I admit my knowledge of Hinduism is a bit scarce, but I have attempted to show that the archetype of the "warrior-ascetic" is part of the Hindu tradition just as it has appeared in other spiritual paths. This specifically deals with Hinduism. It's an excerpt from an essay I am in the process of writing.

Any corrections, feedback, or criticism is welcome on my site:

http://my.textjourney.com/ahwei/2008/06/16/hindu-holy-war/

You are confusing "holy war" with "Dharma" or duty. I don't remember quite remember Bhagvatgeeta, but from what I remember, Krishna tells Arjuna to fulfill his dharma or his role as kshatriya, it has nothing to do with "holy war". Krishna telling Arjuna to fulfill his Dharma is secular in nature, and has nothing to do with religion.

The closest to a "Holy War" is the Arya Samaj position of Christian group targeting harijan and uplifting their lives through hard work and justice. Many harijian ('untochables) are still excluded from areas of economic benefit through discrimination within the social structure of Hinduism.

As a result, many turn to Christianity because of the upward mobility, the social ' equality' quotient and the potential to attain a higher standard of living that Hinduism does not allow. No Dharma there so why waste time? Christianity has been in India for millenia but it has always been a 'minority' religion. There have been many situation where some Hindu groups attack Christians, burn their villages down or kill Christian just because they are! Nothing Holy or Dharma like in that!

Sorry to disappoint you but there is no concept of 'Holy war' in Hinduism.


May I know the basis of your accusations? You don't even know what Arya Samaj is all about. I never heard of any violent incident involving Arya Samajis. You must be mistaken them for someone else. And Christian groups are there to convert people everyone knows this simple truth.


There is no such thing as Christian villages. In fact Christian missionaries go around the poor tribal villages and try to influence people with their social work and win converts but most of the time people of those villages get violent because villages were forced by missionaries and their cronies to convert for money, health-care etc.

I've never heard of Arya Samaj taking that sort of stance. Sounds pretty dubious to me.

I think Vaman's point about the attacks on Christianity are valid. Many missionaries exploit the situation in many parts of India with more sinister motives. This isn't to say Hindus don't do it themselves, many do. It's unfortunate the name of religion is used when performing these acts.

Conversion attempts in the time of grief

Shobha Warrier in Nagapattinam | January 24, 2005 15:45 IST
Last Updated: January 24, 2005 16:17 IST

When I entered one of the rows of temporary shelters built for tsunami victims in Pattancherry village in Nagapattinam, I witnessed a minor scuffle in a corner.

Some inmates had surrounded a Christian priest and two nuns, and a war of words was going on.

"We are Hindus and we want to live as Hindus. Why do you want to convert us?" some young men shouted at the missionaries.

The priest said, "We are not here to convert people. We were only offering prayers for your peace of mind."

But flashing some pamphlets distributed among them by the three, the inmates snorted, "What does this mean?"

The priest had no answer.

"Why do you enter our houses and pray?," they asked. "Your nuns do this when our women are alone at home. We know how to pray."

The young men were extremely furious. The priest was unruffled. But the nuns were shaken by the sudden surge of animosity from the muscular men.

The scuffle went on till the three were forced to leave the place.

Day two:

As I was visiting the areas close to the sea that were badly affected by the tsunami waves, I saw another angry scene outside another temple in another village.

Police jeeps were seen parked outside the temple in Samandapettai. So was a van.

Villagers were complaining to the police about a missionary group to which the van belonged.

They said the group had taken away to another place their belongings and the relief they had got from nongovernmental organisations and the government, which they had kept inside the temple, because they refused to listen to its missionaries.

"They want to try their luck at some other place. Since we resisted, they took away our things. We won't allow this to happen," they said. "Why don't you arrest all of them?" the villagers asked the police.

The villagers' torrent of angry words continued. "We have lost everything to the sea. They said they would help us if we followed their religion. What logic is this? Are they here to help us or change our religion?" The police couldn't cool their tempers.

The group said it did not take away the belongings of the villagers and insisted that the contents inside the van belonged to it.

That evening, some villagers came with the news that the police had arrested the priest they had confronted the previous day. Apparently some angry villagers had gheraoed him, and forced the police to arrest him.

"He shouldn't be doing this when we are grieving, when we are suffering. Everything has its time and place," a villager said.

When I wanted to talk to the panchayat president and locals of the Karakkalmedu village at Karaikkal, they called me inside the village temple. That was where they met outsiders. The temple has become the centre of activity in the village.

Before we started talking, one of them opened the door to the sanctum sanctorum and pointed to a mark left by the strong tsunami waves. They told me that water stopped at the feet of their deity and then receded. "We might have suffered, but our Goddess saved us."

This belief had taken the villagers all the more closer to their deity.

"That is why it hurts us when others come and tell us that it was because of our God and our belief that we suffered. We won't let anyone exploit us when we are down," the panchayat members asserted.

Source - http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/24shoba.htm