arsha vijnana gurukulam SaUKTaa
Sukta
Inside this Issue Article by Pujya Swamiji Article by Sadhviji
Gurukulam News Pujya Swamiji始s 80th Birthday Purna Vidya Program DC: Inauguration with Pujya Swamiji MN: Rathakalpana Discourse OR: Public Talks- Freedom from Emotional Disturbance MD: Retreat - Freedom from Stress DC: Aparokshanubhuti Classes at SSTV
Reflections Rathakalpana Reflections Taittiriyopanishad Classes Navaratri Poem: To Mukambika Devi
Regular Features Satsang with Sadhviji Sadhviji始s Online Classes and Travel Schedule
1
Winter 2010 Volume III No 3
HAPPY DIPAVALI MAY YOUR LIFE BE FILLED WITH PROSPERITY, HAPPY DIPAVALI TO ALL OUR READERS KNOWLEDGE, 1000 per LOVE month AND PEACE
APPEAL FOR PLEDGES The Festival of Dipavali, particularly Lakshmi Puja Day, in the Hindu Tradition is a time to share one's abundance. The law of abundance operates through giving. The more one gives, the more access to Lakshmi one has, the more one is given. On this holy occasion of the annual worship of Goddess Lakshmi, we are happy to let you know that the gurukulam is expanding. We are making a new beginning in the DC metro area, and are renting a house for the purposes of offering Vedanta classes and retreats. We are still looking for pledges to meet the monthly expenses of rent and utilities. Helping to establish a gurukulam, the seat of the highest knowledge of oneself as Brahman -‐-‐ limitless and whole-‐-‐ is the most exalted form of giving. I appeal to all of you to remember Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam during this Dipavali and extend your sharing in the form of monthly pledges by selecting a level of giving suitable to you from the list below. All gifts are tax deductible. Please email me at arsha@verizon.net with your pledge, after putting the words "pledge statement" in the subject line. Please give your name, address with your pledge statement. At the very least, please pledge at least 1 or 2 dollars per day. Alternatively, you can also donate by visiting the website www.arshavm.org $ 1 per day -‐-‐Less than the price of a cup of tea at Starbucks ($ 365 per year) $ 1.60 per day -‐-‐Less than the price of a cup of plain coffee at Starbucks ($ 50 per month, 600 per year) $ 3.30 per day -‐-‐Less than the price of an afternoon movie show ($100 per month) $ 5 per day -‐-‐Less than the price of dinner for one person ($ 150 per month) $ 250 per month $ 500 per month $ 1000 per month Additionally, you can also sign up for seva activities between 1 and 5 hours per week, depending upon your schedule. Seva activities include upkeep of the gurukulam premises, yard work, shopping, cooking for retreats and functions, and bringing bhiksha. To sign up for seva activities, please send an email with you name, and phone number to arsha@verizon.net with "Seva" in the subject line. Please indicate what you are willing to do, and how much time you can spare per week.
On behalf of Pujya Swamiji, I extend a big thank you in advance to all those who are contributing towards the Gurukulam.
2
Assimilating Vedanta
fullness. Ananda svarupa is atma; therefore, atma is the most loveable. It is said in both ways.
by Pujya Swamiji Dayananda
This is given in the sampradaya, tradition. It is okay, but my argument is this: whatever evokes the pleased self, I love. With the sampradaya's argument, one can raise objections like some people are willing to give up their lives for another. Then, they have to say that giving up something for the sake of the other is what pleases the person. Thus, they go all around to get back to the fact of the atma being the most loveable.
What is it that inhibits the assimilation of Vedanta? My students have enlightened me on how to make it work. I work with the students; I watch them; I help them out; I listen to them; no matter what mistakes they commit, I remain non-judgmental. In type II diabetes, insulin secretion, which maintains the sugar level in the body, is produced and regulated by the pancreas. In one form of diabetes the pancreas cannot produce insulin properly, and then one has to take the insulin from outside. In a second type of diabetes, there is nothing wrong with the pancreas; the insulin is produced, but the cells are not able to make use of the insulin. This is where the Ayurvedic medicines can help. Thus, you need not take insulin, but you try to process the insulin. Insulin is there but the assimilation does not take place. This second type of diabetes is similar to the position of a Vedanta student. Vedanta is there, but the assimilation does not take place. What is required to assimilate Vedanta? This is something that I have a lot of experience in understanding. As a seeker, I had experience and as a teacher I have experience, which is more rewarding.
Vedanta does not work unless you love yourself. And unless you clear the kashaya, the unconscious inhibitions, which denies self-love, and converts it, as it were, to a form of self-loathe, you cannot love yourself. Therefore, you start with self-care. Self-care begins with what one considers their-self to be. One woman asked me for products for the skin containing natural ingredients. For her, self-care starts with skin care. Then, you go to health care, then yoga, then mental health care through therapy etc., then "Atma va are drshtavyah, shrotavyah, mantavyah, nididhyasitavyah." The self, my dear Maitreyi, should indeed be known – should be heard of, reflected on and meditated upon, says the sage Yajnavalkya.
I know that Vedanta works. It works in a two-fold manner: I can let in only that much as I can let out and the love for atma must be there. In the Upanishads you have stories, akhyayikas, where the father talks to the son or the husband talks to his wife etc. In the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (4.5.6), the teacher, Yajnavalkya, says "atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati" to his wife, Maitreyi, whom he loves. He talks responsibly and gives the best for the beloved. What he teaches Maitreyi is hitam (what is good for her) even though he is about to leave her to pursue a life of sannyasa. This kama is a very beautiful word. Kama can be the object of desire, or you can take it as a desire. The object is desired because of some fascination. It is the meaning of words like ‘priya’, ‘ishta’, ‘raga’. Their common meaning is ‘something that is pleasing’. Atma, the self is the most loveable; therefore, atma is ananda svarupa, essential nature of happiness or
First care for yourself, and then you will understand yourself. Selfcare is equal to self-love. Self-love is as good as you have love for others. Running away from the world will not work. The more you run away from the world, the more you run away from yourself. Swami Chinmayanandaji once told me, "The more you want to run away, the more you need to be here." He said this thinking of what was good for me, not because he wanted me to do some work. He did not put his self interest in advising others. Never. It took years for me to understand that and I worked and worked. I never stopped. Now, nothing works in my body anymore. My left eye does not work. My throat is gone. I cannot lift anything. Nothing works, but nothing stops. I cause despair to all the doctors! They should marvel, but instead of marveling, they despair. Now every day is a grace. As long as my head works, I can continue to work.
3
What one has to learn is how to work in the society. Make use of yourself. Give until you exhaust yourself until you give everything. The more you give, the more you love. The more you love yourself, the more you understand what is going on. This is the intake of medicine to energize the system. Then, your clarity increases. The work involves both sharing this knowledge and doing things that will open up the heart. Seva and care involve whatever you can do to people around you. If you are not able to teach Vedanta, you can practice right values and attitudes to better assimilate the teachings. For instance, you can cultivate objectivity towards things such as money: Money is Lakshmi Devi. You can share that attitude. You can practice seeing everything in your life as Ishvara.
