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HINDU TODAY

l 2014 l March [1]

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 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK…

COMMAND OVER ONESELF Handling Anger

COVER STORY Bhima, the undisputed Hero of Mahabharata

DEMYSTIFYING HINDUISM The Importance of Symbols

FIESTA Holi celebrates the arrival of spring

RUMINATION Sadhana for Modern Man

MAKE OUT Ten things you should know about Hinduism

WEDDING SPECIAL Why Gayatri Mantra is indispensible?

BELIEFS Why Should We Go To Temple?

Why I became a Hindu

Nine Beliefs of Hinduism

SPIRITUALITY Renaissance in All Strata of Life

LIVING ON THE EDGE Space for Hindus is shrinking in Pakistan

NEWS SCAN

HALL OF FAME Nat Puri: A Perfect Role Model

IN MEMORIAM Gita on Death, Grief, and Loss

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HINDU TODAY

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK…

Founder

: Late Arjan K. Vekaria

Editor-In-Chief

: Shashikant 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

: Holi

Inside Pages & Cover Design

: Girish Koshti

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.

With all its contradictions India still remains the homeland of a dynamic and thriving Vedic tradition and repository of Hindu culture. Over the years, it has been our constant endeavour to provide the best reading material to our readers. That Hindu religion is one of the oldest religions and India enjoys a unique status is upholding its core values needs no reiteration. It is this uniqueness of India and Indianness that fascinated some of the brightest minds the world has ever come across. A century-and-quarter years ago Max Muller said these words eloquently, “If I were asked under what was the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solution of some of them… I should point to India.” And such singular honour or honours from other leading lights have not been bestowed on India without any reason. It is this land where some of the greatest epics were written. To keep abreast of our culture and ancient literature we have put Mahabharata on the cover. It is vast and complex and an unputdownable epic. Each character has its distinctive identity. It consists of 100,000 shlokas or 200,000 individual verse lines and 1.8 million words in total. It is 10 times the length of the Iliad and Odyssey combined and has numerous interpretations down the ages by scholars. We bring you one such construal in our lead story with a different twist. Here Bhima, not Krishna or Arjun, has been made the protagonist. Enjoy reading... Holi, festival of colours, is also celebrated this month. It has cultural significance for Hindus when one rids oneself of past errors, end conflicts, a day to forget and forgive. Happy Holi. - Shashikant Karsandas Vekaria (Editor-in-Chief, Hindu Today)

Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hindu Today Group.

HINDU TODAY

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COMMAND OVER ONESELF

Handling Anger By Sri Swami Sivananda

“Sages and thinkers over the ages had warned against spontaneous and uncontrolled fits of anger”

nger makes everybody its slave and victim. It breaks the friendship of even very intimate friends. It even induces wives to quarrel with their husbands and make them file suits. It excites all. It holds sway more or less over the whole world and the Devatas also. Anger destroys reason and makes man do things which cannot be dreamt of. Under the influence of anger man abuses, insults and even murders his father, brother, wife, guru or king and repents afterwards. Anger influenced even Hanuman the mightiest Brahmachari to burn Lanka. He lost his understanding and then repented “Alas! I have burnt the whole of Lanka under the influence of anger. This fire might have burnt Mother Sita also. What shall I do now? How can I return without

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Janaki Devi? I became a victim to anger. How powerful is anger? I am a powerful Brahmachari. I have destroyed passion to its very root and branch and yet I have not controlled anger. How powerful it is! It is more powerful than passion.” Too much loss of semen is the chief cause of irritability and anger. Passion is the root and anger the stem. You will have to destroy the root (passion) first, then the stem (anger) will die by itself. A passionate man is more angry. A man who has wasted his seminal energy becomes irritated soon for little things even. A Brahmachari who has preserved his Veerya always keeps a balanced mind. He has a cool brain at all times. Eradicate anger. Manifest inner spiritual strength. Realise Satchidananda Atman. Glory unto those who have rooted out their anger and attained knowledge of the Self!

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Ways to Curb Anger • Be alert. Pray. Do more Japa. Practise Vichara. Keep a watch over your mind. Be silent. Observe Mouna daily for an hour. Forget and forgive. Bear insult and injury. Observe Brahmacharya. • See God in all. Submit to God’s will. Then you cannot get angry. • In the morning meditate on the virtue of patience. Take a vow ‘I will practise endurance and

