In contemporary discourse, a disconcerting trend has emerged where certain intellectuals deliberately distort and misrepresent Hindu culture. These individuals employ various tools and platforms to disseminate ideologies that not only starkly contradict the fundamental principles of Hindu Dharma but also invade the dharmic space with factual inaccuracies and deliberate distortions.
However, amidst this intellectual dissonance, there is a notable surge of response from Hindu intellectuals who are actively countering these misrepresentations and making significant efforts to rectify misconceptions and present a more accurate portrayal of Hindu culture. The response from these intellectuals is multi-faceted, ranging from scholarly writings and research to public lectures and social media engagement. They not only provide a fitting rebuttal to the deliberate misrepresentations but also work towards fostering a deeper understanding of Hindu culture, its diversity, and its profound philosophical underpinnings. This intellectual counter-movement plays a crucial role in preserving the rich heritage of Hinduism and ensuring that it is accurately portrayed in the global intellectual landscape.
Rajiv Malhotra, in his book “Ten Heads of Ravana: A Critique of Hinduphobic Scholars,” provides a compelling critique of such misrepresentations of Hindu narrative by ten contemporary intellectuals. Metaphorically identifying them with the ten heads of Ramayana’s demonic character Ravana, the book provides an engaging account of the devious strategies employed by these individuals to distort Hindu culture and offer a thought-provoking analysis and call for intellectual integrity.
Building on the insights from Malhotra’s book, we are launching our “Ten Contemporary Dharma Warriors” series of articles. In this series, we will spotlight ten scholars who are actively challenging these misleading forces and providing a clear perspective on the Hindu civilizational narrative.
Appropriately, we commence with an overview of the extensive contributions of none other than Rajiv Malhotra himself.
Rajiv Malhotra
Rajiv Malhotra, an influential figure driving the modern Indic resurgence, has a unique story. A physics and computer science graduate, Malhotra transitioned from a successful career in Silicon Valley to establish the Infinity Foundation in 1994. This groundbreaking move marked a shift from the historical dominance of Western scholars in the exploration of Indic roots. His impact gained momentum with the publication of his seminal works, “Breaking India” and “Being Different,” in 2011. “Being Different” questioned Western Universalism, urging Indians to scrutinize Western philosophies through an innovative reversal of perspective critically. It encouraged a deep dive into Western ideas while proposing the “purva paksha” concept – a critical examination of adversarial viewpoints.[1] Meanwhile, “Breaking India” exposed a vast network involving European and American churches, think tanks, academia, NGOs, and rights groups, highlighting a concerted effort to weaken India’s social fabric. The book uncovered strategies aimed at instigating a sense of victimhood among Dalits across Indian society and Southern states by exploiting concepts like Dravidian identity and separatism.[2]
Rajiv’s impact goes beyond mere revival; he’s rekindled ancient concepts like purva paksha, encouraging intellectual discourse before debates. His ideas, such as the notion of an Intellectual Kshatriya, have stirred a whole generation of scholars, urging them to thoughtfully engage in advocating Dharma in today’s modern battlefields, a sentiment resonating even with prominent leaders such as the RSS leader Dr. Mohan Bhagwat.
However, Rajiv’s most potent influence lies in his ability to inspire a new generation to adopt a holistic perspective on various aspects of life, from personal identity to societal, national, and global understanding, encompassing history, values, economics, geopolitics, and politics within the realm of Dharma.[3] [4] His relentless efforts to safeguard Dharma on diverse fronts set him apart from his contemporaries. Rajiv’s research revealed how funds from Hindu temples were diverted to Islamist and evangelical purposes, and he led the charge against an Islamic university planned on the sacred land of Tirumala hills.[5]
Rajiv’s books, “Battle for Sanskrit” and “Academic Hinduphobia,” shed light on the extensive and subtle efforts of academics who, using their positions, power, and platforms, aim to infiltrate Hindu Dharma on linguistic, cultural, and social fronts through conceptual and academic frameworks. These works also underscore how Indians, whether knowingly or unknowingly, collaborate in these endeavors. In addition, “Sanskrit Non-Translatables” explores various Sanskrit words that describe socio-dharmic concepts in Indian society without linguistic equivalents in other languages due to the absence of comparable civilizational contexts. The intentional mistranslation and misapplication of these words, driven by malicious motives, have resulted in consequences that impact the interpretation of our scriptures, distort our understanding of culture, and contribute to a negative portrayal of our society and Dharma.
