Rainbow Mage
Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
What does Hinduism teach about homosexuality? Curious
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Homosexuality
- Thread starter Rainbow Mage
- Start date
Metempsychosis
Reincarnation of 'Anti-religion'
It does not teach anything regarding homosexuality.The aim is to get rid of "body" idea.
There is not much direct referrence to homosexuality in the BG or in the Upanishads to my knowledge; but in the Smritis, homosexuality is not accepted as normal- to my knowledge. I would request other people here on RF to correct me if I am wrong.
Having said the above, many paths of Hinduism do recommend Bhramacharya for spiritual progress- no to homo or heterosexuality. I agree with Anti-religion on the getting rid of the "body" idea- it says that u are the Atma.
Regards,
Having said the above, many paths of Hinduism do recommend Bhramacharya for spiritual progress- no to homo or heterosexuality. I agree with Anti-religion on the getting rid of the "body" idea- it says that u are the Atma.
Regards,
dharma_seeker
Member
I agree with the posts above but they answered from a spiritual angle. The question is asked from the social aspect of a religion which must be answered by looking at the what the religion say about it from its social laws.
Just talking with respect to Hinduism in general, it is believed that the cause of homosexuality is due to the KARMA and REBIRTH. It explains it nicely that in your previous birth if you would have a female and now a male or vice versa, may be the feelings persisting from a previous life...explains why people feel they've got the wrong gender. Some men feel like they "should be" women, some women like they should be men.
Rig VEDA says 'Vikruti Evam Prakriti' (perversity/diversity is what nature is all about, or, what seems un-natural is also natural).
Some examples from Hindu scriptures.
1. In Mahabharata, There was a character named Shikhadi, who was in his previous birth a female was born as male. I am not quite sure whether he was born as a female or male. I have come across variant stories. He was probably born as female and brought up as male and when he was married, his wife found out that he was a female like her.. She went through some gender-change routine/surgery/ritual ?? (not sure)
2. Also, lord Krishna, became a female i.e. took the form of Mohini and married the son of Arjuna, Aravan so that he can be sacrificed in the war.
3. also, Arjuna took the vow of eunuchism for 1 year.
3. From Ramayana, It is said that Bhagiratha Maharaja was born of two female parents.
4. BAHUCHARA devi/mata is a goddess connected with transsexuality and eunuchism.
5. There is the concept of Kinnars (celestial beings) in puranas. I am not too sure about this but the homosexuals are called Kinnars as well in Hindi.
6. There are also specific festivals connected to the worship of such gender-variant deities, some of which are famous in India for their crossdressing devotees and homosexual undertones. These festivals include the Aravan Festival of Tamil Nadu, the Ayyappa and Chamaya-Villaku Festivals of Kerala, the Bahucara-mata Festivals of Gujarat and the Yellamma-devi Festivals of Karnataka etc..
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In Mahabharata it is said,
"Those foolish men of evil conduct who engage in all forms of intercourse, taking advantage of improper wombs (viyoni), and forcing themselves upon other men (pumsaka), are born again without their organs as neuters." (Mahabharata 13.145.52)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
It is clear that Smritis are against it for sure. But they are not Shrutis but part of yuga-dharma that changes from time to time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Smritis like Manu Smriti is not valid for Kali-Yug and seems corrupted due to various contradictions found in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, It is inconclusive from my understanding for what Hinduism has decided on Homosexuality.
Just talking with respect to Hinduism in general, it is believed that the cause of homosexuality is due to the KARMA and REBIRTH. It explains it nicely that in your previous birth if you would have a female and now a male or vice versa, may be the feelings persisting from a previous life...explains why people feel they've got the wrong gender. Some men feel like they "should be" women, some women like they should be men.
Rig VEDA says 'Vikruti Evam Prakriti' (perversity/diversity is what nature is all about, or, what seems un-natural is also natural).
Some examples from Hindu scriptures.
1. In Mahabharata, There was a character named Shikhadi, who was in his previous birth a female was born as male. I am not quite sure whether he was born as a female or male. I have come across variant stories. He was probably born as female and brought up as male and when he was married, his wife found out that he was a female like her.. She went through some gender-change routine/surgery/ritual ?? (not sure)
2. Also, lord Krishna, became a female i.e. took the form of Mohini and married the son of Arjuna, Aravan so that he can be sacrificed in the war.
3. also, Arjuna took the vow of eunuchism for 1 year.
3. From Ramayana, It is said that Bhagiratha Maharaja was born of two female parents.
4. BAHUCHARA devi/mata is a goddess connected with transsexuality and eunuchism.
5. There is the concept of Kinnars (celestial beings) in puranas. I am not too sure about this but the homosexuals are called Kinnars as well in Hindi.
6. There are also specific festivals connected to the worship of such gender-variant deities, some of which are famous in India for their crossdressing devotees and homosexual undertones. These festivals include the Aravan Festival of Tamil Nadu, the Ayyappa and Chamaya-Villaku Festivals of Kerala, the Bahucara-mata Festivals of Gujarat and the Yellamma-devi Festivals of Karnataka etc..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In Mahabharata it is said,
"Those foolish men of evil conduct who engage in all forms of intercourse, taking advantage of improper wombs (viyoni), and forcing themselves upon other men (pumsaka), are born again without their organs as neuters." (Mahabharata 13.145.52)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
It is clear that Smritis are against it for sure. But they are not Shrutis but part of yuga-dharma that changes from time to time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Smritis like Manu Smriti is not valid for Kali-Yug and seems corrupted due to various contradictions found in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, It is inconclusive from my understanding for what Hinduism has decided on Homosexuality.
dharma_seeker
Member
Something I read on topic.
dharma_seeker
Member
Firstly to judge whether something is morally wrong or right we need to establish that there was free-will and ability to choose in the matter. The Hindu Scriptures declare that homosexuality is an orientation which is karmically predisposed and not a matter of choice.
