User:IndianRationalist/Irrationality in Hinduism

It gave me extraordinary pleasure to fling at the pundits their own contradictions and thus perplex them. It also gave me the reputation, among our neighbors of being a clever speaker. I believe that it was this experience which deprived me of faith in castes and communities, in religion, in puranas, in sastras and in god.

An oft-repeated claim made by Hindus and Hindu apologists is that their religion is either free of pseudoscience and irrationality or that such ideas, while in existence, do not form an integral part of it. On top of it, much like the idea that Christianity is not a religion, Hindus, too, make a similar claim. While it is true that Hinduism is a not a religion in the same sense as Islam or Christianity, it still very much is an organized religion as it shows all of its basic features.

Obviously no proof is presented along with the assertion of such claims, but their intended purpose is achieved nevertheless - a win through.

Irrationality in Vedas

 * Vedas
 * Ayurveda

Irrationality in Purva Mimamsa

 * - a Hindu "scholar" born in the 4th century BCE - founded the school (literally meaning "reflection" or "critical investigation") through his . This school accepted the authority of the Vedas and even argued that Vedas they are Sanātana (eternal and pre-existing before the beginning of the Universe)  and Apaurusheya (author-less or self-composed). Using a truly bizarre set of statements, he comes to this conclusion. Babasaheb has summarized his arguments, thus.
 * Firstly, God has no body and no palate and therefore he could not utter the Vedas.
 * Secondly, assuming God had a body, God could not perceive things which are beyond the reach of the senses, while the Vedas contain things beyond the reach of human senses.
 * Thirdly, The connection between a word and its meaning is eternal.
 * Fourthly, Sound is eternal.
 * Fifthly, Because sound is eternal, words which are made up of sounds are also eternal.
 * Sixthly Because words are eternal therefore the Vedas are eternal and because the Vedas are eternal they are not made by man nor by God.

Irrationality in Manusmriti

 * “Swabhav ev narinam …..” – 2/213. It is the nature of women to seduce men in this world; for that reason the wise are never unguarded in the company of females.


 * “Avidvam samlam………..” – 2/214. Women, true to their class character, are capable of leading astray men in this world, not only a fool but even a learned and wise man. Both become slaves of desire.


 * “Matra swastra ………..” – 2/215. Wise people should avoid sitting alone with one’s mother, daughter or sister. Since carnal desire is always strong, it can lead to temptation.


 * “Naudwahay……………..” – 3/8. One should not marry women who has have reddish hair, redundant parts of the body [such as six fingers], one who is often sick, one without hair or having excessive hair and one who has red eyes.


 * “Nraksh vraksh ………..” – 3/9. One should not marry women whose names are similar to constellations, trees, rivers, those from a low caste, mountains, birds, snakes, slaves or those whose names inspires terror.


 * “Yasto na bhavet ….. …..” – 3/10. Wise men should not marry women who do not have a brother and whose parents are not socially well known.


 * “Uchayangh…………….” – 3/11. Wise men should marry only women who are free from bodily defects, with beautiful names, grace/gait like an elephant, moderate hair on the head and body, soft limbs and small teeth.


 * “Shudr-aiv bharya………” – 3/12.Brahman men can marry Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaish and even Shudra women but Shudra men can marry only Shudra women.


 * “Na Brahman kshatriya..” – 3/14. Although Brahman, Kshatriya and Vaish men have been allowed inter-caste marriages, even in distress they should not marry Shudra women.


 * “Heenjati striyam……..” – 3/15. When twice born [dwij=Brahman, Kshatriya and Vaish] men in their folly marry low caste Shudra women, they are responsible for the degradation of their whole family. Accordingly, their children adopt all the demerits of the Shudra caste.


 * “Shudram shaynam……” – 3/17. A Brahman who marries a Shudra woman, degrades himself and his whole family ,becomes morally degenerated, loses Brahman status and his children too attain status  of shudra.


 * “Daiv pitrya………………” – 3/18. The offerings made by such a person at the time of established rituals are neither accepted by God nor by the departed soul; guests also refuse to have meals with him and he is bound to go to hell after death.


 * “Chandalash ……………” – 3/240. Food offered and served to Brahman after Shradh ritual should not be seen by a chandal, a pig, a cock,a dog, and a menstruating women.


 * “Na ashniyat…………….” – 4/43. A Brahman, true defender of his class, should not have his meals in the company of his wife and even avoid looking at her. Furthermore, he should not look towards her when she is having her meals or when she sneezes/yawns.


 * “Na ajyanti……………….” – 4/44. A Brahman in order to preserve his energy and intellect, must not look at women who applies collyrium to her eyes, one who is massaging her nude body or one who is delivering a child.


 * “Mrshyanti…………….” – 4/217. One should not accept meals from a woman who has extra marital relations; nor from a family exclusively dominated/managed by women or a family whose 10 days of impurity because of death have not passed.


 * “Balya va………………….” – 5/150. A female child, young woman or old woman is not supposed to work independently even at her place of residence.


 * “Balye pitorvashay…….” – 5/151. Girls are supposed to be in the custody of their father when they are children, women must be under the custody of their husband when married and under the custody of her son as widows. In no circumstances is she allowed to assert herself independently.


 * “Asheela kamvrto………” – 5/157. Men may be lacking virtue, be sexual perverts, immoral and devoid of any good qualities, and yet women must constantly worship and serve their husbands.


