THOUGHT FOR THE DAY--SECOND QUARTER 2017

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY--- SECOND QUARTER 2017

[HR Second Quarter 2017 E-Mails Sent to Participants]

GURUPURNIMA DAY IS A DAY APPROPRIATE FOR SPECIAL RELIGIOUS WORSHIP TO HONOR SAINTS AND RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL GURUS

Full Moon day during Ashadha month is known as Guru Purnima day. Traditionally this day is reserved for Guru Puja or Guru Worship. On this day disciples offer Puja or pay respect to their Gurus. Guru refers to spiritual guide who enlighten disciples by his knowledge and teachings. This year it falls on July 8^th.

Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima and this day is commemorated as birth anniversary of Veda Vyasa wo compiled and edited all Vedas and Puranasa including being the author of Mahabharata.  Adi Shankara, Sri Ramanuja Acharya and Sri Madhvacharya are some of the noteworthy Gurus in Hinduism. Guru Purnima is also celebrated by Buddhists in the honor of Gautama Buddha to commemorate the day when Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India.

This day falls between the astronomical Winter solstice Day, June 21 and the notional Dakshinayana Punyakala Day as decided by our astrological pundits in their ignorance of astronomy. It was during this time of the year that Adiyogi turned south and became a Dakshinamurti.  He began to transmit the fundamentals of the yogic science to his first seven disciples, who are now celebrated as the Saptarishis. It was not on a whim that he decided to turn south. He turned south because the sun turned south. The southern run of the sun became significant because this was the first phase of the teaching. This became the Sadhanapaada where he taught the Saptarishis what they should do.

Dakshinayana Punyakala Day is ideally suited for the Special worship of Lord Siva as Adiyogi and Dakshinamurthy in all Hindu America Temples while Guru Purnima Day to honor saints and religious and spiritual Gurus. Vedavyas is also an incarnation of Vishnu.   American temples do not believe in installing idols of such Gurus except Swami Narayan, Saibaba and Buddha.  So wherever such facilities are not there Siva and Vishnu worships are  ideal.

This year is a very important landmark year to celebrate 1000^th Ramanuja Jayanti. Those temples who have missed this great event on his birthday may still think of honoring him on the so called   Kataka Sankranti day which is celebrated as notional Dakshinayana Punyakala Day by arranging a special Puja to Lord  Siva as Daksahnamurthy and Adiguru. ThIS day is also a significant day for paying our tribute to Patanjali. You may kindly   recall Modi Government suggested to celebrate International Yoga day on Winter Solstice Day. This day invariably falls on  16^th  July like winter solstice on June 21^st.  This day is a very significant day for Guru worship in the lone Temple for Divine Guru Dattaatreya in Baton Rouge in Louisiana.

Ramanuja (1017 to1137) was the great Vaishnava saint and Philosopher.  He is believed to be the incarnation of Lakshmana (brother of Rama) and so was called Ramanuja. He upheld Bhakti (devotion) and Sarnaagati (surrender to God) as the paths for realization of Brahman or Liberation. There is no distinction between high and low, between the so called touchables and untouchables in the quest of divine grace.

He talked at length on God (Easwara), soul (Chit) and matter (Achit). God alone is independent; the other two are dependent on God (Paramaatman or Easwara) alone, according to him. His philosophy is known as Vishishta-advaita.  He wrote commentaries on Brahmasootra, the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgeetaa. They are together called Prasthaanatrayee which proclaim Bhakti as the chief means of realizing God.

He upheld humans are born equal and that caste or social status has no role in determining one’s relationship with God. His Guru was Kanchi Poorna, who was   not a Brahmin. One of his most trust-worthy disciples Dhanurdaasa was from a lower caste. He defined Vaishnava as one who has abundant love of God and he is worthy of respect. He believed in personal God. In Vishitaadvaita philosophy Brahman is addressed as Sriman Narayana.

Ramanuja was a great social reformer who allowed the scheduled tribes to enter temples in Melukote in Karnataka as early as 13^th century. Ramnuja said that animals and birds (moving and flying beings) are part and parcel of god’s creation and we have no right to sacrifice them in fire. He prohibited all such Yajnas. In Pancharatra philosophy the almighty God resolves to manifest Himself in three forms called Vyuhas: Sankarshana for Creation, Aniruddha for Preservation and Pradyumna  for Annihilation. Saivites call Pradyumna as Siva who is again Rudra celebrated in Vedas. So Siva worship should be acceptable to followers of Ramanuja also on this day though they focus on Anuiruddha as Vishnu.

 --June 30, 2017

IFTAR AT PEJAWAR MATH, UDUPI

While we have been disturbed by the shocking news that Cow  Vigilantes in promoting “Ahimsaa parmo dharmah” policy    killed a Muslim living in a secular country to whom cow is a sustenance and living, Swamiji Vishwweshaterrtha  head of Pejawar Math in Udupi opened the math doors and welcomed Muslims with open arms  to observe Iftar at Pejawar  Math!   Paramacharya  on the other hand makes only cow holy and strengthens the militant Cow Vigilantes--that  is not understandable? Ramanuja said that the animals and birds are part and parcel of God’s creation and we have no right to sacrifice them in fire and prohibited all such yajnas. Vedas had their own logic in permitting only restricted sacrifice of young bull to take care of the outcome of a strong progeny by consuming sacrificed beef as Prasad (blessed food) based on its Eco balance policy. Did He who made the lamb also made wild Tiger and elephant. the  cat and the mouse, and the snake and the worms?  Vedas also say  "satyam bruyat, priyam bruyaat na brooyaat satyamapriyam” “Dharmaya svaaha, Adharmaaya svaahaa” etc.  Its focus is  always Dharma in the ultimate analysis. Ramanuja was also a great social reformer with his philosophy of "aatmavat sarvabhooteshu" and allowed the scheduled tribes to enter temples in Melkote of Karnataka as early as 13th century.

 Iftar   is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together.   Many Muslims believe that feeding someone during   iftar is  a form of charity  that is very rewarding   as a meritorious deed  that  was practiced by the Prophet Muhammad. I am not sure whether meat was allowed in the Math! As a good gesture Muslims might have restricted to vegetarian diet!

 This news does not come as a surprise to a Hindu American like me living in Nashville where we  believe in  “sarve bhadrani pasyantu” “Eko vipraah bahudaa vadanti” “vasudhaiva Kutumbakam etc. We lead a caste- ridden Society.  Inter-caste weddings are normal. Widow marriages and remarriages are not considered as a taboo in American Hindu Temples where such weddings are conducted,  Puranas support therm too. Of late many Inter-racial marriages are  popular in which the couples are free to practice their own religion or practice both bound by the universal binding forces of love and spirituality. In our Bala Vihar School  children are taken on a visit to local Mosques, Churches, Buddha Vihars, Gurudwaras and others and witness their mode of worship promoting the Vedic wisdom “Aa no bhadrantu kratavah yantu Viswatah”. We also take people of all faiths around our temple and explain to them how Hindu Religion has been  based on Sanatana Dharma and got diluted and diverted by other missionary oriented Religions in Hindu India over its long existence but has woken up to the  wisdom of Vedanta as its religion for American Hindus while in Puri in Hindu India which preaches Universal  Jagannatha  Philosophy has displayed a notice board “Entry for Hindus Only”  influenced by few conservatives and orthodox religious protagonists!

 Gita says: Do your duty to the best of your ability without worrying about the results. Perceive that God is present equally in all beings (aatmavat sarvabhooteshu)   treat all beings equally  and let people live happy and contented(sarve  janaah sukhino bhavantu). The aim of the Gita doctrine is to lead one to tranquility, happiness and equanimity. No rituals are prescribed. The world needs different religions, cults and deities to meet the vastly different needs of individuals. The Gita doctrine is beyond Religious and national boundaries echoing the Vedic wisdom--Vasudhaiva kutumbakam, Eko Viprah bahudaa vadanti, aa no bhadrantu kratavah yantu viswatah. This message is conveyed by Swamiji practically by his openness in  allowing IFTAR at Pejawr Mutt.  This gesture will  perhaps will   be repeated periodically  followed  by   his spiritual discourses   in mosques  who have invited him. May   be other religions will also soon open their gates for spiritual discussions in due course. 

Please refer to the Facebook presentation on “Iftar celebration and Ramadan Namaz at the Pejawar Math, Udupi.” The writer  R. Jagannathan, probably a Hindu Indian  questions whether it is Hindu strength or weakness. For Hindu Americans it is a normal event and Hinduism’s strength with  its strong belief in Vedic wisdom. To tell the truth openness of Hinduism about which Rajiv Malhotra (may be he too lives in USA) talks about is a past history and belongs to Vedic culture and not to the Hindu Religion with built-in sectarian walls as practiced to-day. Probably Hindu Americans are waking up to the situation forced by the surroundings in which they have to live and in turn may influence Hindus in Indiai! Hindu Indians   are often copy-cats of Hindu Americans as we see  and  so may correct the long negligence to make Hinduism strong again with its Vedic Wisdom-- "vasudhaiva kutumbakam''; "eko viprah bahuda vadanti"; "aa no bbhadrantu kratavah yantu viiswatah" ; "krinvanto viswamaaryam"; "aatmavat sarvabhooteshu" etc.

Iftar at The Pejawar Mutt: Is This A Sign Of Hinduism’s Strength Or Weakness?

R Jagannathan  

Hinduism has many vulnerabilities, including caste. It faces many challenges, including the aggressive conversion agendas of church and mosque.

The Swamiji should ask himself whether he should be focusing on the latter and strengthening Hinduism from within, or opening mosques to signal his secularism.

Some Hindu groups have protested against the Pejawar Mutt’s head, Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji, for allowing an iftar ceremony and namaz inside the mutt’s premises. The swami himself sees nothing wrong in this, and affirmed that he knows what Hindu dharma is. “Hinduism always talks about being good with other religions,” he said, adding, “This program  gives a clear picture that the Hindu community wants to live together in peace. Namaz was not done in the temple; it was done in the dining hall.”

The Swamiji also mentioned that Muslims had called him to preach at mosques, and inaugurate mosques in Bhatkal, Udupi, Kasargod, Mangaluru and other places.

The Swamiji’s statement, quoted at length in The Times of India, is simultaneously a tribute to the open-mindedness of Hinduism and its seers and a testimony to its naïveté’ and inability to accept the Abrahamic religions on their own terms.

Good neighborly behavior with all communities is absolutely necessary, but the Swamiji brings to the fore the classic contradiction Hindus face when confronted with aggressive and expansionary religions like Islam and Christianity.

Put simply, Abrahamic religions are exclusivist, and never, never accept the truth in any other faith or spiritual enterprise. Hinduism, being open to people following their own ideas of god, or even not accepting god, is essentially liberal in its attitudes; the Abrahamic religions are closed shops.

This makes the Hindu openness a vulnerability. A liberal is supposed to believe in freedom, and this freedom is available even to those who do not believe in being liberal. Thus the fascist can use the liberal’s openness to undermine him.

Democracies face the same problem. They have to, by definition, support free speech, even blasphemy and hate speech up to a point. But this same freedom allows an Islamic State to use media to canvass for jihadis and obtain cannon fodder for their violent and murderous cause. And everyone knows that if Islamic State ever gets around to running an actual state, it will not be a liberal state. There will be no place for any other religious freedom.

German philosopher George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel noted that every proposition contains within it the seeds of its own destruction, and Hinduism’s open architecture – a term used by Indian-American author and Hindu activist Rajiv Malhotra – makes it vulnerable to religions that are not so open.

The Pejawar Swamiji should thus ask himself whether, as the head of a Hindu mutt, he should be busy opening mosques and delivering lectures there. If he is going to read the Bhagavad Gita or the Vedas in those mosques, that’s a healthy sign of openness in the Muslim community; if he can gain one convert to Hinduism that will be a triumph. But if he is going to deliver homilies on good neighborliness or some generic form of spirituality, it will be underwhelming. Every Hindu seems keen to acquire the tag of being “secular”, and the mutt’s chief seems equally vulnerable to this charm.

Hinduism has many vulnerabilities, including caste. It faces many challenges, including the aggressive conversion agendas of church and mosque. The Swamiji should ask himself whether he should be focusing on the latter and strengthening Hinduism from within, or opening mosques to signal his secularism. He could also ask himself: how open can Hinduism be when confronted with religions that are not open? Can Hinduism remain open if it does not counter conversion agendas with its own tools for retaining and expanding the Hindu population?  Should Hinduism unilaterally accept the validity of all religions, or offer it only on a reciprocal basis? The iftar at the mutt speaks of the large-heartedness of the Hindu approach, but it also underlines the limitations of one-sided large-heartedness.

--June 30, 2017

INFRA STRUCTURE TRAINING NEEDED TO PROMOTE HINDU DHARMA

Article 51A of the constitution of India mandates that it is the duty of every citizen to make efforts to value and preserve the rich heritage of Indian culture. It is then also the duty of the Indian State to facilitate the sustenance and enrichment of Indic culture. But who can define Indic culture today? The authors of the Constitution perhaps had in mind Vedic culture as they were all followers of Sanatana dharma guided by selfless wise sages. 

India then needs to have Hindu Dharma based schools that should train students not only in spiritual but also secular where the successful students must match in talents others who solely concentrate on secular education to be competitive in job market.

Such schools must offer a healthy mixture of cultural and spiritual subjects besides secular subjects to the students perhaps up to middle school level. Just like the children under the current education boards, these students must be taught secular and technical subjects such as Maths and Science.   The knowledge of Sanskrit language will be very important for spiritual subjects with the   option of keeping English or regional languages as medium of instruction for secular subjects where regional language becomes compulsory subject if it isn't the medium of instruction. This will ensure continuity and smooth transition in cases where students wish to crossover from one board to another as well as allow for a lot of flexibility within the system. Then there will be fight for Urdu/Persian being as important as Sanskrit for Muslims who are the third largest group in India! Will the Muslims in India align themselves with this culture  or look towards Mecca?

Coming to cultural subjects, students in each grade will have to be taught chapters from Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, Sutras and other treatises based on their grade level. Besides deep study of Sanskrit is absolutely necessary.

No doubt this would undo centuries of injustice imposed on socially backward/oppressed groups, by encouraging students of all hues to learn and benefit from the traditional Vedic   period educational system. Such a radical new approach will expose majority children to get a solid foundation on subjects such as language, religion, dharma, law, values, science, geography, arts, astronomy and many other topics right during their early education. It will expose the children to the richness of our tradition, and provide a firm philosophical underpinning of the world’s oldest living culture and civilization. It will also ensure that we as a society finally succeed in providing social justice to the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other backward class communities amongst us. But all such consideration would only focus on Hindus and those that are thrown out of Hinduism as scheduled caste. This is almost impossible to implement unless India declares Hinduism as the Religion of the State like what Germany has done though a democratic country with secular outlook.

Such a thought is impossible for Hindu Americans who are minority community though there is a need for such spiritual and cultural secular education. Hindu Americans want their kids to learn Vedas, Upanishads, Shastras and rich Indian literary works that would help their children connect to their roots. Right now, such an option is available in India for Hindus in   outdated Gurukulas/Pathasalas which mostly churn out unemployable youth with hardly any skills or modern outlook. Hindu American Temples draw their few needed priests from this group.  But these schools lack modernity and are not   firmly rooted in our spiritual and cultural ethos   needed for the hour. There are many institutions which are trying but failing because of lack of support structure and a modern ecosystem that caters to their needs.  But surprisingly Hindu Temples are rapidly fgrowing and the demanmd for priests has gone up. Fijis and srilanlkans have started their own Hindu temples too. To overcome this problem, to salvage Hindu tradition and culture, and make future generations well versed in Vedic culture and knowledge Hindu Americans have started Bal Vihar schools focused for few hours on Sundays that are poorly planned and ill-equipped with untrained  volunteer teachers  with no proper guidance and forced by time constraints. This could be half-day Saturday and half-day Sunday school of 4 hour duration instead an hour per week.

Unfortunately USA cannot recruit teachers from India from Pathasalas or so called modern   Gurukulas. In old days there was more focus on spiritual studies than secular which was adequate enough for living conditions in those days. Today secular education needs very high concentration to meet the challenge and competition even in India let alone USA.

These institutions in India are quite orthodox and there is more focus on religious knowledge and less on spiritual and secular subjects.  They also suffer from a lack of ecosystem from where they can hire teachers. Students from these schools have very few options when it comes to entering the job market and are just suited for priesthood with lot of further training.   Moreover, the graduates of such institutions cannot shift to secular streams of learning - like say biomedical research, robotics and other technical fields without immense difficulty.  They also suffer from a lack of ecosystem from where they can hire teachers. Students from these schools have very few options when it comes to entering the job market.  Temple priests should also be Vedic scholars trained in ritual to serve the highly intellectual Hindu American crowd.   These need   serious rethinking.

The spiritual organizations in USA must focus on turning out such teachers and providing them to run Baal Vihaar schools. These can be recruited from Sanskrit colleges in India initially and trained as Baal Vihaar teachers in spiritual Organizations.  Such teachers should be professional, highly skilled and well paid matching their counterparts in the country, making such a training attractive. In due course priests could all be drawn from such trained students with further training for the job. This cannot be done in private or public schools of USA being a multi traditional country of opportunities.Plese be on the look out for my discourse: Wisdom of Vedas prompts the Need for Spiritual Education

--June 28, 2017

Marathas saved the temple of puri jagannth From Muslim Destruction

Architects of many victories, the new rulers not only pulled out Orissa and Jagannath Puri from the cruel jaws of demolition and destruction, they infused religious and cultural vigour into the vibrant temple life. 

By Aneesh Gokhale

The Marathas rejuvenated Orissa. They were administrators of the former Mughal Province from 1751 to 1803. The first eight years through Mughal turn coats, and the remaining, via Hindu subedars. The architect of this great victory was Raghuji Bhosale 1, who ruled over Orissa from Nagpur. The Bhosale clan which would eventually rule from Nagpur had its origins in Satara. Like Dabhade, Shinde, Pawar, Bhat, and Angre clans which rose to prominence during the great 27 year war with the Mughals, Parsoji Bhosale also made his mark, giving Mughal armies a hammering. In fact, in keeping Aurangzeb engaged in the Deccan, and finally outlasting the Mughal armies, the Marathas helped Jagannath Puri.

As early as 1692, Aurangzeb had sent out a fireman calling for the temple’s demolition. That fireman was thwarted because the local Mughal officials were somehow bribed out of it. If the war with the Marathas had ended up favorably for Aurangzeb, little doubt, that Puri would have been leveled.

During the course of the war, Parsoji Bhosale gained prominence over the Vidarbha-Berar region. Parsoji was given the title of Sena Sahib Subha by Chhatrapati Rajaram. Later on, Raghuji Bhosale defeated Chanda Sahib, a Gond king, and various small chieftains in Vidarbha and Berar region. Chhatrapati Shahu conferred the title of Sena Sahib Subha on Raghuji. This was in about 1735 AD.

A divine opportunity and control 

Neighbouring Bengal was in turmoil, with the ruling Nawab Aliverdy Khan being opposed by a number of powerful local warlords. One of them was Mir Habib, the Persian Governor of Orissa, at that point, under the rule of Mughal Bengal. In 1740, he requested Raghuji Bhosale to help against Aliverdy Khan.

Raghuji Bhosale saw an opportunity to expand the Maratha influence further. Under the command of Bhaskar-ram Kolhatkar and others, Maratha armies poured into the jungles east and attacked Aliverdy Khan’s armies. They made attacks as far north as Burdwan, and Murshidabad, then capital of Bengal. Over a period of 10 years, Aliverdy Khan came under repeated attack from Raghuji Bhosale’s armies. It was similar to the repeated attacks the Marathas made in Malwa and Gujarat, weakening Mughal authority. Between 1742 and 1751, Maratha armies made repeated attacks on Bengal and crippled Aliverdy Khan’s armies. Finally, in 1751, the Nawab of Bengal agreed to give away the territory of Orissa to Nagpur, as well as the annual chauth of 12 lakh rupees from Bengal.

It was from this point that the temple of Jagannath in Puri came within the administrative purview of the Marathas. With the annexation of Orissa, the Maratha raids on the province, especially by the bargirs, came to an end. These were directed at the Nawab of Bengal in Murshidabad.  With the annexation of Orissa, the Maratha-Mughal border was decided at the river Suvarnarekha, slightly north of Balasore. The Barabati fort of Cuttack was taken, as were a host of others. (Seir Mutaqherin)

A little known fact about Orissa is that it came under foreign rule for only about 170 years, from 1568, through the success of Kala Pahar to 1751, when the Marathas overthrew Mughal rule in the province. This was achieved by the local Ganga and Gajapati dynasties strongly holding fort.

The evil eye

The temple in Puri was always patronized and achieved considerable importance.  No wonder then, it was the target of many invaders, successful and not so successful. For its safety, the idol of Jagannath had to be moved out of the temple to safer places, quite a few times. In the 150 odd years, the Mughals did not give the temple much importance. Aurangzeb went far, ordering its demolition, in 1792, but the local Mughal officials who came to carry out the job were somehow bribed out of it.  The temple was merely closed.  It was re-opened after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707. The Mughal-Maratha war kept his attention focused on the Deccan during this period. In 1724, an invader threatened the temple, but Ramchandra II, the local ruler, managed to hide the image of Jagannath. This caused a straight loss of nine lakh rupees, to the Bengal Nawab from Orissa soobah. No idol — no pilgrims.

Eventually, the Mughal governor restored the idol. In 1732, the Naib Nazim of Orissa – Muhammed Taqi Khan again came looking for temple and idol-breaking opportunities. The idols were again moved to a place called Kodala. In the years preceding 1751, threats to break the temple, closing the temple, priests scurrying with the idols to safer places, was common occurrence. Needless to add, the temple festivals and donations got the short thrift. Much of the Afghan/Mughal rule in Orissa involved the rulers going after the Jagannath temple. The few instances when worship could go on peacefully, was when the subedar or the Delhi emperor realised the shortfall in pilgrim revenue.

Charity, chariots and bhog

It is in light of this history, especially the period, between 1692  to 1751, Maratha rule in Puri must be evaluated. Why the time line? In the 18th century, it would have been a living memory for majority of Puri’s and Orissa’s populace. Raghuji Bhosale assumed control of Odisha in 1751 and the Bengal Nawab could no longer have a say in its affairs. The Mughal emperor could no longer have a say in Odisha. For the first eight years, Nagpur ruled via Mir Habib (two years) and Mohammed Saleh (six years). After this, Hindu subedars of the Nagpur court administered Orissa. The Nagpurkar Bhosales gave a sum of Rs 6000 or 20,000 cowries annually to the temple as charity. This was divided into donations given to Brahmins/priests in charge of the 32 thakurs or idols associated with Jagannath, sustenance money given to widows and food for poor pilgrims.

Land and money for the Jagannath pilgrimage was also given by the Marathas of Nagpur. In 1784, Mudhoji Bhosale made land grants to Gosains. Permission was given to a large number of people from Bengal, Benares, Rajputana and Malwa for pilgrimage to Puri and arrangements made for them. Harassment of pilgrims stopped.

Religious rejuvenation

This new ‘opening up’ of Jagannath Puri also encouraged others to make large contributions. For example, in 1773, Raja Raj Narain, a zamindar of Midnapore, set aside 960 bhigas of land for Puri. Earnings from these 960 bighas would go towards financing “bhog” for Jagannath. The Bhosales of Nagpur also assigned Satais Mahal (27 mahals – here ‘mahal’ meant an area, usually a village). The revenue would go towards financing bhog of Jagannath temple. This amounted to 1,48,373 cowries (about Rs 50,000). Sometimes it would be in kind. Daspalla supplied the timbers required for making of the raths.

The Marathas paid special attention to the celebration of two annual festivals, the Rath Yatra, and the second (possibly), the Jhulana festival.  The Jhulana festival began during the Maratha rule, contends Narayan Misra. The money spent on these two festivals from the government treasury amounted to about Rs 40,000, annually. Money earned via pilgrim tax etc. was pumped back into making the temple and temple festivals grander and richer. Raghuji Bhosale granted the estate of Kodhar to the Uttar Parusa Math. His mother, Chimabai, introduced Mohan Bhog offering at Jagannath Puri. The revenue from Kodhar estate was attached to this bhog. He also granted Braja Dev Goswami, head of a math in Puri which preached the teachings of Swami Chaitanyaprabhu, tax exemption.

Another Maratha governor of Orissa patronised the Dakshin Parusa math and considered its head to be his guru. Brahmachari Gosain, a Maratha, made offerings of gold and silver to the temple. This was in the form of a gold statue of Laxmi and a silver statue of Narayan. Another visitor attached to the Nagpur court, Chimnaji Sau, made large donations.  The Marathas brought the Arun stambh from Konark to Puri. The money accrued from temple activities was, by and large, used for the temple, food and facilities for pilgrims and feeding Brahmins and paying for the rituals. Authors Dr Manas Kumar Das and Dr. BC Ray agree that Maratha rule led to religious rejuvenation in Orissa.

It is important to note that without political control being exercised by the Nagpur Bhosales, perhaps none of this would have been possible.

 ]— Aneesh Gokhale is author, Sahyadris to Hindukush, a historical novel on rise of the Maratha empire, and Brahmaputra – Story of Lachit Barphukan.

References: Orissa Under Marathas – 1751 to 1803 : Dr B C Ray, History of Orissa (1435 to 1803) : Dr Manas Das; Lord Jagannath Through the Ages – Suryanarayan Das; Annals and Antiquities of Temple of Jagannath – Narayan Mishra, Seir Mutaqherin, Maharashtra State Gazetteer  – Chapter 7, Origins of religious violence: Asian Perspective – Nicholas Gier and Orissa Review – Abhimanyu Dash.

 Sri Aurobindo in the book "The Chariot of Jagannatha"

“The ideal society is the vehicle of the indwelling Godhead of a human aggregate, the chariot for the journey of Jagannath. Unity, Freedom, Knowledge and Power constitute the four wheels of this chariot....

The day the Self-born unity will come into being by the harmony and integration of knowledge, devotion and work, as impelled by the Will of the Virat Purusha, the Universal Person, on that day the chariot of Jagannath will come out on the avenues of the world, radiating its light in all directions. Satya Yuga, the Age of Truth will descend upon earth; the world of mortal man will become the field for the play of the Divine, the temple-city of God, the metropolis of Ananda”.
--

--June 27, 2017

WHY RUSH TO NAVAGRAHA ALTARS TO MODIFY OUR HORROR SCOPE

May I recall   reporting sometime back drawing your attention to the reforms that have taken place in the famous Siva temple in Tiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu where they have removed all sanctums for Navagrahas, Nayanmars and other minor deities and the sanctum for Saibaba in a temple in Puri by Sankaracharya.  Over several thousands of years Hindus have added more and more deities to the already confused situation in Puranas   that mention 33 million deities forgetting the Vedic wisdom of the 33 Vedic devatas assisting the one and only Deva, Parabrahman with no focus or direction.  IT split itself only to male and female in its sport to create the Universe.  Now we have innumerable female deities hailed as the spouses of the corresponding devatas and their Parivara for worship. Our need has incresed as well as deities to fulfill them. This confused situation needs correction and need t focus on the Supreme. Bhagawan also made it clear in Bhagavad Gita that only those who worship him are liberated and others get their petty desires fulfilled by devatas whom they worship through him.   Hindu American temples also feel that Navagraha altars is a must and popularize their worship mostly to attract revenue. In this connection I would like to draw your kind attention “Why Navagraha alters are absent in Vishnu Temples”. In this context please go through the enlightening Wisdom thoughts from Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev. Please note Vedas have deified only planet Earth and   its satellite Moon,Sun and none else as is evident from Vaisvedeva mantras used in worship and oblation—Prthivyai swaahaa; Suryaaya swaahaa; Chandramase swaahaa; Nakshaterbhyah swaaha but not Navagraha devatebhyah swaahaa. Bhagavad Gita makes no reference to planets but only brings comparison of the Supreme to constellations—“nakshatraanaam aham Sasee”; “Jyotishaam Raviramsumaan”. Among constellations I am moon and I am the radiant Sun. Of course Navagraha devata alters also does not include Planet Earth for reasons best known to Puranas and its authors but   Sadguru   wants us to focus on Mother Earth with full of life and not dead planets,  Exclusive temples to mother Earth are few and far between! Bhagavad Gita does say “Karmanyeva adhikariste” and not “Navagrahaanyeva adhikariste” which  our commercial astrologers and priests strongly promote. Preparation of Horoscopes as Horror scopes   and exchange of horoscopes is waning away from Hindu American scene as more and more inter-caste and inter-racial marriages are taking place. But I wonder still why Navagraha alters are so crowded on week-ends in Hindu American Temples? Temples are happy to see the crowd as it helps in enriching its coffers. It also shows how brain washed we are by religious Pundits! Neither Krishna nor Rama nor Srinivasa nor Subhramanya whose Kalyanotsavas are celebrated in Hindu Temples seem to have bothered to consult their horoscopes! Rama and Subhramanya married on an auspicious day called Uttar Phalgun or Panguni Uttriram.

 Everything has been created controlled and supervised by Parabrahman. They revolve around the Sun and the Sun around Milky Way and so billions of stars. Vedas describe the journey of Jeevaatma after so called death:  “…..dakshine  prameeyarte pitrunaameva mahimaanam gatvaa chandramasah saayujyam gacchati yetau vai sooryachandramasormahimaanu braahmano vidwan abhijaayati…”--He who dies  during the period  when the sun moves to the South (Dakshinayana)   gets only the greatness  of the Manes, and then attains to the identity or companionship of the moon. A knower of Brahman who knows separately the greatness of the Sun and the Moon realizes these two   and attains the status of greatness of Brahman—  saalokya or saameepya  or saayujya. Hence living on earth we should only be concerned  with Moon and Sun and not all the Navagrahas that cannot change or influence   our destiny bound by Karma alone. So focus directly on Brahman and Sun as Vyahriti of Brahman! That is what sri Rama and Krishna did meditating on Prabrahman alone as described in puranas and advise us also!

                                                                               

WHY RUSH TO ASTROLOGERS & NAVAGRAHA ALTARS TO CHANGE

(Compiled from dispatches of Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, ISHA Foundation)

Nowadays, for anything that people want to do, they want to look at the planets and stars. If you want to step out of your house, the planets should align themselves properly. People are looking at the right time, the wrong time, rahukalam, gunakalam and whatever else. If they want to get married, they go and ask a third person (astrologer) “Can I live happily with my wife?” Whoever it is that you marry, why can’t you live well with her or him? Or if they show some new kind of madness that you did not expect, why don’t you leave them?

Should inanimate things decide the course of your destiny or should human nature decide the destiny of inanimate things (for planets are inanimate objects)?

If your intelligence is functioning, nobody can predict what you will do tomorrow and how you will live your life. Can you predict what an intelligent man will do tomorrow? No, because he may do something that has never happened on the planet. All your predictions are about things that have happened. He may do something that you have never even imagined. If any human being’s life can be written before he lives it,  that is for sure a “horror-scope.”

A horoscope is all about how the planets are influencing your life. Planets are inanimate things. Should inanimate things decide the course of your destiny or should human nature decide the destiny of inanimate things? It is human nature that should decide. If planets are deciding the course of your destiny, it means your human nature is not even functioning to the level of inanimate objects. Dogs and cats will not allow planets to influence their life. They live the way they want to live. But human lives are unfortunately influenced by inanimate objects.

So is there nothing to it? There is something to it, but as usual human beings exaggerate things. On a full moon day and new moon day, if a person has any kind of psychological ailment, he becomes a little more imbalanced on those days. But do we all go crazy on full moon and new moon days? No, because compared to that man, you are a little more stable and established in your mind. That person cannot control it; just the position of the moon is driving him crazy. It is happening in everyone, but not to such a point that it will decide the way you are because you are more stable compared to that person.

If you are truly stable within, let every planet go wherever it wants to go, you will go where you want to go.

Similarly, if you are truly stable within, let every planet go wherever it wants to go, you will go where you want to go. Otherwise, every little change will influence you. If you are in a certain state of susceptibility, these things will work to some extent in your life. But if you are well established within yourself, no planet is going to decide the course of your life. Human nature should decide the course of your life. The source of creation which is functioning within you, if that cannot decide the course of your destiny, but planets – inanimate objects – can decide the course of your destiny, something is wrong. If you are a little more centered within yourself, all these things will not influence you. You will go where you want to go.

When anyone says “I am on the spiritual path,” what it means is, “It does not matter where the planets are, it does not matter what karma I have, I am going the way I want to go. I am going to go towards liberation.” That is what spirituality means – taking destiny into your hands.

You can either empower yourself so that you decide the course of your destiny, or you can let the planets and a million other things decide the course of your destiny. Unfortunately, people are looking too much at other planets. It is time you get a little interested in the earth and do something about it. I hope people will pay a little more attention to this planet. That is what is needed right now.

