THOUGHTS OF THE
DAY--JANUARY--FEBRUARY 2020
ANALYSIS
OF OUR BASIC NATURE HELPS TO ATTAIN MUKTI
We have five senses of
knowledge, five organs of action, five pranas and four operations of the
psyche, totaling nineteen--Five senses of knowledge, five organs of action and
five pranas make fifteen. There are four functions of the psychic organ. The internal
psyche, which we generally call manas or mind in ordinary language, has four
functions. In Sanskrit these four functions are designated as manas, buddhi,
ahamkara and chitta. (Antahkarana). These are the mouths through which
consciousness grasps objects from outside, and we feel secure and happy because
all these nineteen things are acting at the same time in some form or other,
with more emphasis or less emphasis.
Manas is ordinary,
indeterminate thinking – just being aware that something is there. Manas is the
work of the mind. Buddhi determines, decides and logically comes to a
conclusion that something is such-and-such a thing. That is another aspect of
the operation of the psyche – Buddhi or Intellect. The third form of it is
ahamkara – ego, affirmation, assertion, 'I know'. "I know that there is
some object in front of me, and I also know that I know. I know that I am
existing as this so-and-so." This kind of affirmation attributed to one's
own individuality is the work of ahamkara, known as egoism. The subconscious
action, memory, etc., is caused by chitta. It is the fourth function. So Manas,
Buddhi, Ahamkara, Chitta – these are the four basic functions of the internal
organ, the psychological organ.
The nineteen mouths of
the waking condition are psychologically projected by the mind in the dreaming
state also, and there also we have all these experiences, every blessed thing,
as we have in the waking state.
There is a third state,
called deep sleep, where not only are we not aware of the body, but even the
psychological functions are not there. The mind does not think, the intellect
does not decide, and we do not even know that we exist.
Let me go to bed and
forget this devil of this world," we feel sometimes. So in this state of
deep sleep we existed as Pure Consciousness; Sat-Chit-Ananda was our real
nature in the state of deep sleep. This consciousness which was Sat-Chit-Ananda
was not merely inside the body, as we may wrongly imagine once again after
having deduced this wonderful conclusion that we were Pure Consciousnes
It is a wonderful
conclusion indeed that we are essentially Pure Consciousness. But again we may
commit the mistake of thinking that we are inside the body. Pure Consciousness
is not inside anything – it is all things. Consciousness is
all-pervading; it cannot be confined to one individuality only.
That in the state of deep sleep we existed as Pure Consciousness;
not the little consciousness inside the body, but the pervading consciousness
which is everywhere. Cosmic consciousness was there. Universal consciousness
was our essential nature in deep sleep. Upanishad says that meditating on this
Universal Consciousness we can become one with this Universal Consciousness.
The Mandukya Upanishad
gives this analysis of our basic nature. But it is said that we will attain
Mukti by knowing this knowledge – Mandukyam ekam eva alam mumukshunam
vimuktaye. How would we get Mukti by knowing this? It is also added that we are
the same foolish persons; we have never become different. This foolishness of
ours can be removed by the gradual practice of Ashtanga Yoga--Swami
Krishnananda
For a full text by Swami
Krishnananda go to Google.
No longing for god is a problem religious people
face in this Kali Yuga--Ramakrishna
Sri
Ramakrishna examines this widespread problem in Kali Yuga:
They make so many
pilgrimages and repeat the name of God so much, but why do they not realize
anything? It is because they have no longing for God. God reveals Himself to
the devotee if only he calls upon Him with a longing heart.
You may read scriptures
by the thousands and recite thousands of texts; but unless you plunge into God
with yearning of heart, you will not comprehend Him. By mere scholarship you
may fool man, but not God.
God can be realized by
means of all paths. It is enough to have sincere yearning for God. Infinite are
the paths and infinite the opinions.
Nothing whatsoever is
achieved in spiritual life without yearning. By constant living in the company
of holy men, the soul becomes restless for God. This yearning is like the state
of mind of a man who has someone ill in the family. His mind is in a state of
perpetual restlessness, thinking how the sick person may be cured. Or again,
one should feel a yearning for God like the yearning of a man who has lost his
job and is wandering from one office to another in search of work.
A man does not have to
suffer any more if God, in His grace, removes his doubts and reveals Himself to
him. But this grace descends upon him only after he has prayed to God with
intense yearning of heart and practiced spiritual discipline. The mother feels
compassion for her child when she sees him running about breathlessly.
The point is, to love God
even as the mother loves her child, the chaste wife her husband, and the worldly
man his wealth. Add together these three forces of love, these three powers of
attraction, and give it all to God. Then you will certainly see Him.
Cry to the Lord with an
intensely yearning heart and you will certainly see Him. People shed a whole
jug of tears for wife and children. They swim in tears for money. But who weeps
for God? Cry to Him with a real cry.
Pray to God with a
yearning heart that you may take delight in His name. He will certainly fulfill
your heart’s desire--Hindu Blog
--February 29, 2020
Comments:
Very
nicely explained, Bhagavan. I understand that Absolute total Sharanaagati
through Bhakti is the easiest and effective way to attain Mukti.
--Dr. Sapthagirteesan
Thank you mama. Hope this restless Atma gets your blessings to keep yearning to attain the lord in this Janma.
--Aparna Arcot
**************
The
7 Chakras and Their Significance to Your Life
There has been so much talk about peace
being the highest possibility. But for someone seeking their ultimate nature,
peace is only the beginning; it is not the ultimate goal.
Chakras
are energy centers. Although most people have heard of seven chakras, there are
actually 114 in the body. The human body is a complex energy form; in addition
to the 114 chakras, it also has 72,000 "nadis," or energy channels,
along which vital energy, or "prana," moves. When the nadis meet at
different points in the body, they form a triangle. We call this triangle a
chakra, which means "wheel." We call it a wheel because it symbolizes
growth, dynamism and movement, so even though it is actually a triangle, we
call it a chakra. Some of these centers are very powerful, while others are not
as powerful. At different levels, these energy centers produce different
qualities in a human being.
Fundamentally,
any spiritual path can be described as a journey from the base chakra, called
the "Mooladhara," which is located at the base of the spine, to the
"Sahasrar," which located at the top of the head. This journey of
movement from the Mooladhara to Sahasrar is from one dimension to another. It
may happen in many different ways, and various yogic practices can effect this
movement.
The essential guide to taking care of
your mind and body
Mooladhara is really made up of two
terms: "Moola" means the root or source, and "adhar" means
the foundation. It is the very basic foundation of life. In the physical body, your
energies need to be in the Mooladhara chakra to some extent. Otherwise, you
cannot exist. If the Mooladhara chakra alone is dominant, food and sleep
will be the predominant factors in your life.
We
can speak in terms of lower and higher chakras, but such language is often and
too easily misunderstood. It is like comparing the foundation of a building to
the roof; the roof is not superior to the foundation. The foundation of the
building is more basic to the building than the roof, and the quality, life
span, stability and security of the building depends, to a large extent, on the
foundation rather than the roof. But in terms of language, the roof is higher,
and the foundation is lower.
The
second chakra is "Swadhisthana." If your energies move into
Swadhisthana, you are a pleasure seeker. The Swadhisthana chakra is located
just above the genital organs. When this chakra is active, you enjoy the
physical world in so many ways. If you look at a pleasure seeker, you will see
that his life and his experience of life are just a little more intense
compared with a person who is only about food and sleep.
If
your energy moves into the "Manipuraka" chakra, located just below
the navel, you are a doer in the world. You are all about action. You can do
many, many things. If your energies move into the "Anahata" chakra,
you are a creative person. A person who is creative in nature, like an artist
or an actor, is someone who lives very intensely -- more intensely, perhaps,
than a businessman, who is all action.
The
Anahata literally means the "un-struck." If you want to make any
sound, you have to strike two objects together. The un-struck sound is called
"Anahata." Anahata is located in the heart area and is like a transition
between your lower chakras and your higher chakras, between survival instincts
and the instinct to liberate yourself. The lower three chakras are
mainly concerned with your physical existence. Anahata is a combination; it
is a meeting place for both the survival and the enlightenment chakras.
The
next chakra is the "Vishuddhi," which literally means
"filter." Vishuddhi is located in the area of your throat. If your
energies move into Vishuddhi, you become a very powerful human being,
but this power is not just political or administrative. A person can be
powerful in many ways. A person can become so powerful that if he just sits in
one place, things will happen for him. He can manifest life beyond the
limitations of time and space.
If
your energies move into the "Agna" chakra, located between your
eyebrows, you are intellectually enlightened. You have attained to a new
balance and peace within you. The outside no longer disturbs you, but you are
still experientially not liberated.
If
your energies move into "Sahasrar," at the crown of your head, you
become ecstatic beyond all reason. You will simply burst with ecstasy for no
reason whatsoever.
Chakras
have more than one dimension to them. One dimension is their physical
existence, but they also have a spiritual dimension. This means that
they can be completely transformed into a new dimension. If you bring the right
kind of awareness, the same Mooladhara that craves food and sleep can become
absolutely free from the process of food and sleep. If one wants to go beyond
food and sleep, one needs to transform the Mooladhara to an evolved state.
To
move from Mooladhara to Agna, from the lowest of these seven chakras to the
second highest, there are many procedures, methods and processes through which
one can raise his energies. But from Agna to Sahasrar, the sixth chakra to the
highest chakra, there is no path. You can only jump there. In a way, you have
to fall upward. So, the question of going step by step to that dimension does
not really arise. There is no way.
It
is for this reason that spiritual traditions have emphasized the
significance of a guru's role in one's realization; guru literally means
"dispeller of darkness." You can only jump into an abyss -- the depth
of which you do not know -- if you have an absolutely insane heart, or if your
trust in someone is so deep that you are willing to do anything in their
presence. Most people, due to a lack of either of these two aspects, just get
stuck in the Agna chakra. When this happens, peacefulness is the highest state
they will know. It is only from this limitation that there has been so much
talk about peace being the highest possibility. But for someone seeking
their ultimate nature, peace is only the beginning; it is not the ultimate
goal-- Sadguru Jaggi Vasdev.
--February 28, 2020
Comments:
Thanks
for a lucid explanation this Theory
--Dr. Vedavyas
***************
Human
populations in India SURVIVED the Toba 'super-eruption'
Humans
in India survived the fallout and decade-long 'volcanic winter' from the
devastating Toba super-eruption 74,000 years ago, scientists claim.
The
devastating natural disaster was so large it plunged Earth into a millennium of
cooling and threatened humans with extinction.
Research
has now found proof that populations of human survived in India, the first
proof humans outside Africa endured the devastating eruption.
The event, which occurred 74,000 years ago on
the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, was about 5,000 times larger than the
Mount St Helens eruption in the 1980s.
It
has long been thought this was followed by a 'volcanic winter' lasting six
to 10 years, leading to a 1,000 year-long cooling of the Earth's
surface.
However,
a study in the journal Nature
Communications found that some humans in Asia survived the
Toba eruption, and went on to thrive.
Researchers
assessed 80,000 year-long record of rock layers from the Dhaba site in
northern India's Middle Son Valley.
The
site yielded evidence that use of the tools persisted after the catastrophic
event created a decade-long winter - proof that the people who created them
survived.
Professor Jagannath Pal,
principal investigator from the University of Allahabad in India, said:
'Although Toba ash was first identified in the Son Valley back in the
1980s, until now we did not have associated archaeological evidence, so
the Dhaba site fills in a major chronological gap.'
Previous
theories suggested the eruption would have led to major catastrophes and the
collapse of hominin populations around the world.
Hominins
are members of the human family tree more closely related to one another
than to apes.
Today,
only one species of this group remains - Homo sapiens, to which everyone
on Earth belongs.
But
at the time of Toba's cataclysmic eruption, Neanderthals and Denisovans still
existed, with perhaps other as-yet-undiscovered hominin species.
Homo
sapiens in Africa are thought to have survived the fallout from the eruption
due to the formation of sophisticated social, symbolic and economic
strategies.
Eventually,
the human population in Africa had recovered enough to begin migrating out of
Africa and across Eurasia before 60,000 years ago.
--February 26, 2020
***************
INTELLIGECE
CREATION OR SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION?
I had an
opportunity to listen as to the presentation about
the Seminar on Creation in Hinduism in Nashville long with some who
participated in the Seminar and further explanation in my Vedanta
Class. The Seminar seems to have focused on contribution by various Sages in
Darshana. After hearing to the discourse I was at a loss to understand what to
take back home from listening to our Vedantin Scientists. I got a feeling the
seminar was more focused on Darshana concepts and their relative merits as
exclusive thoughts but not to their all-inclusive contribution to modern
science on the subject. to understand Theory of Creation. This was also
the worry of those that attended the seminar as I understood. Based on the
presentation and my own review in the present the following take-back home
material without splitting hairs on Darshana Philosophies exclusively.
Scholars
see India and Greece as the two principal birthplaces of science. School
textbooks tell us about Pythagoras, Aristotle, Euclid, Archimedes, and Ptolemy,
geometry of the Vedic altars, the invention of zero in India, Yoga psychology,
and Indian technology of steel-making that went into the manufacture of the
best swords. But if you take the trouble of reading scholarly books, articles and encyclopedias, you will find that
in many ways the early Indian contributions are the more impressive for they
include a deep theory of mind, Pāṇini’s
astonishing Sanskrit grammar, binary numbers of Piṅgala, music theory, combinatorics, algebra,
earliest astronomy, and the physics of Kaṇāda with
its laws of motion.
The
Rigveda speaks of the universe being infinite in size. The evolution of the
universe is according to cosmic law. Since it cannot arise out of nothing, the
universe must be infinitely old. Since it must evolve, there are cycles of
chaos and order or creation and destruction. The world is also taken to be
infinitely old. Beyond the solar system, other similar
systems were postulated, which appear to have been confirmed
with the modern discovery of exoplanets.
The Sāṅkhya system describes evolution at cosmic and
individual levels. It views reality as being constituted of puruṣa, consciousness that is all-pervasive, and prakṛti, which is the phenomenal world. Prakṛti is composed of three different strands (guṇas or characteristics) of sattva, rajas, and tamas,
which are transparency, activity, and inactivity, respectively.
Evolution
begins by puruṣa and prakṛti
creating mahat (Nature in its dynamic aspect). From mahat evolves buddhi (intelligence)
and manas (mind). Buddhi and manas in the large scale are Nature’s
intelligence and mind. From buddhi come individualized ego consciousness (ahaṅkāra) and the five tanmātras (subtle elements) of sound,
touch, sight, taste, smell. From the manas evolve the five senses (hearing,
touching, seeing, tasting, smelling), the five organs of action (with which to
speak, grasp, move, procreate, evacuate), and the five gross elements (ākāśa,
air, fire, water, earth).
The
evolution in Sāṅkhya is
an ecological process determined completely by Nature. It differs from modern
evolution theory in that it presupposes a universal consciousness. In reality,
modern evolution also assigns intelligence to Nature in its drive to select
certain forms over others as well as in the evolution of intelligence itself.
The
description of evolution of life is given in many texts such as the
Mahābhārata. Here is a quote from the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha on it:
“I
remember that once upon a time there was nothing on this earth, neither trees
and plants, nor even mountains. For a period of eleven thousand [great] years
the earth was covered by lava. In those days there was neither day nor night
below the polar region: for in the rest of the earth neither the sun nor the
moon shone. Only one half of the polar region was illumined. [Later] apart from
the polar region the rest of the earth was covered with water. And then for a
very long time the whole earth was covered with forests, except the polar
region. Then there arose great mountains, but without any human inhabitants.
For a period of ten thousand years the earth was covered with the corpses of
the asuras.” [YV 6.1]
The
reverse sequence, of the end of the world, is also described in various texts.
First, the sun expands in size incinerating everything on the earth (quite
similar to modern accounts of the aging sun becoming a red giant). The specific
sequence mentioned is that the fireball of the sun transforms the Pṛthivī atoms into Āpas atoms, which then together change into Tejas
atoms and further into Vāyu atoms, and finally to sound energy that is an
attribute of space, and so on (Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva Section 233). In our modern language, it
means that as temperatures become high, matter breaks down becoming a sea of
elements, then the protons break down into electrons, further into photons, and
finally into neutrinos, and on to acoustic energy of space. At the end of this
cycle the world is absorbed into Consciousness.
Vivekananda
was aware of this sequence which is why he asked Tesla to find the specific
equation for transformation
between mass and energy. He had heard Tesla quoting Vedanta
concepts: “All perceptible matter comes from a primary substance, or tenacity
beyond conception, filling all space, the Akasha or aluminiferous ether, which
is acted upon by the life-giving Prana or creative force, calling into
existence, in never-ending cycles, all things and phenomena.” Further he
was also guided by Kanada. Kanada advanced a system that includes space,
time, matter, as well as observers. He also postulated four types of atoms, two
with mass (like proton and electron) and two without (like neutrino and
photon), and the idea of invariance. A thousand or more years after Kaṇāda, Āryabhaṭa
postulated that earth rotated and advanced the basic idea of relativity of
motion.
[Suitably
extracted from Indian Foundation of modern Science by Subhas Kak with supporting
information from my discourse circulated to you.]
--February
24, 2020
Comments:
Thoroughly enjoyed it
--Santhosh Venkatraman
What Sannyāsa and Dharma mean
to Science & Technology in the 21st century
Our
Ancient Rishis were focused on Astronomy, Earth Science, Life Science,
Psychology etc. Modern Monks are even more actively involved in
Ayurveda, Yoga, Clean water, Clean air, Vegan, Vegetarianism etc.,
engaging their monasteries also, caring for flora and fauna as seen from the
work of Paramartha Niketan, Ramakrishna Math, JIVA, Sai Trust etc. They do not
believe in retiring to the forest and sit in seclusion meditating but get
themselves actively involved with the society in improving the living of the
people and thus have developed a strong philosophy of Janaseva is
Janardhana Seva for us to follow.
Pujya Swami Cidananda & Sadhvi
Bhagawati of Paramartha Niketan last year attended World Parliament of Science,
Religion & Philosophy gthering that was held in Pune. Both Pujya Swamiji and
Sadhvi Bhagawatiji were warmly invited to speak and share their blessings.
“Our
karma, we could say, is the DNA of our soul. Just as the body has its
particular genetic code, the soul has its particular ‘karmic code” says
Vamadeva Sastri of American Vedic Society influenced by his knowledge of
science in his early life--poorvashram.
Modern
Sanyasis have neither retired to the forest in seclusion nor sit
confined to their monasteries in seclusion practicing Pranayama and Meditation
exclusively. They interact with scientists and technologists
and even influence them to be powerful messengers to spread spirituality with
focus on Seva dharma. hey believe in Janaseva is Janardhana seva. They,
interacting with modern scientists and technologists have brought to their
knowledge how Vedas have been the motivator in their research and
discoveries and also brought to their knowledge grey
areas on which Vedas have spoken that needs to be investigated. They have
worldwide outreach through their official websites on the Internet, TV
Broadcast etc. which provide information on their teachings and organizations,
and sometimes biographical information that reveals many of them are also once
scientists and technologists in their poorvashrama. Religious
Institutions like Parmartha Niketan, American Vedanta Society, Chinna Jeer
Ashram, FOWAI Forum etc. are constantly working with scientists focusing their
thoughts on social problems like Pollution control and Ecology, Mental and
Physical health, wrong application of technology like WMD, abortion etc.,
influencing them to alleviate human sufferings and to help them lead a
healthier and happier life.
In
the religious practices of the sadhus whom I often refer in my
discourses, modern Science and Technology provides a vibrant
context for re-imagining renunciation and Hinduism in ways that are consistent
with the ever-changing conditions of 21st-century Indian life. The sādhus
clarify that sannyāsa engages, rather than eschews, technology. They use
it as a potent instrument of divine agency and an equally powerful religious
technique with which to experience Brahman-in-the-Internet besides Inner-net .
Using technology makes it possible for the sādhus to expand the dominant
definitional parameters of sannyāsa and rework the world-negating
meanings of the values and ideals typically associated with this way of
life.
Science
and religion don’t normally go together. We’ve seen scientists dishing out
people with religious beliefs, and vice versa. While religion might not be
“logical” to some, but Sanatana Dharma has proven to have
some science behind it that had been the motivation for early and medieval
scientific discovery. And as such, there are scientists who have been
influenced by Hinduism. Here are some of the international figures in the world
of science who have taken inspiration from various Hindu Scriptures and their
own quotes about their influences and Hindu Dharma not to speak of host of
Hindu Scientists as well as others from different parts of the world. These
are:
1.
Erwin Schrödinger; 2. Werner Heisenberg; 3. Robert Oppenheimer; 4. Niels Bohr;
5. Carl Sagan and 6. Nikola Tesla
Experimental
Hinduism as “performed” by means of their technological and rhetorical
practices foregrounds the values of change, innovation, and adaptation as the
enduring characteristics of dharma and sannyāsa across space and
time. These values are similarly refracted through the sādhus’ emphases
on the overlapping narrative motifs that renunciation symbolizes the “original
technology” and provides the authoritative model from which modern
techno-science has emerged; that technology embodies the properties of
imagination, creativity, and emergence that characterize Brahman and offers a
mechanism for accessing Brahman “in-the-world”; and that the apocalyptic symbol
of Kalki exists in and by means of the evolving human-technology relationship
fashioned in contemporary times.
Sādhus
employ the Kalki avatar paradigm to underscore its metaphorical
signification for the redemptive potential of technology. By drawing on the
Kalki symbol, they also articulate their perceptions of an emerging hybrid
species, “the Kalki,” which positions humans and machines in relations of
interdependence and, through that inter-relational coexistence, represents the
compassionate and empathetic relationships that humans are capable of forming
by means of the technological with the natural world. For the sādhus,
while the moral power of human intention creates technology as a force for good
or evil, the moral virtue of empathy can evoke respect, compassion, and love
for nature as a whole and protect the many oscillating life-worlds of the
planet as they flourish alongside of a future of potentially revolutionizing
technological innovations. The repurposed applications of sannyāa and dharma
for contemporary times that the sādhus highlight technology helps
make possible position the sādhus on the brink of a watershed in the
role of intercultural translators of a global phenomenon whose future they have
the power to imagine and direct for the common good.
Does
the sādhus’ use of technology mean they are entangled in the world of
existence? Sādhus’ engaging modern communication technologies performs
an alternative narrative of entanglement that is tethered to the prominent
renouncing value of detachment. Their practices refute the perception that
technology mires sādhus in sansāra, keeps them from realizing
Brahman, and enervates the moral power of the ancient way of life of sannyāsa,
which embodies and transmits salvation knowledge of the divine in the world.
By
contrast, for the sādhus, entanglement accentuates an understanding of
being connected to an Avatar who, like the sādhus, is involved
in the world and the change that molds it, and of being linked to an
infinitely expanding network of divine connectivity that brings all life of the
universe into confluences of engagement. As they see it, technology, like yoga,
meditation, and singing to God, offers another complementary “technique” for
humans to experience infinitely changing divinity in the world of nature and
the cosmos that manifests divinity and its traits. Thinking about entanglement
and its consequences from a world-affirming perspective encourages the sādhus
to use technology, theological and infuse repurposed applications for what sannyāsa
and dharma mean in the 21st century.
Comments from
fellow scientists, technologists, doctors and engineers are welcome! This had
been my lone thinking as a technologist and scientist!
--February 23, 2020
Comments:
Very well
researched
--Bindu Shroff
HINDU PHILOSOPHY IS NOT A STATIC DOCTRINE BUT A
GROWING TRADITION
Hindu
philosophy is not a static doctrine, but a growing tradition rich in diverse philosophical
perspectives. Though Sankara started with non-dualism focusing on Jnana Marga,
recommended Panchayatana puja in the end and instructed all to focus
on Vishnu Tattva in Bhaja Govindam and Atma Bodha (nitye Vishnau
prakalpitaah). Sankara recommended Panchayatana Puja recognizing the
confusion prevailing in Hinduism as a first step towards
consolidation.
Śaṅkara, regarded devata worship as constituting provisional
obligations, subject to a person not being serious about liberation but as a first
step wanted to consolidate diverse views of religious worship under Vishnu
Tattva. He did not live long and it was left to Ramanuja for further
consolidation. Ramanuja picked up from here and came out with his convincing
Visishtadvaita philosophy. However sectarian fights and killings
continued still and became more vehement and violent with Sangham movement.
Madhva came out strongly with Vishnu Tattava initiated by Sankra, and promoted
by Ramanuja. Madhva philosophy gathered strength around Chaitanya movement and
ISKCON movement in the North besides the South.
Recognizing the growing fights and killings by
the leading religions of the world Neo-Hinduism or Ramakrishna Vedanta
reasons that no one’s personal God is any more the real God than another religion’s
personal God: rather, all are equally approximations of the one real,
impersonal Brahman that transcends the domestic qualities, attributed to
it. Śaṅkara, while commenting on the Brahma Sūtras did
not argue for the type of Universalism characteristic of Neo-Hinduism, which
regards all religious observance as equally valid.
The
term “Neo-Hinduism” refers to a conception of the Hindu religion formed by
recent authors who were learned in traditional Advaita philosophy, and English.
Famous Neo-Hindus include Swami Vivekānanda (1863-1902) the famous disciple of
the traditional Hindu saint Rāma-Kṛṣṇa, and India’s first president, Sarvepalli
Radhakrishna(1888-1975) a professional philosopher who held academic posts at
various universities in India and Oxford in the UK.
Neo-Hinduism
aspires to shun the sectarianism that characterizes the history of religion in
the West as well as India through a spirit of Universalism. No doubt it
is a genuine, modern attempt to re-understand the philosophical implications of
earlier Hindu thought, and not an attempt to reconcile the various religions of
the world. But the protagonists of neo-Vedanta educated and tutored in early
thought of Advaita philosophy identify Hinduism with the true perspective that
understands the quality-less nature of the Ultimate [that is not appealing to
the majority of Hindus that are grown with temple traditions and Ishta deavata
concept. Neo-Vedantins are least focused on the later thought of
Vishishtadvaita and the latest Dvaita and casually refer to
them But they widely travel and have their own popular Inter-net
connections and TV shows and influence the world audience.
In this
context I have talked a lot on Ramanuja and his Philosophy to HR Forum as well
as Bloggers and therefore wish to acquaint all with the Madhva
thought and Dvaita Philosophy. Even in USA Hindu Americas are invariably
exposed to Gurus educated in Advaita Philosophy and that too focused on Early
Thought of Sankara but not his parting message. Hindu philosophy is a living
and vibrant tradition that need not be fossilized into a curiosity from the
past.
Please
go through my detailed discourse on Madhvacharya and Dvaita Philosophy. I draw
your specific attention to the Appendix in my discourse for the
latest addition.
--February
21, 2020
TATTVA
VIVEKA OF MADHVACHARYA
Tattva
Viveka of Madhavacharya is a treatise dealing with categorization of realities.
It is one of the 37 works of Sri Madhvacharya and sub-categorized under
prakaranas. A prakarana serves as an annexure to the principal treatise of
Brahmasutra.
Sri
Madhavacharya has written a prakarana, known as Tattvasankhyana, in which he
surveyed the realities accepted in the Dwaita system. Tattva Sankhyana derives
its authority from Tattva Viveka. There are some apparent differences between
Tattva sankhyana and Tattva Viveka. However, there are no contradictions.
Tattva
Viveka begins with the classification of prameya (valid knowledge of realities)
into two principal categories: svatantra (independent) and paratantra
(dependent). Vishnu, with auspicious qualities and free from blemishes, is
completely independent (in respect of existence, motivation and knowledge)
Paratantra
is further classified into two, bhava (existing) and abhava (non-existing).
Bhava is of
three types
- Pragabhava (non-existence before an object comes into existence)
- Pradhvamsabhava (non-existence posterior to the destruction of an object)
- Atyantabhava (absolute non-existence).
The Nyaya
school accepts a fourth type of non-existence called anyonyabhava, the mutual
non-existence of objects. Since distinctness being the very nature of things,
anyonya-bhava is not accepted in Dvaita as a separate non-existing category.
Again the
existing entities are classified into two groups, chetana (sentient) and
achetna (non-sentient). The former is again classified into two, liberated and
subject to bondage. Only Sri, consort of Vishnu, belongs to the former class.
She has a class by herself. In the latter group there are again two types,
liberated and still in bondage. In bondage to worldly desires, not everyone is
endowed with the same capacity. Right from manushyottama (worthy human class)
up to four-headed Brahma, their capacity increases in multiples of a hundred.
Even in the liberated state, the difference and hierarchy is maintained in a
similar way. Tatittirya Upanishad declares nanda taratamya (gradations in
bliss). Sri is several times superior to the liberated Brahma. Vishnu’s
superiority is infinite times more than Sri.
The beings
in Samsara are of three types: low, middle, and high. The high-class souls are
muktiyoga (eligible for liberation). Middle class beings are ever bonded; the
low class souls are eternally damned.
Non-sentient
is of two types, nitya (eternal) and anitya (non-eternal).
Avyakrta
(subtle forms of space), time flow, Vedas, Prithvi, five elements, eleven
senses, prana (one of the sixteen kalas), gunas, five tanmatras (sight, taste,
smell, touch, sound), Mahat, ahamkara and buddhi are classified as eternal. The
modifications of these are non-eternal.
Some of the
attributes like quality, effect and category are inherent in substances, and
some of the attributes remain with substances until they last. Those are called
yavadravya bhavi (intrinsic attributes). Some of the attributes vanish before a
substance perishes. For example a mango changes from green to yellow as it
ripens. Such attributes are known as ayavadravya bhavi (non-intrinsic).
Tattvaviveka
concludes with the statement that if a person understands the universe and is
dependent and attributes all worldly actions to Vishnu, liberation from Samsara
(worldly bondage) is attainable.
[Source – Methods of Knowledge Perceptual, Non-perceptual
and Transcendental According to Advaita Vedanta (1965) Satprakashananda – Allen
and Unwin London]
If
you are deeply interested on the subject go through the PDF format on Tattava Viveka on the
Internet. Remember both Ramanuja and
Madhvacahrya studied Advaita at the Gurukula thoroughly, researched Hindu
Scriptures including Brahma Sutra and came out with their thoughts, latest
being that of Madhva.
--February 21, 2020
THE
ROLE OF INTELLECT IN SELF-ENQUIRY--WEBINAR 167
Gist of the Presentation of the subject
by Swami Chidananda: “The Upanishads declare the
Self (which is one with Brahman, the Absolute Reality) is simply beyond the
reach of both speech and mind. Neither word nor
thought can ever grasp it. Then what role does the intellect (the same as the
mind in this context) play in Self-enquiry or in contemplation on Brahman?
This webinar will show that
the intellect (buddhi / manas) has a prominent role in the matter.
“Through the mind alone is THIS attained,” says the Kathopanishad2. Āchārya Shankara clarifies that
a mind that is purified through the guidance that a competent teacher (Āchārya) gives and through the
insights that the scriptures supply – can indeed bring about the radical
transformation”.
