Thread by @harshmadhusudan

There are no -isms in Dharma if we are to talk rigorously. Bauddh, Vaishnav, Shaiva, Jaina, other Dharmic panths have almost always peacefully coexisted and indeed intermingled not just in India of course but in Japan, South East Asia, China and now in the West as well
#Dharmatva

Indeed in a larger sense polytheistic pantheons have always been overlapping, evolving.

The interaction between Egypt, Greece, Rome and elsewhere in the incredible “Mediterranean” pantheons is also a fascinating example of this, before the area fell to monotheistic proselytisms.

Specifically, Japanese Shinto deities “Kami” are often in a symbiotic/protector symbolic relationship with the Buddha. Not to mention the Hindu Gods and Goddesses have their own local versions as well. Like Japan, Indian “heathens” had to “invent” “religion” when faced with “it”.

Babasaheb's 22 vows of Navayana Dhamma go against this grain insofar as they emphasise who *not* to worship. While understandable in his context, the Dharmic way is to prioritise who we want to worship not to denigrate others. That is the spirit of Panchayatana Puja for example..

But this theological harmony does not excuse away the responsibility of social harmony in any way. If even a few people are choosing to actively reject the Gods due to injustice - then we as a society and polity must work harder to fix it, all of us, not just this or that group..

Unfortunately, our Gurus have to take a lead on this and they are still divided on this. The same Sampradaya (along with many others to be sure) that comes up with the incredible Panchayatana Puja is still propagating the idea that Jaatis belong to Varnas, not individual Hindus..

If Jaatis belong to Varnas and not individuals (even though probabilities to belong to a Varna may vary with Jaati..), then General Manoj Pande, India's Chief of the Army Staff, is leading an Adharmic life? It is one thing for anon accounts to say so, another for our Dharmagurus.