Social organizations backed by India’s ruling political forces have recently sponsored Ghar Wapsi campaigns to “recover” South Asian minorities (Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and Sikhs) to Brahmanism through coercion and legislation. Some are tempted to perceive this as a recent phenomenon, but its ideological support lies in ancient text and thoughts of Hindu thinkers and interpreters. Their writings provide a framework for portraying perpetrators of violence as the most humane, tolerant and nonviolent actors.