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HINDU TODAY
Founder's Vision "Om Bhur bhuvah svahah Tat savitur varenyam Bhargo Devasya dheemahi Dheeyo yonah prachodayaat” ----“We meditate on the glory of the Creator, Who has created the Universe, Who is worthy of Worship, Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light, Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance, May the Creator enlighten our Intellect.”
••• Hinduism is not a religion but rather it is a way of life. The term Hinduism is based upon the faith and practices followed by the people of the Indian Subcontinent near the River Sindhu, or Indus – from which also stems the word "India‘’. ‘Hinduism’ is a word given to all those philosophies and practices undertaken by those who lived in the Indian subcontinent taken together, and that indeed makes it a very diverse and inclusive subject. One of the most difficult challenges confronting every modern Hindu practitioner is how to educate themselves and their children about the complexities of Hinduism. With its multitudes of gods, numerous texts, hundreds of traditions, thousands of religious gurus and numerous regional, caste, and linguistic communities, Hinduism is perhaps the most varied religion in the world. There is growing disillusionment with the materialism prevalent in society today. The youth of today are discontented with their bourgeois lives and are seeking a more fulfilling and higher purpose. Through Hindu Today we aim to bring the ancient philosophies and scriptures of the Indian subcontinent back into relevance of modern life. We believe Hindu Today to be a tool for propagating, these ancient wisdoms and cultures so that they remain alive and vibrant. They cannot be relegated to obscurity and lost in the crumbling pages of the dusty shelves of some forgotten library. Sanatana Dharma – The Eternal Philosophy This philosophy is not specific to any faith or belief system, but is common and thus applicable to all people for all time. To illustrate by example, we can compare it to the laws of gravity, mathematics or logic, for example gravity works for Christians, as it does for Hindus or Buddhists- anyone who walks off a roof will end up falling to the ground below. Similarly the subtle, all pervading laws of the transcendent are known as Santana Dharma and over-arch all denominational faiths and belief systems, and stand true regardless of our belief or disbelief in them.
The basic tenets of Santana Dharma are – Aastha - the belief or faith in God - one, allpervasive and all-loving Supreme Being or Superior Intelligence Atman - the belief in the existence of the Soul - Universal Life Force Energy Karma - the laws of cause & effect Ahimsa - non violence Maitri - love, kindness & friendship Karuna - compassion Utpeksha - calmness, composure & equanimity. Vivek - discernment of right and wrong, truth and falsehood Vairagya - non-attachment, the anti-thesis of materialism, Sadhana - a disciplined undertaken in the pursuit of a goal, or more specifically "spiritual practice" Daan/Punya - Alms, Charity, Sharing, Giving with Vairagya, Sacrificing Mudita - Joy & Bliss Moksha/Nirvana - spiritual emancipation or enlightenment Satya - Truth Perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of Santana Dharma is its all-encompassing acceptance of other cultures, religions, and views, The Upanishads clearly state - "God is one; though sages call Him by many different names". It encourages us to use both our heads and hearts in how we make decisions and how we approach the Ultimate Truth. We must use both our God-given ability to discern Truth from untruth, in addition to using compassion and love in all important decisions. Sanatana Dharma is a path of reason coupled with compassion. There is no room for fanaticism, fundamentalism, or closed-mindedness anywhere in Sanatana Dharma. Through the institution of Hindu Today we wish to reignite the eternal flame of Sanatana Dharma amongst the youth of today and the re-kindle the light of this Eternal Philosophy in the global community at large. We are indeed one people and one family – Vasudeva Kutumbha Kum. Late Arjan K Vekaria Founder Hindu Today
In this Edition
CONTENT Cover Story Rajyogini Dadi Janki
4
Dharmic Champion Prophecies and Earthquakes
9
Management The Correct Advice
18
Wisdom Pharmacy Urges - Sppress or Not to Suppress:?
19
History Karnataka - Indus Valley Connection 22 Satvic Food Food for the Mind
23
Philosophy Sankhya in Geeta
25
Scriptures Vedas and Their Purposes
28
Spirituality The Road to Spirituality
30
Science Vedic Kalaganana
32
Vanaras in Our Midst
37
Religion Vedic Yezidi Traditions of Iraq, Syria and Mesopotamia
42
Remembrance Further Tributes to Sri Arjan Vekariaji
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HINDU TODAY
Founder
: Late Arjan K. Vekaria
Editor-In-Chief
: Shashi Karsandas Vekaria
Publisher
: Panna Vekaria
Legal Consultant : Vijay Goel USA Editor
: Vrndavan Brannon Parker
Africa Editor
: Muljibhai Pindolia
Editorial, Advertisement & Circulation : Vascroft Estate, 861, Coronation Road, Park Royal, London, NW10 7PT Tel: + 44(0) 20 8961 8928 Fax : +44(0) 20 8961 8928 Email : info@hindutoday.org editor@hindutoday.org Hindu Today Published By Panna Vekaria Vascroft Estate, 861, Coronation Road, Park Royal, London, NW 107 PT Printed By Evolution Print & Design Ltd. Unit 12 Lewisher Road, Leicester LE4 9LR Cover Art
: Rajyogini Dadi Janki
Cover Design
: Girish Koshti
Dear Readers, In a world of cynical 24 hour media newscycles Hindu Today strives to be a voice of reason and positivity.It is indeed an effort to highlight the life affirming foundations of Hinduism. By sharing the news, views and perspectives on our diverse and dynamic Hindu culture we are a resource for the public at large and an authentic source of Vedic wisdom and knowledge as well. Yet even in the noblest of endeavours there are stumbling blocks. Recently we suffered the loss of the guidance and support of our founder the late Arjan Vekariaji. Due to his unforeseen demise we were unable to publish the January 2014 edition of Hindu Today Magazine. We apologize for this and beg the indulgence and understanding of our readers and subscribers during this time of transition. We are however pleased to announce that starting with this Jan-Feb 2014 edition Hindu
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OF BY ANY MEANS OR STORED IN ANY RETRIEVAL SYSTEM. IF ANY NATURE WITH OUR PRI-WRITTEN PERMISSION, EXCEPT FOR THE Permitted FAIR DEALING UNDER COPYRIGHT, DESIGNS AND PATENTS ACT, 1988M APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION FOR OTHER USE OF THE COPYRIGHT MATERIAL INCLUDING PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE EXTRACT IN OTHER PUBLISHED WORK SHALL BE MADE TO THE PUBLISHERS. FULL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AUTHOR, PUBLISHER AND SOURCE OF MATERIAL MUST BE GIVEN. HINDU TODAY LTD. 2007 OPTIONS EXPRESSED IN HINDU TODAY ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER. THE HEALTH RELATED CONTENT IN HINDU TODAY IS INTERDED ONLY TO INFORM, NOT TO PRESCRIBE AND IS NOT MEANT TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ADVICE OF A QUALIFIED HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONAL. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hindu Today Group.
HINDU TODAY
Today Magazine is once again being published on a monthly basis. In fact Hindu Today is the only Global Pan-Hindu monthly magazine currently being published anywhere in the world. It is our prayer to continue being an effective resource for any and all interested in India and in Hinduism, the world's most ancient, diverse and ongoing civilization. --
Shashi Karsandas Vekaria (Editor-in-Chief, Hindu Today)
l 2014 l JANUARY [3]
Cover Story
Rajyogini Dadi Janki make things happen in a positive way is this seemingly frail, ninety year young lady – Dadi Janki – who has spent her lifetime in the service of the mankind, and variously described as a tiny lady with the guts of a million elephants put together, a person embodying spiritual transformational value and above all a compassionate human being sacrificing self to the noble mission of making the world a peaceful one to live in. By her patient, persistent, persuasive and positive approach. She has no fear as she traverses across the length and breadth of the globe, interacting with one and all, bringing a positive change their lives. Dadi (Elder Sister) Janki has dedicated more than 70 years of her life to the work of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University of which she is the Administrative Head.
Dadi is a pioneer of a modern form of the ancient art of Raja Yoga.
F
rom the desert State of Rajasthan, Western India, comes an effort to help people change their lives by changing their approach to life in a bid to make the world a much better place to live. For one and
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all, for the rich and famous, for the Underprivileged and miserable, for the strong and feeble, who collectively make the comity of nations as we know today. Leading this endeavor to help people rediscover the power to
An internationally acknowledged spiritual leader, Dadi's lifelong focus has been to align her mind and heart to God's will and purpose. She experiences God as a source of pure love and wisdom, and has made those qualities the foundation of her life. This spiritual strength enables her to be a beacon of light in the lives of others. Dadi is deeply and compassionately aware of the selfish tendencies that currently afflict human relationships and affairs, and that put our world in peril. However, she is a visionary, with an unswerving optimism. HINDU TODAY
Cover Story
"In the winter, we foresee the spring", she says. "Those with a positive vision of the future give us an image of a world on this planet where all things are given freely, where the highest human potential is fully realised." That future world is guaranteed, in Dadi's eyes, but to reach it, our consciousness has to change.
much goodness that is so infectious. For sure, she has attained the greatest purity of knowledge that she so readily shares.
She is a loving and caring person and above all with a missionary zeal to spread her knowledge of spirituality and using it as an agent of change in this world full of tensions at various levels, individual, collective, nations at a time when so many a crisis are gripping the mankind. If we take the global economic meltdown that has the major economic powers – USA, Eu-
Dadi is a pioneer of a modern form of the ancient art of Raja Yoga. Through this structured and disciplined method of spiritual development, she has shown thousands of people of all backgrounds and walks of life how to regain true self-respect, to become free of addictive and negative tendencies and thereby able to contribute more to present-day society as well as a future world. What is her source of strength? How come such a frail person has come to command such powers to comprehend the complexities of the modern day world and come out with seemingly simple solutions? What is that she prescribes that no one does? Why are so many people, in positions of power to make things happen, bow to her and her wisdom and knowledge? These are some of the questions that pop up as one sees her radiating so HINDU TODAY
l 2014 l JANUARY [5]
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rope and to some extent even the emerging economies of China and India under pressure – and its adverse impact on the people around the globe as they face job losses, increased stress and trauma, we find that the world definitely needs a guiding light like Dadi Janki much more than it did yesterday. Even as we are trying to understand and acknowledge the silent, selfless contribution of the woman over the past seven
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decades, we have a potential outbreak of hostilities between two South Asian neighbours, India and Pakistan, that threatens to bring about many more hardships across a multitude of humanity that is blessed with ancient wisdom, rich culture and deep spiritual influence. What makes Dadi Janki and her message and mode of message delivery different is its simplicity. Her message is one that is aimed at enabling individuals
achieve what an individual craves for all through his or her existence -- a peaceful happy life in which all wants are fulfilled. Yes, at an individual level and to some extent collective level, we all want a world that is free from poverty, hunger, crime, racism. We want a world where people are equal, respected, happy and above all stable – without any societal tensions. In short, the emergence of a new world order that gives utmost importance to
HINDU TODAY
Cover Story
peace, progress and prosperity to one and all. How does an individual achieve this utopian dream? Is it merely a dream that can never be achieved? Or what do we need to do to achieve a new world order that we don't find today? Dadi Janki's simple prescription: We have to change again and again to make the world we want. Dadi was born in 1916 in the then northern Indian province of Sind, now part of Pakistan. From her earliest days, a concern for the wellbeing of others was the driving force in her life. Her childhood memories include travelling around in her father's horse and carriage to advocate the benefits of a vegetarian diet and sitting with the sick and elderly to help lift their spirits. She spent only three years in formal education
and then went on many pilgrimages in her search for truth and the understanding of the Divine. In 1937, at the age of 21, Dadi joined the Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya founded by Prajapita Brahma. Formerly known as Dada Lekhraj, Brahma Baba had been a successful jeweller whose visionary experiences as he approached the age of 60 led him to dedicate his wealth to the task of spiritual renewal. One of his insights was that women, who at that time were granted few rights of self-determination, represented a huge, under used spiritual resource. Between 1937 and 1951 a community of nearly 400 was formed, comprised mostly of women. The community devoted this time to intense spiritual endeavor. The exploration of soul consciousness in meditation awakened a
deeper awareness of the original and eternal identity as a source of all spiritual attainments. The practice of remembrance of God was mastered as the method for self transformation. This period laid the foundation of a life of freedom from the limitations imposed on women at that time. Despite the joy they experienced at their new-found liberation, conditions were sometimes daunting and Dadi's role demanded hard physical work as well as sensitivity and skill, as she was appointed nurse to this group of pioneers. She was helped by the fact that through much of her life she had endured a series of illnesses that both tested and helped her to develop and refine her ability to conquer physical infirmity. (www.brahmakumaris.com)
••• HINDU TODAY
l 2014 l JANUARY [7]
Hindu Festivals for 2014 JANUARY New Year
Wednesday 1st January
Pradosha Vrutha
Tuesday 24th June
Ramadan Fasting Starts
Sunday 29th June
Puri Ratha Yathra
Sunday 29th June
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Saturday 4th January
Pradosha Vrutha
Monday 13th January
Makar Sankranthi
Tuesday 14th January
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Tuesday 14th January
Pradosha Vrutha
Thursday 10th July
Guru Purnima
Saturday 12th July
Pradosha Vrutha
Thursday 24th July
Makara Jyothi Thiruvalluvar Day/Maattu Pongal Kaanum Pongal (Uzhavar Thirunal) Republic Day
Wednesday 15th January Thursday 16th January
JULY
Sunday 26th January
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Pradosha Vrutha
Tuesday 28th January
Nag Panchami
Gandhi Samaadhi
Thursday 30th January FEBRUARY
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Thursday 6th February
Bhishma Ekadasi
Sunday 9th February
Pradosha Vrutha
Wednesday 12th February
Pradosha Vrutha
Thursday 27th February
Maha Shivrathri
Friday 28th February
MARCH Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Thursday 13th March
Holi
Sunday 16th March
Pradosha Vrutha
Friday 28th March
Hindi New Year Gudi Padwa
Independence Day
Mahavir Jayanti
Friday 15th August
Kolla Varsham Aarambam
Sunday 17th August
Krishna Janmashtami
Sunday 17th August
Pradosha Vrutha
Friday 22nd August
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Friday 29th August
Ganesh Chathurthi
Friday 29th August SEPTEMBER
Shani Maha Pradosha Vrutha
Saturday 6th September
Pradosha Vrutha
Sunday 21st September
Amavasya Shraddha
Wednesday 24th September
Navaratri
Monday 31st March
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Thursday 25th September Saturday 27th September
OCTOBER Tuesday 8th April
Shani Maha Pradosha Vrutha
Sunday 10th August
Monday 31st March
Thursday 3rd April
Rama Navami
Friday 8th August
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan
APRIL Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Thursday 31st July AUGUST
Tuesday 4th March
Pradosha Vrutha
Wednesday 30th July
Pradosha Vrutha Sunday 2nd February
Ratha Saptami
Tuesday 1st July
Saturday 12th April Sunday 13th April
Durgashtami
Wednesday 1st October
Gandhi Jayanthi
Thursday 2nd October
Maha Navami
Thursday 2nd October
Vijaya Dasami / Dussehra
Friday 3rd October
Dr. B.R. Ambedkars Birthday
Monday 14th April
Pradosha Vrutha
Monday 6th October
Bengali New Year
Monday 14th April
Pradosha Vrutha
Tuesday 21st October
Hanuman Jayanthi
Tuesday 15th April
Deewali
Chithra Pournami
Tuesday 15th April
Nagula Chavithi
Monday 27th October
Maundy Thursday
Thursday 17th April
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Monday 27th October
Shani Maha Pradosha Vrutha
Saturday 26th April
Akshaya Tritiya
NOVEMBER Kerala Piravi
Saturday 1st November
Friday 2nd May
Pradosha Vrutha
Tuesday 4th November
Friday 2nd May
Mandala Kaalam Aarambam
MAY Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Thursday 23rd October
Pradosha Vrutha
Monday 12th May
Pradosha Vrutha
Pradosha Vrutha
Monday 26th May
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Vat Savitri Amavasya
Pradosha Vrutha Vat Savitri Purnima
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Tuesday 25th November
DECEMBER
Wednesday 28th May Pradosha Vrutha
Thursday 4th December
Sunday 1st June
Karthika Deepam
Friday 5th December
Tuesday 10th June
Pradosha Vrutha
Friday 19th December
JUNE Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Monday 17th November Thursday 20th November
Friday 13th June
Masik Vinayaka Chathurthi
Thursday 25th December HINDU TODAY
Dharmic Champion
Prophecies and Earthquakes
T
he early 1800s Indigenous American unification movement led by Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet Tenskwatawa was more than a socio-political phenomenon. There is in fact a deep mystical side to the Tecumseh legend as well. The evidence reveals that Tecumseh was more than just a Prophet in name for he revealed several prophecies that came true both during and after his lifetime. Starting in December of the year 1811 a series of massive earthquakes hit the southern and midwestern United States. Indeed these earthquakes are the largest ever recorded in North America. Nine years earlier Tecumseh had informed his people that Weshemoneto (God) would provide an undeniable sign proving that he wanted them to unite.
By Vrndavan Brannon Parker
“When Weshemoneto is ready the earth will tremble and shake so tremendously that great forests will fall, streams will run uphill and rivers will escape their channels. The sign from Weshemoneto will be so violent that all could not help but feel it. And they will never be able to forget it.” It is also widely believed that Tecumseh not only predicted these massive series of earthquakes but actually caused them. When Tecumseh was in Alabama he found the Creek Indian Chiefs uncooperative, defiant and unwilling to rise against the Americans. All his eloquence failed to stir them and his appeals went unheeded. Then in a burst of anger, he warned their Chief named Big Warrior. "Your blood is white, and no longer runs red like the rising sun. You do not fight because you are
Electrified by Tecusmeh's visit to his people, Chief Red Eagle of the Creek Indian Tribe became a major leader in the 'Red Stick' movement. He soon led his people in a defensive war against the US in which he was later defeated yet he escaped the Americans by sheltering with the Seminole Indians in Florida. However in an effort to negotiate the best circumstances for his people he soon surrendered to the future US President Andrew Jackson (above). Impressed with Red Eagle, Jackson spared his life. A new peace treaty, which although permanently reducing Creek territory, was lenient in allowing the Creek Indians to retain much of their territory including most of their homes.