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Kshama (forgiveness) during the day’. Speak politely. Speak little. Remember the lives of saints like Ekanath, the Avanti Brahmin of the llth Skandha of the Bhagavata. You will develop love and Kshama. Give up liquor, meat and tobacco. If you find it difficult to control anger, leave the place at once. Take a long walk. Drink cold water. Repeat ‘Om Santi’ l0 times. Do Japa of your Ishta Mantra or count from 1 to 30. Develop patience to a considerable extent. People lose their temper when they become impatient. Do not give vent to anger. Control the body first. Have physical control. Food has a great deal to do with irritability. Take milk, fruits, Moong-ki-dall, curd, spinach, barley, groundnuts and butter milk. Do not take carrots, onion, garlic, cauliflower, Massoor-kidal and drumstick. Observe Mouna for two hours daily. Occasionally observe Mouna for a whole day. Prana entwines the mind like a creeper. Pranayama leads to the control of mind. Do not argue much. Do not retort. Speak sweetly. Become a man of measured words. ••• HINDU TODAY

COVER STORY

Bhima, the undisputed Hero of Mahabharata

By Dr. P V Vartak

For ages scholars considered Krishna/Arjun as the real protagonist. But it’s not true

he Mahabharata, the longest known epic poem ever written, remains unparalleled even today and it is true history. The great war began on the 16 October 5561 B.C. According to my calculations, based on astronomical data presented by the author Vyasa, the day was Sunday. For history there is no hero, however when it is finally penned a Hero automatically emerges. The Hero of the epic Mahabharata is none other than Bhima. One may wonder by this statement, but you need to read the following to discover the efficacy of my assertion.

HINDU TODAY

Scholars usually hold either Arjun or Shri Krishna as the hero, but both do not fit the criteria to be called a Hero. The word Hero has no meaning as such; but the Sanskrit word ‘Nayaka’ (for hero) is the definition itself. ‘Nayati Iti Nayakah’according to Sanskrit. It means that the character which takes the story with him is the Nayaka. The principal character around which the story is woven is the Nayaka around whom the epic Mahabharata revolves? If you ask this question to yourself you will soon realize that the Mahabharata revolves around Bhima only. Being the main character, the

Hero should be present in the story from beginning to the end. It is clear that the story begins with the fatal attacks on Bhima by Kauravas. Many attempts were made on his life by Kauravas and they did not try to kill Arjuna at any point of time. The last attempt on Bhima’s life was played by Dhrutarashtra himself. After the war when Bhima met Dhrutarashtra, he wanted to kill him by grasping him severely; but Krishna brought forth the iron statue of Bhima, which was crushed by Dhrutarashtra, supposing it to be real Bhima. Thus the story begins with an attempt to kill Bhima and ends with the last attempt to kill Bhima.

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Drutarashtra admits (Udyog 51) that Bhima is the reason of rivalry between Kauravas and Pandavas. Thus he holds Bhima as the hero. Needless to mention, only Bhima prevails from the beginning to the end. If we remove him from any part, the story halts immediately. This is not the case with either Arjuna or Krishna. Krishna is absent up to the end of the Sabha Parva, which happened when almost half of the life of Pandavas was completed. After Krishna’s death, the story does not halt. Therefore Krishna is not the hero. Arjun went to Indra for many months and he went to vanvas (forest life) for 12 years when he saw Draupadi with Yudhishthira in privacy. During both these periods the story of the Mahabharata continues around Bhima. Hence Bhima is the hero. The hero should be full of all virtues and Bhima had them in abundance. His beauty has been described by Vyasa. Kunti, Hidimba, King Virata and Vyasa himself describes Bhima’s beauty in many instances. King Virata had seen Krishna and Pandavas, but when he saw Bhima – who came in his front of him under the garb of a cook – Virata at once said, “I have not seen a man so bright and beautiful like you. You must be Indra or any other divine personality.” Kunti introduced her sons to Draupadi just after her marriage, when she praised Bhima for his valour and beauty. Hidimba was a man-eater demon. She approached Pandavas to kill and devour them. But as soon as she saw Bhima she at once fell in love with him and said that she had never seen such a handsome human being. She was charmed by Bhima’s beauty, and urged him to marry her. She had seen other Pandavas, but did not get attracted to-

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wards any of them. It is to be noted that though she was a demon, she was very beautiful and moreover to attract Bhima she had added spices to her original beauty. But Bhima refused, because he was a man of good moral character and celibacy. Now compare Bhima’s act with that of Arjuna. Taking the oath of celibacy Arjuna had been to the forest life, where Arjun had sexual relations with Ulupi, Chitrangada and other ladies. Arjun married Subhadra after abducting her. In contrast, Bhima’s conduct was full of good manners. He was prudent, wise and had political wisdom and statesmanship. He maintained his decorum and morality of the higest standards. Ethically he was perfect.