[Puranas, Religious Pundits and astrologers are indifferent to Earth Planet as the same is not included in Navagrahas but brought in Rahu and Ketu raised to the level of Planets!] Please also read through;   http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/07/why-navagraha-altars-are-absent-in.html

--E-Mail on June 25, 2017

KANCHI  PARAMACHARYA ON PROTECTION OF COW
The following message sent by IndiaDivine.Org from  Kanchi Jagadguru Sankaracharya will not make any sense to Hindu Americans living amongst major cultures who are beef eaters.   Buddhists have experienced this living mostly outside India who are pork eaters to-day as they are deplete with cow population and also do not feed their children with cow milk.   Hindus in India on the otherhand cannot  stop it for India is a secular country with large Muslim and Hindu  population where everybody have their own freedom.  It is not Hindu-India! We also cannot  quote  Vedas which mentions about young Bull sacrifice and consumption of beef  to beget strong children (BAU). But why talk about cows alone?  Had not the creator created goat, sheep, hen fish etc. with the same wisdom of “Aatmavat sarva bhooteshu”?  Pujya Sankaracharya should strongly promote vegetarianism and declare   killing any animal for food is a great sin and follow Jainism of later date which protested vehemently sacrificial Vedic religion. He only draws support from scriptures of Puranic period but completely ignores the passages in BAU.  Why is he silent about it? Please go through my earlier E-mail on the subject in this regard sent on April 27.
“Protection of cow is a dharma that can be performed by people of all communities in the world. It is a dharma that can be carried out by people of all the four varnas and other communities. In addition to our Hindus, Buddhists and Jainas too have been engaged in rearing and protecting the cow.
All animals other than the cow feed their milk to their young ones and protect them; that too for a short time. But in the case of the cow, she gives her milk to anyone and protects him till the end of her life.
With such considerations in view, it is said in Sastras that the cow should be protected at all costs. In all Vedic rituals it is the practice to say “गोब्राह्मणेभ्यः शुभमस्तु नित्यम् “ – “Gobrahmanebhyah Subhamastu Nityam”- “May cows and brahmanas be always happy”. Here the cow is mentioned first. If the cow is comfortable, the entire world will be happy. It is because all people gain comfort from the cow, worship of cow has been accorded importance. It is to be noted that the cow has abundance of milk such that after satisfying the need of her calf, she is able to feed other people with milk. No other animal has this trait.
When Jainas (Samanas) rose against Vedic religion and troubled people in a big way in Madurai, the minister Kulachiraiyar and queen Mangaiyarkkarasiyar of the Pandyan king prayed to Sri Tirugnanasambandhamurthy Swamigal to rescue the Vedic religion.
Huge philosophical debates ensued between Sri Tirugnanasambandhamurthy and the Jainas; the latter were defeated in argument. Then both parties vowed to write down on separate palm leaves that their religion alone was true and to float the palm leaves in the river Vaigai.
It was agreed that whichever leaf swims against the river current conveys the true religion. Sri Tirugnanasambandhar wrote the ‘Vazhthu Padigam’ (Song of Benediction) on his palm leaf; this song had as its first line ‘Vaazhga Andanar Vaanavar Aan inam’. His palm leaf swam against the water current for ten miles and reached the shore at a place called ‘Tiruvedagam’. The deity there is known as ‘Patrika Parameswara’; Patrika is leaf and as the leaf was washed ashore at that place, the Lord got that name. The script in the palm leaf says ‘Aaninam vaazhga’- ‘May the breed of cows live long’. As the cow has such distinction, it is necessary for everyone to worship her.
Though all communities follow dharmas in general, there is a special dharma enjoined on each community. As regards the dharmas to be performed by Vaisyas, Bhagavan Sri Krishna has mentioned them in a verse in Bhagavad Gita – “कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्“- “Krishi Gourakshyavaanijyam vaisyakarma svabhavajam”. Bhagavan has prescribed three activities for Vaisyas.
The first one, ‘Krishi’ means agriculture, ploughing the field and raising crops for people’s consumption. The second is protection of cow. The third is trade and commerce and helping people through them. This would mean that Vaisya’s duty is to increase agricultural output and help living beings through that.
Vaisya should also take care of the cow with such nutrition that her milk is not only adequate for her calf, but is also available for the public. Similarly, another important duty of Vaisyas is engaging in trade, viz. to fetch articles like wheat, asafetida etc. from long distances, store them and help people by selling those articles to them. If a person has lakhs of rupees, but lives in a desert devoid of foodgrains, he cannot sustain himself just with his money. Similarly in a place where paddy is grown in plenty, one cannot live with just paddy alone without other articles. Hence trade consists in gathering articles from different places and selling them at a particular point useful to the public.
This is an important dharma for Vaisyas. They should not think that trading is sinful. If a brahmana leaves the mundane world and lives in a forest as a Sanyasi and then starts earning money, it is a sin. We should not think that traders engage in trade just for making profit. When there is hartal for a week and shops remain closed, people suffer very much without getting the necessary articles.
Hence trade is meant for common good and not for individual profit. Vaisyas should not conduct trade with profit in view, but with the thought that they are doing a duty ordained by Bhagavan and with prayerful attitude. I spoke on Go Puja today because tomorrow is the day of Go Puja and many Vaisyas are assembled here.
We should all perform dharma as instructed by Bhagavan Sri Krishna. People should also purchase articles from Asthika traders and not atheists. If you buy from atheists, the profit would be used for wrong purposes. Trading has been ordained as a special duty for Vaisyas. Hence Vaisyas should engage in the three activities ordained by Bhagavan, viz. agriculture, cow protection and trade, with devotion to Iswara and be the recipients of His Grace.
(Discourse delivered by Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Sankaracharya Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham in Sri Ekamreswara Temple Street in Gujaratipet, Chennai.)”

 His reference to “Gobrahmanebhyah” in a sloka of puranic times is wrongly interpreted as if Brahman is only concerned with Brahmins and cows? This sloka should have also been inspired from Veda Mantras according to him.  I do not understand why cows and Brahmins should be singled out to have a pleasant life among all living entities? This is the orthodox thinking by religious groups. I believe “go-brahmanebhyo” is one word and refers to gotrapatis of Vedic culture. We have today Dravid-brahmanas, Gowdiya-brahmanas, Saraswat-brahmanas, Sivalli-brahmanas etc. So Go-brahmanas are those exalted sages who had realized Brahman.  All Hindus are identified by the lineage of these Gotrpatis today. Hence the reference to cow makes no sense and it seems to be the manipulation of religious protagonists who wanted to make cow alone holy and Brahmins a superior caste! Why not then horse and goat that were sacrificed during Yajanas and their meat was considered as Prasadam. Therefore in my opinion Gobrahmanebhya refers to those Nityasuris and prajaa refers to those that have the lineage from these Gotrapatis.

A shelter for cattle is called a Gotra in Sanskrit. The Vedic Aryans were obliged to put their cattle in the same shelter or Gotra. As a result the cattle of one family often got mixed up with cattle of other families and disputes arose over the ownership. To resolve such disputes, supervisors were appointed to act as judges and give fair and just verdict. These supervisors were of exalted character (Brahma-Jnanis or knowers of  Brahman with occult power known as  Brahmanas) and were called Gotrpatis. Many of them were later recognized as spiritually illumined souls and their descendants belonged to the lineage of these Gotrpatis. Later the term Gotra came to mean clan. It broadly refers to people who are descendants of these Gotrapatis or   Kulapatis.  It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line

“VEDIC SACRIFICIAL BULL; HOLY INDIAN HINDU COW; AMERICAN SUSTENANCE --COW AND BULL

 Let us dispassionately think why cow is not holy.   This has become a political issue misquoting our scriptures, but most useful animal to rural life of India. In ancient India, oxen and bulls were sacrificed to the gods and their meat was eaten.  Please refer to BAU.  But even then the slaughter of milk-producing cows was prohibited. Even when meat-eating was permitted, the ancient Vedic scriptures encouraged vegetarianism. One scripture says, "There is no sin in eating meat... but abstention brings great rewards." (The Laws of Manu, V/56).   Later, in the spiritually fertile period that produced Jainism and Buddhism, Hindus stopped eating beef. This was mostly due to   practical reasons as well as spiritual. It was expensive to slaughter an animal for religious rituals or for a guest, and the cow provided an abundance of important products, including milk, clarified butter for sacrifices, and fuel from dried dung. Some scholars believe the tradition came to Hinduism through the influence of strictly vegetarian Jainism. But the cow continued to be especially revered and protected among the animals of India. By the early centuries AD, the cow was designated as the appropriate gift to the Brahmanas (high-caste priests) and it was soon said that to kill a cow is equal to killing a Brahmana. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mentions about a King Janaka performing a yajna involving gifts to find out the greatest philosopher in the land. He offered a thousand cows with ten pieces of gold tied to the horns of each cow and informed the assembly that the greatest philosopher among them could drive the cows to his/her hermitage.    The importance of cow as the pastoral element in the Krishna stories cannot be forgotten now glorified by Hare Krishna movement.  From the Rig Veda (4.28.1;6) we read. “The cows have come and have brought us good fortune. In our stalls, contented, may they stay! May they bring forth calves for us, many-colored, giving milk for Indra each day. You make, O cows, the thin man sleek; to the unlovely you bring beauty. Rejoice our homestead with pleasant lowing. In our assemblies we laud your vigor.”  

But why did Vedas prescribe animal sacrifice for rituals and that too   for Naimittika (specific) Yagnas and not for Nitya (Daily) Yajnas?  Keeping in mind important scriptural injunction, “Do not   commit pain (ahimsa) to any being” one may wonder how the sacrifice of animals, no matter how infrequently, can be allowed by Hinduism?  It is not only cow even pork from domesticated pigs was forbidden as food by Hinduism later.  Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say: “if a person who eats pork can constantly think of God, then he is far superior to a person who eats vegetarian food and yet thinks of sense objects all the time". Vivekananda often lamented “In India religion has entered into the cooking pot”.  Upanishadic seers recognized the prevalent meat eating habits of the people during their times.  Therefore they thought of restricting meat consumption rather than making it a rule that can't be enforced   during their times but progressively and ultimately end its usage by force of habit and free will.   Many discontinued Yajnas also and turned to Bhakti Marga later as you know! As Swami Chidananda says Upanishads are very practical in their approach to life and promote everything by proper focus and Sadhana.  Seers achieved their objectives later   when Jainism an offshoot of Hinduism strongly believed in non-injury to all forms of life and could influence a large section of people to stop killing and change even the limited eating of meat promoted by Upanishads. In Rigveda oblation ritual mantras chanting Swaahaa (Vaiswadeva Homa Mantra), oblations are offered to many deities including Herbs and Trees but no mention is made of cow. Evidently cow is not deified as other things mentioned the long list of Mantras.  How could Vedas miss cow if it is considered sacred as many Hindus feel today? May be I am wrong! If anyone can site me any Veda mantra I would be grateful and would also like to be stand corrected

In Vedic times, Vedic people ate meat with certain restrictions about which animals could be killed and eaten. Rather than recklessly butchering animals and eating their flesh, it was considered better to sacrifice the animal as an offering to God and then eat the sanctified meat. Any meat not offered to God was treated as inedible. They also restricted animal sacrifice to limited  and specific purposes. Thus we find mention of young bulls being sacrificed and their meat consumed by pregnant woman as a medical advice for proper nourishment.     In this manner some restraint was imposed on the indiscriminate and wanton killing of animals for human consumption.  In addition, animal sacrifice in the presence of God was supposed to be interpreted as killing the animal or lower nature of the worshiper in order to manifest the worshiper’s higher nature or inherent divinity.  The later scriptures allow other symbols such as pumpkin, ash gourd, squash or any other fruit, to represent the worshiper’s lower nature or animal nature. Thus there is no direct taboo on animal killing or any glorification of cow as divinity but indirect promotion to avoid meat.   Cow was   glorified for its usefulness in the daily living of Vedic people and the material it supplied for sacrifices (milk, ghee etc.) including its own male progeny bull  for  very specific Yajnas on rare occasions. Under no circumstances female species cow was sacrificed.  Indians therefore should not have any objection to killing of male species bull, buffaloes or pigs that are the food material for the sustenance of Non-Hindus and cheap source of protein. An alternate is to declare Jainism as the State Religion  of India and turn everybody vegetarian. After all Hinduism gave top recognition to the least represented religion Buddhism  by adopting Dharma Chakra of Buddhism and Ashoka Pillar as National symbols when the Republic was formed! It should therefore be not be difficult to declare Jainism as State religion! Then   everyone will be bound by the law of the Country. In countries like Saudi Arabia no alcohol or pork can be consumed and any violation is subject to Capital Punishment as Islam is the declared Religion of the State!

Good Lord created both the ferocious tiger and the meek lamb! I wonder why he did not create all animals vegetarian like the cow and the elephant! Probably he did not want the total destruction of plant kingdom! He thought of Eco-Balance Dharma perhaps!  That is why we are   having vegetarians and non–vegetarians.  Bull is restricted as a material for specific Yajnas and meant to be enjoyed as Prasadam and not indiscriminate butchering of Cows,   that is cutting the grass roots! But meat eating habit is increasing. In my recent visit to   Bengaluru I saw everywhere the Ad for Hyderabad Biryani which is meat based, so there is a need for keeping an eye on the eco-balance which also calls for eco-protection and restoring pristine beauty of Mother Earth while enjoying her bounties.  Luckily Westerners are cutting down on their red meat consumption which is a welcome sign. But killing a man for saving the cow is not admissible as Narahatya (human killing) is the greatest sin in Hindu Dharma. Dharma cannot be saved by Adharma!

 

As  a Hindu American all these do not bother me as I am a Lacto-vegetarian though  American Food Regulations permit use of  not only  bone charcoal to refine sugars like in  India  but also allow gelatin for jellies and for preservation and coagulation of yogurt and artificial butter. Poor Hindu Brahmins in India are the victims and unknowingly become sinners which is pardoned  even by Hindu scriptures as ignorance! Cow Vigilantes have not yet analyzed these products and food labels also  do not declare such  religious adulteration  conveniently! So ignorance prevails and saves sinners! Usually mutton tallow is an adulterant for natural butter in India. I caught one such case  while in Kanpur! He was a favorite Bhaiya, supplier of cheap butter to all religious Hindus! Of course Hindutva was not in  the picture then! I am not sure whether the present government is aware of  such religious abuses or pregnantly silent about it?   --E Mail sent on April 27, 2017”

--E-Mail sent on june 25, 2017

Wisdom from Vedas; UTTISHTHATA—JAAGRATA—CHARAIVETI--CHARAIVETI

 Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.’ This statement is Swami Vivekananda`s most popular phrase. The statement naturally presumes that we are not awake; indeed, we have busied ourselves with the material outer world, forgetting our real nature. We may be awake to the external world, but not to reality within, we are asleep in regard to our consciousness. We should awaken our consciousness within by spirituality.

You may kindly recall my quote of combined aphorisms from two different Veda mantras—Uttishthata, Jaagrata, Charaiveti Charaiveti.   They have their origin and background story and   profound influence on the minds of the people to reach their material as well as spiritual goals in life.

“Arise! Awake! And Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached!” --These were the famous words with which Swami Vivekananda roused the sleeping soul of India, more than a 100 years ago.  This has been adopted as Ramakrishna Missions motto. 

In those days, India was laboring not only under the brunt of foreign colonial occupation, but also suffering from social subjugation at the hands of the hideous caste system. Because of these two factors, the Indian masses had become so physically, mentally and spiritually weakened that they had completely lost their sense of self-worth and were wholly incapable of fighting for justice and freedom.powerful teachings based upon the spiritual philosophy of the Upanishads, worked to re-awaken and re-energize the feeble minds of the people.

And when the mind of the nation, once more became strong, filled with inspiration, hope and courage millions of people rose up to become social and political reformers, and subsequently the goal of physical freedom was attained within a just few decades. Such is the power of spirituality!

Now it is a little known fact, that in his clarion call of “Arise! Awake!” Swami Vivekananda was actually partially quoting a Sanskrit verse from the Kathopanishad    which was his most favorite Upanishad as Gita closely embraced it later and repeats some of its mantras:

Uttishthata jaagrata praapya varaanibhodata | kshurasya dhaaraa nisitaa duratyayaa durga pathastat kavayo vadanti ||3-14 ||

Translation: Arise! Awake! Seek the guidance of an illumined teacher and realize your true self. The path of spirituality is difficult, like walking on a razor’s sharp edge. (Yet, do not despair! Fill your minds with courage. Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!)

In his spiritual awakening call “Arise Awake” Swami Chinmayananda writes: “Oh Man!  Rotting in the quagmire of Samsara! Arise! Turn towards the brilliant sunlit land of Perfection and walk through the path shown to us by the Rishis. Walk the path, and reach the glorious summit from where you can experience that your sense of limitations and imperfections, hopes and desires, success and failures, loves and hatreds, birth and death, were all but a gruesome midsummer night’s dream. Hence the Rishis cry out “awake”meaning that the one who has, under the lash of   circumstances, come to accomplish the command “arise” should try his best to come to a fuller realization of what has actually happened within him in his personality, and thus get himself awakened.

I also came across this interesting Sanskrit mantra,   (चरैवेति) an aphorism from the Aitareya Brahmana*, which means “Go on” when I received a greeting card for Diwali from my boss in India. At that time I felt he wanted me to quit and move forward to greener pastures as I was denied due promotion in spite of my unique contribution and he was helpless as a  divisional head.  This is a powerful and potent word, in true Upanishadic style it exhorts us to move on and keep going! चरैवेति Chara+eva+iti = Chara = moving (things) + eva = alone ; only + iti = thus

Let me reproduce here a wisdom thought from a spiritual thinker in the context of my earlier e-mail on the subject:

 "The actual source of the word is a hymn about the long endless journey towards self-realization which each one of us must embark on, and each verse ends with the refrain: ‘Charaiveti, Charaiveti’, meaning, oh traveler, March along, March along!’

“Charanbai madhu vindati charantsvadu mudambaram |Suryasya pasya sreemanam yo na tandrayate charan | Charaiveti, charaiveti.” Aitareya Brahmana, 7.15

The verse and its translation fascinates me. The literal translation of the verse according to sources is “The honey bee, by its motion, collects honey, and birds enjoy tasty fruits by constant movement. The sun is revered, by virtue of its constant shining movement; therefore, one should be constantly in motion. Keep moving, keep moving on!”

Lord Buddha used to conclude his discourses & sermons everyday with these words: Charaiveti, Charaiveti. What a positive and meaningful way of urging and encouraging his audience!

Sometimes change can be exhilarating and exciting. Sometimes it can be frustrating and demoralizing. And sometimes it can be scary and terrifying. Whatever the circumstances, we have to move on and persist like a dogged traveler in the journey of life.   In the journey of life, we are sure to traverse through hills and vales, acmes and abysses. Success and failure, rising and falling are realities in life. All these bring about change. Well, it sounds clichéd, yet change is inevitable and is in fact the only thing that is permanent, like the seasons.

Somertimes from within us, change can really be a wonderful thing, if only we welcome, introspect, appreciate and learn from it. The learning in turn will strengthen our hearts, expand our minds and enrich our very lives. It would be a useful exercise to introspect and examine how much we have changed. And if we find that we have changed in one way or the other, we can pat ourselves on the back, for it is either for survival or for excellence. And the ultimate truth is the day we stop changing, we fossilize, we die! Much later, when we look back, we realize that the change was to be. It made us stronger and clarified to us our life’s purpose. Wasn’t Friedrich Nietzsche who said that that which does not kill us makes us stronger? Besides change is one of the best of teachers! So, no matter how arduous the climb is, how long and winding the road is, how worn out we are, we need to carry on. . . . Charaveti, Charaiveti-- keep going, keep going and never stop moving till the last breath of life.

Communications Psychologist Dr. Dennis O’ Grady says, “Change has a bad reputation in our society. But it isn’t all bad — not by any means. In fact, change is necessary in life — to keep us moving … to keep us growing … to keep us interested. … Imagine life without change. It would be static … boring … dull.” So let’s embrace change – it may seem rotten now, but sweet later! And let’s keep going! Smile and move on! I do know it is easier said than done. But do give it a try. I did. And I have never regretted.

CHARAIVETI, CHARAIVETI!! Move on, Move on! March along, March along!!”

The Kathopanishad Mantra alsao inspired Sarojini Naidu, Nightingale of India to come up with her famous poem AWAKE.    

Waken, O mother! Thy children implore thee,

Who kneel in thy presence to serve and adore thee!

The night is a-flush with a dream of the morrow;

Why still dost thou sleep in thy bondage of sorrow?

Awaken and sever the woes that enthrall us

And hallow our hands for the triumphs that call us!

Are we not thine, O Belov'd, to inherit

The manifold pride and power of thy spirit?

Ne'er shall we fail thee, forsake thee or falter

Whose hearts are thy home and thy shield and thine altar.

Lo! We would thrill the high stars with thy story,

And set thee again in the forefront of glory. Hindus:

Mother! The flowers of our worship have crown thee! Parsees:

Mother! The flame of our hope shall surround thee Mussulmans:

Mother! The sword of our love shall defend thee Christians:

Mother! The song of our faith shall attend thee! All Creeds:

Shall not our dauntless devotion avail thee?

Hearken! O queen and O goddess, we hail thee

 --June 24, 2017

Comments received

Hariom ! Very Good Article 

For swamiji Chidatmananda. Chinmaya Seva Trust

HINDU REFLECTIONS ON RATHAYATRA FESTIVAL IN NASHVILLE IN JUNE 2017

The Annual Festival of Sri Jaganntha Ratha Yatra is celebrated as Special Religious Event in Sri Ganesha Temple of Nashville sponsored by Jaganntha Society of America followed by a lecture on Jaganntha Philosophy and Odissi dance by Sri Datta and Ms. Sharanya on June 25, 2017. It is a magnificent religious-cum-Orissa cultural annual event in Nashville.  

Nirguna Brahman as  Jaganntha (Vidhartaaram nrichakshasam) is intended to  be meditated upon as Jaganntha in Orissa with his eyes and ears being prominent as visualized and sculpted by Viswakarma who is none other than an incarnation of Vishnu as the Divine architect. Please recall here the Veda mantra: "Viswatas chakshuruta viswato mukho viswato hasta uta viswataspaat | sam baahubhyaam namati sam patatrairdyaavaprithavee janayan Deva ekah ||" -- MNU. The Self-luminous Reality is one without a second and is the creator of heaven and earth. Having created the   Universe by Himself and out of Himself He became the possessor of the eyes, faces, hands and feet of all creatures in every part of the universe.  He controls all of them   by dharma and adharma (merit and demerit) represented as His two hands and the constituent elements of the universe which have supplied the souls with the material embodiment represented as patatra (moving elements of the world) or leg. The Lord as Jagannatha has his eyes in all places. He has his face in all directions. He has his hands in all places. He has his feet in all directions on earth. Thus One Lord creating heaven and earth make Jivaatman associated with arms and feet. Paramaatman is both the   operative and material cause of the Universe.   Visawakarma started sculpting Jagannatha   projecting His face and eyes (operative cause) prominently and left the scene. Later people added hands (material cause) but not feet. Probably his focus was on Parmaatman alone and not Jivaatman with its material cause?

Adi Jagannatha deity in Tiruppullani is complete in itself in His Saguna form for Archana form of worship.   Sri Rama asked Vibhishana to worship Jagannatha    when he left for Ayodhya after killing Ravana as revealed by Valmiki in Ramayana—“Aaraadhya Jagannatham” .  Jagannatha appeared as Aswattha first in Tiruppullani.  In Bhagavad Gita Bhagawan says among trees He is Aswattha with its roots in heaven. Later melted down by the prayers of sages he appeared in his Archa form as you see the icon today in Tiruppullani near Ramewaram.  Jagannatha was the family deity of Ikshwakus.  Dasaratha worshiped Jagannatha here to beget children.

I believe Ramanuja left Puri without enforcing his mode of Archa form of worship at the behest of Jaganntha Himself as Jaganntha wished to present himself suitable for meditation with his face and eyes everywhere as sculpted by Viswakarma and the soul hidden in the idol as Brahmapadartha in Puri. Jaganntha priests built up a story around it as some punishment meted out to Ramanuja by the Lord which is highly untenable as he is also an incarnation of Adisesha like Balarama and Lakshmana and rightly   called Ramanuja, which form of Adisesha he revealed in Thondanur in Karnataka—“Ananthah Prathamam Roopam Lakshmanascha Tathah Parah  Balabadram Thritheeyasthu Kalou Kaschit Bhavishyathi ||” -- a forecast before his birth. You can see to what extent Hindu sectarian views are fabricated into Sthala Puranas?  

I wonder why American Jagannatha Society drawn from enlightened   American Hindus is completely ignorant of the popularity of Jaganntha in Tiruppullani in the South and   confines itself to sectarian Orissa tradition even in America.  It calls for a fusion   suited for all traditions as Jaganntha is not exclusive to Odisha. Rama directed the Archa form worship through Vibhishana in   Tiruppullani which Ramanuja   systematized later as his obedient brother and follower in Kaliyuga.  You may also recall here that before Rama started the encounter with Ravana   he meditated upon Aditya by chanting Aditya-Hridaya focusing on the spiritual heart (antaschariti bhootesahu guhaayam) in the Orb of the Sun.  Both types of worships, meditation as well as Archa form of worship (Paanchraatra), promoted and practiced by Sri Rama are acceptable to Jagannatha.  Jagannatha himself preferred meditation form of worship in Puri and Archa form of worship in Tiruppllani. That is why the figure was left unfinished in Puri which makes it unsuitable for Archa form of worship according to Agamas though Puranas have their own stories and justification.   

In the complex and confused history of this deity Vaishnava followers in Orissa   started Abhishekam   on the mirror image of Jagannatha, as such a worship was not possible on the main deity.  They also built a mighty kitchen instead of a prayer hall for meditation. Prasaadam is very important in Vaishnava tradition where religion has entered its kitchen too.  They later adopted Rathotsava based on the Brahmotsava tradition of Triruppullani with its Archa form of worship which tradition was started by Brahma the creator who is believed to preside over Brahmotsavas conducted in temples in the South annually. Jagannatha Society of America guided by the professional priests in Puri simply copy Puri in worshiping Lord Jagaanntha in USA ignoring the religious feelings of Bhaktimarga followers from South India   who follow the tradition set by   Sri Rama and systematized by Ramanuja.

It is also worth noting here that according to Aagama Sastras incomplete or mutilated or defective idols are not suitable for Archa form of worship. People in Orissa should have been encouraged by the popularity of worship of Ganesha of broken tusk as Ekadanta, to install Archa form of worship in Puri instead of the need for Meditative form of worship. They also needed all pomp and show of Archa form of worship introduced later in Temples that brought in lot of revenue and improved economy. But Puranas have a sway to over-rule Sastras or logics. Ganesha in Saivism is Modakapriya unlike other deities who are not praised for their food cravings; Perhaps Krishna as Navaneeta chora! You are all familiar with 32 varieties of delicacies for Krishna in Gokulashtami (this is a daily affair in Puri-Jagannath) and spicy Vada for Hanuman for his Jayanti in Vaishnavism. We may perhaps have to bribe devotees for attendance   sometimes, it looks! This tradition perhaps comes from Vaishnava tradition. It also proves my contention that Ganesaha deity has its origin to Gajananaas (aliens in upper worlds) and Vishwaksena, Vishnu’s attendant who is taken in procession first to supervise arrangements for Brahmotsava in Vishnu Temples. Ganapathi is called Tumbikkai Aazhwar (Vaishnava saint with a trunk) In Tamil.

In my deep devotion to Lord Jaganntha as Universal Lord and ideal deity for worship  in Hindu  American Temples like Venkateswara  about which I have talked about in detail, I have collected lot of information on Purushotttama Kshetra and Orissa Culture which I had circulated to American Jagannatha Society members that I also attach  for your knowledge and enrichment. Any additional information is welcome.  Besides, please also go through my past discourses on Jagannatha:

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2015/07/jagannatha-parivaara-and-nrusingha.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2012/06/jagannaatha-of-puri-andn-rathab-yatra.html

--June 23, 2017

Are we obseving Dakshinayana Punyakala Properly that has impact on our lives?

Yesterday was Summer Solstice Day. Our temple has postponed it to July16 influenced by commercial Panchangams. In many time zones in the Northern Hemisphere, June 21, 2017, will be the longest day of the year.  June Solstice is also called Summer Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the longest day of the year in terms of daylight, the June Solstice is also called the Summer Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, on the other hand, it is the shortest day of the year and is known as the Winter Solstice. Solstices happen twice a year - in June and December. The June Solstice happens around June 21, when the Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer. The December Solstice takes place around December 21. On this day, the Sun is precisely over the Tropic of Capricorn. Solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning Sun and sistere, meaning to come to a stop or stand still. On the day of the June Solstice, the Sun reaches its northernmost position, as seen from the Earth. At that moment, its zenith does not move north or south as during most other days of the year, but it stands still at the Tropic of Cancer. It then reverses its direction and starts moving south again. The opposite happens during the December Solstice. Then, the Sun reaches its southernmost position in the sky - Tropic of Capricorn - stands still, and then reverses its direction towards the north.

One might think that since it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the Earth is closest to the Sun during the June Solstice. But it's the opposite. The Earth is actually farthest from the Sun during this time of the year. In fact, the Earth will be on its Aphelion a few weeks after the June Solstice. The Earth's distance from the Sun has very little effect over the Seasons on Earth. Instead, it the tilt of Earth's rotational axis, which is angled at around 23.4 degrees, that creates seasons. The direction of Earth's tilt does not change as the Earth orbits the Sun - the two hemispheres point towards the same direction in space at all times. What changes as the Earth orbits around the Sun is the position of the hemispheres in relation to the Sun - the Northern Hemisphere faces towards the Sun during the June Solstice, thus experiencing summer. The Southern Hemisphere tilts away from the Sun and therefore enjoys winter during this time. The hottest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere usually comes a few weeks or sometimes months after the Solstice. This is because it takes time for the oceans and landmasses to warm up, which again allows for higher air temperatures. This phenomenon is called the delay or lag of the seasons.

The June Solstice holds a special place of celebration in many cultures. People around the world celebrate the day with rituals. feasts, picnics, dance, and music. It is strange our Panchangas believe  January 14 as the Winter Solstice Day  and observe it as  the beginning of  Uttarayana Punyakala and  observe July 16  as Summer Solstice Day,  and observe it as the beginning of Dakshinayana Punyakala. It clearly shows how wrong we are astronomically today even though the world learned about astronomical science from our sages.  We therefore observe rituals prescribed by our scriptures for observance of holy days on wrong days.  

 Upanishads talk a lot about normal people as well as jivanmukta sanyasins who die during  Dakshinayana as  well as Uttarayana and the nature of travel of Jivatma based on their merits and status. Death during Uttarayana is praised as superior to  death in Dakshinayana by Upanishads. How are we then to  conclude the quality of death based on our false Panchangas?   Why are our religious  Pundits and spiritual  Gurus silent about it?  I was surprised to come across the spiritual thoughts on Uttarayana and  Dakshinayana by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev who  draws our attention to actual astronomical dates of them and not what astrologers say. Please  be benefited from his wisdom thoughts:

"The half of the year from the beginning of Uttarayana in December to the beginning of Dakshinayana in June is known as Jnana pada. The other half of the year from the beginning of Dakshinayana to the beginning of Uttarayana is known as the Sadhana pada. In terms of sadhana, Dakshinayana is for purification, Uttarayana is for enlightenment.

It was during this time of the year that Adiyogi turned south and became a Dakshinamurti – he began to transmit the fundamentals of the yogic science to his first seven disciples, who are now celebrated as the Saptarishis. It was not on a whim that he decided to turn south. He turned south because the sun turned south. The southern run of the sun became significant because this was the first phase of the teaching. This became the sadhana pada where he taught the Saptarishis what they should do. The northern run or Uttarayan is referred to as the Samadhi pada or Kaivalya pada. It is a time for realization.

The change in the Sun’s relationship with the planet has a significant impact on the lives of people, unconsciously on certain days humans behave in a certain way. Every human being, no matter what level of competency he has reached in his life, either a great athlete or an artist or a musician or a politician or an intellectual, whatever he may be, will for some unknown reason seem to function better on certain days and certain times. And for some unknown reason he does not seem to do the same things as well on another day.   The whole dynamics of the planet and its movement seem to work on humans. This our astrologers have exploited fully for financial gains relating to horoscopes and influence of planets at birth.

If you want this body of flesh and bone to imbibe the nature of the cosmic body, understanding and being in tune with this movement of Uttarayana and Dakshinayana is very essential.

In the northern hemisphere of the planet, Uttarayana is the time of fulfillment, Dakshinayana is the time of receptivity. They are also understood as – the first six months from January to June are masculine in nature, and the duration of the southern run is the feminine phase of the Earth. The earth changing her fabric from being masculine to feminine is very significant for a sadhaka because we are moving into the six months of sadhana phase where receptivity is good.

