Scriptural authority for conversion of non-Hindus

Question

Taking into consideration the birth based practice of Varnashrama prevailing for a couple of millennia, kindly give a clear scriptural sanction/ permission from the ultimate— apaurusheya Vedas, Smrutis or Upanishads only— for converting non- Hindus to Sanatana Dharma ( excluding (ghar wapsi). Pl do not provide historical examples or opinions from saints, neo- vedantists/ universalists/reformers etc. They are more like exception.

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I have checked all the other answers suggested to me. These are full of opinions and overwhelming number of them are not backed by any scriptures. Saying Shruthi is silent about it because back when Vedas were bestowed on us, there were no other non-hindus is a speculation. Secondly, if Vedas only dealt with what was the then prevailing situation, we are indirectly saying they are obsolete!! Secondly, the much touted Arya Samaj is mentioned as doing shuddhikaran conversions based on Devala Smriti but if that is so, this Devala Smriti deals with only reconversions or ghar wapsi and not conversions of non-Hindus. This is what I find-- K.M. Munshi in his work "Chakravarti Gurjaro translated into Glory that was Gurjaradesa says quote-

Devala, the author of the Smriti of the name, is placed between A.D. 800 and 900, when the fortunes of Islam in Sind, as stated before were on the decline. He also wrote his Smriti while in Sind. The movement represented by him appears to be largely responsible for the active campaign of reconversion from Islam, which led the Muslims to seek asylum in al-Mahfuzah, a fortress specially constructed for the purpose. Devala gives sanction to the practice of reclaiming mlechchhanita - a person converted by the mlechchhas. It deals with the problems of those who were kept as slaves by the mlechchhas and compelled to do unclean things, like killing cows, sweep the leavings of the food taken by the mlechchhas, taking flesh of asses, camels and pigs, and the forbidden food or drink. As regards women abducted or raped by the mlechchhas, the smriti shows a breadth of vision difficult to find in any Dharmasatra of later age.

So, this Devala Smriti written in 800 AD after the advent of all the three Abrahamic religions is the only text I could find and that too only for ghar wapsi which is not what I have asked about.

My question is not asking for opinions, historical examples or certificates given by converting bodies but the shastra pramaana that all of them should be finally relying on.

Answer 1

There is no scriptural passage dealing with conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism. If there had been such a passage then it would have been mentioned somewhere by someone. I give below an interview of Vivekananda where he was asked this question. He does not quote any scriptural passage even though he says that non-Hindus can become Hindus.

"I want to see you Swami", I began, "on this matter of receiving back into Hinduism those who have been perverted from it. Is it your opinion they should be received?

"Certainly", said the Swami (Vivekananda)," they can and aught to be taken."

He sat gravely for a moment, thinking, and then resumed, "Besides," he said, "we shall otherwise decrease in numbers. When the Mohammedans first came, we are said -- I think on the authority of Ferishta, the oldest Mohammedan historian --- to have been six hundred millions of hindus. Now we are about two hundred millions. And then every man getting out of the Hindu pale is not only a man less, but an enemy the more. Again the vast majority of Hindu perverts to Islam and Christianity are perverts by the sword, or to the descendents of these. It would be obviously unfair to subject these to disabilities of any kind. As to the case of born aliens, did you say? Why, born aliens have been converted in the past by crowds, and the process is still going on. In my own opinion, this statement not only applies to aboriginal tribes, to outlying nations, and to almost all our conquerors before the Mohammedan conquest, but also to all those castes who find a special origin in the Puranas. I hold that they have been aliens thus adopted. Ceremonies of expiation are no doubt suitable in the case of willing converts, returning to their Mother church, as it were; but on those who were alienated by conquest-- as in Kashmir and Nepal -- or on strangers wishing to join us, no penance should be imposed."

