[Advaita-l] Conversion story

[Stig Lundgren]

Hari OM!


In the book "The Jagadguru Replies", published by Sri Sharada Trust, a disciple puts forward the following question (pages 21f) to Sringeri Jagadguru H.H. Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamigal:

Disciple: Foreigners have never been Hindus. Can any thing be done to admit them into the Hindu fold?

H.H. Jagadguru: Manu has said, "If a king conquers a foreign land, the people of that country also are eligible to follow the samanya dharma (codes of conduct) prescribed by the shastras." As per this, we are ready to treat as Hindus, those foreigners who have faith in our Hindu religion.


Warmest regards
Stig Lundgren





> There were quite a few non-Indians who took mantra(ofcourse not veda mantra-s but paurANika and tAntrIka) dIkSha from various traditional Indian teachers and scaled great spiritual heights. As an example I am aware of a certain nR^isiMhopAsaka - a caucasian and christian by birth who studied under a traditional vaiShNava teacher and now is at a stage where he can perform nR^isiMha prayoga-s including making dhAraNa yantra-s for others.
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