Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Hindu Mahäsabhä (‘Great

Hindu Assembly’)

Political party founded by Pandit

Mohan MALAVIYAin 1909 to counter-

act a perceived pro-Muslim bias in the

Indian National Congress. It advocated

a Hindu rä•flra (rule according to tradi-

tional Hindu law) and demanded, after

independence, a reunification of divided

India. It had in Vir SAVARKARits most

articulate ideologue, whose notion of

HINDUTVAhas become the mainline pol-

icy 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 regula-

tions based on DHARMA-ŸÄSTRASand

regional custom. It unified Hindu mar-

riage law and brought it closer to

Western law by recognizing civil mar-

riage and allowing divorce at the

request of the wife. Its enactment creat-

ed 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 cul-

ture from Hindu dharma, ‘Hindu reli-

gion’. 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, identi-

fied 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 con-

sidered a requirement to attain libera-

tion, the way to salvation as outlined by

individual masters. Ahitadesignates 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¥ÏYAVAIÆŒAV-

ISM, the other two being sandhini-ÿakti

(power of existence) and samvit-ÿakti

(power of consciousness). They collec-

tively correspond to the definition of

BRAHMANas 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 remem-

bered at Holï, a very popular kind of

Hindu carnival celebrated in spring,

with everybody squirting coloured

water on everybody else, and telling rib-

ald jokes.

horoscope (janmapatrikä)

It is an old Hindu tradition to have a

horoscope established by a professional

astrologer (jyoti•a) shortly after the

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