7. CONVERSION OF RELIGION

D: There are many people who have left the Hindu fold and joined other religions. If some of them desire to return to sanātana-dharma is it possible to take them back?

A: Whatever has been specified in the Veda-s should be the basis of our conclusions. It has not been said in the śāstra-s that one can leave the fold of sanātana-dharma. He who turns away from sanātana-dharma becomes a bhraṣṭa (one who has fallen or one who has disobeyed the commands of the scriptures). So, there is no question of one actually quitting sanātana-dharma.

D: If a man desires to relive as a Hindu, what should he do?

A: Expiations for various sins have been prescribed in our scriptures. First, he can take appropriate steps to expiate the sin of not having followed sanātana-dharma. For example, if he takes a dip in the holy Gaṅgā and maintains faith in our śāstra-s, we have no objection to treating him as a Hindu once again.

D: Will it not be better if there exists, with steps, a method of reconverting one to Hinduism?

A: Not at all. It will be directly contradictory to our idea, based on śāstra-s, that he has not left sanātana-dharma at all.

D: Foreigners have never been Hindus. Can anything be done to admit them into the Hindu fold?

A: Manu has opined that if a righteous king conquers a foreign land, the people of that country too become suited to follow the sāmānya-dharma-s (general codes of conduct) prescribed by the śāstra-s. Accordingly, we are ready to treat as Hindus those foreigners who have faith in our Hindu religion.

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❑ Discourses of Acharyal

Once a proselytizer told a man that he had changed the latter’s religion and caste. A few days later, the “converted” person invited the proselytizer to dinner. The convert served pork to his guest. The guest asked, “What is this?” The host replied, “It is pork, sir.” “What! Pork!” exclaimed the guest. “Take it away from my plate. I do not eat such things.” The host was not to be put off. “You told me that you had converted me. Why should you not accept what I give you?” he objected. “Pork is impure”, replied the proselytizer. “Just as you changed my religion and caste by sprinkling water on me, I have also changed pork into mutton by sprinkling water on it. So, from your standpoint, it should be mutton, and not pork. It is surprising that you are not prepared to eat it”, argued the host. The proselytizer had no reply.

The śāstra-s do not accept that a Hindu can be genuinely converted to any religion by some process, such as sprinkling of water. If a person ceases to follow sanātana-dharma, he becomes a bhraṣṭa, a fallen one. For various sins, expiations are prescribed. One can expiate for having discarded one’s scripturally-prescribed duties and carry on as if the “conversion” had never taken place.

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❑ Incidents from Acharyal's Life

After the India-Pakistan war of 1965, many Hindus got converted to Islam. Acharyal was proceeding to New Delhi at that time. While in New Delhi, Acharyal addressed a huge congregation one day. Somebody from the crowd stood up and asked Acharyal,

CONVERSION OF RELIGION 59

“So many Hindus have been converted to Islam. What does Swamiji have to say about this?” Acharyal said in a firm tone that rang through the crowd, “A Hindu is always a Hindu. Nobody can convert a Hindu.”

Acharyal thus made a firm statement in consonance with sanātana-dharma, and yet, made sure that His statement did not create any communal tensions.

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❑ Experiences of Devotees

Acharyal’s sympathies were thoroughly cosmopolitan. He belonged to all, irrespective of caste or creed.

Once, a Muslim man had the opportunity to have Acharyal’s darśana in Bombay. Being conversant in Sanskrit, he introduced himself to Acharyal in Sanskrit. Acharyal was surprised and spoke a few sentences in Sanskrit to encourage him. The man was very happy and told Acharyal that he had been yearning to have Acharyal’s darśana for a long time and added that his father, who was in Calcutta, too had the same desire. Acharyal told him that his father could have His darśana when He visited Calcutta. Acharyal then asked for some stones to be brought. Giving them to the man, He said, “These were given to Me by some Muslim devotees who had returned from Mecca. You can keep them. If your father requires one, you can give it to him too.” The man then asked Acharyal if he could watch the Candramoulīśvara-pūjā that night. Acharyal was pleased with his devotion and readily consented. At the end of the pūjā, Acharyal blessed him by giving flowers, which, to this day, have been preserved by him in his Koran book. He also wears the stone given by Acharyal on his ring. When he met his friend who was a devotee of Acharyal, he said, “I met my Prophet at Bombay recently!” The man’s father later remarked, “I was at Mecca when Acharyal visited Calcutta. If I had known that He was coming here, I would not have gone to Mecca at all!” [Sri Chandramouli]

When Acharyal was camping in Rameswaram, two Muslim devotees came for His darśana. They prostrated before Him. A conversation ensued between Acharyal and one of the devotees.

made before You, are really for the Allah residing in You.

The devotee thus expressed his deep devotion to Acharyal. With His characteristic compassion, Acharyal conferred His blessings on him for begetting progeny. This benediction was surprising, as this devotee’s wife had undergone abortion six times earlier. The devotee had in fact, visited Acharyal only to seek His blessings for a child. His wife was then in the family way. Can the words of the omnipotent One ever go in vain? The man was soon blessed with a son.

The devotee, overcome with joy, wanted to do pāda-pūjā to express his gratitude and requested Acharyal’s permission for the same. However, keeping the fact that such ceremonial worship does not conform to the principles of Islam in mind, Acharyal told him that it was not necessary. As the man was insistent, in order not to disappoint him, Acharyal accepted his kānikā. [Sri K.V.Santhanagopalachariar]

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