The Significance of Lord Ayyappa
There is a story that after completing the Brahmasutras, Sage Vyasa felt sad. Narada came and told him to write the Bhagavatam. Come on, how can this be true: Vyasa felt sad after writing the Brahmasutras and after writing the Bhagavatam he was okay? This is not possible. The Bhagavatam was written by a pundit, not by Vyasa. Similarly, people will say that I first taught Vedanta and then I started the AIM for Seva! We have a volunteer movement. It is a great avenue to work for. In the process we grow and understand, and make people benefit. It all has to do with love for the atma.
In the Hindu tradition, especially in South India, people venerate Lord Ayyappa, considered to be an avatara of the Guru, an incarnation of Ishvara in human form, whose purpose on this earth was to impart to human beings brahmavidya, the knowledge of oneself as whole and limitless. Brahmavidya is the ultimate knowledge that one can acquire in a human body. To imbibe this knowledge, one first needs lessons in devotion, surrender, and dispassion, which are important prerequisites to gaining brahmavidya, the ultimate knowledge of oneself as limitlessly whole.
A yogi by ashtanga yoga gets ananda-anubhava and reaches a state of laya, absorption. A musician can also reach such a state, and can transfer it to those listeners who know music. Therefore, music is superior to yoga. Thus, a musician can cause a thousand people to reach a state of laya. Similarly, seva has the capacity to bring laya. If you can make a person feel happy, you can make the person grow spiritually. You have to make the person feel cared, not scared. One who does seva is happy, as one reaches a state of absorption by working for others. Seva is of paramount importance in assimilating Vedanta; the shastra, the teachings, are the primary sadhana, the means for gaining nishtha, abidance in the knowledge.
The Upanishads unanimously proclaim that the goal of the human being is to discover oneself as Ishvara. Therefore in the Hindu tradition, Ishvara, God, is not a matter of belief, but a reality that needs to be understood through a committed pursuit of the knowledge with the help of a qualified teacher.
4
The committed pursuit of any branch of knowledge assumes some prerequisites. In contemporary India, for instance, even for gaining admission into kindergarten in certain prestigious schools, the child has to already know some nursery rhymes and numbers, what to talk of the pursuit of brahmavidya, the ultimate knowledge. In fact, selfknowledge, brahmavidya, is the only thing to pursue. “Brahma satyam, jaganmithya.” Brahman alone is self-existent, and everything else is dependent upon Brahman. Therefore, although one is preoccupied with various things in life, in and through these varied pursuits, what one really seeks is the sense of wholeness centered on the self --the ultimate thing that there is to want in the world is oneself. The self is “siddha vishaya,” something that is already gained, for one is the self that is already whole and non-wanting. Due to avidya, the person searches all over for that which he or she already possesses, much like someone who forgets that the eyeglasses are perched on the head, and looks all over for them. Being the possessor of the eyeglasses, one still misses having them, and similarly, being the limitless self one still feels subject to limitations.
heavenly stay also comes to an end, and one reenters the world of mortals-- kshine punye martyalokam vishanti. The incarnation of Lord Ayyappa offers us great lessons in the gain of viveka and vairagya. Since childhood, the story goes, Lord Ayyappa was of a contemplative disposition, preferring to spend time in nature rather than enjoy the palatial comforts afforded by his royal adoptive parents. Ayyappa had a younger brother, the biological child of the royal couple. Being the older of two brothers, Ayyappa was considered by his father, the Pandalam King, as the heir to his throne. The Queen wanted her biological son to be crowned as the Prince Regent instead of Ayyappa, the foster son. Therefore, with the help of some unscrupulous ministers, the Queen came up with a plan to dispose off Ayyappa. The Queen feigned a chronic and debilitating headache. A local vaidya bribed by the ministers was called and “diagnosed” the illness as fatal. He said that the only remedy that could cure the Queen was a potion that contained the fresh milk of a tigress.
The prerequisites for gaining brahmavidya, therefore, begin with viveka, the wisdom to discriminate between nitya and anitya. What one seeks is the infinite, and whatever one pursues is time-bound, thereby creating a means-ends incompatibility. The means that one follows should lead one to the desired end, but the pursuit of limited, time-bound gains can never yield the limitless, because the limitless is uncreated. Since the timeless is already gained, the focus is on having the discrimination to the understanding that the seeker is the sought. Even if one is endowed with viveka, is sure of what one wants, due to self-ignorance, one finds that one is still habitually attracted to deadend pursuits –artha-kama gains to be enjoyed in this life. Some people manage, with the help of grace, to steer clear of artha-kama pursuits in this life, but get stuck seeking heaven, or some loka in the hereafter, thinking that it is a permanent solution to samsara. The gain of heaven is not moksha. Like other things in life, heaven is also a karmaphala, the result of action. Being a product of action, it is finite, and when the punya that takes one to heaven is exhausted, the
Ayyappa offered to go and fetch the milk of the tigress for his mother, but the King became very sad. He knew that it was a really dangerous mission, and that Ayyappa might not return. Legend goes that Ayyappa set off to the forest, and in a few days reappeared at the palace, riding a fierce tigress, followed by a pack of her cubs. All the people in the path ran for their lives, as the tigress wreaked havoc in
5
the palace grounds. The King, who had by now come to know of the scheme of his wife and the ministers, fell at his feet and begged for mercy and forgiveness on behalf of his queen. He also invited Ayyappa to ascend the throne.
grounds, similarly the cause of all fear and terror of samsara is due to self-ignorance, as a result of which one identifies with limited notions of oneself which take over one's life and are the cause of all terror and sorrow. Alternatively, the tigress can represent the instinctual dimensions of one's nature. Riding the tigress therefore means acquiring mastery over the bestial aspects of oneself, as kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and matsarya, and learning to manage desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and jealousy.
Ayyappa declared to the King that he was repairing to the forest and that he had no use for a kingdom. He then instructed the King in brahmavidya and advised him to build him a shrine in the forest, where people could come from far and wide with devotion to prepare their minds for brahmavidya by gaining his grace. This is the story of how the famous Sabarimalai temple, the main seat of Lord Ayyappa in India, was constructed.
The acquisition of viveka and vairagya, the two important precursors for gaining the knowledge that gives moksha, cannot happen without shradda and bhakti, devotion and surrender to Ishvara. When the one who feels afflicted with limitations surrenders to the altar that is limitless, all limitations melt away, because limitations and limitlessness cannot coexist in one place at the same time. Seeking the grace of Ayyappa, an embodiment of self-knowledge prepares the mind for the study of brahmavidya.
