Excellent website on Brahmoism

Excellent website on Brahmoism

Brahmo Samaj, Brahmoism
A Brahmo web resource devoted to History of the Brahmo Samaj and development of modern Brahmoism with reference to evolution of its main branches the Adi Brahmo Samaj and the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.

Brahmo Samaj FAQ Frequently asked Questions
Q1. Is Brahmoism a religion or a philosophy? Can one adopt Brahmoism whilst retaining one's current faith.
Brahmoism is a religion. The philosophy behind Brahmoism is "Brahmo Dharma". Any person who believes that there is only one infinite "God" can "follow" Brahmoism by subscribing to membership of a "Brahmo Samaj" while retaining their own religion.

Brahmo Samaj Prime Principle
Simple Version[On God:] There is always Infinite Singularity - immanent and transcendant Singular Author and Preserver of Existence - He who is manifest everywhere and in everything, in the fire and in the water, in the smallest plant to the mightiest oak.

Brahmo Samaj - The Articles of Faith
Brahmo Samaj embraces righteousness as the only way of life.
Brahmo Samaj embraces truth, knowledge, reason, free will and virtuous intuition (observation) as guides.

Brahmo Samaj - The Trust Deed of 1830
Trust Deed of ADI BRAHMO SAMAJ
THIS INDENTURE made the eighth-day of January, in the year of Christ one thousand eight hundred and thirty,
BETWEEN
DWARKANAUTH TAGORE of Jorasankoe in the Town of Calcutta Zumeendar,
KALEENAUTH ROY of Burranugar in the Zillah of Havelly in the suburbs of Calcutta aforesaid Zumeendar,

Brahmo Samaj, Brief History & Time Line
[1828 :] Raja Ram Mohun Roy establishes Brahma Sabha (assembly of Brahmins).
[1829 :] Asiatic Society admits the first Indian natives to its membership, the first of whom are Dwarkanath Tagore and Prasanna Coomar Tagore.
[1830 :] Dwarkanath Tagore, Prasanna Coomar Tagore and Ors. establish the first Brahmo Place for Worship through a legal Trust Deed at Chitpur (Jorasanko Kolkatta India). Ram Mohun departs for Britain.

Brahmo Samaj, True Brahmoism
1) Brahmoism is the highest form of Hinduism, and is so very different from what passes for Hinduism today that Brahmos consider themselves to be "beyond the pale of Hinduism" and a separate religion altogether.
2) A "True" Brahmo is either an adherent of Brahmoism to the exclusion of ll other religions, or a person with at least one Brahmo parent or guardian and who has never denied his faith.

Brahmo Samaj, Did God create matter?
God did not "create" matter, God is matter just as God is equally energy. God created the universe and all the worlds within. Before God there was nothing except Chaos which is still all-pervasive. God sprang from Chaos.

History of the Brahmo Samaj
In order to make the Brahmo Samaj a body of men believing in the One God and worshipping Him in truth and spirit only, Devendra Nath drew up a Brahmo convenant containing a number of vows enjoining the renunciation of idolatry, the worship of the One Only in the Vedanta and the practice of virtue. God as described Devendra Nath himself took the lead in being initiated into Brahmoism by Ram Chandra Vidyabagish by signing this Covenant in Dec. 1843 ; twenty of his friends followed him in this new and momentous departure, Thus was formed the nucleus of a Brahmo community; and by 1874 the number of covenanted Brahmos rose to 767.

The Brahmo Conference Organisation
(Sammilan) was founded on 27 January 1881 at Mymensingh in Bangladesh. It is the inter-faith organisation between the Brahmos of Adi Dharma and some from Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. The stated objectives for founding the organisation are to "achieve purity in Brahmoism" by

Resolving the differences between the 2 existing Brahmic divisions of Adiism and Sadharanism,

Preaching from every platform that the Nabobidhan (a dissenting sect - also known as "New Dispensation") is not the Brahmo religion but totally opposed to Brahmoism.

