Akhand Jyoti Magazine Jan - Feb 2018 by Akhand Jyoti Swadhyay

|| O® bh¿rbhuva¡ sva¡ tatsaviturvareñya® bhargo devasya dhºmahi dhiyo yo na¡ prachoday³t || (May Almighty illuminate our intellect and inspire us towards the righteous path) - Rigveda 3/62/10; Samveda 1462, Yajurveda 3/35, 22/9, 30/2, 36/3

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Jan.-Feb. 2018

Amrit Chintan

True Measure of Opulence This world has the tradition of measuring one’s dignity / prestige on the basis of one’s opulence. More a person possesses wealth, education and intelligence, more he / she is held in high esteem. Physical strength and talent also come under the same category which inﬂuence others and make a person prestigious. People who possess the power to terrorize and harm others are also held in awe and command respect. All these criteria of measuring one’s dignity are shallow and false. We cannot evaluate a person based on them. If the touchstone itself is defective, how can we distinguish between gold and brass? The magnanimity of a person should be judged by how much he / she is well-mannered, well-cultured, and knowledgeable. It should be judged by the extent a person has imbibed virtues and excellence in his/her character and behavior. A person becomes great by controlling his senses and disciplining himself / herself. No one becomes a saint / pious person by simply wearing religious symbols / dress. In fact, a person who has dedicated himself to noble ideals is truly opulent, successful and praiseworthy. - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya

‘Akhand Jyoti – The Light Divine’ Team Wishes its Readers A Happy, Healthy and Harmonious New Year 2018 Opulence is the law of the universe, an abundant supply for every need if nothing is put in the way of its coming. - Ralph Waldo Trine AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

CONTENTS 1.

Amrit Chintan True Measure of Opulence.....................................................................................................

From Chief Editor’s Desk 11-Point Program for Inculcating Righteousness and Nobility in Our Youth .......................

Fragrances can Rejuvenate Our Mind-Body System.............................................................

Science and Spirituality Manage Your Stress by Self-Entertainment ...........................................................................

Key Role of Indian Culture in the Holistic Revolution Needed Today .................................

Self-talk is Good for Health ...................................................................................................

The Looming Danger of Land and Marine Debris ................................................................

Blessed by Mah³k³la .............................................................................................................

Yug Gita – 10 Guru Guides the Disciple to Reﬂect on the Self - 2 ..............................................................

10.

Peace Pilgrim’s Wisdom – 10 Reﬂections on the Pilgrimage - 1...........................................................................................

11.

Make it a Habit to Smile ........................................................................................................

12.

Odyssey of the Enlightened – 59 ‘Akhand Jyoti’ Begins Its Journey – 2 ...................................................................................

13.

Youth Column How to Attain True Success? .................................................................................................

14.

Amrit Vani Theism, Spirituality, and Religion .........................................................................................

15.

Attributes of a Spiritual Person..............................................................................................

16.

Amazing Events that Unfold in This World ..........................................................................

17.

The Mystery in the Outer Space: The Black Holes ...............................................................

18.

New Year Resolutions for Total Health of the Total Person ..................................................

19.

Shantikunj News ............................................... (Inner Cover Pages & Back Cover Page)

Not riches, but nobility of character and honesty are the true touchstones of greatness. - Acharya Shriram Sharma 4

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

From Chief Editor’s Desk

11-Point Program for Inculcating Righteousness and Nobility in Our Youth Our readers are aware that All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) is observing ‘Yuv³ Kr³nti VarÌa’ (Youth Revolution Year) from Vasant Parva 2016 to Vasant Parva 2018. Its aim is to search and awaken youth who can pledge to serve the nation. At its conclusion, ‘Yuga S•jet³’ convention is planned to be held at Nagpur (Maharashtra) from January 26 to 28, 2018. The objective is to guide the chosen youth towards making them righteous so that they can contribute their might towards nation-building. Its merit would be judged by the firm pledge taken by the youth participants rather than the number of them attending the convention. Due to the limited space available for the program, we are permitting only ten thousand registered youths to participate. On the final day (January 28, 2018), in the august presence of distinguished guests, a ‘Youth Vision Document’ is proposed to be released. Let us understand the framework on which this document is based. The central theme is to add, refine and organize the youth with virtuous traits so that they can dedicate themselves to achieve specific nation-building goals. 1. S³dhaka Yuv³ (A self-disciplined youth) – Our chosen youth will start with the refining of the self and then get engaged in nation-building. He / She will firmly believe in the motto – ‘When we transform ourselves, the world will be transformed’. By S³dhaka Yuv³, we mean a determined young volunteer who will continuously refine himself / herself. This will be his 24x7 s³dhan³ - which requires control over senses, thoughts, time and money. He will do regular up³san³ (modes/methods of uniting the self with the Supreme Self) so that he continues to refine himself. He will devote his time and resources for social service and in the upliftment of the nation. This will certainly make him able to influence other youths and add them to his team so that they contribute to noble objectives pursued by him. 2. Organizer - Our chosen youth will develop organizing ability so that he / she can form a group of like-minded youths. That group may work as Yuv³ Mandala, Sa®sk•ti Mandala or a unit of DIYA (Divine India Youth Association) in his / her college or university. There will be separate Mandalas (units) in rural and urban areas and they will work in unison with the Youth Cell of Shantikunj, Haridwar (Headquarters of AWGP). All the youth groups so formed will be trained at Shantikunj and be associated with different constructive programs of the Mission. 3. A Good Speaker - Our chosen youth should have good communication skills so that he / she can communicate Mission’s message effectively. He may use his verbal or written skills for this purpose. In order to augment their skills, they will be trained at Shantikunj from time to time. In every zonal center in different states, such skilled youths will be prepared who will act as catalysts for our youth revolution. Good habits formed at youth make all the difference. - Aristotle AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

4. Self-reliant – The youths so developed in the coming nine years (during the period of M³t•ïakti Ï•addh³njali Mah³puraïcarana) will become self-reliant. They will get involved in different projects launched by the Mission for making them self-reliant and capable; and will also make other fellowbeings self-reliant. In this process, they will help the nation directly or indirectly in becoming strong and prosperous. These units called sv³vala®bº lokasevº mandalas (svalokam), based on swadeshi, self-reliance and cow-based products, will soon be seen functioning in every village, town and city. They will give a tremendous boost to our economy. 5. Addiction-free – The youths who are addiction-free will play an important role in making the society healthy. Our organized youth volunteers will aim at eradicating all types of intoxications. The de-addiction programs will consist of mass awakening through rallies, workshops, films and social media. De-addiction camps will also be organized in several places so that the affected people can get rid of their addictions. We will also take the help of psychological / spiritual methods for making affected people addiction-free. 6. Nonresident Youth – Our youth groups working abroad will also help in this endeavor of the Mission. They will organize youth consciousness awareness camps in different countries. Gayatri Chetana Centers abroad will act as catalysts for establishing B³la Sa®sk³ra Ï³l³s, forming new Yuv³ Mandalas and Yoga and Naturopathy Mandalas, so that nonresident Indians can get the benefits of our programs. 7. Rural Youth – Yuv³ Mandalas in rural areas will accelerate Yuga•Ìi’s Plan of Gr³ma Tºrtha. These youths, with the help of village administration and the villagers, will make their villages / small towns ‘Âdarïa Gr³ma’. Ideally, an ‘Âdarïa Gr³ma’ should focus on cow-based economy, cleanliness, organic farming, tree plantation, self-reliance, processing the village products in the village itself, establishing libraries, Sa®sk³ra Ï³l³s, encouraging the children through games and competitions, etc. 8. Women Empowerment – Right from the beginning, Pujya Gurudev laid emphasis on women empowerment. He was of the view that only women can uplift women. Under the guidance of Vandaniya Mataji nationwide Mahil³ Mandalas were established and they had been working towards women’s welfare. Now, our young women force will work intensely towards eradicating dowry and purdah system, and in educating and training women about their security, health and hygiene, education and self-reliance. One confident young woman volunteer along with 5-6 progressive women (forming a Mahil³ Yuv³ Mandala) can easily take care of women upliftment in their village /small town. Several such Mahil³ Mandalas can be formed in the cities. 9. Divine Workshops – The Youth Cell of Shantikunj, Haridwar has prepared material for conducting twenty different types of workshops for providing new direction to the youth and making them learn the art of living a happy and harmonious life. Youth groups can use this material for mass awakening through slide projectors, PowerPoint presentations or through movies. There are several Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. - Samuel Ullman 6

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

themes for conducting the workshops, like ‘achieving excellence in work and day-to-day life’, ‘stress management’, ‘health, wealth and spirituality’, etc. Such workshops are being conducted by the central team at different places. Now the time has come when our youth groups should avail of this opportunity to accelerate this program. 10. Eradication of Social Evils - It is the prime duty of our youth to awaken the masses about the evil customs / traditions and make efforts to eradicate them. Our immediate focus should be on female feticide, dowry, expensive marriages, begging and discrimination based on caste, color and creed. Our youth should learn to remove negativity and depression among the fellow citizens and augment their positivity. Addiction-free and the depression-free manpower is the backbone of any prosperous country. Our new youth revolution will start from this point. Further, we will have to teach the masses how to shun the abuse of social media and how it can help in spreading positivity. Otherwise, this habit of misusing social media will lead us to negative thinking. At present, even the village youths are under the grip of WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, pornographic clips, rumor-spreading clips, etc. This is also an evil trait and we will have to open a front to counter this. 11. Clean and Healthy India – We will have to prepare a dedicated youth brigade for making a clean and healthy India. Clean India campaign has already been picked up with the initiative of our Prime Minister. Our Mission has been helping in this initiative since its inception. Our aim is to clean rivers Ganga and Yamuna, along with their 51 tributaries by 2026. We will have to create awareness and seek the assistance of public for regular cleaning of water sources. Scientiﬁc techniques should also be used for this purpose. People in our country are religious-minded. Very often we see holy baths and fairs organized on the banks of rivers. We will have to create awareness about what is ‘true bath’ and ‘Puñya arjana’ in spiritual sense. Otherwise, all the efforts done in cleaning the rivers will go waste in just two days of a fair. In order to keep our youth healthy, we will have to inculcate in them the habits of doing exercises, yoga, pranayama, etc as well as taking nutritious food. Then the youth force may be utilized in developing herbal gardens, kitchen gardens and Sm•ti Upavanas along with Shriram Sarovaras in villages and towns. In the above lines, we have just given an overview of the ‘Youth Vision Document.’ Its elaborated version will be made available in ‘Yuga S•jet³’ Program. A solemn pledge would be taken by the youths gathered at the convention on the Republic Day (January 26, 2018). In this program, the peers will guide them in the methodology of implementing their pledge. We hope that this ‘Yuga S•jet³’ program will prove to be a milestone in the direction of ‘Yuv³ Kr³nti’. With prayer-ﬁlled wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Harmonious New Year, 2018,

(Pranav Pandya) Age considers; youth ventures. - Rabindranath Tagore AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Fragrances can Rejuvenate Our Mind-Body System Nose may not appear to be an extraordinary part of the human body, but it certainly has unique constituent cells which, if stimulated, may help in rejuvenating our mind-body system. In fact, nose is a part of the chemosensory system, which consists of the senses of smell and taste. Our ability to smell comes from specialized sensory cells, called olfactory sensory neurons. They are found in a small patch of tissue (of the size of a postal stamp) high inside the nose. Each olfactory neuron has one odor receptor. Microscopic molecules released by substances such as food, flowers, perfumes, etc stimulate these receptors. Once the neurons detect the molecules, they send messages to the brain, which identifies the smell. Although smell is a basic sense, it is also at the forefront of neurological research. Doctors and scientists have been researching on the effect of fragrances of essential oils and perfumes for aroma therapy. It has been observed that aroma therapy helps in reducing mental stress, anxiety and other mental disorders, which, in turn, help our mind to be happy and joyful. Swami Rama has mentioned in his famous book titled ‘Living with the Himalayan Masters’ that during spring season when one passes through the valley of flowers, fragrance of flowers makes him so joyful that he forgets everything. Let us see his experience there in his own words – “The flowers were in full bloom as far as the eye could see. For the first few hours it was soothing to the senses and stimulating to the mind. But slowly I started noticing that my memory was slipping

away. After five or six hours (Gudadi) baba asked, “Hey you! Can you tell me your name?” We (Swami Rama and his fellow monk) were both so disoriented that we could not remember our names. We had completely forgotten them. I was only aware of my existence and had a hazy idea that I was with two other people. That’s all. The fragrance of those flowers was so strong that we could not think rationally. Our ability to reason wouldn’t function. --- We lived in this valley for a week. It was highly enjoyable. ---After we came out of the Valley of Flowers, the baba said, ‘Your joy was because of the influence of the fragrance of the flowers’.” Due to an intense fragrance in the air, our sense organs become senseless and a person reaches an ecstatic state of joy. It has been found that different fragrances produce different effects on the nervous system, which may have a positive or negative impact on our health. This is the reason why aroma therapy has become a big business and such therapy centers are growing all around the world. Aromatherapy makes use of essential oils, extracted from flowers and plants by steam distillation or cold pressing. Essential oils of lavender, frankincense, peppermint, tea tree, etc are known to stimulate the nervous system via their topical application. Extracts of agara (eagle wood), tagara (Valeriana wallichii), sandal wood, clove, camphor, and eucalyptus along with other fragrant plants like rose, chamelº (jasmine), champ³ (Magnolia champaca), r³ta-r³nº (night blooming jasmine, cestrum nocturnum), etc. have

The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of wind, but the glory of virtuous deeds spreads in all the directions. - Acharya Shriram Sharma 8

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

also been suggested for aroma therapy. Aroma of the extracts of different plants and ﬂowers can help relieve stress, boost the immune system, provide various beauty beneﬁts, and keep various ailments at bay. For aroma therapy, sometimes a patient is kept in a room with an aroma of appropriate essential oil; or a sugar cube mixed with the oil is placed on the tongue of the patient and he is asked to feel the fragrance without swallowing the cube. This is repeated three times a day which helps in relaxing the mind of the patient. René-Maurice Ga•efossé is regarded as the Father of Aromatherapy and the inventor of the word itself. His book titled ‘Ga•efossé Aroma Therapy’ (which is the English translation of his renowned work in French ‘Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essen•elles hormones végétales’) gives a fascinating account of human, animal and plant smells, the classi!ication of essential oils and their therapeutic use in treating different diseases. Dr. Jean Valnet has also discussed, in detail, all the aspects of this novel therapy in his book ‘Practice of Aromatherapy: Holistic Health and the Essential Oils of Flowers and Herbs’.