The Self (jiva) which is enveloped by ignorance, is sometimes embodied as a male, sometimes as a female, sometimes as a homosexual (ubhaya). According to its deeds and the nature one acquires thereby, one may be born as a god, a human or a beast. (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.29.29.)
Whatever the sexual orientation of the child whether it be male, female or homosexual ( napumsaka) it is born in the ninth or the tenth month. (Garuda Purana. 2.32.29)
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But Hinduism ultimately is concerned with Liberation liberation from suffering here and now and avoidance of rebirth.
If one desires the highest goal which is communion with me (Krishna); one should develop a focused mind, subdue the senses and strive to perfect nonattachment. However, if this regime is practiced without devotion to Me despite having knowledge, by either, men, women or homosexuals it will not yield rewards. (Varaha Purana 142.50)
dharma_seeker
Member
^^ I am not sure about other smritis. But Manu Smriti in particular, I have read many verses in it. It contain some shocking verses which seems to be interpolated by people overtime. Yes, it also has punishments for the act of homosexuality
Mind_Zenith
Broadcasting Live!
This might be a little late, but...
When I was interested in Jagadguru Shi Kripalu Maharajji, I asked the same question, and the answer was essentially that one's sexual preferences has nothing to do with one's spiritual life, and so long as you weren't doing anything that could be offensive to Radha-Krishn (such as hurting someone, or performing bestiality), Radha-Krishn were not concerned.
Hope this helps!
When I was interested in Jagadguru Shi Kripalu Maharajji, I asked the same question, and the answer was essentially that one's sexual preferences has nothing to do with one's spiritual life, and so long as you weren't doing anything that could be offensive to Radha-Krishn (such as hurting someone, or performing bestiality), Radha-Krishn were not concerned.
Hope this helps!
Chewbarker1054
Member
I think all major faiths in the past have had something negative to say about gay people (as they have done with women etc) most of this has been people few at the time. The was an article in Hinduism today about Homosexuality and they asked a number of different Swamis each giving a different point of view!
If anything I would say Hinduism is more open than other faith esp in its representaives of its Gods such a Ardhanarisvara Lord Shiva as half male and female
If anything I would say Hinduism is more open than other faith esp in its representaives of its Gods such a Ardhanarisvara Lord Shiva as half male and female
From what I've read and listened to, I think Hinduism has nothing to say on homosexuality, theologically, as do the Abrahamic faiths. In my opinion, any negativity in modern India and Hinduism towards homosexuality is a result of the British, European, and Muslim invasions and colonizations. They brought their Abrahamic faiths with its condemnations of homosexuality. I think Hinduism is not anti-homosexual, rather it is pro-procreation, hence only sanctioning opposite sex marriages.
Kalidas
Well-Known Member
Well if it is based on karma like othets have said then it is not a choice thus can is be sinful? That would be like coming back as a dog due to your karma and yet the scriptures teaching gods as being sinf dreadf creatures. Thus kinda forcing you to sin thus causeing more bad karma...not good.
There's really no such thing as sin and forgiveness in Hinduism. Those are western concepts that have crept into the mass consciousness due to the influence of Christianity and Islam, primarily Christianity.
Actions such as harming another living being, lying, cheating, stealing, etc. are not sins in the western concept, and cannot be forgiven because they're not sins (circular there). But they will contribute to negative karma that determines one's next rebirth.
There are three main types of karma (for our purposes, though there are more types): sanchita karma which is the total accumulation of all karma in all past lives, and has to be used up; kriya karma which is the karma we create in this life, either good or bad; prarabdha karma which is the karma that we experience in this life either by taking from our stock of sanchita karma, or from kriya karma in this life (think Instant Karma).
A cockroach cannot create any karma, but one can reincarnate as a cockroach only to burn off some sanchita karma. Depending on how evil the person was in past lives (Hitler comes to mind) that person may endure 10 million rebirths as a low form of life before burning off enough sanchita karma to reincarnate as a higher form of life.
Actions such as harming another living being, lying, cheating, stealing, etc. are not sins in the western concept, and cannot be forgiven because they're not sins (circular there). But they will contribute to negative karma that determines one's next rebirth.
There are three main types of karma (for our purposes, though there are more types): sanchita karma which is the total accumulation of all karma in all past lives, and has to be used up; kriya karma which is the karma we create in this life, either good or bad; prarabdha karma which is the karma that we experience in this life either by taking from our stock of sanchita karma, or from kriya karma in this life (think Instant Karma).
A cockroach cannot create any karma, but one can reincarnate as a cockroach only to burn off some sanchita karma. Depending on how evil the person was in past lives (Hitler comes to mind) that person may endure 10 million rebirths as a low form of life before burning off enough sanchita karma to reincarnate as a higher form of life.
FlyingTeaPot
Irrational Rationalist. Educated Fool.
I don't think it addresses homosexuality in any of the vedas. I could be wrong.
No it doesn't. Some sects might but they would either be very dualistic or heavily influenced by Abrahamic thought. Traditionally, there is only that which leads towards moksha, and that which leads away..
Again, there is no good and bad karma, only karma, which is best translated as action. So its all in grey, there's no black or white. The exact same action (expereince) may be beneficial for one person but not for another. Take children and discipline for example. a scoldng by Mom might benefit one child but be quite detrimental to another. Normally Hindus have a tendency to just go along, and not analyse action, yet intuitively know what proper conduct (dharma) is. Mostly its just referred to as common sense. Donpt steal, etc.