Adi Brahmo Samaj
As left by Raja Ram Mohan Roy the Samaj was really nothing more than a mere platform, where men of various creeds met from time to time to listen to the hymns and sermons. By joining it nothing was lost, nothing incurred, nothing pledged. Indeed, there were not a few who would attend the service at the Samaj in the morning and worship idols at home in the evening, thus showing that they had never really grasped the meaning of spiritual devotion.
Hence, in the year 1839, DebendraNath a started the Tattvabodhini Sabha, or Truth-teaching Society, and established various schools at different places, so that young men might be trained for national service in the Adi Brahmo Samaj and to propogate the spiritual researches of Raja Rammohun Roy.

Brahmoism, Genetics and memetics
Brahmoism, and information, is transmitted in at least 2 ways. Genetically or memetically. The human "genome" today has around 3 or 4 billion components (DNA / RNA etc pairs). It was the Tattwabodhini under young Master Hemendranath (founder of modern True Brahmoism) to whom were revealed the secrets of the human genome in about 1861. The power of this revelation transformed Brahmoism and also split it asunder and caused the Tattwabodhini (and its secrets) to go underground. Brahmanism is not an acquired trait, it is acquired genetically and reinforced memetically.

Brahmo Samaj and Christianity
This has reference to a remark made by one of the members of the group saying that Bangalore Samaj has fallen into the hands of property dealers and godless Christians like Global Christian Network. The fact is that Bangalore Brahmo Samaj had got itself registered under the Foreign Exchange Control Act way back in 1983 to receive a small contribution of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) from the Social Service Network of International Association for Religious Freedom. It is false to say that heavy donations were received from foreign Christian Aid Organizations to convert Schedule Caste in Karnataka to Christianity.

Nature of "True Brahmoism
"True Brahmos abhor any kind of image worship."
"True Brahmos respect the 1830 Trust deed of the Samaj which forbids the admission of any graven work, painting, sculpture or image etc. into the premises"

Adi Brahmo Samaj on caste
Brahmos constitute a "clan". Being a minority, preservation of the distinctive identity of the clan is paramount. Caste within the clan is almost always patriachal, so a female Brahmo Brahmin who marries a Brahmo Kayasth becomes a Brahmo "Kayasth" . If somebody is admitted to the clan (say by Brahmo wedding, marriage or adoption) then equivalency of caste enters the picture to safeguard the clan.

"True Brahmo" principles
a) Declaring a firm belief in ONE GOD. The True Brahmo conception of "God" is quite different from most other religions which have a Supreme Creator who created everything. Brahmos do not worship "The Author and Preserver" as "God". For us there is only "the One without a Second" what we nowadays describe as "Singularity" - a point where the infinite folds back onto itself to generate "innumerable infinities" - being thereby both immanent *and* transcendant and where all laws of science breakdown.
b) Declaring that one will abide by the Brahmo articles of faith.* These are not "blind faith" articles to be followed like a robut automaton. Brahmoism is now a very scientific religion, well grounded in doctrine after centuries of theological struggle against some of the world's largest religions. Our doctrine is the result of consensus of many ordinary people and a few brilliant individuals. We do not believe in revelations from God to be imposed by "Adesh" as "God's will" through his "chosen messengers.

Salvation in Brahmo Samaj
As is very well known Satyendranath Tagore was a close associate of Keshab and also a Freemason like Keshab. After Satyendranath sided with Keshub during the troubles of 1866 and Hemendranath took over from him, all neo-Christian, Unitarian and Masonic doctrines were exorcised from Brahmoism by Debendranath (and Hemendranath), as Sastri has recorded himself in his History.

When Keshab founded Nababidhan, Satyendranath's composed hymns on salvation were adapted in the Vaisnav sankirtan manner as Sastri records at Page 222.

"To grant salvation the merciful God has sent his new faith of Brahmoism. Lo ! the gates of salvation are wide open. He calls one and all, entrance through his gate is free ; no one ever returns disappointed; the rich and the poor, the wise and the ignorant, all are equally welcome there."