Mother describing
human mind said “Man is a transitional being on earth meaning that man
does not belong merely to earth: in essence man is a universal being, but he
has a special manifestation on earth.” According to Vedic literature, spiritual
particle, spirit-on (soul), called Atman enters the sperm cell which then
fertilizes the ovum, the female gamete, to form a single cell called zygote.
Vedanta
says mind is constituted by five basic components: Manas, Ahamkara,
Chitta, Bhuddhi and Atman. Usually Manas is translated as mind (mind is a
monkey!) and Buddhi as Intellect by Spiritual and Religious writers who are
Western English educated like me.
One Vedic model of the mind is expressed by the famous metaphor of
the chariot in the Katha Upanishad and the Bhagavad-Gıta (to which Swamiji
draws our attention). A person is compared to a chariot that is pulled in
different directions by the horses yoked to it, with the horses representing
the senses. The mind is the driver who holds the reins, but next to the mind
sits the master of the chariot – the true observer, the Self, who represents a
universal unity. Without this Self no coherent behavior is possible.
In the Taittirıya Upanisad 2.7 (to which Swamiji also draws
our attention), an individual is represented in terms of five different sheaths
or levels that enclose the individual’s self. These levels, shown in an
ascending order, are: The physical body (annamaya kosa); Energy sheath (pranamaya
kosa); Mental sheath (manomaya kosa); Intellect sheath (vijnanamaya
kosa) and Bliss sheath (anandamaya kosa) These sheaths are defined at increasingly finer levels. At the
highest level is the Self. It is significant that ananda is placed
higher than the intellect. This is a recognition of the fact that eventually
meaning is communicated by associations which are extra-logical.
Subhash Kak has spoken a lot on the subject in his article
“Understanding the Vedic Model of the Mind” that I have suitably extracted and discussed in my discourse.
Please go
through the discourse on the subject leading us to Supreme
Consciousness Prajnaana (Prajnaanam Brahma) by Swamiji speaking on the
Vedic model of mind that leads to Atmajnana and then on to
Prajnaana:Vedic Model says: Manasà Ahamkara (I
cognizance)àChittaàBuddhi-->Atman. Manasa chittam chittena smriti
smaarena vijnaanam vijnaanena atmananam vedayati--Physical Mind power
leads to conclusive experience that opens our Intellect that leads to
our Inner-net Atman (Mahanarayana Upanishad).
Please
also go through my detailed discourse posted on the Blog of Hindu Reflections:
--February 22, 2020
MYTH & MYSTERY OF CRYSTAL
SKULL AND SACRED CRYSTAL LINGAM
Traditional
folk religion regards the egg as a powerful symbol of fertility, purity and
rebirth. The Vernal (spring) Equinox celebrates the coming of
spring and the egg is an important part of this ancient festival.
This gave births to Easter celebration traditions. Though
pre-Christian in origin, this egg symbolism was in agreement with the Christian
concept of Resurrection and the transformation of death into life. The crystal
skull is also a symbol of eternal consciousness transcending the cycles of
life, death and rebirth... and the egg shaped Shiva Lingam Crystal Skull is one
of the most sacred.
Sources
state that lingams resonate with the energies of all five elements: fire,
earth, water, air and ether. This greatly boosts its healing capacity, and it
can clear blockages and activate the entire Chakra system. Lingams
are said to boost vitality, and indeed, just being near one is enough to feel
the incredible energy coming from these mysterious stones. Sphatika Linga is taken as the best
representation of Nirguna Brahman of the Upanishads, the
all-pervading Paramaatma who is without any attribute and who for
our sake takes on qualities and exhibits Himself as the “Saguna Brahman".
Mystery and myth surrounds some excavated
crystal skulls now housed in museums. from ancient traditions of the West. An
unexplored Warangal temple perhaps has an answer to the mystery of crystal skull!
There is a white light shining inside this deserted temple and looks like
someone is holding a small lamp.
Ancient
civilizations around the world believe that Crystal Skulls emit strange
radiation which can cure diseases and if handled in the wrong way, can cause
harm and death. But researchers have limited themselves to ancient
civilizations of North America, like the Mayas, Cherokee, Aztecs and
Navajos. In the Smithsonian Institute in the USA, there is one
Crystal skull and there is another one in the British Museum; more skulls
are found in other European countries. Scientists claim that almost all of them
are fabrications made in the last two centuries. Probably we
may find an authentic ancient crystal skull in India to unfold all the myths with
it!
Sphatika Lingam temples are: 1) Thillai Nataraja
Temple; Tiruchirappalli 2) Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai; 3)
Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameshwaram; 4) Ekambaranathar Temple,
Kanchipuram; 5) SwetharanyeswararTemle, Thiruvenkadu; 6) Sankara Narayanan
Temple, Sankarankovil; 7) Parkasheshwar Mahadedev Mandir; Dehradun 8)
Kadavul Temple, Hawaii, USA.
Please
go through my detailed discourse on the subject:
--February
15, 2020
Comments:
Appropriate write up for
Mahasivarathri
--Bindu Shroff
Importance
of Shiva Panchakshari Mantra-- Sivaya namah
I thought of
releasing this important message prior to Mahasivaratri that
is being celebrated on February 21, 202 unlike the priests who just say
" please repeat after me" and you obediently follow. A
mantra is not a sloka or Sankalpa; it has a Rishi and a deity to focus on
turning to your Inner-net--Namah Sivaya iti aatmaanam yunjeeta
Shaivites and Shiva Bhaktas
consider the Panchakshari mantra as the supreme mantra. Chanting the
Panchakshari mantra on special days dedicated to Lord Shiva, especially during
the Maha Shivratri is considered extremely powerful.
The meaning of this ultimate
mantra is profound. The puranas and the vedic scriptures talk in a very
detailed and elaborate manner of its meaning and significance and hail it is
the ultimate.
In common understanding the
word shiva means auspiciousness and perfection. It refers to
the God who is Perfect without any kind of dependency on anything external to
make it complete. Obviously because of this self-perfection, it is completely
blissful and ever auspicious. (All other auspicious things are in one way or
the other dependent on the external circumstances etc.) The prefix namaH is the
mantra of salutation. The mantra Shivaya namah invokes the
Perfect God Shiva of all auspicious qualities-Amala and Ananta.
The subtle meaning of the Shiva
Panchakshari mantra is:
namaH – not mine; shivAya – belongs to shiva. It is negating the ahankAra (ego) and realizing everything to belong to Lord Shiva.
namaH – not mine; shivAya – belongs to shiva. It is negating the ahankAra (ego) and realizing everything to belong to Lord Shiva.
Panchaksharas are the divine
five syllables that is most important and the holiest mantra for all devotees
of Bhagawan Shiva. As the name suggests it is made up of five letters/
syllables. This great mantra is Namah Shivaya. The five syllables
in this mantra are na – maH – shi – vA – ya.
Panchakshari
mantra is of two kinds, viz., Sthula Panchakshara
(Namah Shivaya), and Sukshma Panchakshara (Shivaya Namah. The
mantra Namah Shivaya is chanted to gain worldly objectives.
The mantra Shivaya Namah is chanted to attain
Moksha – Liberation. Saint Vallalar (Ramalinga Swamigal) wrote that when one applies sacred ash on the forehead, one
should say ‘Shivaya Namah,’ because it confers on a devotee good
speech, good company, good qualities, and moksha.
Panchakshara has five letters,
so is Lord Siva with five faces. Depending upon which letter the Panchakshara
is starting with, the Panchakshara gets the name of a face of Lord Iswara from
Pancha Rudram of Vedas. Namah Shivaya is
the Aghora Panchakshara or the Aghora mantra.
As the PanchAkshara Namah
Shivaya is at the core of the Vedas, it is referred to as the Vedic
way PanchAkshara. Shivaya Namah is the PanchAkshara which is
used very much in the Agamic worship of the Lord. So it is referred as the
Agamic (ritualistic) way Panchakshara.
‘Namah’ means ‘Prostration’.
‘Shivaya Namah’ means ‘Prostration unto Lord Shiva’. The Jiva is the servant of
Lord Shiva from the Deha-Drishti. ‘Namah’ represents Jivatma. ‘Shiva’
represents Paramatma. ‘Aya’ denotes ‘Aikyam’ or identity of Jivatma and
Paramatma. Hence ‘Shivaya Namah’ is a Mahavakya, like ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ which
signifies the identity between the individual and the supreme soul.
The five letters denote the five
actions or Pancha Krityas of the Lord, viz., Srishti (creation), Sthiti
(preservation), Samhara (destruction), Tirodhana (veiling) and Anugraha
(blessing). They also denote the five elements and all creations through the
combination of the five elements.
‘Na’ also
represents ego; ‘Ma’, the Mala or impurity; ‘Shi’, Lord Shiva;
‘Va’, the Arul (benevolancet) Shakti; and ‘Ya’, the individual soul (jiva).
Paramahamsa Muktananda
says: ‘Na is the Lord’s concealing grace, Ma is the world, Shi stands for
Siva, Va is His revealing grace, Ya is the soul.’ The five elements,
too, are embodied in this ancient formula for invocation. Na is earth, Ma is
water, Shi is fire, Va is air, and Ya is ether, or akāsa.”
‘Paramahamsa Muktananda also
eloquently explains this point and tells of how the Om Namah Shivaya mantra
benefits one’s mind and spiritual path; he speaks of the nadi’s, the channels
of pranas and the purity of mind. Repeating this mantra rids the mind of tamas
and rajas, making it suitable for lofty spiritual experience.
“Underlying this mantra is a
great secret. As we chant the five syllables Namah Shivaya, the five elements
that comprise the body are purified. Each of the syllables corresponds to one
of these elements: the syllable na to the earth element, the syllable ma to the
water element, the syllable shi to the fire element, the syllable va to the air
element, and the syllable ya to the ether element. Each syllable purifies its corresponding
element. As long as the body and the mind are not completely pure, we cannot
fully benefit from our spiritual practice. Therefore, we repeat Om Namah
Shivaya to help cleanse them.”
In a certain Yoga Magazine,
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati has expounded somewhat on the vibrational
quality of the mantra and its relationship with the main chakras, he says:
“When we repeat the mantra Om
Namah Shivaya, for example, we are not becoming a Shaivite, we are not adoring
or worshipng a deity, but we are stimulating the force of these different
chakras. ” Om” is the sound of ajna chakra which is responsible for clarity,
for creativity, for the intuitive faculty of mind. Ya or Yam is the mantra of
anahata, Va or Vam is the mantra of swadhisthana. Similarly Na, Ma, Sha are
different sounds or syllables corresponding to the different chakras.”
Subramuniyaswami again offers
some elucidation on the mantra’s relationship with the chakras, and other
matters such as Prana and the astral. The sage says that: “When Om Namah Shivaya is repeated, we go through the chakras, Na
Ma Si Va Ya Aum. The Aum is in the head chakra. Within Namah Sivaya is each of
the elements–earth, water, fire, air and ether–which in the mind are transmuted
into all-pervasive consciousness, and that is also transmuted into the great
chakra way above the head at the end of the Aum. In just the breath, the space
of time between the next repetitions of “Aum Namah Sivaya Aum Namah Sivaya Aum
Namah Sivaya,” the Pranas, having reached Parashiva, fall back into the
spiritual, mental, astral and physical worlds, blessing them all with new
energy, new life and new understanding. “Namah Sivaya Aum, Namah Sivaya Aum,
Namah Sivaya Aum, Namah Sivaya Aum” is the constant process of life. It is the
essence of life itself.”
If ‘Aum’ is added to the ‘Namah
Shivaya’ in the beginning, then it becomes Shadakshara or six-lettered Mantra.
‘Aum Namo Mahadevaya’ is the eight-lettered Mantra or Ashtakshara an equivalent
of Om Namo Narayanaya pranva
denotes the external form
(husk) of the Lord (paddy) and Panchakshara, the internal Swarupa (rice).
Pranava and Panchakshara are one. Probably Sri Rudram felt Om is superfluous as Namah Sivaaya alone
is all inclusive and Om is superfluous!
Take bath or wash your face,
hands and feet. Wear Bhasma and Rudraksha Mala. Sit on Padmasana or Sukhasana,
facing East or North, in a quiet place or room. Repeat silently the
Panchakshara and meditate on the form of Lord Shiva. Keep the image in the
heart or space between the eyebrows.
If you practice meditation
regularly, your heart will be purified. All Samskaras and sins will be burnt in
moments. You will attain Shiva-Yoga-Nishtha or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. You will
attain the glorious Shiva-Para or Shiva-Gati and become one with Lord Shiva.
You will enjoy the eternal bliss of Shivanandam and become immortal.
The Mantram in Rudram is Sivaaya namah; Sivataraaya namah. If you are spiritually prepared to elevate yourselves meditate on this Mantra turning to your Inner-net employing your Buddhi (Intellect). If you are on short term program of material benefit start with Bhajan and prayer with the lyric Namah Sivaya with outward disposition and with bells and conch blowing. The second one engages your Manas (mind) with body purity, noise and outward gestures and appeal. We will talk about Mind and Intellect in detail tomorrow. It all depends on our maturity progressing from Kindergarten level and the urgency of our needs! Meditation is a slow process and calls for Antahkarana suddhi which is itself a long and strenuous process! Kayena-vaacha-manasaa or budhyaa-aatmana is left to your status and choice!
Please go
through the Exposition of Siva--No Duality of Siva by David Frawley on the Internet
--February
14, 2020
Shiva
Temple in Colorado, Grand Canyon
“Another
section of the in the so-called ‘haunted canyon’ there are names such as Cheops
pyramid, The Buddha cloister, Buddha Temple, Manu Temple and shiva Temple. What
is so very strange is that the entire areas with these place names are
completely off limits…..a total forbidden zone…..even to park personnel. G.E.
Kinkaid’s report follows. He was a hunter and explorer his whole life
apparently working for 30 years for the Smithsonian. Below are journal excerpts
from his alleged discovery and subsequent adventures in the ‘Cave City’…
This
cliff face is purported to be the location of the cave entrance to the
mysterious underground citadel.
The
entrance is 1,486 feet down the sheer canyon wall. Above a shelf which hid it
from view from the river, was the mouth of the cave. There are steps leading
from this entrance some thirty yards to what was at the time the level of the
river.
Underground Caves in Grand Canyon.
I
gathered a number of relics, which I carried down the Colorado to Yuma, whence
I shipped them to Washington with details of the discovery. Following this,
other explorations were undertaken. So interested have the scientists become,
that preparations are being made to equip our camp for extensive studies, the
number of archaeologists increasing to from 30 to 40.
From
the long main passage, another mammoth chamber has been discovered from which
radiates scores of passageways, like the spokes of a wheel…
Several
hundred rooms have been discovered, reached by passageways running from the
main passage, one of them having been explored for 854 feet and another 634
feet. The recent finds include articles which have never been known as
native to this country, and doubtless they had their origin in the orient. War
weapons, copper instruments, sharp-edged and hard as steel, indicate the high
state of civilization reached by these people.
The
main passageway is about 12 feet wide, narrowing to nine feet toward the
farther end. About 57 feet from the entrance, the first side-passages branch
off to the right and left, along which, on both sides, are a number of rooms
about the size of ordinary living rooms of today, though some are 30 by 40 feet
square. These are entered by oval-shaped doors and are ventilated by round air spaces
through the walls into the passages. The walls are about three feet six inches
in thickness.
The
passages are chiseled or hewn as straight as could be laid out by an engineer.
The ceilings of many of the rooms converge to a center. The side-passages near
the entrance run at a sharp angle from the main hall, but toward the rear they
gradually reach a right angle in direction.
Over a
hundred feet from the entrance is the cross-hall, several hundred feet long, in
which are found the idol, or image, of the people’s god, sitting
cross-legged, with a lotus flower or lily in each hand. The cast of the
face is oriental. The idol almost resembles Buddha, though the scientists are
not certain as to what religious worship it represents. Taking into
consideration everything found thus far, it is possible that this worship most
resembles the ancient people of Tibet.
Surrounding
this idol are smaller images, some very beautiful in form, others
crooked-necked and distorted shapes, symbolical, probably, of good and evil.
There are two large cactus with protruding arms, one on each side of the dais
on which the god squats. All this is carved out of hard rock resembling marble.
In the
opposite corner of this cross-hall were found tools of all descriptions, made
of copper. These people undoubtedly knew the lost art of hardening this metal,
which has been sought by chemicals for centuries without result.
On a
bench running around the workroom was some charcoal and other material probably
used in the process. There is also slag and stuff similar to matte, showing
that these ancients smelted ores, but so far no trace of where or how this was
done has been discovered, nor the origin of the ore.
Among
the other findings are vases or urns and cups of copper and gold, very artistic
in design. The pottery work includes enameled ware and glazed vessels.
Another
passageway leads to granaries such as are found in the oriental temples. They
contain seeds of various kinds. One very large storehouse has not yet been
entered, as it is twelve feet high and can be reached only from above.
Two
copper hooks extend on the edge, which indicates that some sort of ladder was
attached. These granaries are rounded, as the materials of which they are
constructed, I think, is a very hard cement. A gray metal is also found in this
cavern, which puzzles the scientists, for its identity has not been
established. It resembles platinum. Strewn promiscuously over the floor
everywhere are what people call “cats eyes’, a yellow stone of no great value.
Each one is engraved with the head of the Malay type.
Carved
on all the urns, over doorways, and tablets of stone, are mysterious
hieroglyphics, the key to which the Smithsonian Institute hopes to discover.
The engravings on the tablets probably has something to do with the religion of
the people. Similar hieroglyphics have been found in southern Arizona.
Among
the pictorial writings, only two animals are found – one of them looking
prehistoric.
The
tomb or crypt in which the mummies were found is one of the largest of the
chambers, the walls slanting back at an angle of about 35 degrees. On these are
tiers of mummies, each one occupying a separate hewn shelf. At the head of each
is a small bench, on which is found copper cups and pieces of broken swords.
Some of the mummies are covered with clay and all are wrapped in a bark fabric.
The
urns or cups on the lower tiers are crude, while as the higher shelves are
reached, the urns are finer in design, showing a later stage of civilization.
It is worthy of note that all the mummies examined so far have proved to be
male, no children or females being buried here. This leads to the belief that
this exterior section was the warriors’ barracks.
Among
the discoveries no bones of animals have been found, no skins, no clothing, no
bedding. Many of the rooms are bare but for water vessels.
One
room, about 40 by 700 feet, was probably the main dining hall, for cooking
utensils are found here. What these people lived on is a problem, though it is
presumed that they came south in the winter and farmed in the valleys, going
back north in the summer.
Upwards
of 50,000 people could have lived in the caverns comfortably. One theory is
that the present Indian tribes found in Arizona are descendants of the serfs or
slaves of the people who inhabited the cave.
Undoubtedly
a good many thousands of years before the Christian era, people lived
here which reached a high stage of civilization. The chronology of human
history is full of gaps.
One
thing I have not spoken of, may be of interest. There is one chamber of the
passageway which is not ventilated, and when we approached it a deadly, snaky
smell struck us. Our light would not penetrate the room, and until stronger
ones are available we will not know what the chamber contains. Some say snakes
but others think it my--Citation.
The Secret of Nagas. Written by Amish Tripathi.
--February 11, 2020
Comments:
Very
interesting Sir to know. Thanks for sharing such a rare news.
--Nashville
Naga Rajan
Very
interesting. I think the archaeologists should continue to explore and discover
more details of this place. I am trying to share your litter on Facebook.
--Sapthagireesan
************
MAHASIVARATHRI
Maha
Shivratri is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark fortnight of the Māgha
month, as per the Hindu lunar calendar as a day of devotion to Lord Shiva.
Shiva is the one-third of the holy trinity – the Destroyer among the creator,
Brahma, and sustainer Vishnu.
He is called the destroyer as he destroys negative presences such as evil,
ignorance, and death. This year it falls on February 21.
Why is Shivaratri
Celebrated?
It is
believed that Shivaratri falls on such auspicious day in the northern
hemisphere that it raises a person’s spiritual power. Maha Shivaratri is also
celebrated marking the convergence of Shiva and Shakti. Maha Shivaratri also celebrates
the night when Lord Shiva performed the “Tandav”, the cosmic dance. Here are
the various Puranic views and theories on how and why Shivaratri exists.
The
Legend of Neelakantha
The
Samudra Manthana process released a number of things from the Ocean of Milk.
One was the lethal poison known as Halahala, which in some versions of the
story, escaped from the mouth of the serpent king as the demons and gods
churned. This terrified the gods and demons because the poison was so powerful
that it could destroy all of creation. Then the gods approached Shiva for
protection. Shiva consumed the poison to protect the three worlds but it burned
the throat of Shiva. The Gods danced in order to protect Shiva from the harmful
effect of the poison and keep him awake for a night. The poison eventually
didn’t harm Shiva but turned his neck blue. This was when he got the name
Neelkantha. Since then, the night is celebrated as Maha Shivratri. Such was his
greatness and selflessness
Shiva
Tandava
According
to another popular legend, Maha Shivaratri is the night when Shiva performs the
heavenly dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. The chanting of
hymns, the reading of Shiva scriptures by devotees joins this cosmic dance. It
is believed that on the 13th day of each bright lunar fortnight (see Hindu
calendar), after 6 o’clock in the evening, falls a sacred hour called Pradosha.
Worshiping Shiva at this time is akin to worshiping all the powers of Shiva,
for this is the time when all the gods are believed to have assembled on
Kailash to lose them in the ecstasy of Nataraja’s dance.
He
dances the dance of creation, the dance of destruction, the dance of solace and
liberation. Beneath his left foot ignorance is crushed; from his head springs
the life-giving waters. His are the flames, the moon, the drum, and the lotus.
His mount is the white bull, and the tiger has given its skin to gird his
loins. Serpents coil about his limbs, and from his right-hand flows the promise
of release. This dance is not just a symbol. It takes place within each of us
at the atomic level at every moment. The birth of the world, its maintenance,
its destruction, the covering of the soul and its revelation…these are the five
acts of this dance. All that has been made will be unmade, and all that has
been destroyed will be resurrected. Shiva tandava stotram talks about Lord Shiva’s Dance.
Maha
Shivaratri – The union of Shiva and Parvati
After the
death of Sati, his first wife, Shiva missed her sorely and went into deep
mourning and isolation. But he did not know that she had come back as Parvati.
King of Gods, Indra, sends the god Kama – the Hindu god of desire, erotic love,
attraction, and affection, to awake Shiva from meditation. The Kama reaches
Shiva and shoots an arrow of desire. Shiva opens his third eye in his forehead
and burns the cupid Kama to ashes. Parvati does not lose her hope or her
resolve to win over Shiva. She begins to live in mountains like Shiva, engages
in the same activities as Shiva, one of asceticism, yogini, and tapasi. This
draws the attention of Shiva and awakens his interest. He meets her in
disguised form (Brahmachari
Avatar of Shiva), tries to discourage her, telling her
Shiva’s weaknesses and personality problems. Parvati refuses to listen and
insists on her resolve. Shiva finally accepts her and they get married. Lord
Shiva took Suntantarka
Avatar to ask the hand of Parvati in marriage from her father
Himalaya. Apparently, Shiva dedicates the following hymn in Parvati’s
honor,
I am the sea and you the wave, You are Prakṛti, and I Purusha.
The
marriage was sanctified a day before Amavasya in the month of Phalgun. This day
of the union of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated as Maha Shivaratri every year.
Mahashivaratri
is considered more than a ritual as it dispels ignorance, and makes one aware
of the universe. It also indicates the onset of the spring after cold and harsh
winter. So make this Shivaratri about the awakenings of your inner well- being
and connect to the universe spiritually.
"The
8.64 billion years that mark a full day-and-night cycle in Brahma’s life is
about half the modern estimate for the age of the universe. The ancient Hindus
believed that each Brahma day and each Brahma night lasted 72,000 kalpas
or 4.32 billion years, with equaling a Brahma century, 311,040 billion years in
all. That the Hindus could conceive of the universe in
terms of billions.
The
similarities between Indian and modern cosmology do not seem accidental. Perhaps
ideas of creation from nothing, or alternating cycles of creation and
destruction are hardwired in the human psyche. Certainly Shiva’s percussive
drumbeat suggests the sudden energetic impulse that could have propelled
the big bang. And if, as some theorists have proposed, the big bang is merely
the prelude to the big crunch and the universe is caught in an infinite cycle
of expansion and contraction, then ancient Indian cosmology is clearly cutting
edge compared to the one-directional vision of the big bang. The infinite
number of Hindu universes is currently called the many world hypothesis, which
is no less undocumentable nor unthinkable-"-Dick Teresi
Certainly
Shiva’s percussive drumbeat suggests the sudden energetic impulse that
could have propelled the big bang. And if, as some theorists have proposed, the
big bang is merely the prelude to the big crunch and the universe is caught in
an infinite cycle of expansion and contraction, then ancient Indian cosmology
is clearly cutting edge compared to the one-directional vision of the big bang.
The infinite number of Hindu universes is currently called the many world
hypothesis,which is no less undocumentable nor unthinkable. In his
landmark TV series Cosmos, Carl
Sagan called Hinduism the only religion whose time-scale
for the universe matches the billions of years documented by modern science.
Sagan filmed that segment in a Hindu temple featuring a statue of the god
Shiva as the cosmic dancer, an image that now stands in the plaza of the European
Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva."
Shiva
Mahadeva is ultimately a deity that represents the non-dualistic Absolute
beyond all the contraries and oppositions of this dualistic world of time,
space, and karma. He is the force of transcendent unity that is more than the
combination of opposites and holds simultaneously the power of both sides of
all dualities.
Shiva
is a deity who transcends duality in his very nature, appearance and
manifestation – which also requires that he embraces all dualities and resolves
them back into himself. This for the dualistic mind caught in outer
differences and distinctions makes difficult to understand Shiva as
Soonyam or Paramalinga, who is worshiped and meditated upon by the mantra
Paramalingaya Namah. included in 22 Shivopasana mantras. Paramalingaya Namah is
chanted to attain the status of Moksha (Moha+Kshaya=Muoksha) and by
that Mukti, atman joining the source ending repeated births and deaths--atmaaya
namah atmalingaaya namah! when Atma join the periphery of Linga its
individuality is lost attaining Mukti. Shiva appears as dazzling Crystal
(Sphatika) Lingodhbhava Murti on Mahasivaratri night with no end or
beginning.
Sphatika Lingam temples are: 1) Thillai Nataraja
Temple; 2) Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai; 3) Ramanathaswamy
Temple, Rameshwaram; 4) Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchipuram; 5)
SwetharanyeswararTemle, Thiruvenkadu; 6) Sankara Narayanan Temple,
Sankarankovil; 7) Parkasheshwar Mahadedev Mandir; Dehradun 8) Kadavul
Temple, Hawaii, USA
For
more details and popular stories go through the detailed discourse: Please
also go through No Duality of Shiva by David Frawley.
--February 9, 2020
*************
AUPA 56
MAHASIVARATHRI & ENSUING BIRTHDAY OF RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA
May
I draw your attention to the opening text in AUPA 56 by Swami Chidananda that
calls for 20/20 perfect vision in this year 2020. If you remove two zeros
in 2020 it becomes 22. Shiva is Soonyam perceived as Hiranyagarbha in LINGA
form of oval shape! We are not able perceive Siva who is Sunyam in Linga
form (0) because of your 22 bad habits that are clouding our perfect vision.
Strangely there are 22 Shivopasana mantras in Mahanarayan upanishad to clear
this cloud has this mantra inspired the thoughts of Robin Sharma? Only Swmiji
can tell!
Robin
Sharma, the famous author of The Monk advises his followers in a recent video
on getting rid of bad habits and living a new life marked by good habits.
He claims that it takes 22 days of diligent practice to destroy a bad
habit, another 22 days to install a new, good habit and lastly yet another 22
days to integrate the new with the whole of our life.
In
view of Shivarātri that is around the corner, I connect the first step
‘destroy’ with Lord Shiva. The flame that emerges from the third eye of Lord
Shiva perhaps symbolizes intense and clear seeing, on our part, of the
tremendous damage a bad habit has caused to us all these years in our life. If
we truly perceive the harm that wrong ways of thinking, speaking and acting
have brought about, that perception helps us destroy our sinful tendencies.
“You
cannot awaken to this liberating wisdom unless you quit your evil practices,”
warns the Kathopanishad-- purushāt + na param kinchid, sā kāsthā sā parā
gatih – Katha Upanishad, 1.3.11. That is one of the many places where an
Upanishad connects morality with Self- knowledge. Dharma is shown to be the
stepping stone to Moksha. Our struggle begins with the exercise of will but the
elimination of disorder truly takes place in the light of understanding. The
Lord declares in no uncertain terms, “The divine qualities lead to liberation.
Endless bondage is the result of staying with wrong behavior.” May we live in
awareness! May direct perception of our flawed thoughts help us move away from
bad conduct! May Shiva be victorious in this inner battle! --Swāmi
Chidānanda”
I
believe Robin Sharma should have been inspired by the following 22 Veda mantras
given in Mahanarayana Upanishad which needs to be repeated for 22 days after
purification ceremony of Aachamana which Swami Chidananda is bringing to
our knowledge.
22
SHIVOPASANA MANTRAS
nidhanapataye namaḥ . nidhanapatāntikāya namaḥ .ūrdhvāya namaḥ . ūrdhvaliṅgāya namaḥ .
hiraṇyāya namaḥ . hiraṇyaliṅgāya namaḥ .suvarṇāya namaḥ . suvarṇaliṅgāya namaḥ .
divyāya namaḥ . divyaliṅgāya namaḥ .bhavāya namaḥ. bhavaliṅgāya namaḥ .
śarvāya namaḥ . śarvaliṅgāya namaḥ .śivāya namaḥ . śivaliṅgāya namaḥ .
jvalāya namaḥ . jvalaliṅgāya namaḥ .atmāya namaḥ . ātmaliṅgāya namaḥ .
paramāya namaḥ . paramaliṅgāya namaḥ .
hiraṇyāya namaḥ . hiraṇyaliṅgāya namaḥ .suvarṇāya namaḥ . suvarṇaliṅgāya namaḥ .
divyāya namaḥ . divyaliṅgāya namaḥ .bhavāya namaḥ. bhavaliṅgāya namaḥ .
śarvāya namaḥ . śarvaliṅgāya namaḥ .śivāya namaḥ . śivaliṅgāya namaḥ .
jvalāya namaḥ . jvalaliṅgāya namaḥ .atmāya namaḥ . ātmaliṅgāya namaḥ .
paramāya namaḥ . paramaliṅgāya namaḥ .
etatsomasya sūryasya
sarvaliṅgaɱ sthāpayati pāṇimantraṁ pavitram ..
