Why Hindu Dharma Is Under Attack? A Review

Image Courtesy: Vitasta Publishing

When I first interviewed Maria Wirth, what struck me beyond her nuanced grasp of Sanatana Dharma was her warm clarity—a combination I treasure, not least because she is not only a respected author but also a dear friend. Her latest work, Why Hindu Dharma Is Under Attack by Muslims, Christians and the Left, traverses spiritual, cultural, and political terrains with the same clarity and conviction we’ve discussed over many heartfelt conversations.

Maria Wirth, a German-born writer and thinker, arrived in India on an unplanned stopover in the late 1970s and soon found herself deeply immersed in the spiritual and cultural ethos of Sanatana Dharma. Over the decades, she has travelled extensively across the country, engaging with saints, scholars, and seekers, and gaining first-hand insight into the richness of India’s heritage. Her latest book is a culmination of this lifelong journey — blending her profound understanding of Hindu philosophy with her fearless, clear-eyed analysis of the forces threatening it. Speaking as both a devoted insider and an informed outsider, Maria uses the book to challenge prevailing misconceptions, expose ideological agendas, and urge Hindus to reclaim pride in their civilizational identity.

Maria’s key argument is both simple and provocative: Hindu Dharma’s very generosity—its openness—is what makes it a target. She writes: “Why is Hinduism so hated, mocked, or dismissed—especially by those who often don’t understand it at all?”

This contrast—between Hinduism’s inclusive pluralism and Abrahamic religions’ exclusivist dogmas—is the book’s recurring thread: “Christianity and Islam often come with the threat of eternal hell for non-believers. In contrast, Hinduism holds that all paths can lead to the truth, and that spiritual experience matters more than blind belief.”

The Three Fronts of Conflict

Maria sees Western missionary zeal, Islamic supremacy narratives, and global Leftist ideologies converging to erode India’s philosophical heritage. These forces, she argues, misunderstand—or are indifferent to—Hindu Dharma’s depth. According to a reviewer of the book: “Hindu practices like idol worship, cow reverence, and vegetarianism are seen as primitive or irrational—even though they are rooted in a deep sense of sacredness and interdependence.”

Sanatana Dharma: Not a Dogma, But a Freedom

In an earlier interview, Maria put it succinctly: “I consider Vedic knowledge or Sanatana Dharma as the original, most ancient and complete knowledge… It allows the greatest freedom to connect with one’s essential Self… In contrast, Christianity and Islam put their doctrine above one’s individual conscience.”  Her essays emphasize that Hinduism doesn’t demand blind belief. Rather, it invites inquiry: your questions, your experience, your truth.

Colonial Echoes and Cultural Disconnection

Having lived in India since the early 1980s, Maria has seen this disconnection up close. She notes how many Indians today, particularly the English-educated, unwittingly mirror colonial biases: “Many English-educated Indians look down on their own traditions.”

At a literary festival, she lamented how the West—and even Indians themselves—sometimes dismiss Brahminical scholarship and the Vedas as irrational, despite their profound philosophical base: “Sanatana Dharma encourages every seeker to personally seek and discover the truth… This was why she believed in the superiority of Hindu Dharma.”

When I interviewed Maria, I found her spiritual journey deeply moving. She told me of her early disillusionment with Christianity and how Vedanta felt like a homecoming: When I discovered Vedanta philosophy in India, it was like recognizing a truth that felt immensely familiar.”

But perhaps her most salient insight is this: Hinduism’s core—not religiosity or ritual—is the recognition that consciousness, or Brahman, pervades all. Unlike dogmatic traditions, questioning is not rebellion—it’s essential.

Maria doesn’t downplay the challenges. She points to the destruction of ancient learning centers, the funeral burnings of thousands of Sanskrit manuscripts, and the eradication of indigenous traditions: “Millions of texts were burned in Nalanda and Vikramshila… The former Shankaracharya… said only eight of over one thousand Shakas are still preserved in full.” “Christianity and Islam are newcomers… brutally destroyed existing cultures and replaced them with a rigid belief system,” she adds. These losses, she warns, are not merely historical footnotes—they are erasures of collective memory.

Why the Hostility?

Maria’s diagnosis is key: Hinduism’s inclusiveness and absence of authoritarian control make it antithetical to systems built on doctrinal certainty. “Such religions [Christianity, Islam] have caused so much bloodshed over the centuries… ‘If truth is to win, we need to be truthful. We must not shy away from exposing unacceptable passages in the scriptures which proved to be a bane for humanity.’” Her voice is firm—not aggressive, but unwavering in its moral clarity.

Salient features of the Book

• Clarity with Conviction: Maria blends philosophy, personal testimony, and history without sacrificing accessibility.
• A Rare Insider’s Perspective: As both a long-time resident and spiritual seeker, her cross-cultural viewpoint is invaluable.
• A Call to Reclaim Heritage: She doesn’t just defend Hindu Dharma—she invites Indians to live it, unapologetically.

A Call to Consciousness and Courage

This book embodies that journey—from profound recognition to bold affirmation. Why Hindu Dharma Is Under Attack is not a book of dull scholarship. It is a spirited invitation: to honour a living tradition that encourages introspection, diversity, and inner liberation. In a time when identity is often weaponized, Maria Wirth reminds us that the deepest freedom lies in a tradition that trusts you to find your own path.

Whether you agree or not, her message is timely: reclaim the generous, questioning heart of Sanatana Dharma—or risk losing the wisdom that nourished the world for millennia.

The book is a wake-up call for Hindus, who, despite inheriting one of the most profound and ancient civilizations in the world, remain shockingly ignorant of their own glorious heritage, timeless wisdom, and unparalleled cultural depth. Even more alarming is their abysmal lack of awareness about the ideologies and motivations of Islam, Christianity, and Communism — three forces that have, in different ways, posed grave dangers to humanity at large. Maria Wirth’s work compels readers to shed this ignorance, confront uncomfortable truths, and reclaim the knowledge and confidence necessary to defend and preserve Sanatana Dharma.