Essential oils can be used for protecting, nourishing and restoring vital energy. They can be used in three different ways, namely, aromatically (by inhalation), topically and internally. Aromatic and topical use of these oils is effective for good health and wellness. However, internal use, or direct ingestion of essential oils, is risky and should be practiced only by an experienced practitioner. Aromatic use often employs a diffuser, but it is also possible to put a drop of essential oil on a cotton ball, allowing the drop to diffuse and inhaling directly from the cotton ball. For topical use, the essential oil is diluted in some kind of carrier, usually a sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, aloe vera gel, lotion, or cream. In addition to aroma therapy, Yajóa therapy has also shown positive results in rejuvenating human body. Various clinical trials, case studies, and laboratory tests have conﬁrmed the signiﬁcance of Yajóa therapy for curing viral infections, psychosomatic disorders and dreaded diseases like cancer and AIDS. Now there is a need to investigate the combination of these two therapies for the holistic health of all living beings.

Recommended References: 1. Keville, Kathi, and Mindy Green: Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art. (2nd Ed.). New York: Crossings Press (2008) 2. Schnaubelt, Kurt: The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils. Vermont: Healing Arts Press (2011) 3. Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young: Essential Oil Safety. (2nd Ed.). London: Elsevier (2014) 4. Acharya Sharma S.: Yajóa k³ jóana vijó³na. Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra Vangmaya Vol. 25. Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura; UP, India (1995). 5. Acharya Shrama S.: Yajóa – Eka Samagra Upac³ra Prakriy³. Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra Vangmaya Vol. 26 Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura; UP, India (1995).

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same. - Helen Keller AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Science and Spirituality

Manage Your Stress by Self-Entertainment Nature has endowed each one of us with natural tendencies of entertainment to cope up with all stresses of life. But we remain unaware of this oasis because of our extrovert attitude, and our superficial understanding of our own selves. A little thought on the purpose, genesis, nature and the ‘process’ of experiencing entertainment, will make it clear that there are no specific criteria to define or measure entertainment. Neither are there any devices or means, which will certainly provide a particular kind of entertainment. The purpose could be served by alternate means even if one is in a specific mood to get a particular type of entertainment. (For example if one is in a mood to watch a specific movie but no tickets are available for any show on that day then he or she may opt for some other movie, theater or show). One does not have to wait for a special opportunity to have the delight of entertainment only by some specific means. One does not have to arrange for any gadgets, search for the right mode, or call a meeting, etc for this. The real source of entertainment is available all the time; one only has to feel it, recognize it and activate or revive it. We all have experienced sometime or the other that a tired body or a strained mind feels relaxed and relieved for sometime by watching or doing something pleasant or enthusing. Exerting hard at work is not so much a cause of fatigue, as considering work as a burden. We often forget the fact that all works can’t be of our liking, every circumstance can’t be favorable to us. Tension or pressure – which is usually experienced in

professional life these days – of completing the task beyond one’s potential causes mental fatigue and stress. But to a great extent the stressed person is himself or herself responsible for this state. He/she runs for lucrative jobs and fat salaries to become rich and successful in a hurry. One invites or creates stressful circumstances by joining the rat-race of fast-track ‘progress’ or by expecting and desiring beyond one’s own worth and capabilities. Many a time one expects the circumstances to turn favorable and the people around to act as per one’s will or to remain supportive as they were sometimes earlier. One should remember that everything in the world is changing. Everyone has his/her own predilections that also vary with time. We can’t expect anyone to say or do what we like. If one can’t discipline one’s own body and mind, how can one expect to control others’ minds? It is a sign of maturity and wisdom on our part to assess the circumstances and manage our aspirations and expectations accordingly. To deserve more and yet want less” is what corresponds to an intelligent way of gaining satisfaction and self-restraint. Adopting the principles like — “struggle for victory, but have malice for none” and “strive for the best and be prepared for the worst”, in practice is the key to a fulﬁlling and progressive life without any stress or tension. It is not easy, but you have to start somewhere. Once you are determined to follow it or develop a ‘taste’ for practicing it, your mind will start enjoying it. This will also trigger your hidden tendencies of ‘self-emerging’ entertainment.

Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there.’ - Eckhart Tolle 10

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Stress Was There in The Earlier Times Too! We often get an impression that our ancestors had an easy life; there was no tough competition or tension. It appears as if the hazard of stress has surfaced only since past few decades. That is not quite correct. Its form and causes might have changed and the number of people suffering from mental tension and stress might have gone up in the recent times, but stress has been a part of human life since the primitive age of civilization. In the early days of civilization, struggle for survival was the cause of stress but this, similar to the stress given to start a mechanical engine, generated the zeal to face the adversities and enabled the ascent of civilization. This kind and level of stress has always been a part of evolution of life. Nature has also endowed us with enormous potential to use it as an impetus to progress. Disastrous Modes of Entertainment: Similar to the cropping up of ‘clever’ evil tendencies, the man-made complexities of stress also increase with excessive ambitions and passions of mankind. Stress grows manifold because of wrong attitude and unchecked instinctive and egotistic desires. The irony is that one adopts artiﬁcial and unmindful means of entertainment to get rid of this stress and in turn, fuels negative effects and vulnerability to suffer more tensions and mental and physical weaknesses. For example, some people feel stimulating entertainment in intoxication and sex without realizing that it further fuels their sensual passions and beastly instincts, and weakens them physically as well as mentally. Gambling and bidding has also been a hobby, a source of entertainment, for many people in the past times as well as in the present. But this mode of entertainment often nurtures addiction and

also augments the addict’s hidden stresses and hazardous infirmities in several ways. Can’t one have more mindful ways of relieving stress? The answer lies in understanding the fact that — no kind of entertainment would alleviate the stresses generated by cruel mentality, arrogance, greed, etc, unless the root-cause itself is weeded out. It is also a fact that if one were satisfied with modest resources and simple living, one would never have to face the inevitable stresses invited by unbridled ambitions and selfish passions to acquire power and snobbish possessions. Creative Entertainment & Stress-Relief: Excursion trips with a purpose of gaining knowledge and practical experience in a chosen field of knowledge are counted among creative entertainments. It is different from roaming around, touring for picnicking, sightseeing and shopping. The latter may provide a temporary diversion and joy but the net gain is nothing. That way one may just stand in a corner and watch the traffic on a busy road or amuse oneself by looking at varieties of people and their activities on a crowded railway platform or bus stand. Visiting grand fun-fares, crowded galas, is also similar. One will spend more money and get more fatigue and risk of infection than gaining real entertainment in such activities. Trekking in the countryside full of natural beauty and soothing breeze of fresh air on the banks of a river is so different from walking on the busy market streets of mega cities or hogging and shopping in a mall. Both may provide diversions and expose one to new attractions, but the latter only adds more to one’s strain and stress than providing any rejuvenation. Having Nature’s serene proximity in the farms or gardens, or simply

There is more to life than increasing its speed. - Mahatma Gandhi AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

having keen observation of the flora and fauna near the house, watching the activities of animals and birds around provide joyous diversion to the mind and also offer new knowledge. If that is not possible, then re-arranging the house, cleaning and organizing the setup at home or office would also be good options for recreation. Watering the plants, gardening, planting and nurturing trees in the surrounding area, etc are far more satisfying, useful and soothing activities and creative modes of stress alleviation than attending lavish parties or watching some vague movie. Quest for new information and knowledge is Nature’s reward to human mind. That is why reading and discussions also offer creative entertainment. However, the topics taken up in these are again a matter of one’s interest. Reading substandard novels or books on erotic subjects, and discussions or pondering on related topics are contrary to these powerful modes of creative diversion. Gossiping also counters the positive impact, and amounts to sheer wastage of time and energy. You may read lightly but you should also introspect and analyze whether or not it is adding to your knowledge or useful information, satisfying your quest to know the world better, giving positive and constructive direction to your thoughts, or sharpening your intellect. What do you often talk or discuss about, and with whom, also needs to be scrutinized. You need not be an intellectual or learned person. You only need to be aware of the natural quest of the mind and watch your thoughts. Your mind will start enjoying this self-inspection of the flow of thoughts and gradually develop a creative interest in good reading, listening to good lectures/discourses and participating in meaningful discussions.

Sports, played as refreshing exercises, are wonderful means of enthusing the mind and energizing the body. Not only the games in a playground or tennis and badminton courts, some people also enjoy sitting for hours playing cards, sitting in front of the chess board, and spending whole day watching a cricket match. It gives them pleasure mainly because their minds feel no pressure of losing or winning, of gaining praises or suffering insult, etc. This indicates that any task that engages the mind in doing some creative work and that is not linked with any profit or loss, or with any kind of success or failure, may also serve as a creative entertainment for relief from stress. Any task that is carried out with sportive enthusiasm and positive conditioning or engrossment of mind will become an entertainment, no matter how much hard a labor it may require. Then there will be no fatigue or stress in doing it, irrespective of whether it is a new challenge or a routine job. If the mind is meandering elsewhere or is indifferent or unwilling to do something, then no matter how comfortable or beneficial the job is, it would appear vexing, tiresome and straining. It is all the mood of mind that makes something boring and stressful or interesting, rejuvenating and fulfilling. We should therefore learn to change our outlook as per the tasks at hand in a given circumstance and cultivate a temperament to regard every work as useful and important. A little training of mind and practice will awaken our up-till-now dormant tendencies of natural entertainment and make life a field of joyful sports. An Easy ‘Spiritual Exercise’: Natural smile on one’s face is indicative of happy and relaxed state of one’s mind. Gloom, fear,

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. - Benjamin Franklin 12

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

despair, arrogance, stress and related negativities cast unpleasant or repulsive shades on the face that cannot be hidden by any amount of makeup. An expression of childlike joy and natural calm on the other hand makes even a wrinkled face of an old person glow with charm. Everyone gets attracted towards a happy child and wants to play with him. The cheerful face and natural grin of a child makes him so cute and attractive. You should also attempt to keep smiling. Smile is like a mirror through which you may see the pleasure of your face reflected on others. It is like a message in a subtle language that echoes in the surrounding ambience and reflects back upon you. We must learn this language of blissful expression, this art of becoming joyful and spreading happiness, from blossoming flowers. When one feels upbeat in the moments of success, or on receiving anticipated support and favor, smile occurs without any effort. One does not need any entertainment at these times. More challenging and precious is self-creation of entertainment in the unfavorable circumstances.

The art of smiling in all circumstances makes you the winner, the master of entertaining your mind and endows you with the key to peace and happiness. You may begin with a sort of ‘forced’ training of bringing smile on your face, it may make you feel artiﬁcial in the initial stages, but because of its soothing impact on your body and ambience around, and upon your social interactions, you will not take much time in getting used to it. With some practice, your mind will begin to aspire for it. Smiling face will then become your identity and will also help keeping your mood tuned-up in general. Your self-training exercise of having permanent natural smile is interlinked with and mutually supportive of your positive attitude. It will help keeping your mind light and calm and thus nurture your positive attitude and sporting spirit. The latter will ensure natural generation and sustenance of inner peace and enthusiasm, of which, smile is an automatic and innate offshoot. Nature has gifted you with the boon of smile, use it and generate the perennial spring of serene joy within.

One day, Sri Krishna visited his friend, Uddhava, who was not at home at that •me. Uddhava’s wife was surprised by his arrival and also got confused. Sri Krishna entered and asked for a seat. Uddhava’s wife has•ly provided him with one. Then Sri Krishna asked Uddhava’s wife for something to eat. In a flurry, she gave him some water and also some bananas. She sat at his feet and fed him bananas one-by-one. But, in her state of confusion, instead of feeding him the fleshy part of banana, she gave him the skins (peels) and threw away the flesh. At this juncture, Uddhava returned home and was displeased to see this strange thing happening. Upon his enquiry, she came to her senses and asked for Krishna’s forgiveness. Uddhava asked her to go inside and started feeding Sri Krishna himself. He did the right thing by feeding him the fleshy part while throwing away the peels. Sri Krishna told Uddhava that the bananas were incredibly sweet, but he also added that the peels tasted be•er. Feeding with love made all the difference.

Man does not get tired by the enormity of work, but by considering it as a burden and doing it irregularly. - Acharya Shriram Sharma AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Key Role of Indian Culture in the Holistic Revolution Needed Today Indian Culture (Bh³ratºya Sa®sk•ti) is referred in the ancient texts as “S³ Pratham³ Sa®sk•ti Viïvav³r³” — the first and the supreme culture (Sa®sk•ti) in the world. Is it just a rhetoric way of ancient descriptions, a kind of ‘self-praise’, or is there some substance in it? Else, if it is true, then why we don’t see its greatness today? Whatever the case may be, a more important query, which is our focus in this article, is — why should we discuss the Indian Culture? What is its relevance and importance in today’s world? A discussion concerning this query would clarify the other doubts as well. Before proceeding with the discussions, we must keep in mind that the word “Culture” is used in English as a translation of the Sanskrit (and also, Hindi) word “Sa®sk•ti” (Sanskriti). In this article we shall use the words “Sa®sk•ti” and “culture” synonymously. As its word-meaning suggests, “sanskriti” is associated with Sa®sk³ras (intrinsic tendencies). So the level and nature of one’s sanskriti is reflected in one’s values, character, overall personality, and deeds. We often associate culture only with creative expression of feelings and intrinsic artistic talents. However, more importantly, sanskriti, and hence true cultural development, of a person is inherently associated with nurturing and elegant grooming of his/her values, inner beauty, and emotional character. Sanskriti of society or nation defines the collective spirit, ideals, conduct, and prominent way of life

of its people. Greater the virtues and values of (the members of) a society, the more evolved is its sanskriti. Similarly, the nature or standard of a sanskriti is judged according to the values and trends of development it nurtures. The superiority of Indian Culture (Bhartiya Sanskriti) lies in the fact that it has originated from saintly wisdom, science of spirituality, and inner quest for ultimate evolution. By and large, the basis of other cultures and civilizations prevalent in the (modern) world is dogmatic faith and its literal revival and imposition on the present-day humanity. Indian Culture is built on the idea of supreme development of humankind by awakening the divine qualities and powers indwelling in the inner self. Therefore, it not only encourages the reﬁned expression of creativity and hidden talents of individuals, but also aims at holistic progress of all in complete harmony with Nature. The philosophy, principles, and system of life, and the methods and modes of living guided and practiced under this sanskriti inspire — a culture of spirituality, a culture of devotional spirit, a culture of love, a culture of selﬂess service, a culture of sharing and caring, a culture of positive thinking and seeing the good that is pervading everywhere, a culture of simple living and high-thinking, a culture of nurturing vigor and radiance in life by self-awareness and self-discipline. It nurtures a perfect art of living with joy in all circumstances. It can thus provide solutions to many of the complex challenges that the world is facing today —