Anusthanic Brahmos, Ananusthnic Brahmo Samaj
In 1902, the Highest Appellate Court of the British Empire (ie, the Privy Council) confirmed the detailed 1899 finding by the High Court of the Punjab that "Anusthanic Brahmos are not Hindoos but the anAnusthanic Brahmo Samajists may very well be Hindoos".

What divides Brahmos

Dear Tapesh

I have spoken today evening to the Secretary of the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj - Kolkatta, a Mr Das. He confirms that the website you received the donation request from ("Hindu Widows Welfare fund") is affiliated to Sadharan Brahmo Samaj at Kolkatta.

I also informed him that it was deceptively similar to one of the official websites of the World Brahmo Council, ie. http://sadharanbrahmosamaj.org/ but he explained his helplessness since their website (with an extra "h') has been out of action since 2006 and they (SBS) are just reviving it again.

Anyway just a reminder, that since Tapesh had contacted me last week we have had a caution up at our Sadharan Brahmo Samaj website saying

"WARNING: BEWARE Deceptive Websites asking DONATIONS for BRAHMO SAMAJ

WORLD BRAHMO COUNCIL neither solicits nor accepts money from the public or organisation or State, either directly or indirectly. It is further clarified that Brahmos are not required to make donations on religious occasions. Payment of annual subscription fee (approx. Rs.100 - US$2 which is the minimum legal amount specified for Societies in India) to a Samaj is optional and does not affect one's religious status as Brahmo. Donations solicited for idolatry, repairing tomb or installing busts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy etc. are anti-Brahmo and nothing but cheating."

and

"Illustrative list of fraudulent "Funds" to cheat Brahmos and NRIs

General Fund, Mission Fund, Charity Fund Building Repair Fund, Mahila Bhavan Fund, Balya Bhavan Fund, Medical Aid Fund, Indigent Brahmo Family Fund, Indian Messenger, Fund Tattwakaumudi Fund, Publication Fund, Sadhan Ashram Fund, Calcutta Congregation Fund, Brahmo Samaj Relief Mission Fund, Mofussil Brahmo Samaj Fund, Library Fund, Brahmo Samaj Education Society Fund, Hindu Widows Home Fund, Brahmo Social Service Organisation, Brahmo Ambulance Fund"

Oh well, one can never be too careful

Sarbajit

--- In brahmoconferenceorg@yahoogroups.com, tapesh majumdar <tapesh.majumdar@...> wrote:
>
> Dear friends
> I'm very concerned to learn that only 177 brahmos were listed in 2000 census.
> This surely is not a  correct number for brahmos in India. something must be
> done about it, and all Brahmo Samajs must educate their membership to
> register themselves correctly. This is decidedly a problem affecting all Bramhos
> & we must do something right now setting our mutual difference aside.
>
> I also agree with Mr Biswajit dutta that this must be tackled by Bramhos at
> new delhi. Who is the secretary of delhi samaj now?
> Tapesh
>
> On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 10:57 AM, sarbajitr <sroy1947@...> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Biswajit
> >
> > There is an active legal battle for Brahmoism's "minority" status. Unfortunately, it is connected with the education case for the 3 colleges in Kolkatta managed by the Brahmo Eduction Society affiliated to the Sadharan Samaj runs.
> >
> > It appears that these colleges are thoroughly mismanaged, teachers salaries not being paid, PF funds embezzled etc, and the teachers approached the West Bengal Govt asking for these colleges to be nationalised. The BES promptly went to Court claiming they were Brahmo Samaj is a religious minority and hence entitled to Constitutional protection. After 25 years in 2004 the Supreme Court disposed of the matter while not going into the question of Brahmoism's minority status.
> >
> > Thereafter, emboldened, the BES victimised the staff anew and they pressurised the WB Govt to file a strong review petition in the SC which is pending. BY ALL ACCOUNTS THE BRAHMOS ARE GOING TO LOSE !!!!
> >
> > It s unfortunate that due to the corruption and mismanagement of a handful of pseudo-Brahmos (ananusthanic Brahmos) sitting in Kolkatta, Brahmoism everywhere is going to be affected.
> >
> > Re, the census. I really have no hopes for the Samajes. They are all mismanaged (or under-managed). All we can do is exhort everyone who is willing to listen to insist they be registered as "Religion - other - Brahmo" and refuse to be registered as "Religion - Hindu".
> >
> > Also, every member of these groups should highlight this message for discussion at the next Magh Utsav of their Samajes and try to put it on the agendas of their GB meetings - and include it in their newsletters.
> >
> > I can also put up an online email Petition on the brahmo.org website requesting the Registrar General of India to allot a special numerical code for Brahmos during the census.
> >
> > The Delhi Brahmo Samaj does no social work / activism whatsoever.
> >
> > Sarbajit
> >
> > --- In brahmoconferenceorg@yahoogroups.com, biswajit dutta <bis_dutta2000@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear Sarbajit ,
> > > I know . 177 declared Brahmos is a matter of concern . You have been highlighting it for long . What steps do you think we should take to correct position in 2010 census ? Should one Samaj take the initiative & (a)Conduct a nationwide Brahmo census of its own (b)Launch a campaign to educate Brahmos that they shouldn't declare themselves as Hindus as Brahmo Dharma is a separate religion .