HINDU TODAY
cowards and are afraid to fight. You do not believe the Great Spirit has sent me, but you shall believe it. I leave Tuckabatchee directly and shall go to Detroit. It will take me many days, but when I reach there, I shall tell the Great Spirit, and I shall stamp my foot on the ground, and shake every house in your village." Another version from George Stiggins, the brother-in-law of the Creek ‘Red Stick’ Indian leader and Tecumseh follower Chief Red Eagle, states that rather than just a threat Tecumseh had confidentially informed his Creek followers that in four months he would ascend a mountain, whoop loudly, stamp his foot three times and make the earth ‘quake and tremble’. Some suggest these are two ‘versions’ of the same story yet it is quite possible that both incidents took place and rather than conflicting reports they represent two sides of Tecumseh. One is his disappointed response to a ‘Doubting Thomas’ and the other an internal communication between Tecumseh and Chief Red Eagle, one of his leading supporters. After spending over two months in the South, Tecumseh then left the region returning Northward. And as he left, the massive Comet which had followed his every step across the Southern region receded never to be seen again. The people counted the days until he should reach home. Then at about the time they assumed he had returned home, there was an omen of undeniable significance. A massive earthquake shook the entire central region of North America. This event or series of
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events are now known as the 1811– 1812 New Madrid Earthquakes. These earthquakes remain to be the most powerful earthquakes to hit the eastern US in recorded history. The dramatic year of 1811 thus closed with a massive initial quake that struck on December 16, 1811. The final earthquake hit on February 7th, 1812. The quakes were so severe that the force of the land’s upheaval created Reelfoot Lake. The Mississippi River flowed backward for 10–24 hours to fill the lake, the inhabitants of an entire Indian village were drowned as the river was turned against itself to flow backwards; thousands of acres of virgin forest were destroyed and two temporary waterfalls were created in the Mississippi. More than just a threat or a sign to a wavering group of Indians, Tecumseh’s earthquake was actually his signal to the Indians of North America to unite in an army and chase the invading, land stealing Americans off the continent.
Red Sticks and Fire - Invoking the Power of Intention As Tecumseh gathered more and more supporters he did more than talk. He initiated them into a mystic ritual. It is this ritual which lies at the heart of Tecumseh’s earthquakes. Before his departure to the South Tecumseh had received bundles of red sticks from his brother the Prophet Tenskwatawa. At the center of each bundle of sticks was a half inch wide foot long piece of red cider. On it were carved pictographic symbols to be read from bottom to top. These engravings included a family, the foundation of Indian life, then the earth upon which they lived, followed by the principal features of the earth: water, lightning, trees, the four corners of the earth, corn, birds and animals of the earth and
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sky, all plant life, the sun, the blue sky and ‘all of these things having to be experienced and understood before the people could reach the uppermost symbol, Heaven’. Depending upon when they got the sticks some tribes had more and others less in order to make up for the different times that they would be received. Along with the sticks, instructions were given that all Indians must quickly assemble in the North (either Detroit or at the British Fort Malden) as soon as they felt the earth begin to shake. This would be the sign for a mass uprising and the beginning of their campaign to recover their lost lands. The many smaller red sticks wrapped around the centerpiece represented months. One of these was to be thrown into a fire at every full and new moons. Then in the final month the last stick was broken into 30 pieces to represent each day. Each day thereafter, one of these pieces was to be burned in the light of dawn. But the thirtieth piece was to be burned in the midst of the night, and when the last of these had been burned, then there would be a great sign of which Tecumseh had spoken. And when every piece had been burnt and only the center red cedar stick
remained and was then cast into the fire, the entire earth would tremble and shake. This was the sign for all who believed in Tecumseh and in his vision of the Indian Nation. It was the moment that every Indian warrior should proceed North and form a massive indigenous warparty to sweep the Americans off the continent. While many have attempted to discredit this story as a fabrication, it is indeed based on historic fact. What Tecumseh was providing was a method for harnessing the power of intention. Those who deny it are either completely cut-off from their inner mystical current and are thus unaware or they are intentionally obscuring the facts. Rather than witchcraft or magic it is a very scientific method by which one’s intentions are magnified and projected into action and reality. It is this exact power which is inherent to every human being yet it has been undermined through fear, hatred and in our modern era, by the onslaught of the media. The constant barrage of negative fear and shock inducing stories combined with the advertising world’s bombardment meant to cultivate greed, rapacity, dissatisfaction and the perpetual
In the Battle of Tippecanoe, the Americans lost more men yet the Indians fled the field after running out of Ammunition. In later years the US General Harrison used this Battle as a propaganda tool during his successful campaign for the US Presidency.
HINDU TODAY
Dharmic Champion
Tecumseh rushes to the rescue of American prisoners of war being tortured and massacred by his warriors as the British General Proctor stood by and watched.
pursuit of mediocrity clouds our inborn mystical abilities. As a people our focus is scattered and our ability to harness the power of intention has been severely curtailed. The brothers Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh were obviously in tune with their inner abilities and thus they devised this method to harness the collective willpower of their followers. However because free-will is paramount and every Indian had to choose for himself, they were unable to develop the full potential of their Red Stick ritual. Its effectiveness and power is beyond doubt for when the final and last piece of wood was cast into the fire shortly thereafter the first earthquake hit. Shocked into action hundreds of warriors gathered their weapons and marched forth in support of Tecumseh and the Prophet. Though only a HINDU TODAY
small percentage of warriors had pledged to do so, a large number of warriors of various tribes gathered up their weapons and set out at once to join Tecumseh. Most commentators state that the red stick pieces were tossed into the fire on the full moon. It appears that initially the individual red sticks were thrown into the fire in conjunction with the full moon and that during the last month the pieces were thrown in the fire beginning with the new moon. The final day December 15 was a new moon day and the first earthquake struck at 2:15 AM on December 16th, a mere two hours after the last red stick was consumed by fire. The word and recognition of the power of the two Shawnee brothers spread like wildfire. "Tecumseh has arrived in Detroit; he has spoken to the Great Spirit; we feel the
stamping of his foot! It is the duty of every Indian to implicitly adhere to the Prophet!” While defensive warfare was a natural element to his message Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were in fact heading up a spiritual revival movement. Only the greed and rapacity of the dark-hearted could twist such lifeaffirming efforts into a malevolent call to a bloody race war, as some have attempted to say. Tecumseh was indeed a political statesman and leader but he was primarily a dedicated spiritualist who saw politics and war as a necessary response, a means to halt the cultural and physical genocide of his people. His goal was to create an ‘alternate native civilization’ where the ways of his ancestors that had sustained them for countless generations, could be
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perpetuated. He wanted a place for his people to live in harmony with each other and the bountiful world around them.
One Dish Many Spoons Tecumseh indeed had a true genius for inspiring people. He thus ultimately built up a confederacy of 32 tribes and organized an alliance of more than 10,000 people during the War of 1812. This number may seem small today yet it was huge in comparison to the population levels of the American Indians of the time. With this alliance Tecumseh strove for the union of his race and to check the loss of Native lands and culture by holding onto the West and creating an unbroken empire of the confederated Indian Tribes. It was a vision of a traditionally-based native confederacy stretching from the Great Lakes in the North to the Gulf of Mexico in the South. In his later years Tenskwatawa spoke of his elder brother Tecusmeh’s goal and described it as an ideal of “One Dish and Many Spoons” - a diverse yet unified people all sharing the Earth’s bounties in peace and harmony. This ideal is even more cogent and relevant today as the world reels under the onslaught of crass consumerism, commercialism, social and cultural degradation and environmental mayhem. Thus Tecumseh’s vision is still admired as highlighted by the Tecumseh scholar James Laxer, “Tecumseh is beloved by all people that love the land and the natural rhythm of life and he is an icon of action in the fight against tyranny, oppression and greed.” Noble as Tecumseh’s goals were it led to instant confrontation with the United States for it effectively sealed off the westward expansionism of the Americans. The fact is while the outer layer of North America may be of Euro-
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Tecumseh Confronts British General Proctor. "'I conquer to save lives and you conquer to murder!"
American or allegedly ‘Christian’ values the earth, the forests, the mountains, the rivers, the lakes and the deep inner layer of America, its very heart will always beat to the rhythm and soul and the values of the Americans Indians. Surely tens of thousands of years of indigenous life upon these continents reverberates to this very day. Perhaps reborn in the bodies of White, Black, Asian et al the heart and soul of Native America beats within. This is reflected in the very names, ideals and ethos at the core of America be it the sacred eagle and other potent symbols and place names found across the nation. Though ruthless in its treatment of the Indians, mainstream America has always admired them even if at the subconscious level. Though
this admiration has often been subliminal and in many cases a form of appropriation America has at its roots an Indian foundation. As a people Americans have often related to the Indian struggle for independence, seeing in it a reflection of their own pursuit of liberty. The 19th century’s anti-slavery activist Wendell Phillips, though living in a time when Indians were still being slaughtered and ethnically cleansed accurately predicted that in the future the world would come to admire the American Indian struggle. “Neither Greece, nor Germany, nor the French, nor the Scotch, can show a prouder record. And instead of searing it over with infamy and illustrated epithets, the future will recognize it as a glorious record of a race that never melted out and never died away, but stood up manfully, man by man, foot by foot, and fought it out for the land God gave him against the world, which seemed to be poured out over him. I love the Indian, because there is something in the soil and climate that made him that is fated, in the thousand years that are coming, to mold us."
The Compassion of Tecumseh “Tecumseh had a sense of honor. He was a humane compassionate man. He was a man who did not believe in gratuitous violence. He
Canada's Postal Service Stamp in Honor of the Conquerors of Detroit and Saviours of Canada Tecumseh and his Friend General Brock
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Dharmic Champion
didn't believe in slaughtering people out of any sense of triumph.” John Sugden Tecumseh Scholar, Author and Researcher Any recollection of Tecumseh would be amiss without addressing his well-known and widely admired sense of humanity. Torturing and humiliating an enemy was a common practice among the Native peoples. However Tecumseh was outraged and disgusted by such behaviour. At the young age of 17 Tecumseh, despite an intense animosity towards the Americans, was horrified when the elder warriors burnt an American captive alive. He could not keep silent. As the fire raged and their victim writhed in pain, Tecumseh condemned this Shawnee ‘custom.’ “A man, a true warrior, does not show cruelty to the helpless. Such action displeases the Creator and destroys the spirit and dignity of the perpetrators.” Tecumseh spoke with such power, intensity and charisma that every warrior there took a vow never to torture ever again. You could enslave, ransom or adopt an enemy but torture was no longer allowed. Never would Tecumseh torture prisoners nor did he ever engage in that often practiced yet despicable method of war that targets the women, children and the elderly.
violation of the customs of war, the inhuman Proctor did not yield them the least protection, nor attempt to screen them from the tomahawk of the Indians. Whilst this bloodthirsty carnage was raging, a thundering voice was heard in the rear, in the Indian tongue, when, turning round, he saw Tecumseh coming with all the rapidity his horse could carry him, until he drew near to where two Indians had an American, and were in the act of killing him. He sprang from his horse, caught one by the throat and the other by the breast, and threw them to the ground; drawing his tomahawk and scalping knife, he ran in between the Americans and Indians, brandishing them with the fury of a mad man, and daring any one of the hundreds that surrounded him, to attempt
Bringing Balance to the World
'Oh! what will become of my Indians?!’ In another well known incident American prisoners captured during the War of 1812 were being massacred by Tecumseh’s Indian allies. The British General Proctor merely stood by as over 20 Americans were tortured to death. Word reached Tecumseh of the ongoing massacre and he rushed to the scene. An account from a British Officer records the scene. “And although they had surrendered themselves prisoners of war, yet, in HINDU TODAY
to murder another American. They all appeared confounded, and immediately desisted. His mind appeared rent with passion, and he exclaimed almost with tears in his eyes, 'Oh! what will become of my Indians?!’ He then demanded in an authoritative tone, where Proctor was; but casting his eye upon him at a small distance, sternly enquired why he had not put a stop to the inhuman massacre. 'Sir,' said Proctor, 'your Indians cannot be commanded.' 'Begone' retorted Tecumseh, with the greatest disdain, 'I conquer to save lives and you conquer to murder! You are unfit to command; go and put on petticoats.” Tecumseh and his Brother The Prophet; With a Historical Sketch of the Shawanoe Indians, By Benjamin Drake, 1841 For his part, General Proctor in a typical fit of pettiness and immaturity, tried to punish Tecumseh. He gave orders that the Indians were to be fed battlekilled horsemeat instead of regular rations. Tecumseh challenged Proctor to a personal duel over the matter and the British General ‘quickly reversed the order’.
The great Shawnee Indian leader Tecumseh stands tall under the trees of Southern Illinois. A bronze statue of Tecumseh dedicated on October 11, 2002 stands sentinel at the Cave Hill trailhead in the Saline County Fish and Wildlife Area. Tecumseh used the metaphor of a bundle of sticks gathered together to describe why various tribes should put aside their differences and band together. A single stick could be snapped in half, Tecumseh said, but a bundle could not be broken. That metaphor is represented in the statue, created by Tom Allen. The slender statue depicts Tecumseh holding a bundle of sticks in his right hand and a tomahawk in a resting position in his left.
Tecumseh’s humanity became well known and was a stark contrast to the complacency of the British and the blood-hungry rage of many of his followers and his American enemies. In his eyes unnecessary violence and brutality displeased the Maker of Life. Not only did it cause suffering to the victim it debased the spirit of the people and it was one of the many ‘customs’ which the two Shawnee brothers sought to change. Like all authentic Dharmic champions and other empowered representatives of God they came not to merely preserve the ‘ancient ways’ but
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Dharmic Champion
rather to bring their civilization back to its original pristine and pure state. They attempted to bring balance to the lives of their people. All acts of cruelty and debauchery, abuse, abortion, alcohol, sex out of wedlock, meat not hunted such as beef, pork and chicken, thievery, torture and witchcraft were actively discouraged by Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa. Witchcraft concerned the Brothers greatly. In this sense witchcraft refers to those who abuse their metaphysical abilities to harm, curse and obstruct others or those who harness the metaphysical elements to enhance their position at the expense of others. Tecumseh had been assured that he could never be harmed except by that witchcraft targeted against him by his own Shawnee tribe. In the establishment of Prophetstown the brothers created a center of spiritual power which kept Tecumseh protected during his many adventures. Nothing could harm him, not even the witchcraft of his own people, as long as their base was safe and the rituals and ceremonies of protection maintained. Once Prophetstown was destroyed Tecumseh appears to have indeed succumbed to the witchcraft of his own people. For many of his own Shawnee people refused to join Tecumseh’s alliance and sided with the Americans. During the crucial winter of 1812-13 he was incapacitated for weeks as he lost the use of one of his legs. It had ‘entirely withered’ mysteriously. According to John Johnston it was believed he would ‘never recover the use of it.’ Tecumseh however had a full recovery in the care of his new and last wife and with the assistance of his sister Tecumapease. Yet by then the Americans had strengthened their positions and the advantage had been lost.
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Engaged to the World As for his personal life Tecumseh himself rarely had time for romance or sport and only fathered one son during his short marriage. Often men engaged to the world have little time and energy to focus on romance and personal relationships. Though
Tecumseh was a Shawnee Indian Chief. He understood that the true nature of treaties benefited the land speculators. Tecumseh felt that white culture was more violent and of no benefit to Indians. Tecumseh envisioned that all tribes unite in the common cause to resist the encroachment of the settlers as America grew westward. When speaking to other tribes in his travels, Tecumseh used a bundle of green sticks to represent the alliance saying, "But hear me! a single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong." Tecumseh with his wisdom and teachings is given credit as the decisive element in the nation building of Canada. Tecumseh was a heroic warrior, an inspired orator and a superior battle tactician. He was considered a prophet of his people predicting the Great Earthquake of 181112.He was killed in Canada at the Battle of Thames in 1813 at age 44. handsome and beloved and widely sought after by women Tecumseh spent most of his life alone and focused his energy and passion in the service of his people
Breaking the Sacred Center Recognizing the great power of the Shawnee Brothers and
understanding that as long as Prophetstown, the sacred center of their domain, was allowed to flourish, they would never defeat Tecumseh, the US Govt devised a plan. Knowing that Tecumseh was away for many months, the Americans aimed to destroy and displace Tecumseh’s United Indian Alliance once and for all. Recognizing in Tecumseh the ultimate response to their aggression all means were employed to destroy both him and his confederacy. Thus General Harrison sought and received permission to attack Prophetstown despite their being no real provocation warranting military action. On November 7th, 2011 General Harrison marched a 1000 man army towards Prophetstown. Despite being unequivocally warned by Tecumseh not to engage the Americans, his brother Tenskwatawa succumbed to the pressure of his more hot-blooded followers. He later revealed that it was the Winnebagos that refused to accept his council and demanded his permission to attack. Thus Tenskwatawa launched his warriors in an assault against the Americans. In this ‘Battle of Tippecanoe’ that lasted two hours the outnumbered Indians fought well. Despite all of his incantations and the bravery of his warriors the Americans held the field as the Indians had run out of ammunition. In the final count the Americans lost more dead and wounded than the Indians yet because the Indians dispersed the Americans were able to claim victory and march upon Prophetstown in completion of their mission. The following day, November 8, Harrison sent a small group of men to inspect the town and found it deserted, except for one elderly woman too sick to flee. Harrison had to curb the brutality of his troops and order them not to kill HINDU TODAY
Dharmic Champion
the old woman. Yet he had them burn Prophetstown to the ground and destroy the Native Americans' cooking implements, without which the confederacy would not survive the winter. Everything of value was confiscated, including 5,000 bushels of corn and beans. Failing to have actually killed many Indians some of Harrison's soldiers dug up bodies from the graveyard in Prophetstown to scalp and thus claim as war trophies and ‘proof of their valor’. They desecrated the sacred fireplaces and council halls and dissipated the protective shield that surrounded Tecumseh and his alliance. Then Harrison's troops buried their own dead on the site of their camp. They built large fires over the mass grave in an attempt to conceal it from the Native Americans.However, after Harrison's troops departed the area, the Native Americans returned to the grave site, digging up many of the corpses and scattering the bodies in retaliation. Harrison proclaimed that he had won a decisive victory. But some have raised doubts about whether the battle was as successful as Harrison claimed. "In none of the contemporary reports from Indian agents, traders, and public officials on the aftermath of Tippecanoe can we find confirmation of the claim that Harrison had won a decisive victory", wrote historian Alfred Cave.Though the destruction of Prophetstown and the scattering of his allies was a setback for Tecumseh's confederacy, his followers soon rebuilt Prophetstown, and frontier violence actually increased after the battle."If anything," writes historian Adam Jortner, "the strike on Prophetstown made Tenskwatawa's movement stronger.” However the primary goal of dissipating the metaphysical protection of the Shawnee Brothers HINDU TODAY
Warfare to Kill the Body yet Targets the Spirit
2012 Canadian 25 cent Coin issued in Honor Tecumseh
had been achieved. The Americans then played their next hand in their treacherous plot.