No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive. - Mahatma Gandhi 14

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including those concerning health, security, environment, and sustainability. In the Vedic Age, the sanskriti of India used to be honored as a Dev Sanskriti — A Culture of Divinity. It was this sanskriti of ancient India that had shown the light of wisdom, divine humane values, and spiritual emotional sensitivity to the entire globe[1]. Today again it is this sanskriti that will revive in its original form and show the righteous path to usher in bright and blissful future. Reasoned justification behind this belief is the universally accepted fact that — this is the culture (sanskriti) that endorses the Vedic wisdom of “Vasudhaiva Kutu®baka®” (Entire world is like a family) and “Âtmavata Sarvabh¿teÌu” (Every being is like one’s own self). Reawakening after the Meandering Tides of Cultural Civilization: People often wonder, as to why the divine culture of India did not continue to guide the world in the later years as it used to in the Vedic Age? How it could disappear from the very land where it had originated? Here, we should first understand the fact that elements of culture (sanskriti) are like seeds; they germinate, grow and blossom in fertile land (of people’s heart and mind) at appropriate season. So, the manifestation of culture varies with the trends of time and alters its influence in different phases of civilizations. Natural tendencies of most people are driven by ego, avarice and selfish attachments. As a result, often the cultural values in every civilization tend to decline in the absence of an equally powerful force that can reawaken and guide the mass mentality towards nobility. Ancient and modern history of the world has witnessed that from time to time saints and reformers have appeared on

this earth, inspired people towards the righteous path and saved humanity from the risk of disappearance. The impact of these phases of reawakening is more prominent and lasting than the socio-political revolutions. Because of utter blind faith and wild-type outlook of the masses at large, there was cultural darkness in entire Europe until medieval times. Dreaded inhuman punishments by the so-called courts-oflaw of religious clergies to anyone not following their (fundamentalist) dogmatic principles; incidents of burning people as part of ‘faith’, etc, were common in that society until the 15th century. Rest of the western world was almost a tribal land at that time. A conference held in Florence, Italy in the year 1439 AD initiated religious awakening in Europe. Some European texts of 16-17th Century refer this as renaissance of the occidental world. While it was the ﬁrst (re) awakening in the rest of the world in the medieval times, in India, it marked the ﬁfth reawakening. This 5th phase of cycle of reawakening is known in the history of India as “Bhakti K³la” (the period of devotional renaissance). Altruistic lives and devotional songs of saintly poets like Ramanuj in the South, and Ramanand, Tulasidas, Kabir, Mira, and Dadu, etc in the Central and Northern parts of India generated a wave of inspirational devotion in the hearts of the masses in this Age. Ravidas and Kabir conveyed the mystic teachings of ancient sages like Rishi Kapil, Rishi Kanad, and Adi Shankaracharya via lucid songs and poems in the local dialects to enlighten the masses. Saint Ravidas was like a pole-star in the cluster of devotional lamps. These saintly poets destroyed all barriers of saguna (worshiping a ‘deity form’ of God),

The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts. - Charles Darwin AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

nirguna (considering formless God), and savarna (upper caste), avarna (lower caste) that were prevalent in the society at that time. Beyond all the boundaries of ‘religious customs’, they generated a nectar-flow of inner devotion and pure knowledge (Vedanta). Indian Culture has always nurtured this trend of search for ultimate truth against blind faith. The first awakening period in India commenced in the Rig-Vedic Age. It began with the quest of the rishis (Sages of Vedic Age) to find the origin and ‘structure’ of Nature, existence of its Creator, origin of gods, origin of time, ultimate end of all that exists, and so on ….. They were indeed the absolute scientists who deciphered the deepest depth of consciousness and transcendent knowledge as easily as they understood the cosmic expansion of Nature. Tens of thousands of years after the Vedic Age, (as per the cycle of sublime Nature) the nature of people and trends of time gradually got changed. There emerged a period named as the “Brahman1 Age” in which, gradually the rituals and customary practices (described in some parts of Vedas too) replaced mystic knowledge. Then there was a second phase of cultural renaissance in India. This reawakening period was the “Age of Upanishads” when the essence of pure knowledge (extracted from the Vedas) was rediscovered, explained, and advocated by sagacious spiritual scientists. Following the great tradition of the divine sanskriti propounded by the Vedic Rishis, in their quest for absolute truth, the Upanishads even classified the ritualistic part of the Vedas as non-knowledge. The cycle of natural change in mass-mentality continued; gradually the light of spiritual

knowledge dimmed in people’s life; the sociocultural principles based on karma (deeds) got linked with janma (birth, creed) and there grew the misconceptions like casteism, socialdiscrimination, excessive reliance on fate, etc, in the Indian society. After which there was the third period of reawakening. This was the period of The Buddha. Buddha’s teachings conveyed four ‘Aryasatyas’ (Noble Truths). The light of Buddhism expanded across Asia. In fact, what he realized and preached was the message of wisdom hidden in the Vedas only. However, his approach was different, as per the need to change the prevailing negativity and blind faith in the name of ‘Vedic’ religion in Indian society at that time. This divergence widened signiﬁcantly after him. Misconceptions and distortions of the Vedas were on the rise. The pure wisdom component of the Vedas had somewhat diminished even from scholarly studies. Then in the 8th Centuries AD, there emerged preeminent sagacious saint Adi Shankaracharya, who rediscovered the philosophy of Advait Vedanta and established centers in the North, South, East and West of India for dissemination of this pure knowledge. His epochal endeavors thus resurrected the light of the Upanishads. (The treasure of knowledge rediscovered by him during this 4th cycle of cultural renaissance continues to attract mystics and spiritual scholars from all around the world.) Before this knowledge could reach the entire masses and guide them on different fronts of life, the predominant rivalries between different emperors and dynasties, the aftermaths of blind faith and superstitions in the society, religious divide between the Buddhists and Hindus, etc, had weakened the country. The invaders from

A culture is like an immune system. It operates through the laws of systems, just like a body. If a body has an infection, the immune system deals with it. Similarly, a group enforces its norms, either actively or passively. - Henry Cloud 16

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West Asia attacked, looted, destroyed precious cultural heritage and treatises of ancient texts, conquered and ruled over this land. The phase of decline and distractions after Islamic invasion further darkened in the medieval times. Then there was an emergence of several saintly poets and reformers during 15th and 16th Century, who motivated the much needed awakening of the masses. This was the 5th cycle of reawakening in India. The wave of devotion triggered this time had re-vitalized the soul of the country. But complete re-emergence of true Indian Culture was further blocked by the deceptive attacks of the British. Their colonial rule of over three centuries suppressed and distracted several successive generations of Indians from the real path of their sanskriti. Inﬂuence of rapid industrialization and technological advancement, though it helped materialistic development, the efforts required for enlightenment and rise on the cultural front got widely neglected except for some superﬁcial attempts on encouragement and propagation of indigenous art. Today the world is undergoing haywire transformations on cultural front and facing

cultural delusions, adulteration, and devolution. Inﬂuence of materialism and commercialization has become so powerful that it seems to have engulfed even the social norms and principles of humanity. It has over-shadowed the way-of-life of even those who boast about the great cultural heritage of India. The fundamentalists who shout against the occidental culture do not seem to have substantial and sound grounds to inspire and justify anything in favor of Indian Culture except loud slogans. The extent and complexity of the problem is so vast that only few saints and handful of their genuine followers may not be able to accomplish the revival of Indian Culture in feasible time sans the support of more and more people across the globe. It, therefore, appears essential to review the original form of the sanskriti of India and research its foundational principles in scientiﬁc light. It is also important to analyze its social aspects and relevance in the modern circumstances, and identify the elements that could be adopted in practice and inspire righteous progress. We shall attempt to address these points and discuss related aspects of Indian Culture in some successive issues of this magazine.

Notes: 1. “Brahman” referred here is name of certain post Vedic texts. Reference: 1. Pandya P. (Ed.): ‘Contributions of India to Global Cultural Civilization’, Sri Vedmata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar, (2016) “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we o•en ﬁnd that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solu•ons, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.” - Henri J.M. Nouwen We are nothing but bricks from our cultural molds. - Bangambiki Habyarimana AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Self - talk is Good for Health Many a time people are found bantering and talking to themselves, or conversing with plants or their pet animals. If a child is found talking to his toys, dolls or pet animals, it is considered as a childlike act, but if an adult behaves like this, people begin to suspect the state of his mental health. Many research studies, however, regard the act of talking to oneself or to plants and animals as a way to good health. This is because through these means many inner sufferings and distresses can find a way to get expressed, which provides a lot of relief. Such acts also help in getting rid of several mental ailments. According to a research study published in ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology’, people who indulge in self-talk show a remarkable improvement in their capability to think, understand, reply and converse with others. If a person does not have anyone nearby to talk to, he should not feel worried and should begin to talk to himself. Talking to oneself is not a mental disease but a very normal phenomenon. This is an ailment only when what a person speaks is irrelevant, meaningless, or not pertinent to any person or incident. If in self-talk there is relevance, motivation, and positivity, it is very beneficial and it leads to a boost in self-confidence and self-motivation. If the self-talk is filled with ‘I can do it’ emotion, it improves a person’s efficiency at work and reduces negativity in behavior. Psychologists believe that people who keep talking to themselves mentally or orally are found to maintain sound health.

Talking to ourselves is very useful in attaining better self-control, and it also helps in organizing the activities of the brain and keeping it healthy. Immaturity in thinking gets cured with self-talk. Thoughts also get better organized and ﬂow steadily. Self-talk enhances memory as well. When a person gets into intense conversation with his own self and intently tries to ﬁnd solutions to his problems, he gradually develops creativity and begins to solve his problems in multitudinous ways. When this selfconversation is done by means of diary-writing it becomes even more powerful, because when these writings are read again and again, the problems faced earlier can be reanalyzed more solemnly and it becomes easier to carry out self-analysis. One issue with diary, of course, is that we constantly fear that if it ends up with someone else, he would read and know about our thoughts and emotions. So, whenever we write anything in a diary that we would not like others to know, such pages of the diary should be torn off later and destroyed. People who like to converse with plants and trees, who share their thinking with them, who express their love to them and take care of them, feel relieved of stress in their company and experience a new freshness and vigor. Ayurveda, in fact, prescribes a therapy in which it is suggested to spend some hours in the company of plants. When a person talks to plants, not only is the growth of the plants faster, a very positive effect is also cast upon the person’s health.

Convince yourself every day that you are worthy of a good life. Let go of stress, breathe. Stay positive, all is well. - Germany Kent 18

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The world is very competitive today, we cannot easily trust anyone. People fear sharing their thoughts and sentiments with others. In this situation it is good to share thoughts with plants and trees. Some people hug trees as well. This is known as ‘Ventilation Therapy’, through which people express their inner feelings with ease. Those who fear speaking in public or giving any form of live demonstration, can enhance their skill of interacting with others by talking in front of plants and trees. Many people like to keep pets. They take care of them, feed them, take them for a walk, pet them and train them. They keep talking to them most

of the time. These animals begin to comprehend this conversation slowly; and, they even begin to behave as desired. According to a research study conducted at Chicago University, when a person talks to his pets, he develops a bonding with them. Such a person despite living alone at home does not get affected by loneliness. So, talking to self or conversing with pet animals, birds, plants and trees has many advantages. This increases sensitivity towards others, adeptness in dealing with others, workefﬁciency and wisdom; and at the same time, this provides relief from stress and promotes happiness levels.

The King of Balakh, despite being wealthy, was devoid of spiritual contentment. Slowly, he became weary of the world and asked his Prime Minister to take him to pay homage to an enlightened saint. The prime minister escorted the emperor to Lahore. Mian Mir (eminent Suﬁ saint, Shah Inayat Qadiri) used to live in a li•le hut in the jungle near Lahore. When he knew that the King was coming to see him, he instructed his disciples not to let any people with royal opulence come near him. When the King learnt this, he gave away all of his wealthy possessions to the poor. He wore ordinary clothes and came to the saint’s hut to pay his homage. Mian Mir informed the emperor, through his disciple that he needed to transform his life and serve another saint in that jungle, and then only he will be granted permission to see him. The emperor stayed in the jungle and served the saint, and ul•mately decided to dedicate his whole life to him. Mian Mir was so happy with the emperor’s decision, that he made him his disciple and showed him the path to salva•on. Due to the blessings of Mian Mir, the emperor in due course became a famous Saint, Bulleh Shah. Be mindful of your self-talk. It’s a conversation with the universe. - David James Lees AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

The Looming Danger of Land and Marine Debris Our changing life styles, which favor ‘use and throw’ mindset, have tremendously increased the use of plastic bags, plastic food packets, singleuse water bottles, grocery bags, food wrappers, etc. After use, they are not disposed of properly. In India, we can sight them on the roads, bus stops, railway stations, near public places, temples, hospitals, parks, picnic spots, etc. Due to the poor waste management practices, this debris is leading to pollution in all forms – earth pollution, air pollution and water pollution. Waste and garbage is no longer a challenge just for the land; it is becoming a danger for the oceans too. In general, it is perceived that ocean is too large and that anything can be put into it without any adverse effect to the environment. But reality is just the opposite of it. 97% of water on Earth is present in the oceans. 71% of Earth is occupied by the oceans. So, the existence of Earth is largely dependent on the well-being of the oceans. For the past few years, man’s reckless actions have begun to pollute the oceans, lakes and waterways. What is worrisome is that no one seems to be seriously interested in dealing with this issue. The biggest threat to the oceans is plastic waste. According to environmental organization named ‘Green Peace’, 28 crore tons of plastic is produced every year. Out of this 20% is disposed of in the oceans. Nobody even has an estimate of how much plastic is deposited in the ocean bed since this is different from the waste that is found ﬂoating on the surface of water. This plastic

waste has adversely affected the oceanic fauna and flora. According to a report, 100,000 turtles and marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales and seals, are killed by plastic marine litter every year around the world. Plastics are the most common manmade objects sighted at sea, with 18,000 pieces of plastic litter floating on every square kilometer of the world’s oceans! According to another report published by an Environmental program of United Nations, 80% of the garbage generated by people reaches the landfills and 20% finds its way into the oceans. The Tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 has created a long island of debris in an otherwise peaceful ocean. Similarly, there are many such islands of debris in the entire world. If our careless actions continue like this, we will see these garbage islands everywhere. The garbage in the ocean, unlike that in the land does not get collected in one place. It flows with water and spreads everywhere. That is the reason, why it poses a danger to environment, water transport, economy and health of mankind. Another alarming factor is that 70% of the sewage waste is dumped in the rivers, which ultimately reaches the ocean. The 8000 km long coastline of our country, which includes cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa and Surat, is densely populated. These economically progressive cities are perennially under the pressure of increasing population. These cities are also disposing of their

Neatness and cleanliness is not a function of how rich or poor you are but that of mentality and principle. - Ikechukwu Izuakor 20

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waste in the nearby seas. In the developing nations, this method of disposing waste appears to be the easiest solution. The problem also appears to be solved in the short-term; however, continuing with this approach in the long-term poses an imminent threat to the entire mankind. Even the most developed nations are filling up their garbage in ships and tossing them into the oceans. In the recent incident of Malaysian airplane crash, while searching for the wreckage, shocking amounts of garbage was found in the portions of ocean that was assumed to be pristine. This incident has also drawn the attention of the world to this serious issue of oceanic pollution. We are depleting the terrestrial resources owing to the population explosion; and it is not far when we will have to depend on the oceans for meeting our essential needs. In such times, if our oceans are polluted with garbage, this will pose a very serious global problem. As we sow, so shall we reap; if we dump waste in the oceans, the oceans, in return, will give clouds that have polluted water; and this will be dangerous to us. Because of the expansiveness of oceans, cleaning is not a feasible option. So, we should refrain ourselves from considering oceans as the means for disposing waste. We should bring maximum awareness on this matter among different nations and also figure out efficient methods of waste management on land itself.