I have taked to you about Kundalinee power.  Uttarayana and Dakshinayana have a significant impact on how the human system functions.  . During the southern run, what is below the Anahata chakra can be purified very easily.  During the northern run, what is above the Anahata can be worked much more easily.   The lower ones, the Manipuraka, the Svadhishthana, and Muladhara are more concerned in keeping the body stable, rooted. These are the earth qualities. They pull you to the Earth. The more you ascribe your energies to these three centers, the more your qualities will become earthy and in the grip of nature. The upper ones, the Vishuddhi, Agna, and Sahasrar are three centers which are always taking you away. If your energies become dominant in these centers, it is pulling you away from Earth. These centers make you open to another force which we normally refer to as Grace – it is always trying to take you away from Earth. So between the first three and the last three, the first three are pulling you towards the Earth, the last three are pulling you away from the Earth. Anahata is a balance between the two. These are described as Pitruyana and Devayana in Upanishads two different kinds of journey and experience.The human body, if brought to a certain level of intensity and sensitivity, is a cosmos by itself. Everything that happens in the external sphere, in a subtle way, manifests in the body. It is happening to everybody, it is just that most people do not notice this. But a more organized and purposeful rearrangement of the human mechanism could be done if one becomes conscious of the external movement and aligns that with the movement that is happening within the human system. If you want this body of flesh and bone to imbibe the nature of the cosmic body, understanding and stay tuned with this movement of Uttarayana and Dakshinayana is very essential". (Thoughts from the teachings of Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev)

--Released on June 22, 2017

ARISE‑AWAKE-MOVE FORWARD

My journey of struggle and success in life   from a remote village in Karnataka in India to Nashville TN, USA was a long journey through a challenging and winding path. Very early in life I realized that I should not stop at set-backs and move forward in life even foregoing customary childhood care from my parents. At that time I had no idea of Vedas or its wisdom words “Uttishtata, Jagrata, Charaiveti, Charaiveti”.  I moved to Chennai leaving my parents at the age of 8 to pursue my studies. The noble Communal G.O. of Government of Madras denied me my choice subject of study in spite of my outstanding performance despite adverse circumstances.  I was forced to study a subject I hated must. I moved forward and became UNIDO expert in my field.   I started my career with the Ministry of Defense and stagnated. The retiring CEO of the organization advised me to move forward leaving the Ministry. I then got selected to a gazette post with a State Government and soon got disillusioned. A friend advised me to move forward again seeking a foreign scholarship.  I was diffident but yet applied. To my surprise I got selected though initially denied by official intimidations   and had my training in Germany.  I moved on.  I was denied visa by the Indian Government as I held a limited time official passport to pursue my doctorate studies in Sweden under a famous professor. I got stuck in a Public sector undertaking as a standards engineer and a friend of mine advised me that I should  get back to production in my  line and  move forward.   I   listened to his advice, moved to production line and was almost a 3^rd person   in my line in high brackets salary in India. I was invited by an American firm to come to USa and help their ailing industry. That gave me an opportunity to go to many countries and help them in the Know- how, Show-how and Do-how to start an enterprise of their own  or  improve the   performance of their existing industries.  While I was in the pinnacle of my career in  India the three Sankarcharyas  whom I met   felt that I should Arise and Awake and Move Forward to realize as to what is real progress in life.  That is they were advising me to turn spiritual moving away from the materialistic race after retirement.   After retiring voluntarily from my active life I started focusing on Swabhimaana, Satsanga and Svaadhyaaya  to slowly focus on Nivritti Marga  while still engaged in Pravritti.    I had many an opportunity become rich like our President but material wealth was not my goal.  Further I knew my limitations strength and weaknesses. I fought corruption but did not exploit it for personal gains.  Today I am satisfied with my life in rendering my little service to the community with my limited knowledge. Soon I  will end my discourse  contributions to my  Blog Hindu Reflections which I will leave behind as my legacy  for others to improve upon and spread the spiritual message. That is why I have not made them pdf documents and kept them open.  

But why do I talk about my personal life to you. We come across Swamijis like Chidananda of Fowai Forum, Chidanada of Paramartha Niketan, Chidatmanada of Chinmaya Mission Trust who talk about practical significance and application of Veda mantras to improve our life style.  To conclude somehow my life’s journey indirectly got motivated by the Vedic wisdom of Uttishthata, Jaagrata, Charaiveti, Charaiveti (Arise, Awake, Move Forward, Move Forward)   about which I will talk next.    My father was passing rich with Rs.15 per month when I lived with him.  To-day my son is a doctor and my daughter a senior manager in the field of  IT having studied in Rensselaer,  Michigan,  Brown  and  Harvard   to show how important these Mantras are to guide us  with the right messages  to practice   life to lead a Pravritti as well as a Nivritti Marga. We need advancement both in our practical as well as spiritual life. That is why I have ben highlighting some of these messages from these Swamijis which often disturb your routine engaging your precious time. Please therefore focus on them as time permits and also contribute. Often your comments have helped me to improve my knowledge prompting me for further   research.

--June 19, 2017

FATHER’S DAY MESSAGE FROM HINDU REFLECTIONS—JUNE 18, 2017

TODAY IS Father’s Day. Father’s Day is an American Invention. But why religiously brought up   Hindu Americans rush to temple to celebrate the Day as a special Religious Events day like Abrahamic Religions Americans rush to church and synagogues?  Islam believes in Allah alone and Prophet Muhammad. To me it appears this thought is   inspired by Vedic Wisdom. Supreme Being created 33 Gods assigned to three regions of the earth (Prithvi), the heavens   (Dyaus) and the Intermediary space (Anthariksha). These were eight Vasus, 12 Aadityas, 11 Rudras, Indra and Prajapati. Though these deities appear to be independent, they are the facets of same Brahman, The Supreme Being.  Puranas called    Prajapathi  as  Pita-maha, Father of all  citizens on Earth, while the Great Father called Himself as Purusham Mahantam--The Great Purusha (the Great Valoros) as we read in Purushasookta—Veda aham etam purusham (I know this great person). Pita Maha brought forth into this world four sons Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara as single parent without the cooperation or copulation with Saraswati. Siva in his turn created Guruguha or Skanda by His will alone to the displeasure of Parvati, who even taught his father as he was none other than Sanatkumara willingly entered into Him and was born as Skanda at His request to Him alone. Later Narayana in order to humble Indra created Enchantress Urvasi of no parallel beauty in the world. Thus Father alone as single parent was responsible for all births and bringing up the magnificent creations of beauty and Intelligence. Brahman as   the Executive Leader and CEO of the Universe not only shared his responsibilities with 33 Devatas but also created Ritam, Orderliness and Dharma to manage the Universe. You have heard recently a lot about this CEO mentioned in Veda Mantras from Swami Chidatmananda. He thus ordained  then on that a progeny is the joint responsibility of a male and female tied in Holy matrimony by what is described in Vedas as Coupling with His Philosophy of Sharing and Caring.

This clearly shows Father alone is capable of giving birth to children and bringing forth the children but yet wanted to delegate part of his responsibilities to his better half later as He split Himself as male and Female.  All said and done we live today in male dominated world and we are patriarchal. We have e recently seen how difficult it is for a woman to be become President in USA despite superior talents and experience! We therefore rush to the temple to honor the Father and worship Him as “Jagatah pitum vande  Prameswaram”

As a practical and materialistic Hindu American Father, I have thus played my role too, I have the pleasure in forwarding this inspirational thoughts on Father’s day from 123greetigs.com. While celebrating this significant annual day in your life, please recall my discourses on the subject posted on the Blog: Hindu Reflections.

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2013/06/worship-in-american-churches-and.html

FATHER'S DAY GREETINGS FROM 123Greetings.com Every step of the way, Fathers have brought smiles and laughter into our lives. He has taught us the real meaning of life and instilled in us important lessons. Spread Father's Day joy this year by taking a trip down memory lane and reminiscing over the time he taught you how to ride a bicycle or the time he cracked yet another 'Dad Joke'.  From being a lazy heap wrapped in covers oblivious to mom's constant pokes to running insanely against time for putting the bread on the table, dads are unique and unbeatable  While mums often nag us to perfection, dads teach us how to be imperfectly perfect, which is much needed for balancing ourselves. Life throws at us unexpected expectations. Sometimes we aren't prepared for the challenges. Posing perfection at those times could be taxing, that is when the little window of allowing ourselves to be sans judgement and beliefs is a savior.

The instinct of protection is natural to a dad like nurturing is to a mother. Dads indeed are the first hero in a child's life. He introduces adventure, love and fun. He creates memories and makes sacrifices for the family. He loves his kids and their mother dearly inculcating the value of family in his children. He gets angry at times, gives in to the whims and makes mistakes. He then says sorry and makes up. He teaches the children to fall, get up, dust themselves off and keep moving on.

 In this busy world, we sometimes forget to say or share with others what's in our hearts. But today seems perfect to greet  you for being a father or grandfather to your family!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! As a proud Father and Grand -father I join the club and share my warm sentiments and thoughts   (in my discourses) with you all!

 NRS

Comment received

I liked what you have written. Happy Father's Day from my side too !

--A.N. Sapthagirisan

LECTURE ON EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP THRO’ SPIRITUAL PRACTICE BY SWAMI CHIDITAATMANANDA

Sri Ganesha Temple through the good offices   of   Telugu Association in Nashville has arranged a lecture to-morrow from 5 to 6.30 PM on “Effective Leadership through Spiritual Practice by Swami Chidatmananda”.  It is a welcome trend that local cultural associations are taking keen interest   in spirituality. We had one such inspiring talk by a celebrity earlier arranged by Tamil Association.  Perhaps such talks are more interesting than going through my long E-mails focused on spirituality coming from a person not yet taken to saffron robes and who acts only as Vitaranaanada, one who feels happy in distributing thoughts from various literary sources and Gurus.  It should be a piece of cake for any  Spiritual  Leader   to talk on leadership as well as  take the lead to guide us as a leader, who has taken great efforts (Sadhana) to keep all his senses under control and has  the steadfast  desire to realize Brahman in this very life.   Sanskrit dictionaries have struggled hard to define spirituality and religion. I recently got a clue that spirituality means Paramaartha in Sanskrit form the messages I receive from Paramartha-niketan of Rishkesh. To me spirituality combines all that include Paralaukik, dharmic, maanasik, pavitrata, adhyaatmic etc. which in English language can be  vaguely defined as “im-materiality”. Probably we may get a right answer from Swamiji, may be    “Disinterested Leadership”  for  those fed up with Uninterested or Selfish Leadership.  It all started with Spirituality called Sanatana dharma for the world which in due course confined to a Fortress of Hinduism (in all correctness Sindhuism—River valley philosophy) with many raised walls within and labyrinths, that promopted many world religions.  As usual I have prepared a preliminary note to understand what is spirituality and religion and where we   stand as Hindu Americans. I am   sure this will help to come prepared to receive the spiritual message well from the learned Swamiji and also get ready with  interesting questions.

SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS AMERICANS
It is strange Hindus in India find very little division between Spirituality and Religion even though they  have built sectarian walls  among various  religious traditions they follow in worship and celebration of festivals—Saivism, Vaishnavism, Saktism, Arya Samaj  etc.  But for a negligent 0.1% rest of the Hindus in India say they are religious. An illiterate villager in India does not identify himself with Hinduism (for he does not understand Heterogeneous   Hinduism) but says he is a follower of a particular deity. But many young Hindu Americans say they are Spiritual but not Religious (SBNR) influenced by the major cultures of the land. SBNR trend at least for the present is uniquely American phenomenon.  Scholars define spirituality as the set of beliefs governing one’s relation to the Self, to the Supreme and the fellow beings. Abrahamic religions draw a sharp contrast between religion and spirituality.  Faith based Religion requires attending regular religious services, belonging to a congregation or donating a part of one’s income to a religious identity.  These are in essence public religions that expect public actions and commitments from their members.  Many Western Americans now feel they are Hindus because of their growing belief in religious pluralism that multiple religions and traditions can lead to Eternal Truth and all can be liberated sooner or later.  There is no one time reward or condemnation in Hinduism and all can be liberated to join the Supreme.

According to recent PEW Research Nineteen million Young Americans say they are Spiritual   But Not Religious (SBNR). Religious versus Spirituality conflict among followers of American Abrahamic Religions have influenced negatively young   American Hindus. A 2014 Pew Research found that 20% of people that grew up as Hindus eventually leave the faith to turn atheists.   This trend is more prominent among undergrads who are attracted to a partner from Abrahamic faiths overpowered by the spell of the universal binding force of love  and are born in the US and this tendency is on the increase. The young people from Abrahamic Religions typically   draw a stark line between religion and spirituality. These young people believe in reincarnation, shackles of Samsara, Ahimsa, Karma and Dharma like Hindus. They practice Yoga   and believe in 2 C’s (Daya and Daana) but not necessarily the third C- Constraint or Dama.  Today many Americans believe in reincarnation and cremate their deceased.  Because of their limited understanding or lack of direct communication from spiritually focused Hindus these seekers do not relate themselves to the Hinduism that has grown out of wisdom of Vedas called Sanatana Dharma. Many would even like to identify themselves with modern Buddhism which has tolerated pork and beef eating but practices spirituality and Meditation.  They are also confused by Sanatana Dharma based Hindu Religion  that got degenerated over a long period as seen  today in  Hindu rituals  and the religions Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism                                                           that   were created by those  who left sacrificial Vedic religion in frustration and anger.  Fostering the growth of spirituality in the West  means breaking through the barriers of ignorance, fear, prejudice, sectarian walls surrounding the Hindu current religious practices that has moved away  from the Vedic wisdom of Sanatana dharma with its maxims--Eko Vipraah bahudaa vadanti,  Krinvanto viswamaaryam, Vasudhaiva kutumbakam, Aano bhadrantu kratavah yantu  viswatah, Sarve janaah sukhino bhavantu, aatmavat sarvabhooteshu etc.  Hindu American Spiritual Gurus   need to teach the   SBNR youth of America to transcend the limits of their current understanding of religion and turn spiritual.  Hindu   American spiritual organizations with their base in India   are not able to focus on them for fear of being accused as proselytization and therefore do not outreach them. Mostly their missionary work is confined to families where one of the partners is a Hindu and the other from Abrahamic Religions voluntarily drawn to them.  Unfortunately American Hindus are growing up in materialistic society. They tend to be poorly educated in their own religion without focus on spirituality. Our Balavihars are also poorly designed,   not spiritually focused and are taught by   inexperienced teachers whose main focus is to turn the young mind somewhat religious just   to curb atheistic tendencies.  Their focus is on Puranic messages of fear, prejudices, egos, Pray for material benefits, health and happiness,    worship of   pseudo Gods and   minor deities and celebration of religious festivals with all pomp and show.  Sanatana Dharma encourages people to care for other beings, to minimize harm, and to do so selflessly without any expectation of rewards but not the Hindu religion as is practiced today.  Vedic wisdom focuses on interconnectedness of the universe, the cyclic nature of life, omnipresence of the Divine and salvation for all to enjoy perennial joy with the Supreme Being. Many a times modern Hindu worship is oriented asking for special favor from the deity of their choice worship. Spiritually inclined Hindus should focus on Vedic wisdom that    should reflect in Hindu Temple worships, Baalavihar Teachings, Yoga practice and Vedanta teachings that can open the doors to enlightenment for all spiritual seekers.   Hindu Americans are most suited to guide others than any other religious followers because of their strong Sanatana Dharma foundation as well as their own peremptory need to preserve their religion from the growing tendency of atheism in the land of their adoption. Thus they can not only survive but also succeed in improving lifestyle of others in the migrant land.  Otherwise they will face the same fate as what happened to European Culture.

--June 16, 2017

YOUR QUESTION ON MEDITATION WILL BE ANSWERED BY SWAMI CHIDANANDA

FOWAI FORUM AND STEP (USA) presents TV question and answer session by  Pujya Swami Chidanandaji on Sunday, June 18, 2017. Gist of the Presentation is: A lot of people are not clear about basic aspects of MEDITATION, which is a very popular topic in spiritually inclined circles. Drawing mainly from the sixth chapter of Geeta, this webinar raises 18 questions related to MEDITATION, and tries to supply answers. Who can meditate? On what do we meditate? How should be the seat? What is the best time to meditate? Are there multiple ways to meditate? What are the benefits of meditation? Is it true that MEDITATION happens, and we do not DO it? So on and so for

The meditator's mind is compared with the steady flame of a lamp placed in a windless spot. - Geeta 6.19

Know (the Supreme Truth) by faith, devotion and meditation. Kaivalya Upanishad - 2

 [NOTE: RegistrationURL:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7174945973768691715
Webinar ID: 842-217-355.  You can also join by using your phone.  All the webinar audio/videos are available on YOUTUBE/fowaiforum]

Commentary by NRS

Mediation in any form helps the individual to transcend the conscious level of awareness and experience the ultimate Truth. Serenity and peace are characteristics of the Supreme Self. Once the mind is purified, it grasps the reality and likes to dwell there perpetually. As the mind starts identifying itself with the Supreme Self, it enjoys rejoices in the Self.  The more the mind dives into the joyous state the more contented one feels. In the words of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, “When merging into the  Supreme Being it cognizes Supreme Being as its own Self and gains Bliss-consciousness, the Yogi finds contentment  in the Self. The bliss of this state eliminates any sorrow great or small. This state of self-sufficiency leaves one steadfast in oneself fulfilled in eternal contentment”.  The joy of transcendence is indeed boundless and quite incomparable to anything else in the world. As the individual elevates himself into the higher state of transcendence—the state of completeness with the Self is experienced, which liberates the individual from all kinds of sankalpa (resolutioin) and viklapa (digression). Swami Chinmayananda often said: “When you pray, you speak and He listens: when you meditate He speaks and you listen”

In this context may draw your kind attention to two pf my past discourses—Meditation and Kaivalya Upanishad.  My discourse on Meditation had attracted the attention of the reputed  spiritual Magazine “Mother” from Rishikesh and the same was published for wider circulation.
http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2014/11/meditation-is-to-go-beyond-thinking_22.html
http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2011/10/kaivalya-upanishad-on-upaasana.html
Swami Chidananda’s focus is mainly on the following hymns from Bhagavad Gita which I elaborate for preparing your mind and get ready with your questions if you are a participant: ymns of Bhagavad Gitahym


Yadaa viniyitam chittam aatmanyeva avatishthate | nihsprihah sarvakaamebhyo yukta ityuchyate tadaa || 6-18 ||
Yathaa deepo nivaatastho nengate sopamaa smritaa | Yoginoe yatachittasya yunjatoe yogamaatmanah || 6-19 ||
Yatroparamate  chittam niruddham yogasevayaa | yatra chaivaatmanaatmaanam pasyann-aatmani tushyati || 6-20 ||
Sukahmaatyantikam yattad-buddhigraahyamateendriyam | vetti yatra na chaivaayam sthitaschalati tattvatah || 6-21 ||
Yam labhdvaa chaaparam laabham manyate  naadhikam tatah | Yasmin-sthitoe na duhkhe\na gurunaapi vichaalyate || 6-22||
Tam vidyaadhukhasamyogaviyogam yoga sanjitam| sa nischayena yoktavyo yogo anirvinna-chetasaa || 6-23 ||
A person is said to have achieved Yoga, the union with the Eternal Being (Brahman), when the perfectly disciplined mind becomes free from all desires, and gets completely united with Brahman in trance. A lamp in a spot sheltered (by the Eternal Being) from the wind (of desire) does not flicker; this simile is used for the subdued mind of Yogi practicing meditation on the Eternal Being. When the mind disciplined by the practice of meditation becomes steady, one becomes content with the Eternal Being by beholding Him with purified intellect. One feels infinite bliss that is perceivable only through the intellect, and is beyond the reach of the senses. After realizing Brahman one is never separated from Absolute Reality. After Self-realization one does not regard any other gain superior to Self-realization. One does not moved even by the greatest calamity.  The state of severance with sorrow is called yoga. This yoga should be practiced with firm determination, and without any mental reservation.
The same Self is present in all beings, even in stones. Friction makes the presence of fire in the stone visible to the eyes. Meditation makes Self (Aatman) residing in the physical body, perceivable. A psycho-physical transformation of mind (or the super conscious state) in trance (Samaadhi) is necessary for God-realization.  Each of us has access to the superconscious mind that is not limited by time and space.  One cannot comprehend the Infinite by reason. Reason is powerless to grasp the nature of the beginning-less Absolute.  The highest faculty is not reasoning but intuition, the comprehension of knowledge coming from the Self and not from the fallible senses or reasoning. Self (Aatma) can be perceived only by the intuitive experience in Nirvikalpa  (the highest state of trance) Samaadhi and by no other means.  Mediation can enlarge the magic cup of intuition to practice of hold the ocean of Infinite wisdom. Yoga is attained after a long time of constant vigorous meditation. 
Realization of Brahman calls for Faith (Sraddha), devotion (Bhakti) and Meditation (Dhyaana), says Kaivalya Upanishad. Sraddha cannot be properly translated into English though often translated as Faith. Faith is the faculty of the human intellect by which it can reflect and understand deeper imports of the scriptural declarations and thereafter assimilate those ideas into the very texture of the intellect. This power of understanding and assimilating new ideas so as to evolve itself is called Sraddha.   Sraddha is the function of the intellect. It is the power of Swadhyaaya or self-education. My knowledge on Vedanta is based on Sraddha as  I had no  opportunity  to learn from a Guru. If Truth can be physically seen or emotionally felt or intellectually thought of, it is to be apprehended by an integration of all our existing faculties.    This we call as Intuition. Unlike other sciences of the world, Vedanta, spiritual knowledge cannot come through the head or heart, but it can be experienced only through the faculty of intuition which is to be cultivated by the seeker himself by Svadhyaaya (self-education)

--June 16, 2017

Humanity’s awakening is divinely willed and intended, therefore it most certainly will be achieved.

Here is the dispatch titled as above from John Smallman reflecting Views of Vedanta of we are a part and parcel of Supreme consciousness. It only remains for us to remember this and act accordingly to merge with our source. You may please recall that we were sent to earth   as only mortals to play our part and return back to our divinity after exhausting all Karmas. All other beings in the upper worlds are immortal unlike us and we too deserve to get back to our original status. I have highlighted the views of Vedanta in his text as you read through added within brackets.

THOUGHTS FROM JOHN SMALLMAN

Within the illusion the only constant is change.  You all know this, but you do need to remind yourselves that change is part of the illusion, an aspect of time which is the linear coefficient of the illusory concept that you chose to construct and maintain.  Now that the foundations or underpinnings are collapsing changes are occurring ever more rapidly.  And these changes are especially noticeable in relationships, from personal or family ones to intergovernmental ones.  Change is an aspect of evolution and you are all evolving, and your evolution is basically along a spiritual path, even though vast numbers of you appear to have no spiritual interest or awareness, apart perhaps from believing that anything spiritual is unreal, the result of unbalanced emotional needs being pandered to due to a sense of loneliness, unacceptability, and the fear that that engenders.

Those needs are indeed very prevalent among those who are consciously attempting to follow a spiritual path, and may well indicate the initial signs of a growing awareness that there should be, and indeed is, far more to life than the generally accepted three dimensional materialist egoic drive for more of anything and everything that brings pleasure to your human form.  And, deeply asleep (sushupti) and dreaming (Svapna), as most humans are, that makes perfect sense.  Anything that appears to provide safety, security, and pleasure to the individual is obviously something that is well worth working for.

Over the last few decades more and more of those who live in the apparent safety and comfort of the materialistically successful parts of the world are becoming increasingly aware of the vast contrast between their way of life and that of the billions who live without basic needs – clean water for drinking and cooking, food, shelter, clothing, and essential sanitary facilities.   They are truly concerned with that vast gulf between the relatively well-off and the impoverished.  The gulf between the inordinately wealthy and the “rest” is an altogether different matter because those extremely wealthy and deeply asleep ones consider themselves entitled to their seemingly privileged lives in their egoic unawareness of the fact that they are even more dependent on others than are other people!  They too will awaken.

This awareness has led to a powerful desire and intent to “balance the playing field,” so that everyone on Earth is treated with the honor and respect to which every created being is entitled precisely because they are the beloved children of God. (aatmavat sarva  bhooteshu) That growing awareness is an aspect of the awakening process in which every single human being has a part to play, a task to complete.  It is also very clear that a vast number have absolutely no memory of their pre-incarnational and individual commitment to assist in humanity’s awakening process.

It was clearly understood in the spiritual realms that many, after arriving on Earth as humans, would indeed have forgotten their pre-birth promises.  And that is why there are so many incarnate on Earth at this moment.  Because the numbers of you presently incarnate are so enormous there is absolutely no possibility of the awakening process failing to unfold as divinely planned and ordained.  You could, in your “amusing” human terminology, say that the divine plan for your awakening has an “overkill” provision.  That is, because of the enormous numbers of you involved, there is absolutely no way that it can be unsuccessful because enough of you will remember your pre-ordained tasks and will deliver as promised.

As we in the spiritual realms keep telling you directly, and through the numerous channels we most graciously honor and respect, humanity’s awakening is divinely willed and intended, therefore it most certainly will be achieved (everyone can get back to the source from which they came).  It already has been achieved, but because of your myopic view of life, focused, as it mostly is, on the illusion and the games you are continuing to play there, you are not seeing the big picture, the Divine Picture, in which all live in joy, peace, and harmony (State of Bliss), at One with each other and with God.  That is the state in which you were all created, and that state has NEVER changed, and you have never left it!

What is occurring all over the world is the rapidly growing realization that there truly is no such thing as separation (aham Brahmasmi)!  Yes, you are individuals in form, individuals in very definitely separate bodies, but large numbers of you are now becoming aware of the fact that everything is intimately connected and INSEPARABLE!(salokya, saameepya saayujya with Brahman)  Therefore everything you think, say, or do, affects everyone else, even if you, as humans, cannot actually see this occurring.

God is infinitely wise, compassionate, loving; He is all-knowing because He IS.  AND He created You like Himself (the Self and  the Supreme are one)  .  Therefore, when you designed and constructed the illusion (maayaa) in which you now find yourselves living as small and basically insignificant individuals, you had all His skills and competences, you just chose to use them in an extremely different and unloving way.  You chose separation as a life-style, as a way to prove that you were independent of and had no need of your Source (because of avidya or ignorance).  But, because there is only the ONE,  that was something that could only be disproved, as indeed it has been.  Consequently to attempt to live as separate and disconnected beings is not only impractical, it is impossible and extremely painful, as you are now becoming intensely aware.

Life is truly a most joyful experience unless you choose that it be otherwise.  This is not to blame those of you who are not fully joy-filled – the vast majority of humanity – it is just to remind you that you have free will because Love, God, does not impose, direct, or control (each one is responsible for one’s  Karma)  Therefore your choices, even if you seem unaware or in denial of the possibility that you could have made choices that would cause you so much pain and suffering, are never overruled.  To awaken (seeking Brahman) is to realize that you are free and that life, existence, your conscious awareness is yours to use in any manner that you choose.

The truth of this appears to make no sense at all when you find yourselves in situations or relationships that are extremely painful and from which there is no obvious point of exit (samsara).  But the point of exit is the moment at which you choose to engage fully with Love.  When you do this fear, and all that arises through it, loses its power over you, power it never really had.  You just chose to be powerless, i.e. fear-filled.

The whole concept of divine intervention in your lives, a god judging and punishing you for your misdemeanors, is a purely human invention (Hell is your own creation).  You were created perfect and that is unchanging.  But as humans in the illusion, playing games of separation, inadequacy, and worthlessness, you needed a judge to make those calls.  You were emotionally and psychologically unable to accept your own negative self-judgments about your choice to separate from Source and the intense and ongoing pain that choice provides, and so you invented a system of rewards and punishments.

Following on from that you built a societal power structure or pecking order into which each was fitted according to his popularity or craftiness, with the possibility of rising up through that system available, but only for a few, while the rest had to accept their subordinate placement and behave as ordered by the authority figures that the system recognized and supported.

The idea was to destroy all sense of personal autonomy, and it has worked extremely well.  Even those at the highest levels of the system live in fear of relegation or even total banishment.  You see this happening all over the world as people who were in positions of power are criminalized for corrupt activities that are generally no different from the activities of those who judge and condemn them.

This is obviously an insane way to live, and now, finally after eons of pain and suffering, people are allowing themselves to become aware of this.  It is your awakening process.  Initially there is a strong urge to have those seen as responsible stand trial and be punished, which is what has been going on for eons.  What is happening now is the growing awareness that these old ideas just do not work, plus the awareness that all are responsible for this ongoing insanity.  Therefore, to move forward, instead of judging and punishing, open, honest, and clear communication is required leading first to understanding the whys of this insanity, then to reconciliation, and finally to forgiveness.  In the illusion all have sinned, all are sinners, and when that is accepted by all healing can take place.  For there is no sin and there are no sinners, that is all part of the nightmare you have been dreaming.  Love always and only loves and cherishes, that is Reality.

Basically you, the human collective, has made the choice and set the intent to cease playing the games with which the illusion presents you, games that demand deceit and violent competitiveness which always lead to further pain and suffering, and return to operating from your true nature, Love.  Within the illusion, of course, that takes time.  Fear is endemic and has to be acknowledged and released.  Choosing to engage with Love makes that possible.

It is only the collective choice not to be loving that has held you seemingly locked into the nightmare.  Yes, as humans you all want to be loved, but, because of your choice to experience separation, deep within you feel yourselves to be unlovable and you expend enormous amounts of energy seeking Love from someone else “out there,” where you will not find It, because there is no “out there.”

Once again, therefore, I would remind you to take time out daily to “go within,” (turn inwards) to the depths of your beingness, and uncover or disclose the Love that is there awaiting your acceptance of It (when one realizes Self there is only love and perennial joy).  You are all infinitely loved in every moment of your eternal existence, the only block to Love is your refusal to accept yourselves (Refusal to realize your true nature) completely unconditionally as God does.  Once you open in acceptance you will find yourselves releasing your hold on attitudes and behaviors that are in any way unloving, you will find yourselves seeing Love or the call for Love in others, and you will be powerfully moved to respond to them with Love.  As you settle into this new way of being you will find that you have fewer and fewer reasons to reject or judge others, as you recognize within them the pain and suffering that you underwent before you chose to align with your true nature.

Be Love, offer Love, and open yourselves to receive the Love that is your divine heritage.

(WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS HAVING TRANSITORY HUMAN EXISTENCE    BOUND BY OUR KARMA AND OVERPOWERED BY IGNORANCE TO ELIMINATE THE SAME TO GET BACK TO   OUR DIVINITY OR SPIRITUAL BEING)

 --June 15, 2017

VEDANTA THE ULTIMATE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING

You will shortly be shortly hearing from me a detailed discourse on Samsara and Mukti. In this connection it will be interesting to go through the lecture of   the reputed neuro-surgeon Dr. Thimmappa Hegde who takes keen interest in Vedanta   and who is in constant touch with Swami Chidananda of FOWAI Forum.

We all struggle in Samsaara facing pain often and seeking relief and also seeking temporary pleasures praying to god to lead a trouble free life in our  present birth but  forget that this drama will be enacted again and again with our repeated births and deaths. Wisdom of Vedanta teaches us how to convert this temporary pleasure to perennial joy by realizing our Self which has been clouded with ignorance forgetting its source and how to get back to it.   Why do we settle for small gains without seeking a permanent solution?

Dr Thimmappa Hegde is a distinguished neurosurgeon, and is presently working as the Director of Narayana Institute of Neurosciences, Bangalore. He finished his neurosurgery residency from National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore. He continued as a faculty at Department of Neurosurgery, NIMHANS till 2003, where he was instrumental in starting Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. 

 Apart from being an excellent neurosurgeon, he has a keen interest in personality development, and is invited by various organizations as a guest speaker and motivator. Dr. Thimappa was recognized by the Lions Club, Bengaluru, as an 'Outstanding Citizen' and visited USA & Canada on a special exchange program from the Rotary International. He was invited by the Vatican to speak at an International Meeting at the Vatican City and had a special audience with the POPE His Holiness John Paul II. 

 With his keen interest in spirituality and overall personality development, Dr. Hegde has scaled new heights, despite having a very busy neurosurgical practice. 

 WEBINAR- 84 Organized by FOWAI FORUM AND STEP (USA) presented a lecture by     Dr. Thimappa Hegde on Vedanta-The Ultimate Answer To The Problem of Suffering on Sunday June 4, 2017. The   gist of the Presentation is:

 As a neurosurgeon one gets to see a lot of human suffering in the form of disease, disability and death, endured by patients and their loved ones. Even with the latest advances in science and technology we are often helpless in such situations.

 Some of the lessons we learn in such situations are:

1. Suffering provides a chance to witness the human potential at its best.

2.   We can transform personal tragedy into triumph, a breakdown to breakthrough.

 Helen Keller said, “we can convert our scars to stars”.

3. It is possible to discover meaning in suffering if we are not emotionally overcome by it.

4. Suffering can be a great learning, transforming and liberating experience.

 This talk has explored various approaches to the problem of suffering including Vedanta which is available on Youtube/ Fowai Forum

 -- June 15, 2017

WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS HAVING TRANSITORY HUMAN EXISTANCE

Aham Brahmaasmi” is a Mahavakya from Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad of Yajurveda, meaning “I am Brahman’’.  This is identified as Anusandhaana Vakya in Vedanta—the idea on which the aspirant tries to fix his mind. 