Besides, Bhima was eloquent and skillful in speech. When he went to meet Gandhari, whose hundred sons were killed by him, it was quite possible that the chaste lady would have cursed him. To avoid that calamity, Krishna went forward hoping to calm her down by his skillful talks. However, Krishna’s drama failed totally. Gandhari cursed Krishna. Then another wise man, Yudhishthira went to meet Gandhari. He was also cursed. Then, Bhima approached her very politely. Everybody present there assumed that an axe would fall upon him. However, the reverse happened. He talked to her politically and politely. First, he praised Duryodhan HINDU TODAY

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and Dusshasan and then said, “When they humiliated Draupadi in the court why didn’t you stop them. Had you stopped them annoying Draupadi, I would not have vouched to kill both of them. They vowed to make her naked, so I took an oath to kill them. I had to fulfill that oath. What is my fault? Why did you not stop them? It was your fault.” On hearing the speech of Bhima, Gandhari cooled down, she accepted her mistake and apologized Bhima. Then, who was clever in conversation? Krishna, Yudhishthira or Bhima? Of course, Bhima was clever and shrewd than others. Scholars usually accuse Bhima saying that he was demonic, beHINDU TODAY

cause he drank the blood of Dusshasana. It is a wrong to reprimand him. When Gandhari asked him about drinking blood, Bhima explained that the blood did not go above his lips. He made a dramatic scene of drinking the blood, because he had vouched so. He told that Yamadharma knows this fact that the blood did not go in his mouth. The precise words of Bhima uttered while killing Dusshasan are, “How sweet is the taste of enemy’s blood! All the sweet juices are worthless compared to the enemy’s blood.” Bhima was a non-vegetarian and knew that the blood tastes salty. Even then he utters like that because he wants to give a message to the Hindus that

they should taste their enemy’s blood. It means that they should kill the enemies. The hero is usually an enemy of villains. In the Mahabharata the villains are Kauravas. They treated Bhima as their rival and wanted to kill Bhima. Throughout their life the Kauravas hated him. During the great war, Duryodhan often ran to Bhishma complaining that Bhima was killing his brothers all the time. Duryodhana was the main villain. He wanted to kill Bhima and not Arjun. Duryodhana never feared Arjun, but was he afraid of Bhima. Naturally, Bhima became the real hero. Duryodhan always said that if they kill Bhima they would get the kingdom easily and would win the war. Duryodhana never thought of killing Arjun. It is a fact that hundred Kauravas were killed by Bhima alone. Bhima defeated all the generals of Kauravas. The first Kaurava general was Bhishma, who was supposed to be unconquerable, invincible. Arjun could never defeat Bhishma. But Bhima defeated Bhishma on the 8th day of the war. (Bhishma Parva 88) He killed the charioteer of Bhishma, when Bhishma hurriedly went away from the battlefield. He did not return to fight with Bhima, again. Bhima defeated the second general Drona many times during the 15 days of the war. Arjun could never defeat Dronacharya. It is said that a good teacher wishes to get defeated at the hands of his disciple. Drona never wished so; but Bhima made the saying true. He defeated the great archer Drona in archery. The third Kaurava general was Karna. Krishna was afraid to take Arjuna towards Karna, thinking that Karna would kill Arjuna. However, Bhima defeated Karna many times

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in archery during the seven days of the great war. Bhima defeated easily other Kaurava generals too. He defeated Ashvatthama many times and he fought with the Narayanastra launched by Ashvatthama vehemently and successfully. Krishna ordered all to put down arms and surrender to Astra. But Bhima did not heed. Krishna had forewarned Bhima that even if you fight mentally with the Astra you would be killed. But he did not surrender and kept on fighting. It was Bhima’s great success and he really conquered death. It is to be noted that Arjun had surrendered before the Narayanastra. Alambush, a demon king, became invisible and fought from air. Bhima stopped his aerial attacks using Twashta Astra. Alambush fled away conceding defeat. (Drona Parva 108) When Indrajit attacked invisibly from the sky, Rama and Lakshman both failed unconscious. Indrajit won the battle. Here Bhima won the battle. In other words he was more dexterous than Rama and Lakshman in archery. Dhrutarashtra, the main villain who was the wire puller, acknowledged (Udyog 22,51) : “Nobody can compete Bhima in mace fight, in elephant-riding and in chariot fighting. He has strength of 10,000 elephants, he is expert in warfare, even Indra cannot defeat him. Bhima alone is sufficient to fight against all other warriors together, he is similar to Vayu and Rudra, nobody can defeat him, he has killed many demons. Jarasandh had conquered the globe, but Bhima alone killed him by his sheer strength. Then who can fight against him? Bhishma, Drona, Kripa know Bhima’s valour and therefore they are going to fight with him to meet Death.” Thus Bhima was the main rival of many villains and undeniably the