 * “Na ast strinam………..” – 5/158. Women have no divine right to perform any religious ritual, nor make vows or observe a fast. Her only duty is to obey and please her husband and she will for that reason alone be exalted in heaven.


 * “Kamam to………………” – 5/160. At her pleasure [after the death of her husband], let her emaciate her body by living only on pure flowers, roots of vegetables and fruits. She must not even mention the name of any other men after her husband has died.


 * “Vyabhacharay…………” – 5/167. Any women violating duty and code of conduct towards her husband, is disgraced and becomes a patient of leprosy. After death, she enters womb of Jackal.


 * “Kanyam bhajanti……..” – 8/364. In case women enjoy sex with a man from a higher caste, the act is not punishable. But on the contrary, if women enjoy sex with lower caste men, she is to be punished and kept in isolation.


 * “Utmam sevmansto…….” – 8/365. In case a man from a lower caste enjoys sex with a woman from a higher caste, the person in question is to be awarded the death sentence. And if a person satisfies his carnal desire with women of his own caste, he should be asked to pay compensation to the women’s faith.


 * “Ya to kanya…………….” – 8/369. In case a woman tears the membrane [hymen] of her Vagina, she shall instantly have her head shaved or two fingers cut off and made to ride on Donkey.


 * “Bhartaram…………….” – 8/370. In case a women, proud of the greatness of her excellence or her relatives, violates her duty towards her husband, the King shall arrange to have her thrown before dogs at a public place.


 * “Pita rakhshati……….” – 9/3. Since women are not capable of living independently, she is to be kept under the custody of her father as child, under her husband as a woman and under her son as widow.


 * “Imam hi sarw………..” – 9/6. It is the duty of all husbands to exert total control over their wives. Even physically weak husbands must strive to control their wives.


 * “Pati bharyam ……….” – 9/8. The husband, after the conception of his wife, becomes the embryo and is born again of her. This explains why women are called Jaya.


 * “Panam durjan………” – 9/13. Consuming liquor, association with wicked persons, separation from her husband, rambling around, sleeping for unreasonable hours and dwelling -are six demerits of women.


 * “Naita rupam……………” – 9/14. Such women are not loyal and have extra marital relations with men without consideration for their age.


 * “Poonshchalya…………” – 9/15. Because of their passion for men, immutable temper and natural heartlessness, they are not loyal to their husbands.


 * “Na asti strinam………” – 9/18. While performing namkarm and jatkarm, Vedic mantras are not to be recited by women, because women are lacking in strength and knowledge of Vedic texts. Women are impure and represent falsehood.


 * “Devra…sapinda………” – 9/58. On failure to produce offspring with her husband, she may obtain offspring by cohabitation with her brother-in-law [devar] or with some other relative [sapinda] on her in-law’s side.


 * “Vidwayam…………….” – 9/60. He who is appointed to cohabit with a widow shall approach her at night, be anointed with clarified butter and silently beget one son, but by no means a second one.


 * “Yatha vidy……………..” – 9/70. In accordance with established law, the sister-in-law [bhabhi] must be clad in white garments; with pure intent her brother-in-law [devar] will cohabitate with her until she conceives.


 * “Ati kramay……………” – 9/77. Any women who disobey orders of her lethargic, alcoholic and diseased husband shall be deserted for three months and be deprived of her ornaments.


 * “Vandyashtamay…….” – 9/80. A barren wife may be superseded in the 8th year; she whose children die may be superseded in the 10th year and she who bears only daughters may be superseded in the 11th year; but she who is quarrelsome may be superseded without delay.


 * “Trinsha……………….” – 9/93. In case of any problem in performing religious rites, males between the age of 24 and 30 should marry a female between the age of 8 and 12.


 * “Yambrahmansto…….” – 9/177. In case a Brahman man marries Shudra woman, their son will be called ‘Parshav’ or ‘Shudra’ because his social existence is like a dead body.

Sati

 * The tradition of Sati was honoured because it was seen as a "proof of the perfect unity of body and soul" between husband and wife rather than as murder. This idea that a woman's devotion should follow her husband beyond his grave followed the general theme of inequality deeply rooted in the the Hindu society.

Irrationality in Yoga

 * Yoga holds many pseudoscientific ideas at its core. An Ayurveda "doctor" died while performing Yoga along with a large number of people while celebrating in 2015. He attempted the practice of.
 * Many asanas in Yoga can lead to temporary or permanent damage to your body.
 * Unsurprisingly enough, Yoga used to be is a cult that believed that the only difference between life and death was breath. You see the Yogis required little proof as it was a verifiable observation that the living are breathing while the dead are not! Mahmud Ibn Balkhi, an Arabic traveler passing through the Indian subcontinent in the 1620s, noted the Yogis' strange practice of imprisoning their former leader till death after following their choice of a suitable replacement based solely on their breath-holding techniques.
 * If you are still not convinced of Yoga being a cult, take a look at the memoirs of Mir Abd al-Latif Khan Shushtari, a Persian merchant who came to British India in 1788 for employment. Shushtari described how Yogis would throw themselves on a bed of knives and swords or pour oil all over their body and burn themselves in hope of reincarnating into a more priviliged caste. Moreover, Shushtari also wrote about the Yogis' claims of immortality or that "loss of semen is the primary cause of aging".

Well-known irrational Hindus

 * Mohandas Gandhi
 * Deepak Chopra
 * : Proponent of the famous theory of, this guy opposed child marriage laws in 1891. A university education was no bar for his religious conservatism.