Written by London Swaminathan
Date: 2 September 2016
Time uploaded in London: 8-30 AM
Post No.3113
Pictures are taken from various sources; thanks.
From the book
India – Its Life and Thought by John P.Jones D.D., The Macmillan Company, New York, 1908.
KALI YUGA
9.Modern Hinduism, also, inculcates the spirit of pessimism among its people. The Puranas tell us, and the people universally believe it, that we are now living in Kali Yuga, the iron age, in which all things are evil, and in which righteousness is a thing largely unknown to the people. All the forces of this age are against the good, and it leaves no encouragement to anyone to try to do, and to e, good.
ASTROLOGY
10.Add to this the even more potent belief of the people n astrology. The plants and the stars, the moon and the nodes are living gods, they say, which wield an influence over the life and destiny of human beings. The astrologer is perhaps the most important functionary in the social and religious life of the people. No marriage can be performed unless the horoscope of the bride and bridegroom harmonize. No social or domestic event of importance, and specially no religious ceremony of any consequence, carried on save during what are called auspicious days and moments. Astrology is the right hand of Hinduism, and it has supreme authority in the direction of most of its affairs.
Add to this is belief in omens, which enters very largely into human life and thought. A hindu will not start upon a journey save on what is astrologically an auspicious day; and if even a crow crosses his path from left to right, after he has begun his journey, it is regarded as an ill omen, and he will at once return home. He spends much of his time in watching such omens; even ass’s bray carries a significance to him. If it is heard in the east, his success will be delayed; in the southeast, it portends death; in the south it means wealth etc. It matters not how important it may be that a man should undertake a journey or a task at a certain time, he will not do it at that time if he finds it to be inauspicious.
When the new governor of Madras recently arrived at his destination, the reception to be given to him by the Hindus had to be postponed because it was ignorantly put at an hour which was Rahu Kala – an inauspicious hour!
In a thousand similar ways, the Hindu people are controlled and handicapped by silly superstitions which make life a burden to them and which rob them of efficiency and sanity.”
TEMPLE CHARIOTS
Temple Cars have Sensual Carvings! (Page 211)
“Among the most demoralizing institutions to the youth of India are the temple cars, which are found in every village of any consequence throughout the land. They are erected at great expense, by temple authorities, are most elaborately carved, and are used for the conveyance of the gods through the village streets upon festival occasions. There is hardly one of these cars, in South India at any rate, which is not disfigured by grossly sensual; carvings such as ought to bring blushing shame to any decent and self-respecting community. They are open to the public gaze, and children of the village play under their shadow, and gaze daily upon their vile and disgusting sights. The government would forbid the erection of such cars tomorrow, if they had not pledged themselves not o interfere with the religion of the people!
My Comments
If we read the above comments now, we cant stop laughing at him. Hindus still believe in all these things and yet have made tremendous progress. His comments about the sensual figures in the temple cars would evoke laughter. Even today the temple cars are made in the same way. But yet Hindus are not morally degraded. They are better than any other faiths. But worst things are available on line, and most of them are made in Christian countries.
The Christian preachers refused to translate the third part of Tirukkural (which deals with family life) last century. But today we hear about the crimes committed by the preachers.
About his remark on astrology, I have to point out that almost all the Western newspapers publish astrology column today.
About the omens, I have to point out that they are superstitious about number 13, number 666, ladder, cat etc.
There are more pornographic materials on the internet than on the temple cars!
EAST IS UNIQUE!
In praise of Indians (page 197/198)
“The people of India are, perhaps, the most religious upon earth. In this respect, they are very unlike the Japanese and Chinese, who are worldly, prosaic practical. Hindus are poetic, other-worldly, and spiritually minded. They have a keen instinct for things of the spirit. They are, also, very unlike the people of the West. Among Westerners, religion is largely an incident in life.it has for them a separate department, a small corner, in the life. In the East, on the other hand, religion enters into every detail of life. There is hardly a department or an interest in life which is not subsidized by faith and which has not to be conducted religiously. Moreover, the people of India thought out and elaborated most profound systems of theosophic thought in the far, remote past. When our ancestors were in the depth of savagery, Indian sages were indulging in metaphysical disquisitions which are even today the admiration of the western sages. And there were many among those ancient Hindu rishis whose self -propelled flight toward God and divine things, and whose spiritual aspirations and yearnings were so beautiful that we can but speak with profound respect and entertain the highest admiration of them religion is not merely a philosophy, or even an aspiration; it is something vastly more than this (From page 197/198)
MY PREVIOUS ARTICLES ON ASTROLOGY: —
Millionaires and Astrology!!, Post No. 1102; Dated 12th June 2014.
New COLOURING Book on Astrology! (Post No 2508), Date: 4 February 2016
Hindu’s Strange Magic Square Astrology!! (Post No. 2756),Date: 25 April 2016
The difference between a Sage and an Astrologer (Post No.2547), Date: 16 February 2016
What India could teach NASA Scientists?, Post No. 1022; Date 5th May 2014.
Can Birds Predict Your Future?, posted on 22-07-2012
Tamil Astrology: Rope Trick for Predictions! Posted on 27-02-2013
DIVINATION in The Vedas, Babylonian and Etruscan, Research Article No. 1792; Date: 10th April 2015
–Subham-
Tamil and Vedas 
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