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Thank you for the note. I was articulating a geo-political vision for
India.She has to interpret and integrate her past in determining the choice of
her present actions in interaction with her complex challenges.

The British had a geo-political vision while they were running India.
But the Republic Of India had none. We had a ideology in non-violence and non-alignment.
But ideologies are empty unless you have the power to protect and expand it.

The collapse of soviet communism and third world non-aligned movement is ample
evidence for that. The Hindu civilization do need a state. Just as the
Judo-Christian civilization had a succession of states (the present one, but
not the last, being the United States) to further its influence globally
(through proselytization, colonization, techno-knowledge, capital,
consumer goods and services and ideologies).

Similarly Hinduism has to aspire for global influence.
Dharma in it's minimal sense is universal to all religions.
Hinduism has no lock on that idea. But Hinduism has better
vocabulary and institutional, intellectual and spiritual frame works to
investigate, interpret, innovate, protect and propagate the idea of
dharma.

Thus an idea has to become a way of life and culturally and politically
expressed in legally and morally justifiable institutions and practices.
Dharma has also to be expressed in people's productive and distributive
enterprises, in the modalities of defending their way of life, and
expanding their influence.

If Hindus don't expand/ adapt/innovate they will continue to be an ensemble of empty noises. Creative peace and happiness in which every individual is free to grow and express the way he/she chooses should be the Hindu ideal. Mere sloganeering about dharma will not take Hindus to that goal. What Hindus need is purposive action, not pious words.
Its driving force will be geo-econo-political.

Swami Bodhananda.
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 4:27 PM