US Targets Tecumseh by Declaring War on Britain Tecumseh's Comet combined with the ongoing massive earthquakes and Tenskwatawa’s repeated and accurate predictions of eclipses and other phenomenon had created a groundswell of support across Indian Country. Recognizing that Tecumseh’s alliance was rapidly growing to include an ever increasing number of tribes the Americans gambled on an all-out war. Seeing in the British the means by which Tecumseh could eventually realize his ambitions, the United States declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. It was the first time in its history that the US had officially declared a war. While they declared war on the British their true aim was to destroy the Shawnee Brothers and their confederacy. Thus rather than launching attacks on the British the US immediately sent a majority of its forces on an attack into the ‘Old Northwest’ against Tecumseh's Confederacy. Once the sacred center of the Alliance had been destroyed the Americans followed up with a total war aimed at the conquest and displacement of the Native people.
It is widely held that many White American leaders have long been cognizant and immersed in the arts of black magic and the power of intention. Behind the mask of civilized and committed Christianity, have America’s elite long been steeped in the dark arts? The lawsuit regarding the great American Indian Hero Geronimo’s skull gives us a clue into this side of America. “The objective of the original suit is to gather Geronimo’s remains and reinter them near his birthplace at the head of the Gila River in New Mexico, thereby fulfilling what plaintiff Harlyn Geronimo says were his greatgrandfather’s wishes. Geronimo is reportedly buried in a prisoner of war cemetery in Fort Sill, Okla., but according to an old legend, Prescott Bush — Yale graduate, Bonesman, father of former President George H.W. Bush ’48 and grandfather of former President George W. Bush ’68 — looted that grave in 1918 or 1919 and took the chief’s skull, along with some of his other bones and artifacts buried with him, back to the Skull and Bones tomb on High Street in New Haven.” Yale Daily News The US Govt’s response to the 1890s ‘Ghost Dance Movement’ is also quite revealing. (The words ghost rather than spirit and Great Spirit and spirits rather than God and gods clouds our perception of Native American religion. These terms were intentionally developed in order to create a clear distinction between the ‘authentic religion’ of the Whites and the ‘artificial superstitions’ of the Natives.) As the ‘Ghost Dance Movement’ focused on connecting the people to the ancestors and the Creator began spreading across North America, alarm spread throughout American society. While some may point to fears of an Indian uprising the fact
l 2014 l JANUARY [15]
Dharmic Champion
is there was no real threat. Yet in the Dakotas voices clamored for an attack on the Sioux people engaged in the ongoing dance ceremonies. The Americans were still smarting over their incredible defeat at the hands of these very same Sioux Indians that had now given up war and were now dancing and chanting. Thus the very same US 7th Cavalry that had been decimated during the 1876 ‘Battle of Little Bighorn’ now took vengeance in a brutal massacre. History records this event as the ‘Wounded Knee Massacre.’ All excuses of confusion and misunderstandings are baseless when one understands that women with nursing babies at their breast were intentionally butchered. This was an intentional act of genocide with a deep dark and metaphysical element at its core. While their bodies were slaughtered the true target in these brutal campaigns was to crush the Spirit of the American Indian people. Abusing their power of intention and fearing and recognizing that this “Ghost Dance Movement” was bringing a renewed sense of empowerment to the Indian people the American government ordered an end to the religious practices of the Native Americans. The message and brutality was clear. “Your dances and songs cannot protect you and thus your faith and your God are worthless.” Just as Tecumseh’s death meant the end of effective Native political and military resistance, the 1890s Wounded Knee Massacre was the end of the Native’s organized efforts to develop a unified spiritual resistance movement. Thousands of Indians across America had begun dancing for the Creator and the Ancestors and for the return of the buffalo. The power of this dancing and chanting was recognized and responded to in a most brutal manner. Though there was no real battle and though the Americans
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far outgunned the Indians, killing old men, women and children in repeated volleys of machine gun fire, the event was projected as a great victory. In fact it was the final US military assault carried out in the pursuit of both the physical and cultural genocide of America’s indigenous people. The US 7th Cavalry had its vengeance for their crushing defeat at the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn and its men were soon rewarded with many citations and medals of honor and valor.
Hitler’s Inspiration The efficacy of the American Govt in destroying the Indian Nations was a source of great inspiration to none other than Adolf Hitler. “Hitler's concept of concentration camps as well as the practicality of genocide owed much, so he claimed, to his studies of English and United States history. He admired the British camps for Boer prisoners in South Africa and for the Indians in the wild west; and often praised to his inner circle the efficiency of America's extermination—by starvation and uneven combat—of the red savages who could not be tamed by captivity. Hitler was very interested in the way the Indian population had rapidly declined due to epidemics and starvation when the United States government forced them to live on the reservations. He thought the American government's forced migrations of the Indians over great distances to barren reservation land was a deliberate policy of extermination.” John Toland
Carter’s Compensation Ironically in America, the touted land of the free, Native American religion was officially unprotected and not a guaranteed right until US President Jimmy Carter’s 1978 declaration of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. “Whereas the religious practices of the American Indian (as well as
Native Alaskan and Hawaiian) are an integral part of their culture, tradition, and heritage, such practices forming the basis of Indian identity and value systems; Whereas the traditional American Indian religions as an integral part of Indian life, are indispensable and irreplaceable; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembled, That henceforth it shall be the policy of the United States to protect and preserve for American Indians their inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise the traditional religions of the American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut, and Native Hawaiians, including but not limited to access to sites, use and possession of sacred objects, and the freedom to worship through ceremonials and traditional rites.” Today in the early 21st century a resurgence of Native American culture has taken place. Though socially, politically and economically the American Indians are far removed from their glorious past and though Tecumseh’s vision remains to be fulfilled, nonetheless the ancient ways of the ancestors once again reverberate across the cultural landscape of America. ••• Vrndavan Brannon Parker Vrndavan Brannon Parker attended Vedic Gurukula schools from the age of 4 to 14 years. He studied in the USA, Canada and in vrindavan, India.At the young age of 10 years, Vrndavan Brannon Parker was formally initiated into the ancient tradition of Vaishnavism by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. His main focus has been on highlighting the similarities between the ancient cultures and civilizations around the world and defining their Vedic roots and he has been researching and publicly presenting Vedic Historical and Cross - cultural connections since 1996.
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TECUMSEH’S CURSE AND THE US PRESIDENCY During their last meeting Tecumseh delivered the following prophecy to his brother Tenskwatawa: "Brother, be of good cheer. Before one winter shall pass, the chance will yet come to build our nation and drive the Americans from our land. If this should fail, then a curse shall be upon the great chief of the Americans, if they shall ever pick Harrison to lead them. "His days in power shall be cut short. And for every twenty winters following, the days in power of the great chief which they shall select shall be cut short. Our people shall not be the instrument to shorten their time. Either the Great Spirit shall shorten their days or their own people shall shoot them. "This is not all. Each contest to select their great chief shall be marked by sharp divisions within their nation. Within seven winters of each contest, there shall be a war among their people, either within their nation or with other nations, I know not which. Our people shall prosper only if they can avoid these wars." Running under the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler too," Harrison was elected as the ninth president in 1840. The election was contentious and Harrison won with only a narrow margin of the popular vote, though he led comfortably in the electoral college. Only a month after his inaugural, Harrison died and his running mate, John Tyler, became the first vice president to fall heir to the presidency. List of ‘Zero-Year’ US Presidents that died in office victims of ‘Tecumseh’s Curse’ 1840 : 1860 : 1880 : 1900 : 1920 : 1940 : 1960 :
William Henry Harrison Abraham Lincoln James A. Garfield William McKinley Warren G. Harding Franklin D. Roosevelt John F. Kennedy
– Died in office of pneumonia – Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in Ford’s Theatre – Assassinated by Charles Guiteau in a Washington, D.C. train station – Assassinated by Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York – Died in office, possibly of ptomaine poisoning/pneumonia – Died in office of a massive cerebral hemorrhage – Assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas
SRI KAUSIKA MAHASIVA NADI JOTHIDA NILAYAM
To know accurate predictions of all your future life, based on your thumb impression & from the predictions written by ancient Maharishis on palm leaves, Contact:
B.RAJU Nadi Jothidan
+91 99626 15529 /+ 91 9488639637 Sbraju1966@gmail.com
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l 2014 l JANUARY [17]
Management ecneicS
The Correct Advice
C
onsultants are required by every company in various departments, activities, and also in the boardroom. They play the very critical role of beacons, illuminating the right path and bringing focus to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives. Whenever a new venture has to be started, a person with knowledge in that particular field is required for guidance. His tips and insights can help us avoid many pitfalls and save a lot of time and effort. Such a person is consultant. Kenichi Ohame, the author of the famous management book, The Mind of a Strategist – The Art of Japanese Business says, “A consultant plays the role of a strategist and a mentor at the same time.” Kautilya in the Arthashastra offers step-by-step instructions for identifying the right consultant and how to work with them. “All undertakings should be preceded by consultation. Holding a consultation with only one, he may not be able to reach a decision in difficult matters. With more councilors it is difficult to reach decisions and maintain secrecy.” (1.15.2,35,40)
• Do Not Proceed Without Consultation In business and in other aspects of life it is important to accept the fact that ‘I acquire guidance’. Proceeding without the advice of experts can lead to serious mistakes. A consultant has years of experience and knowledge, based on which he can give valuable advice.
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By Radhakrishnan Pillai
• Do Not Consult Only One Person After knowing the one requires a consultation, however, it should also be understood that the ultimate decision and course of action should be based on one’s own discrimination and judgment. Complete dependence on one person can narrow the view point. Only different persons can bring variety and freshness to perspective. Therefore, there should always be more than one guide.
• Do Not Consult Too Many People While it is important to look at different perspectives, this should not be overdone. Getting too many people involved can create confusion. Just as too cooks spoil the broth, too many ideas can complicate matters, making it more difficult to hit the right course. Moreover, if more people come to know about a project, its plan could be compromised to the rivals. It is important to announce a project only when all the ground work is complete.
• Consult With The Mature “Therefore sit and consult with those who are mature in intellect.” (1.15.21)
After one has identified those few right people, about two or three of them, the next step is to sit along with them. ‘Sitting’ means listening to their insights, imbibing from their deep knowledge of the subject and vast experience. They should be people who mature in intellect. It means those who are more experienced, deeply analyti-
cal, and possess an intellectual and practical knowledge of that particular subject. Chanakya himself was such a consultant who advised Emperor Chandragupta Maurya on strategies in war, diplomacy, statecraft, and economy during one of the most important periods in Indian history. ••• Radhakrishnan Pillai Radhakrishnan Pillai, from the university of Mumbai, department of Philosophy is the founder director of Chanakya institute of Public leadership (CiPl) a research based organisation that is working to promote Indian concepts in management. He has done an extensive research on “Kautilya’s Arthashastra”, the well known book on management written in 4th BC from Chinmaya international foundation (Cif), kerala under the guidance of Dr Gangadharan nair, the dean of Adishankara samskrit university. He later proceeded to do his MA in Sanskrit and a Phd. in the subject.
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Wisdom Pharmacy
Urges - Suppress or Not to Suppress
S
uppressing the urges is a very important topic in Ayurveda, so much so, that a whole chapter was devoted to the subject written by Charaka in his popular and ancient ayurvedic text, and he called this chapter “na vegandharaneeyam adhyay”, or 'DON'T SUPPRESS THE URGES'. But at the end of the chapter, there are exceptions to this rule, where certain urges should be suppressed. But let’s first discuss: 1. What are the urges, and which ones should be Supressed, and which ones shouldn't. 2. What are the results of suppressing the urges? 3. What can we do to prevent and alleviate the suppression of these urges?
By Radhika Prassanatma
B. (i) The urges of the mind should always be controlled, relating to thought, speech, or action:
HINDU TODAY
greed Grief Fear Anger Vanity or excess false pride Shamelessness Envy Excess attachment Desire to take another's property
One may argue that it is more harmful to suppress your emotions and urges of the mind like anger, grief, etc, and that its suppression can cause other serious ailments as studies have shown. But it is important to note that the mind should be so controlled that these urges do not come in the first place.
1. What are the urges? Urges are impulses in the body which have to be addressed. According to Charaka, the urges can be divided into 2: the physical urges and the mental urges: A. 13 physical urges which should never be supressed: • Urine • Feces • Semen • Flatus • Vomiting • Sneezing • Belching • Yawning • Hunger • Thirst • Tears • Sleep • Breathing after exertion
• • • • • • • • •
(ii) One should check the urge of speech which is:
• • • • •
harsh words Excess talking Betraying Sharp words Lies
• Saying something untimely (iii) One should control one's actions which causes pain to others like: • Adultery • Theft • Violence One may argue that it is more harmful to suppress your emotions and urges of the mind like anger, grief, etc, and that its suppression can cause other serious ailments as studies have shown. But it is important to note that the mind should be so controlled that these urges do not come in the first place. Once they are produced, however, they must be alleviated by specific measures, followed by education on prevention.
2. Results of suppressing the physical urges: A. URINATION: • Pain in bladder and passage • Difficulty in passing of urine • headache • Forward bending • Bloating in groins B. FECES: • pain in large intestine • Headache • Retention of flatus and feces • Cramps or twisting pain in calved • Flatulence or bloating in abdomen C. Semen: • pain in penis and scrotum • Body ache
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Wisdom Pharmacy
• Pain in cardiac region • Obstruction of urine D. FLATUS: • retention of feces, urine, and flatus • Bloating and flatulence in abdominal region • Pain • Exhaustion or lethargy • Digestive disorders or vatic origin E. VOMITING: • Itching • Urticaria • Loss of taste for food (or desire for food) • Blackish spots or freckles • Swelling • Anemia or palour • Fever due to ama • Skin diseases • Nausea • Herpes or fast spreading skin disorders F. SNEEZING • Neck stiffness • Headache • Migraine • Facial paralysis • Weakness of sense organs G. BELCHING: • Hiccup • Dyspnoea, or any thing problems • Lack of taste or desire for food
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• Tremors • Obstruction in cardiac region and chest H. YAWNING: • Forward bending • Convulsions • Contractions • Numbness • Tremors or shaking of body I. HUNGER: • Weight loss • Weakness • Discoloration • Body ache • Loss of taste or desire for food • Giddiness J. THIRST: • Dryness in throat and mouth • Deafness • Fatigue
If you observe carefully, most of the symptoms produced by suppressing the urges are vata aggravation. So to relieve the symptoms, 1ststop the suppression, and next, follow vata pacifying diet and activities.
K.
• Body pain • Pain in cardiac region TEARS: • A cold or stuffy or running nose • Eye problems • Heart diseases • Loss of taste or desire for food L. SLEEP: • Yawning • Body ache • Drowsiness • Head disorders • Heaviness in eyes M. BREATHING: • Abdominal tumor (gulma) • Heart disease • Fainting • Confusion • Fatigue
3. What can we do to prevent and alleviate the suppression of these urges?
(i) “Prevention is better than cure” The best route is to avoid suppressing these physical urges, and avoid any complications. (ii) If you observe carefully, most of the symptoms produced by suppressing the urges are vata aggravation. So to relieve the symptoms, 1st stop the suppression, and next, folHINDU TODAY
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low vata pacifying diet and activities. • Warm light diet • Unctuousness, oil massage • Stress free, worry free, and pleasant atmosphere • Rest, etc (iii) More specifically: A. URINATION: • Fomentation • Tub bath • Oil massage • Taking plain or medicated ghee • All types of basti (anuvasana, asthapana, uttara) B. FECES: • Fomentation • Oil massage • Tub bath • Suppositories • Enema • Food and drinks having a laxative effect C. SEMEN: • Oil massage • Tub bath • Rice • Milk • Niruha basti (herbal decoction enema) • Sexual intercourse D. FLATUS: • Oleation (inside and out) • Fomentation • Suppositories • Food and drinks which have vata anulomana properties (bringing vata downwards) E. VOMITING: • Inducing vomiting • Dhuma, or medicated smoke with specific herbs • Fasting • Blood letting • Dry food and drinks • Physical exercise • Purgation F. SNEEZING • Oil massage in head, neck, HINDU TODAY
shoulder, face, throat, upper chest region. (Urdhva jatru) • Fomentation • Dhuma, or medicated smoke • Nasal drops • Vata pacifying diet • Intake of ghee after meals G. BELCHING: (from Bheshajya Ratnavali) • Massage with oil mixed with salt, followed by fomentation, and then vata anulomana
Those who control the sinful urges in relation to thought (mind), speech, and action enjoys real happiness full of virtue, wealth, and fulfillment of all desires; thereby, one becomes satisfied and content.