Go not to the temple - Rabindranath Tagore

Dear Shymal,

Alhough it is not from any of Rabindranath's well known works like
Gitanjali, it seems to be based on Sufism - specifically Kabir's poems
which were translated by Tagore in 1915. It is referred to in a Govt
of India website (page 56) as being from a poem called "True Worship"
http://mpbse.nic.in/blueprint/11thtraining/General%20English-11th.pdf

It is also interesting that many religious websites of Christians and
Saibabists contain this poem without attributing it in any way to
Rabindranath. A Saibaba website even claims it is by Satya Sai
Baba(??)

The "Temple of God" of God the poet speaks of refers in microcosm to
the human body and in macrocosm to the Universe/Multiverse.

Kabir's 4th poem translated by RNT (1915)

"Do not go to the garden of flowers!
O Friend! go not there;
In your body is the garden of flowers.
Take your seat on the thousand petals of the lotus,
and there gaze on the Infinite Beauty."

Sarbajit

--- In brahmoconferenceorg@yahoogroups.com, Shymal Dutta
<shymal.dutta@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Debanjan Ray
>
> This poem is widely circulated on the Internet as Tagore's, but I am
> unable to locate the precise work it is from. Can anyone help me
> to trace its source.
>
> Warmly Shymal
>
> On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 10:57 PM, Debanjan Ray <debanjan.ray@...>wrote:
> >
> > Just wanted to share the following quote from Rabindranath Tagore:
> > -------------------
> >
> > "Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God,
> > First fill your own house with the Fragrance of love...
> >
> > Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God,
> > First remove the darkness of sin from your heart...
> >
> > Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer,
> > First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen...
> >
> > Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees,
> > First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden. ..
> >
> > Go not to the temple to ask for forgiveness for your sins,
> > First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you."
> >
> > - Rabindranath Tagore

Gleanings from the Katha Upanishad - Part 4

The Katha Upanishad is presented as dialogue between
Nuchiketa (the son of a Brahman under obligation) and
Yamu the God of Death. Selected extracts from Rammohun's
translation of the 1st 'Valli', concerning life after
death and the nature of the soul.


Yamu, "Make, O Nuchiketa! thy third request."

Nuchiketa then said : lf Some are of opinion that
after man's demise existence continues, and others
say it ceases. Hence a doubt has arisen respecting
the nature of the soul ; I therefore wish to be
instructed by thee in this matter. This is the last
of the favours thou hast offered."

Yumu replied : "Even gods have doubted and disputed
on this subject; which being obscure, never can be
thoroughly comprehended : Ask, O Nuchiketa ! another
favour instead of this. Do not thou take advantage of
my promise, but give up this request."

Nuchiketa replied: "I am positively informed that gods
entertained doubts on this subject ; and even thou,
O Yumu ! callest it "difficult of comprehension". But
no instructor on this point equal to thee can be found,
and no other object is so desirable as this."

