A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

Hindu Mahäsabhä 82
Hindu Mahäsabhä (‘Great
Hindu Assembly’)
Political party founded by Pandit
Mohan MALAVIYA in 1909 to counteract
a perceived pro-Muslim bias in the
Indian National Congress. It advocated
a Hindu rä•flra (rule according to traditional
Hindu law) and demanded, after
independence, a reunification of divided
India. It had in Vir SAVARKAR its most
articulate ideologue, whose notion of
HINDUTVA has become the mainline policy
of the right wing Hindu parties.
Savarkar wanted to ‘Hinduize politics
and militarize Hinduism’.
Hindu Marriage Act
The government of India in 1955 passed
the Hindu Marriage Act, which, with
several amendments, became official
law for Hindus, replacing earlier regulations
based on DHARMA-ŸÄSTRAS and
regional custom. It unified Hindu marriage
law and brought it closer to
Western law by recognizing civil marriage
and allowing divorce at the
request of the wife. Its enactment created
a great deal of controversy in India.
Hindutva
(‘Hindudom’, ‘Hindu-ness’)
A concept created by Vir SAVARKAR,
spokesman for the Hindu Mahäsabhä,
in the 1930s, to distinguish Hindu culture
from Hindu dharma, ‘Hindu religion’.
Hindu Political parties demand
that Hindutva become the criterion for
citizenship in a Hindu nation. It
includes an emotional attachment to
India as ‘holy land’ and participation in
Hindu culture. It has become a very
controversial issue in today’s India.
Hiranyagarbha
(‘golden womb’ or ‘golden egg’)
Principle and lord of all creation, identified
with BRAHMÄ; a major motif in
Vedas, Upani•ads and Puräæas.
Hiraæyakaÿipu (‘golden dress’)
A powerful demon king, father of
PRAHLÄDA, whom he persecuted for his
devotion to Vi•æu. He was killed by
Vi•æu in the form of NÄRASIMHA.
hita–ahita
(‘wholesome–unwholesome’)
Matters relating to LIBERATION and
BONDAGE. Hita comprises all acts considered
a requirement to attain liberation,
the way to salvation as outlined by
individual masters. Ahita designates all
contrary acts. (See also BHAKTI; JÑÄNA;
KARMA; PRAPATTI.)
hlädinï-ÿakti
(‘power of enjoyment’)
One of the three ÿaktis (powers)
ascribed to Kø•æa in GAU¥ÏYA VAIÆŒAV-
ISM, the other two being sandhini-ÿakti
(power of existence) and samvit-ÿakti
(power of consciousness). They collectively
correspond to the definition of
BRAHMAN as SACCIDÄNANDA.
Holikä
A demoness, who every year demanded
a child to devour from a certain town.
When the lot fell on a poor widow’s
only son, the woman consulted a holy
man. He advised that all the children
should gather, shouting abuse and
throwing filth at the demoness, when
she came to town. Holikä died of shame
and embarrassment, and the children
were saved. This incident is remembered
at Holï, a very popular kind of
Hindu carnival celebrated in spring,
with everybody squirting coloured
water on everybody else, and telling ribald
jokes.
horoscope
(janmapatrikä)
It is an old Hindu tradition to have a
horoscope established by a professional
astrologer (jyoti•a) shortly after the