-- Mahanarayana Upanishad
By these twenty-two names ending with
salutations, devas consecrate the Śivaliṅga
for all— the Liṅga
which is representative of soma and sūrya, and holding which in the hand holy
formulas are repeated and which purifies all.
Here there are twenty-two salutations
suffixed to the twenty-two Divine Names uttered at the time of the consecration
of the emblem of Śivaliṅga
in a public temple, or at home for private worship, or on the body of a devotee
of Śiva: 1. The Lord of the dissolution of the universe—Śiva is here considered
as the aspect of the Supreme responsible for the final dissolution of the
universe. 2. The end-maker or Nidhanapati is Yama, who is responsible
for the death of all creatures. At the time of universal absorption Śiva alone
remains, the whole pantheon of gods including Yama being retracted into Him. 3.
The Most High, standing at the head of the categories, which evolve into the
universe, namely Śiva who is the unity of Power and Power-holder. 4. The
principle of Sadāśiva embodying the power of Intelligence. 5. He who is
beneficial and charming to creatures.6. He who is visualized as the Linga
made of Gold. 7. He who is endowed with attractive splendor. 8. He who is of
the form of Liṅga made of silver. 9. He who is the
source of bliss in heaven. 10. He who is worshipped in the paradise as the Liṅga. 11. He who is the source of
the cycle of birth and death. 12. He who is worshipped as the Liṅga by human beings. 13. He who is
the suppresser of the universe at the time of final dissolution. 14. He
who has the shape of the Liṅga
emblem of Śarva, who gives bliss. 15. He who is most auspicious. 16. He who has
the form of Śiva Liṅga.
17. He who has the form of a flaming splendor. 18. He who has the form of the
brilliant Liṅga. 19. He who is the Spirit (Ātman)
dwelling in all creatures. 20. He who is concealed in the heart of all
creatures being their inmost Self. 21. He who is unsurpassed. 22. He who is the
Supreme Lord of bliss and liberation indicated by the Liṅga emblem.
The term Liṅga in Sanskrit means an
indicating mark or emblem which symbolically represents that for which it
stands. Śiva Liṅga
represents the Supreme Being denoted by the word Rudra Mahādeva.
The Chāṇḍogya
III 19 1 describes that the whole universe was hatched out of a golden egg,
which lay a complete year before it brought forth offspring. The spherical dome
of the heavens above, appearing to us capping the earth on which we live, may
be likened to an enormous semi-section of an egg containing the world. Perhaps
this golden egg landed itself to be fancied as the visible symbol of the
limitless all-inclusive Divine Reality into which the manifold universe was
believed to be reabsorbed at the end.
The Liṅga
which is worshipped by the devotee of Śiva is but a handy replica or a
convenient diminutive form of the universal semi-spherical emblem of the
Unlimited.
Śiva Liṅga
may be carved out of stone, naturally found as stalagmite, or shaped out of
gold, metal and the like. The Liṅga,
therefore, is a symbol concealing a truth behind. Most auspicious
is Crystal (Sphatika) Linga for divine vision and worship about which I will
talk soon.
Mahasivaratri
is celebrated on February 21 and Ramakrishna’s Birthday on February 25 in
2020.
But
why Swamiji speaks about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa here? “Gurur Brahma
gurur Vihnu gurur devo Maheswarah” goes well with the theme of his E-mail!
Sri
Ramakrishna was born three days after Shivaratri, on 18 February 1836, a
few minutes before the sunrise. Just as at the birth of the incarnation of this
age, a light spread over the world, so, even today, the light of knowledge is
spreading to every corner of the world, dispelling the hordes of darkness in
the forms of ignorance. As soon as the baby Ramakrishna was born, Dhani, the
midwife, placed him on the floor to attend to the mother. On turning her
attention to the child, she was surprised to find that he had somehow rolled
into the fireplace, and was lying there all covered with ashes – like Lord Shiva!
If our goal is God, the ashes symbolize the turning away from (or burning of)
the sensual, a renunciation of the worldly to attain the spiritual. One Puranic
story tells how Lord Shiva burnt to ashes the god of love (that is, sensual
delights). Describing Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother said that renunciation was
the jewel of Sri Ramakrishna. Kshudiram, the father of Sri Ramakrishna,
named the child ‘Shambhuchandra’, one of the names of Lord Shiva.
Probably
Swamiji wants us to add to the above 22 mantra paramaaya namah and
parmahamsaya namah. I spoke in my last discourse on Hamsavatara what
paramahamsa means: Paramahamsa is
a religious-theological title of honor in Sanskrit awarded
to Sanatana Dharma spiritual teachers who are enlightened. The swan
is a symbol of purity and transcendence in Vedanta. The title literally means
"supreme swan”. The word is compounded of Sanskrit parama
meaning 'supreme' or 'transcendent' and Sanskrit hamsa
meaning Swan or goose. The prefix parama is the same element seen
in Parameswara, an epithet for GOD. I will talk about Mahasivaratri soon.
Please
go through the inspiring spiritual thoughts contained in AUPA collections
by clicking on the spot.
Shiva
Mahadeva is ultimately a deity that represents the non-dualistic beyond all the
contraries and oppositions of this dualistic world of time, space, and karma.
He is the force of transcendent unity that is more than the combination of
opposites and holds simultaneously the power of both sides of all dualities.
Shiva
is a deity who transcends duality in his very nature, appearance and
manifestation – which also requires that he embraces all dualities and resolves
them back into himself. This makes Shiva difficult to understand for the
dualistic mind caught in outer differences and distinction without 20/20 Divine
Vision.
Tatpurushaaya vidmahe Mahaadevaaya
dheemahi tannoe rudrah prachoedayaat || (from Panchbrahma mantra)
We meditate upon that Purusha who is
Naraayana. For that we meditate on Mahadeva. May the Lord Rudra fulfill by
invigorating us! [In Mahaanaarayana Upanishad Purusha is referred to as
Naaraayana or Supreme Brahman or Paramaatman. Rutaat traayate iti Rudrah--One
who dispels all our miseries.
--February
8, 2020
**********
Do not prepare the Road for
the Children--Prepare the Children for the Road.
We
send our children to schools for IQ, EQ and SQ intelligence. Knowing the
deficiency in modern American educational system having only focus on IQ people
send them to Sunday schools to acquire EQ and SQ to live in peace but not in
pieces. Some of the Hindu American parents also try to send their
children to get exposed to Spirituality through Veda, Upanishads and Puranas in
Sunday schools that are packed with EQ and SQ. This needs focus essentially on:
sanghacchadvam samvadadvam samaanamaakootih; aatmavat sarvabhooteshu;
krinvanto viswamaaryam; aa no bhadrantu kratavah yantu viswatah; vasudhaiva
kutumbakam; Devo ekah; eko viprah bahuda vadanti; sarvejanah sukhino bhavantu;
ahimsa paramo dharmah etc. I have explained them in detail repeatedly
that should be ringing in your ears all the time.
An
industrial psychologist has the following advice. I thought it would be selfish
of me not to share, particularly the part that says ... “do not prepare the
road for the children. Prepare the children for the road.” Here goes
*There
are three types of intelligence*
*Intelligent
Quotient (IQ)*
*Emotional Quotient (EQ)*
*Social Quotient (SQ)*
*Emotional Quotient (EQ)*
*Social Quotient (SQ)*
1.
*Intelligent Quotient (IQ)*: this is what helps one to "know book",
solve Maths; memorize things and recall subject matters.
*2.
Emotional Quotient (EQ)*: this is what makes someone to be able to maintain
peace with others; keep to time; be responsible; be honest; respect boundaries;
be humble, genuine and considerate.
3.
*Social Quotient (SQ):* this is what makes people to be able to build networks
of friends and maintain them over a long period of time.
People
that have higher EQ and SQ tend to go farther in life than those with high IQ
but low EQ and SQ. Most schools capitalize on improving IQ level while EQ and
SQ are down played.
A
person of high IQ can end up being employed by a person of high EQ and SQ even
though he/she has an average IQ.
Your
EQ represents your character; your SQ represents your fame. Give in to habits
that will improve these three Qs but more especially your EQ and SQ.
EQ
and SQ enable one to manage better than the other.
Please
don't teach children only to be IQ but also to be EQ and SQ.
Now there is a
4th one:
A new
paradigm
4. *The
Adversity Quotient (AQ)*: that makes people go through a rough patch in life
and come out without losing their centers.
The
AQ determines who will give up in times of challenges, who will abandon their
family or who will consider suicide
To
parents:
Expose
children to other areas of life than just the academics. They should adore
manual work (which should never be used as a form of punishment), sport and
art. Develop their EQ, SQ and AQ. They should become multi-faceted and
well-rounded human beings able to do things independently of their parents.
They should prepare a base for spiritual awakening in their life and suitably
blend it with their physical and mental activities.
Finally,
do not prepare the Road for the children. Prepare the Children for the Road.
In
the garb of teaching of World History besides American History most of what is
called Hinduism taught in American schools and colleges continues an old
denigrating colonial narrative that ignores the contribution of Hinduism
to Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda and the great spiritual, philosophical and
artistic traditions of the Hindu mind. This must be challenged while
focusing on EQ, SQ, Religion and Spirituality and properly guide the children
from the start. Also we must keep our
eyes open to the media bias, particularly through popular progressive media
outlets like The New York Times, NPR, The Guardian, Democracy Now, Economist
and The Washington Post in USA to which we as well as our children have access
directly as well as indirectly not understanding Sanatana Dharma that gave
birth to Hinduism as well as other World Religions.
This
may be equally applicable to other parents from different parts of the globe.
They should assess their own situation and take necessary corrective action.
--February 7, 2020
***********
LIFE AFTER DEATH
For Centuries together doctors, scientists, philosophers have been
fascinated about life after death. As part of some experiments conducted by
research labs across the top universities and research centers around the
world, volunteers recorded what near-death experience, or an out-of-body
experience would feel like. There were records of people who actually went
through a near-death experience in real time after an accident or a trauma. The
conclusions state a sense of lightness as feather, bluish-tinted white light,
peace and silence, awaiting love larger than life as we know now. What did our
Rishis (truth seekers, ancient scientists) record about life after death after
meditating upon truths governing the existence?
Souls live forever. There is no death to soul. However, a soul
keeps moving from one body to another based on the extent to which it
associates itself to the physical plane (the five elements of nature, prakrithi).
As long as the soul continues to associate itself to nature, the bodies that it
travels in are all limited to the scope of nature. The strength of the
association with nature keeps it ignorant of its divine and natural plane of
eternal joy and knowledge. Thus, the soul ends up connecting itself to the
changes in its body (the disease or death, pain or pleasure, happiness or
sadness) as its own.
Can a soul ever attain a special body which has no such
limitations?
Certainly! When a soul attains moksha, he/she gets a
special body which is completely free from all such limitations. The soul
enjoys a state of bliss along with God (brahma:nandam).
What is unique about the special divine body?
The special divine body enables a soul to enjoy 8 main attributes (ashta
gunas).
Aphathapaapmaa
|
[not
prone to any sins]
|
Vijaraha
|
[no
aging]
|
Vimrutyuhu
|
[no
death]
|
Viso:kaha
|
[no
sadness]
|
Vijighatsaha
|
[no
hunger]
|
Apipasaha
|
[no
thirst]
|
Satya
Kamaha
|
[virtuous
desires]
|
Satya
Sankalpaha
|
[achiever,
no failures]
|
God’s compassion in supporting the souls to reach the state of
bliss is beyond our comprehension. The only blocker is our ignorance of this
wisdom, keeping us in a state of ego – forgetting God as the supreme source of
the existence. This is what binds us with bodies that are made of attributes of
nature (earth, fire, water, air, space), versus attributes of
divinity (jnana and aananda resulting from the ashta gunas).
Do we then become as powerful as God?
There is one difference between a liberated soul and God. The
power to create, sustain, and dissolve (to recreate) the existence rests with
God alone. Any liberated soul is not burdened with these abilities. A
liberated soul is never proud of the power it holds or its state, but it
remains submissive to God. Such a soul has no other objective than being
aligned to God’s will. This union with God is the true and natural state of
any soul.
The ability to understand beyond death and think of life after
current body is given only to human beings. Don’t miss this chance. When
you are given a question paper in an examination hall, there is a predefined
limit of time to answer the questions and submit. Similarly, when you are in
the human body, you have a predefined time frame, utilize this time for the right
purpose. Do what is recommended in order to elevate yourself from the current
state to a better state (jeevanam to ujjeevanam) to attain a goal of
being free from limitations (moksha or mohat kshaya). Ultimately,
the power and freedom you attain is to support souls like you in attaining the
same, as per the will of God. Such a fulfilling and beautiful desire to have,
isn’t it?
For this reason Parasara Bhattar (the son of Veda Vyas)
says, “durlabho: ma:nusho: dehina:m de:hiha”--Human
body is rare and precious…! --Chinna Jeer
--February
4, 2040
Comments:
Very
nice
--Bindu
Shroff
Interesting
--Vimala
Batra
**********
World’s
Oldest Temple Gobekli Turkey Built by Brahmins
Gobelki
Ruins, Turkey. “Göbekli Tepe, Urfa” by Teomancimit – Own work. Licensed under
CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons –
Shiva
connection in Haran in Turkey, Murugan was worshiped in Iraq, Narasimha and
Tamil connection in Syria, Lord Rama’s name in Sumeria’s King List.
Now on
Gobekli Tepe, the remains in Turkey has a Temple, Burial worship Ground.
“Six miles from Urfa, an ancient city in
southeastern Turkey, Klaus Schmidt has made one of the most startling
archaeological discoveries of our time: massive carved stones about 11,000
years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed
metal tools or even pottery. The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000
years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist
who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it’s the site of the
world’s oldest temple’
Nevalı
Çori was an early Neolithic settlement on the middle Euphrates, in
Şanlıurfa Province, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. The site is famous for
having some of the world’s oldest known temples and monumental sculpture.
Together with the earlier site of Göbekli Tepe, it has revolutionized
scientific understanding of the Eurasian Neolithic.
The
settlement was located about 490 m above sea level, in the foothills of the
Taurus Mountains, on both banks of the Kantara stream, a tributary of the
Euphrates.
Note
the name Kantara, name of Kandhari, wife of Dhritarashtra, Mahabharata.
Nevali
Cori may be a distortion of ‘Na-Valay-Akriti’ or “Na-Valay-Akrit’ Nevali Cori
ruins, Brahmin with tuft.
‘Na’ (न) as in ‘Not’. ‘Valay’ (वलय) is Sanskrit for
‘Bracelet-like or Circular’. ‘Akriti’ (आकृति) is ‘shape’ or ‘design’. Nevali-Cori may be
‘Na-Valayakrit’ (न-वलयीकृत) which
means ‘Not shaped like a bracelet or not-circular ‘. Nevali Cori is said to be
closest in design to Kalasasaya Temple [Sanskrit: Kala (Time) + Sasaya (Good
Wish or to be desired)]. Kalasasaya Temple is also rectangular in shape.
Nevali
Cori may also be a distortion of the Sanskrit ‘naval’ (नवल) meaning ‘new’ and ‘akriti’ (आकृति) meaning ‘shape’ or ‘design’ and
could be a reference to an architectural design which was new and different
from what was prevalent at the time.
The
Yazdis.
The
Yazidis perform a form of Sandhyavandana.
Yazidis
have five daily prayers:
Nivêja
berîspêdê (the Dawn Prayer), Nivêja rojhilatinê (the Sunrise Prayer), Nivêja
nîvro (the Noon Prayer), Nivêja êvarî (the Afternoon Prayer), Nivêja rojavabûnê
(the Sunset Prayer). However, most Yezidis observe only two of these, the
sunrise and sunset prayers.
Worshipers
should turn their face toward the sun, and for the noon prayer, they should
face toward Laliş. Such prayer should be accompanied by certain gestures,
including kissing the rounded neck (gerîvan) of the sacred shirt (kiras). The
daily prayer services must not be performed in the presence of outsiders, and
are always performed in the direction of the sun. Wednesday is the holy day,
but Saturday is the day of rest. There is also a three-day fast in
December.’
The
Yazidis worship Malak Ṭāʾūs, Peacock and Peacock is the vehicle of Lord Subrahmanya.
Sapta
Rishis in Yazidis.
Hinduism
has seven Rishis and they are entrusted with the task of laying down rules for
each Aeon, Yuga.
Yazidis
believe in,
“Two
key and interrelated features of Yazidism are: a) a preoccupation with
religious purity and b) a belief in metempsychosis. The first of these is
expressed in the system of caste, the food laws, the traditional preferences
for living in Yazidi communities, and the variety of taboos governing many
aspects of life. The second is crucial; Yazidis traditionally believe that the
Seven Holy Beings are periodically reincarnated in human form, called a koasasa.”
Citation.
Mitra is the Sun God according to Persian lore also.
Vedic religion is the oldest historically and therefore pretty much anything
historical can be traced back to Vedic cultural practices. Even the North
American Indians are related to our Vedic Culture if you observe some of their
cultural beliefs and practices. e. g. Crows are our ancestors!
--February 2, 2020
Comments:
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev had in one of
his videos has said he had personally visited this Shiva ling Shiva temple in
Turkey. Thank you for this interesting
information.
--A N Sapthagireesan
**********
SPIRITUAL HAMSAVATARA OF VISHNU,
HAMSA YOGA FOR MUKTI AND HAMSADHWANI AS SWAN’S SONG
Hamsa is a swan like mythical bird, inhabiting the Manasa Lake in the
Himalayan Heights that is regarded as a celestial being,
symbolizing purity, freedom, wisdom, and salvation. In the Vedas, it is the
vehicle for the divine physician, the Asvins, and is reputed to be capable of
separating the Soma juice from the water, when the two fluids are mixed up. In
the Puranic period, it became the mount of Brahma, Sarasvati, and
Brhmaani. It is a popular mount for Vishnu deities in Brahmotsava temple
tradition.
Hamsa also refers to the universal spirit or individual Self. In the
Ajapaajapa Gaayatri articulation, the soul is constantly engaged in
articulating “ham” and “sa”, during breathing out and breathing in
respectively.
Interestingly
Sa and Ha are the last two alphabets of the Sanskrit Language of 48 alphabets.
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that among alphabets he is “Aa”
(aksharaanaam akaaarosmi). If it is so he is also “Ha” the last letter
pervading all the 48 alphabets.
The phrase "swan song" in English is a reference to an
ancient belief that the Mute Swan (Cygnus Color) is completely mute during its
lifetime until the moment just before it dies, when it sings one beautiful
song!
Hamsa as the
sounds of Prana combines mantra and Prana in various forms of Hamsa Yoga. Hamsa
mantras serve to awaken the inner consciousness and aid the soul in its
ascension to Divinity. They are perhaps unparalleled in this regard. They are
commonly used to promote Shiva awareness, to stimulate the Kundalini, and open
the chakras.
The essence of the Hamsa mantra in Vedas is contained in the formula haṁ-saḥ
which establishes the identity of the Self in man and the Deity in the
sun (Supreme).
Although in the common usage the word Haṁsa denotes a
swan, in religious literature it stands for the Self, finite as well as
Infinite because of their uniqueness and unity.
The Sun is called Haṁsa because he
moves everywhere; his abode is heaven, he is the animating power of air in the
mid-region.
As the necessary ingredient of a sacrifice in the shape of fire, he
dwells in the sacrificial altar and also in the civil fire to be tended like an
honored guest, and as Vaiśvānara he dwells in men and gods.
While gods like Indra are invisible, the sun is directly visible to
all. He rises in the eastern mountain. His presence is known by the rays and by
the submarine heat of water.
Please go through the detailed discourse posted on the Blog:
--February 2, 2020
**************
THIS BUSINESS OF BEING A DOER (Kartritva
bhaava)
Swamiji says below: “Middle level students get
busy with a variety of topics where there is doer-ship that needs to be ended.
For them, liberation is the exciting goal; the light at the end of the
tunnel. Beginners with raw understanding of spirituality struggle with
doing good, earning merit and with avoiding bad actions, reducing sin”. I just
received the above message when I had just finished my discourse that I
circulated to a few in draft form focusing on the recent amazing scientific
discovery that we are all of the same mixed genes. This just reflects the truth
atmavat sarvabhooteshu understood in the context of isavasyamidam sarvam.
In my discourse I also
drew the attention of my readers the following message from recent awakening “Awesome
without allah”. They did not capitalize “a” in the word Allah.
“allah” in Kannada means UNTRUTH. Islam means submission to this
Untruth. That is what is happening today!
EXMNA feels ditching Islam as is tutored today (submission to
Untruth) is a necessary step toward a truly human life for millions of Muslims
all over the world, and EXMNA is helping many to take that step. “We want
closeted ex-Muslims to know they are not alone,” says Sarah Haider, EXMNA’s
Executive Director. “We also want them to know that while the prospect of
coming out as nonreligious is frightening, there is a light at the end of the
tunnel. You can make it to the other side, you can rebuild your life and find
joy in the freedom from religion”. If you care about fostering a peaceful,
secular, civilized world, you must help EXMNA share its beautiful message.
“Hopefully, this will lead us toward Enlightenment within the Muslim world,”
says Syed.
Swamiji is leading us to the “light at the end of this tunnel”
they are looking for which is the central theme of his discourse which this
desperate group coming out of walled religion do need.
May I draw your attention to a mantra in Svetasvatara Upanishad
that reflects the Gita in this context:
sarva-karmåni manaså
sannyasyåste sukham vasee | nava-dvåre pure dehî naiva kurvan na kårayan (5-13)
By mentally renouncing all
actions, a sense-controlled living being can happily reside within the material
body (the city of nine gates), neither acting nor causing others to act.
Navadvaare pure dehee hamso
lolaayate bahih | vasee sarvasya lokasdya svaasthasya charasya cha || (Sv. Up.
3-18)
The Jivatman who is embodied wanders being deluded in the city
of nine gates. But the Lord of all this Universe (Vidhartara) of both moving
and non-moving entities is beyond that Jivatman.
Gita echoes Svetavatara Upanishad about which we spoke at
length long time before.
The fact of having hands and feet everywhere is attributed to the
Jivatman also who is divested of all imperfections. So it may be doubted
that the pure Jivatman himself may be the Lord and controller of all. To dispel
this doubt this mantra posits these two viz. Jivatman and Paramatman are
sitting on the same tree are of quite different natures. The Jivatman (Self) is
identifying itself with the body, which is thoroughly different from the
Supreme, which is like a city with nine gates and so migrates from body
to body. Hamsa here means that migrating mobile Jivatman. we will talk
about Hamsa Avatar tomorrow. So the Supreme is beyond all this as the
Ordained of the scheme of Samsara consisting of stationary and moving
entities. The next mantra says even in the absence of hands, feet and
others (apaanipaado, javano) the Supreme is capable of doing those functions
and he is not fully known by others. He is called Mahapurusha who is the first
cause of this Universe--Sa vetti vedyam na cha tasyaasti vetta
tamaahuragryam purusham mahantam.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within the
body of a living entity, is the controller of all living entities all over the
Universe. The body consists of nine gates: two Eyes; two Ears; two Nostrils;
one Mouth; the Anus and the Genital. Jivatma in its conditioned status
identifies itself with the body outwardly, but when it identifies itself with
the Supreme within itself it becomes just as free as the Supreme, even while
in the body. Isah Atma-guhayam nihataha -- Supreme resides
in the cave of the heart of Jivatman.
You may also recall here that in earlier lectures quoting
Appayya Dikshitar and Ramana Maharshi Swamiji emphatically conveyed the
messages “anyataa saranam naasti” “naanyah pantaha ayanaya vidyate”
--There is no other option other than submission to the Supreme and there is no
other means other than that. I will elaborate on this soon. Now he is leading
us to the exciting light at the end of the tunnel--“asato maa Sat gamaya;
tamso maa Jyotir gamaya”-Sat that is Jyoti that is Brahman!
In this
context it is worth going through his thought conveyed in Arani Series Spark 54
with the same title THIS
BUSINESS OF BEING A DOER released
on January 30, 2020. Please go through the same as attached. One thing
that makes me inquisitive is the use of the word Business in the title.
Recently I read in Economist an article titled “Modern Gurus in
Noodle Business”. I know some gurus are on spiritual business too as a source
of income. But coming from Swami Chidananda who is ever BUSY in enlightening us
it must have deeper meaning. Many of you are not aware that an archaic form of Business
was Busyness meaning purposeful activity. He is ever busy to lead us
to reach our goal of Liberation. “The matter of reality and illusion has to be
dealt with very carefully, with guidance from a competent teacher.
Then “he who sees indeed sees” says Swamiji. This is a
universal truth.
Moses while grazing his sheep saw the burning bush as fire but to
his surprise it did not consume the bush. This had to be explained by a
competent teacher. The Lord himself did it. Lord said “I am That I am”,
I am in all that burns and shines never getting depleted. The burning
bush which does not consume itself is the Sun, an unquenchable fire which burns
without ceasing--Burning but Flourishing. "We all have to burn
before we shine" said our revered President Abul Kalam Azad.
Does this again echo Vedas? But let us listen to the wisdom
thoughts from Swamiji!
FOWAI
FORUM (INDIA) AND STEP (USA) presents WEBINAR-166
“THIS BUSINESS OF BEING A DOER
(Kartavya bhava)” on ,Sunday,
February 02, 2020 in Chicago
(USA) at 10 am.
Gist of Presentation:
Mature or advanced students of
the Vedānta reflect on the core teaching: “You are not a doer at all.
You are already free.” Middle level students get busy with a variety of topics
where there is doer-ship that needs to be ended. For them, liberation is the
exciting goal; the light at the end of the tunnel. Beginners
with raw understanding of spirituality struggle with doing good, earning merit
and with avoiding bad actions, reducing sin.
This webinar will examine
how the notion of “I am a doer” can be false. It will also go into the
implications of this revelation – that there is no doer at all – for the
student’s spiritual practices.
(The Pure Self stays in the
body……); neither doing nor getting anything done --naiva kurvan na kārayan (Geetā 5.13)
--February 1, 2020
Comments:
Your
articles are really informative. Thanks for sharing.
--Sadhvi
Vibha Chaitanya
************
I
INDIA PLANS TO REWRITE
HISTORY
Please
recall my yesterday’s e-mail on “India needs Rewriting of History”.
Our learned participant Dr. Kalai Mugilan remarked: ”Telling history from an
Indian Point of view is the only way forward. Malaysia's transformation began
when they wrote their history from their point of view, not merely a
translation of the British point of view NICE!!!!” I believe such a work
is in serious consideration of the present Government of India. Please go
through the following news column from Swarajya;
“Rattling
Leftist Historians: ‘Sindhu-Saraswati Civilization’ Finds Mention in Budget
Speech
by Swarajya Staff -
Feb 01 2020, 1:21 pm,
The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in
her budget speech today that the skills of Saraswati Sindhu civilization are
remarkable. She
said that the government aims to establish an Indian Institute of Heritage and
Conservation under Ministry of Culture for the acquisition of knowledge in
disciplines such as museology, and archaeology.
The
finance minister also announced five archaeological sites would be developed as
iconic sites with on-site museums. They are Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Hastinapore
in Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Sagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat, Adichannalur
in Tamil Nadu, The Finance Minister informed.
“I
spoke about the Sindhu-Saraswati civilization. A maritime museum will be set up
in Lothal. A Harappa-age maritime site near Ahmadabad by the Ministry of
Shipping”.
Sindhu-Saraswati
civilization
The
usage of the word “Sindhu Saraswati” for the Harappa civilization
rattled many, who have accused the Hindu Right of trying to “saffronize” the
history lessons.
However,
as the latest research on the presence of the Saraswati River shows, the
nomenclature “Sindhu Saraswati” is backed by serious evidence, further
bolstered by the latest research on the existence of a mighty
river Saraswati as described in the Rig Veda.
By a
matter of sheer luck, the first site of the civilization was discovered in
Harappa in the present day Pakistan, and led to the initial digs being focused
on the Indus Valley.
However,
as the exploration increased, it became clear that a significant number of the
sites were present in the Saraswati valley and to its east.
In his
book The Lost River: On The Trails Of Saraswati, published in 2011,
Michel Danino quotes extensive research to show that a large number of Harappan
Civilization sites are located in the Ghaggar-Hakra basin, that is, the
Saraswati basin, as well as in the region between Yamuna and Ganga.
Danino
notes that almost one-third of the mature phase Harappa sites are located in
the Sarasvati basin, and one-fourth in modern day Gujarat. These two regions
together hold 60 per cent of the all the Mature sites. For the early phase, the
Sarasvati basin held 63 per cent of all sites.
Danino
also shows that the sites in the Sarasvati basin are of significant size. The
average size of the Mature Harappa sites in the Sarasvati basin is around 1.7
times larger than that in Sindh, and even in the early phase, at least four
sites are in the range of 20 hectares.
Thus it
can be concluded that, one, since the civilization extended much beyond the
Indus Valley in the east, and should be rightly called the Indus-Saraswati
civilization.
Two,
the presence of large number of sites with a significant size shows that the
region wasn’t colonized art of the
process that culminated in the rise of Harappan urban civilization.
This is
also corroborated by the presence of a diversity of the ‘local cultures’ in
Baluchistan, Gujarat, Saraswati basin and the Indus Valley itself.
The
lack of archaeological evidence of a centralized authority like a King with
palaces, army, weapons, warfare etc. along with the great urban infrastructure,
also bolsters the decentralized development of the civilization.
Some
scholars propose that the civilization was governed by “a confederacy of
regional powers with common culture and common trade interests, but each with
its own regional stamp”. Therefore, “trade and religion, rather than the
instrument of authority were the real instruments of authority”.
Danino
notes that this kind of decentralization, community-based distribution of power
continues to be visible in Indian society to this day. Indeed, the
characteristic “unity in diversity” of India is visible in the Harappa
civilization.
Danino
also points out that the changes in site distribution occurring between the
Mature and Late Harappa period also matches the disappearance of the central
portion of the Saraswati river, caused partly by eastward capture of the
Yamuna, and partly by moving away of Sutlej to join Beas instead.”
I
have in the past sent recent archeological studies reveal
that Saraswati River as described in Rigveda did exit and also about the Myth
of Aryan-Dravidian Conflict.
--February
2, 2020
INDIAN HISTORY NEEDS REWRITING
Principal Economic Adviser to the Ministry of
Finance, India, Sanjeev Sanyal recently argued that that Indian history needs
to be revisited and rewritten to help future generations appreciate the True History of India.
Sanyal said that false narratives never get replaced merely by criticism and it
can only be replaced by a new narrative, which needs to be written down.
Somebody has to actually write down the alternative real story, he said.
But the writing of the new narrative itself takes effort and we are not, I am
afraid, putting up enough effort into this. Please take up one section of
Indian history to start with and simply look at the evidence and rewrite
it," he suggested.
Indian History needs rewriting
Textbooks on Indian history have to be purged
Colonial biases that ignore historical evidence.