REUSE items when you can. Choose reusable items over disposable ones. RECYCLE as much as possible! Bottles, cans, cell phones, ink cartridges, and many other items can be recycled. The best way to prevent large accumulations of debris from getting larger is to stop debris from entering the ocean in the ﬁrst place. [Measures suggested by US-NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP)]

Do you know how long does it take for litter to break down in the ocean? Paper bus and parking tickets: 2 - 4 weeks Orange and banana peel: up to 2 years Cigarette butts: 1 - 5 years Plastic bags: 10 - 20 years Foam cups and tin cans: 50 years Aluminum cans: at least 80 years Plastic bottles: 450 years

How YOU can help! GET INVOLVED and participate in local cleanups in your area. REMEMBER that our land and sea are connected. DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY no matter where you are. REDUCE the amount of waste you produce.

Fine ﬁshing net: at least 600 years Glass bottles: 1 million years

Environmental cleanliness begins with each individual desire to be clean. - Lailah Gifty Akita AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Blessed by Mah³k³la “One after nine or two after nine?”- Inquired Pujya Gurudev from Dr. Roy. The question was so unexpected that it took Dr. Roy a few moments to grasp its context. Dr. Roy was a famous surgeon of Lucknow; his reputation had spread beyond Lucknow to every part of India including the far south. Patients from even Japan, Korea and Africa came to consult him and returned benefitted. Glory, post and prosperity - nothing was lacking in Dr. Roy’s life. Life had given him full satisfaction in its different aspects, except one, and that one throbbed from deep inside. One after another, nine daughters were born to him in the hope of a son-next-time. Pilgrimages to many temples, mutts and s³dhus bore no fruit. This void in his life had gradually generated in him an atheistic tendency. He had begun to feel cynical and even angry at the sight of s³dhus and saints. So it was not surprising that his response was sceptical when one day a close friend suggested to him—“Satish, let us visit Gayatri Tapobhumi in Mathura, and meet Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya there. He does not call himself a s³dhu or saint, but mother goddess Gayatri and Saraswati literally sit on his tongue. It is said that even God does not dispose what Shriram Sharma Acharya proposes.” Dr. Roy did hear his friend out but disbelief was so firmly entrenched in him that he decided to first put Gurudev to test before visiting him. One day he heard that Pujya Gurudev had come to Lucknow to participate in a programme. Dr. Roy went there and took a seat in the audience. When

Gurudev’s turn to speak came, Dr. Roy watched him closely. He noticed that Gurudev’s words were strikingly clear, precise and had a divine ﬂow in them. Unlike other speakers, he neither made references to scriptures nor laid stress on any particular worship rituals. On the contrary, he was speaking about transforming the age. In his address, Pujya Gurudev elaborated upon the importance of time in these words -“Times keep changing. History of human civilisation bears testimony to these epochal changes. If in this cyclic pattern, Satayuga (Age of Righteousness) were to wake up from its long slumber and re-establish its reign over human affairs, why should this be considered impossible? For a man, it is impossible to create even an ant, but God keeps creating numerous kinds of lives every moment. At least the atheists should keep this truth in mind.” Gurudev paused, and then continued - “Today I have come to alert you to this, that the coming century is the age of transformation. This transformation is not happening from any human planning; working behind it is the Mah³k³la´s resolve. Nature has started creating the appropriate environment for this new order. Whoever will be able to behold this divine sight with his own eyes will be greatly lucky, and whoever will be able to accept this new challenge of time and put his foot forward in this direction will have an opportunity like that of Angad, Hanuman and Nala-Neel to partake of this divine fortune. The believers know that when God showers His blessings,

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us. - Socrates 22

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the term ‘impossible’ ceases to exist. With His blessings, even an aged Jatayu was able to take on the mighty Ravan.” Gurudev’s words started a churning in the thoughts of Dr. Roy. He began to reﬂect on whether God’s blessing could be measured only by the gift of a son? Or, its true meaning is that which Acharyaji is saying? Is the present age really changing? While Dr. Roy was pondering over these questions, Pujya Gurudev’s speech ended. Dr. Roy had come thinking that he would ask Gurudev some such probing questions as would put the latter to discomfort. But here, just the reverse had happened. He felt so magnetically attracted towards the personality of Gurudev that to return without meeting him would have been foolish. He silently stood behind the crowd that had gathered behind Pujya Gurudev. Soon his eyes met with Gurudev’s. Immediately Gurudev called him out - “Satish! One after nine or two after nine?” Before Dr. Roy could recover, Gurudev smiled and said - “My Son! Daughter and son are equals. But if your faith in God only stands on getting a son, tell me, you want one son or two sons?” Dr. Roy was dumbstruck. He had never dreamt that Gurudev would so easily read his inner wish without anyone’s brieﬁng and tell him then and there in so clear and so few words. Gathering some strength Dr. Roy spoke - “After meeting you, my desire to ask for anything has vanished now.” Pujya Gurudev said - “Son! God gives to those who do not demand. As long as you had desire, He was not present for you; but now when you are not asking for it, He wants to bless you with a son. I am merely acting as the communicator of His message to you. But

keep this in mind that offsprings are given for inculcation of sa®sk³ras in them. After getting this blessing, try to see that you and your family work for the larger good of the society. Only then, my words would prove justiﬁed.” Dr. Roy bowed before Poojya Gurudev in humble acceptance. Time showed later that this blessing of Gurudev was not a mere rhetoric of empty words, but a divinely ordained law which destiny proved true. But at that time, there were some more questions cropping up in the mind of Dr. Roy which he wanted answered. So he asked - “Gurudev, you were just now talking about transformation of the age. You talked about the descent of Avat³rº Once upon a •me, there lived a man, who had studied a vast range of scholarly works. He used to feel proud of his scholas•c and intellectual a•ainments. Whether it was day •me or night, he used to walk with a lighted lamp in his hand. If asked about this peculiar habit, he would arrogantly reply“There is darkness everywhere in the world. I walk with this lamp so that there could be some light”. One day this arrogant scholar came across a saint. The saint started laughing when he saw the scholar with the lighted lamp and said - “My friend, if you cannot see the ever shining sun then don’t tell that there is darkness around the world. What will this •ny lamp of yours add to the limitless glow of the sunlight? Where does the light of your knowledge stand before the inﬁnite knowledge of the Omniscient? If possible, try to know this simple fact that true knowledge can’t be a•ained just by reading tons of books and trea•ses. True knowledge comes through the realiza•on of the indwelling light of Divinity.”

The proud man counts his newspaper clippings, the humble man his blessings. - Fulton J. Sheen AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Cetan³ (reincarnation of divine consciousness). Please tell me if this would be of the kind of Lord Rama or Lord Krishna? And what message he will give to the people?” Pujya Gurudev replied - “No son, the reincarnation of this age would be more like the descent of the Ganga. Be it heaven, earth or p³t³la (the nether world) - nothing would be beyond its effect. It will give two messages to the people - reﬁnement of the self, and enrichment of the righteous tendencies.” Pujya Gurudev further said - “A deep lethargy had gripped the thinking of people. They do not want to accept their assigned responsibility in changing the society. Hence the future Avat³ra of the new age will tell the people that unless we ourselves change, no real change of the society is possible. At the same time he will create the circumstances for the ﬂowering of creativity.

Even if you are unable to see it, rest assured that this divine consciousness has spread to every nook and corner of the universe. When time comes its trumpet-call will reverberate in all the ten directions; and every corner will glow in its golden light.” The words of Pujya Gurudev brought a revolution in the life of Dr. Roy. In due course of time, he was blessed with two sons. Simultaneously, his mind was ﬁlled with a deep urge to henceforth dedicate himself to public good. Over the years, he had the privilege of serving the country in many important capacities. During those days, many Gayatri parijans would often call on him and he would tell everyone - “I have not seen God, but I have seen Gurudev. In my eyes, both are one and the same.”

In a small village in the kingdom of Mysore lived a poor Brahmin. He had four daughters. His wife told him that lot of money would be required to perform the marriages of their daughters and hence he should plan for arranging the resources for the same. The Brahmin said – ‘Gayatri is the true wealth for a brahmin. I will do the worship of Gayatri. She will uphold my respect’. So saying, he con•nuously performed 11 Gayatri Mahapurascharanas. Neither did Mother Gayatri appear before him nor his poverty removed. By this •me, three of his daughters reached the marriageable age. Disappointed with everything, he took sannyasa (renuncia•on) and le• on a pilgrimage. One day when he went for his morning ablu•on, he stumbled on something. On closer inspec•on, he saw that it was a brass vessel ﬁlled with gold coins. Tears rolled out of his eyes and he cried out in agony – ‘O Mother, what was lacking in my sadhana that you ﬁrst let my family life get destroyed by not showing your grace. Now, you are disturbing my life of sannyasa by giving these riches.’ The Brahmin then sat in a nearby place and began to meditate. As soon as his mind calmed down, Mother Gayatri appeared and said – ‘Son, each and every one should accept the results of their karma. You had a load of sins that required 11 Mahapurascharanas for ge•ng cleansed’. The Brahmin asked – ‘How are my wife and daughters doing?’ She replied – ‘Three of your daughters got married and the youngest one is living a life of happiness with her mother. I never let my devotees be troubled.’ Brahmin then asked – ‘Mother, what I shall do with this wealth now?’ She said – ‘Use it for the welfare of society. This will help you in realizing the goal of sannyasa ashrama that you have taken’. Brahmin followed her advice and later came to be known as Vidyaranya Swami. Reflect upon your present blessings - of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. - Charles Dickens 24

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Yug Gita – 10

Guru Guides the Disciple to Reflect on the Self – 2 (Continued from the previous issue) Lord Krishna brings Arjuna back in the main stream, by explaining such a sophisticated philosophical concept, in short, that the body is mortal and the soul is immortal; what is visible to the physical eyes is ephemeral and destructible and the one that is invisible is eternal. How many people have fallen into the jaws of death in front of our own eyes? Realize that eternal element, the Spirit (Soul), which is beyond the physical body. In the following ïlokas, Lord is trying to convey to Arjuna the same thing so that he understands his duty and gets ready for the righteous war. Ya ena® vetti hant³ra® yaïcaina® manyate hatam | Ubhau tau na vij³nºto n³ya® hanti na hanyate || (2.19)

The soul is neither born, nor does it die at any time. It does not come into being or cease to exist. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval. The soul is not destroyed when the body is destroyed. O Arjuna! How can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn, and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to be killed? This kind of explanation of Soul, with its different virtues, is found from nineteenth to thirtieth ïlokas. This portion is considered the essence of the Gita. It is advisable to read and contemplate on this essence when someone’s near and dear one dies.

Lord is making Arjuna realize that he should Na j³yate mriyate v³ kad³cin not get worried about this body, that he should n³ya® bh¿tv³ bhavit³ v³ na bh¿ya¡ | abandon his affection towards his relatives who Ajo nitya¡ ï³ïvato ´ya® pur³ño are prone to die. Guru shows his disciple this na hanyate hanyam³ne ïarºre || (2.20) mirror so that he can reﬂect on the self. As soon as we start talking the language of the wise, Ved³vin³ïina® nitya® Guru shows the mirror – why this arrogance – ya enam ajam avyayam | for whom this attachment – is it for this mortal Katha® sa puruÌa¡ p³rtha body – is it for the transitory relations? Again and ka® gh³tayati hanti kam || (2.21) again, Lord is preaching Arjuna to recognize the eternal and forget the transitory relations. Eternal Meaning: One who thinks that the soul is a are the relations of Soul and Supreme Soul, jºva slayer and one who thinks that the soul is slain and brahma, disciple and Guru; and transient both are ignorant, because the soul neither slays and mortal are the relations with our so-called nor is slain. brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, etc. The people whom we consider near and dear ones are, in Know it for certain that without steady devotion for the Guru and unflinching patience and perseverance, nothing is to be achieved. – Swami Vivekananda AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

fact, the companions in this life only, whereas Guru-disciple bond is eternal and continues forever. This bond emerges from the sanctity of emotions, from the depth of heart; and, that is why, it remains unbroken. A true Guru always ﬁnds his true disciple and the true disciple is also able to ﬁnd his true Guru.

you should not grieve.’ He now talks of following one’s svadharma (righteous duty) -

Lord reiterates the same thing in the following ïlokas:

Meaning: Having regard to your own duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a kÌatriya than a righteous war.