• Then, pancha karma • Mixture of amalaki, black pepper, rock sugar, dried ginger, honey. (1 Gm with honey daily) • Cardamom powder with honey • Black pepper, sugar, honey • Drinking warm cumin tea H. YAWNING: • All treatments for alleviating vata I. HUNGER: • Unctuous (with ghee or oil), hot, light diet J. THIRST: • Cool and nourishing drinks, eg. Milk, trina pancha mula kashaya, etc.
K. TEARS: • Sleep • Pleasing and endearing talks or conversation L. SLEEP: • Deep sleep • Gently pressing the body M. BREATHING: • Rest, and all measures for alleviating vata Those who control the sinful urges in relation to thought (mind), speech, and action enjoys real happiness full of virtue, wealth, and fulfillment of all desires; thereby, one becomes satisfied and content. So let us prevent a lot of grief and discomfort by prevention, and just take care not to suppress our natural needs and urges, allow ourselves to flow with life, and live life freely, openly, full of joy. ••• Radhika Priya Prasannatma Radhika Priya Prasannatma was born in 1981 into a very spiri-tual family who raised her within the Vaish-nava tradition. Her childhood was spent in Mumbai, Dallas, San Diego, and Vrindavan, India where she grew up hearing and study-ing the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Mahabharata and other various Vedic literatures. She is trained in classical Indian Bharatnatyam dance and in several other Indian arts such as cooking, rangoli and music.She attended City College of San Francisco from 2002-2005, and also attended the Muniyal Institute for Ayurveda Medical Sciences in Manipal, India. There she received her B.A.M.S (Bachelors of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) in 2011. Radhika is a practicing Ayurvedic doctor and she, along with her husband,is an official Priest at the Sri Sri Radha Bankebihari Idaho Temple. Her husband is the 10th generation descendent of the Pujaris who serve the Sri SriBalarama and Revati deities in Barahatti, West Bengal, thus they return to India annually to continue the family’s traditional service at that temple.
l 2014 l JANUARY [21]
History
Karnataka - Indus Valley Connection By Santanam Swaminathan
S
angam Tamil poets composed over 2000 poems. Purananuru is an encyclopaedia of Tamil culture. It has got less than 400 verses. Purananuru verse 201 was composed by Kapilar two thousand years ago. This is a very important verse in Purananuru. It throws much light on early Indian History. Kapilar talks about 49th generation of Irungovel. Famous Tamil Commentator Nachinarkiniyar , who lived several hundred years ago, gave a very interesting story about this verse. (49th generation: Please read my article How Old is India?)
Nachinarkiniyar said that Agastya brought 12 tribes from Dwaraka ruled by Lord Krishna. Another city in the name of Dwaraka was founded in Karnataka (Mysore) state in the twelfth century. There is an interesting story about how and who founded this city. Hoychalas were the kings who ruled from this city. Hoychala is translated into Tamil as Pulikadimal which is found in verse 201. Chala was a king belonging to Yadu dynasty. While he was hunting in the Western Ghats, he saw a hare
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heroically fighting with a tiger. This made him to think that this place must have some special importance. When he followed the fighting tiger and hare, an ascetic who was doing penance ordered king Chala to kill the tiger. The ascetic’s order in Sanskrit was “Hatham Hoy Chala”. So from that day on wards the king and his descendants were called Hoychalas. If the verse 201 refers to this anecdote then it must have happened 2000 years ago. The story was found in the inscription belonging to Narasimha Hoychala found in Pelavadi in Belur area of Karnataka. Only the detail about the hare is missing in it. But the name of the city mentioned in
the inscription was Sasakapuram. In Sanskrit Sasanka is hare. When the area under Sasakapuram was given to King Chala, the goddess belonging to Sasakapuram “Vasanthika” came in the form of a tiger. When the king killed the tiger he became Hoychala. This was confirmed in the Arisikare inscription of Veera Vallala Deva. Another interesting co incidence is we see tiger goddess in Indus Valley Seals as well. A seal with Half woman Half tiger was discovered. Some people think it may be Proto Durga. Durga was shown riding tiger or lion in later day iconography. She was shown as a forest deity with plants on her head or in her surroundings. Indus Valley has several female deities. In one of the seals we see seven women dance hand in hand. Sapta matha (Seven sisters or seven women) is found in Hindu scriptures. Seven women dancing together is known as Kuavai Kuthu in Tamil. Seven is a sacred number in Hinduism. But the tiger goddess comes very close to Vasanthika story in Hoychala inscription. ••• Santanam Swaminathan Santanam Swaminathan was born in Nagappattinam in Tamil Nadu. He is working as a tutor at the University of London and a Health Advocate in a London hospital. He hails from a journalist family. His father Santanam was the News Editor of Dinamani in Madurai. He translated Anna Karenina of Leo Tolstoy in 1940s which runs to 1500 pages. It was considered a great achievement at that time.
HINDU TODAY
ecneicS
Satvic ecnFood eicS
Food for the Mind
L
ast Saturday we were returning from our cousin’s home when we saw a terrible scene. One man was lying on the footpath and nearby, a dog too was sleeping. What could have happened to him? Could it be that he was hurt in a road accident. No! My father said that he was drunk. It was the effect of al-
HINDU TODAY
By. Dr. Harish Chandra
cohol that he had drunk. It’s difficult to imagine that certain drugs can make the mind out of order. The person can behave like a dog. He had no idea that he should not sleep on the pavement the way he was sleeping.
unconscious as if we are in deep sleep.
In fact one becomes totally unconscious under the influence of some drug too. For example, before an operation, doctors give certain drugs that can make us
Indeed my mother was saying so when I asked her why she didn’t add as much chilly powdered in the curry as my fathered desired.
That means that what we eat and drink has an influence on our mind too. Could it be that the food we eat can also influence the way our behaves?
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Satvic Food
What was her reply? She said that if a food is over spicy then it is bad for our health both physical and mental health will be badly affected. I can understand that excess of spices can lead to some diseases in the body. But what can it do to our mind? It affects our behaviour too. One is likely to get angry more often. Since our mind is made of matter just like the body is made of, the kind of air we breathe, what we drink and eat affects our mind too. I remember that my mother too was saying something on this line. The matter has three primary components called sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva makes one cool, calm and composed. Rajas leads to excessive dynamism and activity. Tamas causes dullness of both mind and body. Supremacy of one of the three will determine how one is likely to behave. That means that our personality can be influenced by what we eat, drink and breathe. If we are smart then we can consume what is rich in sattva and rajas. We should avoid tamas totally - after all, who would want to have a dull body and a dull mind. This must be true. One evening I went to an uncle in our neighbourhood to give him a letter that the postman had wrongly put in our letterbox. The uncle was smoking, drinking and watching TV. The air in the room was so offensive that i almost thought that i would collapse. After giving him his letter, i came out quickly and breathed the outside air to my full capacity. I could see so much difference in the quality of air as if i got a new life. That day my mother explained to me that many things are to be
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avoided if we want to develop our personality in an all round manner. Apart from tobacco (in cigarettes, pan masala, etc.) and alcohol, we should avoid meat, fish and eggs. To a lesser extent onion, garlic, tea, coffee, overspiced food, the food that is not fresh, etc. ought to be avoided. Some of these things are rich in rajas and some of them are rich in tamas too. I can understand that we should avoid food that is rich in tamas. But what is wrong n rajas, which leads to dynamism and activity.
Cow’s milk, fresh fruits, fresh vegetable salad, dry fruits are some of the things that are rich in sattva. As opposed to cow’s milk buffalo’s milk leads to dullness in body and mind both. While a cow’s calf is swift, the buffalo’s calf is dull. To gain the effect of sattva, the quantity of food too should be moderate. I too asked her this. Her reply was that dynamism of sattva is superior to that it causes a buoyancy-like effect – it elevates a personality in positive virtues. While the dynamism of rajas is sheer activity, which is often aimless. The difference can be seen between one who walks from one place to a definite destination while another may be walking faster but doesn’t quite have the directions. Cow’s milk, fresh fruits, fresh vegetable salad, dry fruits are
some of the things that are rich in sattva. As opposed to cow’s milk buffalo’s milk leads to dullness in body and mind both. While a cow’s calf is swift, the buffalo’s calf is dull. To gain the effect of sattva, the quantity of food too should be moderate. We should not overeat. When we rise from the dining table we must have some appetite remaining. Many things that are rich in tamas also can cause addiction. It is seen that those who consume cigarettes, pan masala, alcohol, etc. are unable to give them up even if they want to. They get addicted to these things. Yes I know and uncle who is a smoker. He said one day that he would want to give up smoking but he was unable to do so. The urge to smoke overpowers his will to give up smoking. So the best thing is that we should never start the things that are rich in tamas. We should have foods that are rich in sattva, are moderate in rajas. We should avoid what is rich in tamas. It is believed that the early morning fresh air is rich in sattva. That’s why we say, “Early to be and early to rise, makes one healthy, wealthy and wise.” All this will keep our mind alert and healthy so that we can understand the lesson quick and the learning can be enjoyable too. And, we will remember for long. Concept: Food affects not only the body but the mind too. An example is a drunken man in an inebriated state when he has ‘lost’ his mind. Mind is made of small sub-atomic particles. At the level of smallest particles, the matter consists of sattva, rajas and tamas. While sattva is desirable, rajas should be avoided and tamas should never be permitted. ••• HINDU TODAY
Philosophy
Sankhya in Geeta
A
mong the Shad-Darshanas i.e. the six great philosophies of India, Sankhya is supposed to be the first. It is held that Sankhya Karika of Ishwarkrishna is the original Sankhya philosophy. But I do not Agree with this supposition because those Karikas do not contain a great knowledge and are quite recent in origin composed around second century A.D. On the contrary Sankhya philosophy told by Lord Krishna in his Geeta is profound in knowledge and is much ancient, told on Sunday, the 16th October 5561 B.C. as is calculated by me. Here I shall give the Sankhya from Geeta, which is recorded in chapter 2 from Verses 11 to 30. Wise men do not weep for either the dead or alive. It is not that we were not present before or will not be in future. One has to experience infancy, youth and oldness in the same body and in the same way has to get another body [rebirth]. We have to suffer from pairs
HINDU TODAY
By Dr. P. V. Vartak
like heat and cold, pleasure and worry, because they come and go. They are not persistent. The wise accepts bliss and sorrow equally, and is not hurt by anything and is capable of attaining Brahma. Asat [non-existent] never exists and Sat [existent] never disappears; even then the philosophers have seen the ends of both. The imperishable has occupied the whole Universe. Nobody can destroy it. That imperishable has occupied these bodies which are perishable. That imperishable does not kill or die. It does not take birth, does not die even if the body is killed. A person knowing that principle does not kill anybody. A man throws away old garments and takes new, in the same manner he leaves this body to join with a new. It cannot be cut, burnt, be wet or dry. It is stable, persistent, omnipresent, primeval, ancient. It is unmanifested, unthinkable. It never deviates, never transforms. One who knows this fact does not aggrieve.
It takes birth and death repeatedly. A born is bound to die and a dead is bound to reborn. It is inevitable and should not be mourn for. All the existent things are unmanifested to begin with and after the end. They are manifested only in between, so why worry? Everybody is surprised to see it, hear it or tell it, but nobody understands Atman. Atman is present in all bodies and is imperishable. In short this is Sankhya Yoga. It is very ancient and original propounded by Kapila Muni. Krishna does n ot speak here about God or Ishwara or Prakruti or Purusha. He tells only about the eternal principle governing the Universe, which is present in every body and every thing. It is astonishing to see that our ancestors achieved that principle. Let us now consider Sankhya philosophy here. Krishna says that the wise does not weep for either the dead or alive. Usually all the common people are aggrieved by death of a relative or friend. But wise men never weep for the dead because they know what death is. If a person understands death he will never lament. Death is supposed to be the greatest grief, other troubles are trivial. Then how can a wise wail for a living person in troubles? Ordinary people too do not lament for the living friend in any trouble because that distress is not permanent. Arjuna was aggrieved for Kauravas though they were alive. Therefore Krishna had to narrate this Sankhya philosophy. To explain why one should not lament on death, Krishna tells that death is a common factor in this living world. Hence he tells,’
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Philosophy
it is not that I was never present before this life, or you were not there or all these kings were not present before. And it is not so that we will never appear in future.’ Krishna wants to insist that all of us were living on this world once upon a time, then we all died and after some time all of us have born again. Here Krishna expressed his firm belief in the rebirth theory. To explain rebirth, Krishna gives a simile. He tells that every body has to be in infancy for some time, then he has to be in a state of youthfulness for some period and then he has to suffer an old age. All these three stages are irresistible. We cannot skip any of these three stages. These three steps are inevitable for any body. Similarly the last step of death is also inevitable. There the body itself is changed while in the first three stages the condition of the body changes. But the change is there. Then why mourn for that change? A wise never laments for it. There are always some pairs in this world. Heat and cold, pleasure and grief, and so many other pairs are present on this globe. These twin conditions are unavoidable. But they come and go. They are never persistent. Hence we have to bear them, there is no alternative. These pairs are situated in all the objects or things [Matra] in this world. As soon as we come in contact with them they induce either pleasure or grief. By its mere touch we are glad or aggrieved. If we touch a carpet or cotton, we are delighted; but if we touch a thorn we get grief. By a touch of a cat or a hare we are happy, but the touch of a porcupine is grievous. Ice or snow gives pleasure if touched, but a hot pan gives pain. Thus a mere touch induces either fun or grief. When we talk of touch we consider only the tactile sense of skin. But other four sense organs,
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too, exhibit either pain or pleasure by touch. Do ears, eyes, tongue and nose work through touch? Yes, they do use touch. For example, when we hear something, the sound waves touch the ear-drums. While looking at something, the light rays come from that object, enter our eyes and concentrate on the retina. It means the light touches the retina and therefore we can see. In the case of tongue the foodstuff has to touch the tongue to experience its taste. In the case of smell some particles or gas enter the nose and touch the mucous membrane there, then only we can smell. Thus all the five sense organs work on the principle of touch. Therefore Krishna has used the word 'Sparsha' which means touch to include all the senses. All these sense organs give bad or good touches of their objects. But those contacts with the bad or good are not permanent, they come and go. Therefore a wise is sure that though at present there is some grief, it will disappear after some time and so he does not lament on it. The good situations are also temporary, they are likely to vanish after some period, therefore, the wise does not boast for it. It is for this reason that one has to bear with the situation, good or bad, for some time without being pleased or aggrieved. The pain or bliss is sensed by the mind. We have to teach this philosophy to our mind. A wise equates sorrow and bliss so that no object of any of the five sense organs trouble him. The five functioning organs [tongue, hands, feet, sexual organ and anus] and their aims also do not harass him ever. Death of any close relative too does not agonize him. Similarly killing of somebody does not cause distress to him. If a wise is not able to bear a sorrow, he will never attain Moksha [total liberty].