The debate over the need to re-write Indian
history textbooks is heating up and, yet again, it is likely to spiral into an
ugly political spat. Sadly this debate will distract from the many sensible
reasons history books need to be changed.
Indian history is mostly written from the
perspective of Delhi or at most Northern India, as if the rest of the country
barely existed except as mere provinces. The average Indian student, for
instance, will learn almost nothing about the great Satavahana, Vijayanagar or
Chola empires of Southern India. Unless you live in the Northeast, you may
never have heard of the Ahom kings who ruled Assam for 600 years and even
defeated the Mughals. This absurd imbalance needs to be corrected. Moreover,
history is not just about the rise and fall of empires but also about other
streams of history. For instance, Indian textbooks say almost nothing about the
country’s rich maritime history beyond a passing reference to Chola naval raids
on Southeast Asia. Students learn very little about thriving Indo-Roman trade
or the exploits of ancient Odiya merchants who pioneered sea routes across the
eastern Indian Ocean. The great influence of Indian civilization on Southeast
Asia is barely mentioned, if at all.
We hear about groups who came to India as
conquerors but nothing of people who came to India peacefully as traders and
refugees—Parsis and Jews from the West and the waves of Southeast Asian tribes
from the East. Similarly, even university-level textbooks are written as
if the geographical landscape of the country is static. Little is mentioned of
shifting coastlines and rivers, changing wildlife, and evolving cities.
The extraordinary history of Indian science
is similarly ignored or, as some would argue, deliberately downplayed. There is
more than adequate evidence that ancient Indians made great advances in
metallurgy, medicine, mathematics and so on. As others have also pointed out,
by downplaying genuine scientific contributions, textbook writers have created
a vacuum that is filled with claims of flying chariots.
Most readers will be surprised to know that
many well-known events and characters of Indian history are based on very thin
evidence. Emperor Ashoka is much revered for having turned into a pacifist
after witnessing the human cost of his invasion of Kalinga. However, texts such
as Ashokavadana clearly mention major massacres of Jains and Ajivikas that he
ordered long after his supposed conversion. Far from being Ashoka the Great,
the evidence suggests an unpopular king whose empire began to crumble while he
was still alive. Even the regret over the Kalinga war looks suspiciously like
propaganda given that none of the inscriptions in Odisha mention it.
Not only have mainstream historians built
grand stories on wobbly evidence, they are also strangely impervious to the
continuous flow of new evidence being thrown up by archaeology, genetics, and
climate sciences and so on. Thus, Indians are still taught about the Aryan
Invasion in 1500BC despite the fact that genetic and archeological studies find
no evidence for any large-scale migration from Central Asia. The date of 1500BC
was always arbitrary and we have good reason to believe that climate change
caused the decline of Harappan cities five centuries earlier.
This is not to suggest that everything good
about Indic civilization is of indigenous origin. Over the centuries, we gained
from absorbing foreign ideas and influences, especially in food, architecture,
and language. Try to imagine India without the chillies and tomatoes brought by
the Portuguese, cricket and railways brought by the British or the Taj Mahal
built by a Turko-Mongol emperor. However, it is also true that the same foreign
invaders caused the deaths of millions of people through warfare and famine.
Indian students need to be told about both the good and the bad.
Readers will be amazed by the extent to which
colonial era ideas are casually perpetuated. For instance, whenever I write an
article mentioning ancient Indians, I have noticed that a subeditor will often
put the word “Indian" in inverted commas. It is probably done
unconsciously but it is a continuation of colonial-era propaganda that Indians
were not a nation till the British turned up. For obvious reasons, colonial
writers blatantly disregarded heaps of evidence that Indians have had a strong
sense of belonging to a civilization for thousands of years. What is less
obvious is why we continue to perpetuate the colonial-era idea.
Indian history textbooks need to be
rewritten. Opponents will argue that the current government will use this
opportunity to insert “right-wing biases" but this is no excuse for
perpetuating outdated scholarship and the biases of colonial and Marxist
historians. Indian historians tend to mix up the evidence with their opinions.
This happens everywhere to some extent as all history is written from some
perspective, but mainstream Indian historians are notorious for doing so.
Perhaps one way forward is for the next
generation of textbook authors to separate the hard evidence from their
interpretations. This will have two good outcomes. First, it will make the
author’s opinions more transparent. Second, it will encourage students to think
more critically and draw their own conclusions.
This will have the added advantage of making
the subject more an exploration of the past rather than the memorizing dates.
Sanjeev Sanyal is the author of Land of the
Seven Rivers: A Brief History of India’s Geography (2011).
Children of Indian
American Parents born in USA are usually acquainted with Indian History in
Discover India Camps. In such camps History of India should be taught based on
hard evidences without any personal opinion or political bias. Students need to
be told about both the good and the bad based on established facts and leave
facts to students to think critically and draw their own conclusions. They
should know the past (true history) without any biased opinion. Fortunately now
lot of this information on hard facts are now available though they have not
yet entered into Indian History Books now taught in India. Some of these are
under critical study by American Medium like Hinduism Today of Hawaii. I have
also regularly brought to your notice recent archeological
evidences, scientific discoveries and DNA studies etc.
--January
31, 2020
Comments:
Telling
history from an Indian Point of view is the only way forward. Malaysia's
transformation began when they wrote their history from their point of view,
not merely a translation of the British point of view. NICE!!!!
Dr. Kalai Mugilan
Thanks
for this article. I agree with the author and you.
--Prabir Dash
*************
Full Report of Congressional Research
Service on-Kashmir
Sant Gupta of HMEC has sent the
following two articles to HR:
1. Full-Report-of-Congressional-Research-Service-on-Kashmir
I think that our community should find
a way to inject some truth in such a biased, unsympathetic-to-India,
many-key-missing-historical facts and one-sided report. This narrative has
been around for decades and reversing their thinking will be a
major challenge and take time, patience and resources.
2. Hindu Human Rights Report 2019
One focus of USCIRF has been to trash
Hindus in India, India and Modi. They believe that Hindus are always
the perpetrator of ‘atrocities’ and they can never be the
victims - how grossly inaccurate. This report show the suffering Hindus
face. When will Media, Academia, Think Tanks and politicians take it seriously?
In the light of anxiety of Sant Guptaji I would like to add the
following:
India was a land of dharma but Europeans reduced it to Hinduism,
Islam and other religions and we accepted it. In Pre -Mughal
and British days everyone worshiped a deity as he conceptualized and as
per his need for total liberation or temporary personal needs or troubles to
overcome. If you ask a villager in India today what his or her religion is he
or she will mention about the deity they worship only (vazhipadu or
mata). Hinduism is a modern-day invention by colonial powers, who mapped
world in terms of so manipulated universal binding force like Hinduism, Islam
and Confucianism, each constructed in the mirror image of Christianity after
grabbing power from Romans and Jews. What bleeds India today is a profound
historical error. The error lies in our understanding of state and religion –
both as political concepts and as historical entities. We have borrowed these
terms from Western European history and applied them unthinkingly to ourselves,
without acknowledging that what we today recognize as state and religion
actually evolved very differently in India. Even in medieval times Chola King
Krimikanta ruled the country with Saivism he believed in and those
who did not follow were persecuted, tortured and even killed. You know how
Kuresha’s eyes were plucked mistaking him to be Ramanuja.
It is ironic that those who glorify ancient Indian history
including many in the ruling BJP, and accuse liberals of
being Westernized make this error most spectacularly and with pernicious
results for all of us.
The Dharma to religion
We have inherited the term religion from the Judeo-Christian
tradition and applied it indiscriminately to different Indian philosophies,
myths, rituals, and practices. But there is really no one term for religion in
India. They are all Sampradayas or Ways of Worship. There never has been
any walled religion. The term dharma does not mean
religion. It simply means duty.
All citizens are bound by Laws of Dharma but should be free to
worship their own way as per their needs. The Code of Dharma is to lead all to
tranquility, happiness and equanimity. But at the same time people need
different religions, cults and worldly desires to meet the vastly different
needs of individuals. Any government which believes in Code of Dharma for all
should not interfere in the religious practices. Any violation of Dharma needs
punishment. While this is largely practiced in USA unfortunately this is not so
in India where temples are managed by the Government, temple lands grabbed and
temple funds diverted to other purposes. Even the present government in
India is focused on these but not focused on class hatred and conversion. No
proselytizing can take place in US soil but those who believe in it operate in
India under the secular license! If provisions of Sanatana Dharma sanghacchadvam
samvadadvam samaanamaakootih are made the motto of the country along with
Satyameva Jayate and laws of Dharma enforced then people can live with Peace
but not in Pieces. We then need to redefine the word HINDU and INDIA too as
India springs from Indu and that comes from Hindu.
--January 26, 2020
Comments:
It is well written. Similar incident
are recorded of tormenting Appaya Dhikshidhar by Vishnu worshipers. It is hard
to talk about Hinduism as a pious religion especially to millennials who are
well versed on both Shiva's torment to Vaishanavite and vice versa It is
unfortunate , with this reason in site many
in next generation refuse to go to temple or practice nitya and naimitya
karma Only Lord Vishnu (supreme deity -
need to come to help) and Pravathi need to perform her duties.
--Bala from Atlanta
*************
ENIGMATIC
RIG VEDA MANTRAS WITH ITS WORDS OF WISDOM SPIRITUALITY, HISTORY, SCIENCE AND
LIFE SCIENCE
As perhaps humanity’s oldest book, the Rigveda remains one of its
most mysterious and transformative.
The Rigveda is the oldest of India’s ancient Vedic texts,
extending back by traditional estimates to 3000 BCE or even much earlier. Today
in the twenty-first century, the Rigveda remains one of the most important
books for all humanity, providing not only glimpses of the origins of civilization
but a cosmic vision that transcends all time.
The Rigveda is the oldest surviving text from the ancient world,
which best preserves the voice and message of our ancient ancestors and
spiritual guides. As such, it forms a unique living link with our ancient
origins not distorted by modern interpretations.
The Rigveda is a massive and diverse teaching, containing over one
thousand hymns and ten thousand verses. It holds the mantras of dozens of great
seers or rishis, famous throughout the history of India. These include such
renowned figures as Vasishtha, Agastya, Vishvamitra, Atri, Atharva, Bhrigu,
Angiras and many more. Ancient sages and seers, often seven in number, are
lauded throughout the world for their wisdom and influence on civilization. If
we wish to hear their message in their own language, we must listen to the
chants of the Rigveda.
The Rigveda is also a book of kings, mentioning numerous great
kings like Sudas, Divodasa, Bharata, Mandhata, Trasadasyu and Kuru, including
some lauded as Chakravartins, emperors of India from sea to sea. Indeed, for
such a large collection to survive over the centuries required the patronage of
enduring dynasties.
The Living Vedic tradition
Yet most significant is the fact that the Rigveda is still chanted
today and has been continually since its compilation thousands of years ago.
This claim cannot be made for any other book in the world. Not only chanted, it
still forms the basis of meditation and mantra practices leading to the highest
Self-realization.
The Rigveda has been preserved in its original pronunciation by a
strict set of rules, annotations and styles of chanting. It exists along with
several traditional methods of interpretation that provide inner keys to its
meanings, which are hidden to the ordinary mind.
The Rigveda is a mantric text, meaning it is poetic, symbolic and
imagistic and has several levels of meaning, not easy to grasp by the outward
looking modern intellect. The Sun is the visible face of the Divinity, the
Atman or the inner Self of the entire universe. Agni is not just a material
fire but is the very light of consciousness within us. Soma is not just a plant
but the Divine Bliss or Ananda. Vayu is not just the wind but the comic energy
in all its forms. The Vedic ritual or yajna is not just an outer fire ritual
but inner offering of speech, prana and mind into the Divine flame within us,
the basis of the practice of Yoga.
Approaching the Rigveda today
There has been extensive research, study and translations relative
to the Rigveda since the colonial era that began to examine the text anew. Yet
it would be wrong to say that the essence of the Rigveda has been understood or
even agreed upon by scholars, particularly those from outside the Vedic
tradition. Western scholars have a very different estimation of the text than
Vedic scholars or Yogis. Whereas they tend to look upon the Veda as mere
primitive nature worship, Vedic scholars see in it a mantric key to the cosmos
and to our own inner Self, with all of nature as a manifestation of the Divine
Word.
Several great gurus of modern India have emphasized the Rigveda
and its continued relevance. These include such towering figures as Swami
Dayananda Sarasvati of the Arya Samaj, Sri Aurobindo, Kavyakantha Ganapati
Muni, Brahmarshi Daivarata, Sri Anirvan and Swami Veda Bharati, whose disciples
have expanded their Vedic interpretations.
So how does one approach the Rigveda today many thousands of years
later in a very different civilization? Vedic texts say that the mantra OM is
the essence of the Vedas and we can understand the Vedas through chanting and
meditating upon OM alone, connecting us to the power of cosmic sound.
Several Rigvedic verses remain commonly chanted in Hindu and yogic
circles today. These include the famous Gayatri Mantra of Vishvamitra, which is
the prime mantra of the Hindus used for agnihotra or daily fire offerings.
Another is the Mrityunjaya Mantra to Shiva of Rishi Vasishtha that is one of
the key chants for the worship of Lord Shiva.
A few complete hymns like the Purusha Sukta, Nasadiya Sukta
(creation hymn) or Vak Sukta (to the Goddess of Speech) are still widely
studied. Many Vedic verses occur in in later Vedic texts. For example, Rishi
Vamadeva’s statement “I was Manu and the Sun”, is quoted in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
relative to the great statement (Mahavakya) Aham Brahmasmi, or “I am Brahman”.
Therefore, one must ask, if these few mantras of the Rigveda can
be so transformative, what about the rest of its ten thousand verses, which are
cast in a similar language and cadence and reflect the same depths of meaning?
As perhaps humanity’s oldest book, the Rigveda remains one of its
most mysterious. It requires much more research to uncover its wisdom and its
power, which means an honoring of the ancient rishis through whom it was
expressed.
A new examination of the Rigveda is one of the most important
intellectual and spiritual endeavors today, necessary for humanity to discover
its true spiritual origins and destiny.
--by Dr. David Frawley published by Zee News
SOME SCIENCE INFORMATION POSTULATED IN RIGVEDA
Rig Veda
1.119.10 “With the help of bipolar forces (Asvins), you should employ
telegraphic apparatus made of good conductor of electricity. It is necessary
for efficient military operations but should be used with caution.”
ABOUT ECLIPSE
Rig Veda 5.40.5
“O Sun! When you
are blocked by the one whom you gifted your own light (moon), then earth gets
scared by sudden darkness.
EARTH MOVING AROUND
SUN AND GRAVITATIONAL FORCE
Rig Veda 8.12.28“O Indra! by
putting forth your mighty rays, which possess the qualities of gravitation and
attraction-illumination and motion — keep up the entire universe in order
through the Power of your attraction.”
Rig Veda
1.35.9“The sun moves in its own orbit but holding earth and other
heavenly bodies in a manner that they do not collide with each other through
force of attraction.
Rig Veda 1.164.13
“Sun moves in its
orbit which itself is moving. Earth and other bodies move around sun due to
force of attraction, because sun is heavier than them.
Rig Veda 10.149.1“The sun has tied
Earth and other planets through attraction and moves them around itself as if a
trainer moves newly trained horses around itself holding their reins.”
Rig Veda 10.22.14
“This earth is
devoid of hands and legs, yet it moves ahead. All the objects over the earth
also move with it. It moves around the sun.
According to Carl Sagan:
“The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths
dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an
infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which time
scales correspond to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from
our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long,
longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the
Big Bang”
What we know from the research of Rigveda mantras is
limited and needs deeper and wider research.
Please refer to the following discourse for popular Rig Veda
mantras and their meaning:
--January 29, 2020
**************
Women Gurus in Hinduism
‘Guru’
is a classical term and role in Hinduism. It has several meanings including
‘weighty’ and ‘dispeller of darkness’.
In the corpus of the earliest scripture in Hinduism, the Vedas, the term
is used in the philosophical Upanishads, where it describes a person who has
ultimate knowledge. A second early reference speaks of the necessity of
devotion towards both god and guru. Thus the teaching and devotion are
hallmarks of the guru in these early scriptures. The gurus are interactive teachers. As with
the experience of the real, the female gurus represent revers of initiation and
teaching methods. There is no
feminine form of guru: "the expression 'female guru' does not exist
in any Indian language. The simple reason for this is that the guru's role
having been traditionally a masculine one from Upanishadic times and the word guru
does not accept a Feminine Guru.
.Gargi
in the Upanishads, and Hemalekha in the TR, suggest a new dimension to
knowledge acquisition by joining spiritual knowledge to personal experience in
the world. Many female gurus are self-initiated. Women who wished to have the
authority of a Hindu female gurus are highly visible in the contemporary world
as spiritual leaders.
Visualize
classical stories of female gurus with the wealth of literary references to
exemplary spiritual women in Hindu history. Sulabha from the Mahabharata,
Shabari from the Ramayana, Karaikkal
Ammaiyar (sixth century CE), Andal (ninth century CE), Mahadeviyakka (twelfth
century CE), and Mirabai (sixteenth century CE). An ascetic or devotee can perform that role
by adopting established cultural ways of behavior, but a guru needs the
recognition of an audience in order to be a guru. Also, devotees need to have public
recognition in order to become saints. An ascetic and a devotee or saint are
associated with autonomy. A guru requires a critical mass of followers or
disciples to bestow that title.
Female
gurus from the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries, such as Sita Devi
(flourished in 1490), Bahinabai (1628– 1700), Gauribai (1759–1809), and
Tarigonda Venkamamba (popularly Venkamma, flourished in 1840) make it clear
that it was exactly the issue of the public recognition of a woman as a guru
that was controversial. Bahinabai was a wife and the other three women were
widows when they began to act as gurus, and they experienced resistance from
husband and/or community.
This
barrier was definitively dismantled by female gurus at the turn of and into the
twentieth century, in part because their spiritual achievements were supported
by men. These important female gurus,
who lived and served in India, achieved worldwide renown.
If
Swami Vivekananda and other gurus in the first part of the twentieth century
constitute a first wave of gurus in the United States, and gurus such as A C
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977) of
iskcon, Swami Muktananda (1908–1982) of Siddha Yoga, and Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi (1918–2008) of Transcendental Meditation constitute a second wave of
gurus, then female gurus constitute a third wave of gurus in the US.
Female
gurus in historical times were subject to issues of social acceptance,
and that they brought an emphasis on personal experience as constitutive of
authority to the role of guru; these factors continue to shape the female guru
in today’s world also. What we also find today is female gurus’ emphasis on
community, especially in the sense of social service.
The
key to understanding female gurus’ status with respect to social expectations
is to acknowledge that as religious leaders they are in the public eye. In the twentieth century such as Gauri Ma,
the Mother, and Anandamayi Ma made the transition into public acceptance at
least in part due to the support from men. Today, public social expectations in
Hinduism for both women and men continue to enjoin them to marry and produce
children, with a premium on sons.
Female
gurus exhibit multiple models on the issue of marriage and childbirth. Some
left their husbands and families to become.
Some are married; for some, their
refusal to marry caused conflict in their families. For some, the issue does not
overtly arise in their biographies. For
women in public and autonomous spiritual roles such as guru, it is important
that if their sexuality is represented by marriage and children, it is
subordinated to their spiritual mission.
Female
gurus perform asceticism as in part constitutive of their authority. A significant pattern in female leaders’
authority is the presence or absence of initiation, and by whom. There does not
seem to be a correlation between caste or class and initiation or its
lack. There are also female gurus who
locate themselves within a certain lineage.
Many female gurus also link themselves to Hindu female spiritual leaders
of history, such as evoking Mirabai. Female gurus’ frequent use of ‘Ma’ in
their titles, signifying their stance as caring, loving, and nurturing mothers
to their disciples as children. Some female gurus also relate themselves to the
goddess. Some deliberately don the garb
of a goddess, in order to reveal her divinity to her followers.
Female
gurus who take over the mantle in established lineages have an existing
community and structure to which they can add. Female gurus change the male paradigm of guru through their
emphasis on personal experience as constitutive of the spiritual path. Much of the spiritual work of the disciples
is done away from the guru’s embodied presence, in contrast to the traditional gurukula
system. Yet the feeling of intimacy is profound. Prominent is the practice of female ascetics
personally cooking for their followers, in contrast to male renouncers, who eat
food cooked by others in front of an audience. The evocation of motherhood in
caring for and nurturing the whole person in an everyday style is to the fore.
New
studies are increasingly exploring the nature of the guru’s community
centerpiece of their activities by female Guru.
Female Guru-ascetics, such service and provide sociological
insights. Performance of social service
and seva a precedent in Swami Vivekananda’s activities, have been made a as Baiji, engage in
charitable projects. As avatars
incarnated in this world, as often they claim, to fulfil particular missions,
these gurus are not only justified in their engagement in worldly matters, but
also derive their legitimacy from this engagement.
Spiritual
growth is thus intimately linked both to personal experience in the world and
public social service in the modern path of female gurus. Judiciously adapting
and challenging classical paradigms in the modern world, female gurus are
important examples of a pragmatically-engaged spirituality that they embody,
enact, and share with others.
Hindu
female gurus are highly visible in the contemporary world as spiritual leaders.
Examples of well-known female gurus include Amma Sri Karunamayi, Ammachi Mata
Amritanandamayi, AnandamurthiGuruma, Gangaji, Gurumatha Amma, Gurumayi
Chidvilasananda, Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, Mother Meera, Sri Maa, Sri Anandi Ma
and Sadhvi Bhagavati of Paramarta Niketan. All of these female gurus have
worldwide outreach through their official websites on the Internet,
which provide information on their teachings and organizations, and sometimes
biographical information.
--January 26, 2020
************
A REVIEW OF CREATION IN
HINDU PHILOSOPHY
Hindu Cultural Center of
Tennessee in Nashville where I am located have planned a seminar on,
Nature and Evolution of Hindu Theories of Creation on February 9, 2020.
Learned scholars will be delivering lectures on-- SAMKHYA THEORY OF CREATION-
MACROCOSM; YOGA THEORY OF EVOLUTION- MICROCOSMIC LEVEL and VEDANTHA PRINCIPLES
OF INTEGRATION INTO UNIFIED THEORY OF CONSCIOUSNESS -- followed by discussions.
I have pleasure in presenting to you a review on these suitably extracted
from my discourses that I covered in the past besides the earlier
discourse for the benefit of those who can’t participate in this seminar.
I believe this may even help those active participants who
are on my list, by having a preview of the topics being covered. I do
hope organizers will come out with an enlightening summaryon the subjects
based on these lectures and discussions that I would gladly circulate if
and when I receive.
Science, religions, and
cultural traditions develop theories and creative descriptions about the origin
of the universe and meaning of life. These theories have both similarities and
differences regarding the cause and effect of creation, and life as human
beings know it. Religions and cultural traditions primarily adhere to a
personal God as creator and ruler. Science has gone in the opposite direction
of denying the existence of a God. A definitive cause of creation has not been
scientifically found. Science may find a comparable, suitable match in the
ancient thought of Samkhya, written in the 500-800 BCE era. Samkhya is probably
the first complete philosophical description of the origin and evolution of
creation!
Samkhya is the very reason that Yoga “works”. Yoga works because Amazing
world of the Yogi’s vision of Creation. It stands on the philosophical
foundation of Samkhya, and there is a scientific basis to this
world-view that quantum physicists have confirmed. According to quantum
physics, the material universe is nothing but a very dense form of energy. From
the subtlest realms to the grossest realms of matter, the process of creation
is a systematic condensation or “step-down” of energy from states of higher
frequency to lower frequencies. Yoga is the process of reversing this
process, of freeing ourselves from all the binding forces that limit our
identity as pure Consciousness.
The Samkhya yoga of the
Bhagavad Gita does not toe the line of Samkhya philosophy in totality with
regard to Brahman or the supreme Purusha that it emphasizes is The Yoga of
the Supreme Person in Bhagavad Gita. Krishna himself in the Bhagavad Gita
states that he taught the original Yoga first to Vivasvan, the Sun (devata) God,
who passed it on to Manu, the primal human sage, who is called the Son of
the Sun.
Brihadarnyaka Upanishad deals at length the process of creation in
an orderly fashion about which I have often talked about. “The Will Individual
becomes the Will Universal. There is no such thing as birth and death for the
cosmos. Everything is a process within itself, like the movements in the ocean”
says Swami Krishnananda. Human being is Microcosm in this Macrocosm!
Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Lord Prajāpatiḥ, all Devas, all pañcabhūtās, all small organisms of various kinds, seeds
of various kinds, beings born from eggs, wombs and shoots, insects and worms,
horses, cows, men, elephants and whatever here on Earth breathing, moving,
flying or not moving – all are led by Prajñā and established on Prajñānam.
World is led by Prajñā which is its support also. Brahma is Prajñānam.
The atman as the particle (mamaivamso jivabhutah) of
Paramatman or Prajnaanam is situated within sound and within the body, within
the air and even within the stomach as the digestive force. Atman enters the
womb around sixth or seventh month after its descent and staying with man in
the semen that derived it from the food generated by the seed in which atman
stays concealed.
”Those rays by which the
sun gives heat, the same rays transform water into rain-cloud which showers the
rain. By the rain-cloud herbs and trees come into existence From-herbs and
trees food is produced. By the use of food the breaths and senses are
nourished. When the life- breath is nourished one gets bodily strength.” states
the mantra in MNU.
Without Prana the physical
body is no more than a lump of clay. Prana sculpts this gelatinous mass into
various limbs and organs. Apana Vayu creates the openings in the lower part of the
body, those of the urino-genital and excretory systems. Samana Vayu creates the
openings in the middle part of the body, those of the digestive system,
centered in the navel. It opens out the channels of the intestines and the
organs, like the liver and pancreas, which secrete into it. Vyana Vayu creates
the channels going to the peripheral parts of the body, the arms and legs. It
creates the veins and arteries and also the muscles, sinews, joints and bones”
writes David Frawley in his description of Solar Yoga.
Pranad
vayurajayata says
Purushasukta. Prana that entered the womb as Atman created the five
breaths (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udaana and Samana) to complete the human form and
enter to the world. Atman had full knowledge of the past as it entered and was
also contemplating as to its future action but the fully developed body forgot
all about the past and future plans subsequently the way it was delivered
with a compressed brain emerging out of the womb and parental influence in the
womb.
Embryology in modern science deals with the prenatal stage of
development beginning from formation of gametes, fertilization, formation of
zygote, development of embryo and fetus to the birth of a new individual. The
embryology of the face is a complex process. The human face is formed between
the 4th and 10th week of pregnancy.
The heart is the first organ to form and become functional,
emphasizing the importance of transport of material to and from the developing
infant. It originates about day 18 or 19 from the mesoderm and begins beating
and pumping blood about day 21 or 22 between the 4th and 10th week of
pregnancy. I have dealt with this subject in an exclusive discourse circulated
to you recently.
Aitreya Upanishad mentions various
aspects of consciousness and the varied expressions of consciousness and
declares that all these are rooted in Prajanyana or consciousness of Brahman
hinting at basic essence of consciousness in all sentient and non-sentient
beings.
According to most recent panpsychism,
Consciousness pervades the universe (recall Isavaysamidam sarvam from
Upanishad) and is a fundamental feature of it. This doesn’t mean that
literally everything is conscious. The basic commitment is that the fundamental
constituents of reality—perhaps electrons and quarks—have incredibly simple
forms of experience. And the very complex experience of the human or animal
brain is somehow derived from the experience of the brain’s most basic parts.
Vedas say Brahman created
the world as before--Yatha poorvam akalpayat but does not say when that before
is. Perhaps the Big Bang was more of a
“Big Bounce”, a turning point in an ongoing cycle of contraction and expansion.
Or, the Big Bang might be a transition point in a universe that
has always been – and always will be – expanding. All of these theories
sit outside mainstream cosmology, but all are supported by influential
scientists. It is reasonable to believe all these recent thoughts
are inspired by the Ancient Thoughts of Upanishads.
Please
go through my detailed compilation reviewing the subject with references
to various scriptures as posted on the Blog.
--January
25, 2020
*********
IF
BHISHMA DIED ON ASHTAMI HOW COULD HE DELIVER VSN ON EKADASI?
We
observe Bhishma Astami on February 2 as the day of his demise but celebrate
February 5 in 2020 as Vishnu Sahasranama Day, on which day he is believed
to have recited the same to Pandava Brothers in glorification of Lord Krishna.
Is this not intriguing an confusing?
Bhishma’s
curse on earth ended on Bhishma Ashtami on his giving up his ghost and he
assumed his normal responsibility as Vasu devata on that day and on
Bhishma Ekadasi day administered Vishnu Sahasranama to Pandava brothers
living on earth. He had has no need to go through the normal process of
going through the Pitruloka as the normal human beings for his ascent. He
himself is the guardian devata of Pitruloka. All propitiate Vasu Rudra Aditya
Devatas to pay our obeisance to departed parents, grand-parents and
great-grand-parents while in Pitruloka
Looking
at the various predictions by several researchers we can conclude that the
Mahabharata War happened somewhere around 3000 BC
Ramesh
Panchwagh using Planetarium Software predicts the date as 3126 BC
Ramesh
Panchwagh took about 2 years of continuous study of the original critical Sanskrit
Mahabharata (published by the Bhandarkar Oriental Studies Institute in Pune
after 60 years of research) and finally concluded that Mahabharatha War
occurred on 3126 BC because it was the year which met all the eclipses criteria
Prof Narhari Achar’s study says
the year was 3067 BC
Prof
Narhari Achar thoroughly analyzed nearly 200 publications of various authors
and even various Vedic texts.
He
concluded that Astronomical references in the Epic are very consistent. The
word ‘graha’ refers mostly to comets, this is especially clear by the
description of ‘hairy graha’ some of which extend over three nakshatras in the
sky. There is no inconsistency in planetary positions. The references to
planetary positions, which are common to both Udyoga and Bhishma Parvas lead to
a unique date for the war. Date based on data from within the Epic Date of the
Mahabharata War 3067 BCE. This date should form the basis of chronology of
Bharat. So he says that Mahabharata War happened in 3067BC. He is a professor
in Department of Physics, University of Memphis.
Prof
Raja who was a participant in the Vidur Ashrama Seminar presented his research
on the date of occurrence of Mahabharatha war. His research was based on the
position of stars and the sun. Finally, Prof Raja said that Mahabharatha War
took place in the year 3067 BC.
Only
the year 3067 BC has been arrived at by two different researchers for the date
of Maha bharata War which at present should be acceptable to all.
The
virtues and significance of observing Bhishma Ekadashi is mentioned in puranas,
including Haribhakti Vilas, The Padma Purana and Skanda Purana. In North
India, Jaya Ekadasi is The Bhishma Ekadashi that falls in the Uttarayana
Punyakalam, which has many auspicious days dedicated to Bheeshma, like the
Bhishma Ashtami and Bhishma Dwadasi. It is widely acknowledged that Bhishma
selected this period of Uttarayana Punyakalam to leave his mortal body and
merge with the Supreme Power. Some people wrongly conclude that he died
on Makara Sankranti Day.
