for the dasyu-s] in olden times, oh sinless one! The acts laid down for all peoples ought to be done here [in the case of the dāsyu-s] oh lord of the earth (i.e. King).”

From the above, we can set out the following characteristics of the dharma as prescribed for this diverse host of tribes, many of which are non-Indian in origin.

• Basic obligations towards parents, the King, religious teachers, ascetics, elders and kinsmen;
• Wider social obligations by contributing towards wells, water tanks and other comforts for people in distress;
• General virtues such as abstention from injury and truthfulness;
• Ancestor worship;
• Religious obligation to pay ritual fees to priests who perform sacrifices for them; and
• Participating in simple, domestic sacrifices for the Gods (pākayajña-s).

This seems to be a fairly comprehensive prescription that at once imposes a wide range of socio-moral obligations as well as a clear and easy-to-follow religious praxis, without mandating any complex theology or doctrine.

In particular, we find that one of the components of the prescribed praxis for the seventeen “foreigner groups” above i.e. ancestor-worship is also referred to in the Vāyu-purāṇa in the context of “mlecchas”. The text, after enumerating seven different categories of pitṛ-s (ancestral deities) (the seven consist of the: 1. yogin-s, 2. devas (Gods) themselves, 3. The enemies of the devas i.e. the asuras and 4 to 7: the 4 varṇa-s), goes on to state that the ancestral deities are worshipped even by the devas and even by the mlecchas.

devāstvetānyajante vai sarveṣveteṣvavasthitāḥ |

āśramāstu yajantyetāṃścatvārastu yathākramam ||82||

varṇāścāpi yajantyetāṃścatvārastu yathāvidhi |

tathā saṃkarajātāśca mlecchāścaiva yajanti vai ||83||

“The deva-s worship these (pitṛ-s); they (the devas/gods) are situated in these pitṛ-s/ancestors. The four āśrama-s (the celibate, the householder, the forest-recluse and the renunciant) worship them in due order. The four varṇa-s worship them as per the appropriate injunctions. Likewise, those of mixed heritage and the mlecchas too worship (the pitṛ-s).

Therefore, the texts that we have reviewed show that it is possible for non-Indian Hindus to partake in what we can call “Non-Denominational” or “Generic” Hinduism with the elements listed above as the features of a basic praxis. We can perhaps summarize, even more concisely, the six elements for convenience of discussion under the following three overarching heads:

1. Participation in sacrifices for Gods and ancestors and support for priests
2. Basic moral virtues such as non-injury, truthfulness and freedom from anger; and
3. Performance of obligations to parents, king, elders, religious teachers, kinsmen and the needy.

We see, in Indra’s prescription, the conspicuous absence of any doctrinal beliefs as requirements for dasyu-s/mleccha-s, including any belief in reincarnation, Īśvara (a single supreme creator) or apauruṣeyatva (the uncreated nature of the Veda)

However, from Indra’s statement that the dharma and rites laid down in the Veda are also applicable for the dasyu-s (vedadharmakriyāścaiva teṣāṃ dharmo vidhīyate). This can be read to imply that the dasyu-s should at least recognize the sacred authority of the Veda-s in question since the duties (and the sacrifices for the Gods and ancestors) prescribed for them somehow stem from the Veda. It is also arguable that every recommendation for a particular practice carries with it an implicit belief in the sacredness and validity of the same as nobody will carry out a ritual without any belief in its sacredness, even though the precise theological and metaphysical contents of the belief may vary.

However, we do obtain an answer to the 2nd question – conversion to the Hindu Dharma comes with a belief in the Hindu Gods (this includes ancestors) and certain foundational moral values and obligations, and a practical expression of devotion to the Gods and ancestors by means of rituals and putting into practice the said moral values by performing the said obligations.

The account of Indra’s discourse also provides an answer to the third question. There is no need to assign varṇa or jāti to a convert to the Hindu Dharma. It is possible for a convert to remain in his or her own ethnic identity prior to the conversion while making certain new practices and attendant beliefs an integral part of his life.

Authored by Ghora Angirasa and Kavita Krishna Meegama. Published by Brhat.