Critique of the West in Indic literature and society

[aklujkar at unixg.ubc.ca]

The only communication so far which has truly answered the inquiry on this
subject is the most recent one by Lance Nelson. The reproduction of the
story about Alexander and Dandamis, while interesting and informative, does
not really constitute a critique of the West. Alexander, in his time, was
no more Western than Jesus Christ was. Secondly, the story does not involve
the concept pair 'East : West' directly or indirectly. The Brahmins have
given essentially the same answer even to Indian rulers over the centuries
(cf.(a) a'simahi vaya.  bhik aam .... kurviimahi kim ii;svarai.h and (b)
tva.m raajaa vayam apy upaasita-guru-praj;naabhimaanonnataa.h etc. in
Bhart.r-hari's epigrams, to cite just one source.), not to mention that
Jain and Buddhist (and Christian, and ...) monks have probably done and
would do the same.

I would expect that in the debate sparked by K. Mayo's Mother India one
would see many examples of criticism of the West. The sources utilized by
Wilhelm Halbfass (for his India and Europe) and by J.L. Mehta (the
relevance and  influence of whose writings  is acknowledged in Halbfass)
should also contain some valuable observations. 

ashok aklujkar