Bhishma
Ekadasi is an auspicious occasion, observed on Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of Magh
(Jan-Feb) month. It is the birth day of "Shri
Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram (VSN)". This stotra was revealed to
Pandavas by Bhishma Pitamaha. The question arises that if he is cremated on
Bhishma Ashtami Day giving up the mortal body how could he impart VSN to
Pandavas 3 days later?
We
celebrated Margaseersha Mokshada Ekadasi on December 7, 2019 that
is also Gita Jayanti Day. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude
Mahabharata War started on December 7, 3067 BC. You know now why Bhagawan said
in Gita maasaanaam Margaseershoham, because it is on this most
auspicious Margasira Shuklapaksha Mokshada Ekadasi Day he delivered Gita
and was also instrumental in starting the Mahabharata war in Dharmakshetra
where there was no doubt for Dharma to triumph and Adharma to be punished.
After falling down on the 10th Day of war (December 17, 3067 BC), Bhisma lived
through 58 days from the date of his day of fall and lstarted lying
on bed of arrows. He was waiting for the period Uttarayana, when the sun
starts moving towards the north and decided to leave his body and
die peaceful death. Bhishma falls on Ashtami February 2, 3066, that is after 47
days of Mahabharata War. 17th December to Feb 2 is exactly 47 days.
That means he was cremated on that day by Yudhishtira and on the third day of
his cremation on Bhishma Ekadasi Day he rose from the Ganges as Vasu, in his
original form after exhausting his curse. Bhishma Ekadashi in India is
observed on February 5th in 2020.In Antheyeshti ceremonies the ashes
are dissolved in Ganges on the 3rd day after cremation which happens
to be Ekadasi day in his case. According to Hindu belief the
soul after so called death remains on Earth for 10 days. That is
why Hindus keep a light burning at the spot of death for ten days and then put
off the light to carry out 11th day ceremony to send it off on
onward journey to Pitruloka. Rising from the Ganges in his original form as Vasu, Bhishma composed and delivered
Vishnu Sahasranama on Bhishma Ekadasi Day. He then in his Vasurupa
assumed his position back among Ashta Vasus leaving the earth
after 58 days of his fall. Ashta Vasus are 8 among 33 Vedic Devatas. That
is why he went straight to his post unlike normal human beings avoiding
intermediary stages. To know more about Ashta Vasus see the attached text. I
hope this relieves your doubt as to how he can deliver VSN after 3 days of his
virtual death and cremation.
--January 24, 2020
HINDUTVA AND
HINDUISM
May I draw your attention to the following
message from Sant Guptaji of HMEC who is no stranger to us.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, tweets and writes in his book that “the opposite of Hinduism is Hindutva.” Hindutva is Hinduism that
resists. It doesn’t matter how plural one is, as soon as one speaks up for
Hinduism and defends it against attacks or misrepresentations of others, one
would be dubbed “Hindutva” and demonized in the name of “secular” promotion.
The protagonists of Hindutva also
should not bring in a political definition to counteract but promote Hindu
Tattva as Sanatana Dharma that is the System of Vedanta. The word Hindu itself
is geographical and hence political. No other religion in the world
is designated by a geographical name. Those who follow and propagate Sanatana
Dharma should call themselves as Bharatiyas, Sanatanists or even Sindhus
meaning River Valley Religion of Rishis correcting the mistake of the past and
following the name wrongly imposed on us. Bogged down by politics and peculiar
concept of secularism India cannot set the things right. Hindu Americans should
initiate and re-designate their religion. Then Hindus in India will be
motivated
Exposition of Hindutva or more aptly Vedanta:
“Fool! Give up thy thirst for wealth, banish all
desires from thy heart. Let thy mind be satisfied with what is gained by thy
Karma. Do not be proud of wealth, of friends, or of youth; time takes all away
in a moment. Leaving quickly all this, which is full of illusion, enter into
the place of Brahman. Life is tremulous, like a water-drop on a lotus-leaf Time
is playing, life is waning-yet the breath of hope never ceases. The body is
wrinkled, the hair grey, the mouth has become toothless, the stick in he handshakes,
yet man leaves not the anchor hope…
Preserve equanimity always. In thee, in me and in others there dwells Vishnu
alone; it is useless to be angry with me, or impatient. See every self in Self,
and give up all thought of difference.”
--January 21,
2020
Comments:
Interesting information
--Dr. Santosh
Venkat Raman
*********
Ishvara Gita in
the Kurma Purana
The Bhagavagita is doubtless a text, perhaps the earliest, belonging to
the devotional school of Bharatiya origin, the Bhagavata. This
monotheistic school was founded by Krishna Vasudeva, belonging to the Sarasvati
sect of the Yadu class; and he was revelry referred to as Bhagawan (the
Lord). The Celestial Song was originally a Yoga Upanishad which was
later Vaishnavized. Krishna, the founder of the Vaishnava tradition
(Sampradaya) is the spokesman in the Gita. In order to appease the
fighting factions of Vaishnavites and Saivites Vedavyasa who
also edited Kurma Purana
inserted Ishwara Gita in it. Ishvara Gita is found in the Kurma
Purana that later inspired Sankarato preach Advaita philosophy. Shiva teaches Sanat
Kumara and other rishis about the Supreme Soul and liberation.
Gist of his Teachings
“It is Ahankara (ego) alone which, is attached to
the souls of men, induces them to think that they act or suffer, or that they
experience pleasure or pain.
It is Ahankara which is the root of that ignorance
which leads men to consider Purusha and Prakriti to be the first causes, and to
mistake the real nature of their souls.
But when they know that
there is but one supreme soul, and that the soul of every man is of the same
nature, immutable, passionless, and imperishable; then they become liberated
from pleasure and pain, from anger and hatred, and from sin and its
retribution.
Wise men, therefore,
say that the supreme soul is
non-dual and that duality proceeds solely from Maya; and consequently, as the sky is
not blackened by smoke, so is not the soul affected by the evil passions which
arise in the mind; but as crystal shines with its own luster, so does the soul,
exempt from Maya, retain its
splendor unsullied.
Ishvara
Gita on How to Obtain Supreme State of Happiness
The invisible state of
god is not denoted by any external indication; but when he manifests himself,
then is light an indication of his divine being.
Divine knowledge, also,
is another indication; for those who acquire it become acquainted with my real
nature; and there is no other means by which I can be known.
Ignorance, therefore,
is that darkness of understanding which creates a belief in the existence of
this Maya-produced universe; but knowledge is pure brightness which dispels
illusion and reveals the true nature of spirit.
Those, consequently,
who learn to behold unity in diversity; to believe in this essential truth,
that there is one god alone and no other; and to know that their own souls are
that god, are liberated from the bonds of transitory existence, and obtain the
most blessed of all states, identification with my essence: for I am that one
god, without beginning, middle, or end; and whoever knows me, Ishwara,
Mahadeva, to be that sole, supreme, and ineffably happy god, shall obtain final
beatitude.
Significance
of Shivam in Hinduism
Shivam means auspicious. The other meanings of
Shivam include propitious, felicitous, fortunate, benedictory, bright and
lucky. Its synonym in Sanskrit are mangala, kalyana, shubha and shri. In fact
Lord Shiva is called so because he is auspiciousness incarnate. The word Shivam
occurs frequently in Vedic literature. Satyam, Shiva, Sundaram (Truth,
Auspiciousness and Beauty) are allied aspects of spiritual perfection.
In social, religious,
ritualistic, literary, academic and other spheres of Hindu tradition, we find
references to everything in Hinduism as always linked with the auspicious as
Shivam, Shubham or Mangalam.
All forms of worship,
ritual and sacrifice commence with the utterance of words like om and sri,
indicative of auspiciousness. Sanskrit texts always commence with one or more
mangala shloka (auspicious verses), praying for divine blessings to one and all
(asisa). Literary works commence with auspicious words or verses. The same is
the case with music concerts, dramatic performances and social functions.”
--HINDU BLOG
Chandogya Upanishad says
Skanda is Sanat Kumara and Sanat kumara is Skanda who taught sage Narada on
Bhuma Vidya. Shiva Purana also describes that Sanat Kumara entered
into the semen of Lord Shiva at his request which fell on the grass that
was growing in the Ganges from which he emerged with six faces who
was breast-fed by six Kartika Devis and hence called Skanda and
Kartikeya. We always see Shiva with Ganges and Moon who are his twin
wives besides Parvati. Hence Skanda is in fact Gangeya, son of Ganga like
Bhishma, but Shiva as father! Please recall Venkateshwara was worshiped
as Skanda earlier but now worshiped as Vishnu! Sanat Kumara Tradition is found
in most of the Religions of the World!
--January 19, 2020
************
ANCIENT
KNOWLEDGE ON EMBRYOLOGY AND ENTRY OF ATMAN INTO THE WOMB OF OUR RISHIS
THAT BAFFLES MODERN GYNECOLOGISTS
Embryology is the science of
development of an embryo from the fertilization of the ovum to the fetus stage.
The earliest scientific approach is credited to Aristotle (384 – 322 BC), but
Indians have done a lot of scientific work, long before Aristotle. Kapil Muni
was probably the first man who studied embryo. The epic Mahabharata written
around 3100 BCE and the Bhagawata Purana composed around 1800 BCE
have recorded lot of scientific information about embryology. Embryo
development stages are described in Bhagavata Purana, Mahabharata and Aitareya
Upanishad.
Aitareya
Upanishad says Easwara created Virat Purusha endowed with natural
human instincts of hunger and thirst. The deities born out of him
are also endowed with such limitations. Human body was created into which
these deities entered as Panchapranas and Atman. Hunger and thirst thus found a
place but as an integral part of these deities. It is therefore logical to
conclude all the sense organs are presided by deities. Easwara
created food articles like corn and animals. It describes how the
Jeevaatman transmigrates, conception, birth and rebirths which are its three
kinds of births.
It
was Lord Prajapati the creator who first established his seed in the lower part
of a woman. A man should do the same because it is the way of the world to
follow in the footsteps of those superior to us.’ (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
6.4.2) That is why Prajaanana ( dharmic procreation) is glorified as a
sacred task in Vedas.
Embryo
is the first descent of a fraction of Aatma. That part of Aatma is named as
Praana. Praana enters in and guides the sperm to enter an ovum. So, only
that single sperm which is driven by the child’s soul will enter woman’s womb.
“During one coitus 200 to 300 million of sperms are deposited in a female
passage. Out of them only one enters an ovum. This explains pregnancy after an
intercourse is a chance and explains why a woman does not get pregnant every
time she mates a man during her fruitful days
Bhagavata
Purana says that in the course of a month, a head is formed, and at the end of
two months the hands, feet and other limbs take shape. By the end of three
months, the nails, fingers, toes, body hair, bones and skin appear, as do the
organ of generation and the other apertures in the body, namely the eyes,
nostrils, ears, mouth and anus. It further states that the Linga i.e. external
genitalia are formed in the third month. Within four months from the date of
conception, the seven essential ingredients of the body, namely chyle, blood,
flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen, come into existence. At the end of five
months, hunger and thirst make themselves felt, and at the end of six months,
the fetus, enclosed by the amnion, begins to move on the right side of the
abdomen. In the 7th month the soul of embryo remembers everything about its
past lives and also gets knowledge about the present life. Science cannot
demonstrate this fact, but it can be inferred indirectly. The fetus of 7th
month is viable, so its brain must be functioning in the 7th month.
Electro-encephalographic tracings of the fetus may prove this in future.
Kapil
Muni describes that the fetus lies with complete flexion of its back and head.
It is a fact and is scientifically proved. He also said that the fetus is
unable to perform respiration. This is also true, because the fetus lies in the
amniotic fluid and requires no breathing. The fetus gets oxygen and nourishment
from the mother’s blood. In the 9th or 10th month the fetus is forced down by Prasooti
Vayu, through the maternal passage. Kapil Muni also says during this
process of delivery, the fetus gets lot of troubles and loses its past memory.
That is why we do not remember anything about our past!
Science
has revealed that external genitalia are present in 8 weeks’ old embryo.
According to science male genitalia take their final form at the end of the 3rd
month and Utero-vaginal canal also forms by the third month. Anus is formed
sometime after the genitalia.
Reincarnation
of the soul is a long and winding path and is also continuous process, cyclic
in nature. The soul in its travel before incarnation finds a place in a father
and stays with him for long before it reaches the mother while descending on
earth plane after its travel in other planes to exhaust its Karma.
Then it develops on its own in the womb and born as a child. It could
also be influenced by its parents in the process of its development in the womb
based on its Sanchita (left over) Karma and acquired Karma. Anything
can happen in the process of reincarnation of the soul coming from Pitruloka or
Ancestral World to earth in its final journey in the struggle finding its
accommodating father, then the mother and then its struggle to succeed on its
own living on earth and start the cycle of journey again. That is why Hindu
scriptures say human life is very rare and working for Moksha or final
liberation is ideal way from these ordeals of rebirths. If Liberation is not
possible in this birth, it can at least be worked in that direction to minimize
cycle of births before final leap. Vedas also say such a thing is possible and
not impossible for those who practice Sanyasayoga practiced through
Vedanta Vijnaana--Vedantavijnaana sunischitaarthah paramuchyanti. All
those aspirants who have rigorously arrived at the conclusion taught by the
Vedanta through direct knowledge and who have attained purity of mind through
the practice of the discipline of Sanyasa Yoga that is steadfastness in the
knowledge of Brahman by renunciation, get themselves released into the region
of Brahman never to be reborn again. Gita says that comes to rare few on this
earth!
Our ancient sages had a fair vision of future developments of
modern science. You may wonder how? Because sages were spiritually
advanced and looked everything through their divine consciousness (being
Trikala Jnyaanis). Divine consciousness of ancient sages allowed
them to discover most of the facts on embryology that even includes some of the
facts still unknown to modern science. No doubt they have arrived at some
wrong conclusions also in the absence modern scientific analytical techniques
some times that attracts most of our criticisms like the mass bubble formation
out of rethas of man and shonita of woman. But what
has the vision got on it?
When we
talk about scientific thoughts like cloning in Vedas and Upanishads people
laugh at it and say this is impossible even to modern science. First we had
the story of the lamb. On May 1, 1999 there appeared a news that Japanese
scientists have prepared two clones from cells of cow’s milk. If the cells from
milk can be cloned, it is certainly more possible to clone an animal from the
blood cells. It is also true Indians make toll claims often while
doing nothing to substantiate their claims gloating over the past glory. In
spite of the rich scientific heritage of India today only 10 out of 4,000 of
the globe’s most influential researchers come from India. This is
because they lived in the past while others worked hard to scientifically
advance. Wisdom lies in rising to the occasion. In this context please go
through my detailed discourse
--January 18, 2020
**********
SUN
TEMPLE OF INCAS OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY
May I draw your kind attention to the
shocking News in New York Times of yesterday that Peruvian Authorities
deported five tourists and arrested a sixth accused of damaging the
Sun temple at Machu Picchu, the famous Incan ruins in the Andes, A UNESCO World
Heritage Site. It was even more shocking that our President hinted
of destroying historic sites in Iran in his frustration!
I have talked about these Sun Temples
and popularity of Sun Worship in the distant Americas in the ancient
past in my E-mail on Makara Sankranti that we celebrated on 15th as the
Religion of the Sun all over the globe in the beginning before the concept of
walled religions was conceived.
Machu Picchu was the most magnificent
community the Incas built, its name means “Old Mountain” in Quechua. It is
believed that Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by Inca Pachacutec. In 1983
UNESCO added Machu Picchu to its list of World Heritage Sites. Machu Picchu was
re discovered in 1911 by HIram Bingham, an American explorer who was searching
for Vilcabamba, the last resting place of the Incas. His project was funded by
Yale University and National Geographic Society.
Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by
Inca Pachacuti.The Spaniards never found Machu Picchu, so unlike other cities
in the Inca Civilization, it was never destroyed or changed. In 1911 Hiram
Bingham, an American explorer, accidentally discovered Machu Picchu, the “Lost
City of the Incas”.
The most common conclusion from experts
on Inca history and archaeologists is that it was built first and foremost as a
retreat for the Inca and his family to worship natural resources, deities and
specially the Sun, Inti. In reality things do not have one single purpose and
Machu Picchu had a multiplicity of uses and significance.
The city was inhabited for just over
one hundred years and no one knows for sure why the Incas abandoned such a
magnificent city. It is believed that the civil war between the brothers
Atahualpa and Huascar had interrupted the food supply to Machu Picchu. Another
possibility is that it was affected by an epidemic that killed its residents.
As a sacred place a lot of planning was
put into its construction; priests, architects and engineers studied how the
light of the sun and the moon radiated to each mountain and how the stars
aligned to each building. Meticulous architectural and engineering planning was
required in order to meet religious standards. Let’s not forget that Machu
Picchu is located in semi tropical land or highland jungle where rain can be
intense and earthquakes frequent. Inca engineers had the knowledge to erect
anti seismic buildings and ensure at the same time that the land would not
erode.
Machu Picchu is divided into two
sectors, at the northern part was the urban sector and at the southern the
agricultural sector. These sectors were constructed on a natural division …
Inca architecture is most known for its
polygonal stones used in many religious buildings. One stone found in a temple
wall in Machu Picchu is estimated to have at least 33 corners. Machu Picchu has
about 200 buildings that are considered architectural wonders. These buildings
were made of individually shaped pieces of carved gray granite stone that
fitted perfectly together.
Interesting
facts about the lost city of Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain” in Quechua, the Inca language. Hiram
Bingham rediscovered the lost city in 1911. The lost city is located at an
altitude of 2,430 meters or 7,970 feet above sea level. UNESCO declared Machu
Picchu a World Heritage Site in 1983.
This shows
that Religion of the Sun that is Sanatana dharma prevailed even in the recent
past in 15th century in Peru that was destroyed by Conquistadors to establish
Christianity, and the attraction sabotage to
the site continues as per the news in New York Times.
--January
16, 2020
Comment:
It is the worst crime to destroy/damage ancient heritage sites. Such
acts deserve the highest punishment possible.
--A.S. Narayana
************
WEBINAR-165 ॐ (OM) IN UPANISHADS
Hindu Reflections is no stranger to this enigmatic subject. We
have in the past discussed both Om and Mandukya Upanishad at length in the
following discourses.
It is interesting to note that in
Hindu tradition a newly born child is ushered into the world with this holy
symbol. After birth, the child is ritually purified by Jaatakarma and the
sacred syllable Om is written on its tongue with honey. Om is thus initiated
into the life of a Hindu child and ever remains with it as the symbol of piety.
This ceremony is conducted to both male and female children. Why
then there is restriction placed on females not to chant Gayatree or OM from
Conservative Orthodoxy point of view?
Om is a composite of
a, u, ma which symbolizes several triads—Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva; The
three Vedas—Rig, Yajus, Saama; The three worlds—Bhooh (Earth), Bhuvah (Mid
region), Suvah (Heaven); the three effulgence, Agni (fire), Soma(moon),
Soorya (sun)-the three eyes of Siva; the three states of existence—wakeful, dream,
deep sleep: the three conditions of Consciousness—antarprajna, bahirprjna and
ghanaprajna; three kinds of Power—Icchaasakti, Kriyaasakti, Jnaanasakti; The
three genders—Pullinga, Streelinga and Nishkalaalinga and others. All things in
the universe are pervade by Om. According to Brihat-parasara Smriti--without Om
no sound can be uttered and nothing can be communicated and the sound seem to
be with Aditya who is none other than Brahman broadcasting to the
universe with Solar vision! The world needs One Religion that is Vedanta
as Swami Vivekananda presented to the World Religions of Forum in Chicago. If
other religions have some sort of reservation for the word Vedanta as Hindu
biased as they are its custodians for more than 7000 years (ASHP) we may call
it The Religion of the Sun that is universal in Appeal that was celebrated on
Winter Solstice Day, New Year and Makara Sankranti Day. Swamiji has not
only thought of the right subject but also the right time reminding us of
Ratha Saptami and Surya Namaskaram with Solar Yoga on February 2. He has also
not Chicago to deliver his message!
Vaishnavites recite 24 forms
classical forms of Vishnu in their daily prayers. According to
Pancharaatra doctrine (doctrine of four heroes deified with Paravasudeva constituting
five aspects) each of the four Vyuha or primary emanatory forms of Vishnu bring
fourth three other forms which are regarded as Vyuhaantara secondary
emanation. The twelve secondary emanations are together called murtyaantara
or dvaadasa murtis. From these twelve secondary emanations eight
other forms which are further manifestations from the four primary vyuha-murtis
are produced bringing the total to 24 (4+12+8=24) as triad. Mandookya Upanishad
gave birth to Pancharatra Samhitas which are the scriptures of certain
Vaishnava sects of Hinduism.
Mandookya Upanishad is considered
as basic to all the Principles of Vedanta and the
cornerstone to Advaita Philosophy. An analysis of three states of
Consciousness—Jaagrati, Swapna and Sushupti and linking them with the three
letters A, U, M of the Pranava syllable AUM (akaara, ukaara,
makaara and onkaara) and establishing Tureeya (unexplainable fourth
state) as the highest reality is the specialty of its message to spiritual
seeker. To Vaishnavites it is the Cornerstone on which Pancharatra doctrine is
framed.
Our Sun lies 93,000,000 miles away,
surrounded by the vacuum of space. Sound won't travel through space, of course.
But with the right instrument, scientists can "hear" pulsations from
the Sun. It is most astonishing that this sound reverberates sacred mantra
"OM". Scientists are still trying to correlate why/how the ancient
Hindu mantra and sun's sound conflate!
Mandukya Upanishd
Mantra 1 Aum ity-etad-aksharam ida(ga)m sarvam | tasyopa-vyakhyaanam
bhootam bhavad-bhavishyad-iti sarvam-onkaara eva |
yaccha-anyat-trikaala-ateetam tadapy-onkaara eva ||
All this is syllable AUM. A clear exposition of this fact follows. All
that existed in the past that exists in the present and what will become in the
future is verily AUM; whatever is beyond these past, present and future is also
AUM.
The four parts of Pranava [A (beginning), U
(continuous), M (closing) and the nasal half sound] correspond to the four
aspects (Vyuhas) of Brahman—Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Sankarshana and Vasudeva and
they in turn correspond to Viswa, Tejasa, Praajna and Tureeya. This is often referred as Paada Chatushtaya
or Chaturvyuha in Pancharatra Theology.
All things either limited by time or not limited by time or verily the
sound of AUM or Brahman alone. This here refers to manifested world. AUM is not
only what is past, present and future but also what is beyond past, present and
future.
I hope this background information
will help you to listen to Swamiji with rapt attention and to grasp his
wisdom thoughts easily delivered in his inimitable style for your quick
consumption.
OM ITYEKAAKSHARAM BRAHMA! OM ITYAATMAANAM YUNJEETA!
Gist of the Presentation by Swami Chidananda of
FOWAI Forum:
Riding
on the high wave of Vedic mysticism, there sits the most sacred sound Om. It is praised in numerous Upanishads. The
Māndukya Upanishad proclaims that this entire universe, including the past, the
present and the future, is no other than Om. The Mundaka Upanishad asks us to
use Om as the bow, upon which we should place our purified mind as the arrow,
to hit the target of Brahman. The Taittiriya Upanishad highlights the several
ways in which Vedic rituals employ Om. Lord Yama answers Nachiketā’s question
on the transcendental truth, saying that truth is Om.
Geetā recommends
meditation on Om. Maharshi Ramana and Paramahansa Shri Rāmakrishna say all the
Vedas are contained in the Gāyatri mantra, which in turn is contained within
Om.
bhootam,
bhavat, bhavishyad iti – sarvam omkāra eva
All this – the past, the present and the future –
is Om alone-- Māndukya Upanishad, Mantra 1.
--January
16, 2020
*********
MEDITATION
IS THE BEST MEDICATION FOR ALL AGITATIONS
"Meditation
is the best medication for all agitations. People have so many troubles today,
mainly related to the stress in their lives. To address this anxiety, this
sleeplessness, this inability to simply be content, they may take pills or fill
their lives with excessive material pleasures. For example, when people feel
stressed they may attempt to forget about it by going to the movies, or by
getting drunk or by indulging in simple sensual pleasures. Yet, these are not
solutions. They do not address the underlying issues. They are simply band-aids
to a wound that runs deep below the surface.
Meditation will truly calm the mind, fill the heart with joy and bring peace to the soul; the serenity and joy that comes from meditation lasts throughout the day and throughout your life. Meditation is not a simple diversion which works only as long as you are actively engaged in it. Meditation is not a pill which quickly wears off and carries unpleasant side-effects. Rather, meditation brings you into contact with God; it changes the very nature of your being. It brings you back to the world from which you come: the realm of the Divine. As you sit in meditation you will realize the insignificance of that which causes anxiety; you will realize the transient nature of all your troubles. You will realize the infinite joy and boundless peace that come from God.
You will learn (or perhaps you have already learned) meditation techniques. Do not worry if you can’t do it perfectly, or if it is difficult, or if you can’t remember everything. The point is to do it. Make a time that is “meditation time.” It’s okay if it’s short. Don’t worry, just do it. Do not say, “Well, I don’t have an hour to sit so I won’t bother.” Commit five minutes to meditation each morning, and you will begin to see the magic of it.
Meditation will truly calm the mind, fill the heart with joy and bring peace to the soul; the serenity and joy that comes from meditation lasts throughout the day and throughout your life. Meditation is not a simple diversion which works only as long as you are actively engaged in it. Meditation is not a pill which quickly wears off and carries unpleasant side-effects. Rather, meditation brings you into contact with God; it changes the very nature of your being. It brings you back to the world from which you come: the realm of the Divine. As you sit in meditation you will realize the insignificance of that which causes anxiety; you will realize the transient nature of all your troubles. You will realize the infinite joy and boundless peace that come from God.
You will learn (or perhaps you have already learned) meditation techniques. Do not worry if you can’t do it perfectly, or if it is difficult, or if you can’t remember everything. The point is to do it. Make a time that is “meditation time.” It’s okay if it’s short. Don’t worry, just do it. Do not say, “Well, I don’t have an hour to sit so I won’t bother.” Commit five minutes to meditation each morning, and you will begin to see the magic of it.
Then,
let this meditation become your life. Yes, of course, one should have a time
set aside for meditation, and there should be a quiet, serene place in which to
meditate. However, even when it is not “meditation time” or even if you are
away from home, away from your “meditation place,” do not think that you cannot
meditate. Take five minutes at work to simply close your eyes, watch your
breath, focus on the oneness of us all, and connect with the Divine. Let your
life become meditation."---Swami Chidananda Saraswathi
--January 13, 2020
***********
THE
VISIBLE FORM OF BRAHMAN IS THE SUN--AADITYA
The Sun is the One God, the Light of lights, GOD
of gods of the ancient world. This religion of the Sun pervaded the ancient
world. It predominated among the Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, and Scytnhians,
to name but a few, extending to the Aztecs, Mayas, Incas, and Pueblo Indians of
the New World. Ancient Pre-Christian European traditions of the Greeks, Romans,
Celts, Germans, and Slavs, contain strong solar symbolism. Monotheistic
approaches like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam contain a symbolism of light.
There is a strong solar symbolism in Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Shinto, and
many other traditions. Such spiritual teachings of light link the human being
to the Sun and regard us as “children of the Sun,” forms of light on earth
taking birth to fulfill the solar will towards greater life and consciousness.
We could say that the natural religion of our species is the religion of the
Sun.
The Sun is the most powerful influence in nature,
responsible for the light through which all life on earth functions, and
sustaining the force of gravity through which the earth revolves. The Sun is
the ruler of our solar system and all that occurs within it. Yet though we all
may welcome the sunlight every day, we seldom consider the spiritual reality of
the Sun or honor the sacred presence and higher spirit behind it or value it
for providing us better health or an alternative energy source. Sun's activity
is very important to us. We could not live on Earth without it. We take
the sunlight for granted. The sun's gravity keeps Earth in orbit around it,
keeping us at a comfortable distance to enjoy the sun's light and warmth.
It holds down our atmosphere and the air we need to breath. Gravity is what
holds our world together.
The main God of the Zodiac is the Sun God called
Vishnu. Rig Veda I.155.6, says “With four times ninety names (chaturbhih
sakam navatim cha namabhih), he (Vishnu) sets in motion moving forces like
a turning wheel (chakra).” This suggests that even in Vedic times Vishnu had
360 names or forms, one for each degree of the zodiac.
Aaditya is Parabrahman--MNU
prescribes meditation upon the Sun as Brahamn and Narayana as in Rigveda. The
Golden Person described in the Mantras is the Supreme Lord who has favored man
with three Vedas shining in the Sun. Therefore we have the first set of Mantras
to meditate upon Brahman as the Orb of the Sun. Aditya can be explained as Aadau
Bhavah—the visible Lord who was in the beginning. Supreme Person not only
has revealed the three Vedas through the Sun, but also has given
all that is necessary for the well-being and liberation of all creatures. So we
have the second set of Mantras glorifying Sun as Sarvaatmaka, abiding in all
Beings. We have the last set of Mantras to be employed for Japa by those who
are incapable of performing meditation given in the other two sets of Mantra.
This is like Sandhyavandana mantra.Solar energy is recognized as a vital
alternate renewable power source for addressing the global energy crisis – in
case fossil fuels are depleted in the coming few decades. Moral values are on
the decline daily with falsehood and deception practiced casually these days.
Lord Surya is the very embodiment of Truth. He is the most visible form of
Saguna Brahman. Moreover Upanishads and Gita say the Sun, Moon, Fire and
Stars all shine because of Brahman—“tasya bhaasaa sarvamidam
vibhaatii--All other lights shines because of Him alone!. Praying to these
luminaries is praying to Brahman alone. Praying to Him can strengthen the
power of truth within us and in practicing truth and fairness in dealing with
the outside world.
I take
this opportunity to provide you most sacred mantras on Aaditya for
meditation and Surya Namaskara while practicing Yoga in the day light and
morning hours.