Here I have used the word ‘Moksha’, but Krishna uses the word ‘Amrutatwa’. Many people, even scholars, translate Amrutatwa as immortal, but it is wrong; because nothing is immortal in this world. Krishna states that death is inevitable for any thing born. Amrutatwa is a principle which never dies, and that undying principle is Brahma Tatwa. To attain the Brahma Tatwa means releasing all the bonds of life, which means Mukti or Moksha. Here Krishna tells that one should never be afraid of death and hence need not run away from killing enemies. Non-existent ‘Asat’ can never exist while ‘Sat’ the existent will never be absent. Even then, the wise who have understood that principle, have seen the ends of both the Sat and Asat. How is this possible even if told by Krishna? Let us see here. Sat means the existent things. Depending on this word ‘Sat’, a new word ‘Asat’ is coined for the things, which never exist. Can there be any thing, which never exists? Of course it is impossible. Even then this word is prepared to express our imagination. Horse is ‘Sat’, but in its relation we can imagine a flying horse, which is not existing and so is ‘Asat’. If we see a flying horse instantly it will become Sat, and we can never say it to be Asat. Thus Asat can never exist. Then how its end is seen by the Seers? The sages went on examining every article in the world, every Sat, to its origin and found that the Sat is originated from a thing, which now does not exist. Therefore they called it as Asat. Thus they saw the origin of the Sat which is one end. They also saw the end of Asat. They visualized the end of Asat from where Sat arose. Thus they knew ends of both the Sat and Asat. This is narrated in the famous Nasadeeya Sukta of Rgveda HINDU TODAY
Philosophy
[10/129]. This concept is principally accepted by modern science which states that the present Universe has born from a primordial gas which is now absent. Thus Sat has arisen from Asat. There is a play between Sat and Asat. Behold that Sat is always existent. We see this chair. Is it Sat? Anybody will say that it is Sat because we can see it. But can it be always existing? No. It will be damaged some time when it cannot be said to be Sat. But the steel from which it is prepared will exist. So one may say that steel is Sat. But it is also not true, because some time steel will rust and become Asat. That rust is a part of a Mahabhoota named as Pruthvi. One may say that Pruthvi, the Earth is Sat. But the earth also cannot exist for more than four billion years. It will disappear. Hence it is also not Sat. Prithvi disappears in Apa at the time of Pralaya. Apa merges with Teja, Teja mixes with Vayu, Vayu disappears in Akasha. So Akasha is really Sat, every thing else present in Akasha is Asat. Akasha may dissolve in Atma Tatwa. Thus the real Sat is only Atma Tatwa. It is also named as Brahma Tatwa. That Brahma is imperishable. Brahma has occupied the whole Universe. Brahma cannot diminish, decay, decline. Nobody can destroy Brahman. Modern science has not thought about Brahman but it has come to particles like Protons which never disappear practically. Science has not found out the matter of which Protons are composed. But the sages have gone within the particles to say that those particles also have composed of Brahma. Thus Sankhya is parallel to science. All the bodies are perishable which are occupied by the imperishable Atma Tatwa. That indestructible Brahman is beyond imagination, it is infinite. The bodies die or HINDU TODAY
decay but that persistent principle remains unaffected. Therefore the one who thinks it to be a killer or killed does not know that it neither kills nor dies. In a body of a man there exists some energy. That energy effects the movements of body just like a fan is rotated by electricity. If some one puts his fingers in the rotating fan and gets the finger severed do we blame the electricity? No. Similarly when Atman moves a body and another body gets killed we should not blame Atman. We cannot destroy electricity, similarly Atman residing inside a body cannot be destroyed. Atman neither originates nor dies. We cannot say that once born it will die and will not come again or will come again.; because Atman is unborn, continuous, eternal. It does not die even if its body is killed. The wise who understands that perpetual constant cannot kill any one. We throw old garment and wear a new, in the same way Atman leaves the old body to possess a new body. Atman cannot be cut, burnt, soaked or dried. It is constant, omnipresent, steady atom. It is invariable, perpetual. Therefore one should not lament on anybody's’death. If you think it to be born and dead again and again, then also you should not worry, because it will definitely come again even if killed. Every born has inevitable death and every dead has to take rebirth. Hence one should not lament on any death. What is death? Note that all the existing things were unmanifested to begin with, they manifest in the middle and get lost into unmanifested world again. If it is a routine then why lament? Any animal or object gets manifest at birth. But before the birth it was unmanifested. After its death again it becomes unmanifest. Thus it is a cycle continuous one. This is Sankhya philosophy told
by Krishna in Geeta. He has not mentioned any God. He narrates only a perpetual principle. That eternal principle is termed as Atman or Brahman. Everybody gets surprised to see it or hear about it. Every body gets perplexed to talk about it. That Brahman controls this Universe. No other controller is needed, because it is the ruler, it is the ruled and the action of ruling is also Brahman. As it is all pervading, omniscient, knowing every thing, nothing can be hidden from it. It has established the laws of Karma. It is all scientific philosophy, nothing is superstition. Because only one principle is taken for granted in this philosophy, it is termed as Adwaita philosophy depicting non-duality. Because that one principle known as Atman or Brahman governs this world it is also named as Ishwar, the controller, because the root ‘Ish’ means to govern, to control. Modern science is approaching this unique principle. Formerly, science held four different energies controlling the world namely electromagnetic, gravitation, weak and strong nuclear forces. Now it accepts only one force having four different aspects. Thus science also comes closer to the Adwaita philosophy. ••• Dr. P. V. Vartak Dr. P. V. Vartak is a renowned scholar who has been instrumental in unfolding many scientific facts from ancient Indian scriptures in Sanskrit and has presented it to the modern day generation in lucid and intelligible form. He was born on 25 th Feb 1933 at Pune, Maharashtra, India. Besides being a spiritualist & a medical professional, he combines in himself the attributes of a Historian, Astronomer, Astrologer, Mathematician, Philosopher, Counsellor, Orator & Author. As a seeker of truth, he does not differentiate between the followers of different religions and faiths.
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Scriptures
Vedas and Their Purposes By Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur
• What is the purpose of the Vedas? - Vedic literature teaches one to engage in pure bhakti – pure devotional service. According to the nature and qualification of its so-called followers, Vedic literature has recommended various processes such as karma and jnana. Due to the faults of these followers, various opinions have cropped up. Actually, the Vedas are the only evidence and the instructing spiritual master of mankind. On account of misinterpretation, various opinions other than pure devotional service have been preached. (Bhagavatarkamarici mala 1-6) • Is the purpose of the Vedas to attain Brahman? - The Upanisads, the Brahmasutra, and the Bhagavad-gita are pure devotional literature. According to necessity, discussions about karma, jnana, mukti, and Brahman are found at particular places, but in the conclusion, nothing other than pure devotional service has been instructed. (Bhagavadgita introduction) • What is transcendental literature? - If a blind person guides another person, both of them fall into a ditch; similarly the mundane authors and their blind followers are misguided and regrettable. The Vedas and literature in pursuance of the Vedas are to be understood as transcendental literature. (Caitanya-siksamrta 1/2)
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• What should we accept as Vedas? - It is not that if one gets a book of Vedas from anywhere, it should be accepted everywhere. Whatever the Acharyas of the authorized sampradayas have accepted as Vedas, we should accept, and whatever they have rejected as false, we should reject. (Jaiva Dharma Chapter 13) • What have the Acharyas accepted as Vedic literature? - The Acharyas have accepted the following as Vedic literature: 11 Upanisads (Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brhad-aranyaka, and Svetasvatara), which are full of spiritual knowledge; a few tapanis (such as Gopala-tapani and Nrsimhatapani), which help one to worship the Lord; and the 4 Vedas (Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva), which are divided into brahmanas and mangalas. Since these Sastras have been received through disciplic succession, they are authentic Vedic literature. (Jaiva Dharma Chapter 13) • When was the Veda written? - During the rule of the Prajapatis, no Sastras were written; there were only a few pleasing words. In the very beginning, pranava was manifested. Written script had not yet been introduced. There was only one syllable with anusvara added to it to produce om. When the Manus rule began, other syllables like tat sat were introduced.
During the rule of the devatas, ancient mantras were composed by joining small words together. The performance of sacrifices began at this time. Gradually ancient poetic meters like Gayatri appeared. Caksusa Manu was the 8th generation after Svayambhuva Manu. It is said that Lord Matsya appeared during his reign and delivered the Veda. Perhaps during this time many poetic meters and verses of the Veda were composed, but they were only in sound vibration, not written. They were passed on by hearing. After the Veda had remained in this unwritten state for a long time and the number of verses gradually increased, it became difficult to grasp. Then the sages, headed by Katyayana and Asvalayana, composed the sutras of the Veda after careful consideration to make memorizing them easier. Still, many other mantras were composed after this. When the one Veda became greatly expanded, then Vyasadeva, after duly considering the subjects, divided the Veda into four and wrote them in book form. This took place a few years before King Yudhisthira’s reign. Vyasadeva’s disciples then divided those works amongst themselves. Those rsis, who were disciples of Vyasadeva, divided the 4 Vedas into different branches so that people could easily study them. (Sri Krsnasamhita introduction) HINDU TODAY
Scriptures
• What is amnaya? - Amnaya is Vedic literature consisting of spiritual knowledge received through disciplic succession coming from Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. • Which are the principal sastras? - The eleven Upanisads: Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brhad-aranyaka, and Svetasvatara, which are the crest jewel of the Vedas, as well as the Brahma-sutra [Vedanta-sutra], which consists of 4 chapters and 16 divisions, are the principal sastras among all sastras. (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 7/108) • Are the Atharva-veda and Brhad-Aranyaka Upanisad modern? What is Jaimini’s conclusion? - The Rg, Sama, and Yajur Vedas are the most widely respected. The Mundaka Upanisad states: tasmad rcah sama yajumsi, "The mantras of the Rg, Sama, and Yajur Vedas emanated from the Supreme Lord." It seems that all the ancient verses were compiled in these 3 Vedas. However, we cannot neglect the Atharva Veda or consider it modern. In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.11) the following verse is found: asya mahato bhutasya nisvasitam etad yad rg-vedo yajur-vedah sama-vedo ‘tharvangirasa itihasah puranam vidya upanisadah slokah sutranyanuvyakhyananyasyai vaitani sarvani nisvasitani "The Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas, the Itihasas or histories, the Puranas, the Upanisads, the slokas or mantras chanted by the brahmanas, the sutras or Vedic statements, vidya or HINDU TODAY
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur (September 2, 1838 – June 23, 1914) is a prominent figure among the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, was born Kedarnath Datta in the town of Birnagar, Bengal, India. He was the son of Raja Krsnananda Datta and Jagat Mohini Devi. Professionally, he was a High Court judge in Jagannath Puri in Odisha. Bhaktivinoda married and had several children, including Bimal Prasad (later Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura), the founder of the Gaudiya Math and the guru of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)
purport of swanlike Jaimini’s teachings. The purport of his teachings is as follows: All truths discovered are related to the Supreme Lord and are therefore eternal.
transcendental knowledge, and the explanations of the sutras and mantras are all emanations from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead."
The Brhad-aranyaka cannot be considered modern, because it was composed before the writings of Vyasadeva. The above-mentioned verse describes that the Itihasas and Puranas, which are both Vedic literature, contain ancient topics similar to those found in the Vedas.
Jaimini Rsi presented arguments to establish that the Vedas are for the eternal benefit of the neophytes. Swanlike personalities should accept the
Those who describe the Vedic truths as temporary by citing the examples of kikata (lowclass residents of the province of Gaya, Bihar, mentioned in the Rg Veda 3.53.14), naicasaka (low-class persons, mentioned in the same verse), and pramangada (low-class sons of money lenders, also mentioned in the same verse) are not aspiring to understand the truth. This is Jaimini’s conclusion. •••
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Spirituality
Science
The Road to Spirituality
L
Dr. K. K. Aggarwal
ove is what one is born with and ‘fear’ is what one learns. Spiritual journey is nothing but unlearning of fears and prejudices along with return of love back into ones heart.
our discriminating power in our day-to-day life while choosing situations between good and bad or real and unreal, and the choice in these situations is generally obvious as very little intellect is used.
The first principle, therefore, of living a spiritual life is to be full of love. Love is not escaping from sufferings or from your thoughts but is the unity with your own divine self, which is the true consciousness.
The most difficult discrimination and the one which is the key to internal happiness, is the power to differentiate between the ‘will of the Self’ and the ‘will of the mind and body’. To choose between the ‘self’ and the ‘mind’
It is easy to say ‘spread the message of love’. But most of us do not understand the literal meaning of love in our day-to-day life. Love basically involves doing two things: Firstly, not to willfully hurt someone (in thought, deed or action) and secondly, to seek out an opportunity to help someone. Hurting an individual arises mainly due to unthoughtful speech or action. Often a cruel word is said and regretted later. Opportunity to help others is an inherent divine gift in every individual, which we all need to re-search in our body. The ‘help’ here does not means ‘helping for a reward’ and has to be a ‘selfless giving’. It should not be done to get some appreciation or to get something back, but rather this intention of helping others should be stitched to our consciousness and should become an inherent part of our nature. Apart from love, the second principle in life for a spiritual journey is discrimination. We use
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are usually wrong. Consciousness based decisions are always the right decisions. The clutter and noise of the mind (thoughts) often blocks these decisions. Hypothetically speaking, suppose that the mind or the consciousness wants to help an individual, but the body takes over and complains that it is too tired. Or else, if the body is well-rested, the mind may take over in form of desires and make you feel greedy, envious or jealous, etc.
Consciousness based decisions are always the right decisions. The clutter and noise of the mind (thoughts) often blocks these decisions. Hypothetically speaking, suppose that the mind or the consciousness wants to help an individual, but the body takes over and complains that it is too tired.
One should always listen to the consciousness and take conscious based decisions which are always accompanied by bodily comfort. On the other hand, decisions taken against the consciousness will always lead to bodily discomfort, which can be felt within seconds of taking wrong decisions.
is often difficult, and one tends to tilt towards the voice of the mind for temporary external pleasure.
If answer to any of them is ‘No’, one should not undertake that action. One should not visit the market to see how many things one wants or needs but see how many things one does not have and also does not need.
In all situations, there is always an inner voice, which is first to come and is often ignored. Immediately after the inner voice, the mind takes over. The decisions taken from the mind are often against the consciousness and
According to Vedantic text, one should ask oneself four basic questions before doing anything. 1. Is it necessary? 2. Is it the truth? 3. Will it bring happiness to me? 4. Will it bring happiness to others?
After love and discrimination, the third spiritual principle is to attain tolerance and a state of deHINDU TODAY
Spirituality
sirelessness. Internal happiness is directly proportional to possessions and indirectly proportional to the desires. In such a case, even if ones possessions are negligible and one still does not have any desires, one can get a long-lasting internal happiness. One should be attached to the actions but detached from the results No doubt it is extremely difficult not to have desires but at least one should not have egocentric desire. These desires should be towards one’s own consciousness, so that it can be transformed to love. One should remember that happiness is within us. But one tends to run away from the sufferings based on past perceptions. Changing the perceptions of life can make all the difference. One should not judge an individual with one’s own level of perception but from that person’s level of perception, and only then can HINDU TODAY
one judge an individual to the right extent. It is the body and the mind which suffers or enjoys and not the consciousness. If one is in touch with ones consciousness, one will always remain internally happy. One of the formulae to remember is that when one does anything, it should be done as if everything matters, but when one wants to live a life, one should live as if nothing matters. Another point towards self-realization is one-pointedness towards one’s chosen goal and practicing self-inquiry. One- pointedness in life means nothing can ever disturb one away from ones path and failures, success; temptations play only a minor role. Pain and pleasure are the two sides of the same coin, and it is all in the perception. One can perceive the same thing as pain in
one situation and as pleasure in the other. Changing one’s level of perception can convert pain into pleasure and pleasure into pain.
••• Dr. K.K. Aggarwal Dr K.K. Aggarwal is President, Heart Care Foundation of India; Sr Consultant Physician, Cardiologist and Dean M e d i ca l Ed u cat i o n Moolchand Medcity; Chairman Ethical Committee Delhi Medical Council; Chairman (Delhi Chapter) International Medical Sciences Academy; Hony Director IMA AKN Sinha Institute (08–09); Hony Finance Secretary National IMA (07–08); Chairman IMA Academy of Medical Specialties (06–07); President Delhi Medical Association (05–06), President IMA New Delhi Branch (94–95, 02–04); Editor in Chief IJCP Group of Publications & Hony. Visiting Professor (Clinical Research) DIPSAR.
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Vedic KÈlaga‡anÈ By Dr. Ravi Prakash Arya
T
he Vedic seers remembered these seven lokas routinely and regularly during their daily prayers as : vksa Hkw% A vksa Hkqo% A vksa Lo% A vksa eg% A vksa tu% A vksa ri% A vksa lR;e~A SÊryasiddhÈnta also gives appellations to various days of the week on the same ground. Since the creation commences with the sun-rise. So the first day of the weak was called RavivÈra after Sun. In fact, out of 24 hours of the day every hour is assigned to one planet in order and the name of the day is given as per the name of the planet assigned to the first hour of the day. In fact, the nomenclature of the days of week and their particular order is retained throughout the world as per the above principles evolved in India. This is one of the concrete proof to the fact that astronomy first originated in India and reached thereafter other parts of the world. DIMENSION OF MONTHS AND YEAR The Earth revolves round the sun in 365.25 civil days at the rate of speed of one lakh km. per hour. If the ecliptic of the Earth is divided into 360 degrees, Earth's revolution of 10 will be known as one solar day. Obviously one can state that one solar day is greater than one civil day by 21 minutes. The ecliptic is also divided into 12 signs of Zodiac known as Me–a etc. }kn'k ç/k;³pØesde~ (RV. 1.164.48) 'That is, the year is a cycle of 12 spokes.' So also at another place in RV. 1.164.11.
'That is, a cycle of 12 spokes has surrounded theSun which is not going to wear out.' Similarly, 30 degrees on the ecliptic forms a month. The month is constituted of 30 civil days or 30 solar days each of which is greater by 21 minutes than civil days. But here it may be pointed out that constitution of a month doesn't owe either to rotation or revolution of the Earth but it owes to the Moon's revolution round the earth. The following statement of ÿgvedic ÿ–i is noteworthy : v:.kks ekld`n~ o`d% (RV. 1.105.18) 'Moon is the maker of months.' Yaska's commentary is noteworthy here. v:.k% vkjkspuks ekld`Ueklkuka pk¼Zeklkuka p drkZ Hkofr pUæek o`d%A 'That is, Moon is the maker of months and fortnights.' In fact, the term mÈsa is formed from -mas of Candramas itself. mÈsa means to measure eklk ekukr~ (Nirukta, 4.27). Since the
moon measure the constellations in the sky, the action of measuring is associated with Moon. The same concept of moon was inherited by Greeks from Bharat. That is why they also see the measuring action behind the origin of the term moon. Here it may specifically be known that CandramÈ completes its revolution round the earth in 29 days and, 12 hours and hence the limit of a lunar month comes about twenty nine days and twelve hours. On the other hand a month formed of Solar days consists of about 30 days 10 minutes and 30 seconds. Thus with the passing of one solar month, lunar month stands in excess of 12 hours, 10 minutes and three seconds, and with every 32 solar months and 15 days, exceeds one lunar month. This excess month is called as Adhika mÈsa or mala masa or intercalary month. Vedic seers knew full well the exceeding lunar month with respect to solar month. Therefore it is observed by the Vedic seer. osn eklks /k`rozrks }kn'k% çtkor%A osnk ; mitk;rsAA
CandramÈ completes its revolution round the earth in 29 days and, 12 hours and hence the limit of a lunar month comes about twenty nine days and twelve hours. On the other hand a month formed of Solar days consists of about 30 days 10 minutes and 30 seconds. Thus with the passing of one solar month, lunar month stands in excess of 12 hours, 10 minutes and three seconds, and with every 32 solar months and 15 days, exceeds one lunar month. This excess month is called as Adhika mÈsa or mala masa or intercalary month. Vedic seers knew full well the exceeding lunar month with respect to solar month.