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undisputed hero. ‘Pratibha’ of the sage Vyasa blooms in a full grandeur while he was narrating the brave and valorous acts of Bhima. It is not the case with Arjuna. Here I have used the Sanskrit word ‘Pratibha’ which cannot be transliterated into English but an approximate meaning of it is genius and vividness. According to some others, Pratibha also means magnificent imagination. But I differ with these clichés, because it may not be only an imagination. The true fact can be described by Pratibha magnificently. Therefore, I would like to say that Pratibha is the skill of an author to express the real sense of the fact and/or feeling, in such words that the expression appeals the hearts of readers. Actually ‘Prati’ means counter and ‘Bha’ means light. Ordinary man sees with ordinary light, but a wise poet sees with the light of his intelligence and shows it to the readers. Vyasa shows the talent and wit of Bhima on various occasions. When Hidimba fell in love with Bhima, her brother Hidimb became furious and wanted to kill him. However, Bhima had excellent presence of mind and sense of humour. He said, because the Rakshasa was residing in the forest free of charge, for nothing, in vain, he got nourished in vain, he grew in vain, naturally his talents were also in vain and therefore he should get the death in vain. But Bhima’s resolve to kill the Rakshasa would not go in vain. He was witty beyond doubt. Bhima took the name ‘Pourogava Ballava’ while going into the secret phase. It was also full of pun, double entendre. ‘Pourogava’ means ‘of Puroga’ means Vayu (wind). Bhima was the son of Vayu. Ballava means digestive Vayu as well as a cook. Being a cook Bhima took charge of the kitchen

and solved easily the problem of his great hunger. Thus Bhima was very practical minded. He fought with bulls, tigers, lions and other wrestlers, in the court of king Virata because he had to keep his valour active during the period of secrecy. He knew very well that after 13 years were over they had to fight a war to gain their kingdom. He had a foresight, which no other Pandava had. Vyasa narrated the various speeches of Bhima, which demonstrated the great philosophy included in the Gita as told by Lord Krishna. During the 12 years’ period of living in forests, Bhima often told the great philosophy to Yudhishthira. He insisted on right actions at the right time like a real Karmayoga! He did not depend on fate. Hero should be the protector of heroine. Draupadi was without doubt the heroine of Mahabharata. Bhima alone guarded her during her turbulent times. At the time of playing dice, Bhima tried to save Draupadi. But Yudhishthira did not heed suggestions of Bhima. Arjuna too favoured Yudhishthira. That folly resulted in turning Draupadi into a slave. Kauravas humiliated her and wanted to disrobe her. Only Bhima tried to save her from that predicament. He was ready to kill all the offenders then; but Yudhishthira did not allow him. So he roared and threatened to kill Dusshasana by tearing his chest and drinking his blood. He threatened Duryodhana to crush his thigh on which he suggested Draupadi to sit. No other Pandava came to help her. In the forest life she was guarded by Bhima only. He saved her from the clutches of Jatasura and Jayadrath and Keechak. Bhima also took revenge on Ashvatthama for killing Draupadi’s sons while asleep, after the war HINDU TODAY

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was over. On this occasion, she came to Bhima only to ask for avenge of Ashvatthama. It shows her great passion and confidence in Bhima. Only Bhima cared her on the last journey. Bhima took her on his lap, fondly, where she died happily. Thus from the heroine’s point Bhima becomes the hero. It was neither Arjuna, nor Krishna. Some scholars hold Arjuna as the hero, because Arjuna won her by his prowess in archery. However, I would like to attract the readers to the fact that when Arjuna won the stake, all the kings and princes attacked him. Observing that Arjuna was afraid, Bhima took a stick in his hand and holding it on the shoulder as a mace, stood behind Arjuna. Only Bhima and Arjuna defeated all warriors and won Draupadi. This fact is admitted by Yudhishira at Adi. 194/9,10. [or 195/9 or BORI 187/9] He told King Drupada that those, who won Draupadi, were these two- Bhima and Arjuna. Thus Bhima has fifty per cent share in winning Draupadi as the wife. During the later life only Bhima protected her from all the perils. Therefore, she began loving and admiring Bhima alone. The heroine accepted Bhima as her hero. Yudhishthira calls Bhima as the hero when he played dice with him. (Sabha 65) Arjuna also accepted Bhima as the hero when the war began. (Bhishma 19) Arjuna said, “If we fight with Bhima as our leader, we would be safe because Bhima is like a fort.” Krishna also holds Bhima as the hero (Udyog 77), when he says, “Oh Bhima, you are really great and all the burden of this war is on your shoulder.” After the war, Bhima denied giving money to Dhrutarashtra and Pandavas had to keep quiet; because Bhima had become the owner of the reign. Therefore, Arjuna says, “Bhima, you have won all this propHINDU TODAY