V³s³®si jºrñ³ni yath³ vih³ya nav³ni g•hñ³ni naro ’par³ñi| Tath³ ïarºr³ñi vih³ya jºrñ³nyany³ni sa®y³ti nav³ni dehº|| (2.22) Naina® chindanti ïastr³ñi naina® dahati p³vaka¡ | Na caina® kledayanty³po Na ïoÌayati m³ruta¡|| (2.23) Meaning: Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so also the embodied Soul casts off worn-out bodies and enters others that are new. Weapons cannot cut it, ﬁre cannot burn it, water cannot wet it and the wind cannot dry it. Explaining the virtues of the Soul, Lord says – ‘It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, ancient and immovable. Therefore, knowing this to be such, you should not grieve. Neither should you deviate from performing your Yugadharma.’ Lord says further (27th ïloka) ‘Birth is inevitable to what is dead and death is inevitable to what is born. This is the law of Nature. Therefore, one should not grieve.’ He explains to Arjuna further – ‘Though, this soul is present in the bodies of all the living beings, it cannot be killed. Only the body (the outer cover) can be killed. Therefore,

Svadharmamapi c³vekÌya na vikampitumarhasi| Dharmy³ddhi yuddh³chreyo ´nyat kÌatriyasya na vidyate|| (2.31)

With this ïloka ends the context of ‘realizing the soul beyond the body’ and starts the metaphysical – oriented context of ‘practicing svadharma by the physical body’. Lord says to Arjuna - ‘You have got this body so that you can understand your svadharma and follow it’. Pujya Gurudev used to say – ‘It is through this body that the light of Soul and Supreme Soul spread. We have got this body so that the effulgence of God can express through it. Our mind and body, our thoughts and deeds are the fountains of this effulgence. Our body is a unique divine constitution. Embraced in the divine consciousness, when we perform our actions with this body, it is called ‘following svadharma’ or practicing our duties. There is no Tapa (penance) higher than performing one’s righteous duties.’ In this context, an anecdote of Mahabharat is worth recalling. There was one Muni (seer) named Jajalya, who was famous for his ardent Tapa. He acquired several supernormal powers by his Tapa. He used to throw his dhotº (a traditional lower garment worn by male Hindus) in air for drying and it would remain in the air without the support of any string. One day he saw that a crow has excreted on his dhotº. He got annoyed and by his mere angry sight the crow was burnt to death. He

The Teacher provides Spiritual Energy! Just like roots provide nutrients to the flowers! - Choa Kok Sui 26

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

became very proud of his supernormal powers. After this incident, he had a divine revelation that he should shun his ego if he wanted to acquire knowledge and know about Tapa; and, for this purpose, he should go to Sulabha who lived in the nearby village. Arrogant Jajalya reached the home of Sulabha. He sent the message to Sulabha that a Muni (himself) had come to meet her. Sulabha replied that she was busy in feeding the children, so he should wait for some time. Muni got angry over this and shouted – ‘Are you aware who has come to your house? People have been paying respect to me all the way. In spite of knowing me, you are avoiding me.’ Sulabha replied – ‘I am not dhotº that will get dried on your instruction or the crow that will get burnt. People might have been respecting you all the way, but I know who you are.’ Muni started thinking how she acquired this transcendental knowledge. Sulabha said – ‘Muniji! Don’t get surprised; it is the Tapa of following svadharma by this body that has given me this siddhº. If you want to know more, please go to Tuladhar Vaishya.’ When Muniji reached the shop of Tuladhar Vaishya, he was talking to the customers. He said to Tuladhar – ‘I have been sent here by Sulabha. First talk to me.’ Tuladhar said – ‘Please wait, ﬁrst I will deal with the customers.’ – Immediately Muniji got angry. Tuladhar said – ‘I am neither dhotº nor crow. Please don’t get annoyed, have patience.’ Astonished Muni started thinking how this man got the siddhº. Tuladhar said –‘I am not a proﬁteer, I weigh correctly. I follow

my svadharma – this is my only Tapa.’ Later on Jajalya Muni had many experiences which made him realize - ‘following svadharma – performing one’s righteous duties, is the highest form of Tapa and that he should not get arrogant about his siddhºs, because they are momentary and they vanish when one gets angry.’ Knowledgeable persons like Janak, etc became Yogº – Videh by following svadharma. Jajalya Muni thus realized this essence of knowledge. Lord too is explaining the same fact to his disciple Arjuna. He says – ‘Fortunate are the kÌatriyas, O Arjuna, who are called upon to ﬁght in such a war that comes of itself as an open door to heaven! But, if you will not ﬁght in this righteous war, then, having abandoned your duty and fame, you shall incur sin. People, too, will recount your everlasting dishonor; and to the honorable person, dishonor is worse than death.’ (Chapter 2, ïlokas 32, 33 and 34) Pujya Gurudev too advised us to engage in Tapa. In the present times, Jó³na Yajóa is the best Tapa. Inspiring the masses to imbibe the virtue of righteous wisdom is our foremost duty, even if we have to abandon our pleasures and undergo pains for this purpose – so advised Gurudev. ‘Not undertaking this Tapa s³dhan³ is similar to running away from our Mahabharata’ – He said. The discussion on following svadharma, utilizing one’s talents and resources for the upliftment of the masses, yugadharma, etc will continue in the next issue. [To be continued]

The relationship between apprentice and mentor is one of the most beautiful and most sacred relationships. In sharing his wisdom with his apprentice, the mentor discovers even more wisdom to share. - Charbel Tadros AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Peace Pilgrim’s Wisdom – 10

Reflections on the Pilgrimage - 1 When I first started out, my tunic read PEACE PILGRIM on the front and Walking Coast to Coast for Peace on the back. Through the years the message on the back changed from Walking 10,000 Miles for World Disarmament to Walking 25,000 Miles for Peace and ending with the present message of 25,000 Miles on Foot for Peace. This walking has taken me several times into the forty-eight states and into Mexico and into all ten Canadian provinces. I finished counting miles of walking in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 1964. I said to myself, “25,000 miles is enough to count.” It kept me tied to the main highways where mileages are recorded on road maps. They’re not good places to meet people. They’re just good places to count miles. Now I’m free to walk where people are. Also, mileages are not given for my favorite places to walk: beaches, forest paths and mountain trails. Some things don’t seem so difficult, like going without food. I seldom miss more than three to four meals in a row and I never even think about food until it is offered. The most I have gone without food is three days, and then Mother Nature provided my food — apples that had fallen from a tree. I once fasted as a prayer discipline for 45 days, so I know how long one can go without food! My problem is not how to get enough to eat; it’s how to graciously avoid getting too much. Everyone wants to over-feed me!

Going without sleep would be harder, although I can miss one night’s sleep and I don’t mind. Every once in a while I miss a night’s sleep, but not for some time now. The last time was September of 1977 when I was in a truck stop. I had intended to sleep a little but it was such a busy truck stop that I spent all night talking to truck drivers. The first thing after I went in, a truck driver who’d seen me on television wanted to buy me some food. I sat in a corner booth. Then truck drivers started to arrive, and it was just one wave of truck drivers after another that were standing there and asking me questions, and so forth. I actually talked to them all night and I never did get to do any sleeping. After a while somebody offered me breakfast and I ate that and left. Another time, a truck driver pulled his truck to the side of the road and said, “I heard you say over television something about that endless energy and I just wanted to tell you I had it one time. I was marooned in a town by a flood. I got so bored that I finally offered to help and I got interested in getting people out. I worked without eating, I worked without sleeping, and I wasn’t tired... But I don’t have it anymore.” I said, “Well, what are you working for now?” “Money,” he said. I said, “That should be quite incidental. You have the endless energy only when you are working for the good of the whole — you have to stop working for your little selfish interests.” That’s the secret of it. In this world you are given as you give!

There is of course a deep spiritual need which the pilgrimage seems to satisfy, particularly for those hardy enough to tackle the journey on foot. - Edwin Mullins 28

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

I usually average twenty-five miles a day walking, depending upon how many people stop to talk to me along the way. I have gone up to fifty miles in one day to keep an appointment or because there was no shelter available. On very cold nights I walk through the night to keep warm. When the days are very warm I do a lot of walking at night to avoid the heat. I have walked when the nights were filled with the scent of honeysuckle, the sight of fireflies and the sound of whippoorwills. Once a six foot fellow, confident he could outwalk me, walked with me for 33 miles. When he gave up, his feet were blistered and his muscles ached. He was walking on his own strength; I wasn’t! I was walking on that endless energy that comes from inner peace. Another time a woman asked me if she could accompany me on the pilgrimage. She told me she wanted to get away from “that husband” of hers. Maybe she did have a calling, but her motive was not the highest. Another lady who wished to accompany me for a day could barely walk by afternoon. I sent her home by bus! I have never experienced any danger on my walks. One time a couple of drunks did follow me in a car, but when I moved off the road they left. Only once has anyone ever thrown something at me: a man in a speeding truck threw a fistful of crumpled dollar bills. I simply gave them to the next church where I spoke. A college student once asked me if I had ever been mugged. “Mugged?” I answered. “You would have to be a crazy person to mug me — I haven’t a penny to my name!”

There was a time when I was walking out of town at sunset and a well-to-do couple in a big house called me over. They had read about my pilgrimage and felt it was their Christian duty to warn me that ahead on the way lay a very wicked place called ‘South of the Border.’ They just wanted to warn me not to go near that place. They did not offer food or shelter, however, so I walked on for several hours. It was a very dark night with a heavy cloud cover and all of a sudden it started to rain. Big drops were coming down, and I was carrying a lot of unanswered mail. I looked for a place where there might be a shelter and nearby I saw a combination - gas station, restaurant and motel. I ducked under the roof over the gas pumps and started to put the unanswered mail into the front of my tunic so it

A disease might be treated by a medicine prescribed by a doctor. But one can’t survive on medicine or tonics all the •me for vigorous health. If you want to sustain good health, you will have to use the knowledge of preven•ve care and maintaining vigor. Only the spark of knowledge could uproot avarice, despera•on, tension, apprehension, sorrow, and other mental weaknesses and psychological complaints, which make our lives burdensome. All the prosperity and might of the world together cannot control these complexi•es; rather they tend to augment the vices and worries in the absence of proper knowledge. True knowledge alone is the key to peace and happiness in this life and the life beyond. - Acharya Shriram Sharma

Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination. - Swami Sivananda AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

wouldn’t get wet. The man from the gas station came running out and said, “Don’t stand out there in the rain, come into the restaurant.” The man in the restaurant said, “Oh, we read all about you, and we would like to offer you a dinner or anything you want.” By that time I realized where I was. I was in ‘South of the Border.’ The man from the motel was sitting across the table from me and he gave me a room for the night. They also gave me breakfast the next morning. There may have been gambling in the back room; something was going on there. But they treated me in a much more Christian fashion than those who warned me against them. It just demonstrates my point that there is good in everybody. I have received hospitality in the most unusual places. These have included a conference table

in the Florence, Arizona, city hall and the seat of a fire engine in Tombstone, Arizona. Once I was inadvertently locked for thirteen hours in an icy gas station restroom. My accommodations were quiet and private, although somewhat chilly! I sleep equally well in a soft bed or on the grass beside the road. If I am given food and shelter, fine. If not, I’m just as happy. Many times I am given shelter by total strangers. When hospitality is not available there are always bus depots, railroad stations and all night truck stops. I remember being offered a queen size bed at a fashionable motel one evening and the next evening space on the concrete floor of a twentyfour hour gasoline station. I slept equally well on both. Several times a friendly sheriff would unlock the door of an unoccupied jail cell. When no shelter is available to me, I sleep in the fields or by the side of the road with God to guard me.

[Reproduced with glad consent of the publishers – Friends of Peace Pilgrim]

Most part of human life is largely spent in – ea•ng, sleeping and being engaged in sensual passions and pleasures, or worrying, fearing or figh•ng etc. Almost all the •me and efforts are centered round the body and the ac•vi•es and people associated with it. But is that all the purpose for which the human life is bestowed? If the domain of life is confined to ac•vi•es related with the body, its protec•on, fulfillment of its ins•nc•ve desires, then what is the difference between humans and animals? In fact, all the great talents, skills, abili•es and powers which Nature has endowed us with are for the be•erment of the world, for the welfare of all. So one must try his/ her level best to help others, elevate them. No doubt, you should take care of your health, excelling of your own poten•als, your near and dear ones, but your du•es should not end there. Whatever •me and resources you have must also be shared for altruis•c service of the needy around you; the society should also benefit by your talents and powers. – Acharya Shriram Sharma Days of slow walking are very long: they make you live longer, because you have allowed every hour, every minute, every second to breathe, to deepen, instead of filling them up by straining the joints… - Frédéric Gros 30

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Make it a Habit to Smile ‘The body is a powerful tool for communication… Our appearances and actions often say more about our feelings than our words. Even the smallest gesture — such as a head-tilt or a smile — can reveal a lot.’ - Says Dr. Dacher Keltner, a professor and founding faculty director of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Many research studies have been conducted on emotions that are expressed through the face. Smile is a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement. A smiling face has the power to attract others. It also fills oneself with a pleasant feeling that rejuvenates both body and mind. A smile is like a facial exercise that gives a healthy glow to your face. A person, who can smile his way through his troubles and challenges in life, is unstoppable. He will surmount all his problems and emerge successful in life. Smile enhances one’s personality. It can work as a simple and effective remedy to lead a healthy life. People, who smile a lot, have a better immune system; it helps them fight diseases better than those who don’t smile. They are also able to take quick decisions; and are spared from the uncertainty and tension associated with indecisiveness. When a person speaks to others with a smile, it sends a message of good will and faith. This is why a smiling person is considered trustworthy, friendly and as someone with a positive outlook towards life. He influences others in the same way.

Psychologists also say that a smile inspires actions in a positive manner. Of course, this refers to only the genuine smile and not the fake one. A fake smile does not elicit any positive outcome on the mind or actions. Psychologists also have observed that when a person speaks a lie, he smiles less than normal. What is the science behind smile? When one’s brain feels happy, endorphins are produced and neuronal signals are transmitted to his facial muscles to trigger a smile. A positive feedback loop of happiness starts with smiling; that is, when one’s smiling muscles contract, they fire a signal back to the brain, stimulating his reward system, and further increasing the level of happy hormones, or endorphins. Researchers say that the feelgood neurotransmitters dopamine, endorphins and serotonin are all released when a smile flashes across your face. This not only relaxes your body, but it can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, as well. By smiling, we cast a positive influence on those around us. Others derive enthusiasm from our personality. A smiling person also emanates happiness around him. The entire atmosphere becomes cheerful and light. A smiling face is always a center of attraction. It is also said that a smile on doctor’s face cures 50% of the illness. On the other side, if the doctor maintains a tense countenance, the patient is more likely to be stressed out and worried.