}kn'kkja u fga rTtjk; ooZfrZ pØa ifj/kke`rL;A
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"Knower of natural laws knows- the twelve months and the intercalary month.'' PRINCIPLES OF NAMING THE MONTHS As stated above, months are formed on the basis of Moon's course round the Earth. Similarly, names of months were also given after the asterism which comes into conjunction with Moon at the end of PÊr‡imÈ, the full Moon day. For instance name of the month Caitra has been given on the basis of conjunction of Moon with Citra constellation after the full Moon day. Here one more thing may be remembered that when Moon is in conjunction with a particular constellation at the end of PÊr‡imÈ, the Sun is housed 1800 apart from the Moon or say right opposite to Moon. Thus when the Sun is in A„vini constellation, Moon will be in Caitra at the end of PÊr‡imÈ and the month's name will also be Caitra after Citra. YUGA DIMENSION For higher units of time the concept of Yuga system ranging from minimum period of 5 years to maximum period of 43, 20, 000 was evolved. Yuga, as the very name implies, was measured as per time taken in meeting one or more moving heavenly bodies at a particular place in a particular time. Yuga of five years : Five years were taken as the initial unit of a Yuga. The concept of five year Yuga was evolved owing to the meeting of Sun and Moon in Dhani–—hÈ constellation. Sun and Moon meet together in a particular constellation after every five years. Every fifth year on the first day of bright half of MÈgha month when the earth's northern hemisphere tends towards Sun, Sun and Moon get conjunct with Dhanistha constellation. Same fact has been disclosed in VedÈ×ga Jyoti–a (6) as HINDU TODAY
follows: LojkØesrs lksekdksZ ;nk lkda loklokSA L;kr~ rnk¿¿fn;qxa ek?kLri% 'kqDyks¿;ua áqnd~AA So five year Yuga finds its currency at the very beginning of the present creation. The appellations of five years of a Yuga are as under: Samvatsara Parivatsara IdÈvatsara Anuvatsara ldvatsara
Yuga of five years : Five years were taken as the initial unit of a Yuga. The concept of five year Yuga was evolved owing to the meeting of Sun and Moon in Dhani–—hÈ constellation. Sun and Moon meet together in a particular constellation after every five years. Yuga of 12 years : After Moon and Sun, Jupiter finds a great significance. Jupiter is considered as the Guru or light giver of the Suras, i.e. the people tenating the eastern hemisphere, since the Jupiter rises in the east and sets in the west like that of the Sun. For the people in the western hemisphere(Asuras), the Sun rises in the west ( from the point of view of Suras) and sets in the east. Similar trend is discernible in the rising and setting of Venus, so Venus was known as the Guru of Asuras. Jupiter takes about 12 years to complete its course round the Sun, so the limit of Yuga was further extended from 5 to 12 year son the basis of the
revolution period of Jupiter. The appellations of 12 years of BÈrhaspatya Yuga system were given after the name of a constellation beginning which Rasi or Zodiac sign the B‚haspati is housed. For instance, if B‚haspati is housed in Me–a sign, the year will be named as ¶„vin; if in V‚–a (Taurus), the year will be christened as KÈrttika and so on as MÈrga„ir–a, Pau–a, MÈgha, PhÈlguna, Caitra, Vai„Èkha, Jye–—ha, ¶–Èdha, ƒrÈva‡a and BhÈdrapada etc. These names are similar to the names of 12 months in a year. Yuga of 60 years : To extend the limit further, the five-yearYuga was studied with respect to Jupiter and so the limit of Yuga was extended to 12 x 5 = 60 years. Sixty year Yuga commenced for the first time when conjunction of Jupiter also took place in Dhani–— hÈ constellation along with Moon and Sun after 86 crore 50 lakh years elapsed of the present Kalpa. In fact Jupiter's conjunction along with Moon and Sun in Dhani–—hÈ constellation takes place after every 86 crore and 50 lakh years and this type of occasion occurs only five times in a Kalpa. The above cited ground for the commencement of 60 years Yuga has also been supported by the following reference of Vi– ‡udharmottara Purȇa quoted in VallÈlasena's work called Adbhuta SÈgara (P.25 quoted by Damodar Jha, BhÈratÏya kalaga‡anÈ kÏ rÊparekhÈ). The verse reads as under. ek?k 'kqDy lekjEHks pUækdksZ oklo{kZxkSA tho;qDrks ;nk L;krka "k"V~;CnkfnLrnk Hkosr~AA ''The sixty years Yuga cycle commences with the conjunction of Jupiter with Moon and Sun in Dhani–—hÈ constellation on the first day of bright half of MÈgha month.''
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The sixty years were divided into 5 cycle of 12 years each. The appellations of these five cycles are the same as those of five years of Yuga, viz. SaŠvatsara, Parivtsara, IdÈvatsara, anuvatsara and Idvatsara. DIMENSION OF DIVINE AND DOMINIACAL DAY AND YEAR Apart from the above measurements, the Vedic seers discovered that the earth was inclined on its axis. Tilak in his Orion (P.158) quotes Prof. Ludwig to prove this fact. According to him, ''Prof. Ludwig goes further and holds that the RV. mentions the inclination of the ecliptic with equator (1.1.10) and the axis of the earth (10-89.4).'' oS³okujL; çfrHkksifj /kkS;kZoæksnlh foock/ ks vfXu%A rr% "k"BknkeqnkS ;fUr Lrksek mfnrks ;RufHk% "k"BeÉ %AA ''On the ecliptic Sun shines for six months on one part of the earth and for six months on the other part of the earth. This makes day and night of six months each on polar regions.'' In fact, ecliptic was known in the Vedic times as Vai„vÈnara path. VÈlmiki also describes Vai„vÈnara path as ecliptic as under : xxus rkU;sdkfu oS³okujiFkk}fg%A u{k=kkf.k eqfuJs"B rs rq T;ksfr"kq tkToyu~ AA 'In the sky, there are many, luminous stars outside the ecliptic.' Thus (six months') day and night at polar regions equalled the virtual 12 months at equator. Equator being highly populated by humans as compared to poles, was known as human region or Manu–ya loka. On the other hand, polar regions became famous as Divine (north pole) and Dominiacal (south pole) regions. This is why, a dictum came into vogue that one year of humans equalled
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one day of Gods. The first record of this convention can be found in TS. as , da ok , rÆsokukeg% ;RlaoRlj%A ''That is, one year of humans is equal to one day of Gods.'' Zend Avesta of Parsis, which is the Vedic legacy available in a corrupt language, also preserves the same old notion as follows : rs , p v;j ebU; , Urs ;r ijsA Its Sanskrit conversion will be rendered as under : rs p vgja eU;Urs ;n~o"kZe~A
As per Indian wisdom led by Aryabha——a second and Brahmagupta, all the planets were in conjunction with A„vini constellation along with their apsides and nodes 197 crore years ago or in beginning of this Kalpa. These planets come in conjunction with the same constellation after 4,32,000 years. Thus one Divine or Dominacal day is equal to 360 human days and one year is equal to 360 human years. Note : The concept of Divine and Dominiacal regions will be explained in the ensuing pages. DIMENSION OF CATURYUGA For computation of longer period, Yugas of considerably large measures were also formed. In this series, four Yugas starting from Kaliyuga through DvÈpara, TretÈ and Satyayuga may be mentioned.
Kaliyuga consists of 1200 divine years or 4, 32, 000 human years. DvÈpara, as the very name indicates, consists of twice the years as contained in Kaliyuga, i.e. 2400 divine years or 8, 64, 000 human years. TretÈ consists of three times the number of years as contained in Kaliyuga, i.e. 3600 divine years or 12, 96, 000 human years. Satyayuga consists of four times the years contained in Kaliyuga, i.e. 4800 divine years or 17, 28, 000 human years. Thus all the four Yugas when taken together from a MahÈyuga. According to SÊryasiddhÈnta, MahÈyuga is of the nature of Dharma. Manusmrti describes Dharma as having 10 codes. /k`fr{kekneks¿Lrs;a 'kkSpa bfUæ;fuxzg%A /khfoZ|klR;e¿Øks/kks n'kda /keZy{k.ke~AA In view of the same, Kaliyuga is considered to have contained one part of Dharma, DvÈpara two parts or twice as Kaliyuga, TretÈ three and Satyayuga four parts. All taken together 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 form 10 parts. We have a popular notion that Dharma was standing on four pillars in Satyayuga, three pillars in TretÈ, two in Dvapara and one in Kaliyuga. It is further believed that due to the same reason, people in Satyayuga were more ethical and in Kaliyuga, they have lost ethical values. In fact, this notion has nothing to do with the above belief, rather it has clear cut relation with KÈlaga‡anÈ. BASIS OF THE CATURYUGA THEORY As per Indian wisdom led by Aryabha——a second and Brahmagupta, all the planets were in conjunction with A„vini constellation along with their apsides and nodes 197 crore years ago or in beginning of this Kalpa. These planets come in conjunction with the same constellation after 4, 32, 000 years. So this period of 4, 32, 000 HINDU TODAY
Science
years was calculated as the period of one conjunction or Kali (one) Yuga (conjunction). The period of two conjunction was known as DvÈpara, three conjunctions as TretÈ and four as Satyayuga. The present Kaliyuga started 3102 years before the birth of Christ on Feb. 18th at 2.27.30 P.M. At that period also all the planets were housed in one zodiac sign. In this connection Europe's famous astronomer Belly observes thus: "According to astronomical calculations of the Hindus, the present period of the world, Kaliyuga, commenced 3102 years before the birth of Christ on 20th Feb., at 2 hours 27 minutes and 30 seconds, the time being thus calculated to minutes and seconds. They say conjunction of planets took place and their table show this conjunction. It was natural to say that a conjunction of planets then took place. This calculation of Brahmins is so exactly confined by our own astronomical tables that nothing but actual observation could have given so correspondent a result". (Theogony of Hindus, by Count Bjornstjema, P. 32) Keeping in view this astronomical base behind the nomenclature of Yugas of higher measure, the ÿgveda was also compiled with 4, 32, 000 syllables so as to represent the very astronomical basis of the popular Yuga system. MANVANTARA DIMENSION Apart from Caturyuga and MahÈyuga measurement, still higher unit of measurement was formed and the process of reversal of the world was made the basis. This reversal takes place in 30, 84, 48, 000 years. Under this reversal process the polarity of earth is also changed, the different direcHINDU TODAY
tions are changed. Yoga VÈsi–—ha sheds an ample good light on this fact as under: çfr eUoUrja czãfUoi;ZLrs txRØesA lafuos'ks¿U;Fkk tkrs ç;krs laJqrs tus AA laLFkkueU;Fkk rfLefULFkrs ;kfUr fn'kks¿U;FkkA u lUUkklTtxUeU;s Hkze;Udsoya f/k;a%AA Keeping in view the reversal of world order and change of polarity in 30, 84, 48, 000 (308.448 million) years, the same period was taken as a unit of measurement of time and was called as Manvantara. It seems that this geological factor is related with astronomical factor. The Vedic seers discovered five systems each smaller one revolving round the greater one in order, thus encompassing the whole universe. To start with, Moon or Candra Ma‡Çala, being the first one followed by P‚thivi Ma‡Çala or Earth, SÊrya Ma‡Çala or Sun, Parame–—hi Ma‡Çala or Galactic centre and SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala or the centre of all the galactic centres in Universe. In the creation of universe each Ma‡Çala or system is sustained by the following one. For their instance, Candra Ma‡Çala or Moon revolves round the Earth; the Earth revolves round the Sun; Sun revolves round the galactic centre and the galaxies revolve round the SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala. As it has already been told that Moon's revolution forms months; Earth's revolution forms years; B‚haspati's revolution forms 12 years' Yuga and conjunction of various planets forms various other Yuga systems. Similarly Sun's revolution round the galactic centre caused the geological factors like reversal of world order and change of polarity of earth and became the basis of Manvantara measurement of period. As per modem estimates, the Sun takes its course round the galactic centre at the rate of 250 kms. per second
the period of a Kalpa denotes the period taken by Parame–—hi Ma‡Çala round its SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala. In fact our galaxy takes the period of 4 Arab and 32 crore years to complete one round of its centre or SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala. along its ecliptic path of around 39, 97, 48, 60, 80, 00, 00, 000 i. e 39 Sa×kh kms or 39974.8608 trillion kms. in 25 to 27 crore or say 250 to 270 million years. But as per ancient Indian scholar's estimates Sun took 30, 84, 48, 000 years to complete its course round the galactic centre and so the same period was computed as one Manu. This difference between modern and ancient Hindu scholars' calculations regarding Sun's course round the galactic centre shows that size of galaxy known to ancient Hindus was much larger than what is known to modern scholars. This Manvantara period is equivalent to 71 MahÈyugas + one Satyayuga. Since the whole period of 71 MahÈyugas was exceeded by one Satyayuga. The period of Satyayuga in the measurement of Manvantara was taken as twilight period and was called as Manusandhi. Thus the period of one Manu was calculated to be equal to 71 MahÈyugas and the excess period of one Satyayuga was taken as the transition period. According to SÊryasidhÈnta the period of K‚tayuga (1.18) in a Manvantara is marked by inundation. KALPA DIMENSION The next higher unit of meas-
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urement of time is the Kalpa which consists of 14 Manvantaras and 15 K‚tayugas. Thus one Kalpa is equal to 1000 MahÈyugas (14 x 7l + 15 K‚ta = 994 + 6 = 1000) or 1, 20, 00, 000 divine years of 4, 32, 00, 00, 000 (4.32 billion) human years. In other words the period of a Kalpa denotes the period taken by Parame–—hi Ma‡Çala round its SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala. In fact our galaxy takes the period of 4 Arab and 32 crore years to complete one round of its centre or SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala. Atharvaveda discloses this fact as under: 'kra rs¿;qra gk;uku~ }s ;qxs =khf.k pRokfj d`.e%A bUækXuh fo³osnsokLrs¿uqeU;Urkeâ.kh;ekuk% "The Galaxy takes 4, 32, 00, 00, 000 (4.32 billion) years to complete one revolution. Here VisvedevÈÌ is representative of Galaxy." One revolution of Galaxy round SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala is known as Kalpa or the day of BrahmÈ. The equal amount of period is his night. Thus one day and night of BrahmÈ is equal to 864 crore (8.64 billion) years. 360 such days and nights make (864 x 360 = 31, 10, 40, 00, 00, 000 .i.e 3.1104 trillion years) one year of BrahmÈ. Total span of the life of BrahmÈ is stated to be 100 BrÈhma years i.e. 31, 10, 40, 00, 00, 00, 000 (311.04 trillion) years. The period of the first 50 Brahma years is known as first ParÈrdha and the next 50 years are known as second ParÈrdha. Thus from the foregoing discussion, it is clear that as per Vedic schools of thought the total age of the Universe is 31, 10, 40, 00, 00, 00, 000 (31.041 trillion years). The capacity of earth to sustain biological life on it is 4, 32, 00, 00.000 (4.32 billion) years. Vi–‡u Purȇa has clearly stated the Naimittika dissolution takes place in 4, 32, 00,
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00, 000 years. The description of Naimittika dissolution as available in the Purȇa, shows that the Earth will no longer be able to hold the atmosphere conducive to biological life on it like Moon, Mercury and Venus. Then the life of Earth will transfer to Janaloka or B‚haspati planet which will be able to hold atmosphere conductive to the origin of biological life. Thus the Vedic seers defined the KÈla from its smallest unit to the highest unit of measurement. The above discussed measurement of Time is an ample good evidence to ascertain the climax of scientific development in the Vedic age.
Then the life of Earth will transfer to Janaloka or B‚haspati planet which will be able to hold atmosphere conductive to the origin of biological life. TIME LAPSED SINCE CREATION The Indian tradition has been able to maintain the full record of time period passed since the origin of this Universe as well as passed since the creation of life on the Earth. The computation of time period was regularly done through the tradition of SaŠkalpa PÈ—has read every day at the time of performing Yaj¤as and on the occasion of various rites and ceremonies connected with the compartmentalized life of an individual. This SaŠkalpa tradition is uniformly handled althrough the various parts of the country except the contents of geographical reference. Geographical reference has to differ naturally owing to various geographical situations. The SaŠkalpa tradition that has been
handed to us today reads as under: v| czãk.kks f}rh;s ijk¼ZsA ³osrokjkgdYis lIres oSoLoreUoUrjs v"Vkfoa'kfrres dfy;qxs dfyçFke & pj.ks 5101 xrkCnsA The present SaŠkalpa has computed the time period consumed so far since the origin of present universe. As per the contents of the SaŠkalpa-pÈ—ha first half (ParÈrdha) of BrahmÈyu has elapsed so far and the first day (ƒveta VarÈhakalpa) of second ParÈrdha is in currency. First half of the age of BrahmÈ can be calculated as 50 BrÈhma years. This period comes about to be 1, 55, 20, 00, 00, 00, 000 (155.52 trillion) years. This means that 1, 55, 20, 00, 00, 000 + 1, 97, 29, 49, 102 = 15, 55, 21, 97, 29, 49, 102 (155.2197 trillion) years have elapsed since the creation of SvayaŠbhuva Ma‡Çala, Parame–—hi Ma‡Çala (Galaxies), SÊrya Ma‡Çala (Stars), P‚thivi Ma‡Çala (Planets) and Candra Ma‡Çala (Satellites). In this large chain of creation, the earth originated somewhere about 400 to 500 crore years ago and the life sprang on it around 197 crore years ago. As the very SaŠkalpa indicates that since the beginning of ƒvetavarÈhakalpa 'i.e.' first day of BrahmÈ's second ParÈrdha, six Manus has elapsed and of the present seventh Vaivasvata Manu, 27 MahÈyugas has also elapsed. The 28th MahÈyuga is under currency, of which K‚ta, TretÈ and DvÈpara have also gone. Of the present Kaliyuga, 5101 years have already passed and the year 5102 has commenced and so the 51st century of the present Kaliyuga has ended and the 52nd century has commenced. Concluding the above discussion one may safely and unhesitatingly say that the world has stepped into the 52nd century and not into the 21st century as is propagated and considered the world over.