The story of Ayyappa is endowed with rich metaphors for the gain of self-knowledge. Ayyappa's early life is an embodiment of viveka and vairagya. His fearlessness and his dispassion are exemplary. Being free of desire, Ayyappa was unaffected by scheming of the ministers and his foster mother. The tigress symbolizes ignorance, avidya, and her cubs the offspring of ignorance, namely kama, desire, karma, addiction to action to fulfill the desires, karmaphala, results of action that bind one to further action, and finally punarjanma, the cycle of rebirth. One is born in ignorance, and therefore is afflicted with a sense of limitation. All desires that arise in the mind are centered on seeking approval and overcoming the sense of limitation. Desire leads to action, and action produces results, punya and papa. Results of action bind one further to samsara.
Lord Ayyappa is the embodiment of both Vishnu and Shiva, a unifying force who, by his very presence, dispels dvaita, duality. He is seated in an austere yogic pose, perched with his feet on the ground and his thighs held together in a band. The lower half of the body symbolizes austere religious disciplines, while the upper half assuming a teaching posture, depicts the chinmudra –the index finger and thumb of the right hand touching each other and the other fingers held erect, teaching the mahavakya, “tattvamasi,” you are that which you seek –the cause of the universe, Brahman. The seated pose symbolizes the connection of religious disciplines and selfknowledge. All forms of tapas, austerities are for the sake of
Ayyappa's riding of the tigress symbolizes mastery over selfignorance. Just as the wild tigress wreaks havoc over the palace
6
preparing the antahkarana, the mind, for the knowledge of the self. Only when the austerities are undertaken with this spirit, they bear fruit. The study of brahmavidya without religious discipline is like seeds thrown on rocks; and religious disciplines practiced without a committed pursuit of self-knowledge, is akin to getting all dressed up without having a place to go.
Through the offerings, the devotees surrender their storehouse of punya and papa at the feet of the Lord. This makes the way for atmasamarpanam, surrender of the individual to the total, symbolized by the pouring of a ghee-filled coconut on the Lord at the end of the journey. In fact, the individual is included in the total, but feels separated due to ignorance.
The traditional method of worship of Lord Ayyappa is unlike the worship of other devatas, in that it is marked by severe austerities lasting for forty-one days, and culminating in a pilgrimage to the Sabarimalai temple. During this time, the worshipper lives like an ascetic, practices renunciation, vairagya, and leads a life of introspection. Minimalism is practiced with regard to personal upkeep including food and dress. This is in keeping with the Upanishadic statement, “Yajnanena, danena, tapasa, anashanena brahmanah vividishanti,” which means that the people committed to dharma engage in the practice of fire ceremonies, charity, religious austerities and fasting, for the sake of gaining selfknowledge.
The journey to the Ayyappa shrine is the metaphorical return of the jiva to its source, the Lord. When the Lord sits in the form of the Guru, the teacher, this return becomes even more meaningful, indicating the fact that returning to the discovery of oneself as limitlessly whole cannot be accomplished without seeking the help of the teacher. The teaching of “tattvamasi,” is symbolized by the chinmudra. In the structure of the human hand, the four fingers seem to have a natural affinity with one another, while the thumb seems to be away. The index finger is the accusing finger, the finger, which symbolizes the ahankara, the ego. The three other fingers stand for the body, mind, and senses. The ahankara's tendency is to remain identified with the body-mind-sense complex, and hence mistake itself to be limited and finite. The thumb is asanga, unassociated with the four fingers, and yet without the help of the thumb, one cannot even pick up a simple object. The thumb stands for Brahman, consciousness, the truth of oneself, the source of the whole jagat, and the only thing that exists. When the ahankara, the ego is taught to identify with the truth of oneself, one is enlightened, and the circle is complete. This is the significance of the chinmudra displayed by Lord Ayyappa. The devotee of Ayyappa is not just a mumukshu, a seeker of liberation, but a jijnasu, a seeker of knowledge. The blessings of a qualified teacher of brahmavidya and the removal of all obstacles to this knowledge are the only things to seek from the Lord. I pray that the vratam for Lord Ayyappa undertaken by all the worshippers are free of all obstacles, and that the devotees are blessed with self-knowledge and freedom.
The period of forty-one days is a mandala, an auspicious cycle of time. If one is able to sustain a practice for this length of time, it is an accomplishment, for the forty-one day vrata carries with it the blessing that the devotee would be able to become an accomplished renunciate totally devoted to the discovery of oneself as the whole. In the everyday, one's life is marked by the pursuit of action and result, karma and karmaphala. The karmaphalas are in the form of papa and punya, results of good and adharmic actions respectively that accrue in the individual's account, and bind the jiva to future births. Papa, or the results of adharamic actions tie the jiva to rebirth, no doubt, but punya, the results of good action, are also equally binding. Punya is a golden shackle. It serves up samsara on a golden platter with a bit of relish, that is all. In a symbolic gesture of renouncing both the punya and papa, the devotees carry a cloth bundle with two compartments on the head called irumudi filled with various offerings as they make the arduous trek to the hill temple.
Courtesy Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Washington DC
7
Pujya Swamiji’s 80th Birthday Celebration Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg 2010
8
Pujya Swamiji’s 80th Birthday AVG, Saylorsburg
Purna Vidya Program: AVG, Saylorsburg
by Kiyu Makishima
by Ramagiri Rondeau
On August 15, the 80th birthday of Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati was celebrated at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg. Around 3000 devotees from all over the world filled the ashram to show their respect and love for Pujya Swamiji.
On Friday evening, August 13th, I was on a plane traveling to Lehigh Valley International Airport, destined for Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. Sunday was Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati’s 80th birthday celebration. A few weeks earlier, the idea that I might be taking a week off to travel to the ashram for the first time and spending a week there at a class retreat was nowhere in my awareness. It was an email from Sadhviji, suggesting that I take advantage of the “Purna Vidya” program that she and Puja Swamiji would be coteaching, that brought me to this point 30,000 feet above Oregon. My first thoughts after receiving the email were all, “I can’t do this”. It will cost too much. How can I take the time off from work? It seems wrong to vacation without my wife. It will cost too much. But Guruji was giving the invitation and not going was clearly not happening. I arranged my flights and contacted the ashram to request shelter and transportation. “Oh”, I was told, “We will be so crowded and busy. Sunday is Swamiji’s birthday. Can you arrange to get to the Gurukulam on your own?” Well, no, but I could trust that Ishvara would provide. I prepared to stay one night at a motel a one-mile walk from the airport, and to hitchhike to Saylorsburg on Sunday. I learned that I could ride the Lanta Bus system from near the hotel to Highway 33. A man in a dhoti hitchhiking to Saylorsburg should certainly get a ride.
