IndexAbstract IntroductionWhat is TranscendentalismLiterature ReviewConclusionReferencesAbstract Hinduism is officially said to have entered America in 1893 when Swami Vivekananda's words of address, "sisters and brothers of America,” earned thunderous applause at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. But in reality an intercultural synthesis of the Indo-American spiritual bond had already begun in the thoughts and writings of American writers. The wisdom of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita – had already blossomed in the minds of the greatest American writers of the 19th century: Ralph Waldo Emerson, William James, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau and many others. The philosophy of the Upanishads was so deeply engraved in their minds that Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman were called the Brahmins of America. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although Emerson and Thoreau were born in America, they were Indians by temperament, nature, and philosophy. Both of these pioneers were key figures among Renaissance writers. Literature knows no racial or national boundaries but crosses all seas to bring people to a harmonious understanding. The literature of the world and certainly that of India is now abundantly available on the Internet for those readers who use the English language. A new and readable translation of the Bhagvad Gita, available for pennies, has sold a million copies in America and has become a guidebook for countless Native and American Indians. Introduction In my research article on 'Bhagavad Gita, a great source of Knowledge and inspiration for Emerson' I pointed out that Ralph Waldo Emerson was greatly influenced by the Bhagavad Gita. The pinnacle of Western civilization is moving along the path outlined by the great philosopher Emerson. Therefore it is important for everyone to understand his thoughts for success not only in Western civilization but also throughout the world. His ardent follower Emerson said: “I owe a magnificent day to the Bhagvad Gita. It was as if an empire spoke to us. nothing small or unworthy, but great, serene, coherent, the voice of an ancient intelligence that in another era and in another climate had pondered and thus resolved the same questions that concern us. In fact, Ralph Waldo Emerson made the Bhagavad Gita and Vedic thought an integral part and foundation of Western philosophy. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the American poet-prophet. He is remembered primarily for his commitment to elevating the spiritual landscape of the American psyche. Emerson was born in 1803 in Boston, United States. He lost his father when he was only eight years old and was raised by his mother. Emerson lived his entire life in Massachusetts and became the leading member of a group known as the Transcendentalists. His beliefs and ideas can be summed up by one of his own sentences: “Can anyone doubt that if the noblest saint among the Buddhists and the noblest Mohammedan, the highest Stoic of Athens, the purest and wisest Christian, Manu in India, Confucius in China, Spinoza in Holland, could meet and converse together somewhere, would they find themselves belonging to a single religion?4" Before proceeding to discuss how Indian thought influenced Emerson's ideas and works, it is It is important that I focus briefly on the movement known as Transcendentalism. What is Transcendentalism Transcendentalism, or American Transcendentalism, was a multi-faceted movement. He introduced free thought into religion, intuitive idealism into philosophy, individualism into literature, a new spirit into social reformsand a new optimism in people's minds. This New England movement flourished in a period between 1830 and 1860. One of the initial signs of this movement was the meeting of the Transcendental Club held at George Ripley's home in Boston in the fall of 1836. As an intellectual movement, Transcendentalism it was influenced by romanticism and post-Kantian idealism, and its main exponents were Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and Bronson Alcott. Initially, it started its journey as a religious movement but soon addressed many other issues of the contemporary times. The influence of transcendentalism is clearly visible in many American movements, whether religious, literary, political, or philosophical. Regarding religion, he introduced free thought and reasoning into the understanding and practice of religion. In fact, it was the first revolt against historical Christianity as it rejected religious forms, creeds, rituals and literal explanations of scripture. Instead, he aspired to achieve