Aadityo
vaa esha etanmandalam tapati tatrataa richastadrichaa mandala(ga)m sa richaam
loko atha ya esha etasmin mandale archir-deepyate taani saamaani sa saamnaam
loko atha ya esha etasminmandalorchishi purushastaani yajoo(ga)mshi sa
yajushaa mandala(ga)m sa yajushaam lokah saisha trayyeva vidyaa tapati ya
esho antaraaditye hiranmayah purushah ||
Mantras
on Aadityapurusha Depicting as One who is Abiding in All
Beings
Aadityo
vai teja ojo balam yasaschakshuh srotraatmaa mano manyur- manur-mrityuh
satyo mitro vaayur-aakaasah praano lokapaalah kah kim kam
tatsatyamannmamrito jeevo viswah katamah svayambhu brahmaitadamrita esha
purusha esha bhootaanaamadhipatirbrahmanah saayujya(ga)m salokataam
aapnot-yetaasaameva devataanaa(ga)m saayujya(ga)m saarshtitaa(ga)m
samaanalokotaamaapnoti ya evam veddatyupanishat ||
Aadityadevata
Mantras
Ghrinihi
surya aadityom archayanti tapah satyam madhu ksharanti tad brahma
tad aapah jyotee raso amritam brahma bhoorbhuvah suvarom
Verily
Aaditya is He; This Orb of his gives light and heat; The well-known
Rik values are there; Therefore the orb is the collection of Rik
verses. He is the abode of Rik. Now this flame which is shining in the orb of
the Sun is the collection of Saaman chants; That is the abode of Saaman
chants. Now He who is the Person in the flame within the orb of the
Sun (is to be meditated upon as) the collection of the Yajus; that part of the
orb is the collection Yajus; that is the abode of Yajus. Thus by these three
the threefold knowledge alone shines. He who is within the Sun is the Golden
Person.
The Sun
alone is verily all these—energy, splendor, strength, renowned, slight,
hearing, body, mind, anger, seer, the Deities of Death, Satya, Mitra, Wind,
ether and Breath, the Rulers of the world, Prajaapati, the Indeterminable One,
happiness, that which transcends the senses, truth, food, span of life, liberation
or Immortality, individual Soul, the Universe, the acme of bliss and the
self-born Brahman. This Person in the sun is eternal. He is the Lord of
all creatures. He who meditates thus upon Him attains union with Brahman and
lives in the same region of enjoyment with Him; he attains union, co-residence
and like-enjoyment with these gods in their worlds. The secret knowledge is
thus imparted.
The
imperishable Aditya who is the giver of luster and the creator of the universe
moves in the sky like his own rays. The essence of him in the form of sweet
water flows in the shape of rivers. He is the Truth. Aditya, the supreme cause
of the universe, is the giver of light and water and is the source of all
energy. He is denoted by the syllable Om. Gods worship Him as Tapas and Truth.
(Being worshiped thus) He grants bliss to the worshipers. (Or the worshipers
offer honey and sweet offerings to Him). That form of the sun is Brahman. That
is the pervading cause of all. That is water, fire, flavor and ambrosia. The
three Vyahritis representing the three worlds (Earth, Mid Region and
Heaven) the Pranava (OM) representing the cause of the universe denote that
Brahman.
We celebrated Arudra darsanam as the
Night of Cosmic Dance celebrating the dissolution activity of
Brahman in the Saguna form of on Januay 9, 2020. This follows
Makara Sankranti on January 15, 2020 that celebrates Resurrection of Sun,
on which day we celebrate the Creative Activity of Brahman. This soon
follows Maha Sivaratri the descent of Siva that follows the
descent of Rama and later Krishna and other avatars all taking the role of
Maintenance aspect of Brahman. Thus we observe a strange phenomenon of the
sequential order of dissolution, preservation and creation year after year in
our glorification of the Supreme, GOD (G=Generates; O=Operates,
D=dissolves) in his role of Laya, Srishhi and Sthiti-dissolution,
creation and preservation
In this
context please go through a thought provoking article: "The Ancient
Solar Yoga" by David Frawley on the Internet.
--January 12, 2020
VIVEKANANDA’S 157TH BIRTHDAY
QOUTES
Today is the Birthday of Swami Vivekananda!
Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna
Mission.
Vivekananda
a Hindu monk and passionate patriot, who worked tirelessly towards betterment
of the society was born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata. He was among the most
celebrated spiritual leaders who endlessly served the poor and needy,
dedicating all his efforts for the country. In his pre-monastic life, he was
known as Narendra Nath Datta/ Dutta.
His
teaching laid a foundation for India’s unity. He taught how to live together
with harmony in India, a country with extensive diversity. He also represented
India’s culture and Hinduism across the world and created a virtual bridge
between India’s culture and the western world.
His
lectures, writings, letters, poems, ideas motivated not only the youth of India
but also the whole world. Let us have a look at some of his inspirational ideas
or sayings on his birth anniversary today:
On his 157th birth anniversary today, let us have a
look at some of his inspirational quotes
*If I
love myself despite my infinite faults, how can I hate anyone at the
glimpse of few faults
*In a
conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart
*God is to be worshiped as the one beloved,
dearer than everything in this and next life.
*The greatest sin is to think you are weak (atmanaa
vindate veeryam)
*Never think there is anything impossible for
the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the
only sin; to say that you are weak, or others are weak.
*Do
one thing at a Time, and while doing it put your whole soul into it to the
exclusion of all else
*If faith
in ourselves had been more extensively taught and practiced, I am sure a very
large portion of the evils and miseries that we have would have vanished.
*Find the Teacher, serve him as a child, open your
heart to his influence, see in him God manifested”
*You
cannot believe in GOD until you believe in yourself
*Take
risks in your life, If you win, you can lead! If you lose, you can guide
*The more we come out and do good to others, the
more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.
utiṣṭhata jagrata varān
prāpya ( tat )
nibodhata| niśitā
kṣurasya
dhārā
duratyayā durgaṁ tat pathaḥ ( iti ) kavayaḥ vadanti ||
(Kathopanishad)
Arise,
awake, find out the great ones and learn of them; for sharp as a razor's edge,
hard to traverse, difficult of going is that path, say the sages.
--January 12, 2020
Comments:
Your
article is very well written. Thanks for highlighting the views of Vivekanand,
India's conscience keeper. We suffer because we don't follow his views on
inter-faith harmony.
--A.S.
Narayana
MAKARA SANKRANTI DEDICATED TO SURYA
AND FOOD AS EMANATIONS OF BRAHMAN
Makara Sankrānti is the festival day in the Hindu calendar,
dedicated to the deity Surya (sun). It is observed each year in January. It
marks the first day of the sun's transit into Makara (Capricorn), marking the
end of the month with the winter solstice (Margazhi) and the start of
longer days.
The Sun is the One God, the Light of lights, GOD of gods of the
ancient world. This religion of the Sun pervaded the ancient world. It
predominated among the Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, and Scynthians, to name but
a few, extending to the Aztecs, Mayas, Incas, and Pueblo Indians of the New
World. Ancient Pre-Christian European traditions of the Greeks, Romans, Celts,
Germans, and Slavs, contain strong solar symbolism. Monotheistic approaches
like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam contain a symbolism of light. There is a
strong solar symbolism in Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Shinto, and many other
traditions. Such spiritual teachings of light link the human being to the Sun
and regard us as “children of the Sun,” forms of light on earth taking birth to
fulfill the solar will towards greater life and consciousness. We could say
that the natural religion of our species is the religion of the Sun.
The Sun is the most powerful influence in nature, responsible for the light
through which all life on earth functions, and sustaining the force of gravity
through which the earth revolves. The Sun is the ruler of our solar system and
all that occurs within it. Yet though we all may welcome the sunlight every
day, we seldom consider the spiritual reality of the Sun or honor the sacred
presence and higher spirit behind it. We take the sunlight for granted or value
it for providing us better health or an alternative energy source!
Easwara created Virat Purusha endowed
with natural human instincts of hunger and thirst. The deities born out of him
are also endowed with such limitations. Human body was created into which
they gladly entered in the form of elemental nature. Hunger and thirst
thus found a place but as an integral part of these deities. That is why
Pranahurti mantra is an essential part of any deity worship. It is therefore
logical to conclude all the sense organs are presided by deities. Thus there
was the need for food and Easwara created food articles like corn and
animals. Therefore Tamils thought of celebrating Makara Sankranti as
harvest festival called Pongal. Others joined. All others celebrate
it as the Birth or Resurrection of Sun.
Often devotees forget that the various gods are but aspects or
attributes of the one God and try to compare their relative greatness. So the
SUN worshiped on Makara Sankranti Day.
We celebrated Arudra darsanam, the Night of Cosmic Dance
celebrating the dissolution activity of Brahman in the Saguna form
of Nataraja on January 10, 2020. This is followed by Makara Sankranti
that is celebrated as Resurrection of Sun, on which day we celebrate the
Creative Activity of Brahman. This is soon followed by Maha Sivaratri the
descent of Siva that is followed by the descent of Rama and later Krishna and
other avatars all taking the role of Maintenance aspect of Brahman. Thus we
observe a strange phenomenon of the sequential order of dissolution,
preservation and creation year after year.
Recently we celebrated Arudra Darsanam recalling Cosmic Dance as
the Dance of Dissolution. Murlidharan draws our attention to
Creation in general and the entry of Atman into human womb
with the help of Rethas from father and Shonitha that carries egg from
mother and all the three dependent on food who is Brhaman --Annam vai
Brahman that is Pongal. Arudhra Darsanm glorifies
Dissolution Force while Makara Sankranti Creative Force!
Surya Namaskar, Obeisance to Sun God is getting
highly popular with the name of Sun Salutation all over the world who are not
Hindus. It is prominent because it is called the ‘King of Yoga’ by great
yogis. Surya Namaskar is a very systematic technique that combines the twelve
asanas in a yoga sequence.
The solar plexus (located behind the navel, which is the central
point of the human body), also known as the second brain, is said to be
connected to the sun. This is the main reason why the
ancient rishis recommended the practice of Surya Namaskar because the
regular practice of this technique enhances the solar plexus, which increases
one’s creativity and intuitive abilities. Moreover, as we can do it almost
anywhere and is relatively easy, it is one of the best things anyone could do
to become fit.
As Makara Sankranti (Pongal in
Tamil) falls on 15-Jan-2020 (Wed), I am glad to share a rare hymn titled
Aditya Stavam by Lord Brahma taken from Markandeya Puranam
and Chapter 100.
In Markandeya Purana, chapters 99-107
explain the majesty of Lord Sun and the genealogies and contain several
hymns on Lord Aditya by different personas. The attached one is by Lord
Brahma who prays to Lord Aditya to start creation by contracting the
glory of Lord Sun. It is given that Lord Brahma contracted
the supreme glory of Lord Sun and complete the creation of the universe
(Gods/Devas, Asuras, beings, mortals, cattle, animals, trees, shrubs, hells,
etc.). The Dhyana shloka at the start is actually the last stanza from
previous chapter (Chapter 99).
Though Makar Sankranti is 10 days away,
I am glad to squeeze time for this now as the professional grind after the
year-end lull has just about started and it is often difficult to find personal
space after that. So, May I wish you, your family, kith and kin a very Happy
Pongal and Makar Sankranti in advance!
May
We Pray to Lord Aditya with this exquisite prayer! May the resplendent Lord Surya
shower you with His Blessings to achieve abundance in every dimension in the
same way as He blessed Lord Brahma to accomplish creation!
--January
11, 2020
**********
ARUDRA
DARSANAM OR THIRUVATHIRAI FESTIVAL
Arudra
Darshan festival also known as Thiruvathirai is a festival celebrated annually
in Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu to celebrate the cosmic dance of Shiva.
Thiruvathirai’s literal meaning is the sacred big wave which, according to
beliefs was used by Shiva to create the universe we now know of. This
occurred almost 132 trillion years ago. This festival holds a great
significance to the people of Tamil Nadu especially to Kotas in the Niligiri
district.
The
festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi that falls on December
or January. It is celebrated on a full moon night and this night
interestingly is also the longest night in a year. History says that the Arudra
Darshan festival has been celebrated by people for more than 1500 years now.
And because it is done in dedication to Shiva, the mighty one, people sing and
chant hymns in his praise. He is also praised using different names one
of them being Athiraiyan.
The
idols of Shiva and Parvati, his consort are taken out of temples so that they
can be carried on big processions. Arudra Drashan is one of the biggest events
in Tamil Nadu and is celebrated in almost every Shiva temple. On this day,
devotees chant Tamil hymns and mantras and not Sanskrit ones.
In
Tamil Nadu, this festival has a great significance. Unmarried women
observe fast and do it for the whole day and eat before sunrise. This fast is
broken only after sighting the moon like Karva chauth in the North. Fasting is
also called as Nonbu in Tamil and this goes on for nine days till the day of
Thiruvathirai. The best part of this festival is also the delicious food that
people make especially the Thiruvathirai kali. It is made of jaggery, rice and
coconut and also moong dAal. Another special delicacy is the ezhlu that is made
of seven different vegetables.
The
idol of Shiva in the form of dancing is carried out in processions from every
Shiva temple. And in Chidambaram, the previous night, Shiva’s idol is worshiped
with Abhishekam ritual also known as the holy shower where they bathe Shiva
with nine precious gems. If you want to witness the cosmic dance of Shiva you
should visit the famous Chidambaram Shiva temple. This is where this festival
is celebrated with much pomp and gaiety.
I
wonder why this festival is unheard of in rest of India like the recently
celebrated Vaikuntha Ekadasi the gatecrashing ceremony of Fasting and entering
Swarga which opens once a year and closes according to Tamils? Are
Tamils the only AHSP of Hinduism? The month of Margasira started on November 27
in 2019 and ended on December 25 in December 2019 according to North American
Panchangam. Margazhi started on December 16, 2019 and will wend on
January 14, 2020. It looks as though the famous scientist Carl Sagan was very
familiar with Tamil Tradition!
American
astrophysicist Carl Sagan was a great admirer of Hinduism
influenced by Tamil culture and this is what he wrote in his book Cosmos; “The
Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the
idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of
deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales
correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary
day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer
than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big
Bang. And there are much longer time scales still. The most elegant and sublime
of these is a representation of the creation of the universe at the beginning
of each cosmic cycle, a motif known as the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva.
The god called in this manifestation is Nataraja, the Dance King. In the upper
right hand is a drum whose sound is the sound of creation. In the upper left
hand is a tongue of flame, a reminder that the universe, now newly created,
with billions of years from now will be utterly destroyed. A millennium before
Europeans were willing to divest themselves of the Biblical idea that the world
was a few thousand years old, the Mayans were thinking of millions and the
Hindus billions.” [Carl Sagan, Cosmos, pages 213-214]
It is
rather surprising the way Hindu Festivals are arranged logically and
sequentially in the course of atman’s journey. Atman that has enjoyed its time
in Swarga also travels to the Earth on Vaikuntha Ekadasi Day when gates are
opened and stays in pitruloka and is taken care of by Aditya, Rudra and Vasu
indicated in Shraddha mantras. After dissolution on Aridra darsanam day,
creation starts with the resurrection of Sun on Makara Sankranti Day when atman
also travels to Earth waiting to enter a right womb. Aditya is the Lord
of Creation (who even creates Siva on Mahasivaratri Night) about which we will
talk soon. Atman fully equipped with physical body when born is
then taken care of various devatas like Rama, Krishna, Ganesha etc., whose
birthdays we celebrate in succession.
Please go through my detailed discourse on the
subject and the message from Muralidharan Iyengar from Singapore.
“A
Very Rare Brahmapara Stavam from Sri
Kurma Puranam
Greetings and Namaste. As Ardra Darshanam,
one of the two most important occasions in the month of Margashirsha (Dhanus),
falls on 10-Jan-2020, I am delighted to share a very short and beautiful prayer
on Lord Rudra by Shankukarna taken from Sri Kurma Puranam and
Chapter 31. The brief Phalashruti mentions that this exquisite
prayer is known by the name Brahmapara Stavam and one who recites this
hymn in the morning and afternoon with devotion will get absolved of their sins
and attain the abode of Lord Shiva.
Though Kurma Purana is a Vaishnavite
purana, it perhaps contains more hymns on Lord Shiva than Lord
Narayana. The second canto of this purana is known as Rudra Gita
where the cosmic form and paratattva of Lord Shiva is elaborated.
This purana also has dozens of citations on the equality Lord Vishnu and
Lord Shiva. There are several prayers where Lord Shiva is worshipped
as Lord Narayana. In Chapter 25, Lord Krishna declares thus:
na me viprAsti kartavyaM nAnAvAptaM kathañcana |
pUjayAmi tathApIshaM jAnan etata paraM shivam | 56 ||
na vai pashyanti taM devaM mAyayA mohitA janAH |
tato.ahaM svAtmano mUlaM GYApayan pUjayAmi tam || 57 ||
na ca liñgArcanAt puNyaM loke.asmin bhIti-nAshanaM |
tathA liñge hitAyaiShAM lokAnAM pUjayec Chivam || 58 ||
yo.ahaM tal li~ngaM ityAhur veda vAda vido janAH |
tato.ahaM AtmAnaM IshAnaM pUjayAmyAtmnaiva tu || 59 ||
tasyaiva paramA mUrtis tanmayo.ahaM na saMshayaH |
nA.avayor vidyate bhedo vedeShvevaM vinishcayaH || 60 ||
Meaning: Though there is nothing that needs to be done by me but I do
worship Lord Shiva. People swayed by Maya don't understand the Sakshatkara of
Lord Shiva. In this universe, there is no greater worship than Lingarchana
which can destroy karma. Therefore people should perform Lingarchana. Those who
are adept in Siddhantas understand that Linga is my Svarupa only and therefore
I worship myself. Lord Shiva is the Parama Murthy and I am Shiva-svarupa and
let there be no doubt. Vedas declare that there is no difference between us.
Therefore people should constantly meditate on Lord Shiva.
Do we need to say more? Can there be a more
pellucid thrashing of the sectarian absurdities we see today? May We Pray Lord
Shiva who is Lord Narayana with this beautiful prayer!”
--January 8, 2020
Comments:
Thank you
mama. Sharing with some others this useful information.
--Aparna Arcot
Thank
you so much for such a great email with a lot of information. Truly
wonderful that you continue to keep doing this Sir.
--Nagarajan from Nashville
********
LET US
LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE WORLD AND WHAT 2020 WILL BRING WITH 20/20
VISION
Yukteswar’s
introduction to The Holy Science includes his explanation of the Yuga Cycle which differs from the traditional position
because of his premise that the earth is now in the age of Dwapara Yuga, not the Kali Yuga that most Indian pundits
believe to be the current age. His theory is based on the idea
that the sun “takes some star for its dual and revolves round it in about
24,000 years of our earth – a celestial phenomenon which causes the backward
movement of the equinoctial points around the zodiac.” The
common explanation for this celestial phenomenon is precession, the ‘wobbling’ rotating movement of the
earth axis on which there is general agreement by scientists. Research
into Sri Yukteswar’s explanation is being conducted by the Binary Research
Institute.
He
further states that: The sun also has another motion by which it revolves round
a grand center called Vishnu-Naabhi which is the seat of the creative power
Brahma, the universal magnetism. Brahma regulates Dharma the mental virtues of
the internal world. When the sun in its revolution round its dual come to the
place nearest to this grand center the seat of Brahma (an event which takes
place when the autumnal equinox comes to the first point of Aries) Dharma the
mental virtue becomes so much developed that man can easily comprehend all,
even the mysteries of Spirit.
In The
Holy Science, Sri Yukteswar concludes that we are currently in the
beginning stages of Dwapara Yuga, which began around 1699 A.D., moving closer
to the grand center, and will pass into Treta Yuga around the year 4099 A.D.
If we
represent the Yugas in a clock, the lowest spiritual time would be at 6
o'clock, approx. year 550 A.D., which is the center of Kali Yuga (more or less
the Middle Ages), and the highest point is 12 o'clock, in the center of Satya
Yuga (literally Age of Truth, as sat=truth), or Golden Age. It takes approx.
12,000 years from the lowest to the highest point, and about 24,000 in a
complete turn. Now we would be at approx. 7 c'clock, ascending in Dwapara Yuga
or Bronze Age which started in 1699.
Many of
us are looking with deep concern about the current state of the world and what
2020 will bring. The division and conflict on every continent is easy to see,
but how to reduce it remains problematic. While we should not give in to the
usual doomsday feelings, we must take the situation seriously and counter it on
both inner and outer levels
The
great Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda in his special Yuga theory, which he derived
from his guru Sri Yukteswar, indicates that we have moved astrologically from
the dark age of Kali Yuga to the less dark age of Dwapara, a process complete
around 1900 AD and the notable technological gains of that time. This may cause
us to raise our hopes in the current situation.
However,
Yogananda also noted that Dwapara Yuga can be a dangerous period in which the
development of new technologies can go faster than our wisdom to handle them,
with our minds still in the shadow of old Kali Yuga belief systems. This
situation creates high tech Dwapara based wars and calamities, which are more
dangerous than those under Kali Yuga, which limited humanity’s resources and
weapons. Such a disturbed initial Dwapara Yuga is what we are seeing today.
“The
winter solstice of December 2020 is marked by a difficult Saturn-Jupiter
conjunction, with Jupiter near its maximum point of debility, showing the
danger of large scale political and economic turmoil, which will influence the
next twenty years until the following Jupiter-Saturn conjunction.
This
new global time of troubles that is likely to last for several decades, and
cannot be dealt with in a simplistic manner or with short-term action plans.
These global problems have already started from 2001 with terrorism and 2008
with economic dangers, and are likely to become critical by 2020. 2020-2028
will likely be a period of increased disruptions, including at government and
economic levels, with continuing refugee problems and failed states. 2028-2044
will continue these, perhaps at a more severe level, but with stronger counter
measures.
By
2050, the worst should be over, but the shadow of events may color the
remainder of the century. These issues are generational, not simply a matter of
a few years. The end of the century should see a considerable drop in global
population, by outer problems or a better population control. Whether what
remains afterwards will be a Brave New World or a real new yogic spiritual era
is debatable.
In any
case, humanity is in for a great deal amount of turbulence in the years to
come. The question is if the nobility of the true human spirit, like the lotus,
can surface in this mire. At least to some extent it will, as it always does.
The individual can always transcend, even if the society cannot.
We can
only spread the message of a higher humanity – and look to the cosmic powers to
enlighten or chastise our species as our karmas may dictate. We must be patient
during this long term churning process and sustain the eternal light! Then even
the limitations of collective karma can be overcome.
The
higher powers are looking for more individuals to aid in this work, which has
great blessings for all. May everyone take up that call! This is a call not
simply to be a social activist but to be a center for bringing a higher
awareness into the world, however one is capable of doing that” says Vedic
Astrologer David Frawley.
The
Holy Science is a book written by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri in
1894 under the title Kaivalya Darsanam. Sri Yukteswar states that
he wrote The Holy Science at the request of Mahavatar Babaji. The book
compares parallel passages from the Bible
and Upanishads in order to show the
unity of all religions.
In the
introduction, Sri Yukteswar writes: The purpose of this book is to show as
clearly as possible that there is an essential unity in all religions; that
there is no difference in the truths inculcated by the various faiths; that
there is but one method by which the world, both external and internal, has
evolved; and that there is but one Goal admitted by all scriptures. The
book compares Sanskrit
slokas to passages from the New Testament, especially the Book of Revelation.
I have also talked a lot about the reference to Sanatkumara that is
Skanda in the Book of Revelation.
Sangacchadhvam sam vadadhvam sam vo manaamsi
jaanataam/ devaa bhaagam yathaa purve sanjanaana upaasate // (X-191-20)
Come together! Speak together! Let our minds be all
of one accord like the divines that sat together in the past in harmony
to worship.
[All
people should live with one mind without enmity and this can be achieved only
by the divine grace says the mantra]
--January
5, 2020
*********
AUPA E-NEWS FROM
SWAMI CHIDANANDA
Here is a message from Swami
Chidananda of FOWAI forum
“Wishing you once more a good New
Year 2020 ahead, we present this issue of AUPA on this 5th of
January.
Swāmi Viditātmānanda ji, turning 80
years, blesses us this time with a lucid article on Universal Harmony. A
Vedānta teacher of long standing, he was the Āchārya of a Vedānta course at the
famed Sāndeepany Sādhanālaya too in the early 1980s. Please see under the
feature – Guest Column.
Take a look at the ‘Story Time’ in
this issue; you will realize how, many a time, somebody unknown would have
helped us in critical times without our noticing it. A touching episode of real
life.
Indira ji from USA continues to
supply to us an update on the Happiness Yoga sessions going on at Fayetteville,
once a month.
We have started a new feature –
Readers Contribute. Sunandā Gopāl from Minnesota shares some spiritual thoughts
with us, which have a new flavor.
Regular features like Learn
this Word, Editorial and Remembering DR. G are sure
to interest you.
Lots of regards and best wish I consider myself fortunate to
forward the blessings and best wishes of Swami Chidananda who has
been treating us with spiritual vitamins throughout the year with his Easy
delivery and Quick Consumption Vedanta without Strain throughout the year. The
following three webinars that took place in December 2019 and January 5 on
Sundays 9.30 pm IST, presented by Swāmi Chidānanda were forwarded to you with
my customary explanations:
162 December 8 – The Quantum Leap in Vedānta; 163 December 22 –
Glimpses of Yoga in the Upanishads and 164 Sunday, January 5, 2020 – Upanishads
and the Youth.
Please go through the collection of AUPA letters he has collected
together and forwarded to us for our spiritual enlightenment and progress.
I usually receive all his webinar E-mails that I forward you as and when
received.
Personally I do not spend much time in meditation and worship but
feel my service through Hindu Reflections itself is meditation and Aradhana !
It is for Him to judge!
--January 5, 2020
*********
WHY
HINDUS CONSIDER JANUARY 1 AS SACRED DAY FOR WORSHIP
In 2008, the Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam government of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi passed the Tamil Nadu New
Year (Declaration) Bill 2008 to change the date of the New Year from the first
day of Chithirai (mid-April to mid-May) to the first day of the month of Thai,
which falls around January 14 closest to Gregorian Calendar.
For the next three years, the coming of the New Year was reconfigured, and it
did not prove a popular move. During the inaugural session to the
Assembly on 23 January 2008, Governor Barnala in his customary address said the
first day of ‘Thai’
would be celebrated as Tamil New Year Day and that Tamils could celebrate ‘Pongal’ and ‘New Year’
on the same day. Later the succeeding chief minister Jayalalitha squashed it in
a political fight and won the sympathy from religious opponents.
The Governor’s address said that in
1921, over 500 scholars under the leadership of ‘Maraimalai Adigal’ had met in
Pachayapas College, Chennai, and decided that Tamils needed a
separate calendar and a new era started in the name of Thiruvalluvar.
The Sun enters Hindu Zodiac sign of
Makara Rasi on 14th or 15th of January called Makara
Sankramana, an auspicious day for worshiping Sun and an important day for all
yoga practitioners to perform Surya Namaskar.
In
45 B.C the Roman King Julius Cesar introduced a calendar similar to Hindu
ancient Solar calendar based on the time taken for the Sun to revolve around
the earth (as in those times it was believed that Sun was orbiting the earth).
He named the first month January after the Roman God Janus, the God of
Heaven Gates. It is amazing that the Roman Emperor used the
word “God of Heaven Gates’’ with religious thoughts to start a New Year!
Probably he was influenced by Hindu thoughts who celebrated Vaikuntha Ekadasi
and Makara Sankranti around the same period. Hindus might not have then
associated Vaikuntha Ekadasi with Swarga vassal
that follows Moksha Ekadasai. Moksha leads to Mukti that takes you to Vaikuntha
to the abode of Vishnu as Muktidayaka. Moksha (moha+kshaya) us to get rid of
all Moha or illusion and Mukti means final liberation. This opening of
the Swarga Gates (Svarga-vasal) is a later thought of Tamils probably
influenced by Roman culture. This year it falls on January
6. The first day of the month January thus became the New Year Day
dedicated to Roman god Janus.
Jesus
was not born on December 25 but later around April as per the incidences
described in Bible itself. It was fixed to be December 25 to make it merge with
popular solar winter solstice pagan celebration calling Jesus as “Sun of God”.
In Vedas Sun is called Aditya and emanation of Brahman. While Brahman is
One Adityas are twelve. Father can have many sons! After fixing the birth of
Jesus Christ on December 25 and raising of
Christian Churches, celebrating January 1st as New Year was considered
unchristian and pagan, so they abolished it. Again in medieval times the
confusion prevailed on which was the New Year Day and so different regions
chose different days to welcome the New Year. It was Pope of Vatican, Gregory
XIII who made January 1st the New Year Day to remove the confusion that
prevailed at that time celebrating the new year at different times. He
convinced all by saying that January 1 came
after eight days after Jesus Christ was born (25th December),
though it was also a religious manipulation!
Earlier
Romans celebrated the New Year around present day March 1st and also had only
10 months in their calendar. There was no January & February in their
calendar, so we have September which suggests the Sapta (seventh) month and
October Octa (eighth) month, Nova (ninth) November and finally Deca (tenth)
month as December. I believe Julius Cesar was very much influenced by Hindus to
perceive the concept of twelve months based on astronomy and season regulations
New
Year begins around the time of the Vernal Equinox for many cultures. .
For those in the Northern Hemisphere the tilt of the earth towards Sun marks
the advent of spring and it happens in March. Most of the civilization
including Bharata Kanda flocked Northern Hemisphere that were busy with
agriculture and farming. Bible also says when Jesus was born shepherds were
grazing their lambs in the fields indicating spring season. Looking at
Gujaratis who celebrate the New Year around Diwali it is not
a surprise that people in Southern atmosphere celebrated New Year around
September. Officially India follows Chandramana calendar based on Moon’s
movements and also around Vernal Equinox.
Though
Karunanidhi with his Aryan-Dravidian theory contributed a lot to the dis-unity
of India, unknowingly was trying to unite people not only with India but
also people of the Globe by making January 14 as New Year Day like Julius
Cesar. Unfortunately that did not lost long and we are stuck with calendar
confusion. Regrettably Hindus also rejected earlier the unifying
attempts of National Calendar Commission set up by Jawaharlal
Nehru. Gregory was able to convince January 1 as a Winter
Solstice celebration and not a Christian celebration. Our astrologers have
convinced Makara Sankranti as Winter Solstice day celebration. Both are wrong
as Winter solstice falls on December 22. Whether religious pundits like
it or not, Hindus rush to the temple on January 1 to celebrate New Year more
than on Chandramana or Suryamana Yugadi days to conduct special worship and
make resolutions! But they need not be embarrassed. January 1 is
not a Christian Holiday though some say is the day of circumcision of
Jesus being the eighth day after the Birth of Christ on December 25. This
itself is wrong as December 25 is a manipulated day!! Thus both Hindus
and Christians are victims of political doctrine and religious
misguidance!
To
Hindus January 1 is a sacred day between Winter solstice Day and Makara
Sankranti in Dhanurmas (Margazhi) and so Hindu Americans rush to
temples. That pleases
all who believe in Interfaith and their children who invariably choose their
life partners from Christian faith!
--January 5, 2020
**********
WEBINAR ADVISES YOUTH TO ARISE, AWAKE,
APPROACH THE LEARNED AND GET ENLIGHTENED IN 2020
uttiṣṭhata
jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata
The
inspirational quote from Kathopanishad was Swami Vivekananda's message to the Hindus to get out of their hypnotized state of mind. The
sloka was meant as a call to his countrymen to awaken their
"sleeping soul" and propagate the message of peace and blessings
given by the "ancient Mother" to the world. "Awake" also
denotes the awakening of one's real nature and the consequent ushering in of
prosperity. Atman enters the retas and shonita of the parents to
progress without fear after its return from Pituruloka.