Being without a second entity, Brahman realized itself as ‘I am Brahma’ (ahaṃ brahmāsmi).  This is considered as one of the four great Mahavakyas (declarations) in the Upaniṣhads. Upanishads often use the word Brahma to mean Brahaman and therefore the word Brahma in  Vedantic concept should not be confused with the Brahma diety of  Puranas.  It is from mere expansion of Brahman that the entire universe originated. The very word Brahman which comes from Sanskrit root “brih” indicates expansion.  In modern scientific concept   the word Brahma corresponds to the primeval atom (primordial energy) of the Big Bang theory. Since the universe is the expanded Brahman, everything here is part Brahman only. Attaining to this consciousness, that is ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi’, is considered as the greatest realization man can achieve. This realization makes him see everything as his own part and thus drains off all evils like passion and hatred.  On the other hand, if one adores another god then he/she   thinks  god is a different entity far  superior to   himself/herself  and that he/she is not part of that source  and therefore has no hope of joining the   source or attain Mukti or Liberation.

John Smallman bases his present discourse on the great Declaration of Upanishads (Mahavakyas)—Aham Brahmasmi.  Aghamarshanasookta in MNU also repeats the mantra   “Brahmaahmasmi”   to fix one’s mind on its source by meditation or Homa (fire rirtual) as we often identify only with the physical body as belonging to us  and do not think of  the spirit within us. Mere focus on physical body is not only considered as ignorance but also a sin. Therefore Aghamarshanasookta prescribes this Homa mantra for Prayaschitta or self -purification   (propitiation ritual).

John Smallman wants us to be aware that we are spiritual beings having a very temporary human experience. As you all know our sages recognized this fact and raised their voices to  heaven  “asato maa sat gamaya”  which in Vedanta philosophy means “lead us from mortality to immortality” though it is often translated as “Lead us from Unreal to  Real”.  Thus this  also means the same as the concluding prayer “Lead us form Mortality to Immortality”—“Mrityor maam amritam    gamaya”. Brahman is often addressed as Sathyam. Sathyam=sat+thi+yam. “Sat” means immortal in Sanskrit and” thi” means mortal and “yam” means the entity  which   regulates; the one who is responsible for creation and dissolution. Also Rigveda mantra says humans only were created as mortals and heavenly   bodies (Devas), who mean angels to John Smallman, were created as immortal. So our prayers to become immortal or spirits. Physical body acts as housing to   spirit within us on earth. Once we get rid of the housing through our  good deeds we turn to angels.

Hinduism sees human beings as spiritual beings housed in the physical body. Hindus believe in reincarnation unlike Christianity that believe in resurrection. To those who believe in resurrection, human beings are made up of a body and soul. Hindus practice cremation in order to end all relationship between the spirit and the physical body when death occurs.  John Smallman thus moving away from the religious thinking of Christianity   spiritually reflects Early Vedic Thoughts in his own inimitable style making it attractive to followers of Abrahamic religions. 

 “You have become so accustomed to your severely limiting life as a human that it seems normal.

John Smallman

Humanity’s awakening process appears very strange to many who are just now becoming aware that they are spiritual beings having a very temporary human experience.  As they feel the nudge or hear the call to attend to their inner life, their spiritual life, having given it very little of their time or attention so far, it seems a little threatening and rather demanding.  New interests or occupations often appear a little threatening to humans because they have become accustomed to following a regular routine that works for them and they do not like to change it, and new interests or new occupations always demand change.  If sought they can be exciting and energizing, but if it seems that they are being imposed upon them they resist quite strongly.  With the latter scenario they often go into denial and refuse to address the subject – change!  Change is the only unchanging aspect of the illusion!

Now, on Earth, as those of you who read messages channeled from the spiritual realms are well aware, enormous changes are occurring, changes that can seem to be catastrophic as the old order and the routine it managed collapses. Conflict and violence are arising in many unexpected places as the karmic inheritance of thousands of life-times on the Earth plane come to the surface of humanity’s collective awareness to be acknowledged, accepted, forgiven, and released.  And because the pain and suffering that is being unveiled is so intense, many are in shock.  The safe little world in which so many sought refuge is proving to be nothing of the kind.  It truly is providing an intense wake-up call for humanity, as it leads you toward your awakening into full consciousness, and that, despite all the appearances to the contrary, really is a reason to rejoice.

To rejoice raises your vibratory field, and it inspires you encouraging you to allow your creative energies to flow.  When they flow freely and you engage with them or run with them your motivation to do so intensifies.  You are creators just as God is, and when you are operating creatively, without judgment or anxiety, joy fills your heart.  To create is to be God-like, and because God created you in His own image and likeness you are, like Him, creators.

The human sense of being separate, an individual being apart from all others, encourages a sense of inadequacy because of the limitations that being human imposes upon you.  That is, you see others doing things that you cannot do, and you feel less than them.  You then try to make up for that inadequacy by working harder, studying harder, and getting more qualifications in order to compete with those others and win.  But the whole point of being human is to recognize your own creative side and develop that, which is quite different from any one else’s, in fact it is unique because no one is the same as anyone else.  When you honor your own uniqueness, your own individual creative abilities, and then allow yourself to develop them, you find satisfaction and contentment, and no longer need to measure yourself against others and judge the differences between you as good or bad, right or wrong.

And then, of course, conflicts do not arise.  Conflict arises because your egos keep calling out: “me, me, me!”  And they do that because they feel unsafe, threatened not only by the competences and abilities they see in others that they cannot see in themselves, but also because they do not recognize as valuable their own different creative abilities.

You cannot be as someone else, you can only be yourself, and yet in many cultures there is a continuous and ongoing collective judgment suggesting that if only you could be like someone else you would be much happier, and so would those whose judgment of you you choose to accept as more valid than your own.

But you are you, God created you perfectly as you, and He does not want you to try to be like someone else.  To try and be a better person by being like someone else is to disown yourself and to disown the beautiful being that your loving Father created.  It is in effect a negative judgment of God!

However, God does not take offense, He is perfect, infinite, unconditional Love, and he completely and utterly accepts everyone.  He makes no exceptions because He created you all as perfect aspects or parts of Himself, except that you are not parts or aspects of Him, you are One with Him.  To judge you would be to judge Himself and that makes no sense.

You need to focus intently and regularly on the divine truth that you and God are One.  You need to keep reminding yourself of this.  You have a saying in the large world-wide self-improvement community “Fake it till you make it!”  Well, you have already made it, you are, due to religious, cultural, ethnic, and various other influences that have affected your human growth and development, just refusing to be aware of this.

The original choice to experience separation from God by building the illusion and moving into it included the choice to then be unaware of your divine heritage.  You wanted to undo your eternal relationship at One with God and go it alone, detached, unzipped, disconnected from the Source that is You!  And with your enormously powerful creative energy you managed to construct an environment where it seems that you are alone, a very small and insignificant being in a vast and overwhelming cosmos.  But of course you are that cosmos and all else that exists!  There is only God.  There is nothing apart from Him, and therefore you are Him, but with almost all awareness of that sublime state absent from your awareness while you are in human form.

To awaken, as you are doing, is to once again know yourself as One with God, inseparable from Him, and eternally creating with Him for the delight and joy of doing so.  And that joy is utterly beyond description and beyond your ability to conceive of in your severely limited state of being as a human.  You chose limitation because the idea amused you, but you did not realize how intense that limitation would be or how weak and feeble you would believe yourself to be while confined within a human body.

The body is essential for your sojourn in the illusion and it can provide pleasure and enjoyment as well as pain and suffering, but it cannot possibly embrace the fullness of the energy field that is God, that is Love, that is Reality.  Were it to attempt to do so it would disintegrate instantly and very violently, and you would require a very long period of rest and recuperation from the shock of such a terminal event.

The awakening process has been carefully and divinely planned to ensure that it occurs smoothly, gently, and with an intense experience of being loved.  When you feel the Love that is being offered to you, you will be unable to resist It or retreat from It because Its attraction is so strong.  It will draw you Home, which is where, at the deepest level of your being, you always are.

To awaken demands nothing of you.  All you need do is to allow it to happen.  You have become so accustomed to your severely limiting life as a human that it seems normal, and you are very reluctant to release your hold on it.  It seems to most of you that your human body provides the only form of life available to you, and even if it is very painful you do not want to let it go.

The purpose of going within daily to that holy inner sanctuary where the Light of God’s Love burns continuously is to become gently acclimatized to Love.  Love is POWERFUL!  You have no idea how powerful It is, and when you know yourself once more as Love, as you will, joy and wonder will flood into your heart – the Tsunami of Love – as you become once more aware of Who You are, the divine and perfect child of God, forever at One with Him in brilliance and glory.  All wants, needs, and fears will have dissolved as the Oneness that is God and You are once more consciously recognized and most lovingly embraced.  There is a well known saying: “Home is where the heart is!”  And that is true.

With so very much love, Saul.

 Question by Maheshwari

I have this question - how did we originally come into being? I am understanding about karmas and rebirths for the soul. But when and where did it start? I would like to understand for example when I started in this whole process of several births. Any thoughts will be valuable.

My Answer

This is a Western Spiritual writing which reflects wisdom of Vedas in pieces as the Bible says God is within  you. In the beginning there was Being alone that desired to Become (Nasadeeya Sukta). The Being thus created Devas,  Sadhyas, Gajananas, Hayavadanas, Kimpurushas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras etc in the upper world all immortal at different worlds. Vedas say IT also created humans as mortals. The Being is beginning-less and so his creation. It is also cyclic in nature and Vedas say “yathaapoorvam akalpyat”—everything was created as before. When this creation started nobody knows. IT also created earth as Karmabhoomi and the humans as mortals. Naturally it was endowed with Karma and sought immortality as to attain the status of other immortal aliens to be in salokya, sameepya or sayujya   (which mantras I explained recently). Therefore when the first human soul got its Karma nobody knows? That is why our prayer “Lead us from mortality to immortality  “Asato  maa sat gamaya”. “Sat” means immortal and  “asat” means mortal. I have explained all this in my Theory of evolution, Nasadeeya sookta, Purusha sookta and Doctrine of karma which seemed to have missed your attention. However here are few extracts I could lay my hands on:

“God (Virat) has really become this manifold Universe just like the milk becomes yogurt. Virat’s wish to become this world is only a game or Lila. Here again the equilibrium of these strands of Gunas running independently gets disturbed resulting in a variety of souls with all permutations and combination of Gunas. His First ever Creation, Brahma though an ideal mix, obeys the Laws of Karma that is whatever is created has to die. Brahma’s life span is 100 Brahma days though very large compared to that of normal human being in the planet of earth.    Even avatars in human birth honored Laws of Karma”.

 “We learn in Physics about the Laws of Conservation of Energy. Energy is never destroyed   according to this law. It can only be converted from one form to another—kinetic to potential and vice versa. Extending this concept to the Laws of Karma, it can be said any energy expended through any action of the doer changes its forms and becomes a Karmaphala or Kaarmic force. This force comes back to the doer like boomerang sooner or later. This kaarmic force starts acting on the mind and body causing pain or pleasure. After working on the body and mind of the doer the kaarmic force seems to be spent apparently. It may be safely assumed that it only leaves the individual who does it and becomes a part of the storehouse of cosmic energy.”

 --June 14, 2017

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF ALL LIGHTS

 Swami Chidananda has been a speaker, writer and a teacher of Vedanta texts for three decades. He is the founder of Fowai Forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to self-inquiry, spiritual wisdom and service to humanity.  He is known for his excellent talks on philosophy, human values and spiritual topics and their application in daily life.  He contributes and oversees the online initiative aupa.in (Upanishad.info) and is the chief editor of bimonthly magazine INNER FLAME of Fowai Forum. He gave a   Telecast   Video discourse TODAY on the subject.  The subject was “You are the Light of Lights”:

 "We are not the inert body. We are the radiant consciousness," is the essence of the revelations of the Upanishads. "You are the Light of lights," says Ādi Shankarāchārya in a single verse that sums up a whole lot of Vedānta teachings. Beginning with the question, "What is light for you?" to which the answer is, "the sun, the lamps," and going deeper and deeper, the great champion of Advaita helps us see our own true nature as Pure Consciousness.

 This webinar will give explanations on the "eka-shloki," going word-by-word.

  kim jyotir-bhānumān ahani me  rātrau pradeepādikam... (etc.)

What is light (for you)? The sun during the day, and lamps during nights, sir!Let it be so; tell me how you see the sun or the lamps? With my eyes, sir!How do you know when the eyes open or close? With my mind, sir! How do you know your thoughts? I just know my thoughts, sir! There you go! You are indeed the Light of all lights!

 I am That, sir!

 (Please note that  all the webinar audio/videos are available on Youtube /fowaiforum)

  My observations:

 I believe Sankaracharya based  his eakslokee,  one line  verse  on the Vedic  Homa Mantra: “ Aardram  jwalati jyotiraham  asmi | jyotrirjwalati brahmaahamasmi | yo aham asmi brahma aham asmi | ahamevaaham maam juhomi swaaahaa // (MNU)

The self-effulgent   waters are luminous. Fire is luminous.   I am Brahman.  I who am such a one (different from body and others) am having Brahman as my Self.  Being of that form as I am, I offer myself as an oblation unto the Supreme Consciousness (prajnaanam  Brahma)

This Mantra is expounding that the Aatman is distinct and different from the body, the Indriyas and others. It is a wonder that though it is wet it burns. This is suggestive of body having 70% water being reduced to ashes at the time of cremation. This mantra suggests offering back of the pure Self to its original master for getting rid of the sin of having stolen it.

 The mantra quoted from MNU is generally prescribed for chanting during Aachamana or sipping water in  a specified way for ceremonious self-purification. This symbolic action consists in taking a very small quantity of water by the mouth which should not pass below the throat.  These few drops of watwer are considered as an oblation made to the deities dwelling in the body; for all the Gods dwell in man. Taittariya Samhita says “Brahmano vai sarvaa devataa”—The Braahmana (Brahmopaasaka) is all the Gods That nis why we touch twelve parts of thew body identifying with 12 names of sustenance aspect of Brahman—Vishnu.

The drop of water represents the finite Self. The fire in man (Jhataraagni) into which it is offeredstands for the Supreme Light (light of all Lights), the Ground of all Gods. The Mantra,   therefore, truly enunciates r the refunding of the individual Self into its source, the Supreme Self, or the realization of the identity between the Jeevaatma and Iswara when the clouds created by ignorance arew removed.

There is no meaning mechanically carrying out Aachmana ritual without understanding the deeper meaning of the Mantra during purification act.

 --June 12, 2017

WAY TO HEAVEN AND HELL

 “Sreyah anyat preyah anyat” says the Lord of Dharma, Yama to Nchiketas in Chhandogya Upanishad --The pathway to Liberartion is different and highly praiseworthy. He appreciated the firmness of   Nachiketas to attain Liberation rejecting his offering  of all enjoyments in life. Please go through my discourse on the su bject:

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/01/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

(Steadfast Desire and Genuine Wisdom leads to Perennial Joy)

On his way back from a fierce battle¹, a samurai warrior encountered a monk. He thought of getting a doubt cleared. This doubt had been bothering him for a while. The warrior began humbly, “Oh monk, which is the way to heaven, and which, to hell?”

The monk seemed to be deep in meditation; he did not respond. The samurai asked the same question again, louder, and a third time, louder still. His yelling almost shook the tree sheltering the monk.

The monk’s eyes flew open. “You stupid fellow,” he said, “why did you disturb my meditation?”

The samurai was furious. Who was this monk to call him stupid? He drew his sword, ready to kill the monk.

  

When he did so, the monk smiled and said, “That is the way to hell!”

The warrior stopped where he stood, and realized that the monk had been listening to him all along, and was now teaching him a valuable lesson. He put his sword back in its sheath.

 “And that is the way to heaven,” said the monk.

Impulse control is a key component of emotional intelligence², and a whole lot of spiritual guidance also emphasizes the need to “not do what comes to our mind without giving some thought to it”.

  

 If Kathopanishad³ calls the two ways ‘the pleasant’ and ‘the right’ options, Geeta⁴ warns us not to be swayed by the suggestions and promptings of the senses.

We must begin with the ‘now’. In the context of the small choices that come to us – in thought, word and deed – we must tame our habit-based impulses and change our nature. Vulgar thoughts, harsh words and unkind actions try to emerge in us all the time; the good news is that we do have, in 7 out of 10 cases, the choice to proceed with them or to withdraw from them.

Let us act wisely in every 10 minutes of the window of the ‘now’ and let us build a different, robust future.

Swami Chidananda

   

Notes:

1 The story is taken from HAPPINESS IS YOU, a book by Dr. Siddhartha B Gautam, published by Step Press (North Carolina, USA). See www.steppress.org/books

2 See elaboration on Impulse Control in the book THE EQ EDGE: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success by authors Steven Stein and Howard Book.

3 Kathopanishad – valli 2, mantra 1

4 Geeta – chapter 3, shloka 34

 --June 12, 2017

HINDU AMERICANS OF GLOBAL ORIGIN MUST SPREAD VEDIC WSISDOM OF UNIVERSAL ONENESS

Please recall my two discourses on the subject of understanding Sanatana Dharma and its role as World religion.  In this connection it is also relevant to go through my discourse on Vedanta, the  Religion Everlasting and Universal as well as Why I am Called a Hindu. I often receive letters from various Hindu American organizations deeply concerned about only Hindus in India and anything happening to Hindus in America is always related to Indian context. But who takes care of other Hindu migrants from all parts of the globe who are one with Hindu Americans?  Even Canadian,   British and Australian Hindus want to come to USA and find it a better place to practice Hinduism  Some Hindus are even thinking of migrating to Latin America of late but citizenship is a problem if they are not Hindu Americans!

After having migrated from India to USA due to frustration and discrimination or seeking greener pastures to enjoy better life we have to focus on Hinduism   as the World Religion coming out of Ancient Tradition of Sanataana Dharma with its basic principles    “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam", Krinvanto viswamaaryam ; Aatmavat sarvabhooteshu ” etc. We should not be worried about what is happening to Hindus in India but should be focused on  what is going  on with Hindus in America drawn from all parts of the World—Viswa Hindus. If we are so concerned about our close relatives in India after seeing what  is happening in Puri Jagannatha Temple restricting temple entry and killings in their anxiety for Go-samrakshana. We should either get them here or get back and share their miseries and fortune with them.  Indian Government is a secular government and they know what is best for them. Indian Government has not even granted dual citizenship to migrants and consider them as prodigals though recently recognized their origin to grant permanent Visas.

We should be able to welcome all cultures in USA to Hindu-fold and spread the message of Universal Oneness of our Ancient Tradition to spread Spirituality, Peace and Harmony unlike India where they say a Hindu is recognized only by birth only.  Manu says everybody on Earth is born a Sudra while Christianity says all are heathens who do not believe in Jesus.  Did Vedas say so? In this context I draw your kind attention to the thought-provoking article by David Frawley (Vamadeva Sastri). It is heartening to note that  Jains,  Buddhists, Sikhs and Arya Samajists bound by common culture,  migrated from India though walked  out of Hinduism in the ancient past  are having a second thought and are aligning more with World Hindus in USA than any other religion of USA often compelled by  the universal binding force of love culminating in wedlock.  Of course there are also vested interest pockets who want to remain independent and boost their parent religion ill advised by their Gurus and politicians in India.  Hinduism is slowly gaining grounds in USA due to its universal appeal, added attraction of Yoga, Spirituality and religious freedom of worship attracting people from Western Religions including rare few from atheist Chinese, Buddhism and Islam. Many Christians are fed up with their regimental faith and monotony looking for spiritual direction and progress and are influenced by Hindu Americans.

 http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2012/01/sanata na-dharma-is-for-humanity-not-for.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/09/understanding-sanatana-dharma-as.html

UNDERSTANDING SANATANA DHARMA AS FOUNDATION OF HINDU RELIGION nrsrini.blogspot.com Understanding Sanatana Dharma as Foundation for Hindu Religion      (Compilation for a discourse by N.R.Srinivasan, Nashville, TN....

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2015/11/why-i-am-called-hindu-and-my-following.html

WHY I AM CALLED HINDU AND MY FOLLOWING HINDUISM nrsrini.blogspot.com The word Hindu is of geographic origin as per Historians and was derived from the name originally given to the people settled on the river Indus called ...

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/05/vedanta-religion-everlasting-universal.html

Many nations have changed the name of their country and consequently people who live in that country—Russia to Soviet Union  back to Russia; Ceylon to Sri Lanka; Burma to Myanmar; Siam to Thailand; Persia to Iran.  But India does not even want to correct   the wrongly pronounced word Hindu which should be Sindhu. Sindhu is a generic name for river and Sanatana Dharma is the Universal Spiritual Following that was developed on River Banks (Indus and Ganges) and forests (Aranyakas). Before English language coined the word Religion only Dharma existed to denote one’s following.  Modern Hinduism is a conglomeration of many walled beliefs, faiths and practices practiced over a long period influenced by Puranas and history though draws its basics from Sanatana Dharma theoretically but practices as walled religions (shanmathas) differently. American Hindus lead a caste-less society attending one temple part-taking in all rituals and worships with inter-faith and inter-racial wedlock and so are more united than Hindus in India.  They should go back to their correct name Sindhus and the religion to Sidhuttva (Sindhu Tattva) or Sanatana Dharma.  Words like Dharma, Pundit, Avatar etc. are now well-defined English words found in dictionary. Hindus in India being copy-cats of American culture will soon change their name also and even India to Sindhia once Amedrican Hindus change their names and their religion.  It is the Greeks that wrongly pronounced Sindhu to Indu and called the country India land of Indus. It also shows that in ancient past there were only Sindhus in India and so they called their country Bharat which name   was retained after gaining independence from British India. They only removed the word British, made the country secular theoretically like USA and did not declare any one religion as Religion of the State like Germany which is also democratic.

The Universal Relevance of Sanatana Dharma

David Frawley*

Hinduism has always been a universal tradition and India has been its geographical center, not its limiting location.

As a western Hindu, I have sometimes been told that I can’t truly be a Hindu because I wasn’t born one. One encounters this opinion not only in India but throughout the world, where many non-Hindus think that being a Hindu is by birth only.

Recently, an Indian writer on mythology stated that Hindus should not look to the books of white Westerners for their study of Hinduism – even the books of Western Hindus – because they weren’t born Hindus. This kind of reverse racism, understandable to some degree because of biased anti-Hindu attitudes from the colonial era, is contrary to the deeper truth of Hindu Dharma that does not circumscribe its teachings in any historical, geographical or ethnic boundaries. That Hindus do not proselytize does not mean that Hindu Dharma is limited to a community of birth and is not of any universal relevance.

Ever since Swami Vivekananda brought the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta to the world in 1893, Hindu-based teachings have been spreading worldwide. This extends to all aspects of Yoga – not only asanas but also pranayama, mantra, and meditation, and now kirtan is a popular musical movement in the West. Ayurveda is similarly gaining a global following as a profound system of mind-body medicine. Sanskrit, Indian music and dance are expanding their influences as well. A global tradition now exists of numerous Hindu gurus travelling and teaching before millions of followers from all levels of society and relative to all aspects of life.

The Hindu diaspora is another important component of the new global Hindu movement. Hinduism is gaining respect owing to the success financially and educationally of immigrant Hindus, as well as their peaceful and tolerant nature. Beautiful Hindu temples can be found in the main cities of the West, which westerners are also visiting. The number of westerners formally becoming Hindus is slowly increasing through the efforts of organizations like Hinduism Today, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Arya Samaj.

Unfortunately, there has been considerable distortion and commercialization of Hindu teachings in the West, as with some Yoga groups downplaying or denying the Hindus basis of the practices they follow. This needs to be addressed by a proper presentation of the teachings, not by trying to limit these practices only to those born in India. The new globalization of Hindu Dharma should be promoted in an authentic manner for the benefit of all humanity.

Historical Spread of Dharmic Traditions

We should remember that Hindu, Vedic and Dharmic teachings have had a wide geographical influence for thousands of years. Their modern impact is only a new phase of the development of Hindu Dharma in its universal relevance.

It is well known that Buddhism spread throughout Asia over the past 2,500 years, but people forget that Hinduism also spread widely and from an earlier era. Hinduism was prominent in Indonesia, where Bali remains a pocket of its former influence, and in Indochina, where Cambodia’s Angkor Wat of a thousand years ago remains the largest Hindu temple in the world. Hinduism along with Buddhism spread into Central Asia along the Silk Route from China to Europe. The Hindu Ramayana remains the most popular story of Southeast Asia.

 Such Hindu groups outside India were clearly not born in the Indian subcontinent. The geographical idea of Hinduism as limited to India or Hindustan is a modern idea coming from western invaders, not the actual history of Hinduism. Hinduism has long shared its teachings with a wide variety of countries, cultures and ethnic groups.

 World Vedic Heritage

There is yet a greater world Vedic heritage extending through many cultures of the ancient world, East and West.

Vedic related teachings and traditions dominated Europe, West and Central Asia, as well as India going back 5,000 years, including various Indo-European groups like the ancient Germans, Slavs, Celts, Thracians, Greeks and Romans. The Hittites and Mittani dominated West Asia 4,000 years ago, with Mittani dynasties with Vedic names intermarrying with the pharaohs of Egypt.

Vedic teachings spread north and west from India through the Scythians and Iranians, who dominated West and Central Asia from the second millennium BCE to the later period of the Roman Empire. These groups followed similar traditions as the Vedas, with their sacred fire worship and honoring of the Sun. The Zoroastrians are only one such group with Vedic affinities.

The ancient Greeks and Romans had a religion that resembles Hinduism, with temples, iconic worship of deities, and similar traditions of philosophy, medicine and astrology. The ancient Middle East extending from Mesopotamia to Saudi Arabia had similar deities and forms of worship as the Hindu, with gods, goddesses, icons and temple worship in the pre-Islamic era, including an extensive trade with India.

Hinduism as Sanatana Dharma

We must remember that the term Hinduism is only a modern designation of a tradition properly known as “Sanatana Dharma”, the eternal or universal Dharma. Once we understand Hinduism as Santana Dharma, its relevance for all humanity becomes clear. We can easily set aside the misunderstanding that one must be born a Hindu, or that Hindu is merely a geographical term. Anyone who truly follows the principles and practices of Sanatana Dharma is a Hindu.

Hinduism has always been a universal tradition and India has been its geographical center, not its limiting location. Hinduism has shared the expansive nature of Indian civilization with its great tradition of travel and trade by sea and land, such as the terms Indonesia and Indochina reflect.

One must remember the ancient prayer of the most ancient Rigveda, Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam, “Make the Entire World noble”. Sanatana Dharma has the universal vision to link all humanity together in a recognition of the One Self or Paramaatman in all beings – the unitary consciousness behind and beyond all time, space, karma and manifestation, such as the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita proclaim.

[*David Frawley is an American Hindu teacher and author. He has written more than 30 books on the Vedas, Hinduism, Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology.]

 --May 27, 2017

HOW FAR ARE VEDA MANTRAS DILUTED AND DIVERTED BY SECTARIAN INTERPRETATIONS?

I talked to you before on Rudram and Chamakam from Rigveda addressed to Supreme Being. May I now draw your attention to the following Rigveda Mantra which is largely misinterpreted and misunderstood drawing your focus away from Parabrahman in your worships:

Ganaanaamn tvaa ganapatim havaamahe kavim kaveenaamupamasravastamam | Jyeshtharaajam  brahmanaam  brahmanaspata aa nah srinvann utibhih seeda saadanam ||(Rig Veda Mandala 2 Hymn 23.01

Thou art the friend, philosopher and guide of your attendant;  I Call on you to grant the wisdom of the wise ones, highest of pinnacles of hearing, the first ruler that evolved, the one that leads/guides our further evolution, having heard, the seat that weaves thoughts.

This mantra addressed to Brahmanam Brahmanaspati or Lord of the Vedas as declared in Bhagavadgita. Brahman actually means evolution or ever expanding. Atman (Self) when it decides to evolve devoid of all karmas becomes one with Brahman. 

Thus the conventional meaning addressed to Supreme Spirit becomes: "We invite you, the Lord of All Groups, wise amongst the wise, Lord of all Vedas, foremost amongst foremost, whose fame is excellent, be seated and protect us”. Through this prayer the devotee invokes that Supreme Consciousness   to guide us and lead us   in all our actions.

The Deity Lord Ganapathy, to whom this mantra is usually addressed in our worships, came into picture only during   later Puranic period.  In Vedas or even in Ramayana there is no mention of deity Ganesha whom we worship now.  Following sloka depicts the form and shape of Puranic Ganapati:   

Mooshika vaahana modaka hasta Chamara karna vilambita sootra Vamana roopa Maheswara putra Vigna-vinayaka paada namaste ||

Shiva mentioned in Rigveda refers to primordial energy. ‘Shi’ means lie down and ‘va’ means in which. Siva therefore means in which all things lie or at rest that is potential energy.  Siva also means Sunyam representing Nirguna Brahman. Vishnu, vyaapyate iti Vishnuh, all pervading   kinetic energy. Hence these are dormant and active forms of Universal Energy or Cosmic Force or Absolute Consciousness.  

You can thus see how a mythological deity has been made so popular today not only by religious Pundits but also by musicians and saints. Vedas mentions several immortal creations like Sadhyas, Devas, Kinnaras (horse body with human head), Kimpurushas, Gajavadanas, (elephant headed bodies with human body), Hayavadanas (horse headed with human bodies like Aswins) Gandharvas, Rakshasas etc. in upper worlds. Only humans were created for Earth as mortals as Sudras. Later Rakshasas who were protectors were pushed to Patala (Netherworld) due to their own actions.  Please go through my very popular discourse on Vishwaksena.

Vaishnavites worship Vishwaksena as leader of Gajanavadana Ganas who also serve as body-guard for Vishnu. Tamils call this deity Thumbikkai Azhwarar. They can’t think of worshiping a mutilated Vigraha with broken tusk in their archa form of worship as their Ganapati!  Siva in all probability got upset with Parvati for having crossed her limits and created another species out of her scum from the body. Brahma the creative aspect of Parabrahman alone is responsible for creation of any new species.   So Siva exterminated the same and replaced it by a Gana Gajavadana may be a lieutenant of Vishwaksena. It is unlikely Siva would have killed an innocent elephant to carry out the first transplantation as he is always kind hearted, to create a new creature and then deify it also. As a dissolution aspect of Brahman he too would not have over-stepped his functions. He made one of the meritorious   Gaja- vadana Ganas as Ganesha, the new commander for his group of Ganas.

Puranas brought to lime-light Narasimha Avatar (Lion headed human being) and he became too popular with Vaishnava followers.  The purpose of this avatar was to correct the wrong doing by the egoistic Rishis who had cursed Jaya-Vijayas while discharging their duties to the Supreme. Later Saivites in order to make Ganesha unique and equal in command to Vishwaksena, and more popular than Narasimha, created another myth how this body-guard deity   broke his tusk to write Mahabharata or hurled it against the Moon and created a “kalanka” (blasphemy) in Moon. Soon Ganesha Devata even   surpassed Narasimha Devata, in popularity, who is often equated with Puranic Siva.

You may thus see how new deities are created and Veda Mantras are imposed on them while diverting the concentration of true seekers on Brahman; Sanatana Dharma that reduced itself to a walled religion. It would we wiser on our part to   take the straight route instead of the long and winding path and constrain our focus on creative, sustenance and dissolution aspect of Parabrahman, more so on sustenance aspect while on Earth or only focus on true symbolic deities of Parabrahman like Venkateswara or Jagannatha if we still like to live with Temple traditions and Aagam dictates and effectively employ these Veda mantras for worship and meditation on them. I was scratching my heads to understand the asahtottara namavali epithet used for Ganesha --“Sat-chit-ananda Vigrahaaya Namah--what I understood was that this elephant headed deity is possessed with true mind and brings delight to those who look at his Moorthi form which is made more attractive with Modaka in hand and rat for a jolly ride amusing appealing children to imbibe Bhakti or for those who are at Kindergarten level of religious maturity.

 http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2012/08/vishwaksena-discourse-by-n_8.html

OM Tad Brahma | Tat Sathyam | Tat Sarvam  ||

--May 27, 2017

Comment:

I love this translation of the sloka Gananaam thaw. It is nice to see you getting beyond puranic dieties

--Dr. Vedavyas

MOKSHA IS ABSOLUTE FREEDOM TO MERGE WITH ABSOLUTE CONSCIOUSNESS

Vedanta is not mere theory,    we learnt recently from Swami Chidananda of FOWAI Forum.   Life is short.   We should make it sweet and happy. The aims in one’s life is defined as Purusharthas in Vedanta.  These are Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha. Of these Artha, Kaama and Moksha bring in happiness.  Vedanta also says Dharma should be our religion. It therefore says Artha, Kama and Moksha should be pursued with appropriate dharma to achieve all round harmony, peace and happiness. Otherwise there will be all round chaos as we experience today.   Happiness is of two kinds-- ephemeral and everlasting.  Artha is material possession. The pleasure gained by it is momentary and we keep constantly craving for more.  Kama is also ephemeral   happiness and denotes worldly pleasures and desires.   But Moksha Liberation is everlasting happiness which Vedanta calls as Ananda or Sreyas which we say in English everlasting happiness or Bliss. 

