Cultural Digestion: The digestion of one culture(dominant) is carried out by other under the guise of a desire to assimilate, reduce

the difference and assert the sameness in place of less dominant culture. As a result the less dominant culture loses its cultural or traditional values which are absorbed by the dominant culture and becomes part of it. Few examples of Digestion: Digestions Completed: Christmas Tree/Easter has been digested from Pagans and now are widely accepted as part of Christianity. Digestion in Progress: Surya Namaskar => SON Salutation (SON here refers to Son of GOD) Yoga ==> Christian Yoga (However the term YOG remains. This is the power of Sanskrit-Non Transalatables) Significance of Non-Translatability of Sanskrit In Chapter 5 of Being Different, the author primarily asserts that "holding on to Sanskrit terms and thereby preserving the complete range of their meanings becomes a way of resisting colonization. The non-translatability of Sanskrit is important for non-digestibility of Indian traditions Since there is a whole philoshiphy behind Sanskrit work as you will see below. As evident from the word YOG remains as Sanskrit and could not be translated into Exercise, Prayer or Gymnastic. The non-translatability would ensure that YOG is a Sanskrit word and hence originated in India and thus preserve the whole philosophy of Yog. Here are the lists of important Non-Translatable Sanskrit words for the Book (and why they should not be translated to its "equivalent" English meaning) IS NOT SAME AS

BRAHMAN Brahman comes from root word 'brih' means to expand. The all expansive ultimate reality that creates all,lives in all and transcends all Brahman is the cosmons and reside in all

GOD In Judaism, GOD was seen on Mount Sinai who is creator of universe In Judeo-Christian sense GOD

of us unrelized as atman

is separate from universe GOD is authoratative and punishes those who transgress rule and do not follow HIS religion They all can not be replace by GOD like uncle doest not necessarity means chaha, mama etc always

Brahman is not authorative or punitive

Ishwara, Brahman, Devta and Bhagwan all have different meaning and context

ATMAN In dharmic tradition, the true nature of self is 'sat-chit-anand'' The true nature of self can be realised with sadhna or adhyatam vidya Atman is also present in plants and animal. Hence the nature is as sacred as the self.

IS NOT SAME AS

SOUL In Christianity,all human are born as sinner due to original sin by adam-eve.Hence the true nature of self is 'sinful' Only through Jesus, soul can attain salvation Soul is NOT PRESENT in plants and animal. In Bible, GOD gave mankind dominion over plants or animal Sould DOES NOT reincarnate.Hence in christianity you get only one body that must be preserved till the 'end time'

Atman reincarnate. Hence the body is cremated once atman has departed

DHRAMA

IS NOT SAME AS

Dharma comes from sanskrit word 'dhri' which means 'that which upholds' or 'that without which nothing can stand' or ''that which maintain stability and harmony of universe'' Dharma is conduct,duty,justice,morality,virtue,right but is still not complete

RELIGION Religion is worship of divine that is separate from human, has religious institution/authority and governed Has set of rituals Is based on an event that happened some time in history(Hence all abrahmic religion ie Judaism, Chrisitanity and Islam are history-centric)

No such explanation for Religion Western religion believe GOD's law must be obeyed and hence non-followers must be converted or punished

Dharma is not LAW as law is authoratative Dharma is not only for human. Animal or Plants have dharma but not religion. Electron have dharma but not religion

Religion is only for human

MURTI

IS NOT SAME AS

Sanskrti word 'murti' means real, awakened and expressive of divine sprit Prana-Pratishtha' pooja is the ritual of infusing the images/murtis with prana or divine energy. Its only after pranapratishtha pooja is offered to murtis Visarjan is the ritual of throwing the murti to holy water to encourage detachment from the murti ie encourages nonattachment to murtis As per Aurobindo, its not the stone but the divine presence/energy figured in the murti that the prayer is offered

IDOL In Christianity, If an object is revered/respected but not worshipped is termed as 'ICONS' but if elevated as divine status is called 'IDOLS'. In Orthodox christianity, icons/images are KISSED, TOUCHED, REVERED, RESPECTED but 'technically' not worshipped. So what christians revered are ICONS while images/murtis/devotional objects were termed as IDOLS (and not ICONS)

No such thing happens with idols

No such things happens with idols

GURU or RISHI or YOGI Guru is one who guides individual disciple's sadhna Yogi/Rishi is one who devote his life to attain highest level of consciousness

IS NOT SAME AS

PROPHET or SAINT Saint is one who is dead now and church recognized him enjoying the bliss as promised in christianity Most Saint were martyrs of spreading christianity Prophet is one chosen by GOD to communicate with human Saint/Prophet do not attain any advancement in meditation or enlightenment

Some other Sanskrit Non Translatable are:

Salvation Karma yajna Devta Kundalini or Shakti Avatar Jati or Varna Veda

Moksha Suffering Sacrifice Pagan God Holy Sprit Jesus Caste Bible

Why this Book? In one line, this book is all about Reversing the Gaze. So far European/American Indologists have been studying india and mapping its culture/tradition onto their own framework.In this book author has tried to study Abrahmic tradition from Dharmic point of view and has highlighted the difference between the two. The intention is not to claim one is superior or other but to understand them as DIFFERENT. Other important chapters and concepts highlighted in the books are

a) Mutual Respect between Religions vs Tolerance b) Difference anxiety c) Why Abrahamic traditions are classified as History-Centric and Dharmic traditions based on Embodied Knowledge or Adhyatma-Vidya d) How Yog can lead to Freedom from History-Centrism e) Why Dharmic traditions are more comfortable with Chaos & Why Abrahamic traditions have urge to set the Order f) Sanskrit & Pan-Asia civilizations, Sanskrit Non-Translatables Useful Links: Being Different Book Rajiv Malhotra's Youtube Channel Being Different Discussion Forum