[Advaita-l] Advaita-l Digest, Vol 95, Issue 25

[S L Shivashankar]

Dear Praveen Kumar,


>
> There is no prayoga to convert one from one varna to another,neither there
> is a prayoga to
> induct to sanatana dharma from other religions let this be clear from
> dharma shastra point of view.
>
>
>
Does the absence of a prayoga valid for every occasion and at every time
really excludes the possibility of conversion? Apparently not. I know of
many examples when people have been adopted into the hindu fold, and it
seems to be different methods in use. Hinduism/vaidika dharma has never
been of a proselyting nature, so the absence of a standard conversion
prayoga is easy to understand. Swami Hariharananda Saraswati (Swami
Karpatriji) of Varanasi had western disciples living near his ashram, and
they were considered full-fledged hindus by him. I have read about
conversions into hinduism in Orissa, and the activities has been - as far
as I know - supported and sanctified by the Puri Shankaracharya Swami
Nischalanand Saraswati.  Of course, one can always chose to consider these
two acharyas as "non-traditional" and not being faithful to dharma, but
such a view would certainly be questioned by many a learned pandit.

Warmest regards
Shivashankar