 But why does Swamiji says Moksha as Absolute Freedom.  Buddha said life or Samsara  is full  of misery.  It is the outcome of infatuation and desires.  Interestingly the word Moksha is the short form of Mohakshaya: Moha+Kshaya=Moksha, devoid of all desires. Moksha is the state of Supreme Bliss called Mukti and there is no quest beyond it for you are always in the company of the Supreme Being.  We keep going from place to place and suffer hardships.  Our destination is our home. A prisoner goes to his home when released.  Our true Self is imprisoned in our physical body and we commit the grave mistake of believing we are the body. Our real home is the Bliss called Mukti got by Moksha. The Supreme has sentenced us for our sins by imprisoning our true Self in the body.  If we practice virtue our sins will be condoned by the Supreme and we will be released from the prison forever. We must desist from committing sinful acts so that our term of imprisonment is not extended and we must endeavor to free ourselves and arrive in our permanent home, our true home called Paramapada.  Moksha is release from all attachments. It is a state in which the Self remains ever in untrammeled freedom and blessedness. Upanishads teach us how this supreme state may be attained. Swami Abhisheka Chaitanya of Fowai Forum will be enlightening us on the subject.

 In Vedanta concept this liberation is sought from the hassles of Samsara faced by repeated births and deaths. Samsaara means the empirical process from birth to death and from death to birth.  Every living thing goes through this process and the particular manner of its existence in any given span of life will depend on its past Karma leaving the option for making its future better or worse. The word Samsaara in Hindu religion is very significant. We use the word loosely to mean the world or worldly life. It is derived from the Sanskrit word “Sriti” which means passing and its prefix “Sam” means intensely. Now Gita and other Hindu Shastras say that we have to pass repeatedly through this world and the finer and higher worlds. This repeated passing of the souls (Samsriti) is what is really meant by the word Samsaara. Hinduism sees human beings as spiritual beings housed in the physical body. Hindus believe in reincarnation unlike some others who believe in resurrection. To those who believe in resurrection, human beings are made up of a body and soul. Hindus practice cremation in order to end all relationship between the spirit and the physical body when death occurs. Hindu way of life is based on the concepts of repeated births and deaths, Samsaara and Mukti   (liberation). We offer oblations (Sraaddha) to the departed souls because we believe that they are still living either in any of the fine or higher worlds or in this very Earth in some other bodies. We perform meritorious deeds (Punya), for we believe that this will bring us intense enjoyment after death. Similarly we shun heinous deeds (Paapa) lest we should have intense suffering after death. These and other beliefs and rites are   based on the Hindu concept of rebirth. It is the belief of every Hindu that souls are eternal and they have a past and after the present, unless liberated, will also have a future. The Liberation is called Moksha leading to Mukti, i.e., when the soul becomes one with the Creator.  That is “Absolute Freedom”.

WEBINAR 83 presents "Absolute Freedom" by   Swami Abhishek Chaitany Giriji on Sunday, May 28, 2017. Gist of the Presentation is: Seeking freedom is intrinsic to the nature of every living being. Moksha* means freedom. This is the basic and central idea of all Vedic literature. Recognizing Moksha as the basic and also the ultimate human pursuit the Vedas shape human life to accomplish it. Understanding this pursuit is to place our actions and life in right perspective. Understanding this is the journey accomplished.

[*I call it Mukti got after attaining the state of Moksha. Moksha is the final  corrective action to attain Mukti or Liberation or Sayujya]

 Mahamandaleshwar Swami Abhishek Chaitanya Giri is the head of Jagad Guru Sannyas Ashram, Rishikesh. Having studied the Vedantic texts traditionally under several masters, by serving them, Swamiji continues to teach Vedanta in Rishikesh. 

 Meanwhile go through my discourse related to the subject:

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2015/09/naraka-svarga-and-brahmaloka-of.html

--May 26, 2017

IN HINDU CULTURE WHY DO WE DO

You are familiar with my long blog list of explanations on the subject "In Hindu Culture Why Do We Do......................" to which many contributed. This was initiated by Kamala Raghunathan.  Similarly Dr.  Dhananjaya Marpaka inspired   my work on the Chamakam odd and even numbers. Dr. Naga Rajan inspired me to the   thoughts on Navagrahas and corrected my poor knowledge of astronomy if not physics. There are several other topics   that I researched like black and white strips on   temple  walls  sent by A.S. Narayana and HMV recording of Rigveda Mantra,  Crystal recording of VSN sent by Balasuramaniyan,  Thoppukkaranam, Karadiyan Nombu, Panguni Uttiram, Samahain, Bloodmoon, Balaji, Sanatkumara etc.   You now see how important it is to get the feedback as well as occasional inspiration from HR Forum Participants.  But for the feedback   I would have never brought out such amazing revelations on such popular subjects appreciated without real   understanding.

Now coming to our present discussion do you know why we chant Rudraprasnah 11 times to complete one Rudram? For this the clue lies in Chamakam which is again based on Vedic wisdom.  Vedas mention there are 11 Rudras among 33 Vedic deities. Sata Rudriyam consists of eleven sections, Anuvakas.  Every anuvaka has a different meter (chandas), seer, rishi, and devata directed to 11 Rudras and so each is an individual Mantra.   In Chamakam there are 11 Anuvakas.  Therefore by chanting Rudraprasnah once followed by one anuvaka of Chamakam you propitiate one Rudra. You have to propitiate all 11 Rudras at least once.  This is called 1 Rudram. Now you see the logic.  Also when we depart from this world we are at our odds end. So Siva who is the custodian of dissolution aspect of Parabrahman is “odd” priya so saivites always follow odd numbers.  So 11 is significant in Rudram chanting.  Also Rudram is nama japa of Parabrahman. They are in Dative case to which namah is added in namakam. VSN (Vishnu sahasra nama) only mentions the name in Nominative case and no “Namah” is added.  Sata- rudram is namajapa.  Probably Vedas realized human limitations and restricted nama japa to 100. The word Namah is repeated 300 times in Satarudriyam. Siva says in VSN to repeat Rama Nama 3 times.  There are some Trisatee slokas too! To me Satarudriyam appeals more as an Upanishad. You know it is also called Rudropanishad. It reveals the truth of Jiva, (Chit) the individual Self, Jagat, the world (Achit) and Iswara, the Lord about which Ramanuja spoke a lot in his philosophy.  It thus helps us to understand Brahman as Upanishads do.   Also I explained to how even numbers 48 relate to dwadasanama (12 names) of Vishnu, while odd 33 relate  to Siva.  Vaishnavites wear 12 namas on their body, symbol of Vishnu.  Hence Rudram is directed to both Siva and Vishnu when Chamakam stops at odd 33 and even 48.

 Satarudram consists of 100 stanzas in glorification of Vedic Shiva  long before Puranas came with countless stories of Shiva. Shiva mentioned in Rigveda refers to primordial energy. ‘Shi’ means lie down and ‘va’ means in which. Siva therefore means in which all things lie or at rest that is potential energy. Shiva also means Soonya or 0 representing Nirguna Brahman. Without Soonyam there can't be infinity and therefore Soonyam is the base for Ananta or Bhuma (plentitude or infinity).

Let us now think of our Sahasranama. Why did Bhishma strop at 1000 names that became a model for all Sahasranamas.    Since he only repeated the names in Nominative case without “Namah” as in Rudram VSN is not meant for Namajapa. Our commercially oriented temples have gone to Laksharchana even though nobody has come with 100000 names. We are told in Puranas there are 33 crores of Gods! Will Google search help to find all these   I can’t tell with my poor computer skill.

Bhisma was a Vedic scholar   and   knew Purushsookta well. So he stopped VSN around 1000 names (sahasraseershaa Purusha).  Here too he struggled   hard to find out   1000 names of Vishnu and hence repeated some of them in VSN. But our modern temple priests can easily find 100000 names for any God for Laksharchana! But why did he pick up the Name of Vishnu or attribute all names of gods he knew directed to Vishnu. He knew Vishnu means the sustenance aspect of Vishnu that pervades all Earth on which he was lying down. Lying down, wherever he looked in all eight directions   he could see Vishnu only (Vyaapate iti Vishnuh).  In Ashtottara Shasranamavali, 8 represents 8 directions guarded by 8 Astadikpalakas—sentinels of eight directions. 

--May 25, 2017

RUDRA PRASNAH—CHAMAKA PRASNAH

Supreme Spirit in his dissolution aspect called Siva destroys the evil and bestows Bliss and Immortality on those who do Rudra Parayana daily as per Pundits' guidance. This calls for atonement, purification and meditation for ultimate submission to His Will in one’s   life-journey. This can’t be a last minute escape prayer hence daily Parayana is mandated with focus. Siva is “asutoshin” easily pleased, so believe many   listening to Puraanic stories and also think easiest method of propitiating   Him is by chanting Rudram and Chamakam, not knowing He is quite watchful as auditor of Karma  when handed over by Vishnu sustenance aspect of Brahman to him.  Also generally people try to approach him just prior to departure from this world. That is why the wise Pundits suggest daily Parayana with all focus and not last minute rush.  That is why I have tried to explain these mysterious numbers in them though not sure. Who knows what is in His mind when He says just meditate on these odd and even numbers?

Chant Rudra Prasnah, also called Namakah, once. Then recite one Anuvaka of Chamaka.  Repeat the chanting of Namaka second time along with second Anuvaka of Chamaka. In this way Namaka may be recited 11 times with 11^th Anuvaka of Chamaka. This is termed as one Rudra.  121 times of Rudra chanting is called one “Rudriakadasami”. When Rudra is repeated 1331 times it is named as one Maharudram. 11 Maharudrams will make one Atirudra (1464 times). When 11 persons recite 11 times Rudra for a period of 11 days then it becomes Maharudra.

 Now you know Mahasiva is not easy to please without Maharudram.   It is strange he did not leave behind any clue in Rudram chanting like what he advised in VSN-- “Sri Rama Rama Rameti” Think what would  have happened if he had elaborated all these odd and even numbers? Perhaps   we needed many more births. You also know by now Siva is not easy to please though Puranas say so! So Sankara said in Bhajgovindam   and Aatma Bodha “tadvishnoh paramam padam”. Lord Siva Himself said Sri Rama Rama Rameti”. Understanding Rama Mantra is also not that easy! Rama Naamajapa is   easy! Naamajapa will only grant short time  material benefits while Mantras   lead one to spiritually evolve !

Puranic stories often end up with multiplicity of rituals, fun and frolic taking away our attention from focus on Supreme Being.  Rudra in Rudraprasnah is actually addressed to Paramaatman as  the one who protects us from all  miseries—Rutaat traayate iti Rudrah. You know how you worship Ganesha as modakahasta trying to pray bribing with Modaka and focus on rat and the funny ride Mooshikavaahana. After all this drama we go all the way to explain the spiritual significance too! Why this long and winding path?

I would also like to bring your attention to another Veda mantra—Pancha Brahma. Here the epithet Sadyojata, instant Born has been attributed to Siva by sectarian followers of Siva. Vaishnavites have referred the same to Narasimha and that gave inspiration to bring forward another Upanishad Narasimha Tapaneeya Upanishad.  Ganesha followers did not lag behind. They brought out another Upanishad—Ganesha Atharvaseersopanishad.ll these are after ten cardinal Upanishads. You can thus see how these have helped in building sectarian religious walls moving away from the wisdom of Vedas.  

Supreme Being is described as Sunya (zero), Bhuma (Plentitude) and Ananta (Infinity). So   Chamakam started with odd numbers in steps of two  and stopped at 33 which represented  the number of 33 Devatas mentioned in Vedas helping one Deva as their ruler governing the Universe. Vedas felt it is fruitless to go beyond 33. But look at what Puranas have done?  They have taken it to 33 Crores and confused us with countless slokas for prayers.  Today we are adding more sub-devatas to this like Swami Narayan, Saibaba, Ramanuja,  Sankara, Azhvars, Nayanmars and others. Chamakam again   mentions another series of four, thinking of    all pervasive nature of Parabrahama  (Vishnu)  described as Chaturmoorti, Chaturbahu, Chaturvyuha, Chaturdamshtra etc. It stopped at 48 as Sandhyavandana mantras mention only 12 (12x4=48) forms of Vishnu directing 12 energizing  parts of the body, (Dwadsas Nama—Kesava, Narayana, Govinda, Madhava, Vishnu, Madhusoodana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrishikesa, Padmanaabha and Damodara). 

It is therefore advisable to go by the wisdom of  Vedas and focus on Parabrahman only with these mantras.

 Please look at our Temple Traditions that says whatever it is done in rituals and worships is mandated by Agamas.  I hope you all agree that Purushasookta, Srisookta, Rudram, Chamakam etc., are not directed to any  sectarian Puraanic deity but to be addressed to Parabrahaman. Yet to -day they are restrictive in Temple rituals compartmentalized by Saivites, Vaishanvites and Saktites and deities are bathed with regimental Veda Mantras all in the name of Agamas.   

Please note I have added the above Appendix to my discourse Odd and Even Numbers of  Chamakam:.

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-do-odd-and-even-numbers-in.html

-- May 24, 2017

TO LIVE SUCCESSFULLY AS HUMAN BY JOHN SMALLMAN

Human life was created human  outside and Divine within.  We have complicated it in our worldly life.  Human life is very short and unreal for it has separated itself from the Real within.   Don’t waste it; Turn inwards to make it Real. I have recently talked to you how our body is divine and part of the Macrocosm.    Our Rishis on Earth raised their voices to the Supreme “Asato maa Sat gamaya”, lead us from mortality to immortality—unreal existence to real existence. Vedas say Supreme created only man as mortal with a soul attached to Karma   while he created Sadhyas and Devas (in heaven) as immortal (Rigveda). Our goal in life is to attain  the status of these immortals and attain Saalokya equal status with them. Vedas often describe this as ‘’Somam praapnuvanti” (enjoying the same elixir drink Soma) “samaanalokataam   praapnuvanti” “saaujyamaapnoti” etc.,  for going to the source. Aaditya Devatagraha Mantra in Rigveda says: He who meditates on Supreme spirit attains union with Brahman and lives in the same  region of enjoyment with Him; He attains union; co residence and like enjoyment with these Devas  (heavenly bodies) in their Worlds (Indraloka, Chandraloka,  Nakshatraloka,  Swarga, Pitruloka etc)--Esha bhootaanaam adhipati brahmanah saayujya salokataam aapnoti etasaam eva devataanaam saayujyam saarshtitaam  samaanalokataam aapnoti (MNU).    Does this not sound like Dwaita Philosophy?

John   Smallman   echoes many of these wisdom thoughts of Vedas in his discourse below though coming from a faith based religion. I have highlighted some of these in bold letters in his text.   He wants people to move from blind faith to spiritual reality. You know Supreme is known as Sathyam.  Sathyam= sat+thi+yam. Sat means immortal; thi means mortal; yam is what is being regulated. Therefore asat means mortal.  To live successfully as human one should focus on spirituality while leading the worldly life of pleasure and pain in Pravritti marga (active life--Balya, Brahmacharya, Grihasta) and completely focus on the Supreme in his Nivritti marga (passive life) which is also called as Vanaprastha. Hinduism speaks of four stages in life--Childhood; Bachelorhood; Adulthood;  Retirement. So  John asks to plan our life successfully spiritually and not in material gains.

LIFE  is GOOD!  There is only Life/Love/Source/God.  Pain and suffering, while feeling intensely real, are of the illusion, and will pass.  You can ease your pain and suffering enormously by accepting whatever arises and dealing with it in the now moment!  That may well sound insane to those of you who are suffering and in pain, but if you truly open your hearts to Love, releasing your attachment to any of your attitudes that cause you pain – judgment, blame, resentment, bitterness, hatred – you will find joy, peace of mind, and contentment.  And I can assure you that those attitudes are the cause of your suffering and pain.  When your mind ceases to dwell on hurts you have experienced that were inflicted by others, or by yourselves, your pain and suffering will and does ease.

You hold onto pain and suffering by frequently or constantly dwelling on the wrongs others have done you, or on the sins that you yourselves believe you have committed.  You know this, because when you are in that mode you feel BAD!  Then, when you are distracted from those thoughts by something pleasurable, your pain and suffering are gone, even if only momentarily, before you quickly return to that egoist  indwelling state (me, me, me,) of being abused or mistreated.

You established the human condition to experience separation because you thought that to be independent of God would be freeing.  But what actually happened was that you discovered that being alone, isolated, and without support was terrifying.  However, you had forgotten that your natural state, which is Love, envelops and embraces you in every moment, and so you then started to seek Love quite desperately from others.

You are Love.  You cannot therefore find it elsewhere!  You may look and look and look, but you will never find outside yourselves what resides eternally within you.  You have all experienced losing or mislaying something, have gone hunting for it to no effect, and have become increasingly incensed or anxious only to discover, eventually, that it is in your pocket or your purse.  Well, Love is always that close to you!  And you can never “lose” It!

You are never alone!  Why?  Because separation from Source is impossible.  However, you can pretend that you are separate, alone, unsupported, lost, and even abandoned.  Then, when the pain and suffering becomes too intense, you go within to complain bitterly and vociferously: “If there is a loving God, how could He allow me to be suffering so horribly and for so long?”  But with all the noise you are making you drown out the gentle and soothing voice of Love which is forever responding to you when you feel alone and lost.

Once you open yourselves to listen and to hear you do experience a sense of the Love that envelops you constantly, and the more space you make in your human lives to hear the Voice of Love the more effectively and frequently will you become aware of Love’s Presence in your lives.

However busy your lives are with work, family, bill paying etc., it is essential that you take time every day, even if only for a few minutes, to go within to your holy inner sanctuary or altar, and sit quietly with Yourself, the flame of Love that resides there and burns constantly with endless Love for you.  You are One with the little you that you experience in daily life as a human, so allow Yourselves to meet each other daily in that holy inner space where the infinite power of Love is always present and ready to empower you.  That is the most effective, in fact the only way to find peace and contentment, along with the ability to deal competently will all the issues that arise in your daily human lives.

Truly, you’ve got what it takes to live successfully as a human because you are a divine being, even though you are presently choosing to be unaware of your immense power and divine status.  It is not the “me, me, me, me first” power of the ego, it is the calm, vast, and spacious power of the divine being that you are.  That power arises within you as you hold the intent to be only loving, regardless of what is arising in your life in any now moment.  You are powerful because you are one with Source.  Frequently, however, far too frequently, you give your power away to others by seeking to align yourselves with their beliefs and opinions in order to receive their acceptance and approval.

But, as you are very well aware, it does not work.  You can never receive complete acceptance or approval from others because they will always judge you and find something, or many things, amiss, wrong, or objectionable about you.  It’s a “Catch 22” situation, and you are wasting your time and your energy.  Yes, you will get occasional approving smiles of acceptance, but they will always be temporary, even just fleeting.

Your path to sanity, to happiness, to contentment and peace lies within.  It always has and it always will.  Why?  Because you are a child of God created in His likeness and to whom He has given everything of Himself because you are like unto Himself being One with Him, eternally.  The human phase of existence is a minor and very short term excursion from Reality into an unreal world of dreams and nightmares that cannot and will not last.  So, go within daily and find the peace and the Love that you so desperately desire, It awaits you there constantly to soothe and comfort you by melting away the pain and suffering of the unreal dreams and nightmares that seem to assail you from all sides.

Within is peace, without there is frequent chaos and confusion, suffering and pain, an insane environment in which conflict rules and no one wins.  What appear to be “wins” do not last because there is always another who will steal the winner’s crown.  Cease chasing fantasies and settle into the Peace of God that lies within you awaiting your acceptance of It.  The “Thrill of the Chase” is a false concept that leads you away from Reality and into the miasma that is the illusion.

You can awaken from the illusion, you will awaken from the illusion, in fact you are awakening from the illusion because more and more of you are choosing Love instead of fear, and finding how over-rated fear is and has always been.  Go within and accept with joy the Love that calls to you there in every moment. That is Reality!

--MAY 21, 2017

Thank you for sending the very meaningful and excellent article from John Smallman—Dr. Brahma Parsh

WHERE DOES JIVATMA TRAVEL AFTER DEATH AND WHY?

Our Rishis  raised their voices to the Supreme bogged down by fear of Death  “Mrityor maa amritam gamaya” “ Mrityor mooksheeya maamrutaat”.  Is there life after so called death?  What is the view of science after life? Please find below recent Western Scientific Thoughts and Research Findings on the subject.  Please wait for my detailed Vedantic/Philosophic Discourse on the Subject in coming months covering Jeevatama travels either to move forward after having exhausted all Karmas or return back to exhaust its  accumulated Karmas while resting for a while in higher planes(Swarga/Chandraloka) enjoying its meritorious  deeds(Punyaphalas).  I believe you may have lots of questions on the subject. I will try to find answers from great philosophers.

German Scientists Prove There is Life after Death

Berlin | A team of psychologists and medical doctors associated with the Technische Universität of Berlin, have announced that they had proven by clinical experimentation, the existence of some form of life after death. This astonishing announcement is based on the conclusions of a study using a new type of medically supervised near-death experiences that allow patients to be clinically dead for almost 20 minutes before being brought back to life.

This controversial process that was repeated on 944 volunteers over that last four years, necessitates a complex mixture of drugs including epinephrine and dimethyltryptamine, destined to allow the body to survive the state of clinical death and the reanimation process without damage. The body of the subject was then put into a temporary coma   state induced by a mixture of other drugs which had to be filtered by ozone from his blood during the reanimation process 18 minutes later.

The extremely long duration of the experience was only recently made possible by the development of a new cardiopulmonary recitation (CPR) machine called the Auto Pulse. This type of equipment has already been used over the last few years, to reanimate people who had been dead for somewhere between 40 minutes to an hour.

Near-death experiences have been hypothesized in various medical journals in the past, as having the characteristics of hallucinations, but Dr. Ackermann and his team, on the contrary, consider them as evidence for the existence of the afterlife and of a form of dualism between mind and body.

The team of scientists led by Dr. Berthold Ackermann, has monitored the operations and have compiled the testimonies of the subjects. Although there are some slight variations from one individual to another, all of the subjects have some memories of their period of clinical death and a vast majority of them described some very similar sensations.

Most common memories include a feeling of detachment from the body, feelings of levitation, total serenity, security, warmth, the experience of absolute dissolution, and the presence of an overwhelming light.

The scientists say that they are well aware the many of their conclusions could shock a lot of people, like the fact that the religious beliefs of the various subjects seems to have held no incidence at all, on the sensations and experiences that they described at the end of the experiment. Indeed, the volunteers counted in their ranks some members are a variety of Christian churches, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and atheists.

“I know our results could disturb the beliefs of many people” says Mr. Ackermann. “But in a way, we have just answered one of the greatest questions in the history of mankind, so I hope these people will be able to forgive us. Yes, there is life after death and it looks like this applies to everyone.”

 SCIENCE VIEWS AFTERLIFE

LONDON: It's a question pondered by philosophers, scientists and the devout since the dawn of time: is there an afterlife?

While the religious would argue that life on earth is a mere warm up for an eternity spent in heaven or hell, and many scientists would dismiss the concept for lack of proof — one expert claims he has definitive evidence to confirm once and for all that there is indeed life after death.

The answer, Professor Robert Lanza says, lies in quantum physics — specifically the theory of biocentrism. The scientist, from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, says the evidence lies in the idea that the concept of death is a mere figment of our consciousness.

Professor Lanza says biocentrism explains that the universe only exists because of an individual's consciousness of it — essentially life and biology are central to reality, which in turn creates the universe; the universe itself does not create life. The same applies to the concepts of space and time, which Professor Lanza describes as "simply tools of the mind".

In a message posted on the scientist's website, he explains that with this theory in mind, the concept of death as we know it is "cannot exist in any real sense" as there are no true boundaries by which to define it. Essentially, the idea of dying is something we have long been taught to accept, but in reality it just exists in our minds.

Professor Lanza says biocentrism is similar to the idea of parallel universes — a concept hypothesized by theoretical physicists. In much the same way as everything that could possibly happen is speculated to be occurring all at once across multiple universes, he says that once we begin to question our preconceived concepts of time and consciousness, the alternatives are huge and could alter the way we think about the world in a way not seen since the 15th century's "flat earth" debate.

He goes on to use the so-called double-slit experiment as proof that the behavior   of a particle can be altered by a person's perception of it. In the experiment, when scientists watch a particle pass through a multi-holed barrier, the particle acts like a bullet travelling through a single slit. When the article is not watched, however, the particle moves through the holes like a wave.

Scientists argue that the double-slit experiment proves that particles can act as two separate entities at the same time, challenging long-established ideas of time and perception.

Although the idea is rather complicated, Professor Lanza says it can be explained far more simply using colors. Essentially, the sky may be perceived as blue, but if the cells in our brain were changed to make the sky look green, was the sky ever truly blue or was that just our perception?

In terms of how this affects life after death, Professor Lanza explains that, when we die, our life becomes a "perennial flower that returns to bloom in the multiverse". He added: "Life is an adventure that transcends our ordinary linear way of thinking. When we die, we do so not in the random billiard-ball-matrix but in the inescapable-life-matrix."

  --May 20, 2017

IS VEDĀNTA MERE THEORY?

May I draw your kind attention to video/audio & You Tube   presentation by Pujya Swami Chidanandaji scheduled on Sunday, May 21, at San Jose, Chicago, New Jersey and  Mumbai., on the above subject.

“Gist of the Presentation:

A lot of people believe that Vedānta is mere scholarship, nice to hear but of no practical value. There are some who go to the extent of saying Vedānta is theory and Yoga is the practical side of it. Vedānta however maintains that the "understanding" it imparts can single-handedly free us, without partnering with any practice. Ādi Shankarāchārya meant this when he took pains to dismiss the notion that 'karma' and 'jnāna' have to go hand in hand, in order to bestow liberation. This webinar will throw light on what exactly is meant by jnāna and how it has nothing to do with any practice. “jnānād  eva to kaivalyam” - traditional saying--Freedom is gained through pure wisdom alone.”

May I draw your kind attention to the introductory speech on Bhajagovindam concert by M. S. Subbalakshmi in the United Nations!  The then Secretary-General said   any uncoordinated Bhakti (Devotion) without Jnana (knowledge) and Karma (action) is useless. I would also like to draw your attention to the Gita statement “Na hi Jnaanena sadrisam” –nothing is comparable to Knowledge if properly understood and acted upon.  In our temple tradition we have moved away from the concept of coordinated approach --Jnana and Karma culminating in Bhakti but aligned ourselves with other world religions based on mere faith moving away from Sanatana Dharma. Our learned Swamiji says Vedanta is not mere theory. I also draw your kind attention to my recent   discourse “Vedanta is the Religion of the Future”. To those who dismiss Vedanta as mere theory I would like to draw their attention to Kathopanishad--Spiritual knowledge or Jnana about Self and the Supreme cannot be acquired by mere learning. It can be acquired only by sincere devotion to God and intuition which can be facilitated by purity of mind and thought, meditation and prayers.  Upanishads often stress on Atonement, Purification, Meditation and Submission to the Supreme Will.

Bhagavad Gita, an epitome of the Upanishads, has set out three main Yogas, namely JnaanaYoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga and left the choice to the taste and temper of the individual. But it also  came up with the fourth Raja Yoga which is a graded course of physical and mental   exercises so as to achieve concentration and control of mind which practical approach people often forget and dismiss   the other three as mere theory or blind faith! Today this Rajayoga is misunderstood as mere Yoga for developing Body and Mind but not Spirit.

Jnaana Yoga or the Path of Knowledge is a Spiritual Path which leads to the discovery of the Supreme Being in one’s own soul or Self.  Karma Yoga or The Path of Action is the means by which a person engaged as a householder in a day to day worldly activities can harmonize such activities with Spiritual advancement. Bhakti Yoga or Path of Devotion is the worship of one’s Personal God or chosen deity. Many strongly believe that Bhakti Yoga is easiest and best for Mankind for spiritual uplift as it harmonizes well with worldly life, listening to Gurus and Saints  who powerfully use Yoga exercises,  Bhajans and Musics to promote Bhaktiyoga.  It is easier said than done.    Its prerequisites are Jnaana and Karma.

Love is Universal emotion and plays a dominant role in all human activities. It is also the base of all other emotions like fear, hatred, etc. One’s fear of death is due to one’s love to one’s body. Vedanta says if this love is turned towards fellow beings and progressively to God the permanent abode of peace and Bliss is never lost or wasted. How can we say then Vedanta is mere theory?  The best use of the powerful emotion of love is to avail of it, not for the fleeting earthly pleasures, but for reaching immortality, peace and permanent Bliss which is the goal of all human life. Loving an object that pleases our senses is easy enough but directing our love to an intangible invisible entity like God is very difficult—“Yamlabdva pumaan siddho bhavati Amrito bhavati tripto bhavati”. The main task for spiritual aspirant is to train the mind to love God. Our scriptures   therefore say “Aatmavat Sarvabhooteshu”. “Krinvanto viswamaaryam”, “sarvejanah sukhino bhavantu” etc. as practical means to develop that Love of God.

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/05/vedanta-religion-everlasting-universal.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/04/uncommon-understanding-of-unknown-his.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/02/love-is-binding-force-of-universe.html

--May 19, 2017

HINDU TEMPLES AND INSTITUTIONS: CHALLENGES THE 21^ST  CENTURY

I received the following information from HMEC to which I responded as below which may interest you all:

Notification:

Hindu Temples and Institutions: Challenges of the 21st Century

Our ancestors advised: Om samanee vah aakotih samaanaa hridayaani vah, samaanamastu vo mano yatha vah sushaasati O Devotees, let your objects of life be the same, let your hearts and minds be united so that there may be an excellent common status of life for all (Sanghatan Sukta, Rig Veda). [I have talked about these groups of Mantras elaborately in February 2017.]

Hindu temples and institutions are facing challenges around the globe as technology and social changes affect traditional beliefs and practices. The 12th annual HMEC conference will enable Hindu leaders to look at these trends affecting their institutions and rise to the challenges presented by the digital age in the areas of temple management, religious programs, youth engagement, serving seniors and society. Determining the direction of change, adaptation and sustenance of dharma requires our collective efforts by our major stakeholders like mandirs, teachers, sants and sanyasis, scholars, activists, practicing and non-practicing Hindus. HMEC 2017 provides the platform for these deliberations, strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

We invite proposals for papers, panel discussions and workshops and any other suggested formats that address the issues identified in the list below. (Your contributions are welcome)

MY REPLY:

Hindu American Temples do not need Explosion of Faiths (as it happened on Diwali Celebrations in Kerala Temples) or Noisy and dangerous Celebrations as in Kumbhamela or Ratha Yatra or stampede while visiting holy shrines. This all goes with the fanfare and showmanship that goes on in the name of religion.  They need to promote spirituality of Vedic Religion, Yoga and deep meditation. Upanishads says Brahman is the Ear of all ears, Eye of all eyes and Mouth of all mouths and He is watching all of us! So there is no need for such an exhibition of human emotions as is promoted in Hindu Temple worship and showmanship. These are perhaps needed at Kindergarten level but not beyond that. Instead raising the voice to heaven and beyond with  Venkatrmana, Jaimathe, Ganapati Bappa, Harahara Mahadev we should bring down our raised  voice from the first Shanti to second one to moderation and the third one to turn inwards after the concluding Santi Mantras.

The focus on  our  religious  practices and  religious education  as well as Hindu culture promotional activities  should be on pre -Puranic Vedic Culture  and not post-Puranic  Hindu culture  that are  often wrongly  misunderstood and practiced today but should  bring back the glory  of Vedic Religion and Culture of Universal Oneness, peace, prosperity  and happiness for all.

What we need here in USA for a limited Hindu population is an Ashram type of Hindu Temple with more spiritual direction. To support us, our conventional worships and rituals are loaded with Veda Mantras which if properly explained and routed will divert the attention from blind belief and faith to spirituality. Here at least one priest should be trained in an institution like Arshavidya Gurukula, Chinmaya Mission, Ramakrishna Math etc. who have their base in USA. These priests should  be  further educated how to  make  mechanical Agama/Tantra worship done in hurry as routine more effective spiritually to elevate ourselves and make it convincing and attractive enough to younger generation.  They should be run with spiritual profit focus than material profit focus. Each Ashram type Temples should focus on Sanskrit studies, Veda Studies, Yoga and Meditation. In India in big cities such infra-structural facilities are available at different venues but unfortunately most of them run as spiritual business venture like temples. 

