Banyan Resilience: The Civilizational Survival of Hinduism Across Five Invasions and 5,000 Years
Nayan Deep Singh Kanwal, Brij Mohan, and Trần Thị Vân Dung
Abstract:
Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest continuous traditions, has withstood the pressures of conquest, colonization, suppression, and modern scepticism for over five millennia. This paper explores the extraordinary resilience and adaptability of Hinduism as a civilizational force rather than a monolithic religion. Tracing the arc of history through five major phases of foreign intrusion—the Persian, Greek, Turko-Afghan, Colonial, and Postcolonial/Modern periods—this review reveals how Hinduism absorbed, resisted, and redefined itself in the face of existential threats. Despite the destruction of temples, silencing of Sanskrit, and marginalization of ritual practice, Hinduism regenerated itself through localized devotion, vernacular expression, philosophical engagement, and global outreach. Movements like Bhakti, the rise of reformist thinkers like Swami Vivekananda and Dayananda Saraswati, and the international embrace of yoga and the Gita underscore its adaptive genius. Far from being static, Hinduism’s strength lies in its decentralized, pluralistic essence—rooted like a banyan tree that regrows with every attempt to sever it. This review synthesizes historical, philosophical, cultural, and socio-political dimensions to examine how Hinduism transformed challenges into catalysts for evolution, ultimately emerging as a global spiritual and civilizational presence.
Keywords:
Adaptability, Bhakti Movement, Civilizational Continuity, Colonialism, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Spiritual Resilience, Syncretism
Citation: Nayan Deep Singh Kanwal, Brij Mohan, and Trần Thị Vân Dung (2025). Banyan Resilience: The Civilizational Survival of Hinduism Across Five Invasions and 5,000 Years. Horizon J. Hum. Soc. Sci. Res. 7 (2), 47–57. https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2025.v7.n2.id1317.p47
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