••• HINDU TODAY
Science
Vanaras in Our Midst By Nilamani Kalia Robinson
Veda means to "KNOW" and myth can never part of Veda. Thus the statements in the Vedic literature are historical, scientific truths and cannot accurately be labeled as mythology. In these ancient texts we read of many incredible and amazing personalities. Jambavan is one of these beings. Known as Riksha-raja, "King of Bears", he is really the first of these as he is also born directly from Lord Brahma during the primal stages of creation. Jambavan has witnessed many Avatars, such as Trivikrama, Rama & Lord Krsna. He has seen many Manvantaras come and go. So really Jambavan is the true archetype of his race. As the Puranas & Ramayana depict the Vanara/ Kimpurusa as more developed than humans so too are there many strange phenomena associated with bigfoot, although the majority of bigfoot enthusiast do not like to admit this. According to native histories and direct eye-witness encounters bigfoot & his kind are definitely associated with not only super-human strength but mystic and other un-earthly phenomena. So it seems that Ramayana is definitely telling it like it is! Regarding the racial identity of Jambhavan Srila Prabhupada's stated "Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna.... From the description of Srimad Bhagavatam we understand this Jambavan was a very sturdy and strong fighter. Sometimes we get such picture of bodily construction of a black man in your country.... So in this way you can guess what should be the features of his body. But he certainly was not a bear." HINDU TODAY
Hanuman twirls a pillar in Caitya palace- Asoka Garden in Lanka, killing the Rakshasa guards. Sundara-Kanda Ramayan. In this scene Sri Hanuman takes a giant form & breaks off one of the Garden-palace pillars, taking the huge pillar Hanumans twirls it so fast it begins throwing sparks like a giant metal grinder & catches the palace on fire. Original Art by the author
From the Ramayana, Bhagavat Purana etc. it is abundantly clear Vanara are not human descent from Manu as we know. Jambavan is the 'king of bears' who are also like him. Vanara are a like a mix between humans and these animals. They are not merely the animals that are the commonly known bears of the forest. Vanara are lords of all forest animals including bears, lions, elephants etc, because no known forest creature can compare to their strength, speed & intellect. -"Lord Krsna adressed him as King Jambavan, because he and not the lion was actually the king of the forest; with his naked hand, without a weapon, Jambavan killed the lion" (KRSNABook Syamantaka Jewel).
Ramayan verses signifying Jambavan's breed: "those who appear like black clouds like black collyrium these bears who are truly mighty in combat" -Yuddha-kanda 6.27."Jambavan's giant-bodied troops, resembling devils, having thick hair, endowed with unlimited energy, hurl massive rocks as big as clouds" 6.27.14 ; no bear throws rocks but Vanara & Bigfoot do.(there are more than ample comparisons of rock-throwing & breaking of trees & large branches common to both Vanara & Bigfoot but that will have to come later) They are both very well known for this & other identical tactics. This next verse shows how Vanara also differ from humans and are akin to (but definitely not!)monkeys-apes
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&bears descriptions identical to Bigfoot etc.: "with claws as weapons, having four tusks(canines), like lions-equal to mighty mountains"6.27-38. One may think that Srila Prabhupada & Ramayana are unique in description of Jambavan and the Vanaras but actually it is common in hundreds of modern witness accounts also: I.e. "From its upper jaw projected two very large tusksits entire body covered in hair, its face bore a striking resemblance to a negro except the chin and cheeks were covered in long hair" -Dubuque Daily Herald- June 27, 1863 &:"the head resembled a negro, hair covered-made it resemble an animal as much as human-its eyes small and black like a bear's" William Roes sworn affidavit-BC Canada 1957(bigfootencounters. com);"black skin, average size 8 to 10 feet tall-bearded-thin lips-look like indiviuals of African descentcovered with short,straight dark
hair" (B.M Nunelly 2006 Kentucky Bigfoot); "looked like two big 'mutant-bears' muscular with human features" (Spring Lake Minnesotaparanormal.about.com); "cross between an ape and a bear walking on two legs"(Dumfries Potomac News VA. 1977 John Green Sasquatch the Ape Among Us) "cross between an ape and caveman" E. Peoria Ill.; "Ape-human face with a long bushy tail"-Albany Ky.1973 kentuckybigfoot.com etc.. There are many many such eyewitness reports to put here. Amazingly even in modern times these reports echo the same words used in Ramayan, Bhagavat Purana and elsewhere in the words 'kapi'-ape', hari-'monkey' & riksha'bear' & the interrogative nouns, 'Kinnara' & 'Kimpurusa' "Are they monkeys or men?" Many eyewitness accounts of mainly the various racial features of bigfoot & their kind are an identical match with the descriptions
from the Ramayan. Of course this is only contains a general comparison of certain bodily features & not the many other common traits or other physical features(such as tails)which we hope to address. But, this example is not racial profiling (as specified the Vanara are not manusya or true-humans), but merely describes & specifies the 'Riksha' or bear-type of Vanara like Jambavan & others like him, because just as the varieties of humans exist, so do Vanara. The varying types of Vanara are given in categories as Hari-monkeys(like Hanuman), Kapi-apes(like Dvivida) & Riksha-bear(like Jambavan), but because they are similar in their traits at times these names are used for any member of the Vanara race (this would never be done or mistaken for commonly known animals such as bears & monkeys). The physical characteristics & hues of the various races of the Vanara are given in verses from
Sugriva challenges his brother Vali, releasing an 'oceanic roar' causing deer & cows to run helter-skelter. Kiskindha-kanda--Ramayana---VANARA ART : If anyone was wondering why we have been so obssesed with the descriptions of Vanara in Ramayan, it was mainly for researching how to depict the Vanara heroes like Hanuman, Sugriva &c. Not saying it is 100% accurate, but because we know for sure they are not bears,{ as Jambavan has sadly been depicted as) or monkeys etc. & because there are literally thousands of varying degrees of depictions it can be confusing. So for that matter we found no better source than Valmiki, the author of Ramayan, & Sri Vyasadeva.
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Ramayan. I.e: "those Vanara whose complexions are golden and-the Vanara who are tinged like the rising sun" Kiskinda-kanda37; "someare tawny color, some are white color" yuddha-kanda.27; " Vanara of tawny, white, of copper, honeyreddish brown color" 6.27.40 "Hanuman with coral-color face, who was tawny color" 5.33-1; Modern eye-witness reports reflect the statements of the Ramayana: "7 feet tall with huge claws-white hair almost gray" 2005 Virginia-paranormal.about.com); "the Bigfoot(had) brilliant long white hair" Missouri 2004-bigfootencounters.com); the creature was over 6 feet tall covered in brownpurple wavy hair" Hubei China 1976 cryptozo.com) " it was the same color as a coyote a silverishgrey-white" 1992 'Finding BigfootOhio; "hair was white/silver its face was pink"1995 New S. Wales Australia gcbro.com; " a copperblondish-color" 1975 Alberta CA.; "caramel-blonde-color" Gila Arizona 1988; "reddish in color, like an Irish Setter" Colorado 1990; "pinkish-reddish face like a sunburnt man" Maine 1951-bigfootencounters.com; Apparently, just as some Bigfoot types have African features others have Oriental or Asian features & some like European etc. I.e: "She had facial features like European white female with excess hair" 2010 Maryland mid-americabigfoot.com; "appeared to be a white man's face surrounded by a huge afro style mat of hair" 1971 georgiabigfootsociety &c &c. The very same words used in Ramayana & Bhagavat Purana are used by witnesses this very day, that is "are they monkeys, apes, bears or what? This is just a small sample of the abundance of evidence that not only strongly suggest the existence of these and other mythic-beings HINDU TODAY
Jambavan as depicted in Yakshagana a dance form
that continuously 'pop-up' in our modern world, where according to modern scholars, they should not exist, but it also gives creedence to the many native legends & histories worldwide and ancient scriptures such as the Ramayana which contain perhaps the most detailed account of the Vanaras than any other ancient literature. The evidence is clear that not only was Jambavan not a bear but Hanuman & others are not monkeys...Ramayana-Bala kanda-"they shall be mystics of miracles-they shall be equal in swiftness to the wind-with intellect they shall be knowers of ideation-with divine physique they shall be ineliminable-endowed with assaultive aspect knowers of mystic weaponsequal to Visnu in valour"-1.17.3 & "with shape-shifting faculty -they are born free in their movement in the forest"-1.17.24 & The Vanara are not small but giants with godlike strength : "with their elephantine, mountainous and prodigious bodies" Bala-kanda-1.17.18 & "
They can rock mountains, rip up firm rooted trees"-1.17.26 "They can shatter the ground with their feet"-1.17.27 "With the sound of their roar they cause flying birds to fall"-1.17.28 The superhuman strength of Jambavan, Hanuman & Dvivida are well noted. As Manu is to mankind, these are also the archetypes of their race, commonly known as Yeti, Sasquatch & Bigfoot. They are called Kimpurusha in Puranas because it simply means " what kind of person is this?" Are they monkeys, apes, bears or men? Prabhupada: "That is still there. Kinnaras. Kinnaras means it is doubtful whether he is man or monkey." --Tamal Krsna : Wow. --Prabhupada : "There is Kinnaraloka. Kimpurusa. Kinnara. They are still existing. It is not that they are finished." M.W. N.York July,12,76 Native legends around the world & thousands of modern eye-witness reports of Yeti, Bigfoot etc., correspond identically with features & traits of Vanara as given in great detail from Ramayan, Bhagavat Purana & other Vedic scripture. So apparently just like us, they are still here. To clarify the size of Vanara in Bala-kanda, they are born with, "elephantine, mountainous & prodigious bodies"(gaja-acala-samkasha- vapusmanto)1.17; "they can capture ruttish elephants" they can rock the greatest mountain"&c.&c.; Kiskindha-kand: "like elephants, like mobile mountains (dirada prakhyan; parvatan iva jangaman ) 4.13-11; "while those monkeys hopped everywhere they frightened deer, wildcats & tigers" 4.2.10,11; the list goes on describing their "giant-bodied-forms" & there is no mention or evidence of shape-shifting to attain these giantforms. Mahabharat( Vana-parva pt 7) Hanuman is seen by Bhima ly-
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ing down in the Himalayas: "the Vanara Hanuman with huge body (maha-kaya)-59; " the chief of monkeys, Hanuman with a huge body (ati-kaya) like unto the Himalaya" -71; This was not the colossal form he took when jumping over the ocean to Lanka. In the following chapters Hanuman shows that colossal form to Bhima. His natural form is once again 'ati-kaya & maha-kaya or great-sized body. Hanuman further explains to Bhima that his form has diminshed in conformation with the present age. Even though Bhima sees Hanuman as "ati-kaya," (gigantic body) & "maha-kaya" (huge-bodied), this was not even as large as Hanuman's natural form when Lord Rama appeared in Treta-yuga. According to all the evidence Vanara in natural form is called huge & giant. This particular art is to feature such descriptions. It is not traditional iconic art & therefore emphasizing not only the Personality of Godhead, but pastimes & associates; as these are integral significant parts of the extraordinary display, illuminating & delightful pastimes of Godhead. Adventure of the ultimate degree is found in the divine pastimes of the Supreme Lord. There can be no adventure if there is only one person or scene. To envision this & convey what we can is the purpose of this art. The divine adventures include personalities of the ultimate the very best & worst, & most unusual characters not even imaginable. All this makes the pastimes very attractive if one takes it for literal sense. But we like to try so... in art devotee may be featured or God may be & in some cases devotee is featured alone, as is very popular with Hanuman & many saints. By comparison of size, characteristic and activities, all evidence by description points to Vanara & Bigfoot & his kind as being of the same identity. So we
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have taken descriptions from this also. Although, we dont have benefit to put all the evidence here to show why we have concluded this, believe me, we have researched volumes of histories, legends & reports about the subject of hairy wild-man monkey-men, ape-men, bear-men, sasquatch, bigfoot, yeti &c. When Sugreeva first beholds Rama & Laksman, thinking they maybe asassins, he fears his life. Lord Rama is also described here like "an elephant" But, not a 'giant' as used frequently for Vanara. It would seem Sugreeva feared the overwhelming emanations of Rama & Laksmana's invincible power as the unlimitedly powerful Visnu &c. (Because Sugriva did not first recognize them & feared they were asassins). The Vanara can 'catch & drag elephants', so a mere human, even a large one,
would be no contest. "they can catch ruttish elephants-1.17.28 & "the monkeys drag the elephants & those mounted on them" 6.44.8 Anyway..thats what we get from it. It also appears that there was interbreeding at times between Devas, Vanaras and Manavas (humans). The Vanaras Mainda & Dvivida were the twin offspring of the Aswins & blessed with beautiful appearance-Bala-kanda-1.17.14 Hanuman the avatar of Shiva (also sometimes said of Vishnu), is very beautiful. Jambavan was also blessed to be very handsome; They are born of devas & so have celestial beauty even surpassing human(if you can imagine that!). & with their other qualities, naturally attractive even to earthly females. ( however, this may not be true in all cases) Very much like, but not quite like humans they are obviously compat-
Jambhavan gives his daughter Jambhavati as a Bride to Lord Krishna
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ible. Some modern testimonies on bigfoot remark on their surprise on how human & "not at all repulsive" some may appear. While others have the opposite appeal. Many eyewitness reports claim bigfoot to look somewhat like Neanderthals or cavemen. More or less a cross between animal & man. Many legends from N. American, Himalayan regions like Nepal & Tibet, & Russia tell of them abducting human females, & sometimes females abducting human males. So yes according to all accounts there is the mixing of the human with bigfoot. Zana was one very popular figure who was said to be a 'wild-women' her great-grandson was interviewed on a recent TV documentary. He claimed his great uncle, who happened to be Zana's son, was very strong and he would lift a 7ft long hard-wood table with just his teeth. The team exhumed the skull of Zana's son to test for Neanderthal DNA. It was concluded of course, in the DNA testing, that he was not Neanderthal. The renowned Dr Bryan Sykes of Oxford U, did the testing & claimed Zana & her descendants were of African genetics. Dr Sykes tested many hair samples that were thought to be from some unknown primate or bigfoot. All the samples, claimed Sykes, were negative. & belong to currently known species. However, others feel such testing by such a prominent figure as Sykes is merely meant to keep the status quo & not actually present the reality. Other scientist in countries including US, Russia & China have found different results claiming they could not identify it as any known-species. The debate rages on. A lot of people may think we are crazy but after looking into this for quite some time there definitely appears to be a consistent link between Vanara of the Ramayan & Sasquatch, Yeti, Bigfoot and related HINDU TODAY
creatures. Many scientists & other professionals, who are respected experts in their field, are taking this very seriously. Credible eyewitnesses include those like scientists, active-duty police officers, military, doctors, clergymen and others. Of course we are speaking of the 'Bigfoot' phenomena which is not yet understood to be linked with the Vanara, which is thought by most to be only myth. But the volumes of evidence speaks contrary to this. Indeed many well-respected scientists worldwide are taking the 'Bigfoot-phenomena' very seriously. This includes anthropologists like Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Idaho St. U; Dr Igor Burtsev University of Mos-
Zana was one very popular figure who was said to be a 'wild-women' her great-grandson was interviewed on a recent TV documentary. He claimed his great uncle, who happened to be Zana's son, was very strong and he would lift a 7ft long hard-wood table with just his teeth. cow; Dr. Jane Goodall renowned Primatologist; Renowned-Geneticist Dr. Bryan Sykes Oxford U; Dr. Melba Ketchum veterinarian Texas A&M U; Debbie Martyr FFC Sumatra; R. Scott Nelson Naval intelligence-Cryptolinguist etc. & others such as Debbie Martyr who claims to have seen the Orang-pendek of Sumatra. As well as Dr.George Moore, who claimed he along with another Dr. Brooks, an entomologist, had witnessed several Yeti(
with long tails) up-close while in the Himalayas. The controversy is huge between the mainstream scientific community exemplifying the significance of the very real potential for the existence of these enigmatic creatures. While some like Dr. Sykes seem to be open but not convinced, it is very noteworthy that such an esteemed professional of his magnitude would take part. On the other hand, Dr. Meldrum is convinced & shows how such evidence cannot be faked. As R. Scott Nelson is also convinced of the Sasquatch language(thats right!) which he claims would be impossible for humans to duplicate & they "mentally process information at a much higher rate than humans!"; Dr. Igor Burtsev even goes so far to claim, the Yeti "has paranormal ability"(which is often found in modern cases & legends worldwide)! Probably the most well-known & reputable primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall says" people from very different backgrounds & different parts of the world-described similar creatures-the existence is a very real probability." Then other investigators like David Paulides who has 20 years in law enforcement & 2 degrees from the University of SF., has started NABS, & has done some amazing research with the Northern California American Native tribes. The details of some these findings are incredible. An unbiased view certainly places the identity of the Vanara of the Ramayan as these very same beings. But this is a slight sample of those & others professionals who are staking their reputations and convinced that the creature known as bigfoot, sasquatch, yeti etc. truly does exist. So if we are crazy in thinking of the possibility then we are not alone.