Here, you have the right to choose your own religion, and it is a right protected by the constitution. Most of us follow one religion since birth, of course. Our parents chose a religion for us, and we follow what they teach us or taught us until we are old enough to question them or convert into another for the sake of love.  But however hard the world tries to bind us into one, we would always live with two. The alternative best choice is to follow Vedanta Religion which is everlasting, universal and unifying Spirituality for the couples drawn from two different faiths who want to live in peace but not in pieces and harmony and also guide the children to develop spiritually serving the society. Please go through my discourse on the subject:

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/05/vedanta-religion-everlasting-universal.html
My thoughts on the subject are further elaborated in the following discourse as posted on the Blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com>

1.      Multi Traditional Hindu Complexes in USA Need Focus on Spirituality and Deities to Suit All (July 2015)

2.      One Hindu Temple Complex for Many Traditions Overseas (June 2012)

3.      Why I am Called Hindu and My Following Hinduism (December 2015)

4.      Uncommon Understanding of the Unknown—His controllers and Worship (April 2016)

5.       Sravan Purnima is Ideal for Mass Worship by All Traditions like Diwali (August 2015)

6.       Festival of Lights—Ancient Tradition of Universal Appeal (December 2011)

7.      Sanskrit Language is Divine, Is Tamil Too (September 2014)

Comments: I love most of your thought provoking posts. I recently learned about Sam samidyuvase Rig Veda chant you are quoting in this email and I have been thinking why I didn't learn it so early on in my life.  Please keep up all these good work—Maheshwari (HR  Forum Participant) (9

--May 19 2017

FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN NAVAGRAHA SHANTIS!

As I have informed before, The Council of  Hindu Temples   of America brings out every Year North American Panchagam  prepared and edited by R. Kumar, an  expert in the field of astrology, Vontikoppal Panchnga Karta Mysore, who   also prepares Panchagam in Kannada published by  Panchanga Mandiram, V.V.Puram Mysore which he own, every year.  Both these Panchangams includesd the popular Navagraha stotra  “Japaakusuma” eulogizing the  nine  Grahas--Surya, Chandra, Kuja, Budha, Guru, Sukra, Sani, Rahu and Ketu. He should be himself  convinced How wrong he is in eulogizing Rahu, Ketu and Moon as grahas with others, as well as how wrong he is as to their role on human life.   I am sure he will also soon realize  that Sun is a Star and the ruler of  all planets  found in Navagraha stotras and change his views  on phalasrutis,  Grahana (eclipse) information, Urttarayana Punyakala celebrated after 22 days etc., in due course. This year Vontikoppal Panchangam has come out with a new sloka on Navagrahas.

NAVAGRAHA PEEDAAPARIHAARA STOTRA

This prayer gives the prayer to be chanted to get rid of troubles caused by each planet. Though the entire prayer can be chanted, it is necessary only to chant the corresponding stanza for the concerned planet which is causing problems.

 Grahaanaam Aadityo lokarakshankaarakah |Vishamsthaan sambhootaam peedaam haratu may Ravih ||

Please steal away my troubles, Oh Sun,
Who is the first among all planets,
Who is the cause for protecting the world,
And who causes troubles by his position.

 Rohinee sudhaamoortih sudhaagaatrah   sudhaasanah |Vishmasthaan sambhootaam peedaam haratu may Vidhuh||

Please steal away my troubles, Oh Moon,
Who is the lord of the star Rohini,
Who is made of nectar,
Who sheds nectar, who sits on nectar
And who causes troubles by his position.

 Bhoomiputro mahaatejaa jagataam bhayakritsadaa |Vrishtikridvrishti   hartaacha  peedaam haratu may  Kujah ||

Please steal away all my troubles, Oh Mars,
Who creates always fear in this world,
Who is the son of earth and greatly shining,
Who causes rain and who stops rain.

 Utpaataroopee jagataam chandraputro mahaadytih | sooryapriyakaro vidwaan peedam  haratu may Budhah ||

Please steal away all my troubles, Oh Mercury,
Who is of the form of earthly production,
Who s the son of moon and greatly wise,
And who is wise and favorite of the Sun.

Devamantree visaalaakshah sadaa lokahite ratah / Aneka sishya sampoornah peedaam haratu may  Guruh ||

 Please steal away all my troubles, Oh Jupiter

Who has broad eyes and a minister of devas,

Who is always interested in welfare of the world,

And who has several disciples with him.

Daityamantree gurusteshaam pranavasca mahaamatih |Prabhustaaraagrahanaamcha peedam hartu may Bhriguh ||

Please steal away all my troubles, oh Venus,

Who is the minister and teacher of Rakshasas,

Who is extremely intelligent among the living,

And who is the lord among stars and planets.

 Sooryputro deerghdeho visaalaakshah sivapriyah | Mandachaarah prasannaatmaa peedam haratu  may Sanih |

Please steal away all my troubles, Oh Saturn,
Who has a long body and is the son of Sun,
Who has broad eyes and likes Shiva,
Who moves slowly and is always cheerful.

 Mahaasiraa mahaavaktro deerghadamshtro mahaabal | Atanuschordhvakesaascha peedaam haratu may Sikhee ||

Please steal away all my troubles, Oh Rahu,
Who has a big head and a big throat,
Who has long teeth and is very strong,
And who wanders with his long hair.

 Aneka roopa varnaischa  sataso atha sahasrasah | Utpaataroopo jagataam peedaam haratu may tamah ||

Please steal away all my troubles, Oh Kethu,
Who has several forms and several colors,
Who purifies hundred and thousand times,
And who is the form of calamity.

Notes

  Sun standing in the 1,2,4.6,7,8,9 houses from The moon’ house causes problems.

    Moon standing in the 2,4,5,8.9,12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

    Mars standing in the 1,2,4,7,8.9,12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

    Mercury standing in the 1.3.5., 7.9.12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

    Jupiter standing in the 1,3,4.6,8,10,12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

    Venus standing in the 6,7,10 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

    Saturn standing in the 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

    Rahu standing in the 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

  Kethu standing in the 1,2,4,7,8.9,12 houses from the moon’s house causes problems

|| Iti Navagrah peedaaparihaara stotram sampoornam ||

[I only pray to Soorya the Vyahriti of Brahman   just as  Rama did in chanting Aditya Hrudayam for any planetary disturbance  in my life. But for those who are guided by priests and astrologers this sloka will be interesting.  Sometimes such slokas do bring in relief based on faith which again has to be done by the merciful Supreme. I do not wish to stand between you and your faith. Supreme helps the ignorant sometimes but not always.]

--MAY 17, 2017

THE NOW MOMENT IS THE ONLY TIME THAT EXISTS 

Aa noe bhadrantu kratavah yantu Viswatah”—let noble thoughts come from all corners of the world--says a Rigveda Mantra. Hinduism has the magnanimity to appreciate such thoughts. India has adopted Dharma Chakra  and Asoka Pillars of Buddhist origin (a least represented religion) as national symbols. We have been   getting such noble thoughts from Joe Smallman from time to time which I have been forwarding to you. Here is the present dispatch which reflects some wisdom thoughts from Vedas and Bhagavad Gita that I have indicated in antique within brackets. I have also explained these repeatedly in my spiritual discourses.  Coming from the Western Thought this should convince you about the Universality of Sanatana Dhrama or Eternal Tradition appealing all.  Please enjoy

 The now moment is the only time that exists--John Smallman

 “On Earth as it is in Heaven!”  That is what humanity is aiming for.  In the book A Course in Miracles Jesus talks about the “happy dream,” the place or state from which God will draw you home to Oneness (Mamaivaaso jeevabhootah) with Him.

Humanity’s awakening, your personal awakening (aham Brahmaasami), is the entry into that state where perfect peace prevails in the divine field of Love that is All That Exists.  In that state all that is not in complete alignment with Love has dissolved because none of it is Real, and only what is Real exists.  What is Real is eternal, without beginning or end.  What you experience as humans, while seeming intensely real, is just a dream, often a nightmare, filled with pain and suffering, from which you will awaken because it is impossible to remain lost in sleep and dreaming indefinitely.

As a human the time when you sleep is a time to rest your physical vehicle and restore the energy that physical or mental activity demands and has used.  While the body sleeps the eternal you, the You that is One, is where it always is, at peace in the Oneness that is God. :(The stage of Sushupti_tureeya)

The egoic  self is a very small but very loud and vociferous concept of what separation would be like were such a state possible.  It is like a split off part of the Self (Atman) with a life and mind of its own.  It, like the body, needs to rest because the concept of separation is very energy intensive and it uses the body’s energy for the games in which it engages.

The main game is “I am alone and afraid, and I need to be loved and protected,” (Mrityor   maa amritam gamaya) and that game is played out in an innumerable variety of ways as a person attempts to find within the illusion what it lost by choosing to hide from Reality.  But Reality is unaware of what is unreal.  The simplest analogy is that of small children playing games with imaginary characters that they perceive as real, and being upset because their parents cannot see them or hear them and therefore refuse to believe in them.  The parents may pretend to believe in them, but the children see through that façade instantly because the parental responses are quite inappropriate due to their inability to see or enter into the children’s imaginary world.

As the children grow they leave behind that imaginary world and enter their parent’s “real world,” the larger illusion that replaces their small individualized one.  Often the child’s world retained very faint memories of Reality which they were reluctant to let go of, but which, for the most part, they had to discard as they grew older in order to operate in and engage with the illusion, their parent’s “real world.”  All who incarnate as humans have chosen to experience the intense and frightening sense of separation it provides for lessons they have chosen to learn, along with their main task, which is to assist humanity to awaken.  But, as we have noted here before, the illusion (Maaya), once one is embodied within it as a human, is experienced as intensely real, so real in fact that remembering one’s vital main task frequently becomes impossible.

The main point here is that the human experience is unreal, even though it does seem very real, because the pain and suffering, the exciting adventures, or falling in love bring into your conscious awareness extremely intense feelings, feelings so intense that most people identify with them as being themselves, or at least as an essential and inseparable part of themselves.  Without feelings most think of themselves as lacking a valid identity, and so feelings are very highly valued.  But really, although often extremely intense, feelings and emotions are like the weather, temporary states that come and go but do not last.  Nevertheless, they can be, and often are, held onto in order to prolong sensations, either pleasurable or painful.  In the latter case it is often in an attempt to place blame on another who is thought or believed to have caused you pain or suffering.

Others do not cause your feelings, your feelings are merely reflections of how you see yourselves, and what others do is bring awareness of those feelings to the forefront of your consciousness.  If they are deeply painful and shameful you may deny them and project them outwards, away from yourselves, out of your awareness, and onto another or others.  When you hold onto feelings you can then keep reliving the intensity of pleasure or pain that arose the first time you experienced them.  They can make what has passed and gone appear to be happening again in the present moment as you relive them in your mind.  If something occurs that requires your immediate attention in this present moment, for instance while driving your car, the memory you were reliving fades out so that you can focus on the now moment.

The now moment is the only time that exists, and in the now moment you are constantly being renewed as the perfect child of God in the ongoing moment of eternal creation where you are always perfect because that is how God created you, and what He creates never changes.  Change is of the illusion, and within the illusion it is constant because it is always attempting to move you away from Reality.  On the other hand Reality (Satyam) is always calling you to return Home, to your natural state of eternal joy, where you are fully and eternally alive.

Life is eternal, unceasing, endless (Punarapi maranam punarapi jananam).  Therefore you never cease to live.  Human death, the laying down of a human body, is but a change of state, moving out of the illusion back to Reality, which you have never left.  Another analogy: you watch a movie, go to the theater, or read a book and get totally caught up in the story that unfolds – emotions arise, thoughts arise, judgments arise that concern the story – then the story ends and you are back with your own life and story which is quite different from the one in which you were temporarily enfolded and felt a part of.

Your human life is a little like that but, because it lasts for years instead of the couple of hours in which a movie unfolds, it is hard for you to know and understand that it is just a story.  You will awaken into Reality when the story no longer fascinates you, when you decide that you have learnt all the lessons that it has to offer.  You all know someone who seems to inhabit a different world from the ordinary everyday one that most humans experience.  Well understand that that person has just chosen to undergo a more individualized life experience within the illusion than you have.

Your collective more “normal” experience is really not much different from the individualized “abnormal” one of that other person, but because you share it with others it appears more real to you than does the experience that other is undergoing, which you perceive as unreal or insane.  And, in the illusion, where you feel so separate despite your collective and similar experiences, it is comforting to belong to a group of like-minded individuals.  And groups, like people, tend to judge other groups as less valid, less good, or less valuable than their own one.  Within the illusion you could say that there are just varying levels of insanity.

Most of you have had experiences or been presented with lessons that have drastically altered your perception of life and of yourselves.  It could have been meeting and interacting with someone whose beliefs were very different from your own, or having a serious accident or illness, or even a Near Death Experience.  And as a result you have altered your approach to life and to other people because it has in effect been a major “wake-up call” within yourself that has demanded this change.  Normally when that kind of experience arises it is initially very unsettling.  However, as time passes, and acceptance grows of your “new” life perception, you come to find yourselves more at peace with yourselves, better able to “be” yourselves, and no longer seeking the approval or positive encouragement of others by attempting to be other than who you are.  Realization has dawned that who you are is who you are meant to be, and you know that that is just fine, and unchangeable.

You are all, without any exceptions, the beloved and perfect children of God, infinitely loved and completely accepted just as you are, just as God created you, forever One with Him, unchanged and unchanging.  Rejoice then in the certain knowledge that you are always One with your Source which is, of course, also You.  Oneness means Oneness, that there is only Oneness, and that therefore separation is impossible, unreal,  totally illusory.  You will awaken into Reality  (ritagam satyam Parabrhama) because that is where you are eternally, you had just nodded off for a moment.                                                                                                                                --May 15, 2017

Comment:

Enjoyed the article. If I can understand correctly the last para - completely concludes that we lead with awareness from Dwaita to Advaita statement (with Poorna Nambikai) 

You are all, without any exceptions, the beloved and perfect children of God, infinitely loved and completely accepted just as you are, just as God created you, forever One with Him, unchanged and unchanging.  Rejoice then in the certain knowledge that you are always One with your Source which is, of course, also You.  Oneness means Oneness, that there is only Oneness, and that therefore separation is impossible, unreal, totally illusory.  You will awaken into Reality  (ritagam satyam Parabrhama) because that is where you are eternally, you had just nodded off for a moment." --Bala

My Reply:

Thanks for your further enlightenment. This Unity awareness can also be traced within oneself like in the macrocosm which sages called Aatman, the Self distinct from individual personality self. In all individuals and in all creatures this Self (always written with capital S) is the innermost essence. It is identical with Parabrahman and not with individual personality. Our real Self is not different from ultimate reality called God. Even in English GOD stands for: G for Generation (Creation), O for operation (Sustenance) and D for Dissolution. Jeevatma joins and associates and integrates with the Parama-atma. It still exists as an entity but united with  IT inseparably and indistinguishably. It is held by some that Jeevatma  merges, gets absorbed and gets dissolved in Parmaatman. This is not correct.   Pramaatman is Sathyam, Sat+thi+yam  (sat=immortal; thi=mortal; yam=That which integrates). Sathyam, Jnyaanam, Amalam, Anantam. Jeevaatmn is Satchitanandam- Truth  Consciousness  Bliss. While Pramatman is Sathyam Jeevatman is Sat. It does not have the power to create. Supreme created atman with karma as even the very first soul was bound with Karma. When that  process started nobody knows . That is why Vedas say "Purornamah" as before. While parmaatma can be Sat Jivatma can't be Sathyam (mamaivamso jivabhutah)

Om tad Brahma Tad Vaayu Tad Aatma Tat Sathyam Tat Sarvam Tat purornamah! (Shortest Gaytri Mantra from MNU)

SRI GANESHA TEMPLE INDIA FEST

Being an American Blooming Confused Desi Emigrated From  Great Hindu-culture(ABCDEFGH)  I could not understand the   title of this  Festival organized by Sri Ganesha Temple which is the brain child of Hindu Cultural Society while its  objective is  to  spread Hindu Culture. Probably it needed the organizational support of IAN but everything around looked focused on Hindu Culture and Hindu Temple Tradition. Our Hindu Culture is Global and not confined to India. Of course for everything we rush to India and copy many things right or wrong or appropriate and force it on all Hindus drawn from different Traditions and Many Lands.  But what is Indian about this, for India has not declared Hinduism as the Religion of the State like what Germany has done despite a Democratic Republic. Also the Food Feast focused on Vegetarian food while India is going more towards alcohol consumption and meat eating. During my recent visit to Bangalore I was surprised to see the display of meat-based Hyderbadi Biryani ads everywhere!  The food court whose collections went to Temple building Fund was an Indian Vegetarian Delicacies Food Fest and not a Cosmopolitan  Indian Food Fest.

It was highly commendable that the Temple organized very well temple tour with an introductory culture to all American crowd hoping  the crowd consisted of Americans who are favorably disposed to Hinduism that sprang   from Sanatana Dharma, Universal Religion. Though confused themselves The organizers wanted to effectively convey the message of Vedic wisdom “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam” --whole world is one family; “Eko Viprah bahudaa vadanti”—The One The Pundits call many (May be to increase their own earnings!); “Krinvanto Viswamaaryam”—Let us ennoble the World (As we are incapable fighting like others!) At the same time we forget our Temple Traditions are more often than not inclined towards  Sectarian religious-walled approach.   We need lot of House-Cleaning to bring back the Wisdom of Vedas in our practice of Hindu Religion. I was happy local Jaganntha Society members actively participated in the Fest though they enjoy at Home in Puri Jagannath Temple the display “No Entry for Non-Hindus”. Here they promote him as Universal Democratic God: I too often join them in this mission.

One thing that should have puzzled the crowd should be while Garbhagruha (Inner sanctum) proceedings   are merrily displayed some temple authorities objected to the Photography of the deity. May be temple has a deified Camera? I   also saw the crowd walking round the sanctum enjoying the drink bought out at the fest to which authorities had no objection!  Probably they saw holy water, resins and nuts being eaten by devotees as  Prasadm and  that should have  encouraged them with drinks and snacks while taking temple tour near sanctum! They had only strict restriction    for removal of shoes but not hats. Of course, Hindu Temples do not believe in Church etiquettes! Though authorities do not like shorts they are unwilling to enforce the rules as they can’t control their own members and do not wish to forego generous donations from week-end holiday crowd.  In Kerala Temples you cannot go near sanctum with shirts on or if you look like a Westerner in complexion!

I was also wondering why even our priests follow some wrong scriptural injunctions! Once you enter the temple hall after paying obeisance near the Flag-post (Dwajsthamaba) with all parts of the body touching the floor we are entering charged atmosphere with installed deities all around. Therefore one should avoid bowing down with all parts touching the body near sanctum as one will be unknowingly pointing one’s feet against installed deities all around.  We are to do only Atma Pradakshina. It was funny to watch a Westerner freely rolling around after watching a devotee paying obeisance with all parts touching the floor. I also see people   enjoying coconut broken during deity processions  to ward off evil; but not a Prasadam offered to the deity with Pranaahuti Mantra.   Thank god they don’t take broken Pumpkin home to cook, for it is smeared with vermillion!  Ignorant People believe they are all Prasadam or blessed food.

Based on the food drive for Temple Building Funds I have a suggestion. We do collect money by Aarti on voluntary basis. Similarly we can make a suggestion that on Sundays devotees who enjoy free food can donate a dollar for head in a cash-box (Hundi) kept prominently for the purpose. We can also display that every-one   should pay obeisance to lord chanting Pranahuti Mantra (Praanaya Swaha) before eating food.

It may not be out of place here to bring to your specific attention some interesting discourses which focus on Hindu Americans Temple Traditional Needs:

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2013/06/hindu-temple-complex-for-many.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/11/interfaith-fusion-of-faiths-and.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2012/01/sanatana-dharma-is-for-humanity-not-for.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2015/11/why-i-am-called-hindu-and-my-following.html

 http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/12/let-us-consolidate-our-temple.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/07/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

 (Hindus are more suited to spread Spirituality)

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/04/uncommon-understanding-of-unknown-his.html

 [Very rewarding message -- Dr. Raja Subramaniyan]

[Your article makes lot of sense;Thanks for sharing—Dr. Brahm Parsh]

--May 14, 2017

Janaka, the Philosopher and King

By Abhilash Rajendran April 24, 2017 (IndiaDivine.Org)

King Janaka is a philosopher king mentioned in Hindu scriptures. He is the foster-father of Sita in the Ramayana. But the  name  Janaka does not refer to any one person. ‘Janak’ means ‘pitha’ or ‘father’ or ‘fatherly figure’ and those dutiful rules who won the heart of his subjects were called as Janak. Thus, Janaka is a term used in Hindu scriptures to refer to an ideal monarch – an ascetic king – rajarishi.

 King Janaka was liberated soul  though he lived amongst passions. He had immense properties and wealth, position and power. He had everything, but he was calm. (Swami Satyananda Saraswati 1923 – 2009)

As per Satapatha Brahmana, Janaka was the name assumed by the kings of Videha Kingdom.

 King Janaka in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mentions about a King Janaka performing a yajna involving gifts to find out the greatest philosopher in the land. He offered a thousand cows with ten pieces of gold tied to the horns of each cow and informed the assembly that the greatest philosopher among them could drive the cows to his/her hermitage.

Sage Yajnavalkya gets up in the assembly asks his disciple to drive the cows to his hermitage.

Then the other sages and scholars assembled in the yajna challenge Sage Yajnavalkya.

All the philosophical queries are answered; when there is no one to challenge Sage Yajnavalkya, he is declared as the greatest philosopher.

The fourth chapter of Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is dedicated to the philosophical discussion between Sage Yajnavalkya and Janaka.

 Yajnavalkya said: O Janaka! You have attained the fearless (Brahman). (Chapter 4. 2..4).
Brahman is fearless; one who knows this, becomes the fearless Brahman. The knower of the fearless Brahman becomes himself absolutely fearless. (Chapter 4.4. 25). 

 King Janaka in the Bhagavad Gita

In chapter 3 verse 20 of the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Sri Krishna gives King Janaka as an example of those how had attained liberation through Karma Yoga.

The Gita teaches that true sanyasa is not outer but inner renunciation of desires. Raja Janaka lived in a palace, but was non-attached. He was a jnaani and practiced sanyasa. (Understanding Jnaana and Karma)

Janaka Gita

Janaka Gita consists of the thoughts that passed through the mind of the philosopher king Janaka on hearing the Siddha Gita sung by certain Siddhas outside his palace.

The king surmises that the mind is the root cause of all the miseries of mortals and that the remedy lies in the annihilation of the mind.

When Mithila Burns Nothing of Mine Burns – King Janaka

Disciples of Sage Yajnavalkya thought their teacher was partial to Janaka. One day when a philosophical discussion was taking place, the news came that Mithila, the capital city of Janaka, was burning. The disciples took their meager belongings and rushed out. Janaka did not budge and continued to participate in the philosophical discussion. The disciples wanted to know why King Janaka did not rush to save his expensive possessions.

Janaka replied – When Mithila Burns Nothing of Mine Burns.

Janaka had transcended ego, and notions of I  and mine.

Janaka in the Ramayana

Janaka is a religious and noble king in the Ramayana. He found a girl child while ploughing the field. He named her Sita and became her foster father.

When it was time for the marriage of Sita, Janaka announced that only a person who could handle and string the bow of Shiva in his possession would be eligible to marry her.

Sage Ashtavakra and Janaka

Sage Ashtavakra’s father Sage Khagodara had to perform Jal Samadhi (Jalasthamba) after he was defeated by Vandina, a scholar in the court of Janaka.

Sage Ashtavakra learned about his father’s death and arrived at the court of Janaka to face Vandina in philosophical discussion.

When Ashtavakra arrived at the court of King Janaka, the courtiers started laughing seeing his deformed body.

Immediately Ashtavakra started laughing more loudly. The courtiers were silenced by his laughter.

 Curious Janaka wanted to know the reason why Ashtavakra was laughing loudly.

 Ashtavakra said that he laughed because the King was leading a court of cobblers. The courtiers are only interested in skin (not the soul). This impressed Janaka.

Janaka gave permission for the debate and Ashtavakra easily defeated Vandina. But Ashtavakra did not allow the scholar to perform Jal Samadhi as he considered that knowledge should not be used as a weapon to end the life of any living being.

Janaka then banned Jal Samadhi in his kingdom.

Janaka and Ashtavakra Gita

Ashtavakra Gita or Samhita is in the format of a dialogue between Sage Ashtavakra and King Janaka. 

Janaka asked, “Oh Lord, how does one attain liberation and how is non-attachment attained? Please tell me this.

Ashtavakra replied, “Oh beloved, if you want liberation, then renounce the passions as poison and take forgiveness and innocence, compassion, contentment, and truth as nectar.

[‘Ashtavakra Gita’ is one of the advaitic masterpieces. Without mincing matters it comes out with the advaitic truth, the whole truth and nothing but advaita which is the Truth. This book embodies Ashtavakra’s teaching to King Janaka which vouched him Self-Knowledge between the time he placed one foot upon the stirrup of his horse and lifted himself to place the other foot on the other stirrup.

However, as can be seen from the following quote, Bhagavan Ramana said that there is no time involved at all in Self-Knowledge.

“…. When I entered the hall the story of how the Ashtavakra Gita came to be taught was being recounted in English for the benefit of the above Raja and other visitors. After the story was read out, Bhagavan said, ‘Because Brahma Jnana is not something external, which is somewhere faraway where you can go and get it, you cannot say that it will take so long or so short a time to attain it. It is always with you. . . . All that is necessary is to surrender yourself completely to the Guru, to surrender your notion of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ ….” Devaraja Mudaliar in Day by Day with Bhagavan, dated 31.3.1945 (Afternoon)

Of course, that is what King Janaka did. He surrendered his notion of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ to Sage Ashtavakra. Has not Bhagavan said that surrender and Self-enquiry are the only two ways to Self-Realization?

Bhagavan has also made other references to this great book.

Sri Ramakrishna persuaded Narendra to read ‘Ashtavakra Gita’ which had a stupendous impact on the young devotee who later flowered into Swami Vivekananda, the doughty Advaitic evangelist.]

Gargi Vachaknavi and other women participated in the philosophical discussions in the court of King Janaka. Challenging Sage Yajnavalkya, Gargi Vachaknavi asked a series of complex questions relating to Brahman and other allied matters in the court of King Janaka.

 --May 12, 2017

NARA NARAYANA AVATAR

Bhagavata mentions that Narayana is the son of Dharma by the daughter of Daksha. Dharma was born from the breast of Brahma. He married the daughter of Daksha Prajapati and begot four children. The first two, Hari and Krishna became Yogins; the next two Nara and Narayana became great hermits and retired to the slopes of Himalayas, Pralayadri and performed austerities for long years in the sacred   spot where present day Badrikasram is located. The story given in Kalika Purana mentions about the emergence of Nara and Narayana subsequent to the Narasimha avatar.  When after the purpose of avatar was over Narasaimha as Vishnu resolved to give up his man-lion form, assumed to kill Hiranyakashipu. Siva in his dissolution aspect assumed the form of Sarabha and tore the body of Narasimha into two halves. From the human half of the body arose immediately  a human form  of divine glory Nara (representing  Jivatma) and from the other half an ascetic of great luster Narayana (representing Parmaatman). The two then became responsible for all creation.  It is no wonder that both Siva and Narasimha are both prayed as “Sadyojata” “Ghoraaghora” etc in Panchabrahma mantras in Vedas, hailed as Panchaanana both  in Siva Purana and Narasimha Tapaneeya Upanishad. They are worshiped together in Puri Jagtannath unlike in South India.Today is also Narasimha Jayani Day.

The first creation that took place was that of Urvasi. Indra was frightened and   agitated by the severe penance of these ascetics and was also thought he may lose his throne to them. Hence he sent all divine damsels to Badrikasram to disturb the penance of these ascetics. These clever sages instead of getting annoyed and cursing Indra as Viswamitra did, decided to create a divine damsel of unsurpassed beauty like of which Indra did not  seen. Narayana beat his thigh and produced such a damsel. Indra’s team of  bewitching damsels hung their heads in shame and were  humbled. They begged Narayana to forgive them.  Narayana not only forgave them but sent Urvasi   (thigh born) to Indra to humiliate and humble him. In another version Narayana wrote the picture of the damsel with the mango juice on earth.  Born out of Earth (Urvi) she was called Urvasi. Narayana thereupon taught the art of science of drawing and painting to Viswakarma.

Members of Swaminarayan Tradition   believe that Narayana took birth as Swaminarayan due to a curse of sage Durvasa which he accepted at his own will. The curse led to Narayana taking the form of an avatar on Earth to destroy evil and establish ekantik-dharma, religion based on morality, knowledge, detachment and devotion.  The Visvaksena Samhita, 11th part of the Brahma Purana, as well as the Skanda Purana give no direct reference to Narayana taking birth in the form of Swaminarayan. Although as per Hindu  philosophy no any holy-book is able to describe god characters and willingness,  nevertheless the tradition believes  Swaminarayn has all the characteristics of god as per Bhagavad Gita and Vedic scholars as well saints of that time like Vaishnavites believe Ramanuja is the Avatar of  Lakshmana as the name suggests and hence of Adisesha. These are purely sectarian beliefs as some believe Saibaba is Siva Avatar. That is Hinduism of Beliefs to-day  deviating and distracting  from Vedic wisdom and building sectarian religious walls.  

Nara means that which does not perish and the word refers to cosmic spirit (Jivatma) which creates endless water which therefore is called naaram. The Supreme Spirit that is in the innermost cavity (Guha) hidden   in this watery mass is Narayana meaning abiding in Nara. 

Mahabharata says that from the dark hair of Narayana came out Krishna (neelamegha Shyama) and from his white hair emerged Krishna’s step brother Balarama.  Shanti Parva however affirms Nara and Narayana were Arjuna and Krishna in Dvapar yuga.  Probably Arjuna was also fair! Bhagavan also tells Arjuna in Gita that he has passed through many lives as also Arjuna (bahooni may vyateetaani janmaani tava chaarjuna).

ARJUNA AND KRISHNA AS NARA & NARAYANA-SYMBOLISM

The name ‘Nara’ is applied to Arjuna and ‘Narayana’ to Krishna in the Mahabharata. Arjuna is soul; while Krishna is the Supreme Soul – who is present in all forms. Krishna is in Arjuna but Arjuna is not able to realize it and all human problems are the result of this. This concept is an important symbol in Hinduism and it is pregnant with meaning. Here are few thoughts on the Symbolism.

When we realize that Bhagavan Sri Krishna is present in each individual being there is complete harmony. There is no discrimination, no apartheid, no racism… Negativity is dropped. Desires are dropped. There is complete peace in Nature.

When Nara is under the control of the senses, his mind is filled with ignorance. He does not see the single thread running through all forms.

To attain moksha, or liberation, ‘nara’ has to merge in ‘narayana’ and realize that only Narayana exists. Nara has to merge completely in Narayana, lose his false identity, and accept the only True identity. Accept the truth that there is no second here.

Like a normal human being, Arjuna goes through various emotions. Desires, anger, frustration, ego all tosses him like driftwood in the sea. He is angry at evil but confused when the evil is being defended by his relatives. He knows he is to follow Dharma but thinks of running away when he has to fight his relatives to defend the Dharma. Thus he is Nara, the driftwood floating in the ocean of ignorance.

 All driftwood has to reach land. Similarly, all Nara has to reach Narayana.

Arjuna  as Nara in his previous birth is worshiped only in Badrikasram who is represented as Jivatma listening to Parmaatma hence the mesasge to humanity from Supreme Spirit

 --E Mail sent on 5/7/2017

Sattainathar temple (also called Brahmapureeswarar temple and Thoniappar temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Sirkali, TN.  The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is an ancient temple complex with three different Shiva shrines in three stories.  Three different forms of Shiva are worshipped here, the Shivalingam (Bhrammapureeswarar), a colossal image of Uma Maheswarar (Toniappar) at the medium level, and Bhairavar (Sattanathar) at the upper level. The temple is associated with the legend of child Sambandar who is believed to have been fed by Parvathi on the banks of the temple tank. Shiva is believed to have quelled the ugraham swaroopam of Lord Narasaimha and wears his skin as Sattai - hence the name Sattainattha. Only Punukku (sweat of the special cat) is offer to the Bhairavar (upper level). I visited this place couple of times and my father's 80th birthday was celebrated in a grand fashion at this temple. It is also my Kula Daivam

Bala 

‘That is Hinduism of Beliefs to-day deviating and distracting from Vedic wisdom and building sectarian religious walls' - Yes that's exactly what prevents the youth from understanding the wisdom. The God Fearing notion that is instilled by religion is absent in wisdom. And these are such pure sources of it. It was very interesting to read this. The nara-narayana as explained is very similar to Shiva-Shakthi philosophy - Shiva = That which isn't and Shakthi = That which is. A harmony betweeen the two is necessary for liberation. Could you please elucidate the difference if it exists!