There were four days of celebrations including special pujas conducted by the priests and artistic presentations of Indian music and dance. All the performers were highly skilled, but the highlight for me was the AVG Young Adult dance performance. The young adult and child performers were all raised in the Gurukulam where they have learned the treasures of Hindu culture and Vedic values. Throughout the celebrations, Pujya Swamiji gave classes and satsang. On Swamiji’s 80th birthday, which was also the Gurukulam’s 24th anniversary, Swamiji spoke on uddharet atmana atmanam - May One Lift Oneself by Oneself. As always the talk was beneficial for all. Using stories laced with humour Swamiji said that the feeling of alienation one suffers from can be neutralized by bringing Ishvara more into one’s life. Equally important is to develop an objective way of thinking. I pray for a long and healthful life for Pujya Swami Dayanandaji, so we can all continue to receive his blessings.
Ishvara did provide and before leaving Eugene, I had an offer of transportation from Faith and Sita, her mother, who would also be
9
staying Saturday night in a nearby hotel. Sunday, not having spoken that morning by phone to Faith about our schedule, I checked out and walked into the parking lot just as they were driving in. Hardly more than a half hour later, we were arriving at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.
Sadhviji’s from Eugene and it was our desire that he come to Eugene. “Yes, I will come:” the words entered our ears and filled our hearts. So simple it was. During the week, our teacher Sadhviji and her teacher Swamiji spoke to us about the heart of the traditions of India, where everyone grows up exposed to the point of view, the understanding, that everything is Divine. I have often spoken to friends about the first basic decision we all have to make in relating to the cosmos: is the world, the jagat, malevolent or benign? Our answer to this question will inform our root feelings about our place within the creation. Within the Vedic tradition the answer to this question is raised to a more transcendent level. The cosmos is Divine. Beyond even that understanding, the rishis and the parampara of teacher-student-teacher dissolves the ignorance and reveals that the cosmos is me.
I have never been to India. To go there has long been my sole travel desire. Our arrival at the Gurukulam was as good as getting to India. I was delighted by the many people there -- so many faces of Bharat, so many saris, two huge pandals (tents)! The first day of a weeklong retreat immersed in Vedic culture, hearing about “Purna Vidya”, the complete knowledge: could heaven be any better? Sitting among hundreds of others and with nine or ten other Eugene satsang students and Sadhviji nearby, I had my first darshan of Swamiji as the rain sounded upon the tent. There was great joy in the masses of devotees there to celebrate Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s 80th birthday.
We who were at the ashram during the week of August 16th to 22nd were blessed to have the further darshan of Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati at his evening talks in North Brunswick, New Jersey, where he spoke of “the minimal knowledge for objective living”. All of us are, at all times, living related to the jagat, and to each other, in so many different roles. We experience our subjective feelings and personal points of view about the world around us, and usually live in a limited mode of reactivity. We are continuously responding to the otherness of the external world. That world of “not-me” seems huge and frighteningly dangerous because we ignorantly mistake ourselves to be our story,
In the days to follow, we who were there for the “Purna Vidya” teaching had the opportunity to see and hear Swamiji numerous times. We sat with him in his rooms. He sat with us in the daily classes. Several days, he ate with us in the dining hall. Early in the week Harinder asked me if I could support the idea of inviting Swamiji to Eugene. “Yes, of course”, I said, and then spent some time quietly, fearfully, pondering how much work and difficulties we would encounter to make this possible. A day later, Harinder told me that she and I were to see Swamiji privately after lunch. I swallowed my tongue. Still, when the time came and the two of us were alone with Swamiji, my tongue worked well enough to say we were students of
10
the activities and history of a particular body and mind. We want to be bigger than we take ourselves to be. We want to be more, to be free of our limitations. We constantly seek to be more than we think we are by doing more, enjoying more; by accumulating, consuming, desiring, and seeking -- and we remain unsatisfied. The minimal knowledge we must have is the understanding that we are not who we believe ourselves to be. We are not the few paragraphs of script spoken by the actress in a walk-on scene in a short story. We are the script writer, the audience, the actor and the play. We are the One and it is time to stop playing hide-and-go-seek. Stop seeking and just be instead. Sadhviji asked that I write about what I learned during my week in Saylorsburg. I do not know how to do that. I cannot separate the teaching into “here I learned this, and there I learned that; from this text came this revelation, and that from that other text, this other one”. As I learn, the ignorance drops away, leaving me with what has always been: the timeless truth from which I was never separate, and which I have always known. The truth is me. I am that self-same mala of teacher-student-teacher-teaching that I am so happy to have seen and heard in Saylorsburg at the lotus feet of Swamiji and Sadhviji. I learned how deeply I love the truth.
A week-long “Purna Vidya” study camp was held at the Gurukulam following Swami Dayananda Saraswathi’s 80th birthday celebrations and the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam’s 24th anniversary. About 35 devotees attended this workshop with talks given by both Pujya Swamiji and Sadhviji Chaitanya. We started the day with meditation, followed by classes given by Sadhviji. In the evening the whole group drove to New Jersey by bus and car to hear Pujya Swamiji’s discourses, that were attended by some 900 people in a large auditorium.
I also learned that a man traveling in a dhoti can expect to be patted down at every airport security check point.
Purna Vidya Camp at Saylorsburg By Charu Sivakumar The Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is a beautiful and serene place nestled among tall trees in the Poconos mountains – an ideal back drop to imbibe and attain spiritual knowledge of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and other Vedic texts. This Gurukulam was established by Pujya Swamiji in 1986. It is patterned after the ancient gurukulam of India where knowledge is imparted by the rishis. Here Vedanta is taught, true to the sampradaya or traditional way of learning. Each time I visit this ashram, the peace and tranquility of the place envelopes me.
Purna Vidya means the knowledge of one self as a Whole, Limitless being. This is the teaching of Vedanta. The distance between an individual and this Whole, that is Ishvara, is zero. If there were any distance at all between oneself and Ishvara, there would be no Whole. Even though in the world we may play different roles in reference to various people in our lives, one’s relationship to Ishvara is unchanging through each and every role. As humans, the pramanas available to us are focused on what we can objectify, called aparavidya. Everything in the jagat that is available to
11
us, is only known as an object of our perception. Even the Vedas and Vedic rituals are aparavidya. This aparavidya is open to new discoveries and humans do a lot of research, specializing in very narrow fields, while still remaining ignorant of the truth; knowing which everything is as well known.
of a vrtti. Thus, minimum knowledge of aparavidya is necessary. With this backdrop we realize the importance of understanding the rich spiritual heritage and culture of India, where shastra pramana has been handed down throughout time. Sadhviji provided succinct discourses on several aspects of the religious, spiritual and cultural issues through the Vedic vision that help one to understand what is necessary to obtain the knowledge of oneself as Whole. Most of the Indian community has channeled their energy into building temples, but the Vedic tradition and wisdom can only be imbibed through an appreciation of the ‘sruti’ and ‘smriti’ literature. It is most important that we realize the need for more such gurukulams and spiritual teachers, such as we have in Saylorburg. It is the teachings of shastra, only when given by qualified teachers, that can remove our ignorance – shastra alone will not remove ignorance. We are so blessed in having Sadhviji, an ardent disciple of Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati, as our guru, a teacher with the proper lineage, endowed with knowledge imparted by the rishis’ of yore.