Adding another crucial piece to the puzzle, “Sanskrit Non-Translatables” unveils a fascinating linguistic phenomenon. Malhotra delves into the depths of Sanskrit, uncovering a trove of words that defy translation into any other language. These unique terms encapsulate intricate socio-dharmic concepts inherent to Indian society, concepts that transcend mere words and reflect a profound level of cultural understanding. As noted earlier, their deliberate mistranslation and manipulations lead to gross misinterpretations of our scriptures, fueling hateful perceptions of our society and Dharma.
Rajiv Malhotra’s groundbreaking works serve as a clarion call for Indian Americans. They equip us with the knowledge and tools to recognize subtle and pervasive threats to our heritage. His insightful analysis compels us to confront the internal collaborators and forge a united front against the intellectual invaders. By reclaiming our linguistic and cultural heritage and rediscovering the profound wisdom encoded in our non-translatables, we can safeguard the integrity of our Dharma and ensure its vibrant continuation.
While Malhotra’s books on historical aspects have brought about a social awakening, his book “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Power – 5 Battlegrounds” takes a futuristic view from a dharmic perspective of the global power scenarios that would arise as a result of the rise of AI technology.[6] Rajiv has been a leading voice questioning policy-making and governance, voicing his concern against India’s Macaulayite education system and seeking reform. His concerns about foreign-controlled social media fueling societal conflict and the West’s struggles with implementing democracy merit serious consideration.[7]
Malhotra’s recent work “Snakes in the Ganga: Breaking India 2.0” sheds light on the shadowy nexus between media and foreign actors. This groundbreaking exposé has triggered investigations into Newsclick, a news platform in India, for suspected terror links and illegal Chinese funding. Furthermore, the book delves into the complex web of American forces posing significant security threats to India, adding a crucial layer to our understanding of geopolitical adversaries in the 21st century.[8] [9]
His recent offerings, “Varna Jati and Caste: A Primer on Indian Social Structures” and “Battle for the IITs,” tackle crucial issues with clarity and purpose. The former deconstructs prevalent myths surrounding the caste system, offering a powerful counter-narrative to Eurocentric interpretations of Indian society. In the latter, Malhotra raises the alarm about the insidious infiltration of “wokeism” into India’s most prestigious learning institutions, the IITs, warning against the potential for this Harvard-exported ideology to weaken the intellectual fabric of Indian society.[10]
In his most recent work, “Ten Heads of Ravana: A Critique of Hinduphobic Scholars,” Malhotra revisits the beginning of his great mission, which commenced in 1994. This unique book stands out as a compilation of meticulously researched, evidence-based essays written by several young scholars under Malhotra’s guidance. It exposes a multitude of factual inaccuracies, intentional misrepresentations, and purposeful distortions present in the scholarly works of ten contemporary intellectuals, metaphorically referred to as the ten heads of Ravana.
A believer in action, Rajiv’s Infinity Foundation has been a flag bearer of Indic awakening, organizing Swadeshi Indology conferences across institutions in India with the sole objective of awakening Indians to take charge of their own worldview and global discourse about us as a nation, civilization, and race. As the initiative grows with new awakenings every day, we can’t help but thank Rajiv Malhotra, who has led from the front, spending his time, efforts, energy, and life for the cause of Dharma. He exemplifies how inspiration from one man’s research can awaken millions to stand up for their ancient civilization and defend their heritage in the modern-day Kurukshetra.
Citations
[1] Being Different by Rajiv Malhotra https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/13099825
[2] Breaking India by Rajiv Malhotra https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11687399-breaking-india
[3] The concept of Intellectual Kshatriya https://intellectualkshatriya.com/rajiv-malhotra/
[4] The need for intellectual Kshatriyas https://www.deccanherald.com/india/india-needs-intellectual-kshatriyas-says-mohan-bhagwat-1234389.html
[5]Rajiv Malhotra led the movement against Islamic University https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/dear-sarkari-babu
[6] Impact of AI on humans in future https://www.aiandpower.com/
[7] Rajiv Malhotra seeks reform of Indian education https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/140323/reform-indian-education-author-rajiv-malhotra.html
[8] Rajiv Malhotra’s book exposes media organizations’ illegal funding network https://www.timesnownews.com/videos/times-now/india-upfront/author-who-exposed-newsclick-first-rajiv-malhotra-exclusive-on-times-network-india-upfront-video-104166375
[9] Snakes in the Ganga book review https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/snakes-in-the-ganga-breaking-india-2-0-authored-by-shri-rajiv-malhotra-and-mrs-vijaya-viswanathan/
[10] Review of book Varna, Jati, Caste: A Primer on Indian Social Structures https://www.keetabikeeda.in/post/demystifying-the-hindu-social-order-a-book-review-of-varna-jati-and-caste-by-rajiv-malhotra
(The article was published on Hindudvesha.org on September 12, 2023 and has been reproduced here)