Viswas

Shiva-Sakti is a Puranic concept dramatically presented to bring forth the concept of Nirguna Brahman. Nirguna Brhman (Siva or Sunyam) created the Universe and actively participates as Saguna Brahman (Sakti or Infinity). He has pervaded everything as antaryamin. It is for us to realize this presence at act with wisdom to gewt rid of all Karmas or elevate ourselvces progressively.Saguna Brahman is watching on us to rewards us suitably. It is all in our hands. There is no need to fear but acxt wisely. Upanishads presxcribe 3 D’s—Constraint, Compassion and Charity—Damaa, Dayaa, Daana.

 --May 11, 2017

NARASIMHA JAYANTI 2017

Tomorrow is Narasimha Jayanti. Please try to recite this rare sloka sent by Muralidharan Iyengar  from Singapore Please also go through my discourse on Narasimha.

 Sri Narayanashtakam – Sage Markandeya – Nrusimha Puranam

The following is a rare Ashtakam on Lord Narayana by Sage Markandeya as told by Vag
to Sage Markandeya taken from Nrusimha Puranam, and Chapter 10. This hymn was given
by Vag to Sage Markandeya as he could still not perceive divine vision of Lord Narayana even
after bathing in all holy places as instructed by Vag who mentioned that one can avail the fruit
of bathing in all pilgrim places by chanting this hymn. Lord Narayana, pleased with the prayer,
bestowed long life as well the divine vision of His cosmic form.

vāguvāca -
stotreṇānena viprendra stuhi nārāyaṇaṁ prabhum |
nā'nyathā sarva-tīrthānāṁ phalaṁ prāpsyasi suvrata || 1 ||
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
tadevākhyāhi bhagavan stotraṁ tīrtha-phala-pradam |
yena japtena sakalaṁ tīrtha snāna phalaṁ labhet || 2 ||
vāguvāca -
jaya jaya devadeva jaya mādhava keśava |
jaya padmapalāśākṣa jaya govinda gopate || 1 ||
jaya jaya padmanābha jaya vaikuṇṭha vāmana |
jaya padma hṛṣīkeśa jaya dāmodarā 'cyuta || 2 ||
jaya padmeśvarānanta jaya lokaguro jaya |
jaya śaṅkha-gadā-pāṇe jaya bhūdhara sūkara || 3 ||
jaya yajñeśa vārāha jaya bhūdhara bhūmipa |
jaya yogeśa yogajña jaya yoga-pravarttaka || 4 ||
jaya yoga-pravarttaka jaya dharma-pravarttaka |
kṛtapriya jaya jaya yajñeśa yajñāṅga jaya || 5 ||
jaya vandita sadvija jaya nārada-siddhida |
jaya puṇyavatāṁ-geha jaya-vaidika-bhājana || 6 ||
jaya jaya caturbhuja śrījayadeva jaya daitya-bhayāvaha |
jaya sarvajña sarvātman jaya śaṅkara śāśvata || 7 ||
jaya viṣṇo mahādeva jaya nityaṁ adhokṣaja |
prasādaṁ kuru deveśe darśayādya svakāṁ tanum || 8 ||
Sri Narayanashtakam – Sage Markandeya – Nrusimha Puranam
Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
namostu te devadeva mahācitta mahākāya mahāprājña
mahādeva mahākīrtte brahmendra-candra-rudrārcita-pādayugala
śrīpadma-hasta sammardita daitya-deha || 9 ||
ananta-bhoga-śayanārpita sarvāṅga sanaka sanandanasanatkumārādyair
yogibhir nāsāgra nyasta locanair anavarataṁ
abhicintita mokṣa-tattva gandharva vidyādhara yakṣa kinnara
kiṁpuruṣairaharaho gīyamāna divya yaśaḥ || 10 ||
nṛsiṁha nārāyaṇa padmanābha govinda govarddhana guhānivāsa
yogīśvara deveśvara jaleśvara maheśvara || 11 ||
yogadhara mahāmāyādhara vidyādhara yaśodhara kīrtidhara
triguṇa-nivāsa tritattvadhara tretāgnidhara || 12 ||
trivedabhāk triniketana trisuvarṇa tridaṇdadhara || 13 ||
snigdha meghābhārcita dyuti virājita pītāmbaradhara kirīṭa
kaṭaka keyūra hāra maṇi ratnāṁśu dīpti vidyotita sarvadiśa || 14 ||
kanaka maṇi kuṇḍala maṇḍita gaṇḍa-sthala madhusūdana
viśvamūrte || 15 ||
lokanātha yajñeśvara yajñapriya tejomaya bhaktapriya
vāsudeva duritāpahārārādhya puruṣottama namostu te || 15 ||
|| iti śrīnṛṁha purāṇe śrīvāg kṛta śrīnārāyaṇāṣṭakaṁ
sampūrṇam ||

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2012/05/vishnus-incarnation-as-narasimha.html

E-mail sent on 5/6 /2017

THE MOST INTRIGUING PARASURAMA AVATAR

Parasurama is unique in that although he is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, as an immortal, he has also lived to see the subsequent incarnations of Vishnu in Rama and Krishna. Parasurama played an important role in both Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Nath tradition holds that Parasurama, after enacting his vengeance and completing his mission vanquishing the might of the ruling princes who had ignored Dharma and who had been tormenting the good folks sought out Dattatreya atop Mount Gandhamadana for spiritual guidance. Their conversations gave rise to Tripura-rahasya, a treatise on Advaita Vedanta. It was here Dattatreya instructed the warrior-sage on knowledge of scripture, renunciation of worldly activities and non-duality, thus freeing him from the karmic cycle of death and rebirth.

Generally Parasurama Avatar is considered one among the principal Vaibhava forms of Vishnu and one of the Ten Incarnations. Yet his avatar is the most intriguing since a Brahmana leaving his Svadharma takes the role of Kshatriya to establish Dharma (vinaasaaya dushkritam).  Probably Krishna corrected the situation in Bhagavad Gita by saying “Sreyaan svadharmo vigunah” (Better is one’s own duty).  He however does not say it is bad! Parasurama is therefore considered as Aveasa avatar  worshiped for material benefits classified in the Avesa Group along with Buddha, Vyasa, Arjuna (Nara) and Kalki.

Ahirbudhnya Samhita says: The distinction becomes important in as much only the principal (mukhya) forms that are worthy of worship by those who seek emancipation (mukti) because Vishnu appears in them with Apraakrita Sarira, while in the secondary forms Vishnu only possesses the human soul in its natural body, hence called  Avesa for a purpose. That is why conservative orthodoxy do not focus worship on these Avesa forms of Vishnu. The most popularly worshiped Ganesha can also be considered along with these Avesa Avatars who is sought after for material gains mostly unlike Skanda who is Guruguha. According to Tattvatraya Vaibhava forms are only thirty-six, the other three Kapila, Dattaatreya and Parasurama mentioned in Ahirbudhnaya Samhita and Saasvata Samhita being only secodary forms.

I often wonder  this may be the reason why Hindu American  Temples do not  think of honoring Vedavyasa as he is an Avesa Avtar, on Gurupurnima Day and also do not  feel  that day as Special Religious Event’s Day  though they celebrate Father’s Day, Mother’s  Day, but not Teacher’s Day.  Anyhow I do not understand our founding-fathers of Hindu Temples who try to accommodate Saibaba, Swami Narayan, Buddha, Vardhamana, Nagdevata etc. but  can't include the Guru of all gurus  like Vedavyasa, Datttreya etc. who are also Avtars of Vishnu.  Though Dattatreya is also ignored by many in USA, clubbing with Parasurama, Baton Rouge  in Louisiana has taken bold steps  to install  Datttreya idol in its lonely temple in USA to honor him as Guru of all Gurus and celebrate Dattatreya Jayanti on a grand scale not forgetting the Vedic mantra Gurur Devo Bhava!

Om brahmakshetraaya vidmahe | kshatriyaantaaya dheemahi | tannoe Ramah prachoedayaat  

The Rishi of this Gayartri Mantra is Bharadvaja.The Chhandas is Gayatri and Devata is Sri Parasurama. In the dhyana slokas (not quotesd here)  he is  meditated upon for his Sattva-, Rajas- and Tamo- Guna which I have included in the topic Parusurama compiled by the Editor, IndiaDivine.Org,

Please go through a detailed description of this avatar spread over Treta and Dvapara and believed  to appear again as Kalki in Kali Yuga rendered by the Editor, IndiaDivine.Org.  He is considered to be permanently settled in Bhuloka as Chiranjivi like VedaVyasa and Hanuman. But why all avtars took place in India only is not understandable while Vedas proclaim Vasudhaiva kutumbakam and Sanatana Dharma is not exclusive to Hindus or India? May be Hindu Temples in USA will add Jesus  Muhammad etc as additional  Avesa Avatars in due course when there are no more  Exclusive Hindus left  forced by   Interracial Marriages and leanings towards interfaith! After all nobody knows Who is a Hindu? It is based on what one practices what he pre

--E Mail sent on 5/5/2017

IS HANUMAN THE GREATEST GOD OF KALIYUGA?

I was surprised to read the   following article     “Why Hanuman is the Greatest God of Kali Yuga” in Hindu Blog sent through courtesy Feed-spot while most Hindus believe it is Lord Venkatewshwara of Tirupati  about whom I gave a detailed discourse with adequate support from  Hindu scriptures and as we see today from the popularity the temple enjoys.  Probably the author is influenced by the popularity of Hanuman to-day being the Official God of Yoga promoted by the present government in India (also  hailed on  International Yoga Day).   Valmiki did not embarrass Hanuman calling Sunderakanada as Hanumat Kanda which the humble devotee of Rama would not have liked it though Sunderakanda is devoted solely to his glorification only. Rama left behind Hanuman and Vibhishana alone with the specific tasks  of spreading the messages of Rama to Hanuman and popularize the worship of Jagannatha to Vibhishana “Aradhaya Jaganntham”.  Both are chiranjivis. Bhima met Hanuman. Madhva is considered an Avatar of Hanuman!

Ganesaha and Hanuman are both gate-keeper gods who lead us to the Supreme principle like Jaya Vijayas. I believe it is built in Hindu culture to pay our first respect to gate-keepers for their selfless service and often exaggerate them as Prathama Vanditas (first to pay obeisance). Today it is also common habit in India to grease the gate-keepers and priests first to achieve your objectives in famous temples—otherwise your job will never be done nor you can have darsan of the Lord properly and calmly! I had lot of personal experience in this, visiting famous temples and learning about them in detail! My recent experience was in Puri Jagannth!

I would also like to recall a Puranic incidence in this regard.  You may kindly recall the reason why Narasimha, Rama and Krishna Avatar took place though Puranas camouflage the real reason! The four sages wanted to call on the Supreme Lord Narayana as they had till then not had  the opportunity to  have Sayujya with him though they were in Sameepya to Him than  anybody else earlier. To their disappointment they were stopped  at the 6^th step (gate)by Jaya -Vijayas  for which they were cursed  by the egoistic Rishis. Good Lord was disappointed to see that these rishis had no yet got rid of their Ego and so did not want them to come to him resting near the seventh gate. Paramapada is said to have seven steps. Rangantha in Srirangam is hailed as (saptapraakaara madhye). Diplomatically he denied them to cross seventh step and reach him and so came down himself to receive them comforted them and also pleaded to pardon his loyal servant at the Sixth step! Rishis also were very happy that good Lord Himself came down to sixth step pleased reduced the severity of their curses on the advice of the Lord which story you all know! Unlike Lord Vishnu Siva is not diplomatic and too much kind-hearted and granted wishes to his devotees not thinking about its consequences as it happened with Bhasmasura! He is happy if you pay your first salute to Ganesha  and  Navagrahas! Rishis had their vanity satisfied but only later realized how their earliest opportunity to meet the Lord personally in Vauikuntha was denied because of their Ego. So it is a grave mistake  to neglect the  gatekeepers and so we alaways please Ganesha with Modaka, Nandi with patting , hugging and whispering in the ears and Hanuman with Vadamala and also hail him as the greatest God in Kaliyuga.  Probably we are scared with his Nuclear Mace  portrayal which the present Government   prominently displays  than his usual humble  portrayal of joined  palms  of humbleness and kneeling posture!

A uniqueness of the Chennimali Murugan Shrine near  Peerundurai in Erode TN, India is that Puja is first offered here to Muruga and then to Lord Ganesha.  In all other shrines, the first Puja is offered to Ganesha. On 29 April 2017, the famous exponent of Carnatic Music popularly called OST gave a wonderful performance accompanied by equally famous Mridangam player and Violin player. It is a pity that many Nashville residents could not listen to him being busy otherwise. Though I am complete blank as for as music is concerned I was moved by his rendering starting with materialistic approach to pay obeisance to Ganesha (the divine gate-keeper)   as normal but finished paying obeisance to Lord Subramanya as Guru Guha   taking us to spiritual heights   reminding us of Lord Krishna of Gitopadaesa and not the usual Navaneeta chora.   Music is one of the powerful media by which we are led to spiritual heights while giving us  not denying the  earthly pleasures.

Here are some untold stories of Hanuman in Valmiki Ramayana.  Please contribute more and enjoy! Jai Bajrangbaliki!

"Why Hanuman is the Greatest God of Kali Yuga?

He is Sankat Mochan – one who relieves all the troubles of his devotees. Hanuman worship is on the rise and more and more people are visiting his shrines in the Kali Yuga. There are many reasons as to why Hanuman is the greatest god of Kali Yuga.

All Navgrahas are indebted to Him

All the Navgrahas and nakshatras are indebted to him. He has the blessings of them all. Therefore, those devotees who are having trouble in horoscope related to grahas and nakshatras get relief after offering prayers to Hanuman. The best example is the long queue that we see on Tuesdays and Saturdays in Hanuman temples. Those facing trouble due to the bad positioning of Shani in their horoscope get immediate relief after worshipping Hanuman on Saturday. Similarly, those having trouble due to Mangal Grah get relief by offering prayers on Tuesday.

He is Lord of Air

He is Pavan Putra – son of wind. Life on earth depends on air and thus he is one who has the capacity to alleviate ailments. Hanuman is worshiped by devotees for an early cure.

He is Shiva

Hanuman is Rudra Avatar. All forms of fear are removed when one worships this Mahakaal Avatar. Fear of death, ghosts, dark and all other fears perish when Hanuman blesses his devotee.

Constant blessing of Vishnu and Lakshmi

Where Hanuman is present Lord Ram always showers his blessings. Thus a devotee of Hanuman is always protected by Bhagavan Vishnu. Mata Sita is indebted to Hanuman. Thus a devotee of Hanuman gets the blessing of Goddess Lakshmi. Peace and prosperity never leave a devotee who follows Dharma

 Ganesha Will Never Cause Troubles
As Hanuman is Rudra Avatar, the devotee also has blessings of Ganesha. Father of Ganapati is Shiva. Ganesh will never create troubles in the life of a Hanuman devotee.

He Has the Blessing of Mother Goddess Shakti

Hanuman has the blessing of Mother Goddess Shakti for two reasons, firstly he is a Rudra Avatar and secondly during his exploits in Lanka he was asked by Mother Goddess to remove her murti from Lanka. A murti of Goddess Bhavani was worshiped by Ravana and he came to possess the idol after intense austerities. Once Ravana was defeated by Lord Ram, Goddess asked Hanuman to shift her from Lanka. Hanuman is believed to have found her a residence in Jammu and Kashmir. Today she is worshiped as Khir Bhawan

  --From Hindu Blog, Abilash Rajendran

indu

MODERN APPLICATION OF ANCIENT WISDOM

 Eight Teachings of Indian Spirituality that are Relevant Today,,,while there are a thousand more..)

[Countless are the pieces of guidance that we receive from our Indian Spiritual Heritage, for our books of wisdom are vast and the sages, mystics, enlightened ladies and men have also been simply numerous. However here are some pointers selected rather randomly].

1. Health and fitness:

Shiva makes kind enquiries of Pārvati, when the latter had been doing severe tapas; the Lord, disguised as a mendicant, asks her if she was taking proper care of her body! All of us know how our heritage developed the sciences of yoga and āyurveda to very high levels of sophistication.

The body is indeed the first instrument in all that we do towards growing spiritually.

shareeram-ādyam khalu dharma-sādhanam  (Kumāra-Sambhava 5.33 of Kālidāsa)

2. Way to be free of heart burn, and optimize performance:

The principle of Karma-yoga, where we are asked to stay focussed on “what we can give,” and not make a big issue of “what we get”, is the great, open secret of reducing all our heart burn.

karmani eva adhikāras-te   (Geetā chapter 2.47)

3. Motivation, gathering new energy:

We must again and again remember that much of our sorrow, if not all, is caused by the play of our own mind. Therefore the Upanishads ask us to ‘now sink in despair’ but rather get up and get going!

uttisthata, jāgrata, prāpya varān nibodhata  (Kathopanishad 1.3.14)

4. Inner poise enables us to face all adversity:

Today’s world is getting more and more caught in the “outer world” of comforts, convenience and pleasure. Geetā exhorts us to build inner strength through spiritual study, regular meditation and selfless work. When there is enrichment within us, even grave situations fail to throw us off balance.

na duhkhena gurunā api vichaalyate (Geetā 6.22)

5.  Stress reduction through tri-karana-shuddhi:

 The spiritual teachings of India have always kept in mind the holistic development of the individual. The body, the mind, the intellect and speech have especially been identified as areas where continual development is necessary. The body, the speech and the intellect have been called tri-karanas (three main instruments). If these are kept fit, 9 out of 10 stressful circumstances will lose their ability to affect us.

kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair-indriyair-api (Geetā 5.11)

kāyena vāchā manasendriyair vā… (well-known prayer to Lord Nārāyana)

6. Holistic vision:

The whole universe runs on a ‘give-and-take’ basis. We receive a lot from Nature (environment), from people and from our own body. What do we give them? We owe them a lot, and the way to do so is through yajna, dāna and tapas respectively.

yajne tapasi dāne cha sthitih sad-iti uchyate  (Geetā 17.27)

7.  Three ways we can take our life to heights of meaningfulness:

In an extraordinary story that we find in the Brihadāranyaka Upanishad, a mono-syllable advice “da” from God holds the answers to setting ourselves right. Our tendencies to indulge in excessive pleasure, to hoard more wealth than we need and to behave in unkind ways are addressed by “da”, which stands for “restrain, give and show compassion”.

dāmyata, datta, dayadhwam (Brihadāranyaka Upanishad 5.2.3)

8.  Panacea for all ailments of human life:

How are we to do all that is advised in the great books or by the illumined souls? Despite our good intentions, we seem to fail miserably. The Geetā here gives us a golden advice – Remember Me constantly, and keep doing your duty!

mām anusmara yudhya cha  (Geetā 8.7)                                   Swami Chidananda

   

--May 4, 2017

Thank you very much - Now we know the meaning 8 to practice daily to be healthy-is wealthy to be happy--Hiranya Gowda

Nicely summarized. Enjoy reading this--Bala

JNĀNAM VINĀ MOKSHO NA SIDHYATI--Liberation not Possible without Right Knowledge

Vedanta is the science of Life.  It explains The Art of Living. Our living should be meaningful.   For this we have to turn inwards and understand the Self (Atma) within us.   Vedanta affirms we are   not the physical body. Upanishads say Ātmā or Self is ‘SAT-CHIT- ĀNANDA’   in essence.  Bhagavat Gita says SAT is that which does not have a state of non-existence.  CHIT is pure, absolute consciousness and ĀNANDA is transcendent bliss.   Upanishads also say the same Self abides in all living entities.  Ātmā,   is therefore said to be the ruling force of the universe. It exists in all beings   as ‘SAT-CHIT- ĀNANDA’ !  Because, the whole universe is motivated, in all its activities, by the urge either to exist or to express or to enjoy.  It is the urge of the Being to Becoming.  SAT denotes existence, CHIT denotes cognition and expression, and Ānanda denotes enjoyment. So, Ātmā is ‘SAT-CHIT- ĀNANDA’; it is only a logical abstraction of the urge behind all the actions in this universe.   Upanishads further say “Rita(ga)m Satyam Parabrahma” All this orderliness and ruling force is due to the will of   Satyam  or Absolute Consciousness while Self is Attributive Consciousness. This Satyam is defined as That Absolute which controls all that is mortal and immortal (sat+ti+yam; Sat=immortal; ti=mortal; yam=that which regulates). Atma Bodha is a book that explains the terms and terminologies used in Sastras or Upanishads and is called Prakarana book. Panchadasi, Atmabodha, Tattvabhoda, Viveka- choodamani etc., are some of the examples of these Prakaranas, preliminary study of which would help in the better understanding of the difficult texts of Upanishads.   At the outset Atmabodha says Liberation is possible only when the true knowledge of our Self or our own existence is realized or the glory of our Self discovered.  Bhagavadgita also says “Nahi Jnaanena sadrisam”-nothing can equal the knowledge of supreme Brahman or absolute Consciousness.   The performance of rituals, giving charities, the practice of austerities, control of the mind, the study of the scriptures, the use of discriminative  intellect are all no doubt helpful factors which aid one’s spiritual growth, but they do not by themselves directly lead one to liberation. So the opening verses tell Knowledge of the Self is the one direct means for liberation and without Knowledge no emancipation is possible. This statement calls for elaborate explanation. 

Please listen to the detailed lecture on this deep spiritual thought JNĀNAM VINĀ MOKSHO NA SIDHYATI--Liberation not Possible without Right Knowledge by  Sangeeta, a Vedanta  Teacher, Indologist and a Sanskrit scholar delivered on Sunday April 30, 2017 through courtesy Webinar.  Her audio/video presentation will be available on YOUTUBE/fowaiforum.

 She introduces the subject as   follows:

Ātma Bodh is a short text on Advaita which can be studied by beginners and advanced students alike. All the basic concepts of Vedānta such as creation, super-imposition and negation have been clearly dealt with. Most verses have a captivating simile embedded which make the technical concepts of Vedānta very lucid. 

A study of this text will clear many misconceptions in the minds of Sādhaks. This webinar will cover selected teachings of this important work.

--E-Mail sent on April 30, 2017

VEDIC SACRIFICIAL BULL; HOLY INDIAN HINDU COW; AMERICAN SUSTENANCE --COW AND BULL

 Let us dispassionately think why cow is not holy.   This has become a political issue misquoting our scriptures, but most useful animal to rural life of India. In ancient India, oxen and bulls were sacrificed to the gods and their meat was eaten.  Plase refer to BAU.  But even then the slaughter of milk-producing cows was prohibited. Even when meat-eating was permitted, the ancient Vedic scriptures encouraged vegetarianism. One scripture says, "There is no sin in eating meat... but abstention brings great rewards." (The Laws of Manu, V/56).   Later, in the spiritually fertile period that produced Jainism and Buddhism, Hindus stopped eating beef. This was mostly due to   practical reasons as well as spiritual. It was expensive to slaughter an animal for religious rituals or for a guest, and the cow provided an abundance of important products, including milk, clarified butter for sacrifices, and fuel from dried dung. Some scholars believe the tradition came to Hinduism through the influence of strictly vegetarian Jainism. But the cow continued to be especially revered and protected among the animals of India. By the early centuries AD, the cow was designated as the appropriate gift to the Brahmanas (high-caste priests) and it was soon said that to kill a cow is equal to killing a Brahmana. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mentions about a King Janaka performing a yajna involving gifts to find out the greatest philosopher in the land. He offered a thousand cows with ten pieces of gold tied to the horns of each cow and informed the assembly that the greatest philosopher among them could drive the cows to his/her hermitage.    The importance of cow as the pastoral element in the Krishna stories cannot be forgotten now glorified by Hare Krishna movement.  From the Rig Veda (4.28.1;6) we read. “The cows have come and have brought us good fortune. In our stalls, contented, may they stay! May they bring forth calves for us, many-colored, giving milk for Indra each day. You make, O cows, the thin man sleek; to the unlovely you bring beauty. Rejoice our homestead with pleasant lowing. In our assemblies we laud your vigor.”  

But why did Vedas prescribe animal sacrifice for rituals and that too   for Naimittika (specific) Yagnas and not for Nitya (Daily) Yajnas?  Keeping in mind important scriptural injunction, “Do not   commit pain (ahimsa) to any being” one may wonder how the sacrifice of animals, no matter how infrequently, can be allowed by Hinduism?  It is not only cow even pork from domesticated pigs was forbidden as food by Hinduism later.  Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say: “if a person who eats pork can constantly think of God, then he is far superior to a person who eats vegetarian food and yet thinks of sense objects all the time". Vivekananda often lamented “In India religion has entered into the cooking pot”.  Upanishadic seers recognized the prevalent meat eating habits of the people during their times.  Therefore they thought of restricting meat consumption rather than making it a rule that can't be enforced   during their times but progressively and ultimately end its usage by force of habit and free will.   Many discontinued Yajnas also and turned to Bhakti Marga later as you know! As Swami Chidananda says Upanishads are very practical in their approach to life and promote everything by proper focus and Sadhana.  Seers achieved their objectives later   when Jainism an offshoot of Hinduism strongly believed in non-injury to all forms of life and could influence a large section of people to stop killing and change even the limited eating of meat promoted by Upanishads. In Rigveda oblation ritual mantras chanting Swaahaa (Vaiswadeva Homa Mantra), oblations are offered to many deities including Herbs and Trees but no mention is made of cow. Evidently cow is not deified as other things mentioned the long list of Mantras.  How could Vedas miss cow if it is considered sacred as many Hindus feel today? May be I am wrong! If anyone can site me any Veda mantra I would be grateful and would also like to be stand corrected

In Vedic times, Vedic people ate meat with certain restrictions about which animals could be killed and eaten. Rather than recklessly butchering animals and eating their flesh, it was considered better to sacrifice the animal as an offering to God and then eat the sanctified meat. Any meat not offered to God was treated as inedible. They also restricted animal sacrifice to limited  and specific purposes. Thus we find mention of young bulls being sacrificed and their meat consumed by pregnant woman as a medical advice for proper nourishment.     In this manner some restraint was imposed on the indiscriminate and wanton killing of animals for human consumption.  In addition, animal sacrifice in the presence of God was supposed to be interpreted as killing the animal or lower nature of the worshiper in order to manifest the worshiper’s higher nature or inherent divinity.  The later scriptures allow other symbols such as pumpkin, ash gourd, squash or any other fruit, to represent the worshiper’s lower nature or animal nature. Thus there is no direct taboo on animal killing or any glorification of cow as divinity but indirect promotion to avoid meat.   Cow was   glorified for its usefulness in the daily living of Vedic people and the material it supplied for sacrifices (milk, ghee etc) including its own male progeny bull  for  very specific Yajnas on rare occasions. Under no circumstances female species cow was sacrificed.  Indians therefore should not have any objection to killing of male species bull, buffaloes or pigs that are the food material for the sustenance of Non-Hindus and cheap source of protein. An alternate is to declare Jainism as the State Religion  of India and turn everybody vegetarian. After all Hinduism gave top recognition to the least represented religion Buddhism  by adopting Dharma Chakra of Buddhism and Ashoka Pillar as National symbols when the Republic was formed! It should therefore be not be difficult to declare Jainism as State religion! Then   everyone will be bound by the law of the Country. In countries like Saudi Arabia no alcohol or pork can be consumed and any violation is subject to Capital Punishment as Islam is the declared Religion of the State!

Good Lord created both the ferocious tiger and the meek lamb! I wonder why he did not create all animals vegetarian like the cow and the elephant! Probably he did not want the total destruction of plant kingdom! He thought of Eco-Balance Dharma perhaps!  That is why we are   having vegetarians and non–vegetarians.  Bull is restricted as a material for specific Yajnas and meant to be enjoyed as Prasadam and not indiscriminate butchering of Cows,   that is cutting the grass roots! But meat eating habit is increasing. In my recent visit to   Bengaluru I saw everywhere the Ad for Hyderabad Biryani which is meat based, so there is a need for keeping an eye on the eco-balance which also calls for eco-protection and restoring pristine beauty of Mother Earth while enjoying her bounties.  Luckily Westerners are cutting down on their red meat consumption which is a welcome sign. But killing a man for saving the cow is not admissible as Narahatya (human killing) is the greatest sin in Hindu Dharma. Dharma cannot be saved by Adharma!

 

As  a Hindu American all these do not bother me as I am a Lacto-vegetarian though  American Food Regulations permit use of  not only  bone charcoal to refine sugars like in  India  but also allow gelatin for jellies and for preservation and coagulation of yogurt and artificial butter. Poor Hindu Brahmins in India are the victims and unknowingly become sinners  which is pardoned  even by Hindu scriptures as ignorance! Cow Vigilantes have not yet  analyzed these products and food labels also  do not declare such  religious adulteration  conveniently! So ignorance prevails and saves sinners! Usually mutton tallow is an adulterant for natural butter in India. I caught one such case  while in Kanpur! He was a favorite Bhaiya, supplier of cheap butter to all religious Hindus! Of course Hindutva was not in  the picture then! I am not sure whether the present government is aware of  such religious abuses or pregnantly silent about it? 

 --E Mail sent on April 27, 2017

MORE CENTRAL OHIOANS DRAWN TO HINDUISM
Please recall my discourse http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/05/vedanta-religion-everlasting-universal.html   and see what is happening in USA with spiritual awakening. In contrast we also heard what is happening in India the land of Vedas and a modern Sovereign Democratic Republic--"A Hindu cow vigilante  killed a Muslim cow".  While forming the Republic in 1950, India consoled to the situation that  Cow  which is  falsely propagated as sacred for Hindus  is also sustenance for Christians, Muslims, Hindu Out-castes  and others. Situation is changing today. Vedic rituals prescribe twigs, horse, goat, cow etc. as sacrificial materials for Yajnas like Putrakameshthi (Vide BAU).  Hindu supporters in India of this movement should totally go pure vegetarians and declare also Hinduism as the State religion as Germany has done to Christianity while accepting migrants of all faiths.  It is also interesting to note Buddhist Nations today are beef and pork eaters. Hindu Americans should therefore stop looking to India for Religious and  Spiritual guidance but go by the wisdom of Vedas of Universal Oneness-- Eko Vipraah bahudaa vadanti, Aatmavat sarvabhooteshu, Krinvanto viswamaryam, Aa no bhadrantu kratavah yantu vgiswatah, vasudhaiva kutumbakam, sarve janah sukhino bhavantu etc. Please go through the Columbus Dispatch sent by Anil Pandey, our deeply involved participant and arise and awake to the situation--Uttishtjhata, Jagrata, Charaibeti, Charaibeti.

Hindu Reflections: VEDANTA RELIGION---EVERLASTING ... nrsrini.blogspot.com A century ago, in 1893, Swami Vivekananda impressed the Parliament of Religions in Chicago with his speech “Vedanta, the Future Religion”. Vedanta can ...

More central Ohioans drawn to Hinduism

 By Danae King, The Columbus Dispatch

Andrea McCanney had tried everything to cure her depression: doctors, medicine and all the Western world had to offer.

Nothing worked.

Then, at the urging of a friend in 2011, she went to Nithyanandeshwara Hindu Temple in Delaware County. She sat in front of a live video feed from India of the temple’s guru, Paramahamsa Nithyananda, and after trying his techniques, she began to feel better.

“He gives you direction,” said McCanney, of Delaware. “He gives you techniques, a little thing to try. You do it enough times and it really starts to change everything about your life. It gives you a new perspective.”

Three months later she went to India to learn more. Now, she’s the ritual coordinator at the temple and Nithyananda gave her the name Gurupriya Nithya, which she will soon make her legal name.

Hinduism is the third-most practiced religion in Columbus, according to a 2015 report by the Columbus Council on World Affairs. The report says there were 11,147 adherents and that Columbus is home to 15 Hindu temples. Most Columbus residents, 648,889 in 2015, practice Christianity, and the second-largest religion is Islam, with 15,578 adherents, according to the report.

At Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Temple and Hindu Cultural Center of Ohio on the North Side, Head Priest Satyanarayana Sastry said he sees more Americans showing an interest in Hinduism.

People are interested in Hindu principles of nonviolence, vegetarianism and more, he said. There also are often free classes in yoga, meditation and cooking offered at temples that draw people further into the culture.

Traditions such as yoga and meditation can help stressed Americans find relief from daily life and transform them, said Kate Kaura, a graduate teaching associate in comparatives studies at Ohio State University.

“There’s always been this stereotype that the East is spiritually fulfilled and prosperous and that the West is materially fulfilled,” Kaura said. “Some Westerners are finding they’re not fulfilled in material goods and are looking for spiritual fulfillment ... they’re looking toward Hinduism and Buddhism.

“I think people are ready for something that’s more inclusive than what they were exposed to previously,” added McCanney.

The spiritual tradition doesn’t judge people on their body, race, gender, gender identity, sexuality or even religion.

“It is beyond religion,” said Ma Sivananda, the spiritual head of the Nithyanandeshwara Hindu Temple. “Hindu dharma is inclusiveness of all ... It’s relating with yourself, your inner being. It’s relating with everybody in your life.”

Part of the appeal of the religion might also be the fact that it doesn’t require those interested in it to profess their belief, Kaura said.

Free classes

Nithyanandeshwara Hindu Temple, 820 Pollock Road in Delaware, offers free classes, including:

• Meditation: 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the temple.