Each and every object is knowledge alone. Belonging to an order of reality, called mithya, objects exist in name and form only. This order of reality, mithya, being available for objectification by our senses, the pramanas that we rely upon, is mistaken for the truth. The truth, that is all knowledge, is consciousness, and all consciousness, including one’s self, is Ishvara. To understand this, paravidya, is to know the truth of oneself as Brahman. For this, another pramana is required, that pramana is shastra. All other pramanas can only give knowledge of that which can be objectified. Shastra, while operating in mithya, gives the knowledge of that which is not available for objectification. This knowledge of oneself as Whole takes place in the buddhi in the form
12
Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, Washington, DC Inauguration With Pujya Swamiji September 11, 2010
13
Pujya Swamiji Inaugurates Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, Washington, DC
human alone has a sense of want, of lacking. No matter how one looks at oneself, one is found wanting. One does not want to be wanting yet is found wanting, the problem is never solved, even if one moves to new surroundings. Pujya Swamiji has a way of perfectly communicating a concept to the listener. He very clearly pointed out that, if the sense of want is real there is nothing that can be done about it, and if it is not real, there is no need to do anything about it. Tying in his earlier comments about the meaning of spirituality, he made sure we then understood exactly what he meant when he used that term. For a topic to be considered within the realm of “spirituality,” it must offer a solution to the basic human problem of self non-acceptance. It must be able to solve that problem here and now, not by seeking refuge in the hereafter, such as heaven, or in some other place and time. He said, “If the problem can be solved here, when alive and kicking in this body with all the limitations and wants at every level, if there is a solution in spite of all this, then there is spirituality - this is the only spirituality.” We can see for ourselves that the basic problem can be solved, because we are not always wanting. We have times of happiness and joy, sometimes for no apparent reason. We never have a day where we do not find ourselves with some sense of want, yet there are also times when we are happy. Pujya Swamiji asked us to consider what this conveys. This is where shastra highlights our experiences and tells us whether or not it is true that our sense of wanting is real, in spite of the
By Ed Akehurst On the most auspicious day of Ganesha Chaturthi, 11 September 2010, Pujya Sri Swamiji held a memorable inauguration of Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam in Washington, D.C. Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam is the fifth Gurukulam to be established by Pujya Swamiji. The fact that this newest inauguration is in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, is perfectly appropriate for a Guru of Pujya Swamiji’s standing. There are many devotees in the area that are in need of a gurukulam where they can go for Vedantic studies. The day began appropriately with an elaborate pada puja ceremony at the Gurukulam in Lanham, Maryland. Pujya Swamiji was accompanied by Sri Swami Pratyagbhodananda, and Sri Swamini Prajnananda. Sadhviji performed the pada puja for Pujya Swamiji, to the chanting of the 108 names of Pujya Swamiji. The avahanti mantra was chanted, and an arati for Dakshinamurthi was performed. About 50 regular students were in attendance and received prasadam from Pujya Swamiji. The second portion of the ceremony was held at a public location provided by Sri and Srimati Ramani. Three hundred devotees waited patiently for Pujya Swamiji to arrive at the venue. Bhajans were being sung and there was great excitement in the air. Amid many festivities, including presentations and speeches, the highlight of the day was a talk by Pujya Swamiji entitled, “Spiritual Growth and Shastra.” Pujya Swamiji began the talk by pointing out that the word “spirituality” means different things to different people, unlike the word “table,” which means the same thing to everyone. He reminded us that there is no communication when a speaker and listener have different understandings of the words being used. Swamiji discussed the basic human problem of self-judgment. Animals do not have self-judgment. They do not sense inadequacy in themselves. A show dog, for example, does not need a pedigree certificate. The certificate is for the human owner, not the dog. It is the human that has the problem of self-judgment, of inadequacy. The
14
fact that we are happy from time to time. We can learn from this. With the help of the shastra, we can inquire into this deeply and discover that limitlessness is our true nature. The shastra tells us judgment is wrong. It is true that the body, the knowledge one has, and one’s perceptive powers are all limited; the one that is conscious of these limitations has got to be limitless. That is the truth we must recognize. If limitation is a point of view what is the view? The view is that one is free of all limitations. This is what we can learn from the shastra. One is already free, not from the result of any action, but because it is one’s nature and the truth of the self. This we must know. Quoting the Mundaka Upanishad, Pujya Swamiji said, “The uncreated is not a consequence of action.” The discernment and dispassion of the seeker leads her or him to this understanding after the seeker has examined all fields of experience and arrived at the conclusion that they are time-bound. All action is limited and can yield only timebound gains. Actions cannot produce the limitless, because limitlessness is uncreated; it just is. To see this with clarity one requires the help of a teacher. Pujya Swamiji said that having a guru in one’s life is not for the sake
of hero-worship. He further added that if a spiritual leader were to say that he or she gained the knowledge without any teaching, or seeking help from a guru, the correct response would be to tell the spiritual leader to keep whatever they had gained to themselves and enjoy what they had without sharing it with others. Swamiji pointed out that the shastra says that the qualified teacher is the one who has gained the knowledge by listening to his or her teacher. This is the meaning of the word “shrotriya.” Thus the knowledge has survived through an unbroken teacher-student lineage. To believe that one could gain self-knowledge without effort or teaching is at best spiritual romanticism. Pujya Swamiji came to a perfect conclusion of his talk by making it vividly clear that to properly utilize the shastra as a mirror, one must have a teacher who has studied the shastra to guide one through the quagmire of self-doubt and selfjudgment. When limitless truth of the self is revealed through the words of the shastra aided by a qualified teacher, all mistaken notions of the self are dismissed. Pujya Swamiji discussed the importance of studying with a teacher, while acknowledging the fact that removing self-ignorance is not a quick-fix, but rather a committed pursuit dedicated to the gain of the knowledge. This
15
knowledge has been handed down through many generations, and Pujya Swamiji having received it from his teachers has handed it down to his disciples who were in turn handing the knowledge down to their students. Pujya Swamiji spoke highly of Sadhviji, who is the acharya of the newly inaugurated Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam. He stated his confidence that the studies to be held at the Gurukulam were in keeping with the sampradaya and that we could feel confident in taking full opportunity for study. Pujya Swamiji expressed enthusiasm about the attendees, and said that after seeing the size of the crowd, he was encouraged to go about the Gurukulam in a big way. Swamiji encouraged the people to immediately buy property, and promised to make a fundraising trip to Washington D.C. during his US visit in December and January. The program concluded with a vote of thanks, after which we ate a sumptuous meal, but by the time we got to the food, we were already spiritually full with an inauguration speech that also taught us quite a bit about ourselves. We would have expected nothing less from Pujya Swamiji. He always does things in a big way. May we have the courage and fortitude to follow his example, and carry out his vision for the Arsha Vijnana Gurukulum in the D.C. metropolitan area. Courtesy of Arsha Vidya Newsletter
Minnesota: Rathakalpana Discourse
Beginning from birth to the final stage of destruction, she described the main difference between animals and human beings. While animals are content with the six stages in life, human beings are subject to inward complexes centering on the “I-notion”. Confusion and ignorance cloud the knowledge of self, which can only be shed by gaining knowledge of the true self; not through karma or action. The true self is happiness and is self-effulgent, svaprakasha, it is the unchanging aspect, and only by knowing this can one can be free of samsara. Infused with humor, Guruji highlighted the fact that the time to let go of the ignorance of self is right now – i.e. the present moment.