an authentic religious experience. Establishing an original relationship with God and the universe was among the main goals of the movement. Rejecting religious formality, Emerson declared in his “Divinity School Address” that “Whenever the pulpit is usurped by a formalist, then the believer is defrauded and disconsolate. We shrink as soon as the prayers begin, which do not edify, but strike us and offend us... It seemed strange that people came to church." Therefore, transcendentalism advocated a religious experience based on intuition and an immediate relationship with the universe and its Creator. Literature Review Emerson was considered the first American to read the sacred books of Hinduism. He received influence by reading these books; therefore, he discussed Hinduism in his writings. The perfect example of this influence can be seen in Emerson's poems and essays. Emerson explained about the Hindu holy book Gita that in England those who accept materialistic laws and facts, are attractive, tactful, courageous, beneficent, but are not capable of creating like a book of Gita6. Emerson introduced the Maya in his numerous writings. For example, he believed that people lived in an empire of illusions. He described the situation of human life where human being only changes bed or moves from one bed to another. He rose from the nothingness of life to the nothingness of death. In his essay 'Experience' he said that people look through the glass (illusion), but they don't know if it is reality. He said that it is very complex to go through this illusion as Krishna describes in the Upanishads. «This divine maya of Mine, made of guna, is difficult to penetrate. But those who take refuge in me alone penetrate this illusion.' Emerson concluded that there is no limit to illusion. Emerson wrote about the concept of illusion which he took from the Maya. Maya is the concept of Hinduism meaning dishonesty, fraud or betrayal. There are various types of illusion that divert and mislead the senses. In the sacred vernacular, Maya means uselessness, different from the realism embodied by God or Brahman. God in His eternal and supreme aspect is pure consciousness and His response is a simple unfoldment within that awareness. Maya is also illustrated in Hindu scriptures as the play (lila) of God ratified through His artistic and dynamic power or force. Emerson composed a third poem with a Hindu title other than 'Brahma' and 'Hamatreya', this little poem, titled 'Maya'. The poem is called Maya, after the Hindu goddess who keeps humanity under the magical spell of illusions. For Emerson, life was an enigma; he appreciated the Hindus because they had made an effort to find a suitable response to it. Another Hindu work greatly inspired his mind: the Katha Upanishad. In 1856,when he was fifty-three, he wrote in his Journal. Karma, another Indian theoretical idea, had a great influence on Emerson. Karma means work or action. The consequence of disobedience will suffer pain in the future. Various Hindu books (Gita, Upanishad and Veda) show that disobedients will face severe penalties. “Self-confidence” is very similar to Karma. Emerson also talks about karmascript in his book. This is also a concept of the Hindu religion. The word karma means actions or deeds. As a religious expression, karma describes intentional moral relationships that influence one's destiny in this life (present) and the next (afterlife). Karma is an idea common to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, but explained in different ways. Anwaruddin conveys that despite minimal disagreement, Emerson's idea is associated with Indian religious and philosophical concept. This had a very wide influence on Emerson's writings. Emerson explored Indian spiritual and philosophical customs. It cemented the path for people who were interested in works of Hinduism like Gita and Upanishads. Emerson leads the way for those interested in working on Hindu philosophies. Due to his Indian philosophical influence, he knows a lot about the Hindu concepts he displays in his writings. Singh presents the similar idea that Emerson Intellectual's writings were influenced by Indian religious and philosophical concepts. With the discovery of Indian philosophical and spiritual concepts, the way for those people who wanted to explore ancient texts such as the Gita and the Upanishads. Emerson's writings are greatly influenced by Eastern texts, from Hindu mysticism to Chinese philosophy, from Persian poetry to Hafiz to Buddhist. Pickford, the famous mystical poems were influenced by Persian poets such as "The Sphinx" shows the mystifying and visionary tone of Emerson, "Hamatreya" shows the Hindu insights (wisdom) towards England, "Bacchus" shows the carnival of poetic motivation , “Days” shows the blend of Puritan principles and vision and “Brahma” shows a concentration of Hindu concepts that point to the connection of Niravana with altruism9. Kumar also gives the same idea that Emerson sought the value of the world of acquisition and infinite power. That's why he studies Hindu texts like Gita, Vedas, Upanishads, German idealism and various sacred books. His essays are full of ideas and writings of notions 'Hinduism and was deeply interested in the concepts of Hinduism. His works show Hindu influence. The titles and themes derive from the Hindu book Vishnu. Many critics have affirmed the orientation of Islam and Emerson's original corpus, focusing on the foundations of Sufi mysticism, Hindu spiritualism and the literary principles of Asian culture in his works. When he was young he began studying Hindu scriptures such as Vishnu Purana, Gita, Katha Upanishad and Manu. He provided various references to these holy scriptures in his poems and essays. Emerson's notion of the “Higher Soul” is entirely related to the Indian. The careful review of the concept of “Brahma” along with its sources shows that the topic is not very close to Hebatic as it is Indian. The analysis reveals that Emerson got the idea of ​​the moralizing tendency from Vishnupurana. It received a quick rationale and explanation from the Katha Upanishad and the Gita offered an accurate framework and its theoretical depth. His ideas about sin, evil, freedom, suffering and destiny were stimulated by Hinduism. Emerson's notion of moral law also derives from Hinduism. It is stuck in God, the Soul or the Supreme Mind. Emerson's idea of ​​soul or mind (Budhi of the Indian concept) derives from Hinduism8. Identify two types of mind, one isintuition and the other is the intellect. Intellect provides superficial information or knowledge of variations and intuition offers information about harmony, unity and rationality. Emerson established the concept of intuition in the famous essay 'Self Reliance' while searching for the reason for self-reliance. Emerson is the first major American literary figure who intensively and comprehensively studied the philosophical literature available in India. He certainly illustrates this in his writings. In a letter to Max Mueller, Emerson wrote: "All my interest is in Marsh's Manu, then Wilkins' Bhagavat." Geeta, Burnouf's Bhagavat Purana, and Wilson's Vishnu Purana, yes, and a few other translations. I remember that I owed my first taste of this fruit to Cousin's sketch, in his first lecture, of the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, and I still appreciate the first chapters of the Bhagavat as wonderful." By 1856, Emerson had read the Katha Upanishads and his thoughts progressively increasingly reflected Indian influence. His poems, such as "Hamatreya" (a poem composed in 1845) showed that he had digested his Indian philosophical readings well. Hamatreya was actually motivated by a passage in the Vishnu Purana. He was anxious about the topic of maya-illusion. Emerson went through all of Indian philosophy, literature and the influence of Hinduism. The sacred books of Hinduism, the Puranas, the Vedas, the Gita and the Upanishads, were influenced by his invasive mind. This irresistible impact converted him spiritually. He showed in his poems like Hamatreya and Brahma the concept of Hinduism. Emerson is very close to Indian culture and his interest brings him closer to Hindu philosophies12. Manu is actually the mythology of India and Emerson uses the impact of Manu in his works. Rao explains that Emerson was certainly influenced by Indian concepts. He had the ability to observe Indian culture from every aspect. People could get the impact of Manu, Hinduism and Gita from his works and life. Emerson is known to have a great impact on the philosophy and thinking of his contemporaries and even his successors. He brought Hinduism as a major influence in his writings. Some believe that he may have undertaken a detailed study of Hinduism and Sanskrit literature while in Germany. His aunt Mary Moody Emerson is also thought to have brought him several Indian religious scriptures such as Vedanta, Bhagavad-Gita and the Upanishads. Wouter J. Hanegraaff, in his book New Age Religion and Western Culture, deals extensively with Emerson's views on Eastern religion and philosophy. He writes: Buddhism remained foreign to him, as it did to many of his contemporaries, and the same goes for Taoism. Confucianism, in contrast, was admired by Emerson for its ethical concern and common sense. But his deepest appreciation was for Hinduism, which he perceived (partly under the influence of Rammohun Roy's reformed Brahmo Samaj Hinduism, which had captivated European and American Unitarians since the early 19th century) largely in terms of Advaita Vedanta. The observance and ritual of Hinduism and its point of concentration was exclusively divinity, which the religion offers universally. Emerson's devotion to Indian religion is evident in many of his poems such as "Brahma", "Hematreya", and "Maya". "Brahma" (1857) is a poem in which he directly invokes the supreme Hindu god Brahma, the God of creation along with two other related terms Brahman (the essence, or "soul", of the universe) and Brahmin (the Hindu priests ). The poem is a blend of philosophies of "Katha-Upanishad", "Maitri Upanishad" and the spiritual teaching of Bhagavad-Gita, according to which the human soul exists in full vigor even after the death of the mortal body. A sense of unification between thecreator and creation emerges in all verses. Emerson indicates that the best way to eternalize the human soul is to find the true essence of Brahma. Emerson draws the theme and title of "Hematreya" (1846) from Vishnu Purana, an ancient Vedantic mythology. In “Hematreya,” he introduces a stark contrast between the mortality of human power and the immortality of the Earth. Hematreya actually represents Maitreya, a character from Vishnu Purana who engages in a conversation with Lord Vishnu regarding the pride of the world's powerful kings and their ignorance of their mortality. Emerson's poem also takes up the same theme in which the Earth declares its superiority over arrogant human beings. Where are these men? Asleep under their lands: And strangers, affectionate as they, plow their furrows. The earth laughs in the flowers, in seeing its vainglorious boys, proud of the earth, proud of the earth that is not theirs; who drive the plow, but cannot drive their feet away from the grave. Not only Emerson's poems but also his essays are enriched by his Indian ideas. In his famous essay “The Over-Soul” (1941), Emerson addressed the divine nature of the human soul, an indomitable spirit that can only be perceived through moral action and spiritual practices. Emerson, after reading Indian philosophy, was strongly motivated by the concept of the eternal soul, as prescribed in the Bhagavad-Gita. Emerson brought one of his poems entitled “Unity” as the essay's epigraph. It is thought that Emerson began to lose interest in his religion very early after the deaths of his loved ones: his first wife died only at the age of nineteen, his brother died at twenty-nine, and his son died before reaching the age of six due to scarlet fever. Although he belonged to a highly religious family and although he was a religious preacher, his faith in religion began to loosen due to the tragedy he faced in his life. The circumstances made him restless and he devoted himself to the study of Indian spiritualism for mental peace. Emerson began his bookish connection with the wisdom of Asia during his college days. Although his acquaintance with Oriental writing did not develop into intimacy until Melville had inhaled the strong breezes of Sumatra, Emerson was almost the high priest of Orientalism in America when he published "Brahma" in the Atlantic Monthly in 1857. He will not be out place here to quote verbatim the poem 'Brahma': If the red slayer thinks he says, Or if the slain thinks he is slain, They know not well the subtle ways I keep, and pass, and turn again. Far away or forget me is near; Shadow and sunlight are the same thing; The vanished gods appear to me: And one to me is shame and fame. They consider him sick who leaves me outside: When they fly me, I am the wings; I am the doubter and the doubter, and I am the hymn that the Brahmin sings. The strong god pines for my abode, and pines in vain for the sacred seven; but you, gentle lover of God! Find me and turn your back to the sky. The ideas of this poem are woven around a Shaloka in the Bhagwad-Gita and mantra in the Katha Upanishad. Both these Shalokas and the mantra mean: "If the murderer thinks that I kill, if the things killed are killed, then both do not know well, the soul does not kill, nor is it killed." The ending of the poem talks about the interests of immortality of Indian philosophy. Many other examples can be cited from this poetry and prose as evidence of this soul that has merged with Eastern thought. Conclusion Western poets, writers and thinkers began to realize the negative intoxication caused by Western materialism which only pushed society to live for its own self-interest. gain and benefit. Thus, the poets and thinkers of this generation have shown the sure apocalypse if the/52341.