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do. - Mother Teresa AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

We never lose anything by giving or distributing, then why should we save our smile only for rare occasions? By smiling, you not only make someone happy but also take away their worry and pain for some time. You don’t have to spend any money to smile; it is just a reﬂection of your state of mind. Don’t mistake that smiling is just a physical activity. You cannot get a genuine smile on the lips unless you are in a happy and peaceful state of mind. Smiling has the ability to keep away negative emotions. Hence, improve the power of your smile. This will enable you to face the challenges which are an inherent part of everyone’s life. If a person can manage to keep his smile intact in the midst of the problems, he will notice that these problems will slowly begin to melt away and reach solutions in a very natural way. Smiling has a magical effect and anyone can do this magic by bringing a smile on his/her face. So, make it a habit to smile and keep smiling. Recommended reading 1. Acharya Sharma, Shriram: Zindagi Kaise Jiyen? (in Hindi), Yug Nirman Yojana, Gayatri Tapobhumi, Mathura (2nd print, 1990); also available on our website – link to the book is - http://literature.awgp.org/book/Jindagi_ Kaise_Jiye 2. Seaward B. L.: Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-Being, Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, Mass. (2009) 3. Karren K.J., et al: Mind/Body Health: The Effect of Attitudes, Emotions and Relationships, Benjamin Cummings, New York, N.Y. (2010)

One Smile has the power to... Calm fears. Soften stone walls. Warm a cold heart. Invite a new friend. Mimic a loving hug. Beautify the bearer. Lighten heavy loads. Promote good deeds. Brighten a gloomy day. Comfort a grieving spirit. Offer hope to the forlorn. Send a message of caring. Lift the downtrodden soul. Patch up invisible wounds. Weaken the hold of misery. Act as medicine for suffering. Attract the companionship of angels. Fulfill the human need for recognition. Who knew changing the world would prove so simple? - Richelle E. Goodrich

Smile, it is the key that ﬁts the lock of everybody’s heart. - Anthony J. D’Angelo 32

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Odyssey of the Enlightened – 59

‘Akhand Jyoti’ Begins Its Journey – 2 Life in its entirety After returning to Agra, Shriram shared his new plan with Babu Gulab Rai, Jagan Prasad Rawat and Veni Prasad Sharma of Kashi. During that period, Sri Veni Prasadji was in Agra. Shriram also wrote about his plan to Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddar, editor of ‘Kalyan’ and Sri Durga Shankar Nagar, editor of ‘Kalpavriksha’. In those days, only two Hindi magazines titled ‘Kalyan’ and ‘Kalpavriksha’ were published containing topics on religion – spirituality, sadhana, culture, yoga, devotion, etc. The editor of ‘Kalyan’ wrote back– “We give priority to the teachings of saints and seers. It is possible that their thoughts / opinions might contain some old traditions, rituals and customs that have become obsolete today. It is not necessary that we agree with them on all counts. But as they are the messages of saints, we are publishing them as such. It will be good, if you can do some modification befitting the present times. There are many traditions that have become redundant today. Your opinion - that they should not be considered significant / important because they are traditions and that they should be followed / judged through discernment – is good.” Suggestions and good wishes Shriram noted these lines of the letter in his diary. Other scholars also gave their suggestions. All of them were overwhelmed that a monthly magazine for propagating practical spirituality was going to be published. When Shriram sent

the letter regarding his plan, he also included his introduction in it that he was actively taking part in the freedom struggle and was also associated with journalism. After getting acquainted with these facts, the scholars sent good wishes for the project; at the same time, they also had some expectations from him. Shriram appropriately replied to all those letters and expressions of good wishes. Durga Shankar Nagar of Ujjain suggested: “There should be sufﬁcient coverage in ‘Akhand Jyoti’ of topics like ‘other worlds’ and ‘life beyond death’ as life was not limited to the time span between birth and death but a journey in eternity in many dimensions of existence.” Durga Shankar Nagar was a spiritually evolved soul. Apart from Sadhana and Atmavidya he was also an adept at contacting the departed souls and could arrange conversations between them and their living relatives. Shriram left the old house and hired a new one. There were three rooms in it. Wife Saraswati Devi, along with daughters Shraddha and Daya, also joined him. Only Omprakash remained in Aanwalkheda with Taiji. The purpose of family joining him was to share the day-to-day burden of Shriram and also to take care of the household. The new house was located in Freeganj ward of Agra. Out of the three rooms, one was to be used as an ofﬁce of Akhand Jyoti. The second room was for Puja –Path (worship) and also as a sittingroom; and the third one for personal use as well for the guests. Kitchen was separate. The expenditure

It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer. - Albert Einstein AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

and responsibilities increased four-fold. There was no proper source of regular income. So long as he was working in ‘Sainik’, the wages were of some help. Now the entire arrangement was to be made by self. Taiji assured that they could easily pull on with the income from agriculture. Initially Shriram had some hitch in using that money but later on made up his mind to take it as a loan till the alternative arrangements had been made. Taiji objected to it –“Why are you considering it as a loan?” Shriam’s answer was – “You have already donated this wealth to the society.” Taiji had no rebuttal for this. Shriram said – “I will take a small fraction of the income generated by the magazine as my salary. Rest of the income will be utilized in the expansion of Akhand Jyoti.” By ‘the expansion of Akhand Jyoti’, he meant the ever-increasing propagation of the inspirations from the Primordial Power, Vedmata Gayatri First Issue Published The first issue of Akhand Jyoti was published in January 1938. In those days, there was no tradition of inauguration or release ceremony of any publication. It was the day of Vasant Panchami. Shriram did pranam to Taiji and requested her to place the first copy of the magazine at the feet of Vedmata. The Akhand Deepak was also kept near it. The light of this lamp was falling on the front page of the magazine. It appeared as if Goddess Gayatri was showering her blessings. After this dedication in the Puja-room, the magazine was distributed to friends and scholars. With the publication of the first issue, the preparation started for the second issue, but there were formidable obstacles in the path. There was slackness in the market. Second World War was about to start; and hence apart from fiscal deficit, there was also scarcity of essential commodities.

The ﬁrst problem was procuring printing paper at a reasonable cost. It could be obtained for the ﬁrst issue; but the trader who promised to supply paper started making excuses. He was talking of supplying paper at eight to ten times higher prices and that too there was no guarantee of continuous supply. Other traders also talked in similar voice. Press too was in a miserable condition. The laborers were available but the magazine could not be published with their help alone. The members, who promised to subscribe to Akhand Jyoti and also to cooperate in this venture, withdrew. The second issue of the magazine could not be published in time. The more he tried to manage the affairs, the more they got entangled. After trying for three months continuously, Shriram made up his mind to start afresh. It was decided that instead of making arrangements for each and every issue separately, a lump sum arrangements should be made for one full year; that the publication should be resumed only when the resources were collected for publishing at least twelve issues regularly; that it should not matter even if it took one or two years for re-starting; but after re-starting, the heart –breaking effort should not be required to publish the very next issue. In this preparation, it took about one and half years. Sudarsan-bearing Lord Krishna on the front page It was announced that ‘Akhand Jyoti’ was going to be published again from Vasant Parva of 1940. The colored photograph of Lord Krishna holding Sudarsan Chakra was printed on the front cover page of January 1940 issue. The magazine was printed beforetime. Two-three days prior to Vasant Panchmi, Shriram called

Let me tell you the secret that has led to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity. - Louis Pasteur 34

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Taiji from Aanwalkheda; and on the day of Vasant Panchmi (fifth day of lunar month of Magh), in the morning, requested Taiji to offer the first copy to Goddess Gayatri. Taiji offered Roli-Akshat on it and placed it in front of Mother Gayatri. Wife, Saraswati Devi, also participated in the offering process. Shriram sung Aarti and thus completed the divine dedication of Akhand Jyoti (literally meaning ‘Light Divine’) in the light of ‘Akhand Deepak’. The first copy was sent to Mahatma Gandhi by post at his center of activities, Sevagram. He gave one copy each to Babu Gulab Rai and Sri Krishna Datta Paliwal by hand. Hanuman Prasad Poddar, editor of ‘Kalyan’, Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and Shankar Mathas of Puri and Kanchi were also in his mailing list. Every member was requested to send his impartial opinion / feedback about the magazine. The readers were also requested to give their opinions about the contents, distribution arrangement, the quality of printing and even the selection of paper and photos. Five hundred copies of the first issue were printed. Before it was sent for binding, the matter of the second issue was given to the press for composing. About three hundred fifty copies were sent by post. Shriram himself wrote their addresses by hand. Using carbons, several copies of addresses were made. Saraswati Devi cut these addresses and pasted them on the wrappers. Whatever time was made available after the care of the two daughters and the home, she would spend in the magazine work. For the second issue, she even helped in wrapping the covers on the magazine. Feedback In the beginning, Shriram used to locally distribute the magazine by his own hands. In the

third-fourth month, one volunteer came forward to help him. In fact that volunteer had earlier worked with him during the days of freedom struggle. He had great faith in Shriram’s noble aim. He participated in freedom struggle, with the inspiration from Shriram. When he saw a new beginning in the form of Akhand Jyoti, he joined Shriram in this venture. He used to keep accounts, do correspondence and also distribute about two hundred copies by hand from home to home. By the time, second issue could be published, several letters of readers arrived. Scholars and great men to whom Shriram has specifically written earlier too replied. Message of Mahatma Gandhi came, in which he advised him to avoid criticizing others and to keep harmony with all religions / faiths. Hanuman Prasad Poddar, the editor of ‘Kalyan’, said that Akhand Jyoti had inspired a ray of hope. At that time, ‘Kalyan’ had twenty thousand subscribers. He had high hopes from Akhand Jyoti, because in the very first issue, the resolve of spreading the message of Adyashakti Gayatri of Indian religious tradition amongst the masses was expressed vividly. The feedback came from all sections of the society. The powerful reaction was that of Taiji. She didn’t say anything when she offered the first issue of the magazine at the feet of Goddess Gayatri. After about a month, one day she suddenly said – “Shriram, you have published the magazine of Gayatriji from Agra. There is a photo of Sudarsan-bearing Lord Krishna printed on its cover page. How good it would have been had this magazine got published from His Dham (Mathura)?” [To be continued]

Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements and impossibilities: It is this that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. - Thomas Carlyle AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Youth Column

How to Attain True Success? What is the path to success in life? What does success mean? What we consider success, and the measurement criteria for success… are they the only basis of success, or can failure be even more meaningful than success in life? There could be a deeper meaning of success and failure beyond worldly norms; in the true sense, sometimes a success is inferior to a failure, and sometimes the worst failures can be grander than any success. The basis for success and failure are rooted in high ideals and noble goals. The one, who lives with high ideals all his life and fails numerous times, will still be considered successful, but the one who compromised his ideals to become successful, will still be deemed unsuccessful. The biggest success in life lies in identifying your strengths, and accordingly performing superior actions. The true measure of success depends on whether you were able to carry out your tasks attentively and perfectly, with full zeal or not. If we succeeded in performing a certain task by hook or by crook, then that success will always continue to haunt and sting us, because we were not worthy of achieving that success. Contrary to this, if we do not achieve successful results, even though we tried our very best, we will have a feeling of deep satisfaction in performing that task. Success rests in performing our actions with full enthusiasm. There have been many great freedom ﬁghters that were not able to achieve success, but this does not appraise their life. The freedom ﬁghter Man Singh was not able to succeed; he was given the

death penalty. Even Chandra Shekhar Azad, an Indian revolutionary, was unsuccessful and had to sacriﬁce his life for India’s struggle for freedom. Maharani Lakshmi Bai and Tatya Tope were not able to succeed. Subhash Chandra Bose was not able to succeed in witnessing India get freedom during his lifetime. These great souls were not able to achieve desired success in their lifetime, but despite their failures they are considered successful people because they had the highest ideals and goals in life. They are all worthy of our reverence and salutations, because they established and carried out the highest ideals in their lives; they became the role models for numerous revolutionaries who were willing to walk on their path, which was full of struggle for India’s freedom. In contrast, there are many examples where success may have been achieved, but this success is not considered desirable. If someone obtains wealth by corruption, bribery, gambling or robbing then his success is not considered desirable. These people stray away from the ultimate goals of life even after achieving material success. They are unable to understand life’s purpose, and mold their lives accordingly through the art of living. Therefore, the person who succeeds in achieving his life’s purpose and lives honorably is considered successful. Life and nature throws many obstacles and challenges in our way. Every day we have to face new challenges; and new problems arise out

True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful. - Paul Sweeney 36

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of various situations. Should we get scared and run away from these challenges and problems, or should we struggle with them, and face them like a skilled warrior? The decision we make will prove whether we are considered successful or unsuccessful in life. We are successful when we face these challenges of life, and unsuccessful when we try to escape from these challenges out of fear, or look for ways to avoid them. The signiﬁcance of life is not in escaping. If we avoid or run away, then we will never be able to succeed in life; if we face these challenges with full force then new capabilities germinate in us. A new insight emerges within us, a new excitement and enthusiasm arises, which assists us in dealing with the difﬁcult challenges we face. When a student starts reading, he is taught the alphabets. Then he learns grammar, eventually becomes a linguist, and then becomes a laureate. As he moves from one grade to another his questions become more complicated, but along with this his ability to answer also increases. In addition, his personality and his intellectual aptitude keep growing. The capacity of the body is limited. The body gets tired easily and gets exhausted by the end

of the day. The capacity of the mind is far greater than that of the body. Even when the body gets fatigued, the mind still keeps on struggling. There is even greater power than that of the mind – it is the power of soul. This power comes from God. This is the true source of success in life. A yogi is aware of this fact and so he attaches his physical strength with that of his mind, and then combines the mind’s capabilities with that of the soul, and thus connects with the capabilities of the God. In this manner one can accumulate spiritual powers and prosperity in one’s life. Life is an ocean of energy. Countless, endless waves of energy go on crashing on the shores of time. The human being is also a tiny wave in this vast ocean full of countless waves, yet it has inﬁnite, boundless potential hidden/embedded in it. The natural aspiration of a wave is to become an ocean and the natural desire of the seed is to become a tree. The wave is not successful until it dissolves and spreads itself in the vastness of the ocean. Until the seed turns into a tree laden with blossomed ﬂowers, it does not attain contentment. The genuine accomplishment in life hinges on achieving perfection by living a purposeful and righteous life. That is a true measure of success in life.