by Grama Rangamani
Further, as an introduction to the first nine verses of the Kathopanishad, Guruji beautifully described the example of the south Indian temples to illustrate the cave of buddhi. The sanctum-sanctorium of a south Indian temple is typically dark and it is not easy to cognize the form of the deity. It is only when the arati-camphor is lit, that the glory of the divine form is revealed. The burning camphor, that illumines the divine form, also leaves no debris behind. Similarly, the cave of the buddhi where the awareness of the jagat and the self is cognized, is dark and full of tamas, ignorance, and cobwebs of raga-dvesha. Yet, this is the absolute abode of Brahman – self. This self is beyond the influence of any other light and shadow, and does not require any lighting up as it is selfeffulgent. However, when the shadow is mistaken for real, the fear that arises leads to samsara. Despite being washed and carried away in the currents of samsara everyone still seeks liberation or moksha.
August 27th, 28th and 29th were indeed an exhilarating time for many Minnesotans. Personally, meeting Guruji -Pujya Sadhviji Chaitanya and spending the three days in her presence has been an experience that is beyond description. Having attended some of Guruji’s lectures online, and listened to a close friend’s personal experience of meeting Guruji, a tiny desire of how nice it would be to listen to her in person, crept up quickly into a mountainous magnitude which resulted in a twoday workshop on “Rathakalpana” in Plymouth, Minnesota. When Guruji accepted our invitation to visit us in Minneapolis, our joy knew no bounds. We knew the divine clock had started ticking to fulfill our sankalpas right away. Despite the fact that we had just two to three weeks to organize this event, every arrangement seemed to flow seamlessly. As my friend Prema and I drove to the airport to receive Guruji, we felt like two young girls –excited and anxious to meet the teacher on the first day of school. When Guruji arrived, smiled and hugged us, it was as if we had tasted all the candies in the world. In her presence, serenity engulfed us.
The ultimate goal of every human being is moksha. Filled with humor about the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in present day vehicles, Guruji explained how the GPS or, God Protection System in humans, is programmed to reach the final destination of moksha, even if it takes several lives, just as a river is naturally programmed to flow to the ocean. She then skillfully described how the Rathakalpana acts as a bridge to cross the samasara, in order to gain moksha, self-awareness.
In the first discourse, Guruji very eloquently introduced the preamble to the Rathakalpana. Her loving and caring attention had everyone, not only the young and old inside, but also the wildlife outside the room, as a couple of deer stood outside on the lawn with their raised-ears, tuned to her discourse in complete rapture. Describing samsara, she elaborated upon its various aspects - dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
Elaborating on the verses 3 to 9 of Kathopanishad on Rathakalpana, Guruji described how the body itself is a chariot – just as a vehicle takes one to different places, the body is a chariot driven to reach
16
Comments by Rathakalpana Discourse Attendees
moksha. The self is the owner of this chariot and one should use the buddhi to drive the chariot. The senses are the horses for this chariot and the horses are controlled by the reins, which is the mind, mana. When mana gets engaged with the senses, the chariot can easily go offtrack. Therefore, it is important to tame and train the senses, so that it follows the buddhi. One who runs like a robot, always separated from the buddhi, is taken on a rough ride by the senses that act like intoxicated wild horses. Such a person, with unmanaged wild desires, loses one’s mind and that person never leaves samsara. However, when one is together and does not lose sight of the final destination, he/she attains moksha – Vishnu’s abode. Thus, in the words of Guruji, “Moksha is a choice-less choice”. Everything that is done is eventually to attain moksha. It is critical to watch what the senses, the horses, graze upon. When one’s inner landscape is infested with the weeds of raga-dvesha, the horses are out of control and run wildly in different directions. The mana, engrossed in the senses, is no longer able to control the strides of the senses that pull violently in different directions. Thus, it is imperative to begin with the inner housekeeping and make sure the pasture that the senses graze upon is free from weeds of raga-dvesha. Taming the senses to listen to buddhi, will enable the mana to be used efficiently. Then the buddhi can enlighten the ahankara to gain the knowledge of the truth of oneself. Keeping the mind witnessed at all times, will enable the “prakritam mana” to become “samskrita mana”. The significant takehome message in the process that was offered by Guruji was to accept and be yourself and allow others to be who they are. Simple advice, however, putting it into practice on an everyday basis has certainly brought more balance and peace in my life. In both of the evening satsangs gifted musicians sung the glories of Bhagavan. Tears of devotion were shed and many questions were answered in a way that was easy to understand by Guruji. As we offered pada-puja to Guruji on the last day, everyone was touched by the Mother’s grace. In Guruji’s presence, both the workshop days remained charged with devotion and it seemed like everyone had glimpses of satchitananda.
Sadhviji’s talk, full of humor, made applying the ancient knowledge of Vedanta in our day-to-day living very palatable to the practical mindset of current times. The question and answer sessions were helpful in opening new avenues of thought and perception. Neeta & Sudeep
Sadhviji is 'Mother' incarnate. I was awed by her ability to give examples from the most contemporary and worldly contexts. Prasanthi
I found the sessions full of intense knowledge but at the same time easily understandable. Sravanthi
With or without awareness, all our actions are geared towards moksha. For a seeker of Infinite, the quest is finite. Missing the Infinite is an infinite loss. - Prema
17
Personal Reflections on Studying the Taittiriyopanishad By Saumya Campen Sadhviji Chaitanya is sitting in the front room of the home I am living in, chanting the shantipatha for Taittiriyopanishad. She will soon begin a discourse on the Brahmanandavalli, with shankarabhashya. Her students are gathered before her, eagerly awaiting those first words. I am sitting towards the back of the room, my Taittiriyopanishad book in my hands reminiscing that the first time I heard this Upanishad was a really long time ago, sitting in the classroom in Sandeepani Sadhanalaya, India. Those days I would be listening intently to Pujya Swamiji recounting this beautiful text. Listening to Sadhviji, the beauty and depth of the Sanskrit words flow through my mind. Amazing, I think, to be here in Eugene, listening to this text. It is as amazing as it was to be sitting in India. What I appreciate so thoroughly is the working of the parampara, and I see the teacher-student connection in an unbroken line traveling towards Dakshinamurthi, the first teacher. At first, I find it difficult to keep my attention on the text itself, because my mind keeps traveling to my memories of India, and my memories of the ashram in Piercy, California. But, those beautiful Sanskrit words bring me back to the present moment, as I listen once again to this great Upanishad. When friends or family ask me how I like life in Eugene, the first thing I think of is this moment --sitting with Sadhviji as she teaches Taittriyopanishad. I am more thankful, more grateful than anyone can imagine. Yes, I am happy in Eugene; yes, I enjoy living in Eugene; but what I really enjoy the most is listening to those beautiful, expressive and enlightening Sanskrit words. My life is perfect, I am perfect, Eugene is perfect. Om.