Yumu said : " Do thou rather request of me to give thee
sons and grandsons, each to attain the age of an hundred
years ; numbers of cattle, elephants, goat, and horses;
also extensive empire on earth, where thou shalt live as
many years as thou wishest.  I will enable thee to enjoy
all wished-for objects, but do not put to me, O Nuchiketa!
the question respecting existence after death."

Nuchiketa then replied. "The acquisition of the enjoyments
thou hast offered, O Yumu! is in the first place doubtful;
and should they be obtained, they destroy the strength of
all the senses; and even the life of Bruhma is, indeed,
comparatively short. But the only object I desire is what
I have already begged of thee.  A mortal being, whose
habitation is the low mansion of earth, and who is liable to
sudden reduction, approaching the gods exempted from
death and debility, and understanding from them that there
is a knowledge of futurity, should not ask of them any inferior
favour and knowing the fleeting nature of music, sexual
gratification, and sensual pleasures,. who can take delight in
a long life on earth? Do thou instruct us in that knowledge
which removes doubts respecting existence after death,
and is of great importance with a view to futurity, and which
is obscure and acquirable with difficulty. I, Nuchiketa, cannot
ask any other favour but this."

End of the first Section of the first Chapter (ist Bullee. \

Yumu now, after a sufficient trial of Nuchiketa's.
resolution, answers the third question,

(to be continued)

Gleanings from the Katha Upanishad - Part 3

{English Works of Rammohun Roy - Vol.1 page 60}

TRANSLATION OF THE KUTH-OPUNISHUD OF THE UJOOR-VED,

ACCORDING TO THE GLOSS OF THE CELEBRATED SUNKURACHARYU.

CALCUTTA.
1819.

PREFACE.

IN pursuance of my attempt to render a translation of the complete
Vedant, or the principal parts of the Veds, into the current languages
of this country, I had some time ago the satisfaction of publishing a
translation of the Kuth opunishud of the Ujoor-ved into Bengalee ; and
of distributing copies of it as widely as my circumstances would allow,
for the purpose of diffusing Hindoo scriptural knowledge among the
adherents of that religion. The present publication is intended to
assist the European community in forming their opinion respecting Hindoo
Theology, rather from the matter found in their doctrinal scriptures,
than from the Poorans, moral tales, or any other modern works, or from
the superstitious rites and habits daily encouraged and fostered by
their self-interested leaders.

This work not only treats polytheism with contempt and disdain, but
inculcates invariably the unity of God as the intellectual Principle,
the sole Origin of individual intellect, entirely distinct from matter
and its affections and teaches also the mode of directing the mind to
him.

A great body of my countrymen, possessed of good understandings, and not
much fettered with prejudices, being perfectly satisfied with the truth
of the doctrines contained in this and in other works, already laid by
me before them, and of the gross errors of the puerile system of idol
worship which they were led to follow, have altered their religious
conduct in a manner becoming the dignity of human beings ; while the
advocates of idolatry and their misguided followers, over whose opinions
prejudice and obstinacy prevail more than good sense and judgment,
prefer custom and fashion to the authorities of their scriptures, and
therefore continue, under the form of religious devotion, to practise a
system which destroys, to the utmost degree, the natural texture of
society, and prescribes crimes of the most heinous nature, which even
the most savage nations would blush to commit, unless compelled by the
most urgent necessity.

I am, however, not without a sanguine hope that, through Divine
Providence and human exertions, they will sooner or later avail them
selves of that true system of religion which leads its observers to a
knowledge and love of God, and to a friendly inclination towards their
fellow-creatures, impressing their hearts at the same time with humility
and charity, accompanied by independence of mind and pure sincerity.
Contrary to the code of idolatry, this system defines sins as evil
thoughts proceeding from the heart, quite unconnected with observances
as to diet and other matters of form. At any rate, it seems to me that I
cannot better employ my time than in an endeavour to illustrate and
maintain truth, and to render service to my fellow-labourers, confiding
in the mercy of that Being to whom the motives of our actions and
secrets of our hearts are well-known.