erty and you are its sole owner; so whether to give money to Drutarashtra or not is in your hands.” (Ashramavasika 11) Thus considering all these points it can be safely concluded that Bhima is the real hero of the Mahabharata. Disrobing Draupadi and the Garment incarnation of Krishna are fake stories. When Yudhishthira lost everything in dice game he put Draupadi at stake. Bhima got furious and ordered Sahadeva to bring fire, so that he could burn the hands of his elder brother. Bhima threatened Yudhishthira so that he would stop playing dice; but Arjuna took the side of Yudhishthira and so the dice continued and Yudhishthira lost Draupadi. According to Bhima, Draupadi did not become a slave because Yudhishthira put her at stake after he lost himself becoming a slave. Therefore Yudhishthira had no right over Draupadi. It shows that Bhima was well-versed in law. Bhima gave an opportunity to save Draupadi, but Yudhishthira rejected it and said that Draupadi had become a slave. Did Yudhishthira have the right to stake her when he had already lost himself? Duryodhana orders Dushasana to disrobe Draupadi and he tries to disrobe Draupadi of her sari. As Dushasana unwraps layers and layers of her sari, her sari keeps getting extended. Bhima is furious at Dushasana and says, "I Bhim, Pandu's son vows until I will tear open Dushasana's chest and drink his blood I will not show my face to my ancestors." ‘Vastraharana’ is a phrase used as a figure of speech. But some followers (read devotees) of Krishna could not understand it and he concocted a fake story that Draupadi’s garments were actually being removed and Krishna took incarna-

tion in the form of garments to save her from nudity. It is believed that Dusshasana went on stripping Draupadi’s and finally backs off. Dusshasana was a mace fighter and he used to fight from sunrise to sunset. Could he be tired of snatching garments? Did that scene continue for twelve hours? No. As soon as Dusshasana touched the garment of Draupadi, Bhima roared and Dusshasana sat down trembling. No time was wasted. Thus it is clear that Bhima’s threatening at right time saved Draupadi. Krishna did not come there to help her. Krishna himself tells Draupadi (Vana Parva 13,14) that he did not know what happened in Kaurava’s court then; because he was engaged in fighting Shalva, then. After returning to Dwaraka, Satyaki told him what happened to Pandavas. Then he came to meet them. Krishna had no divine power to understand the facts in Hastinapura, leave aside the power of taking the form of garments, becoming invisible and running to Hastinapura in haste to protect Draupadi. In that meeting Draupadi retorted that she was insulted rudely in the court; but nobody came to her help, therefore neither her husbands, nor Krishna, are her kin. Here she does not tell that the Kauravas tried to disrobe her. She irately told Krishna that she was his relative and was elder to Krishna, he should have protected her in that ugly scene in the court. (Vana Parva 12 or 13/ 112). This speech of Draupadi clearly shows that Krishna did not save her in any way. Krishna then promised Draupadi that her enemies would be killed soon. He further added that had he been in Dwarka he would have stopped all the nonsense of dice. It shows that Krishna was not in Dwaraka and was not asleep, as

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is told in the stories. In Udyoga 59, Krishna says, “Draupadi remembered me in that court scene and put me in debt. I have not repaid that debt till today. To repay that debt, with interest, I have to kill all the Kauravas.” It proves that Krishna did not come to rescue her. Krishna intended to kill the enemies and there was an opportunity to kill them because they were offending his sister. Then why did not Krishna kill them with his famous Chakra? There are 30 evidences to show that actually the garment of Draupadi was not disrobed (I have chronicled them in my Marathi book Swayambhoo). Only one evidence suggests removing off the clothes of Draupadi. It is at Shalya 59, where Bhima says with anger that he has killed Kauravas, who dragged Draupadi in the court and removed her clothes. This is the climax of the story and therefore some exaggeration was needed. Bhima exaggerated and Vyasa wrote it in the epic. While killing Dusshasana, Bhima asked him with which hand did he hold the chaste hair of Draupadi? Bhima did not ask with which hand did he snatched her garment. Lord Krishna was not a God. He was extraordinarily a talented and powerful human being: 1) That Krishna took birth with a crown on head, Sudarshan Chakra and Gada in hands, clad in silky garment is a figment of imagination. If it was so what would have been the condition of Devaki’s uterus? The uterus might have been damaged seriously. According to the Mahabharata (Adi Parva 225) the Chakra and the mace were presented to Krishna after burning of the Khandava Vana. 2) It is a wrong concept that Vasudeva and Devaki were fastened

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in chains and were imprisoned by Kansa. If the couple was fastened in chains how could they produce a child? Sexual contact is necessary for a lady to conceive. The Vishnu Purana (5/3/23) tells that Devaki was in her house, under a strict watch. 3) It is a wrong idea that when Vasudeva took the infant Krishna to Gokul, there were incessant rains and tremendous flood to the river Yamuna. No doubt it was Shravana Vadya

8th Tithi; but during that ancient era the rainy season occupied Bhadrapada and Ashvina lunar months. Shravan lunar month was in summer. The Harivansha describes the summer at the time of Krishna’s birth. The Harivansha states (Vishnu Parva 5) that Vasudeva carried Krishna to Yashoda’s house, in Mathura and then meeting Nanda requested him to carry Yashoda and Krishna to Gokul. Accordingly Nanda carried them to Gokul in a carrier. He