18
Navaratri in Eugene, Oregon by Faith LaCross
The 10-day Goddess festival of Navaratri was celebrated in Eugene at the Sri Mukambika Mahadeva Hindu Shrine. Throughout the festival period, devotees from Eugene and Corvallis came to the shrine to pray, worship, chant the Lalita Sahasranama, and celebrate. Goddess Mukambika was elaborately decorated and garlanded with fresh flower malas each day. On the eighth day of the festival, which coincided with Mukambika’s third birthday in Eugene, a group of families from South India came and shared traditional songs and dance. The shrine was filled with the sound of folk songs as women and children danced around beautiful flower crown that represented the Goddess. Afterwards, all those present shared a meal along with prasad and a birthday cake. On the final day of the festival, Vijaydashami, many devotees gathered again to chant, sing, pray and share in a potluck dinner. The celebrations portrayed our growing community’s diversity and devotion. The festival was also a reminder of how the process of worship can cleanse the heart, untying knots that hinder the assimilation of the Knowledge that dissolves the differences between the worshipper, the worshipped and the process of worship.
Sri Mukambika Mahadeva Hindu Shrine, Eugene: Navaratri
19
To Mukambika Devi
experiences does not translate into an emotional disturbance without the involvement of the sensory aspect of the mind. This involvement leads us to ask, “Why me, Why me?” We can examine the situation in more detail. Vedanta, an ancient body of knowledge from the Vedas, says that Self is much more than the body-mind-sense complex. Self is the only thing that is free of limitations. If in fact the truth of the self is that it is subject to disturbance, then there is no solution to our problem. However we are not disturbed all the time. We are not emotionally disturbed when asleep. So that cannot be the truth of the Self. On the other hand if the truth of the Self is that it is never disturbed, there is no problem. Then why are we disturbed? The whole teaching of the Vedanta is based on understanding the in between reality of the emotional self. Here Sadhviji gave the oftquoted example of the pot, which is disturbed by being small or cracked. The truth of the pot is really the underlying clay. Pot is merely a shape and a form, and clay can occur in numerous shapes and forms. The problems of the pot do not transfer to the clay which is the truth of the pot. Similarly the emotional disturbance is limited to name and form, and the self is unaffected. This is the message of the Upanishads. To follow this line of argument, anything that I observe is not me. For example if I see a flower, I know it is distinct from me. Same thing can be said of my body. A little more difficult to see is that this is also true of my mind, and of the emotional disturbance in it. Since I observe the disturbance as it is happening, it is distinct from me. Anything I
by Kiyu Makishima I love and I offer this love to her. This love allows me to do my best. What I do I put at her feet. She accepts because she is acceptance. I give prayers and chants. She doesn’t need any care, but she says yes. This love is not for her sake, but for my own. I’m still in the mist of ignorance, but I am saying yes. Somehow I know: we are one. She smiles. There is no duality
Eugene Public Talks: Freedom from Emotional Disturbance By Nilendra Deshpande Sadhviji gave a wonderful series of public lectures in Eugene during her September 2010 visit. The topic of the lectures was “Freedom from Emotional Disorder”. The talks addressed the question of the origin of emotional disorder, and how it can be resolved through an enquiry into the nature of the self. The self that we know is generally limited to identification with our body, or with our mind and senses. Any discomfort that our body
20
cognize is not me. Sadhviji said that it is a good spiritual practice to not react when a disturbance comes, but just to witness it as an observer, and the disturbance will unravel. One can classify the sources of disturbances into three categories. The first is called Adhidevikam – disturbance caused by acts of God, the second is Adhibhautikam disturbance caused by our surroundings, and the third is Adhyatmikam - disturbance caused by our inner landscape. The first two need not be a cause of emotional disturbance provided we accept that we are not totally in control. On the other hand, if we try to control the first two disturbances, the more we try the less we succeed. There is a higher power that is in control. The third one is caused by our inner psyche that is subject to disturbance. In fact the escalation of the first two in full-blown emotional disturbance is often due to our inner psyche. There are issues buried in our unconscious from our childhood. They show up at unexpected times, all they require is the right trigger to show their presence. It is important to realize that the unconscious is really our friend. It helped us deal with difficult situations when we were young, and the memories reappear when we are strong enough to handle the issues. They reappear especially when we feel safe. All this is according to the order that we find in the Universe, in this case the psychological order. One has to make peace with the laws of the Universe, and accept them as a manifestation of Ishvara and not
as a mandate. One has to realize that the unconscious is a projection, a shadow reality. The self is untouched by it just as you are unaffected when your shadow falls on water. Unconscious is based on happenings from the past, while the Self is always in the now. Sadhviji gave advice on how to deal with the situation. First withdraw the projections, be more objective and less subjective. Manage wants that appear as likes and dislikes, these are the cause of the projections. Let go of binding desires and lead a life according to Dharma do what is right and avoid action that is hurtful or harmful to anyone.
wasted. Travel to a destination seeking for happiness is not our choice. It always adds up more stress. Did I say stress? I was skimming through my emails and saw an email from Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam. I opened the email; it was about the Labor Day weekend retreat on “Freedom from Stress”. Spiritual retreat is always our top priority. Sadhviji started the camp with our thinking and understanding about stress. The majority of us already concluded that stress is part of our life. Oh, we have research to back up our claim. Medical professionals, thinkers, and psychologist all say stress is part of your life. Controlling the stress is what you need to learn, they say, and we agreed. When Sadhviji introduced the Vedantin point of view, we knew from our heart we are not looking for how to control the stress but to be free from it. We cannot deal with it externally or internally. Sometime we may be able to change the circumstance causing stress from environment around us. But internal conflict remains the same.
