Professor R. Ramaseshan of Orathanad, South India, died September 16th after being stabbed by nasthikas (the Sanskrit term for atheists), apparently seeking to end his prolific work in the service of Hinduism. Information was sketchy on his death. His younger brother, Krishnan, wrote Hinduism Today from Madras, "He was stabbed by some nasthikas on 9th September around 10 A.M., when he was coming from college. Immediately he was admitted in the medical college hospital at Thanjavur where he was given good treatment. There was a fine progress in his health, and we were very hopeful that he would come out from the hospital very soon. But only his body came out from the hospital and his soul departed to its heavenly abode. We could not digest this tragedy as a man who has sacrificed his life for the sake of Godly thinking and service to religion in a humble way. When he was in the hospital, he said, 'I have been punished for the sins committed in my previous birth.' Like the 'Meiporul Nayanar' in Periapuranam he did not at all disclose the culprits to the police or to anybody before his death." Nasthika is the general Sanskrit, term for an atheist or nonbeliever in God. Frequently "nasthikas" are associated with the communist movement.
His loss is felt dearly at Hinduism Today. Professor Ramaseshan was a long-time friend and devotee of our publisher, His Holiness, Gurudeva Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. Without even a request for compensation. Prof. Ramaseshan selflessly contributed eloquent and exacting Tamil translations of dozens of works by His Holiness in recent years. He was instrumental in research on monistic (non-dualist) Saiva Siddhanta, collecting numerous pass from Tamil scripture reflecting this view.
Subramuniyaswami said, "Such a wonderful servant of God and the Gods of Hinduism! Our experience with Prof. Ramaseshan has been very close through the years. Each time we sent to him some work to be translated into flawless Tamil, he responded immediately. Definitely he is a great loss to Hinduism. His family and we miss him dearly."
Professor Ramaseshan's list of accomplishments is long: author of more than a hundred books on Hinduism; unsurpassed translator of numerous writings; instrumental worker in the renovation of the Sri Sundareswara Swami Temple, the Swamimalai Murugan Temple and the chariot of the Sri Saranapan Swami Temple; organizer of the yearly Sekkilar festival at Tirunageswaram Siva Temple; chairman of the committee to inscribe the 1,330 verses of Tirukural on the walls of the Sri Kasi Viswanatha Swami Temple of Orathanad; Professor of History at the Government College of Education, Orathanad; scholar of Periapuranam with the title of "Sekkilar Daasan;" and scholar of Saint Arunagirinatha. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
In a similar incident, Hindu activist worker Hariharan (age 20) was murdered by Marxists in broad daylight in Trivandrum, several hundred miles from Orathanad. Even the funeral procession was attacked by local Marxists. These actions, known as "dagger politics" have struck fear across Kerala.
Hindus around the world have been slow to realize the threat of communism. Rensselaer W. Lee, expert on communism, stated, "Marxist-Leninists are fundamentally hostile towards religion, and are committed to its ultimate destruction." History has shown such people resort to murder to gain their ends.