Keywords:
Rammohun Roy, Katha Upanishad, Yajur Ved, Brahmo Samaj, Brahmoism,
Sankaracharya

Gleanings from the Katha Upanishad - Part 2

Opening Prayer

Aum
saha nau~ avatu
saha nau b&#688;unaktu
saha v&#299;ryam~ karav&#257;vahai
tejasvi nau~ ad&#688;&#299;tam astu
m&#257; vi-dvi&#7779;&#257;vahai
&#257;&#363;&#7747; &#347;&#257;nti&#7717; &#347;&#257;nti&#7717;
&#347;&#257;nti&#7717;

Oh Supreme Brahma
May Thou Protect us both, (teacher and taught).
May we both strive to absorb your grace.
May our combined energies be productive.
May our study bring us illumination.
May there be no discord among us.
OM! PEACE! PEACE! PEACE!

Note:
1) This is the opening invocation used by the teacher and the taught
before they approach the work.

2) If there are any comments, including on the translation (mine) of
this series, kindly email me before it is hosted to the Brahmo
websites.

Gleanings from the Katha Upanishad - Part 1

Rammohun Roy was the first to translate the Katha Upanishad into any
European language.

Description from Max Muller's version introduction.

"THE Katha-upanishad is probably more widely known than any other
Upanishad. It formed part of the Persian translation, was rendered
into English by Râmmohun Roy, and has since been frequently quoted by
English, French, and German writers as one of the most perfect
specimens of the mystic philosophy and poetry of the ancient Hindus.

It was in the year 1845 that I first copied at Berlin the text of this
Upanishad, the commentary of Samskara (MS. 127 Chambers 1), and the
gloss of Gopâlayogin (MS. 224 Chambers). The text and commentary of
Samskara and the gloss of Ânandagiri have since been edited by Dr.
Roer in the Bibliotheca Indica, with translation and notes. There are
other translations, more or less perfect, by Râmmohun Roy,
Windischmann, Poley, Weber, Muir, Regnaud, Gough, and others. But
there still remained many difficult and obscure portions, and I hope
that in some at least of the passages where I differ from my
predecessors, not excepting Samskara, I may have succeeded in
rendering the original meaning of the author more intelligible than it
has hitherto been.

The text of the Katha-upanishad is in some MSS. ascribed to the
Yagur-veda. In the Chambers MS. of the commentary also it is said to
belong to that Veda 2, and in the Muktikopanishad it stands first
among the Upanishads of the Black Yagur-veda. According to Colebrooke
(Miscellaneous Essays, 1, 96, note) it is referred to the Sâmaveda
also. Generally, however, it is counted as one of the Âtharvana
Upanishads."

Brahmo websites to have own servers

Dear Fellow Brahmos

Very shortly (Jan 2010) the 4 "Brahmic" websites which we had
recovered shall be hosted on their own high speed high capacity (advt
free) dedicated servers. At present the websites are hosted on free
facilities like googlepages.

The scope of these websites is as follows:

1) http://adibrahmosamaj.org
This specialised website is for the history, philosophy, activities
etc of the "Adi Brahmo Samaj" connected with Rammohun Roy, Dwarkanath
Tagore, Debendranath Tagore, Raj Narain Bose, Hemendranath Tagore etc.
and its modern developments.

2) http://sadharanbrahmosamaj.org
This website is for the history, philosophy, activities etc of the
"Sadharan Brahmo Samaj" connected with Sivnath Sastri, Anandmohan Bose
and so many others.

3) http://brahmo.org
This website is for the present day activities of all Brahmos, and for
news about Brahmos, Brahmoism, Brahmo Conferences etc

4) http://brahmosamaj.org
The "official" website for Brahmos. This website shall attempt to
incorporate the entire spectrum of Brahmoism's diversity including its
controversies.

Contributions, news and articles etc are open to everybody. There
shall be online forms for anyone to contribute, news, jokes, pictures,
articles, speeches, songs, videos, prayers, upasanas etc. about
Brahmoism.

Sarbajit Roy
New Delhi