― Vivekananda (Complete Works V, p233, interview given in "Prabuddha Bharat", April, 1899)

Any way it is a moot point whether shastras talk about conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism. Sri Chaitanya converted Muslims to Hinduism. A famous example is Haridas Thakur. Millions of Hindus of non-Indian origin live in Indonesia. The important point is that shastras do not prohibit conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism. The implication is that non-Hindus can become Hindus if they want to do so.

A princess of Java recently (2017) converted to Hinduism. http://www.currentriggers.com/world/indonesia-princess-java-became-hindu/

Answer 2

The question is

kindly give a clear scriptural sanction/ permission from the ultimate— apaurusheya Vedas, Smrutis or Upanishads only— for converting non- Hindus to Sanatana Dharma ( excluding (ghar wapsi).

Good question indeed.

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Let us understand the complexity of the issue.

The Veda, per se, advocates Self enquiry, but not idol/god's messenger/saints worship. So BASIC tenets of Sanatana Dharma aka Hinduism rest on ONE formless God/pure spiritual concepts only.

Idol worship or eulogising VISHNU/SHIVA/SHAKTI, etc, to be SUPREME and denigrating other Gods such as Indra, Vayu, Agni,etc, (epithets used in Veda), is not Vedic Culture.

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The subtle concepts of SPIRITUALITY were expressed in the Veda had been spread through out the World in earlier era, in ONE form or the other.

For example, the Adam and Eve story from Abrahamic religions, has roots in this Rig Vedic mantra. So those religions have nothing new to offer to Sanatana Dharma. And, if the followers of those religions would like to come back and adopt Self enquiry advocated by Sanatana Dharma aka Hinduism, it amounts to coming back to own house (ghar wapsi) only.

So the people those following Abrahamic/other religions belong to Sanatana Dharma only.

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Rig veda I.110 says about Ṛbhus

2. When, seeking your enjoyment onward from afar, ye, certain of my kinsmen, wandered on your way, Sons of Sudhanvan, after your long journeying, ye came unto the home of liberal Savitar.

3. Savitar therefore gave you immortality, because ye came proclaiming him whom naught can hide; And this the drinking-chalice of the Asura, which till that time was one, ye made to be fourfold.

This mantra talks about some people, in search of enjoyment, by forgetting the goal of Almighty Savitar (self realisation), went away. And, after long time, they came back to Savitar again and got immortality (LIBERATION/mukti).

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So this converting non- Hindus to Sanatana Dharma has the approval of Veda.

Answer 3

There is scriptural authority for spreading the message of Vedas/Sanatana Dharma/Hinduism to everyone:

Shukla Yajur Veda 26.2:

यथेमां वाचं कल्याणीमावदानि जनेभ्यः। ब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां शूद्राय चार्याय च स्वाय चारणाय च ।
This auspicious/beneficial speech I shall tell to the people - to the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, śūdra and vaiśya, and to our people and to outsiders.

Two ancient commentators also explain this verse to the same meaning:

Uvata:
यथेमाम् । यथा इमां वाचं कल्याणीं अनुद्वेजिनीम् । दीयतां भुज्यतामित्येवमादिकाम् । आवदानि जनेभ्योऽर्थाय । के ते जना इत्यत आह । ब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां ब्राह्मणाय राजन्याय च शूद्राय च अर्याय च । अर्यो वैश्यः । स्वाय चात्मीयाय च । अरणः अपगतोदकः पर इत्यर्थः ।

Just as, this auspicious i.e. non-violent speech, I shall speak for the sake of the people. Who are these people? brahma-rājanya, i.e. brāhmaṇa and rājanya, and śūdra and arya - arya is vaiśya, one's own people and others (i.e. strangers).

Mahidhara:
इमां कल्याणीमनुद्वेगकरीं वाचमहं यथा यतः आवदानि सर्वतो ब्रवीमि दीयतां भुज्यतामिति सर्वेभ्यो वच्मि । केभ्यस्तदाह । ब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां ब्राह्मणाय राजन्याय क्षत्रियाय च शूद्राय अर्याय वैश्याय स्वायात्मीयाय अरणाय पराय ।

This auspicious non-violent speech I speak all around. I say to them to use this speech. To whom? brahma-rājanya i.e. brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, śūdra, arya i.e. vaiśya, one's own people and to outsiders.