•••
(Anyone interested in this topic is invited to contact the author Nilamani Kalia on Facebook.)
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Vedic Yezidi Traditions of Iraq, Syria and Mesopotamia By Yezidi Al-Jilwa
Krishna and Magis The Magi are known as Meda, Babylonian, and as Persian Zoroastrian priests and astrologers. But what most people do not know is the Vedic connection to the Magi. The Vedic connection is made clear in a story from the Bhavishya Purana. it is stated that having been cursed with leprosy by the Sun-God Surya, Samba having built a temple to the Sun, was looking for pious Brahmins to perform the appointed rites and receive donations made to God.But Narada advised him not to do so, as Manu forbade the Brahmins to receive emoluments for the performance of religious rites. He therefore referred to Samba to Gauramukha, the purohita or family priest of Ugrasena, king of Mathura (Mithra sun god) who would tell him whom he could best employ. The priest directed Samba to the Maga (Magi), the worshipers of Surya, to discharge the duty. Ignorant of the place they lived in, it is Surya, the Sun himself who directs Samba to Sakadwipa beyond the salt water. Then Samba performs the journey, using Garuda (Vishnu's and Krishnas vehicle, the great bird) who lands among the Magi.
Yezidi Couple Worshipping the Rising Sun
Yezidi Theology Yezidi is one of the world's oldest religions in world its origins can be traced to early Vedic culture of India. To the outside world Yezidi is a confusing folk religion of Vedic, pre islamic middle eastern and semite teaching. As we shall come to understand Yezidis are very spir-
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Yezidi Child Honoring the Sacred Peacock Symbol of God
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itual and religious people who see world and time based upon spiritual epics. During each of these spiritual epics the Supreme Lord Krishna makes his appearance along with Gods and Goddess, saints and prophets are introduced to devotees in order to lead them to the path of God for a New Age.
Yezidi Origins of Time According to Yezidi, the Garden of Eden era corresponds to a Golden Age of Mankind a time when God walked among mankind. After this time the spiritual light of humankind resorted to the self-serving nature of mankind and the downfall of mankind. After this time a series of floods were released upon earth, the first flood Lord Krishna appeared to Manu in form of Matsya the Great Fish and instructed him to build a ship in order to save mankind. In the ancient Sumerian flood myth Enki appears to his devotee Ziusudra and instructed him to build a ship. The Sumerian Enki is derived from Vedic Inca a Sanskrit name for
Shiva, Ziusudra (also Zi-ud-sura and Zin-Suddu; Hellenized Xisuthros: "found long life" or "life of long days") is derived from combination of the two Vedic deities that were worshiped, Surya and Indra. Both of these deities were worshiped by Haittis as the same manifested deity in different form. They were later worshiped in the Zoroastrian religion of Meda Empire as well. Su is derived from Surya and Dra is derived from India, when they are combind it forms Surdra.In Zoroastrian the world was destoryed by an ice age. In Yezidi cosmology the world and universe itself goes through the cycle of death and rebirth of Brahma in exact conjunction with the Vedic cosmological perspective..
Yezidi Migration The Yezidi migrated from India finally settling in what is today known as Iraq. Their religion and language makes them different from the surrounding Arab culture and the religion of Islam. Yezidi has no one single theology, but draws
Yezidi Nuns
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Yezidi priest of the Naga serpent priesthood
its wisdom from the Vedic and Zoroastrian sources. Yezidi speak Kunjani and their ritual languages, in which they read the Rig Veda and Avesta is actually Sanskrit but today scholars call it Avesta. Avesta is an ancient language of the Meda Empire and it was the religious language used in Zoroastrian texts. The term Avesta was applied to the ancient Sanskrit language used by our people around 500 AD. We have only the Zoroastrian texts to go by but all their meanings are taken from comparisons with Sanskrit. So like PIE, Avestan is a reconstructed language that was spoken by the prophet Zoroastrian. There is no evidence from any text that the language was ever called Avesta. The name came from the words Zend Avesta. The Avesta text said they spoke the language of the Aryas. The first person in the West to speak of Zend Avesta was a Frenchman called Perron who lived with Zoroastrian priests for seven years in Gujarat. There he learnt the Vedic chants and prayers. The evidence is clear that the original language of the Avesta was indeed Vedic Sanskrit. Yet the
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AIT (Aryan Invasion Theory) people tend to refer to the Vedas and Avesta as parallel that descended from a mystical common IndoIranian connection. This is partly true but not entirely. Most view Zoroastrian as a Meda religion and Vedas as an Indian religion with no culture connection other than the Zoroastrian connection. It is clearly derived from Vedic religion but if we study the Avesta we come to understand that Western views of our Vedic history is wrong, The Meda called themselves Arya this included Assyrias, Iranians, Kurds and my people the Yezidis. The Avesta speaks of ‘Airyanam’ an Arya homeland from where all Aryas migrated.
Murugan’s New Age or Golden Age We are going into a new aeon, the Age of Aquarius. Aquarius is the 11th sign of the Zodiac. This is the Aeon of Murugan. The Calendar is based upon ancient Babylonian calendar which uses the numerological solar number of 666. This
number is of Pre-Christian origins and was used by many ancient culture as a solar number used in the numerological sciences. In Yezidi 2012 marked the Year of Dragon (the Dragon in Yezidi is one of the Symbols of Melek Taus as his avatar of Enki) which marked Murugan’s spiritual commencement of the start of the Golden age of Murugan. The Dragon is a solar totem animal. 666-6x6x6=2.16.2,160 years is the approximate time it takes for the synetic vernal point to travel backwards from one constellation to another. Aquarius, the sign of man (water bearer) represent the coming new age of wisdom. In ancient Sumerian Ea (Ayya or Arya)/ Enki (Inca) was symbolized by water bearer of Aquarius.
The Age of Brahma The Age of Brahma goes without saying is found within Vedic studies but i will touch upon the topic in order to give a complete understanding of the Yezidi’s Vedic views.
According to Vedic Philosophy the existence of earth is divided into calculations. Absolute age of the earth planet and sun. 155.52 years have passed since Brahma originally created this planetary system, and this is the present age of Brahma. The Bhagwatam says.Brahma’s day equals to 1.000 cycles of the four yugas (one cycle of the four yugas is 4.32 million years). It is called a Kalpa.There are fourteen Manus in one Kalpa. For same length of time there is the Night of Brahma. These are called Pralaya. At this time the earth planet, sun along with three celestial bodies enter into the transition period. During this time Brahma holds within himself all beings of material and celestial worlds in a mystic suspended state and sleep. The next day he again produces them and reforms them as they was before. There is a complete dissolution of the planetary system as well. This is called Prakrit Pralaya of the Brahmanda.
A Group of Yezidi Magi (Magicians)
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Yezidi Temple with Sacred Lion Icon
One year of Brahma is of 360 days (and one month of Brahma is 30 days) so, 360x50=18.000 days and nights of Brahma have .Thus, earth and sun has been renovated 18.000 times.
Yezidi Cosmology In Yezidi the universe and spiritual planets are controlled by the Supreme Lord Krishna and his spiritual planetary manifesta-
tion of lesser Gods and Goddess which are put in place to control the workings of the universe. The Gods and Goddess were created from energy of Krishna and are always under the direct control of Krishna. The higher spiritual world is ruled by Brahma the cosmic creator of mankind, Indra the king of Heavens and the god of Rain,Surya the god of Sun, Agni the god of fire.
Yezidi Youth Worshiping the Sacred Peacock emblem with Fire and Prayers
HINDU TODAY
The Yezidi view maintains most of the Vedic spiritual understanding of the universe, with only slight changes. Yezidi view that Krishna is the Supreme God of the universe but during each spiritual cycle he places a specific God and Goddess to rule each planet in the universe. On Earth he placed Murugan or Sanat the cosmic peacock to rule mankind. Although Krishna and Brahma are viewed as Supreme Gods Murugan runs the earth and the universe under the watchful eye of Krishna.Since the start of the spiritual cycle of Murugan on earth he has manifested himself through the world as different avatars in order to rule mankind. ••• Yezidi Al-Jilwah Yezidi Al-Jilwah was born in Shingal, a holy village of the Yezidi and named Nallein Tiffany Sowilo. At 13 years of age she received her religious name Yezidi Al-Jilwah. She is from a long line of Magi or Mai. The Mai are a caste of ancient religious and ritual leaders who read the sacred Avesta and other chants, do pujas and practice divination and astrology. Currently she is working on her religious diploma in Zoroastrian studies from Zoroastrian College in Los Angeles and Yezidi studies from Lalish Religious College based in Iraq. Al-Jilwah practices Bhakti Yoga with a focus on Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna and holds a Yoga Certification from the Yogananda Fellowship of Los Angeles, Sanskrit Mantra Certification from the Vedic Council of Vedic Astrology and Advance Level Certification from the American College of Vedic Astrology. In 2012 Al-Jilwah founded the Shiva Bhakti Book Trust for the distribution of free Bhagavad Gitas and as an online store featuring books on Mystism and Siddhis, incense, essential oils and deity worship paraphernalia The Shiva Bhakti Book Trust distributes free books, cds dvds on Siddhis and Vedic topics to students as well. The Trust offers tutoring on Vedic and Yezidi culture and deity worship. Yezidi Al-Jilwah is a practising Mai and offers Puja services, Vedic astrology, Vedic gemstone consulting, gemstones sales and Mantras.
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Remembrance
Remembrance Arjunbhai was a visionary for the British Hindu community, who founded the Hindu Forum of Britain with the sole aim of instilling democracy and unity within the Hindu Community. I am sure that everyone will join me in offering our deepest and most sincere condolences to Arjun’s dear wife, Jayaben, his two loving daughters Panna and Khyati and the entire Vekeria family who have lost their leading light. There are few people for who it can truly be said that their life had an impact on our great country and I hope that today provides an opportunity to reflect on Arjun’s achievements, so that we can celebrate and not just mourn Arjun’s life. It is difficult to know where to start with Arjun. He was a successful businessman, a devoted philanthropist, a Justice of the Peace, a prominent community leader, a political activist, a family man and of course a very dear friend of mine and many others here today who have come to pay tribute. Arjun was a leader and an extraordinary person. He was a man who saw the world through wise eyes. Arjun, was the embodiment of service and sewa; a man who cast aside everything to serve his fellow human beings. This is no easy task, as I am sure my fellow business friends here will agree; to serve is to sacrifice time, and to sacrifice time is to sacrifice money. By profession, Arjun was a builder in the construction industry, but perhaps the greatest institution
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that Arjun built was not made of concrete and steel. Through the Hindu Forum of Britain, Arjun laid the foundations for a modern Hindu community that will stay standing for generations to come. He had a lifetime commitment to unity; we all know that conflict is commonplace and often the easy option, whereas bridge-building, reconciliation and harmony are
very much harder. Arjun Vekaria was at heart a unifier. The world needs more people with his special qualities. Quite often, Arjun’s biggest opponents were not external organisations, but leaders within our own community. Arjun did not let this deter him as he strived to bring unity within our community. HINDU TODAY
Remembrance
Arjun saw that the majority of faiths had unity and were represented at a higher level. The Board of Jewish Deputies is an obvious example; an organisation that is respected, professional and efficient in representing the views of the Jewish community. I remember accompanying Arjun on several occasions to meetings with the Board of Jewish Deputies to see how we could create something similar for the Hindu community. What I call the UN of all Hindu organisations. And Arjun made that happen. He championed and founded the Hindu Forum of Britain. Britain’s first umbrella organisation of Hindu’s. I saw Arjun only a few weeks ago during the Diwali celebrations he hosted at the House of Commons. There we discussed the ongoing problem of fragmentation within our community. He took the Hindu Forum to the forefront. It was a struggle. I am a beneficiary of that struggle. British Hindus face some profound and challenging questions; how do we remain strong in our faith, yet successful members of a multicultural and multiracial society? Who will now fly the flag for the Hindu community? Who will build on the foundations that Arjun spent 30 years building so tirelessly? These are the questions our community must tackle together. Arjun has provided one answer, by promoting and supporting the new generation of British born Hindus. Arjun recognised that they are future. Arjun spent time and money on equipping and training this new generation with the skills they need to lead our community in the twenty-first century. But we must honour Arjun’s legacy by ensuring these questions do not go unanswered. And so what is the legacy that he has left for us and future generations? I suggest that over and above his HINDU TODAY
intellectual qualities, his legal skills and his political instincts, he had one quality that found expression in everything and that will remain a challenge to us all; his generosity of spirit that he accorded to friend and foe alike. He had an inner generosity that enabled him to treat everyone, whatever their beliefs, with a pervasive dignity. We may not all achieve the human qualities that characterised Arjun Vekeria, but surely it is no defence if we fail to strive to emulate what he was able to achieve. He has left our community a better place and his achievements will endure. We miss him deeply. May God bless the memory of Arjun Vekeria. May his soul rest is ever lasting peace. Lord Dollar Popat
been dealt a swear blow with the sudden demise of our beloved Arjan Bhai Vekaria. He dedicated his life to serving the community and beyond. He was always ready to serve any good cause not only with his time but also with his money. Sadly, our community has lost one of its pillars. A void has been left in our lives forever. We pray to the Lord to grant a place in heaven to the departed soul and to give strength to the family to bear this huge loss. At times like this, we mortals are helpless except to remember fondly the actions and deeds of someone who touched our lives and was an important part of our lives. What we do for ourselves dies with us but we do for otherslives on and Arjan Bhai's legacy lives on. Hari OM. Rami Ranger One of the Founders of the
Please accept our deepest and heartfelt condolences on the sudden passing away of our dear brother Arjanbhai. It came as a shock to us particularly because he was so young and his contribution to many organizations including the LCNL has been phenomenal. May God bless his soul and give him the divine supreme abode that he deserves for all the good deeds and work that he has done in his lifetime. Equally may God give the family and you the strength to bear this loss. Jai Sri Krishna and Jai Swaminarayan Deepak Jatania President Lohana Community North London
Hindu Forum Britain
It is with great sadness that we have received the news of the passing away of Arjanji. We are sure that it is a great loss to your family, and we pray to bhagwan that you have the strength to bear it. Arjanji’s contribution to a resurgent Hinduism will be remembered by the Hindu community not just in the UK, but also in other parts of the world. It is such contribution that has strengthened Hinduism and the Hindu community. We are sure that this work will be taken up by many others in the future. Namaste Ashok Chowgule
We share your grief and pain along with BhabiJi, Panna, Khyati and family. Our community has
Vishwa Hindu Parishad India
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Remembrance
Om NamahShivay and Jai Shree Swaminarayan. It was with much sadness that I learnt about Arjan’s sudden bereavement. It is always hard to lose somebody as dear as a brother or father or uncle, especially at such a young age, as our memories are always associated with the love, security and comfort he gives. I was fortunate enough to have met Arjan quite frequently in the last year or so and I always found him to be a very kind, loving and courteous person, who always took great pride in holding the family together. His death must understandably be a big loss to the family but, at a time like this, perhaps the best thing is to remember him with great fondness and to reminisce about the happy moments you have all shared with him. I am sure that is how he would have wanted it. Please pass on my sincere condolences to the rest of the family. We pray that Arjan’s soul rests in peace. Please let me know if I can help in any way. Om Shanti Shanti Dilip Kakkad
We pray that God gives you the strength and courage to go through this most difficult period
wisher. It was always refreshing to hear his common sense approach to complicated matters.
With sincere condolences from
We shall always remember him and he will be much missed. Please convey our deepest condolences to his family.
Suresh Hirani Hanberry & Co
We are shocked to learn the sad news of the untimely demise of Shri Arjan Vakaria on the 23rd November 2013. It is a sad event for theHindu Community and all the colleagues like us and we offer our sincere condolences and sympathies. We participated together in the most national events. We will miss him. Losing one’s family member is a most distressful event for Jayaben, Panna Vekaria and Khyati Vekaria and to Arjanbhai's entire family. Please pass on our heartfelt condolences to them. The birth and death are the natural phenomena and anyone who is born has to pass away according to one’s ayukarma. The only thing which we can do is to pray for the peace of his soul. We also pray that you and Arjanbhai's family get the courage to bear this loss. May the teachings of Hindu and Jain philosophy help you to bear this bereavement with equanimity. Jai Jinendra! Jay Shri Krishna! With kind regards
I have learnt of the terrible tragedy that has befallen unto you and the Vekaria family. The sudden passing of Arjunbhai will leave a large void in our lives and indeed the lives of the whole Kutch Leva Patel and Hindu Community. Men with his vision and passion for Social and charitable causes do not grace this earth very often and will be truly missed.
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JANUARY l 2014
Dr. Natubhai Shah
We are indeed shocked to read this very sad news of the passing away of our dear friend Arjanbhai. He was pillar of strength to all Indian communities and organisations. We Zoroastrians counted him as a friend and as an ardent well-
May his soul rest in eternal peace in his heavenly abode. Dorab Mistry OBE
I am deeply saddened to hear of Arjan Vekaria’s passing. He did, indeed, make a most remarkable contribution – not just to his own community but to wider society and to the global human family. Please would you convey my condolences and sympathies to Mrs Vekaria and to the wider family. I also extend my sympathies to you and to your colleagues in the Hindu community with whom Arjan has worked so closely over the years. Best wishes, Dr Harriet Crabtree Director The Inter Faith Network for the UK
We are very sorry to hear of the tragic loss of your father and my dear friend Shri Arjanbhai K Vekaria. My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family. May God give you the courage to bear this loss and may the soul of your dear father rest in peace. My prayers are with you and your family in this difficult time. Warm regards Kapil Dev HINDU TODAY
HINDU TODAY
l 2013 l NOVEMBER [3]