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did not cross the river; but went along the riverbank easily, and in Gokul the land was covered with dry cow dung all over and trees were cut and fallen to use as fuel, later (in rainy season). This is clearly the description of summer. 4) Pootana was not a demoness. The name ‘Pootana’ is composed of Poo + Tana. Poo means pus. Tana means body. Pootana was a disease, which caused pus in the body, pustules on

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the skin. Such pus can kill a patient. Such purulent infections of skin are common in babies. Pootana was a contagious epidemic disease like smallpox. It killed many babies; but when it approached Krishna it waned off automatically. ‘Some how Krishna was saved’, says the Bhagawata at 10/11/23,24. Therefore the author imagined that Krishna killed that demon lady. 5) Kalia was not a snake but a hu-

man being, whom Krishna defeated and drove away along with his men and women. 6) Krishna performed all the valorous acts when he was in Pouganda state. ‘Pou’ means ‘of Pum’ i.e. of maleness. ‘Ganda’ means signs. When a boy approaches puberty signs of his maleness appear on his body. This stage of approaching puberty is called as Pouganda state. It ranges from 13 to 18 years. At this age boys become very strong and well built, if they take regular exercises. Krishna was so, strong and muscular. 7) Lifting of a mountain by Krishna is also a perverted story. The Bhagwata states (10/25/1921) that when there occurred torrential rains and the land got covered by water, Krishna pointed his hand towards a mountain and said that go in the cave of the mountain, which was in his hands. It means that the mountain was well known to him. Krishna told that the cave would protect from the rain like an umbrella. Krishna told not to be afraid that the mountain would collapse. This simple fact is twisted due to devotion and told that Krishna lifted the mountain. It is totally impossible for even the God to lift up any mountain; because its roots are very very deep under the ground. Even if he lifted the mountain as an umbrella, how could it save the people from the strong currents of water, which were running over the ground? The Bhagwata 10/25/10 describes such currents of water flowing forcefully. 8) Krishna was entering in puberty (Pouganda state) therefore he wished to see the naked bodies of ladies. It was psychological

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condition, which is seen usually in all youths. However, Krishna did not cross the limits of gentlemanship. Ladies entered a lake for bath keeping their clothes on the bank. Krishna took all the clothes and climbed up a tree. He made those ladies pray him and gave their garments. He did not touch any girl. 9) Because he was in puberty and had built strength, he could kill Kansa by his bodily strength and skill in wrestling. He was then about 17 years old, while Kansa was over forty years. 10) The Yadavas were defeated many times before Jarasandh. Krishna and Yadavas could not defeat Jarasandh. To get rid of the fear of Jarasandh, Krishna suggested Yadavas to shift away from Mathura to Dwaraka. Many years later Krishna found Bhima, who was so strong as to kill Jarasandh. Bhima performed that job. Krishna was unable to fight against Kalayawana. Hence he ran away. Kalayawana followed him in a forest, where in a cave Krishna killed Kalayawana with the help of his friend. 11) After killing Kalayawana, Krishna returned to Mathura, and not Dwaraka, according to the Bhagawata (10/52/5), the Harivansha (2/57) and the Vishnu Purana (5/24/6). Dwaraka was not established then. After killing Kalayawana, Krishna defeated his army and looted it. Using that wealth, Krishna built Dwaraka. 12) There was no love affair between Rukmini and Krishna. She never wrote any love letter to Krishna. Her marriage was arranged with Shishupala. Next day there was the marriage ceremony and a day before,

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Krishna happened to see Rukmini at a temple. Krishna liked her and so he took her away. It was a Rakshas Vivaha. (Vishnu Purana 5/26/11) After the marriage with Rukmini, Dwaraka got established. 13) Radha is not at all mentioned by the Mahabharata or any Purana. That character is a concoction of Jayadeva in ‘Geeta Govind’composed during 15th century. 14) The story of Narakasura is also a fake one, imaginary, inserted much later than the Mahabharata. The Bhagawata narrates the story of Krishna killing Narakasura. In it, the Bhagawata tells that Krishna looted the property of Narakasura, which contained elephants having four tusks. It appears to be false; but is not so because recently such four tusked elephants are discovered as archaeological finding. Thus the truth of elephants having four tusks has been recorded in the Puranas. When Pandawas were dwelling in forest, they happened to see a heap of bones, during 5563 BC. The Mahabharata, Vana Parva 142 describes that the sage Lomasha told that the heap was of Narakasura’s bones, whom Vishnu killed in the ancient era. Lomasha told this story just after Krishna and Satyabhama visited Pandawas in the forest. Krishna had no relation with Narakasura. 15) It is an exaggerated that Narakasura had collected 16,000 ladies and Krishna rescued them. Therefore all those 16,100 ladies wished to marry Krishna and accordingly he married them all. This story is a sheer nonsense. It is said further that Krishna married them all in Muhurta and for that purpose