“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed o•en, and loved much; Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of li•le children; Who has ﬁlled his niche and accomplished his task; Who has never lacked apprecia•on of Earth’s beauty or failed to express it; Who has le• the world be•er than he found it; Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; Whose life was an inspira•on, whose memory a benedic•on.” ― Bessie Anderson Stanley

True success, true happiness lies in freedom and fulfillment. - Dada Vaswani AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Amrit Vani

Theism, Spirituality and Religion (Translation of excerpts of some discourses given by Pandit Shriram Sharma, Acharya as part of constructive programs of his mission of mass-awakening and social upliftment) Let us begin with collective chant of the Gayatri Mantra: “Om Bh¿r Bhuva¡ Swa¡, Tatsaviturvareñya® Bhargo Devasya Dhºmahi, Dhiyo Yo Na¡ Pracoday³t ||” Sisters and Brothers, The practices of religion, the behavior of the socalled theists, and the character and preaching of the self-styled spiritual masters in the present times are often found so controversial and even sub-standard that one would hardly have any respect or even quest for these topics. Ostentation, blind faith and insane customs in the name of religion appear predominant in the Indian society and prevalent cultural system today. At many places, narrow interpretations of religion, coupled with egotism and vested interests have adulterated religion with communalism. The term “Spirituality” is beyond the understanding of most people. Even those who might talk about it, as part of philosophical interest or scholarly ‘fashion’, are not clear about its distinction from occultism or spiritualism (occult knowledge of spirits or ghosts); some are trapped in hallucination and/or superstitions in the name of spirituality; faiths of the innocents are being emotionally exploited by the self-styled gurus or spiritual masters. For many self-advocating ‘theists’, the deities (idols of gods) in temples seem to have become

a wish-fulﬁlling source that showers everything they pray for in return of the ﬂowers, sweets, incense sticks, etc, that they offer as part of worship-rituals. They have made mockery of devotion. Their ‘trade’ of devotion belittles their deities as well. The devotion, the faith, the religion of such people maligns the grace of divinity. Look at the gorgeous show of egotism and madness of ignorance by many of the ‘powerful’ religious leaders in the crowded congregations of the grand religious fetes like “Kumbh Mela” these days? What kind of theism, what kind of spirituality, what kind of religion is this? Which thoughtful mind, which sensible heart would have any reverence for all this? Indeed, it is much better to be an atheist, better to altogether reject the idea of spirituality than to follow the path of ignorance, fraud, pretentions, delusions, superstitions, and hypocrisy in the name of theism, spirituality, and religion. Avoid Misconceptions. Search for Truth: A misconception that most people have about spirituality is that it is mainly a source of mystic attainments. They believe that spiritually evolved people have supernatural potentials, their blessings work wonders, and what not. Many people search for spiritual masters only out of curiosity to see some magical activities or to get blessed by them. Many of you also might also have such wrong notions. Even about me many of you have such impressions. Often people

Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion. - Isaac Newton 38

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come to me to see whether I could demonstrate some extrasensory or supernatural feats. Some even ask whether I experienced something extraterrestrial or met some angels, etc, during my visits to several mystic places in the arduous core of Himalayas. Do you think spirituality is some kind of magical tricks? In their popular shows, magicians do so many astonishing things! Are they spiritual masters? Then why do you get carried away by such tricks of some self-styled fake ‘yogis’, ‘babajis’ or ‘spiritual gurus’? Simply, because of their costumes! Or, may be, you get attracted by their popular shows via media, or by their ‘catchy’ talks on some religious texts. Do you think cramming up some hymns and uttering them with superﬁcial ‘preaching’, wearing some saffron attire, growing a beard, etc, makes one spiritually enlightened? Please get rid of such delusions. The most non-disputable sign of spiritual progress is that true spiritual elevation awakens saintliness. Saints and sages never boast of, or demonstrate their extraordinary powers; they would not bless a non-deserving person. Remember that a genuine spiritual master would never want to create an astonishing image of self. Many of you who have read the “Gayatri Mahavigyan” and similar books on deeper science and philosophy of spiritual s³dhan³s, get fascinated by your own imaginations about awakening of the extrasensory energy-nuclei and supramental faculties by the AnuÌÚh³na (s³dhan³) of the great Gayatri Mantra. You expect me, as the writer of “Gayatri Mahavigyan” and a dedicated s³dhak of Gayatri, to possess some miraculous powers. Many people try to do Gayatri AnuÌÚh³na and expect divine blessings and boons in return. Such imaginations and expectations only show ignorance and immaturity of the so-

called disciples, devotees or s³dhakas (spiritual seekers). If you expect any boons or illustration of amazing powers from me, it would mean that you don’t know anything about me. Please remember, I have dedicated all my spiritual endeavors, every moment of my life mainly for one objective – I want to awaken true humanity in the humans of today. I want to remind humankind of the divine purpose of human life. I would like to see the descent of divinity in human-self. I want that the seekers of spirituality, the so-called theists and devotees, ﬁrst become good, duty-bound human beings. Before expecting great attainments from ascetic spiritual endeavors, before considering oneself a devotee or a theist, one must know the basics of spirituality and religion. It really hurts me see this pathetic state of the Indian society today. Is our country now full of only those who ignore the “Law of Karma”, who do not give importance to the quality of character, merits of deeds, and sincerity of endeavors? Is this the great ideology and culture that Hinduism boasts of? Are these the absolute spiritual knowledge, the great divine values, high ideals and principles of morality, because of which this country was once gloriﬁed as superior to the Heavens? Certainly not! Then what is that knowledge? What is the beacon light of spirituality? Where is it? Is spirituality different from spiritualism? Or, is it yet another name of parapsychology? Is it philosophy or science? How is it different from Religion? What is the relevance and importance of religion? And, why do we see religious anarchy, communalism and extremisms, and darkness everywhere? Who is a theist? Is

The ideas of the moral order and of God belong to the ineradicable substrate of the human soul. - C.G. Jung AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

theism different from blind faith and mindless sacraments and ritualistic customs? These are some of the questions and doubts that encounter every thoughtful mind. Indeed, every scientific mind should have such suspicions in view of the prevailing confusion, exploitation, ostentation and devolution in the field of religion and spirituality. Every wise person should raise these queries and sincerely investigate to find authentic answers. Many of you might also have had similar quest in mind. So let me explain the meaning and highlight certain vital aspects of Âstikat³ (Theism), Âdhy³tmikat³ (Spirituality) and Dh³rmikat³ (Religiousness) in human life. Essence of Theism, Spirituality & Religion: I have thoroughly studied all ancient texts of religion and spirituality, experimented with different kinds of s³dhan³s, and found that the essence of all is conveyed in the three component parts (charañas) of the Gayatri Mantra. If you look at the recipes for preparing sweets (desserts), you will find that by and large basic ingredients of all are only three — some kind of grain floor, some sweetening agent, and some kind of milk product. Similarly the basics of all religious teachings, the principles of spirituality are contained in the three charañas of the Gayatri Mantra. Understanding and adopting their teachings is what the Vedic texts have described as the triveni (confluence of three holy rivers — Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati), bathing in which purifies and beatifies everyone. These three basic traits of spirituality and religion are — (i) belief in God, i.e., belief in divinity, virtuous qualities, goodness; (ii)

trust in the absolute principle of Karma viz., untoward, painful, and adverse consequence of vicious thoughts and actions, and positive, supporting, blissful, consequences of good, noble thoughts and deeds; and (iii) faith in the power of conscience, and adoption of fearlessness, integrity, and emotional sensitivity (unalloyed love, compassion, generosity) and selfless service. Numerous religious philosophies, scriptural texts, spiritual teachings, disciplines and practices originate and revolve around these three principles. Theism, Spirituality, and Religion should be considered in the totality of all three. What is Faith in God, What is Devotion? Most often we see that those who have ‘faith’ in God, follow, in one way or the other, some kind of devotional line and tradition of devotional practices. Many of the so called devotees remain engaged in varieties of ritualistic practices (“P¿j³P³Úha”) and what not! Many are not even sincere in doing the rituals. Their p¿j³-p³Úha too is only ostentation, an act of deception. Such people not only try to create false impression before others, but more than that they cheat their own selves. Those who sincerely follow specific line of devotional practices, sincerely do p¿j³-p³Úha should also note that all these acts, even chanting of God’s name and prayers, singing devotional songs, etc is only like an outer sheath. As we all know, it is the life-force that is most precious inside a living body; without the life-force, the body is dead (it deteriorates and decays into rotten rubbish sans the life-force). Similarly, what matters in devotion is the depth of inner feeling, the firm faith and the dedication that the devotee has for the deity’s divine virtues and disciplines.

Only the sixth sense can expose what the other five have hidden. - Matthew A. Petti 40

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For example, suppose someone regularly and thoroughly does worship of the deities (idols or images of gods) and chants prayers, devotional hymns, etc for several hours — may be 4 or even 7 hours a day, but in his heart, mind and conduct he is just the contrary to what a true believer in the law of divinity should be, he is a cheater, an arrogant and cruel person? Will you regard him as a devotee? Certainly not! A person can’t be regarded as a devotee simply because he does p¿j³-p³Úha. For example a puj³rº (priest in a temple) does p¿j³-p³Úha every day. But it may simply be his ‘profession’ or assigned duty. This alone won’t make him a devotee. What is the use of the rituals of worship and devotional practice if they do not awaken kindness, honesty, modesty, courage, purity of thoughts, and other obvious consequences of faith in the divine? Please note it is not the duration or methods of worship that count in devotion. Rather, it is the depth and purity of your feelings, your mental and emotional engrossment in devotion, your inner faith and ﬁrm belief in divine values and disciplines, your sincerity in adopting the qualities and teachings implied in the rituals and devotional

hymns, that matters. There may be someone who hardly practices any ritual of worship or any ‘prescribed’ devotional act, but he has deep faith in divine disciplines and qualities and he sincerely attempts to adopt ethics of humanity in his conduct and deeds, then he will be regarded as a devotee in God’s eyes. As I have explained on several occasions, as the word meaning of up³san³ implies, it is an act of sitting near the deity. That means — being in the proximity (through heart and mind) of divine thoughts and ideals. So your devotion, your faith is true only if it induces corresponding divine qualities in you. This effect should be reflected clearly in your thoughts, deeds and character. The rituals of worship (p¿j³-p³Úha) and devotional practice of chants and prayers are only like supporting tools to help conditioning your mind. If you do some p¿j³-p³Úha sincerely, then fine. But these alone won’t make you a theist and a devotee. If you do not follow any customary practice of worship, then also it is fine. What is more important is your inner faith, your intrinsic urge, and your sincere endeavors of inculcating the virtuous qualities associated with your deity (divine ideal). (To be continued in the next issue)

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a li•le love. The poverty in the West is a diﬀerent kind of poverty - it is not only poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” ― Mother Teresa This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. - Isaac Newton AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

Attributes of a Spiritual Person The twenty-first century has witnessed an increasing inclination of the masses towards spirituality. People now like to be called spiritual and want to incorporate spirituality into their lives. Not only in our land but even in foreign countries, people are taking interest in spirituality rather than religion. However, there are many who cannot even differentiate between the two. They do not understand how different it is to be spiritual than religious. For instance, one who regularly pays a visit to his place of worship and prays every day may be called religious, but it is not necessary that he would be spiritual as well. Similarly, can a person practicing yoga and meditation regularly be called spiritual? Probably not! Even if a person is affiliated to some spiritual organization and follows its tenets sincerely cannot essentially be included in the sphere of spirituality. In fact, a spiritual person is one who is as affectionate towards others as he loves himself. This can only be the case when one is refined from within and possesses self-knowledge. Such a person loves and honors every visible component of the nature and has a generous outlook towards it. This is because he knows that basically all of them are the manifestations of the same entity. It is possible that a person who daily visits the holy places like temples, mosques or churches may not have even a bit of love or respect for

others. Similarly, the thoughts and actions of those who practice yoga or meditation regularly may be lacking love and compassion. On the other hand, there may be people who may neither be following any particular religion nor visiting any holy place, nor performing any prayers-meditations, nor affiliated to any spiritual organization. In spite of this, they are spiritual because they know about the element of the self. Their heart overflows with compassion, generosity and affection for others. They are always ready to help. Spiritual people are naturally modest. On the contrary, most of the religious people are overwhelmed with arrogance and pride. Conceit, harshness and malevolence are clearly visible in their thoughts and actions. Such people may be religious, but still be despicable. Can a person be religious and spiritual at the same time? It is certainly possible but only if a person is executing his religious rituals by heart and not doing them mechanically. There are certain special attributes which can be seen in the life, conduct and actions of a spiritual person through which he can be identified to a great extent. Some of these are: 1. A spiritually evolved person distances himself from publicity and popularity. He never endeavors to attract the attention of others towards himself because he is completely free from arrogance and any such aspiration.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. - Dalai Lama 42

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2. He is sensitive towards all forms of natural beauty and equally respects every member of the empire of the nature. 3. Unconditional love is the basic mark of a spiritual person. He does not evaluate others. Criticism and analysis is not in his nature. 4. He has already risen above the maleﬁc tendencies of sensuality, anger, arrogance, avarice, attachment and hatred. 5. A truly spiritual person is the source of Prajó³ (righteous wisdom) and prudence. His knowledge about life, nature and the rules of universe is far better than that of ordinary people. This is so because he has attained this knowledge through self-realization, rather than reading the scriptures. 6. The most extraordinary and praiseworthy virtue of a truly spiritual person or Guru (mentor) is that he never considers himself as a mentor. Highly humble, such an individual believes that he still has a lot to learn. He hesitates to be called a mentor. While performing spiritual and divine actions, he feels that ‘this is not me but the God residing within me who is accomplishing everything; I am only a medium’. 7. Even if such a spiritual person or mentor possesses divine and supernormal powers, he would not use them for his personal beneﬁt. For instance, revered Gurudev, in spite of possessing numerous supernormal powers, used to meet people in such a simple manner that they would never realize that they are conversing with an eminent

spiritually evolved personality who owns such supernormal powers. 8. He never orders anyone but only advises. He never creates fear in people, but only infuses love and courage. He never gives rise to abhorrence, rather proves helpful in developing their self-respect. 9. A spiritual person is not only dedicated towards his own upliftment but also helps in taking other people towards the ultimate aim of their lives and shows them the right path. Although he can teach certain rules and methods which are good for the material life, but he does not forces anyone to follow them. 10. One who has reached the peak of spirituality seldom speaks about his life or background, unless they are of any relevance or a source of motivation. On the other hand, those devoid of spiritual virtues show arrogance and keep on boasting and discussing only about themselves. Such people only like those who appreciate or ﬂatter them; and those who refrain from this, appear wicked to them. 11. Evolved souls are inherently creative. Their knowledge emanates from the subtle-causal realm. As their knowledge comes from deep within, it is spontaneous. Therefore, they do not require reading or referring to any book. 12. One who has understood the core of spirituality gets elevated from the narrow boundaries of class, religion, caste, gender and nationality. Thus, he has a global outlook and this may be seen in his conduct and behavior. He considers the entire human race and even other creatures as various

There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed. - Woodrow Wilson AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

manifestations of God. For him, the entire world is his own family. 13. A spiritual person never falls into arguments. He knows that a rigidly opinionated person cannot be satisﬁed through logic. 14. As far as possible, a spiritual person endeavors to incorporate divine traits in his life. He does not believe in delivering discourses; instead, he tries to imbibe them in his own life. 15. The source of joy of this person is not the momentary pleasures obtained from the sensual impulses, but it is internal bliss. 16. A spiritual person never ever hurts anyone in anyway, nor makes one feel guilty. He never gets anything done by force or by dominating others. 17. Such a person reaches a point in his spiritual growth where his personal ambitions vanish. His activities are not aimed at personal gains. He has given up all his personal ambitions under the divine will of God. 18. A spiritual person never analyses the outer personality of a person. He seeks only the virtues hidden deep within one’s soul. 19. He never expects anything from anyone. Yet, if someone does even a small favor to him, he appreciates it a lot. 20. Although a spiritual person or Guru is unattached to the materialistic world, he is full of divine love for his companions and disciples.

divine and supernormal. In spite of living in this world, he lives like a boat sailing in the water. His life is oriented towards God and illuminated by the radiance of the soul. There is no desire for name, fame or designation in his life, which is overwhelmed by the elixir of devotion. A stream of divine emotions ﬂows in him; and this is the reason, why such people have natural love for the nature and every living being of the world.

