Note from the editorial team for readers of this article
The world today faces problems of polarisation and a lack of ability to handle extremes, and incorporate alternate viewpoints. An overall integrative approach is required to address such pressing needs of society. One such issue is about the rights of people who identify themselves as LGBTQ.
From an integrative perspective, it is essential to understand that the Hindu worldview incorporates diverse views, is assimilative, and even welcomes opposing points with dignity. Nature has different components – Satva, Rajas, and Tamas and life forms exhibit their characteristics, traits, attitudes, and preferences based on their orientation. Any person is free to choose the path of liking in the realm of spirituality. However, scriptures sometimes mention restrictions. These may aim to ensure sustenance and certain levels of order in society. At the same time, it is pertinent to mention that this framework of order is not standard and de-facto. There are mechanisms to evolve it as per context and need.
So, what new insights on LGBTQ does this integrative Hindu worldview give us?
This article aims to generate a discussion where there is respects both individuals’ aspirations and social order.
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This is PART 2 of the article on LGBTQ in the Perspective of Hindu Philosophy.
Gender Transition
With respect to gender transition, we find many texts and stories in the Hindu scriptures. e.g. the story of the Samudra Manthan. During the churning of the milk ocean by the demons on the one hand and the Devta’s on the other, in search of the nectar of immortality, Vishnu transformed himself into a beautiful and irresistible woman, Mohini. In order to tempt the demons, who were threatening the Devtas. This story helps us to understand that Bhagavāna is beyond gender and the formless Brahman can take any form.
Another story that refers to gender transition, in this case from woman to man, is the story of Śikhaṁḍinī. Her father, King Drupad, wanted a son, so, when instead, his daughter Śikhaṁḍinī was born they decided to raise her as a boy. Even though Śikhaṁḍinī was very good at martial arts she could never be the son her parents had desired. So, Śikhaṁḍinī withdrew into the forest to meditate, with the goal of gender change. After meditating for a very long time, Śiva honored her wish and she transformed into a powerful young man. (Mahabharat chapter 6, verse 190 onwards).
Such stories can help us in avoiding extreme views when a person chooses to change one’s sex. The decision can be accepted as even Śiva granted Śikhaṁḍinī her wish to become a boy. Also, it conveys the message that human beings might have different outlooks toward life and such orientations are not so new or first-time phenomena.
Relationship God – man including LBGTI
Practically every scripture in the Hindu tradition has something to say about the insight that defines the God-human relationship. For example, in the Upaniṣadas, by the four Mahāvākyas ( foundational insights) that relationship is formulated as follows:
Tat Tvam Asi: Dat (de Goddelijke essentie) ben jij. ( Chāndogya Upaniṣada 6.8.7)
Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi: Ik ben Brahman. (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣada 14.10)
Prajñānaṃ Brahmā: Ultieme kennis (zelfinzicht) is Brahman (Aitareya Upaniṣada (3.
Ayam ātmā Brahmā: Dit zelf (de ātmana in jou ) is Brahman (Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣada 1, 2 )
We humans are in our essence Brahman or Divine consciousness. This applies to everyone regardless of sexual orientation.
(invocation maṃtra Isha upaniṣada) Oṃ Pūrṇamadaḥ – That (the outer world or cosmos) is full of Brahman or Divine consciousness) Pūrṇamidaṃ – This ( individual or inner world) is also full of Divine consciousness Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate। – from (THAT) Divine consciousness this arises (individual manifestation. Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate – If you take from Perfection (God), Perfection produces ( individual) also Perfection. (Bhagavada Purāṇa 8:6, 19-25)
If you extract from Perfection (God), perfection also yields (the individual) perfection. Your orientation does not affect this.
Also, this maṃtra emphasizes that we humans have a Divine origin and potential to achieve divine perfection in the form of our individual ātman or soul. There is no exception made with regard to any preference in life. It can help us raise our consciousness to accept people with different orientations in life including LGBTQ. The reason is that this maṃtra would not talk about the biological human being to which the orientation is linked, but only about the Divine in us i.e. the ātman, forgetting that the Divine or the ātman voluntarily takes its place in the biological body and forms a coherence with it.
Śrīmadbhagavadagītā: I am the source from which you emanate, everything emanates from me. Whoever realizes this focuses on Me with all his heart. (Śrīmadbhagavadagītā 10.8)
In the last chapter of the Ramcharit Manas, Ram in a conversation with Bhusundi says: ” not only human beings, but even animals or plants who come to me after renouncing evil, are dear to me.
Sri Ram makes himself approachable and accessible to everyone by this promise. He here shares that every living being irrespective of their gender, and life form, but with a clause, that one should be free from fraud/guile.
पुरुष नपुंसक नारि वा जीव चराचर कोइ। सर्ब भाव भज कपट तजि मोहि परम प्रिय सोइ॥
Purūṣa napuṃsaka nāri vā jīva carācara koi,
Sarba bhāva bhaja kapaṭa taji mohi parama priya soi.
Apart from the Upaniṣadas, the Purāṇas and the Mahābhārata we find in the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures that we all are of Divine origin regardless of our sexual orientation.
Note: The points above highlight that in society there are people of different genders and they are also of divine origin (in terms of ātman/jīva which holds true not only for human beings but for other life forms too). However, clarification is needed that social norms and practices may vary.
More points for the assimilative aspect
Hindus use a God concept that consists of three aspects: Brahma the creating aspect, Vishnu the sustaining aspect, and Śiva the regenerating aspect. All these three aspects have a male half as well as a female half (the Shakti or executive energy). The creating aspect is their male half and the performing aspect is their female half.
The Hindu image of God consists of a male and, equally, a female half. United with each other they are male and female at the same time or neither male nor female. We, therefore, denote God with the pronoun: It.
One of the beautiful representations is of the androgynous form of Śiva, the Ardhanarishvar. Śiva is half man and half woman. A form in which Śiva and Pārvatī are united in unity with each other is a reflection of a form from which every human being is composed, namely puruṣa, the divine and prakṛti, the natural force. It is a call to a person to bring coherence between the two and to develop in harmony with them in order to reach enlightenment.
In conclusion
Despite openness and social awareness, a good portion of society, because of their reductionist views regarding non-heterosexual experiences, harbors resistant views against LGBTQ and considers it non-normative. This results in mutual tensions.
Perhaps embracing the knowledge from ancient texts will help people reconcile issues amicably through a clear understanding of concepts that are beautifully explained in Hindu texts. The holistic approach to sexual orientation from the Hindu worldview is inclusive and can help to dissolve prevailing tensions.
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