he took 16,100 forms. He might have taken so many forms but what about the Brahmins? How could there be so many Brahmins to carry on the rituals? It is told that Krishna kept sexual relation with each of them. If he went to one every day, he would have taken 44 years. It appears that Narakasura episode happened when Krishna was 52 years old. From then he went to each wife, so he had to contact them sexually till he was 96 years old. Is it possible? Had he no other work of politics and battles? It is also told that he produced 88,800 sons from them. For that he had to have sex with them for 88,800 times. If he contacted every day he would have taken 243 years. His life was not so much. If we assume that he had two sex relations per day, he would have taken 121 years. After crossing 100 years of life Krishna died according to Vishnu Purana 5/37. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar criticized Krishna harshly for this, but could not think about its possibility. Why did he not criticize to show fallacy? 16) It is narrated that in the war with Narakasura, Satyabhama accompanied Krishna on the battlefront. Hindus blindly follow, then why did not they worship Satyabhama? Why the Hindus accepted Rukmini for worship? The only reason is that the Hindus are cowards. They follow nonviolence. For that purpose they neglected Satyabhama, and accepted Rukmini, who did nothing in her life. Keeping hand on her waist she accompanied Krishna, who also stood keeping his hand on his waist, doing nothing. Hindus do not want to do or to see valour. Had they kept Satyabhama for worship, they feared that HINDU TODAY

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their wives would have become valorous and they would have forced the men to perform gallantry. Hindu men, in general, did not want to be gallant. 17) Krishna did a great mistake, a Himalayan blunder when he negotiated with Karna, just before the war. In that conversation Krishna offered Draupadi as a wife to Karna, if he came to the side of Pandawas. Scholars suppose this act to be a great statesmanship; but they are wrong. Krishna forgot how Karna had insulted Draupadi in the court. Karna called Draupadi a prostitute. In spite of it Krishna told Karna that she would become his wife. Was it wise? Karna kicked off that offer immediately. Had Karna been lured by Krishna’s talk and swallowed the bait of Draupadi, what would have been the fate of Draupadi? Of course Draupadi fiercely hated Karna. She would have refused Krishna’s suggestion and Bhima would have supported her strongly against Krishna. Why did Krishna tried to manoeuvre and divulge Karna to the side of Pandawas, at the cost of Draupadi’s pride? It was not necessary. Karna might have overpowered Arjuna; but Bhima was able to kill Karna, as was proved earlier, many times. The peak of rivalry between Kaurawas and Pandawas was the grave insult of Draupadi in the open court. It was the chief reason of the war. It is shown by Vyasa when he reports what Vidura suggested to Dhrutarashtra. After the dire insult of Draupadi, Pandawas went to the forest. Then Dhrutarashtra asked for a remedy to heal the sore. Vidura told (Mahabharata, Vana 6/14) that Dusshasana should apologize and pray Bhima and Draupadi. HINDU TODAY

Thus Draupadi’s insult was the chief issue, but Krishna neglected it. Is it the reason why the Hindus pay no attention to the pride of their women? Is it the reason why the Hindus remain calm though millions of their women were abducted by the enemies? They did not try, did not even think to procure them back. It is disgraceful. 18) It is reported that Krishna did some mischief to show two Sunsets. At the time of killing Jayadratha, he played that trick. DID YOU KNOW? •

The Mahabharata is the longest poem ever written

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It consists of 100,000 shlokas or 200,000 individual verse lines and 1.8 million words in total

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It is ten times the length of the Iliad and Odyssey combined

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Four times the length of the Ramayana

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W. J. Johnson has compared the importance of the Mahabharata to that of the Bible, the works of Shakespeare, the works of Homer, Greek drama, or the Qur'an But it was not the ‘Maya’ of Krishna; it was a phenomenon of the Nature. The date was 29th October 5561 B.C. Due to the October heat the ground was heated. In addition in that war firearms were used in abundance. Therefore the land got overheated. Hence the atmospheric layer near the land got rarefied to a great extent and worked as a mirror to reflect the light rays. Upper layers of air were not so heated. The atmosphere works like a prism

and refracts the sunlight. However when the rays come to the heated ground, they reflect. As its effect, the upper object appears at lower level. Mirages are seen due to this phenomenon. In the same way at the time of the sunset, the Sun first appeared at a lower level, it set down under the horizon. Then sunrays coming up from below the horizon, got refracted in the atmosphere and came from above downwards. As the rays entered the eyes from above, the Sun was seen above the horizon. This second sun also set after a few minutes, because the real Sun went much down the horizon, so that its rays could not be refracted by the atmosphere to bring them on the ground. Krishna had noticed this phenomenon of double sunset for 13 days because he was a shrewd observer. He used this natural phenomenon to kill Jayadratha and save Arjuna. Theoretically, I proposed this concept in 1971, but I could not get enough evidence. However in 2004, I got a photograph, on internet, of two Suns seen at a time due to atmospheric refraction. ••• 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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The Importance of Symbols