On
24 April 1897 Vivekananda wrote a letter to Sarala Ghoshal. In that letter he
stressed giving the public only positive education, because of his
belief that negative thoughts weaken men. In that letter, he also reiterated
this sloka. Vivekananda quoted this sloka in several lectures and
discourses. In a lecture delivered on 12 November 1896 at Lahore, to the youths
and said:
“Therefore,
young men of Lahore, raise once more that mighty banner of Advaita, for
on no other ground can you have that wonderful love until you see that the same
Lord is present everywhere. Unfurl that banner of love! "Arise, awake, and
stop not till the goal is reached." Arise, arise once more, for nothing
can be done without sarcifice and renunciation.”
Swamiji
also urged people to learn from Hindu sacred scriptures, which he felt
contained all the instructions to arise out of the "hypnotism of weakness"
and which indicated that no individual is inherently weak.
On
12 January 2013, on the 150 birth anniversary, then Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi and now prime minister of India,
wrote a blog post on his personal website to pay tribute to Vivekananda. He
named the post "Commemorating Swami Vivekananda: Arise, Awake and stop not
till the goal is reached". The sloka is inscribed on the
main stage of an auditorium of Ramakrishna
Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, a branch of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Dr.
Sanjeev Kumar, an Indian author, called this a "life-transforming
line" and wrote a book named Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached in
2010.
Swami
Chidananda of FOWAI Forum will be on YouTube this Sunday as usual and
will deliver his message to the global youth as swami
Vivekananda did to the youth of Lahore in the past. We in
turn should impart to the young mind always positive education of love and
equanimity and to perceive that GOD is present equally in all beings and treat
all beings equally. This he will be doing with attractive stories and anecdotes
to influence the young mind. I do not have such skills, however bring to your
mind the science and philosophy conveyed by this sloka as advice to young and
intelligent prodigy Nachiketas.
uttiṣṭhata
jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṃ
pathastat kavayo vadanti (3.14)
Meaning:
Be awake and be active; approach the learned and get enlightened. The wise say
that the path is very difficult to tread, like the sharp edge of a razor.
‘Be
awake and be active’ means that one should first discipline his inner faculties
and then strive for getting the necessary instructions. The rest is
self-explanatory. The goal to be achieved is once more highlighted in the
next verse. It is a very important verse, as it asserts that, by attaining to
Ātmā, one is freed from the mouth of death. See the verse below:
aśabdamasparśamarūpamavyayaṃ
tathārasaṃ
nityamagandhavacca yat yanantaṃ mahataḥ
paraṃ
dhruvaṃ
nicāyya taṃmṛtyumukhāt
pramuchyate (3.15)
Meaning:
By attaining to that which is without sound, touch, form, taste and smell, that
which is imperishable, eternal, without beginning and end, and that which is
superior to Mahat, one escapes from the prowl of death.
The
implication is that one who has attained to Ātmā remains untouched by death; he
never dies. One gets strength turning to his Inner-net. Attaining to Ātmā means
shedding all duality which are inescapable features of physical existence; for,
Ātmā is without any attributes as clarified in this verse. Even for a person
who has attained to Ātmā in this way, the physical body is subject to decay and
disintegration, which in common parlance is death. So, what is the justification
for the declaration that he escapes death? The inference is therefore that what
we consider as death is not the death which Mrityu intends here. The
verse says that freedom from physical duality is freedom from death.
Conversely, capitulation to duality death. This capitulation takes place
through the wandering senses to satisfy the Kāma within. Thus, capitulation to
duality becomes capitulation to Kāma. This is the philosophical definition of
death and Mṛtyu
clarifying the doubt of Nachiketas.
Bhagavad
Gita explains this capitulation to Kama or lust thus:
Dhyaayato
vishayaan pumsah sangas teshupajaayate; Sangaat sanjaayate kaamah kaamaat
krodho’bhijaayate.
While
contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them,
and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
Indeed, in respect of a person, whose
attachment to sense-objects is expelled but whose mind is not focused on
the Supreme even though he controls the senses, contemplation on
sense-objects is unavoidable on account of the impressions of sins from time
immemorial. Again attachment increases fully in a man who thinks about
sense-objects. From attachment arises desire. What is called desire is the
further stage of attachment. After reaching that stage, it is not possible for
a man to stay without experiencing the sense-objects. From such desire arises
anger. When a desire exists without its object being nearby, anger arises
against persons nearby under the following. From anger there comes
delusion. Delusion is want of discrimination between what ought to be done and
what ought not to be done. Not possessing that discrimination one does anything
and everything. Then there follows the failure of memory, i.e., of the
impressions of the earlier efforts of sense control, when one strives again to
control the senses.
As
we learn from Puranas in the material world everyone, including Lord Vishnu,
Lord Siva and Lord Brahma—to say nothing of other demigods in the heavenly
planets—is subjected to the influence of sense objects. Then
what are we supposed to do? Follow the advice of Gurus and their
footsteps for liberation!
In this context may I draw your
attention to the following mantra that I have repeatedly explained how a rare
few attain salvation that I have explained several times in the past.
vedāntavijñānaviniścitārthāḥ
saṁnyāsayogādyatayaḥ
śuddhasattvāḥ
| te brahmaloke tu paeraantakaale parāmṛtāḥ
parimucyanti sarve (MNU)
Having
attained the stage of Immortality consisting of identity with the Supreme, all
those aspirants who strive for self-control, who have rigorously arrived at the
conclusion taught by the Vedanta through direct knowledge, and who have
attained purity of mind through the practice of the discipline of yoga and
steadfastness in the knowledge of Brahman preceded by renunciation, get
themselves released into the region of Brahman at the dissolution of their
final body.
The central theme of this verse
is that this knowledge is attained through inner purity gained by taking to sannyāsa
and yoga. The last moment of life is called antakāla, end-time. Souls
fated to rebirth confront antakāla repeatedly, but the soul that is illumined
by the wisdom of Vedānta takes its last birth, and consequently it meets with
his para-antakāla, final end-time. The word parāmṛtāḥ
denotes the attainment of Immortality while one is living on the earth, and the
verb parimuchyanti implies the merging of the individual Self then and
there, at the time of death, into the Supreme Self, without leaving a trace of
separate individuality—-just as the birds flying across the sky do not leave
any footprint there or the fish moving in water leave no trail of a path. With
the attainment of illumination the aspirant becomes parāmṛtāḥ
and
at the fall of the body he becomes paramukta, no more to be born again.
--January 4, 2020
*********
VAIKUNTHA EKADASI
Please
recall my detailed discourse on Vaikuntha Ekadasi which says the flood
gattes of Swarga are opened on this day and Tamils do not miss to rush to
go hrough "Swarga vasal" on this holiest day. Even these that attain
Swarga through short-cut devotion on Vaikuntha Ekadasi Day have to come back to
earth to exhaust their past karma to get Liberation according to Vedanta. So we
enter earth after exhausting our joyous time in upper worlds through stay in
Pitruloka in Vasurupa as a particle form as Vasus or
gods of elemental nature. Supreme rules the world with his 33 Emanations (Vedic
gods--8 Vasus; 11 Rudras; 12 Adityas; Indra; Prajapati). We try in each of our
births to join the source being the part of the source.
Krishnan Muralidharan draws our attention to
the 6th Stanza of are Vishnu Stuti by Dharmavyadha from Varaha
Puranam- "In each Yuga, Vishnu creates Brahma from whom arose this
world consisting of animates and inanimates and in whom, in the form of Rudra,
all this is dissolved; so he is called Hari and Hara". In his
regard please recall my quote and the explanation given before that I
reproduce that has also inspired the Purana to come with the sloka sent through
courtesy Muralidharan. You don’t need many slokas and Puranas if you focus on Vedas
and the following mantra generally chanted during Shoedasoachara Puja (16
steps worship of deities)
Oṁ
antaścharati bhūteṣu
guhāyāṁ viśvamūrtiṣu | tvaṁyajñastvaṁ vaṣaṭkārastvam
indrastvaɱrudrastvaṁ viṣṇustvaṁ brahma tvaṁ prajāpatiḥ | tvaṁ tadāpa āpo jyotī raso'mṛtaṁ brahma
bhūrbhuvaḥ
suvarom
That
Supreme Being moves inside the heart of created beings possessing manifold
forms. O Supreme, Thou art the sacrifice, Thou art the expression Vaṣaṭ, Thou
art Indra, Thou art Rudra, Thou art Brahma, Thou art Prajāpati, Thou art That,
Thou art the water in the rivers and the ocean, Thou art the sun, Thou art
flavor, Thou art ambrosia, Thou art the body of the Vedas, Thou art the
threefold world and Thou art Om.
The
first line here announces that the Supreme described above is hidden in the
hearts of all created beings, in the various shapes and the fauna and flora of
the world.
Great
gods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu and
Śiva, the progenitor of mankind, sacrifices, slokas and formulas,
offering water and light, and other facts of the world are indiscriminately
collected here and asserted to be one with the Supreme. The Rishi of this
Upanishad tell us that there is nothing other than the Supreme and that
everything has its value derived from the Supreme.
--January 3, 2020
********
THOUGHT
OF THE DAY POSTINGS
The year 2019 had been a very busy
year with lot of messages from learned spiritual thinkers and loaded with brisk
religious activities round the globe. Hence I could not fit all my E-mails sent
to you within four quarterly messages as in the past. Now these are posted as
detailed below. I am happy these have become very popular with blog readers who
do not receive them as you do. Many of you are not registered with the blog for
strange reasons. I would like to reiterate that you need not take the trouble
of storing these E-mails sent to you individually for later reading if
you were busy otherwise. I have done this, pealing even the skin of banana, for
easy consumption. I do realize my e-mails are too much to have a quick
glance and need time to digest the message contained therein. Please
enjoy and let me know if I can serve any way better? I thank all of you for all
the compliments sent last year that I have not been able to individually
acknowledge. I thank all my silent readers also who have found no time to send a
comment or greetings even on rare occasions like Diwali and New Year on which
occasions I prepare special messages for you spending lot of time on which I
wish a feed back! One of my learned participant writes "Even though one
has a perfect 20/20 vision, he is blind, if he does not live by the
truth." Please forward my Emails to your circles if you find them
interesting and informative. Another writes:'
"Thank
you for your very innovative wish. Good vision is essential for writing
my poetry as I have to observe relevant things!" Please forward my E-mails
to your circles if found informative as they are not exclusive to you but meant
for spreading our Thoughts on Hinduism!
WISH YOU ALL HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 THAT
PROMISES TO GET US PERFECT VISION TO LOOK AT THINGS!
--January 2, 2020
You do
take so much trouble to research and compile this information in such an
organized manner, thank you.
--Aparna Arcot
Greetings of Happy New year to you. We
enjoy and appreciate your articles. Lord give you wisdom and strength to
continue your work. Thank you.
Dr. Narayan
Bhat
CHALLENGE
FOR PERFECT VISION 20/20 THAT POSES HINDU AMERICANS IN 2020
Studying
the sky map of planetarium software got by entering all the details given in
Puranas Dr. Pushkar Bhatnagar and Dr. Narahari Bhat have come to the
conclusion that Sri Rama was born on 10th January 5114 BC at 12.30 p.m., and
Krishna was born on 27th July, 3112 BC
According
to the more common view of Hindu astrology that we observe in Hindu rituals and
festivals, humanity is in a Kali Yuga, a dark or Iron Age of 432,000 years,
said to have begun around 3102 BC . This view is a speculation of medieval
thinkers and has several problems, not to mention how pessimistic it appears!
Even from the standpoint of Vedic historical records, its accuracy is
questionable. Ancient texts mention many kings and sages, not just of the
preceding Dwapara Age, but also of the Satya and Treta yugas. If this longer
yuga cycle is used, such people would have to have lived hundreds of thousands
of years ago, if not millions!
Therefore
Hindu astronomers used Yuga concepts based on Yukteswara , guru of Paramhamsa
Yogananda so popular with American crowd and astronomers based on each
precession cycle divided into two halves: an ascending half, in
which the Sun is moving towards the point on its orbit closest to the galactic
center, and a descending half, when it is moving towards the point on
its orbit furthest from the galactic center.(see the gist of his HOLY BOOK in
the attached text)
Ancient astrology places humanity under the
legendary four ages: the Golden, Silver, Bronze and Iron ages. We find this
idea among the Greeks as well as the Hindus, but the time periods involved are
not given. In Sanskrit these are called the yugas or world ages of Satya
(which means truth, also called the fourth age), Treta (the third), Dwapara
(the second) and Kali (the first). Manu fixed their duration at,
respectively, 4000, 3000, 2000 and 1000 years, plus a transitional period of
1/10 of their respective length both before and after. This makes a total of
4800 years for the Satya Yuga, 3600 for the Treta Yuga Age, 2400 for Dwapara
Yuga, and 1200 for Kali Yuga. The total for all four ages is 12,000 years. Two
cycles of the four ages make up the 24,000-year precession cycle.
According
to some Vedic astrologers, the point of the Sun’s orbit furthest from the
galactic center occurred around 500 AD. This was when the point of the vernal
equinox was at the first degree of Aries. This was the point of greatest
darkness on Earth, since which there has been a gradual increase of light.
Variant views would place this date sometime between 200-550 AD, as it is the
same issue as that of the ayanamsha.
Descending Yugas
Satya
|
11,501 BCE – 6701 BCE
|
Treta
|
6701 BCE – 3101 BCE
|
Dwapara
|
3101 BCE – 701 BCE
|
Kali
|
701 BCE – 499 AD
|
Ascending
Yugas
Kali
|
499 AD – 1699 AD
|
Dwapara
|
1699 AD – 4099 AD
|
Treta
|
4099 AD – 7699 AD
|
Satya
|
7699 AD – 12,499 AD
|
Considering the transitional periods, there is an
intermediate age between Kali and Dwapara Yugas at 1599-1899 AD. By this we see
that we are in the ascending Dwapara Yuga. This is the New Age into which we
have just entered, as evidenced by the great advances in science and
technology. Dwapara is still in its early stages and has not
presented its complete form at this stage. This may not occur for a few
centuries, perhaps not until the vernal equinox actually does enter into
Aquarius. Until then, some difficulties in moving into this new era will occur,
with wars, pollution, famine and possible cataclysms as indications of it. This
system is approximate and may have to be modified, but its general features are
quite useful in helping us understand the development of human history.
Each
precession cycle marks a different age of humanity. Our present world age began
with the end of the Ice Age over ten thousand years ago. Its early beginnings,
Satya and Treta yugas, are recorded in the hymns of the Rig Veda, the
oldest scripture of India. Traces of this teaching are found in mythology all
over the world and in the ancient worldwide solar religion that I talked about
in my discourse Sarvabhauma Rama and Invincible Ayodhya. What archeologists see
as the beginnings of agriculture and civilization in early ancient times was
merely a shifting of culture brought on by many geological and climatic changes
relative to the new age.
According
to the Vedic view and the testimony of the ancients, the Earth goes through
major changes of geography and climate. For example, a mere ten thousand years
ago Chicago was under a permanent mass of ice, as was much of the northern
hemisphere. Such global renovations are experienced by human beings as
cataclysms, earthquakes, and floods. Many such dramatic changes are recorded in
books the Vedas or the Bible. While they are often dismissed as
superstition, evidences of the ending of the Ice Age, great earthquakes and
floods can be found in the ancient world. Important rivers of Vedic times, like
the Saraswati, have long since gone dry, though we can trace their dry river
banks through aerial photographs. Such global cataclysms usually correspond
with changes of world ages. Nature goes through constant changes and the Earth
is periodically renovated a process which includes clearing out the influences
of previous humanities.
The two halves of the precession cycle have their
characteristic differences of mentality as we observe. In the descending
side the spiritual energy is decreasing or retreating from a point of fullness,
while in the ascending side it is increasing and expanding from a point of
deficiency. USA today is a more limited type of ascending culture, as its
origins go back only a few centuries. It is basically an ascending Bronze or
Dwapara Yuga culture. It is characterized by a certain seeking of light and
truth but in a superficial and outward manner.
Not
surprisingly, a natural misunderstanding exists between descending and
ascending, traditional and non-traditional cultures. We are Hindu
Americans from traditional culture interacting with USA of non-traditional
culture. Coming from a culture based on a
higher spiritual truth, we are experiencing a descending culture. But it has
often become so rigid, traditionalized and stereotyped that we appear immature,
materialistic and sen-sate oriented.
We must
combine both these cultural influences in a positive way. The freedom and
humanitarianism of the ascending mind needs the balance of the reverence and
spirituality of the descending mind. As we go forward in our cycle of
development we will be able to see back further and achieve such an
integration. This is one of the great challenges of the Hindu Americans today
and one that can be met with great effort against challenges. The divisions
of East and West, spiritual and material, ancient and modern – divisions
which are so strong in our minds – show this problem.
The
Ancient East is spiritual and Modern West is material. We as Hindu Americans
are influenced by both these cultures. We must combine these cultural
differences in a positive way. Though we have declined spiritually from ancient
cultures migrating to this country we have gained something materially
and intellectually that can enhance our ascent back to those heights. As
we go forward in our cycle of development we will be able to see back further
and achieve such an integration as within these cycles exists an ongoing human
evolution, a spiral of balanced growth. That is the Vision of 20/20 the year
2020 brings in!
In this
New Year with sharper focus on spiritual uplift we need to wake up
(Uttishthata Jaagrata) to improve our march towards Liberation. Remember: 20-20
vision is the ability to see everything clearly--Adapted from Wisdom
Thoughts of David Frawley: Secrets of Yugas or World-Ages.
--January 1, 2020
Comments:
Thank
you for your very innovative wish. Good
vision is essential for writing my poetry as I have to observe relevant things!
--A.S. Narayana
Even though one has a perfect 20/20 vision, he is blind,
if he does not live by the truth.
--Prof G.
Nagarajan
Greetings of Happy New year to you. We enjoy and appreciate
your articles. Lord give you wisdom and strength to continue your
work.
--Dr.
Narayan Bhat
Happy
new year to you Mr. Srinivasan. Keep on sending these marvelous posts
--Shubha Bhaumik
MAKARA SANKRANTI DEDICATED TO SURYA
AND FOOD AS EMANATIONS OF BRAHMAN
Makara Sankrānti is the festival day in the Hindu calendar,
dedicated to the deity Surya (sun). It is observed each year in January. It
marks the first day of the sun's transit into Makara (Capricorn), marking the
end of the month with the winter solstice (Margazhi) and the start of
longer days.
The Sun is the One God, the Light of lights, GOD of gods of the
ancient world. This religion of the Sun pervaded the ancient world. It
predominated among the Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, and Scynthians, to name but
a few, extending to the Aztecs, Mayas, Incas, and Pueblo Indians of the New
World. Ancient Pre-Christian European traditions of the Greeks, Romans, Celts,
Germans, and Slavs, contain strong solar symbolism. Monotheistic approaches
like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam contain a symbolism of light. There is a
strong solar symbolism in Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Shinto, and many other
traditions. Such spiritual teachings of light link the human being to the Sun
and regard us as “children of the Sun,” forms of light on earth taking birth to
fulfill the solar will towards greater life and consciousness. We could say
that the natural religion of our species is the religion of the Sun.
The Sun is the most powerful influence in nature, responsible for the light
through which all life on earth functions, and sustaining the force of gravity
through which the earth revolves. The Sun is the ruler of our solar system and
all that occurs within it. Yet though we all may welcome the sunlight every
day, we seldom consider the spiritual reality of the Sun or honor the sacred
presence and higher spirit behind it. We take the sunlight for granted or value
it for providing us better health or an alternative energy source!
Easwara created Virat Purusha endowed
with natural human instincts of hunger and thirst. The deities born out of him
are also endowed with such limitations. Human body was created into which
they gladly entered in the form of elemental nature. Hunger and thirst
thus found a place but as an integral part of these deities. That is why
Pranahurti mantra is an essential part of any deity worship. It is therefore
logical to conclude all the sense organs are presided by deities. Thus there
was the need for food and Easwara created food articles like corn and
animals. Therefore Tamils thought of celebrating Makara Sankranti as
harvest festival called Pongal. Others joined. All others celebrate
it as the Birth or Resurrection of Sun.
Often devotees forget that the various gods are but aspects or
attributes of the one God and try to compare their relative greatness. So the
SUN worshiped on Makara Sankranti Day.
We celebrated Arudra darsanam, the Night of Cosmic Dance
celebrating the dissolution activity of Brahman in the Saguna form
of Nataraja on January 10, 2020. This is followed by Makara Sankranti
that is celebrated as Resurrection of Sun, on which day we celebrate the
Creative Activity of Brahman. This is soon followed by Maha Sivaratri the
descent of Siva that is followed by the descent of Rama and later Krishna and
other avatars all taking the role of Maintenance aspect of Brahman. Thus we
observe a strange phenomenon of the sequential order of dissolution,
preservation and creation year after year.
Recently we celebrated Arudra Darsanam recalling Cosmic Dance as
the Dance of Dissolution. Murlidharan draws our attention to
Creation in general and the entry of Atman into human womb
with the help of Rethas from father and Shonitha that carries egg from
mother and all the three dependent on food who is Brhaman --Annam vai
Brahman that is Pongal. Arudhra Darsanm glorifies
Dissolution Force while Makara Sankranti Creative Force!
Surya Namaskar, Obeisance to Sun God is getting
highly popular with the name of Sun Salutation all over the world who are not
Hindus. It is prominent because it is called the ‘King of Yoga’ by great
yogis. Surya Namaskar is a very systematic technique that combines the twelve
asanas in a yoga sequence.
The solar plexus (located behind the navel, which is the central
point of the human body), also known as the second brain, is said to be
connected to the sun. This is the main reason why the
ancient rishis recommended the practice of Surya Namaskar because the
regular practice of this technique enhances the solar plexus, which increases
one’s creativity and intuitive abilities. Moreover, as we can do it almost
anywhere and is relatively easy, it is one of the best things anyone could do
to become fit.
As Makara Sankranti (Pongal in
Tamil) falls on 15-Jan-2020 (Wed), I am glad to share a rare hymn titled
Aditya Stavam by Lord Brahma taken from Markandeya Puranam
and Chapter 100.
In Markandeya Purana, chapters 99-107
explain the majesty of Lord Sun and the genealogies and contain several
hymns on Lord Aditya by different personas. The attached one is by Lord
Brahma who prays to Lord Aditya to start creation by contracting the
glory of Lord Sun. It is given that Lord Brahma contracted
the supreme glory of Lord Sun and complete the creation of the universe
(Gods/Devas, Asuras, beings, mortals, cattle, animals, trees, shrubs, hells,
etc.). The Dhyana shloka at the start is actually the last stanza from
previous chapter (Chapter 99).
Though Makar Sankranti is 10 days away,
I am glad to squeeze time for this now as the professional grind after the
year-end lull has just about started and it is often difficult to find personal
space after that. So, May I wish you, your family, kith and kin a very Happy
Pongal and Makar Sankranti in advance!
May
We Pray to Lord Aditya with this exquisite prayer! May the resplendent Lord Surya
shower you with His Blessings to achieve abundance in every dimension in the
same way as He blessed Lord Brahma to accomplish creation!
--January
11, 2020
**********
ARUDRA
DARSANAM OR THIRUVATHIRAI FESTIVAL
Arudra
Darshan festival also known as Thiruvathirai is a festival celebrated annually
in Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu to celebrate the cosmic dance of Shiva.
Thiruvathirai’s literal meaning is the sacred big wave which, according to
beliefs was used by Shiva to create the universe we now know of. This
occurred almost 132 trillion years ago. This festival holds a great
significance to the people of Tamil Nadu especially to Kotas in the Niligiri
district.
The
festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi that falls on December
or January. It is celebrated on a full moon night and this night
interestingly is also the longest night in a year. History says that the Arudra
Darshan festival has been celebrated by people for more than 1500 years now.
And because it is done in dedication to Shiva, the mighty one, people sing and
chant hymns in his praise. He is also praised using different names one
of them being Athiraiyan.
The
idols of Shiva and Parvati, his consort are taken out of temples so that they
can be carried on big processions. Arudra Drashan is one of the biggest events
in Tamil Nadu and is celebrated in almost every Shiva temple. On this day,
devotees chant Tamil hymns and mantras and not Sanskrit ones.
In
Tamil Nadu, this festival has a great significance. Unmarried women
observe fast and do it for the whole day and eat before sunrise. This fast is
broken only after sighting the moon like Karva chauth in the North. Fasting is
also called as Nonbu in Tamil and this goes on for nine days till the day of
Thiruvathirai. The best part of this festival is also the delicious food that
people make especially the Thiruvathirai kali. It is made of jaggery, rice and
coconut and also moong dAal. Another special delicacy is the ezhlu that is made
of seven different vegetables.
The
idol of Shiva in the form of dancing is carried out in processions from every
Shiva temple. And in Chidambaram, the previous night, Shiva’s idol is worshiped
with Abhishekam ritual also known as the holy shower where they bathe Shiva
with nine precious gems. If you want to witness the cosmic dance of Shiva you
should visit the famous Chidambaram Shiva temple. This is where this festival
is celebrated with much pomp and gaiety.
I
wonder why this festival is unheard of in rest of India like the recently
celebrated Vaikuntha Ekadasi the gatecrashing ceremony of Fasting and entering
Swarga which opens once a year and closes according to Tamils? Are
Tamils the only AHSP of Hinduism? The month of Margasira started on November 27
in 2019 and ended on December 25 in December 2019 according to North American
Panchangam. Margazhi started on December 16, 2019 and will wend on
January 14, 2020. It looks as though the famous scientist Carl Sagan was very
familiar with Tamil Tradition!
American
astrophysicist Carl Sagan was a great admirer of Hinduism
influenced by Tamil culture and this is what he wrote in his book Cosmos; “The
Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the
idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of
deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales
correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our
ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long.
Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the
Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still. The most elegant and
sublime of these is a representation of the creation of the universe at the
beginning of each cosmic cycle, a motif known as the cosmic dance of Lord
Shiva. The god called in this manifestation is Nataraja, the Dance King. In
the upper right hand is a drum whose sound is the sound of creation. In the
upper left hand is a tongue of flame, a reminder that the universe, now newly
created, with billions of years from now will be utterly destroyed. A
millennium before Europeans were willing to divest themselves of the Biblical
idea that the world was a few thousand years old, the Mayans were thinking of
millions and the Hindus billions.” [Carl Sagan, Cosmos, pages 213-214]
It is
rather surprising the way Hindu Festivals are arranged logically and
sequentially in the course of atman’s journey. Atman that has enjoyed its time
in Swarga also travels to the Earth on Vaikuntha Ekadasi Day when gates are
opened and stays in pitruloka and is taken care of by Aditya, Rudra and Vasu
indicated in Shraddha mantras. After dissolution on Aridra darsanam day,
creation starts with the resurrection of Sun on Makara Sankranti Day when atman
also travels to Earth waiting to enter a right womb. Aditya is the Lord
of Creation (who even creates Siva on Mahasivaratri Night) about which we will
talk soon. Atman fully equipped with physical body when born is
then taken care of various devatas like Rama, Krishna, Ganesha etc., whose
birthdays we celebrate in succession.
Please go through my detailed discourse on the
subject and the message from Muralidharan Iyengar from Singapore.
“A
Very Rare Brahmapara Stavam from Sri
Kurma Puranam
Greetings and Namaste. As Ardra Darshanam,
one of the two most important occasions in the month of Margashirsha (Dhanus),
falls on 10-Jan-2020, I am delighted to share a very short and beautiful prayer
on Lord Rudra by Shankukarna taken from Sri Kurma Puranam and
Chapter 31. The brief Phalashruti mentions that this exquisite
prayer is known by the name Brahmapara Stavam and one who recites this
hymn in the morning and afternoon with devotion will get absolved of their sins
and attain the abode of Lord Shiva.
Though Kurma Purana is a Vaishnavite
purana, it perhaps contains more hymns on Lord Shiva than Lord
Narayana. The second canto of this purana is known as Rudra Gita
where the cosmic form and paratattva of Lord Shiva is elaborated.
This purana also has dozens of citations on the equality Lord Vishnu and
Lord Shiva. There are several prayers where Lord Shiva is worshipped
as Lord Narayana. In Chapter 25, Lord Krishna declares thus:
na me viprAsti kartavyaM nAnAvAptaM kathañcana |
pUjayAmi tathApIshaM jAnan etata paraM shivam | 56 ||
na vai pashyanti taM devaM mAyayA mohitA janAH |
tato.ahaM svAtmano mUlaM GYApayan pUjayAmi tam || 57 ||
na ca liñgArcanAt puNyaM loke.asmin bhIti-nAshanaM |
tathA liñge hitAyaiShAM lokAnAM pUjayec Chivam || 58 ||
yo.ahaM tal li~ngaM ityAhur veda vAda vido janAH |
tato.ahaM AtmAnaM IshAnaM pUjayAmyAtmnaiva tu || 59 ||
tasyaiva paramA mUrtis tanmayo.ahaM na saMshayaH |
nA.avayor vidyate bhedo vedeShvevaM vinishcayaH || 60 ||
Meaning: Though there is nothing that needs to be done by me but I do
worship Lord Shiva. People swayed by Maya don't understand the Sakshatkara of
Lord Shiva. In this universe, there is no greater worship than Lingarchana
which can destroy karma. Therefore people should perform Lingarchana. Those who
are adept in Siddhantas understand that Linga is my Svarupa only and therefore
I worship myself. Lord Shiva is the Parama Murthy and I am Shiva-svarupa and
let there be no doubt. Vedas declare that there is no difference between us.
Therefore people should constantly meditate on Lord Shiva.
Do we need to say more? Can there be a more
pellucid thrashing of the sectarian absurdities we see today? May We Pray Lord
Shiva who is Lord Narayana with this beautiful prayer!”
--January 8, 2020
Comments:
Thank you
mama. Sharing with some others this useful information.
--Aparna Arcot
Thank
you so much for such a great email with a lot of information. Truly
wonderful that you continue to keep doing this Sir.
--Nagarajan from Nashville
********
LET US
LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE WORLD AND WHAT 2020 WILL BRING WITH 20/20
VISION
Yukteswar’s
introduction to The Holy Science includes his explanation of the Yuga Cycle which differs from the traditional position
because of his premise that the earth is now in the age of Dwapara Yuga, not the Kali Yuga that most Indian pundits
believe to be the current age. His theory is based on the idea
that the sun “takes some star for its dual and revolves round it in about
24,000 years of our earth – a celestial phenomenon which causes the backward movement
of the equinoctial points around the zodiac.” The common
explanation for this celestial phenomenon is precession, the ‘wobbling’ rotating movement of the
earth axis on which there is general agreement by scientists. Research
into Sri Yukteswar’s explanation is being conducted by the Binary Research
Institute.