Freedom from Stress Retreat, MD By Jay Kalathil Sitting in my office I thought, “What I am going to do for the Labor Day weekend. I need to plan how to spend three special days with my family.” The first option came to my mind was sitting at home doing nothing; but last few days of summer cannot be
21
Do we have control over this phenomenon? Only the knowledge of Vedanta can help. The Study of Vedanta is no different from study of our own true nature. Our true Self is not this body, not the mind and not the sense perceptions we have, it is that witnessing pure consciousness. Atma is eternally free from all limitations. Stress and limitations are belongs to this body and
mind. When we identify with our true Self we are totally free from all limitations. Removal of the wrong identification will take place through the study of Vedanta. Sadhviji cleverly took us from our wrong perception, to the solution. Indeed it was a stress free, enjoyable weekend for my family and me.
caused by sources around us, such as social, political, or domestic disturbances, over which we have limited control. The third source of unhappiness, and thus stress, is from within oneself. This is known as adhyatmikam. These could be physical, physiological, and or psychological ailments. On closer examination of these sources, we can see that stress caused by all three sources, are mostly only adhyatmikam, because the stress in all three cases is caused in our mind. Upon gaining true knowledge or the ultimate truth, one realizes that we are not our body or mind, even though the body and mind belong to us. We realize that we are all just one energy and that the physical and mental problems are nothing but maya. Sadhviji also told us that we should learn to live in the present, because the past is just a memory and the future is nothing more than a projection of the past memories. Only the present moment is real. By meditation and concentrating on spiritual teachings with the help of a Guru, one can come to realize one’s true self, and thus be stress-free forever.
Reflections on the Freedom from Stress Retreat
Aparokshanubhuti at the Siva Vishnu Temple, Washington DC
By C.K. Dhananjayan When I saw the flyer about Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam’s Retreat on Freedom from Stress to be held by Sadhviji in Potomac on Labor Day weekend, I considered attending. Unfortunately,I had already committed to a concert for which I already had tickets. However, the host for the retreat, invited us to attend even if we could not attend all of the sessions.
By Ed Akehurst Sadhviji gives a monthly lecture at Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Lanham, Maryland. The current lecture series is the unfoldment of the text Aparokshanubhuti, which means immediate knowledge of oneself as whole and free of limitations. This text is attributed to Adi Shankara and is one hundred forty four verses.
The morning started with a 30-minute meditation after which we learnt about the main causes for stress. Even though there is only one form of happiness there are three different types of problems that cause happiness to be denied, and thus cause stress. One of these problems arises from sources over which we have no control at all, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural causes. These naturally caused problems are called adhidaivikam in Sanskrit. The second source of unhappiness is called adhi-bhautikam. These are
To date, Sadhviji has unfolded the first thirty-eight verses. We have thus far been exposed to the four qualifications of a student, which are vairagya, viveka, shama etc., and mumukshutvam, and the importance of these qualifications in the teaching methodology. This text, like all Vedanta texts, is not a mere abstract discussion, but is a practical guide to discovering one’s limitless nature. The qualifications are essential to that discovery. Sadhviji unfolds the text in such a way that the student
22
can apply the knowledge to their everyday life, thus affording the opportunity to live the teaching. We spent several weekends unfolding these qualifications in great detail so that we may more fully develop them in ourselves. The text then goes on to discuss vichara and its three entry points: jiva, jagat, and Isvara. After an exploration into ignorance and its cause, one can inquire into who is this “I� from any of these three entry points. Further inquiry reveals that one is not the body-mind-sense complex. The apparent duality is due to ignorance. It is unreal and we are nonseparate from That Which Is. In a slightly ironic and even sarcastic tone, the author of the text shows that it is nothing but ignorance that causes one to see oneself as separate or as having parts. Through examples in the text and the unfolding of that text by Sadhviji, we are able to clearly see what is meant and to use that knowledge in our own personal vichara. Attachment to the body-mind-sense complex leads one to seek permanence in places of temporariness. The text shows us the folly in this and makes it clear that what we are is not that temporary abode. As this lecture series continues to unfold, we look forward to the wisdom shared by Sadhviji that allows the text to reveal to us our true nature as limitless and whole. The lectures are held on Saturday and Sunday of the first full weekend of each month, beginning with a meditation at 9 am. For those not able to attend due to distance the classes are online also, although the teaching is more thoroughly absorbed in person. Even if one has not started this text at the beginning of the lecture series, one can take away much in the form of knowledge by beginning attendance at any point.
Satsang With Sadhviji What is ahimsa? What are the steps for one to develop an alert and discriminating mind in order to live in harmony with the order of ahimsa? Ahimsa is non injury of any kind. It includes the affliction of hurt on all levels --physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. In the Hindu tradition, the value of ahimsa is extended to everything that lives, everything that is, starting from one's own body-mind-sense complex to trees and plants, and the five elements. Ahimsa is in the way we eat, in the way we move, in the way we speak, in the way we interact with others. We do not destroy anything because we consider the entire creation sacred. Ahimsa is at the level of action, speech, and thoughts. The alertness with regard to ahimsa is gradually developed, by cultivating ahimsa at the level of action and then speech. It needs both discrimination and compassion, and the development of a non-combative nature. Primarily it requires one to slow down enough to notice the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. It requires one to see all this -including one's own body-mind-sense complex as one non separate, sacred, infallible, interconnected whole, expressed as the orders of Ishvara. Ultimately, it requires one to develop in oneself as a noncompetitive person so that one does not constantly compete for resources with others.
23
Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Lanham, MD * First Saturday and Sunday each month: 9 am-‐12pm Aparokshanubhuti at SSVT For more details please contact Charu at charun@cox.net Maryland Christmas Retreat: Assimilating Vedanta. For more details please contact Chris Almond at: 703 403-1207 Eugene, OR
Sadhviji’s Teaching and Travel Schedule
Thanksgiving Retreat at Oregon Coast: Sraddha Bhakti Dhyana Yogad Avehi -‐-‐Selections from the Kaivalyopanishad
Please Note All Times are Eastern Time All Classes that are also webcast at arshavm.org are marked with an *
For more details please contact Faith at faithlacross@gmail.com or Harinder at harinder@uoregon.edu Travel Schedule
Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, Lanham, MD
November 21 to December 1, Eugene, Oregon
Weekday Classes
December 11, Keynote Address at University of Georgia, Albany
*Monday and Thursday: 1:30-‐2:30 pm Kathopanishad *Tuesday and Thursday: 9-‐10 pm Panchadashi Chapter 4
December 12 and 13, Public Talks in Valdosta, Atlanta and Albany, Georgia
*Wednesday: 9-‐10 am Intermediate Sanskrit
8-‐9 pm Bhagavad Gita
*Thursday: 12:30-‐1:25 pm Beginning Sanskrit
January 1 and 2, Pujya Swamiji’s Talk and Fundraising Visit to Washington, DC
Weekend Classes * Second and Third Saturday each month: 10-‐11:15 am Bhagavad Gita
Sukta Editorial Board Julie Carpenter, Mayaskari Rothbart, Kanchan Deshpande and V. Vishwanathan.
* Second and Third Sunday each month: 10-‐11:15 am Mundakopanishad
24