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love, Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” ― Francis of Assisi

In this way, the personality of a spiritual person is Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life. – Buddha 44

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Amazing Events that Unfold in This World In comparison to the gross world, the subtle domain is much more powerful and astonishing. When man would begin to better understand the secret layers of consciousness and the great potentials wrapped within them, he would realize that this whole creation is enriched with a storehouse of immense power. Sometimes nature also unfolds some amazing events that are difficult to reason out. These events force us to agree that what we know about this world is only a miniscule of what it truly is! In the book titled ‘Mysteries of the Afterlife’, authors Frank Smyth and Roy Stemman have reported a number of such amazing events in great detail. According to them, a river named Sorgues is running through the region of southeastern France. On one bank of the river is a cold water pond and on the other side is a beautiful fig tree. Every year in the month of March, without any apparent reason, water level in the river rises to an extent that it tends to flood the whole region. The most amazing fact is that at this time the flow of the river reverses and rises towards the beautiful fig tree which actually is at a greater height. And then, as it touches the roots of the fig tree, the flow reverses and begins to flow back in the normal manner. This has been going on for a very long time. Scientists have put in lots of efforts to analyze and understand this phenomenon but have not been able to solve the mystery. A big crowd gathers every March to watch this event unfold. According to local folklore, this fig tree is a demigod and the river is a cursed fairy, who

is allowed to meet the demigod only in this month by the God! In the same book Frank Smyth has also described another event in Korea. He says that on the bank of Geum river in South Korea there is a huge rock where every year since 660 AD, 71 plants are born together. They flower together at the same time and in the spring season on exactly the same day all their flowers fall down into the river. Historians claim that King of China had attacked Korea in 660AD and after arresting the local king and his ministers, had sent them off to China on exile. The queen and the other 70 wives of the king jumped into the river from the same rock and committed suicide. Since then, this event is being repeated year after year. In the book titled ‘Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena’, it is stated that demigods live in astral forms. The author, Arthur Powell, says that sometimes a person or a group of people develop special affinity for a place. Also, if at a place some extremely tragic event happens, it gets imprinted in the ether of that place and can be seen getting re-enacted for several years. Likewise, some incidents that deeply hurt the feelings of people who have attained astral forms also get imprinted strongly in ether, and keep getting replayed many times over for several years. One such example is that in 1642 a fierce battle had broken out between King of England and Oliver Cromwell at a place called Anthill. In the same month a year later, in 1643, some farmers

The sixth sense is at the core of our experiences. It is what makes experiences out of events. - Henry Reed AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

saw the same battle being fought again and Prince Rupert was also seen ﬁghting there. The incident was reported to the king’s court. King Charles I sent his courtiers to examine the truth behind the report. Some of the courtiers sent were actually the soldiers who had fought the battle. At the battle ground these soldiers found Prince Rupert ﬁghting the battle with Cromwell’s army along with several of their colleagues. King Charles I thought that this was a good omen and believed that he will win against Cromwell in the next battle. However, six years later the result of the battle was exactly the opposite and Oliver Cromwell defeated King Charles and established his supremacy over England. Here is another mysterious incident of England. In a village in Haworth on 19th December, a big crowd gathers outside the restaurant named ‘The Toby Jug’ which was owned by Keith Akeroyd. A journalist asked Keith to tell him why the crowd gathered at his place every year and he explained that Emily Bronte, the famous

English poetess and novelist, had died the same day there. Each year, on her death anniversary Emily is always seen around the place. To verify the authenticity of this statement, a group of reporters, specialists and scientists visited the place in Yorkshire on 19th December. They reported that The Toby Jug restaurant of today is at the same place where Emily Bronte was born. She breathed her last also at the same place. The investigative group of journalists and scientists themselves saw in the night a thin, petite woman climbing up the stairs towards a bedroom, softly singing to herself. She was wearing beautiful clothes and had a basket in her hand. Emily had died on December 19, 1966 and from a year later in 1967 this event has been recurring year after year on the same date and at the same deﬁnite time. All these events throw some light on the astonishing aspects of nature and the mysterious facets of this creation. They also convince human beings about the eternity of life.

Once a Yadava kin asked Sri Krishna why he called Yudhisthir “Dharmaraj”. Bhagwan narrated an anecdote. During the Mahabharata war, Yudhisthir used to leave for some place incognito every evening a•er the day’s ba•le was over. The Pandavas were curious and followed him one day. They found that Yudhisthir nursed the wounded soldiers of both the warring sides lying on the ba•le ﬁeld. The puzzled Pandava brothers enquired of Yudhisthir why did he, rather than giving rest to his ba•le weary- body, spend the •me in serving the enemy side instead, and that too in disguise. Dharmaraj explained: “Among the wounded are both, the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Both are human beings. If I had gone under my real iden•ty the Kauravas would neither had shared their pain with me nor allow me to tend them. The Pandava soldiers, too, would probably not accept any service from me. Lest I be deprived of this privilege of human service, I had to resort to this camouﬂage”. Having recounted this story, Sri Krishna concluded: “Cul•va•ng the spirit of human service is the mark of true religion (dharma). He who renders such service and steadfastly adheres to the noblest ideals of conduct is called “Dharmaraj” and is always accorded the highest place in spiritual delibera•ons.” It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean. - Tony Robbins 46

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

The Mystery in the Outer Space:

The Black Holes There are mysterious objects in the outer space, called black holes. They have extremely high density and hence possess such a strong gravitational attraction, that even light cannot escape from their grip. Albert Einstein was the ﬁrst to predict the existence of black holes in 1916 with his ‘General theory of relativity’. The term ‘black hole’ was coined later, in 1967, by American astronomer John Wheeler. The ﬁrst black hole was discovered in 1971.

mass many million times that of Sun, and are called supermassive black holes. The galaxy containing our earth is called ‘Milky way’. This galaxy has supermassive black holes of a mass a million times or more that of Sun. Every major galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the center of ‘Milky way’ galaxy is called Sagittarius – A* ; and has a mass 4 million times that of Sun.

A black hole is said to be formed on the burning of a dying star which collapses and falls into itself. It contracts so rapidly that it starts collecting all resulting matter into itself. Gases rushing towards a black hole get heated up and start emitting x-rays. It has not been possible to establish a concrete theory of formation of a black hole as it is not possible to record any observations on the goings-on inside a black hole. However a black hole can make its presence felt on the basis of its effects on matters around it. Its presence can be surmised by recording observations on the movement of those stars which circle that part of the universe which is felt to be devoid of any matter.

On the formation of black holes scientists feel that small black holes got created with the initial formation of the universe. Stellar black holes got formed by the collapse of a very big star within its center or by destruction of the star, the phenomenon being called supernova. Scientists also feel that supermassive black holes got formed along with the formation of galaxies.

Black holes can be very small or they can be large. Scientists feel that black holes can be as small as an atom but their mass is as big as a mountain. Other type of black holes has larger mass, many times that of Sun. These are classiﬁed into two types. One type of black holes has mass of a few dozen times that of Sun and are called stellar black holes. The other type of black holes has

Black holes cannot be seen as light gets attracted at a great speed into it due to its tremendous gravity, but scientists have observed the effects generated by the black holes in the universe with the help of astronomical telescopes and have tried to ﬁnd out the types of stars which get into orbits around the black holes. When black holes and stars are near one another intense light is generated which cannot be observed by human eyes, but observations can be recorded with the help of speciﬁc astronomical equipment. People, in general, have some misconceptions about black holes that they feed upon the stars,

Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious. But above all black says this: “I don’t bother you - don’t bother me”. - Yohji Yamamoto AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

moon and planets, and that some time our earth will also be engulfed by some black hole. These misconceptions are, however, baseless and incorrect as it is observed that no black hole is near the solar congregation. Even if some black hole is of mass equal to that of Sun - and therefore its gravitational force is the same as that of Sun - earth cannot be engulfed by the black hole, as in such a situation earth and the other planets will get into orbit around such a black hole, just as they are presently in orbit around the Sun. A significant achievement came in 2015 when astronomers using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) made the first detection of gravitational waves. These waves were inferred to be coming from merging stellar black holes. LIGO’s observations also provided insights about the direction a black hole spins. As a pair of black holes spirals around one another, they can spin in the same direction or in counter directions. Indian origin LIGO researcher B. Sathyaprakash said - “This is the first time that we have evidence that the black holes may not be aligned, giving us just a tiny hint that binary black holes may form in dense stellar clusters.” How the binary black holes form? The first theory suggests that they formed at about the same time, from two stars that were born together and died explosively at about the same

time. The companion stars would have had the same spin orientation, so the black holes they left behind would, as well. The second theory suggests that black holes in a stellar cluster sink to the center of the cluster and pair up. These companions would have random spin orientations compared to one another. LIGO’s observations of companion black holes with diﬀerent spin orienta•ons provide stronger evidence for this formation theory. Though black holes are even now a great mystery for the scientists, some of our ancient scriptures provide hints about the utility of so-called black holes. There is anecdote in Mahabharat that Duryodhan served kheer (a sweet preparation of milk) infested with poison to Bheema to eat and then pushed him into the river so that he would get drowned and killed. But (perhaps through some such black hole) Bheema reached another universe called Paatal Loka, where he was welcomed and offered a liquid preparation to eat, which destroyed all the poison in his body and he gained strength equal to thousands of elephants. Then, the king of Paatal Loka, Nagaraja sent him back to earth. Similarly there is story of a learned person ‘Bandee’ in the kingdom of King Janak. He invited all for a debate on spiritual matters with the condition that whoever would be defeated would be killed by him by drowning in the sea. In spite of this warning many learned

Since most scientists are just a bit religious, and most religious persons are seldom wholly unscientific, we find humanity in a comical position. His scientific intellect believes in the possibility of miracles inside a black hole, while his religious intellect believes in them outside it. - William Golding In a world of diminishing mystery, the unknown persists. - Jhumpa Lahiri 48

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

persons came to him for the debate and had to get drowned in the sea on getting defeated. Eventually to protect the learned people Saint Ashtavakra had to come for the debate. The narration further states that when Saint Ashtavakra defeated Bandee in debate, instead of drowning him Saint Ashtavakra asked him to bring back the other learned individuals. On this Bandee admitted that he had not drowned and killed the individuals in the sea, but had sent them with their physical bodies to Varuna Loka through a special route, as the learned Brahmins were needed there for a yajna organized there. This indicates the existence of some black hole or speciﬁc route through which the learned persons were sent to Varuna Loka by drowning them in the sea. In the present times, we all know about the mysterious Bermuda Triangle in Atlantic Ocean. All the ships and airplanes passing through this route have been lost mysteriously without any trace. All equipment like radars, radios, wireless and compass start malfunctioning on approaching this region and ultimately stop functioning totally and thus all such equipment lose contact with the rest of the world. Therefore this region has been declared out of bounds for any journey by ships and airplanes. This is indicative of the existence of some black hole in the ocean. It is possible that black holes form the nodal points (or junctions) on the faster routes in the universe which facilitate easy travel in the universe and allow entry into other universes. Perhaps, future research will be able to unravel these secrets of black holes and thus pave the way to explore other worlds.

I have a friend who’s an ar•st and has some•mes taken a view which I don’t agree with very well. He’ll hold up a flower and say “look how beau•ful it is,” and I’ll agree. Then he says “I as an ar•st can see how beau•ful this is but you, as a scien•st, take this all apart and it becomes a dull thing,” and I think that he’s kind of nu•y. First of all, the beauty that he sees is available to other people and to me too, I believe. Although I may not be quite as refined aesthe•cally as he is ... I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same •me, I see much more about the flower than he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated ac•ons inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it’s not just beauty at this dimension, at one cen•meter; there’s also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure, also the processes. The fact that the colors in the flower evolved in order to a•ract insects to pollinate it is interes•ng; it means that insects can see the color. It adds a ques•on: does this aesthe•c sense also exist in the lower forms? Why is it aesthe•c? All kinds of interes•ng ques•ons - the science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don’t understand how it subtracts. - Richard Feynman, Physics Nobel Laureate

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Albert Einstein AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018

New Year Resolutions for Total Health of the Total Person I - I will take care of my body because it is the temple of God I will do some form of exercise at my level of competency and do it regularly in order to discover my points of capability. I will Walk, Walk, Walk – Stretch, Stretch, Stretch – Breathe, Breathe, Breathe. I will eat the purest possible food bewaring of harmful chemicals and additives, dyes, sweeteners and artiﬁcial supplements. I will eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. I will eat slowly, thoughtfully, gratefully, remembering to chew my food so thoroughly that it will swallow itself. I will quiet myself with a word of prayer before meals. I will not willfully drive my body to a point of exhaustion; neither will I pamper it to a point at which it is weakened by fear or disuse. II – I will take better care of my mind because what I think is related to what I am and what I will become I will think in terms of health, and not sickness. I will think in terms of love, not hate. I will think creatively. I will believe that my mind is constantly being renewed, refreshed and strengthened. I will keep an open mind, a compassionate mind and a thoughtful mind. I will nourish my mind with good literature, good art, good thoughts and good consciousness. I will train my mind to be in control. III – I will take better care of my spirit because the spirit of God in me is the spirit of life I will remember that meditation is a supportive factor in my recognition of the power of Spirit and that prayer is a way of tuning in to Spirit’s power. I will seek a greater understanding of Spirit by periods of fasting and prayer throughout the year. I will rise above pettiness, jealousy, envy, pride and littleness by remembering that my life is a manifestation of the Spirit of God. I will maintain a closer relationship with Nature and Out-of-doors. I will try as best as I can to develop a kinship with all life. IV - I will pay more attention to developing a balanced life by recognizing that body, mind and spirit should represent an integrated triad. [Abridged version of ‘Resolutions for Total Health of the Total Person’ by Marcus Bach]

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. - Ralph Waldo Emerson 50

AKHAND JYOTI Jan.-Feb. 2018