He
further states that: The sun also has another motion by which it revolves round
a grand center called Vishnu-Naabhi which is the seat of the creative power
Brahma, the universal magnetism. Brahma regulates Dharma the mental virtues of
the internal world. When the sun in its revolution round its dual come to the
place nearest to this grand center the seat of Brahma (an event which takes
place when the autumnal equinox comes to the first point of Aries) Dharma the
mental virtue becomes so much developed that man can easily comprehend all,
even the mysteries of Spirit.
In The
Holy Science, Sri Yukteswar concludes that we are currently in the
beginning stages of Dwapara Yuga, which began around 1699 A.D., moving closer
to the grand center, and will pass into Treta Yuga around the year 4099 A.D.
If we
represent the Yugas in a clock, the lowest spiritual time would be at 6
o'clock, approx. year 550 A.D., which is the center of Kali Yuga (more or less
the Middle Ages), and the highest point is 12 o'clock, in the center of Satya Yuga
(literally Age of Truth, as sat=truth), or Golden Age. It takes approx. 12,000
years from the lowest to the highest point, and about 24,000 in a complete
turn. Now we would be at approx. 7 c'clock, ascending in Dwapara Yuga or Bronze
Age which started in 1699.
Many of
us are looking with deep concern about the current state of the world and what
2020 will bring. The division and conflict on every continent is easy to see,
but how to reduce it remains problematic. While we should not give in to the
usual doomsday feelings, we must take the situation seriously and counter it on
both inner and outer levels
The
great Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda in his special Yuga theory, which he derived
from his guru Sri Yukteswar, indicates that we have moved astrologically from
the dark age of Kali Yuga to the less dark age of Dwapara, a process complete
around 1900 AD and the notable technological gains of that time. This may cause
us to raise our hopes in the current situation.
However,
Yogananda also noted that Dwapara Yuga can be a dangerous period in which the
development of new technologies can go faster than our wisdom to handle them,
with our minds still in the shadow of old Kali Yuga belief systems. This
situation creates high tech Dwapara based wars and calamities, which are more
dangerous than those under Kali Yuga, which limited humanity’s resources and
weapons. Such a disturbed initial Dwapara Yuga is what we are seeing today.
“The
winter solstice of December 2020 is marked by a difficult Saturn-Jupiter conjunction,
with Jupiter near its maximum point of debility, showing the danger of large
scale political and economic turmoil, which will influence the next twenty
years until the following Jupiter-Saturn conjunction.
This
new global time of troubles that is likely to last for several decades, and
cannot be dealt with in a simplistic manner or with short-term action plans.
These global problems have already started from 2001 with terrorism and 2008
with economic dangers, and are likely to become critical by 2020. 2020-2028
will likely be a period of increased disruptions, including at government and
economic levels, with continuing refugee problems and failed states. 2028-2044
will continue these, perhaps at a more severe level, but with stronger counter
measures.
By
2050, the worst should be over, but the shadow of events may color the
remainder of the century. These issues are generational, not simply a matter of
a few years. The end of the century should see a considerable drop in global
population, by outer problems or a better population control. Whether what
remains afterwards will be a Brave New World or a real new yogic spiritual era
is debatable.
In any
case, humanity is in for a great deal amount of turbulence in the years to
come. The question is if the nobility of the true human spirit, like the lotus,
can surface in this mire. At least to some extent it will, as it always does.
The individual can always transcend, even if the society cannot.
We can
only spread the message of a higher humanity – and look to the cosmic powers to
enlighten or chastise our species as our karmas may dictate. We must be patient
during this long term churning process and sustain the eternal light! Then even
the limitations of collective karma can be overcome.
The
higher powers are looking for more individuals to aid in this work, which has
great blessings for all. May everyone take up that call! This is a call not
simply to be a social activist but to be a center for bringing a higher
awareness into the world, however one is capable of doing that” says Vedic
Astrologer David Frawley.
The
Holy Science is a book written by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri in
1894 under the title Kaivalya Darsanam. Sri Yukteswar states that
he wrote The Holy Science at the request of Mahavatar Babaji. The book
compares parallel passages from the Bible
and Upanishads in order to show the
unity of all religions.
In the
introduction, Sri Yukteswar writes: The purpose of this book is to show as
clearly as possible that there is an essential unity in all religions; that
there is no difference in the truths inculcated by the various faiths; that
there is but one method by which the world, both external and internal, has
evolved; and that there is but one Goal admitted by all scriptures. The
book compares Sanskrit
slokas to passages from the New Testament, especially the Book of Revelation.
I have also talked a lot about the reference to Sanatkumara that is
Skanda in the Book of Revelation.
Sangacchadhvam sam vadadhvam sam vo manaamsi
jaanataam/ devaa bhaagam yathaa purve sanjanaana upaasate // (X-191-20)
Come together! Speak together! Let our minds be all
of one accord like the divines that sat together in the past in harmony
to worship.
[All
people should live with one mind without enmity and this can be achieved only
by the divine grace says the mantra]
--January
5, 2020
*********
AUPA E-NEWS FROM SWAMI
CHIDANANDA
Here is a message from Swami
Chidananda of FOWAI forum
“Wishing you once more a good New
Year 2020 ahead, we present this issue of AUPA on this 5th of
January.
Swāmi Viditātmānanda ji, turning 80
years, blesses us this time with a lucid article on Universal Harmony. A
Vedānta teacher of long standing, he was the Āchārya of a Vedānta course at the
famed Sāndeepany Sādhanālaya too in the early 1980s. Please see under the
feature – Guest Column.
Take a look at the ‘Story Time’ in
this issue; you will realize how, many a time, somebody unknown would have
helped us in critical times without our noticing it. A touching episode of real
life.
Indira ji from USA continues to
supply to us an update on the Happiness Yoga sessions going on at Fayetteville,
once a month.
We have started a new feature –
Readers Contribute. Sunandā Gopāl from Minnesota shares some spiritual thoughts
with us, which have a new flavor.
Regular features like Learn
this Word, Editorial and Remembering DR. G are sure
to interest you.
Lots of regards and best wish I consider myself fortunate to
forward the blessings and best wishes of Swami Chidananda who has
been treating us with spiritual vitamins throughout the year with his Easy
delivery and Quick Consumption Vedanta without Strain throughout the year. The
following three webinars that took place in December 2019 and January 5 on
Sundays 9.30 pm IST, presented by Swāmi Chidānanda were forwarded to you with
my customary explanations:
162 December 8 – The Quantum Leap in Vedānta; 163 December 22 –
Glimpses of Yoga in the Upanishads and 164 Sunday, January 5, 2020 – Upanishads
and the Youth.
Please go through the collection of AUPA letters he has collected
together and forwarded to us for our spiritual enlightenment and progress.
I usually receive all his webinar E-mails that I forward you as and when
received.
Personally I do not spend much time in meditation and worship but
feel my service through Hindu Reflections itself is meditation and Aradhana !
It is for Him to judge!
--January 5, 2020
*********
WHY
HINDUS CONSIDER JANUARY 1 AS SACRED DAY FOR WORSHIP
In 2008, the Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam government of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi passed the Tamil Nadu New
Year (Declaration) Bill 2008 to change the date of the New Year from the first
day of Chithirai (mid-April to mid-May) to the first day of the month of Thai,
which falls around January 14 closest to Gregorian Calendar.
For the next three years, the coming of the New Year was reconfigured, and it
did not prove a popular move. During the inaugural session to the
Assembly on 23 January 2008, Governor Barnala in his customary address said the
first day of ‘Thai’
would be celebrated as Tamil New Year Day and that Tamils could celebrate ‘Pongal’ and ‘New Year’
on the same day. Later the succeeding chief minister Jayalalitha squashed it in
a political fight and won the sympathy from religious opponents.
The Governor’s address said that in
1921, over 500 scholars under the leadership of ‘Maraimalai Adigal’ had met in
Pachayapas College, Chennai, and decided that Tamils needed a
separate calendar and a new era started in the name of Thiruvalluvar.
The Sun enters Hindu Zodiac sign of
Makara Rasi on 14th or 15th of January called Makara
Sankramana, an auspicious day for worshiping Sun and an important day for all
yoga practitioners to perform Surya Namaskar.
In
45 B.C the Roman King Julius Cesar introduced a calendar similar to Hindu
ancient Solar calendar based on the time taken for the Sun to revolve around
the earth (as in those times it was believed that Sun was orbiting the earth).
He named the first month January after the Roman God Janus, the God of
Heaven Gates. It is amazing that the Roman Emperor used the
word “God of Heaven Gates’’ with religious thoughts to start a New Year!
Probably he was influenced by Hindu thoughts who celebrated Vaikuntha Ekadasi
and Makara Sankranti around the same period. Hindus might not have then
associated Vaikuntha Ekadasi with Swarga vassal
that follows Moksha Ekadasai. Moksha leads to Mukti that takes you to Vaikuntha
to the abode of Vishnu as Muktidayaka. Moksha (moha+kshaya) us to get rid of
all Moha or illusion and Mukti means final liberation. This opening of
the Swarga Gates (Svarga-vasal) is a later thought of Tamils probably
influenced by Roman culture. This year it falls on
January 6. The first day of the month January thus became the New Year
Day dedicated to Roman god Janus.
Jesus
was not born on December 25 but later around April as per the incidences
described in Bible itself. It was fixed to be December 25 to make it merge with
popular solar winter solstice pagan celebration calling Jesus as “Sun of God”.
In Vedas Sun is called Aditya and emanation of Brahman. While Brahman is
One Adityas are twelve. Father can have many sons! After fixing the birth of
Jesus Christ on December 25 and raising of Christian
Churches, celebrating January 1st as New Year was considered unchristian and
pagan, so they abolished it. Again in medieval times the confusion prevailed on
which was the New Year Day and so different regions chose different days to
welcome the New Year. It was Pope of Vatican, Gregory XIII who made January 1st
the New Year Day to remove the confusion that prevailed at that time
celebrating the new year at different times. He convinced all by
saying that January 1 came after eight days
after Jesus Christ was born (25th December), though it was also a
religious manipulation!
Earlier
Romans celebrated the New Year around present day March 1st and also had only
10 months in their calendar. There was no January & February in their
calendar, so we have September which suggests the Sapta (seventh) month and
October Octa (eighth) month, Nova (ninth) November and finally Deca (tenth)
month as December. I believe Julius Cesar was very much influenced by Hindus to
perceive the concept of twelve months based on astronomy and season regulations
New
Year begins around the time of the Vernal Equinox for many cultures. .
For those in the Northern Hemisphere the tilt of the earth towards Sun marks
the advent of spring and it happens in March. Most of the civilization
including Bharata Kanda flocked Northern Hemisphere that were busy with
agriculture and farming. Bible also says when Jesus was born shepherds were
grazing their lambs in the fields indicating spring season. Looking at
Gujaratis who celebrate the New Year around Diwali it is not
a surprise that people in Southern atmosphere celebrated New Year around
September. Officially India follows Chandramana calendar based on Moon’s
movements and also around Vernal Equinox.
Though
Karunanidhi with his Aryan-Dravidian theory contributed a lot to the dis-unity
of India, unknowingly was trying to unite people not only with India but
also people of the Globe by making January 14 as New Year Day like Julius
Cesar. Unfortunately that did not lost long and we are stuck with calendar
confusion. Regrettably Hindus also rejected earlier the unifying
attempts of National Calendar Commission set up by Jawaharlal
Nehru. Gregory was able to convince January 1 as a Winter
Solstice celebration and not a Christian celebration. Our astrologers have
convinced Makara Sankranti as Winter Solstice day celebration. Both are wrong
as Winter solstice falls on December 22. Whether religious pundits like
it or not, Hindus rush to the temple on January 1 to celebrate New Year more
than on Chandramana or Suryamana Yugadi days to conduct special worship and
make resolutions! But they need not be embarrassed. January 1 is
not a Christian Holiday though some say is the day of circumcision of
Jesus being the eighth day after the Birth of Christ on December 25. This
itself is wrong as December 25 is a manipulated day!! Thus both Hindus
and Christians are victims of political doctrine and religious
misguidance!
To
Hindus January 1 is a sacred day between Winter solstice Day and Makara
Sankranti in Dhanurmas (Margazhi) and so Hindu Americans rush to
temples. That pleases
all who believe in Interfaith and their children who invariably choose their
life partners from Christian faith!
--January 5, 2020
**********
WEBINAR ADVISES YOUTH TO ARISE, AWAKE,
APPROACH THE LEARNED AND GET ENLIGHTENED IN 2020
uttiṣṭhata
jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata
The
inspirational quote from Kathopanishad was Swami Vivekananda's message to the Hindus to get out of their hypnotized state of mind. The
sloka was meant as a call to his countrymen to awaken their
"sleeping soul" and propagate the message of peace and blessings
given by the "ancient Mother" to the world. "Awake" also
denotes the awakening of one's real nature and the consequent ushering in of
prosperity. Atman enters the retas and shonita of the parents to
progress without fear after its return from Pituruloka.
On
24 April 1897 Vivekananda wrote a letter to Sarala Ghoshal. In that letter he
stressed giving the public only positive education, because of his
belief that negative thoughts weaken men. In that letter, he also reiterated
this sloka. Vivekananda quoted this sloka in several lectures and
discourses. In a lecture delivered on 12 November 1896 at Lahore, to the youths
and said:
“Therefore,
young men of Lahore, raise once more that mighty banner of Advaita, for on
no other ground can you have that wonderful love until you see that the same
Lord is present everywhere. Unfurl that banner of love! "Arise, awake, and
stop not till the goal is reached." Arise, arise once more, for nothing
can be done without sarcifice and renunciation.”
Swamiji
also urged people to learn from Hindu sacred scriptures, which he felt
contained all the instructions to arise out of the "hypnotism of
weakness" and which indicated that no individual is inherently weak.
On
12 January 2013, on the 150 birth anniversary, then Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi and now prime minister of India,
wrote a blog post on his personal website to pay tribute to Vivekananda. He
named the post "Commemorating Swami Vivekananda: Arise, Awake and stop not
till the goal is reached". The sloka is inscribed on the
main stage of an auditorium of Ramakrishna
Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, a branch of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Dr.
Sanjeev Kumar, an Indian author, called this a "life-transforming
line" and wrote a book named Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached in
2010.
Swami
Chidananda of FOWAI Forum will be on YouTube this Sunday as usual and
will deliver his message to the global youth as swami
Vivekananda did to the youth of Lahore in the past. We in
turn should impart to the young mind always positive education of love and
equanimity and to perceive that GOD is present equally in all beings and treat
all beings equally. This he will be doing with attractive stories and anecdotes
to influence the young mind. I do not have such skills, however bring to your
mind the science and philosophy conveyed by this sloka as advice to young and
intelligent prodigy Nachiketas.
uttiṣṭhata
jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṃ
pathastat kavayo vadanti (3.14)
Meaning:
Be awake and be active; approach the learned and get enlightened. The wise say
that the path is very difficult to tread, like the sharp edge of a razor.
‘Be
awake and be active’ means that one should first discipline his inner faculties
and then strive for getting the necessary instructions. The rest is
self-explanatory. The goal to be achieved is once more highlighted in the
next verse. It is a very important verse, as it asserts that, by attaining to
Ātmā, one is freed from the mouth of death. See the verse below:
aśabdamasparśamarūpamavyayaṃ
tathārasaṃ
nityamagandhavacca yat yanantaṃ mahataḥ
paraṃ
dhruvaṃ
nicāyya taṃmṛtyumukhāt
pramuchyate (3.15)
Meaning:
By attaining to that which is without sound, touch, form, taste and smell, that
which is imperishable, eternal, without beginning and end, and that which is
superior to Mahat, one escapes from the prowl of death.
The
implication is that one who has attained to Ātmā remains untouched by death; he
never dies. One gets strength turning to his Inner-net. Attaining to Ātmā means
shedding all duality which are inescapable features of physical existence; for,
Ātmā is without any attributes as clarified in this verse. Even for a person
who has attained to Ātmā in this way, the physical body is subject to decay and
disintegration, which in common parlance is death. So, what is the
justification for the declaration that he escapes death? The inference is
therefore that what we consider as death is not the death which Mrityu
intends here. The verse says that freedom from physical duality is freedom from
death. Conversely, capitulation to duality death. This capitulation takes place
through the wandering senses to satisfy the Kāma within. Thus, capitulation to
duality becomes capitulation to Kāma. This is the philosophical definition of
death and Mṛtyu
clarifying the doubt of Nachiketas.
Bhagavad
Gita explains this capitulation to Kama or lust thus:
Dhyaayato
vishayaan pumsah sangas teshupajaayate; Sangaat sanjaayate kaamah kaamaat
krodho’bhijaayate.
While
contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them,
and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
Indeed, in respect of a person, whose
attachment to sense-objects is expelled but whose mind is not focused on
the Supreme even though he controls the senses, contemplation on
sense-objects is unavoidable on account of the impressions of sins from time
immemorial. Again attachment increases fully in a man who thinks about
sense-objects. From attachment arises desire. What is called desire is the
further stage of attachment. After reaching that stage, it is not possible for
a man to stay without experiencing the sense-objects. From such desire arises
anger. When a desire exists without its object being nearby, anger arises
against persons nearby under the following. From anger there comes
delusion. Delusion is want of discrimination between what ought to be done and
what ought not to be done. Not possessing that discrimination one does anything
and everything. Then there follows the failure of memory, i.e., of the
impressions of the earlier efforts of sense control, when one strives again to
control the senses.
As
we learn from Puranas in the material world everyone, including Lord Vishnu,
Lord Siva and Lord Brahma—to say nothing of other demigods in the heavenly
planets—is subjected to the influence of sense objects. Then
what are we supposed to do? Follow the advice of Gurus and their footsteps
for liberation!
In this context may I draw your
attention to the following mantra that I have repeatedly explained how a rare
few attain salvation that I have explained several times in the past.
vedāntavijñānaviniścitārthāḥ
saṁnyāsayogādyatayaḥ
śuddhasattvāḥ
| te brahmaloke tu paeraantakaale parāmṛtāḥ
parimucyanti sarve (MNU)
Having
attained the stage of Immortality consisting of identity with the Supreme, all
those aspirants who strive for self-control, who have rigorously arrived at the
conclusion taught by the Vedanta through direct knowledge, and who have
attained purity of mind through the practice of the discipline of yoga and
steadfastness in the knowledge of Brahman preceded by renunciation, get
themselves released into the region of Brahman at the dissolution of their
final body.
The central theme of this verse
is that this knowledge is attained through inner purity gained by taking to
sannyāsa and yoga. The last moment of life is called antakāla, end-time.
Souls fated to rebirth confront antakāla repeatedly, but the soul that is
illumined by the wisdom of Vedānta takes its last birth, and consequently it
meets with his para-antakāla, final end-time. The word parāmṛtāḥ
denotes the attainment of Immortality while one is living on the earth, and the
verb parimuchyanti implies the merging of the individual Self then and
there, at the time of death, into the Supreme Self, without leaving a trace of
separate individuality—-just as the birds flying across the sky do not leave
any footprint there or the fish moving in water leave no trail of a path. With
the attainment of illumination the aspirant becomes parāmṛtāḥ
and
at the fall of the body he becomes paramukta, no more to be born again.
--January 4, 2020
*********
VAIKUNTHA
EKADASI
Please recall my detailed discourse on
Vaikuntha Ekadasi which says the flood gattes of Swarga are opened
on this day and Tamils do not miss to rush to go hrough "Swarga
vasal" on this holiest day. Even these that attain Swarga through
short-cut devotion on Vaikuntha Ekadasi Day have to come back to earth to
exhaust their past karma to get Liberation according to Vedanta. So we enter
earth after exhausting our joyous time in upper worlds through stay in
Pitruloka in Vasurupa as a particle form as Vasus or
gods of elemental nature. Supreme rules the world with his 33 Emanations (Vedic
gods--8 Vasus; 11 Rudras; 12 Adityas; Indra; Prajapati). We try in each of our
births to join the source being the part of the source.
Krishnan
Muralidharan draws our attention to the 6th Stanza of are Vishnu Stuti by
Dharmavyadha from Varaha Puranam- "In
each Yuga, Vishnu creates Brahma from whom arose this world consisting of
animates and inanimates and in whom, in the form of Rudra, all this is
dissolved; so he is called Hari and Hara". In his regard
please recall my quote and the explanation given before that I reproduce
that has also inspired the Purana to come with the sloka sent through courtesy
Muralidharan. You don’t need many slokas and Puranas if you focus on Vedas and
the following mantra generally chanted during Shoedasoachara Puja (16
steps worship of deities)
Oṁ
antaścharati bhūteṣu
guhāyāṁ viśvamūrtiṣu | tvaṁyajñastvaṁ vaṣaṭkārastvam
indrastvaɱrudrastvaṁ viṣṇustvaṁ brahma
tvaṁ prajāpatiḥ | tvaṁ tadāpa āpo jyotī raso'mṛtaṁ
brahma bhūrbhuvaḥ
suvarom
That
Supreme Being moves inside the heart of created beings possessing manifold
forms. O Supreme, Thou art the sacrifice, Thou art the expression Vaṣaṭ,
Thou art Indra, Thou art Rudra, Thou art Brahma, Thou art Prajāpati, Thou art
That, Thou art the water in the rivers and the ocean, Thou art the sun, Thou art
flavor, Thou art ambrosia, Thou art the body of the Vedas, Thou art the
threefold world and Thou art Om.
The first line here announces that the
Supreme described above is hidden in the hearts of all created beings, in the
various shapes and the fauna and flora of the world.
Great
gods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu
and Śiva, the progenitor of mankind, sacrifices, slokas and
formulas, offering water and light, and other facts of the world are
indiscriminately collected here and asserted to be one with the Supreme. The
Rishi of this Upanishad tell us that there is nothing other than the
Supreme and that everything has its value derived from the Supreme.
--January
3, 2020
********
THOUGHT
OF THE DAY POSTINGS
The year 2019 had been a very busy
year with lot of messages from learned spiritual thinkers and loaded with brisk
religious activities round the globe. Hence I could not fit all my E-mails sent
to you within four quarterly messages as in the past. Now these are posted as
detailed below. I am happy these have become very popular with blog readers who
do not receive them as you do. Many of you are not registered with the blog for
strange reasons. I would like to reiterate that you need not take the trouble
of storing these E-mails sent to you individually for later reading if
you were busy otherwise. I have done this, pealing even the skin of banana, for
easy consumption. I do realize my e-mails are too much to have a quick
glance and need time to digest the message contained therein. Please
enjoy and let me know if I can serve any way better? I thank all of you for all
the compliments sent last year that I have not been able to individually
acknowledge. I thank all my silent readers also who have found no time to send
a comment or greetings even on rare occasions like Diwali and New Year on which
occasions I prepare special messages for you spending lot of time on which I
wish a feed back! One of my learned participant writes "Even though one
has a perfect 20/20 vision, he is blind, if he does not live by the
truth." Please forward my Emails to your circles if you find them
interesting and informative. Another writes:'
"Thank
you for your very innovative wish. Good vision is essential for writing
my poetry as I have to observe relevant things!" Please forward my E-mails
to your circles if found informative as they are not exclusive to you but meant
for spreading our Thoughts on Hinduism!
WISH YOU ALL HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 THAT
PROMISES TO GET US PERFECT VISION TO LOOK AT THINGS!
--January 2, 2020
You do
take so much trouble to research and compile this information in such an
organized manner, thank you.
--Aparna Arcot
Greetings of Happy New year to you. We enjoy
and appreciate your articles. Lord give you wisdom and strength to continue
your work. Thank you.
Dr. Narayan
Bhat
CHALLENGE
FOR PERFECT VISION 20/20 THAT POSES HINDU AMERICANS IN 2020
Studying
the sky map of planetarium software got by entering all the details given in
Puranas Dr. Pushkar Bhatnagar and Dr. Narahari Bhat have come to the
conclusion that Sri Rama was born on 10th January 5114 BC at 12.30 p.m., and
Krishna was born on 27th July, 3112 BC
According
to the more common view of Hindu astrology that we observe in Hindu rituals and
festivals, humanity is in a Kali Yuga, a dark or Iron Age of 432,000 years,
said to have begun around 3102 BC . This view is a speculation of medieval
thinkers and has several problems, not to mention how pessimistic it appears!
Even from the standpoint of Vedic historical records, its accuracy is
questionable. Ancient texts mention many kings and sages, not just of the
preceding Dwapara Age, but also of the Satya and Treta yugas. If this longer
yuga cycle is used, such people would have to have lived hundreds of thousands
of years ago, if not millions!
Therefore
Hindu astronomers used Yuga concepts based on Yukteswara , guru of Paramhamsa
Yogananda so popular with American crowd and astronomers based on each
precession cycle divided into two halves: an ascending half, in
which the Sun is moving towards the point on its orbit closest to the galactic
center, and a descending half, when it is moving towards the point on
its orbit furthest from the galactic center.(see the gist of his HOLY BOOK in
the attached text)
Ancient astrology places humanity under the
legendary four ages: the Golden, Silver, Bronze and Iron ages. We find this
idea among the Greeks as well as the Hindus, but the time periods involved are
not given. In Sanskrit these are called the yugas or world ages of Satya
(which means truth, also called the fourth age), Treta (the third), Dwapara
(the second) and Kali (the first). Manu fixed their duration at,
respectively, 4000, 3000, 2000 and 1000 years, plus a transitional period of
1/10 of their respective length both before and after. This makes a total of
4800 years for the Satya Yuga, 3600 for the Treta Yuga Age, 2400 for Dwapara
Yuga, and 1200 for Kali Yuga. The total for all four ages is 12,000 years. Two
cycles of the four ages make up the 24,000-year precession cycle.
According
to some Vedic astrologers, the point of the Sun’s orbit furthest from the
galactic center occurred around 500 AD. This was when the point of the vernal
equinox was at the first degree of Aries. This was the point of greatest
darkness on Earth, since which there has been a gradual increase of light.
Variant views would place this date sometime between 200-550 AD, as it is the
same issue as that of the ayanamsha.
Descending Yugas
Satya
|
11,501 BCE – 6701 BCE
|
Treta
|
6701 BCE – 3101 BCE
|
Dwapara
|
3101 BCE – 701 BCE
|
Kali
|
701 BCE – 499 AD
|
Ascending
Yugas
Kali
|
499 AD – 1699 AD
|
Dwapara
|
1699 AD – 4099 AD
|
Treta
|
4099 AD – 7699 AD
|
Satya
|
7699 AD – 12,499 AD
|
Considering the transitional periods, there is an
intermediate age between Kali and Dwapara Yugas at 1599-1899 AD. By this we see
that we are in the ascending Dwapara Yuga. This is the New Age into which we
have just entered, as evidenced by the great advances in science and
technology. Dwapara is still in its early stages and has not
presented its complete form at this stage. This may not occur for a few
centuries, perhaps not until the vernal equinox actually does enter into
Aquarius. Until then, some difficulties in moving into this new era will occur,
with wars, pollution, famine and possible cataclysms as indications of it. This
system is approximate and may have to be modified, but its general features are
quite useful in helping us understand the development of human history.
Each
precession cycle marks a different age of humanity. Our present world age began
with the end of the Ice Age over ten thousand years ago. Its early beginnings,
Satya and Treta yugas, are recorded in the hymns of the Rig Veda, the
oldest scripture of India. Traces of this teaching are found in mythology all
over the world and in the ancient worldwide solar religion that I talked about
in my discourse Sarvabhauma Rama and Invincible Ayodhya. What archeologists see
as the beginnings of agriculture and civilization in early ancient times was
merely a shifting of culture brought on by many geological and climatic changes
relative to the new age.
According
to the Vedic view and the testimony of the ancients, the Earth goes through major
changes of geography and climate. For example, a mere ten thousand years ago
Chicago was under a permanent mass of ice, as was much of the northern
hemisphere. Such global renovations are experienced by human beings as
cataclysms, earthquakes, and floods. Many such dramatic changes are recorded in
books the Vedas or the Bible. While they are often dismissed as
superstition, evidences of the ending of the Ice Age, great earthquakes and
floods can be found in the ancient world. Important rivers of Vedic times, like
the Saraswati, have long since gone dry, though we can trace their dry river
banks through aerial photographs. Such global cataclysms usually correspond
with changes of world ages. Nature goes through constant changes and the Earth
is periodically renovated a process which includes clearing out the influences
of previous humanities.
The two halves of the precession cycle have their
characteristic differences of mentality as we observe. In the descending
side the spiritual energy is decreasing or retreating from a point of fullness,
while in the ascending side it is increasing and expanding from a point of
deficiency. USA today is a more limited type of ascending culture, as its
origins go back only a few centuries. It is basically an ascending Bronze or
Dwapara Yuga culture. It is characterized by a certain seeking of light and
truth but in a superficial and outward manner.
Not
surprisingly, a natural misunderstanding exists between descending and
ascending, traditional and non-traditional cultures. We are Hindu
Americans from traditional culture interacting with USA of non-traditional
culture. Coming from a culture based on a
higher spiritual truth, we are experiencing a descending culture. But it has often
become so rigid, traditionalized and stereotyped that we appear immature,
materialistic and sen-sate oriented.
We must
combine both these cultural influences in a positive way. The freedom and
humanitarianism of the ascending mind needs the balance of the reverence and
spirituality of the descending mind. As we go forward in our cycle of
development we will be able to see back further and achieve such an
integration. This is one of the great challenges of the Hindu Americans today
and one that can be met with great effort against challenges. The divisions
of East and West, spiritual and material, ancient and modern – divisions
which are so strong in our minds – show this problem.
The
Ancient East is spiritual and Modern West is material. We as Hindu Americans
are influenced by both these cultures. We must combine these cultural
differences in a positive way. Though we have declined spiritually from ancient
cultures migrating to this country we have gained something materially
and intellectually that can enhance our ascent back to those heights. As
we go forward in our cycle of development we will be able to see back further
and achieve such an integration as within these cycles exists an ongoing human
evolution, a spiral of balanced growth. That is the Vision of 20/20 the year
2020 brings in!
In this
New Year with sharper focus on spiritual uplift we need to wake up
(Uttishthata Jaagrata) to improve our march towards Liberation. Remember: 20-20
vision is the ability to see everything clearly--Adapted from Wisdom
Thoughts of David Frawley: Secrets of Yugas or World-Ages.
--January 1, 2020
Comments:
Thank
you for your very innovative wish. Good
vision is essential for writing my poetry as I have to observe relevant things!
--A.S. Narayana
Even though one has a perfect 20/20 vision, he is blind,
if he does not live by the truth.
--Prof G.
Nagarajan
Greetings of Happy New year to you. We enjoy and appreciate
your articles. Lord give you wisdom and strength to continue your
work.
--Dr.
Narayan Bhat
Happy
new year to you Mr. Srinivasan. Keep on sending these marvelous posts
--Shubha Bhaumik
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