So the Veda itself says that it is for the benefit of all classes of society and for all people, domestic and foreign.

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Considering all the comments so far, I must say that there is a lot of wrong understanding of the place and authority of Shruti and Smrti scriptures.

Shruti, which means Vedas, deals with topics of eternal concern, i.e. metaphysics and spirituality (adhyātma). Vedas only incidentally touch upon matters of society. The Smrtis, which means the Dharmashastras, deal exclusively with laws and regulations for society. This separation of roles has been done on purpose because the topics of adhyātma do not change from time to time, so the Vedas are eternally valid and authoritative for topics of adhyātma, which deals with the ultimate nature of existence and the means of enlightenment (including yajnas). So the comment above saying that Shruti is no longer valid, is incorrect.

Smrtis, on the other hand, have limited authority and validity. Every Smrti has an expiration date. As Parāśara-smṛti (1.24) says:

कृते तु मानवाः धर्मास्त्रेतायां गौतमाः स्मृताः । द्वापरे शङ्खलिखिताः कलौ पाराशराः स्मृताः ॥

In the Kṛta-yuga, Manu's laws apply, in the Tretā-yuga, Gautama's laws, in the Dvāpara-yuga, Śaṅkhalikhita’s laws, and in Kali-yuga, Parāśara's laws.

And, notwithstanding this shloka, there are 21 different Smrti texts written during different periods, to address the changing needs of society. Even the much-maligned Manu-smṛti admits the limitations of Smrtis which cannot enumerate a rule for every single possible situation (12.108):

अनाम्नातेषु धर्मेषु कथं स्यादिति चेद्भवेत् । यं शिष्टा ब्राह्मणा ब्रूयुः स धर्मः स्यादशङ्कितः ॥

In cases where the rule has not been specified, whatever wise scholars say, that is to be followed.

So the question of converting non-Hindus to Hinduism has come up only in the last 1000 years, due to the increased encounters with non-Hindus (i.e. Christians and Muslims). All of the classical Smrtis were written much earlier, and hence they did not have occasion to give a directive on this new social phenomenon. But the tradition of Smrtis clearly allows present-day Hindus to self-legislate a new directive in regards to endorsing conversion of non-Hindus.

Answer 4

It's right there in the Veda (Rig Veda 9.63):

इन्द्रं वर्धन्तो अप्तुर: कृण्वन्तो विश्वमार्यम् । अपघ्नन्तो अराव्णः ॥

(Hindi) विश्व को आर्य बनाओ OR सम्पूर्ण संसार को आर्य बनाओ OR सकल विश्व को आर्य बनाएँ

Make the whole world Arya

In Vedic Samhita Arya refers mostly to 3 higher varnas. Krishna Yajurveda also in same way make difference between Arya & Shudra. There are also many other examples from Brahmana and Upanishads which you have already read (but if you deny then I will edit this answer and prove it). Even when we look at other shruti (Tantras) its given in many places that anybody can become high level Tantrik.

Answer 5

As P. V. Kane categorically says in History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol II Part I, there is no provision for admitting people of other faiths into Hinduism.

Hinduism has not been an avowedly proselytizing religion. In theory it could not be so. For about two thousand years the caste system has reigned supreme and no one can in theory be admitted to the Hindu fold who is not born in it.

A Hindu may lose caste, be excommunicated and driven out of the fold of Hinduism, if he be guilty of very serious lapses and refuses to undergo the prāyaścittas prescribed by the smṛtis.

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When the sinner performed the prāyaścitta prescribed by the śāstras, he was to be welcomed by his relatives, who took a bath along with him in a holy river or the like and throw therein an unused jar filled with water; they were not to find fault with him and were to completely associate with him in all ways.