• A "Heal and Rewrite Your Relationships" class: 7 p.m. Thursdays at Phoenix Bookstore, 3110 N. High St. in Clintonville.

• Yoga: 9:30 a.m. Saturdays at the temple.

For more information on free classes, visit www.vedictempleohio.com.

“It’s arguably one of the most-inclusive religions there is,” Kaura said. “(Americans) are interested in dabbling in different traditions, and Buddhism and Hinduism don’t require practitioners or followers to declare absolute faith. They’re just picking and choosing.”

Instead of giving up another faith, people can incorporate their religious backgrounds into Hinduism, said Paul Olen, a member of the Delaware County temple who lives in Delaware. He was raised Roman Catholic, but no longer practices. But he said he still believes in the teachings of Jesus, whom he believes was a holy man.

“(Hinduism) is not incompatible with anything,” Olen said. “The only thing it’s incompatible with is ... if people think of themselves as separate. We believe in oneness. The goal is to experience oneness with all.”

dking@dispatch.com

--E Mail on APRIL 24, 2017

TURN SPIRITUAL AND GUIDE OTHERS SPIRITUAL TOO

Sadhana panchakam is a spiritual text by Sankaracharya which not only calls for study of the Veda, but also spread the message. He also guides us as to how to lead a peaceful and happy life. I came across this text very late in life (Late seventies) when my   Sanskrit knowledge had faded away beyond recovery. My muscles were weak but spirit was strong. But how can I read all Vedas?  I could find no Guru in Nashville but got inspired by frequent visiting Swami Anandas whose number is increasing, many genuine and few fakes too, and the local Philanthropic doctors who were also Spiritual doctors.  My search engine brought my focus to One Upanishad Mahanarayana which contained most of the Mantras in daily use. I started its Swadhyaaya, self-   study as I realized it as a Mantropanishad. The result was the Blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com> that I have placed before you with more than 300 discourses   today. Please Arise Awake and spread the message--Uttishthata Jaagrata Charaibeti Charaiberti! I do daily MNU Parayana with understanding each Mantra.  But you will be far wiser to listen to FOWAI Forum Swami Chidananda,    Tyagananda, Hamsananda and others as I am only a poor Vitaranaananda (disrtributor). If I can do it in my eighties with no help you can do far better!

May I draw your kind attention to audio presentation of Ekānte Sukhamāsyatām presented by: H. H. Swami Hamsananda on Sunday, April 23, 2017. The gist of his presentation was: The efforts taken to reach the goal of life are called Sādhanā. But the same shāstra reveals that there is nowhere to go!  The Supreme cannot be attained but Discovered Here and Now! However the experiences suggest differently. Acharya Shankara, through His Sādhanā Paṅcakam leads us to the way one can experience this pinnacle of existence by being in Solitude and reveling in the Supreme! What is this Solitude..? Where do I find this..? Where do I have to go to be in Solitude..?  What guarantee that I shall reach the destination..?  - Webinar threw light on these factors.

||Sādhana Pañchakam||

vedo nityamadhīyatāṁ taduditaṁ karma svanuṣṭhīyatāṁ
 teneśasya vidhīyatāmapacitiḥ kāmye matistyajyatām |
pāpaughaḥ paridhūyatāṁ bhavasukhe dośo’nusandhīyatāṁ
 ātmecchā vyavasīyatāṁ nijagṛhāttūrṇaṁ vinirgamyatām ||1||

saṅgaḥ satsu vidhīyatāṁ bhagavato bhaktirdṛḍhā”dhīyatāṁ
 śāntyādiḥ paricīyatāṁ dṛḍhataraṁ karmāśu santyajyatām |
sadvidvānupasṛpyatāṁ pratidinaṁ tatpādukā sevyatāṁ
 brahmaikākṣaramarthyatāṁ śrutiśirovākyaṁ samākarṇyatām ||2||

vākyārthaśca vicāryatāṁ śrutiśiraḥ pakṣaḥ samāśrīyatāṁ
  dustarkātsuviramyatāṁ śrutimatastarko’nusandhīyatām |
brahmāsmīti vibhāvyatāmaharahargarvaḥ parityajyatāṁ
  dehe’haṁmatirujhyatāṁ budhajanairvādaḥ parityajyatām ||3||

kṣudvyādhiśca cikitsyatāṁ pratidinaṁ bhikṣauṣadhaṁ bhujyatāṁ
  svādvannaṁ na tu yācyatāṁ vidhivaśātprāptena santuṣyatām |
śītoṣṇādi viṣahyatāṁ na tu vṛthā vākyaṁ samuccāryatāṁ
  audāsīnyamabhīpsyatāṁ janakṛpānaiṣṭhuryamutsṛjyatām ||4||

ekānte sukhamāsyatāṁ paratare cetaḥ samādhīyatāṁ
  pūrṇātmā susamīkṣyatāṁ jagadidaṁ tadvādhitaṁ dṛśyatām |
prākkarma pravilāpyatāṁ citibalānnāpyuttaraiḥ śliṣyatāṁ
  prārabdhaṁ tviha bhujyatāmatha parabrahmātmanā sthīyatām ||5||

Translation

1. Study spiritual texts (“Vedas”) regularly and put into practice their teachings. Worship the Divine in that manner and give up the thought of desires. Wash away the negative habit-energy and examine the defects of worldly excitement. Hold on to the awareness of the Atman and leave at once your own limited identity.

2. Remain in the company of the holy (thoughts, words, deeds; books, music, art; people) and strengthen your devotion to God. Cultivate the qualities such as self-restraint and give up all work prompted by selfish desire. Approach those who are wise and holy, and serve them. Seek only the Imperishable Being (“God”) and hear the words of the scripture.

3. Reflect over the meaning of the scripture and take refuge in its perspective. Keep away from vain arguments and follow the reasoning of the scripture. Always be aware that you are Brahman and completely give up all egoism. Eliminate the thought of “I” connected with the body and don’t argue with the wise ones.

4. Through the daily medicine of alms, treat the disease of hunger. Don’t hanker after delicious food; be contented with whatever comes of its own. Forbear the polarities such as cold and heat and do not utter useless words. Do not expect kindness from others and abandon all harshness toward others.

5. Live happily in solitude and focus the mind on the God. See carefully the infinite Self and notice how it eliminates this fleeting existence called the world. Through the power of consciousness, dissolve your past karma, remain unaffected by your later karma, and experience your present karma. In this way, remain established in the awareness of the Supreme Self.

(Translation by Swami Tyagananda)

--E-Mail on April 22, 2017

HINDU REFLECTIONS ON EARTH DAY, APRIL 22, 2017

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

 I have talked enough on the subject in my discourses—1) Environmental Harmony and Peace needs Spiritual Support 2) Thought  On Earth Day from Hindu Reflections. I would also like to draw your kind attention to my recent discourse: Why Hindus worship Trees and plants?

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2015/08/religion-and-science-need-to-conflate.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2013/05/thoughts-on-earth-day-from.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/10/trees-symbolize-life-inspire-spiritual.html

Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on the environmental issues that the world faces. In 2017, the March for Science occurs on Earth day (April 22, 2017) and is followed by the People's Climate Mobilization (April 29, 2017).

Carbon dioxide level is at all-time high of late.  Levels of carbon dioxide reach their heights in May 2015 and then gone back down as plants absorb the gas. But the long term trend is up according to National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as plant Kingdom is indiscriminately abused and destroyed.  All our attempts to find an alternate source for living in another planet and find food have remained a dream though shows some promise so for!  Incidentally this will also remind the Hindu Community as to the awareness to preserve the flora and fauna and the pristine beauty of Mother Nature while continuing to enjoy her love and affection as benevolent Mother. Recently a planet similar to mother earth and even bigger and cooler has been discovered and offers hope as alternate human habitat as I discussed in my recent discourses. But chances of human habitation and better living there is all but speculation!

Invariably all Hindu prayers which I have often explained end with this concluding prayer focused on environmental protection and tranquility focusing on flora and fauna and the pristine glory of Mother Earth: Oshadhayah Santih! Vanaspatayah Santih! We even deify them and offer worship to them: Oshadhi-vanspatibhyah Swaahaa! (MNU).

Cow is not deified in Vedas but Puranas have done so.  Trees have been deified in Vedas and Bhagvadgita. I do not find any Veda mantra “Gobhyah swaaha” in Vedas! It is only used as sacrificial material (as in BAU) like ghee and twigs! Yet we abuse plant kingdom to the maximum. My recent visit to Bengaluru reveals how once a beautiful garden city has turned into concrete prison magnetic field flats of multistoried buildings plundering Mother Earth! Yet we believe in false veneration! I saw a lone tree in the middle of the road standing well tarred with little provision for water to seep through as some Salmon protested for its felling. Better veneration would have been to have created a central tree line with naked earth to keep the street cool. This road had such a provision but common sense failed and made it a traffic hindrance like the Ganesha temples we find in the middle of the road in India often as traffic hazard.  This is Bhaktimarga overflowing and abused!

Our religious worship has its origin in Tree worship. Rigveda mentions of Daru as the object of worship. Rama’s parting advice to Vibhishana was “Aaraadhya Jaganntham”.  Jaganntha appeared first as Aswattha Tree in Tiruppullani and later only appeared in human form when requested by Rishis! This was the first mention of the word “Aaradhana”. In Gita Krishna says among trees I am Aswattha! Aswattha is a perennial tree with its root pointing to heaven!

I was shocked by a recent news column that says “Hindu Cow Vigilante in India beats Muslim to Death”. I wish Hindus are equally concerned about trees and plants which are glorified in Vedas. I pray for the day to see a headline that says “Hindu Tree vigilante in India beats the culprit to Death”.  Humans have never rested from plundering and exploiting Mother Nature  in their greed,  though she is benevolent to bless them with her bounties to lead a happy and  healthy  life enjoying her benevolences!  Our Rishis in the past led such a peaceful and contented life! What are we struggling for? When we die we can’t take even a penny with us! Can we at least hope for Bhumi Devi Puja on the Day in Hindu American Temples though we parade her with all Vishnu nprocessional deities?

--APRIL 19, 2017

MORALS AND ETHICS OF RAMAYANA

Ramayana is not just an epic or a tale or history, but also an educational medium to demonstrate the importance of values such as loving and respecting our family, keeping our promises, protecting the weak, not accepting what is not rightly yours,  importance of  protecting Dharma, attachment can lead to suffering, never pay heed to evil advice,   kill the demon within you, pride always has a fall, the power of true   dedication, Love of God is beyond  caste  and creed, protecting a woman’s honor is a noble act,   The mighty power of true destruction, Overcome our inhibitions  and  so on. By using the Magnum Opus of Hindu mythology, the Ramayana as a medium, we can   improve our life-style and living.  It is worth bringing out a book of stories for children highlighting these moral values .

Swami Chidananda has chosen the subject of overcoming one’s inhibitions from the Ramayana in his advice to Bharata who called on him to plead for his return ignoring his father's promise to his mother for the present lecture which can be heard from You Tube. Rama convinced his brother to take care of the kingdom during his temporary absence overcoming inhibitions and not guided by the wrong counsel of the minister Jabali. You recently heard my discourse Who Am I? That thinking can help us to overcome our inhibitions. Listen to the wisdom thoughts from Swamiji! FOWAI forum is a Forum Of  Who Am I.

  Spark 30

Overcome Your Inhibitions

In his advice to his younger brother Bharata on leadership, Shri Rāma, touches upon three traits¹ that are indeed very thought-provoking:

1)    Do consult right people on complex matters where you may not know enough,

2)    Do avoid wrong advisors who may speak sweetly but are incompetent and

3)    Do not shut your door and try to sort out every issue all by yourself.

   The above are free translations with liberal addition of phrases. In the actual verses of Vālmiki Rāmāyana², the mention is of “pitfalls” of leadership.

a)   Not seeing wise people,

b)    Discussing with advisors lacking knowledge and

c)   Deliberating on matters by oneself.

   The advice obviously applies to all of us, irrespective of whether we are CEOs or not. We may or may not be well-recognized leaders in any field but we have to handle various situations at home or at work, where the pieces of advice given by Shri Rāma are very relevant.

   From a psychology point of view, we will have these pitfalls if there are certain inhibitions in our mind that are actually baseless. Because of some painful memories, which have perhaps gone deep into our unconscious, we avoid certain people and see the company of certain others. We sometimes just want to be holed up in our own rooms!

   It has been rightly said by countless spiritual masters that the essence of spirituality is “living in the present”. For this to happen, we need to root out our fears, anxieties, regrets and other memory-based negativities.

   “Who am I?” – This query anchored in intense self-awareness can be a powerful tool to do this. With the flame of “who am I?” burning brightly, the shadows of the past, which are in the form of various residues following incidents that were hard to digest, leave us. No matter what our past was, we can emerge free.

  We can thus see that self-enquiry (Who am I?) can help us overcome the inhibitions in our psyche, and emerge as good leaders.

 Notes:

1 adarshanam jnānavatām, eka-chintanam arthānām and anarthajnais-cha mantranam

2 Vālmiki Rāmāyana, 2.100.65 thru 67 {Ayodhyā Kānda}

It has become a religious routine to rush through Ramayana during Ramanavami and Navaratri allured by the long list of benefits enlisted by Valmiki at the conclusion of Ramayana and conduct Mahamangala aarati!  At the time Valmiki wrote Ramayana Sanskrit was freely spoken and people understood what they read. Today we give it a blind reading without understanding. That will not lead you to the Highway to Heaven. But at least go through periodically wisdom thoughts from Ramayana as the present one, understand the long list of Manava Dharma and act wisely and piously in life. It is strange Hindu Americans drawn from highly intellectuals from India indulge in such blind beliefs and conduct Puja and worship without understanding the great epic and following the moral values and wisdom contained in it! I do read Ramayana with understanding and at each reading found something new and revealing like “Aradhaya Jagannatham” the wise advice to Vibhishana that gave a meaning to the word Aaradhana in Hindu religious practice of Temple and home worship.

--E-mail sent on April 21, 2017

COW VIGILANTES BEAT A MUSLIM TO DEATH

May I draw your kind attention toA news column in INDIA ABROAD, April 14, 2017:  “cow protection groups known as ‘Gau Rakshak’, have proliferated in recent years, since the Bharatiya Janata party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power”. Hinduism is a Way of   Life and not a religion. Manu speaking of Vedic wisdom Says “There is no sin in eating meat…. But abstention brings great rewards but all food including meat had to be offered to God first”.  Any killing has to be avoided be it a sheep, goat, cow, egg or fish and it is better to turn pure vegetarians from health point of view. I am a vegetarian leading a comfortable life at 88. But most Hindus are lacto vegetarians; they do not mind gelatin capsules in medicines, ice cream, flavored yogurt and jellies that we enjoy and white sugar being bleached with animal charcoal which mostly comes from cow. Why this hypocrisy? Also we do not read our holy scriptures properly. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad gives references to horses and cows used in sacrifices (Yajnas) and the meat consumed as Prasadam. Religious protagonists and authors of Upanishds completely hide these facts though they have the knowledge of it.  Authors like Eknath Easwaran in his book on The Upanishads and Karthikeyan In his article, The Science of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (IndiaDivine.Org) have conveniently deleted Chapter VI of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad which narrates the life style of Vedic people and exposes certain vital facts prevalent then.  Vedas are our authority as Sankaracharya says: “Vedokhilam dharma moolam”. Brihadarnyaka Upanishad represents the lifestyle and worship pattern of Vedic people.  I believe only Puranas made the cow holy forgetting goat and horse used in Vedic sacrifices! Please read my elaborate discourse on the subject.

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2015/01/holy-cow-of-ancient-cultures-now-food.html

I reproduce two of the Mantras from BAU for your kind attention to draw your own conclusions of the Vedic culture about which we boast and propagate:

Atha ya ichhet-putro may pandito vigeetah samithingamah susrooshitaam vaacham bhaashitaa jaayate sarvaan-vedaa-anubraveeta-sarvamaayuriyaaditi Mamsoudanam

paachayitvaa   sartpishmantamasneeyaataamewesvarau janayitavaa aukshena vaarshabhena vaa ||6-4-21

He who wishes that a son should be born to him and that he should be a reputed scholar, who will be frequenting the assemblies of learned scholars, who would be speaking delightful and worth hearing words, who will be   a master of all the Vedas and who will attain a full term of life should have rice cooked with the meat of a young bull or of a bull advanced in years and he and his wife should eat with clarified butter, the will they be able to produce such a son. (Dr. AnataRangacharya, Brihadarnyaka Upanishad)

Again here is a mantra that says how a husband can beat his unyielding wife with stick after initially persuading her to mend her ways: 

Saa chedasamai na dadyaat-kaamamenaamavakreeniyaat | saa chedasmai naiva dadyaatkaamamenaam yashtyaa vaa paaninaa vopahatyaatikraamenriyena tay yasasaa yasa aadada ityayasaa eva bhavati  ||

If a loyal wife does not yield to his overtures, he should buy her and if she is still unyielding, he should strike her with a stick or hand, and curse her asking her to go away uttering the following mantra, “I take away from you your reputation. That she actually becomes discredited (a sort of   divorce).

Such a killing by a Hindu American would have sent him to gallows and would have made the life of all Hindu Americans miserable. India is not a Hindu country.  No Prime Minister has dared to declare Hindu Religion as the State religion like what Germany has done in declaring Christianity! It is better they read their scriptures better and also try to  promote vegetarianism instead of raising slogans on   Holy Cow which would be in the best interest of all.

--E-Mail on April  17, 2017

SOLAR YUGADI 2017 MESSAGE

Today, Souramana Year commences. This Year commences from the time sun enters the zodiac sign Niraayana Mesha (Aries) and runs through until the Sun completes thirtieth degree of Meena (Pieces) anmd is about to enter the sign Mesha again. This is about 365.25 days. This would have been ideal as one calendar to be observed by all Hindus in India since it aligns with Gregorian Calendar of 365 days with century and leap year corrections periodically done. Unfortunately North Indian astrologers had a political influence and Chandramana calendar was adopted for all India. The then Prime Minister tried to align this calendar with Gregorian calendar by appointing a special commission but that was thwarted.  So today every festival and ritual is observed on a wrong Day violating Gita’s dictum “Tasmaat saastram pramaanam te”. Yet we are all happy and claim to be very religious. Pleasae see my detailed discourse on Chandramana Yugadi. For centuries we have not corrected our Panchagms and aligned it with the movement of the Sun while Gregorian calendars have done it.

It is significant to note Rama chose the month of Phalgun for all great events in his life. He was born on Phalgun Navami (Panguni) just before the dawn of Solar Year. He married on Panguni Uttaram Day without consulting his horoscope and not tying a Manglyam to Sita about which we make lot of fuss. He started from Kishkinda on PANGUNI Uttiram Day with monkey army to redeem all the evil forces from the Mothe  Earth. Probably he ascended to heaven also in this month but there is no record in Ramayana. It is strange Krishna did not give preference to this month in Gita but mentioned Magha. Probably he was upset as he had to atone for the sin of Rama having killed Vali hiding for which he became a victim killed by an unknown hunter mistaking him to be a deer.

 But citizens of Ayodhya celebrated this New Year as Rama was just born at the fag-end of Phalgun and his Naming Ceremony took place on the 11^th day immediately after Solar New Year. It is worth mentioning here Rama belonged to Solar Dynasty and would have preferred solar New Year too! It is strange coincidence Jesus was also born towards the fag-end of December on 25^th and his circumcision took place on January 6^th.

 Wish You all a Happy Prosperous and Spiritual Enlightening Solar Yugadi for Aditya is meditated upon as Parabrahman!

During my temporary absence I received the following rare composition of Veeraraghava ashtotttaram from Muralidharan of Singapore. Please also go through my discourse on  Ramayana Parayana on Ramanavami Day on which day Vasanta Navaratri also ends. Unlike Krishna Rama is happy with fruit juice, butter milk and soaked and spiced lintels to celebrate his birthday for he lived on such a diet for fourteen years. It also suits the hot season and facilitates Ramayana Parayana. Every Hindu festival has a special dish to enjoy the festival. Thus Bhakti Marga has entered the Hindu Kitchen also, a rare trait of Hinduism! The New year is celebrated with Bengal gram  and jaggery filled pan cake called Obbattu or Holigeor poli.Thus Hindu festivals are  colorful and celebrated with mouth watering preparations with or without focus on spirituality. Rama excuses  such ignorance and helps his devotees. Many enjoy music on this day. You may recall that there is a difference between Rama nama japa and Rama Mantra. A spiritually oriented will meditate on Rama Mantra--Ra is the seed letter of Astakshari of Om Namo Narayanaya and Ma is the seed letter of Namah Sivaya. Hence Rama Mantra is focused on the sustenance and dissolution aspect of Supreme Being. We do not think of creative aspect (Brhama) as it is job done over which we have no control! Otherwise you are focussed onbBallard on historic figure Rama with all fanfare.

--E mail on April 14, 2017

THE LEGEND AND LOGIC OF SKANDA

Siva is hailed as the father of all surgeons in Ayurveda while Dhanvantari  as the Physician.  Lord Siva did the first transplantation surgery (Ganesha) as well as artificial surrogacy (Subhramanya). He tried both techniques for himself first as Puranas reveal. According to modern science traditional surrogacy (also known as partial, genetic, or straight surrogacy) involves natural or artificial insemination of a surrogate. If the intended father's sperm is used in the insemination, then the resulting child is genetically related to the intended father and genetically related to the surrogate.   So lord  Subhramanya was Siva’s son.   An insemination may be performed privately by the parties without the intervention of a doctor or physician. 

For the birth of Skanda Lord Siva used his sperm.  Besides,  he  was the doctor of all doctors (Bhishak).  Hence there was no need for any other  doctor or physician. As Parvati was deprived of bearing a child due to the curse of Rati Devi wives of Saptarishis obliged as surrogate mothers. Reeds protected the semen from infection and served as incubator. I have described at length the medical properties of Dharba Grass recently.

Chhandogya Upanishad says Skanda is Sanatkumara and Sanatkumara is Skanda.   Please go through the scientific explanation of the birth of Skanda by IndiaDivine.Org and also read my detailed discourse on Skanda who is none other than Sanatkumara who is hailed as Holy Son of Holy Father who is Holy Spirit in Christianity.   To Hindus he is part and parcel of Parabrahman or Lord Venkateswara, the only God on Earth, Saguna Brahman. It is no wonder he could be   nurtured by the breast milk of Krittikas. Please find below links to my discourse on Balaji and Skanda. If there be a God on Earth today it is  Venkateshwara that is Skanda and that is Sanatkumara. My discourses will convince you the logic behind it. Please also go through my discourse on Subhramanya to which I have attached the interesting dispatch from IndiaDivine.Org titled THE LEGEND AND LOGIC OF SKANDA

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2011/12/subrahmanya-kaartikeya-murugan.html

SUBRAHMANYA (KAARTIKEYA; MURUGAN) - blogspot.com nrsrini.blogspot.com SUBRAHMANYA (KAARTIKEYA; MURUGAN) Shadavaktram sikhivaahanam. Trinayanam chitrambaralankritam. Saktim vajram asim trisoolabhyam. Ketam dhanush chakram

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/12/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/12/eternal-youth-sanatkumara-or-skanda-is.html

--E-Mail sent on 4/15/ 2017

Ekaslokee on brahman by ramana maharshi     

Swami Chidananda will be delivering an audio/video presentation this Sunday that can be watched  at several places including USA. All the webinar audio/videos are available on YOUTUBE/fowai forum)

 For the benefit of listeners I have given below brief description of this masterly composition in capsule form and the circumstance under which it was delivered to the world.  

Swamiji says:Eka-shlokis (one verse texts) are a genre of spiritual works, where a great soul puts a whole lot of his / her teachings in just one stanza! This webinar will examine the eka-shloki of Shri Ramana Maharshi, the Sage of Arunāchala, who gives us an outline of SELF-ENQUIRY in the verse under study. He points out that the truth we are seeking is not far from us, and we need to look within us to discover it. He also supplies three tips on the "way to travel this inward journey"! This verse is also found in the second chapter of Shri Ramana Geetā.

 हृदय-कुहर -मध्ये         hridaya-kuhara-madhye

    केवलं ब्रह्म मात्रं           kevalam brahma-mātram

ह्यहमहमिति साक्षाद्      hyaham-ahamiti sākshād

   आत्म-रूपेण भाति ।    ātma-roopena bhāti ।

हृदि विश मनसा स्वं       hridi visha manasā svam 

   चिन्वता मज्जता वा          chinvatā majjatā vā

पवन-चलन-रोधाद्          pavana-chalana-rodhād

   आत्म निष्ठो भव त्वम् ॥     ātma-nistho bhava tvam ॥

Pure Brahman shines in the cave of everyone's heart. It is evident as I, I - that is directly as the Self. Enter your within, into the heart with all your mind. Search for your true nature; dive into the depth of your being; use breath-regulation in the process as a stepping stone. Stay firmly as the SELF!

 IndiaDivine.Org says: The story of this verse's composition makes interesting reading. In 1915, Sri Jagadishwara sastry, an ardent and scholarly devotee of the Maharshi wrote the first few words of this verse --'HRIDAYA KUHARA MADHYE' meaning 'IN THE CENTER OF THE HEART'S CAVE,' but could not proceed further however much he tried. After some futile attempts, he went out some- where and left the paper under Ramana's seat. Before he returned Ramana himself had completed the verse. Ganapathi Muni is of the view that this verse contains the essence of Ramana's teachings and hence he gives it the pride of place by having an exclusive chapter for it.

It may be noted that the term BRAHMA, HEART, GURU, ATMAN and SELF are used interchangeably. However, one finds that he generally uses the expression ''HEART'. The Heart referred to here  is not the blood circulating organ to the left but is the spiritual Heart.

Rudra, The scriptures declare that the BRAHMAN shines in the hearts of all creation (please see mantra from MNU below). The scriptures also replete with description of it, as pure, eternal, and self -luminous.  Ramana describes how consciousness shines forth by itself spontaneously.

“Om antascharati bhootshu guhaayaam viswamoortishu | Tvam yajnasatvam vashatkaarastvam rudrastvam  vishnustvam brahma tvam prajaapatih | tvam tadaapa aapoe jyotee raso  brahma bhooh bhuvah suvar Om  ||       

The Supreme Being moves inside the cavity of the heart of created beings possessing manifold forms. O Supreme! Thou art the sacrifice, Thou art the expression of Vashat (pronounced in Yajnas), Thou art Indra, Thou art Rudra, Thou art Brahma, Thou art Prajapati, Thou art That, Thou art the water in the rivers and the ocean, Thou art the Sun, Thou art the Flavor, Thou art the Ambrosia, Thou art the body of the Vedas, Thou art the three-fold world—earth, middle region and heaven and Thou art OM!”

In the above verse, Ramana repeats the words as 'I'. 'I ' to denote the continuous nature of the throb of the consciousness. The word 'alone' has been used after 'BRAHMAN ' to indicate the absence of duality. The ego perishes, daily in the sleep and logically one cannot be that which comes and goes. Therefore the true import of the individuality is the HEART which sparkles away which goes on without a break.

Einstein said everything is  Energy (Consciousness) and manifold expression of matter in his theory of Relativity—E=MC(2)

 The Benefit of SELF-ENQUIRY:

Though the feeling of fullness as 'I' - 'I' is present without let even when one has the notion of separateness, the awareness of this feeling would be absent. When through Conscious effort the 'I' - thought is traced to its source and merged there, through Ramana's SELF -ENQUIRY ' one becomes conscious of its source and merged there one becomes conscious of the continues sparkle of the HEART.'

 Ramana makes it clear that the consciousness of this 'I' - is different from the ego or the idea of individuality.  The feeling of Ego[Aham-vritthi ] is limited, separate and particular. The feeling of 'I' 'I' is limitless expanse of the consciousness. Ramana describes the 'Aham -sphurthi' [I consciousness] as   an incessant flash of the I Consciousness, you can be aware of it , feel it, hear it and sense it. When questioned by Kapali Satri as to how to feel this in the body, Ramana explained " that the whole body becomes a mere power, a force current : Life becomes a needle drawn to a huge mass of magnet and as you go deeper and deeper you become a mere center and not even that you become mere Consciousness.

The self -enquiry of Sri Ramana is not to be pursued vaguely but with total interest, diving deep like a pearl diver exploring the ocean bed for pearls, or like one to recover something which has fallen into the water. The MIND has to be gathered completely at its root , the 'I' -thought. [mind is but a bundle of thoughts – says Sri Ramana].

Sri Ramana Gita appears to be a commentary on the sloka "Hridaya kuhara madhye".

-- E-Mail sent on 4/13/2017

300000  LANDMARK OF HINDU REFLECTIONS

The 300000 landmark has come much sooner than what I participated. I had last reported 200000 landmark last year. That shows the popularity of the Blog among global readers. The interests focus on understanding the meaning of Mantras used in Rituals and worships; Astrological beliefs and Blind faiths; Hindu Religious Customs, Homas and Worships;  Hindu Samskaras;  Hindu American cross culture and others. It is surprising that Hindus in India are starved for such information more than others as they are blindly led by blind beliefs and   exploited by  astrologers and  ill Vedic educated priests are  eager  to know what is happening to  Hindus overseas. By and large priest hood is practiced by  hired family priests trained by  elders and majority do not receive the desired Vedic education.  They often do not know the meaning of the mantras they chant and their spiritual significance based on the wisdom of Vedas.  That way Hindu Americans are better placed as immigration rules are very strict and only well learned priests can migrate.

I have pleasure in presenting to you the progress we made during last year:

HINDU REFLECTIONS—2017 REVIEW

I am happy to inform you that last month my Blog Hindu Reflections has reached the land-mark of 300000 pages being read by the blog visitors thus showing rapid pace of reading after the last reporting which shows the popularity of the topics being introduced. I have given further thoughts recently to collect all E-mails sent to you during the year 2017 and post it on the blog for the benefit of Blog readers who earlier had no access to them if they are not related to the discourses poste on the Blog. This activity has increased and I am planning to continue with it even though I am thinking of ending my Blog Discourse postings soon. This is because I have fairly walked you through all phases of Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma with my limited knowledge and I am getting old too. 

The most popular Discourses in their order of preference are as follows:

                                   TOPICS                                                                                      NO. OF PAGES READ

1.  Some Vedic Mantras used in Hindu Worships and Rituals (2/12)                              20972                                        
2.  Hindu Views on Conception & Child Birth and Nishkama Karma                                                                                                                                      18276
3. Hindu Rites for the Deceased & Ancestors (9/11)                                                                                                                                          9355
4. Hindu Reflections on Eclipses and Blood Moon (4/14)                                                                                                                                         9054
5. Navagraha Devatas-Nine Hindu Deities of Solar System  (12/11)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         7524
6. Sani Peyarchi—Saturn’s Transit through Birth Charts (12/11)                                                                                                                                        7125
7. The Vedic Hymn that Hypnotized the World Gathering (2/13)                                                                                                                                           5484
8. Pradosham its Significance (2/12)                                                                                                                                           4938
9. Upanishads—Their basic Thoughts   & Teachings (8/11)                                                                                                                                           4884
10. Mantras and Hymns for Temple and Home worship of Hindu Deities (8/13)                                                                                                                                          4809
11. Knowledge of Brahman  and Prayer Mantras (2/12)                                                                                                                                           3809
12. Mangalya Dharanam & Sumangali Kriya in Hindu Wedding (9/14)                                                                                                                                          3541
13. Homa Mantras from Mahanarayana Upanishad--MNU (2/12)                                                                                                                                          3485
14. Vishwaksena (8/12)                                                                                                                                          3213
15. UPANAYANA Samskaram   (9/11)                                                                                                                  2849                                                                                                                                                         
16. Sri Vidya—Sri Lalita, Baalaa Tripura Sundari Homas (11/11)                                                                                                                                       2773
17. Enigmatic 108 & 1008  Names of Deities for Worship (11/14)                                                                                                                                        2753
18. Hindu Samskaras for Children performed by Parents  (7/14)                                                                                                                           2638                                           
19. In Hindu Culture Why Do We Do… (2/12)                                                                                                                                         2336
20. Prologue to Sandhyavandana Rituals of Hindus (10/14)                                                                                                                                        2307
21. Hindu Baby Shower (9/11)                                                                                                     2080
22. Kedara Gowri Vrata, Worship of Devi as Sakti of Siva                                                        2027
23. Hindu Samskaras (9/11)                                                                                                          1948
24. Navakshari and TRIPURASUNDARI Homas (10/11)                                                            1891
25. Philosophically Thinking of Father’s Day (6/14)                                                                                                                                          1886
    
     

*The figures in bracket show month and year of posting on the Blog

The Countries that have shown interest in the order of preference are as follows:

Entry	Pageviews
India	124820
United States	82384
Russia	23560
Malaysia	6758
United Kingdom	5978
Canada	3350
France	2967
Australia	2519
Ukraine	2379
Singapore	2326

 Your comments are welcome.  For your kind information I enclose my previous reporting to know the difference.

                                                                                                                        --E-Mail sent on 4/12/2017