ymbols adorn our world at every turn, in our spiritual, social and political experience. A ring or gold pendant silently strengthens and attests to wedded love. A sign with a truck silhouette on an angled line warns drivers of steep grades ahead. The red cross signifies aid in crises. Golden arches tell vegans to beware. The best known symbols are simple numerals: 0 through 9, which originated in India in the ancient Brahmi script. Historic images are etched in the minds of the masses. The mushroom cloud of the atom bomb forever represents nuclear destruction. But it is our sacred symbols, icons of divinity and higher reality that wield the greatest power to inform and transform consciousness. Taoists gazing upon a yin-yang symbol, Navajo Indians “pouring” a feather symbol in a sand painting, Muslims embroidering the crescent moon and star, Buddhists contemplating a mandala, Christians kneeling before the cross, Hindus meditating on the Aum, Pagans parading the ankh at Stonehenge—all these are potent meditations on cosmic symbols that are gateways to inner truths. To societies of prehistory, living fully in nature’s raw splendor and power, symbols stood for supernatural states and beings— as they still can for us today. A stylized image of a snake coiled round a clay vase, for example, represented cosmic life and regeneration. Wielded as tools by mystic

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shamans, symbols can shape the forces of nature and invoke astral beings. To conjure power, a medieval alchemist would enclose himself in a magic circle filled with geometric pictograms symbolizing inner realities. Today, as in olden times, religious symbols derive from the world around us. The sun appears in motifs across cultures from Mexico to Mongolia, including the Hindu swastika and the wheel of the sun, honored by Buddhists as the eight-spoked dharma wheel. Hinduism has amassed a vast range of icons from thousands of years back. Coins found in the Indus Valley carry emblems of the cow and of a meditating yogi across a 6,000-year corridor of time. Images from the Vedic age are popular motifs in Kashmiri carpets and Chidambaram saris. These often serve to identify and distinguish members of a sect or community. The simple red dot worn on the forehead is both a mark of our dharmic heritage and a personal reminder that we must see the world not only with our physical eyes, but with the mind’s eye, the third eye, the eye of the soul. India’s adepts and seers have excelled at symbolic imagery, transforming mudras (hand gestures) into instantly recognized emblems and transmitters of a Deity’s power or a particular frequency of energy. Each accoutrement of the dozens of deities in the Hindu

pantheon conveys a cosmic function or force. Today, this ancient magic is with us everywhere, from the temple priest’s invocation to the Indian housewife’s drawing of multi-colored designs, called kolams or rangoli, on the ground as auspicious auguries, household blessings and greetings.

Make out some symbols:

Vata, the banyan tree, Ficus indicus, symbolizes hinduism, which branches out in all directions, draws from many roots, spreads shade far and wide, yet stems from one great trunk. Siva as Silent Sage sits beneath it.

Shatkona, “six-pointed star,” is two interlocking triangles; the upper stands for Siva, purusha and fire, the lower for Shakti, prakriti and water. Their union gives birth to Sanat kumara, whose sacred number is six. HINDU TODAY

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Swastika is the symbol of auspiciousness and good fortune—literally, “It is well.” the right-angled arms of this ancient sun-sign denote the indirect way that Divinity is apprehended: by intuition and not by intellect.

Nataraja is Siva as “King of Dance.” carved in stone or cast in bronze, his ananda tandava, the fierce ballet of bliss, dances the cosmos into and out of existence within a fiery arch of flames denoting consciousness.

Ganesha is the Lord of Obstacles and ruler of Dharma. Seated upon his throne, he guides our karmas through creating and removing obstacles from our path. We seek his permission and blessings in every undertaking.

Go, the cow, is a symbol of the earth, the nourisher, the ever-giving, undemanding provider. to the hindu, all animals are sacred, and we acknowledge this reverence of life in our special affection for the gentle cow.

Pranava, aum, is the root mantra and primal sound from which all creation issues forth. It is associated with Lord Ganesha. Its three syllables stand at the beginning and end of every sacred verse, every human act.

Mahakala, “Great time,” presides above creation’s golden arch. Devouring instants and eons, with a ferocious face, he is time beyond time, reminder of this world’s transitoriness that sin and suffering will pass.

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Ankusha, the goad held in Lord Ganesha’s right hand, is used to remove obstacles from dharma’s path. It is the force by which all wrongful things are repelled from us, the sharp prod which spurs the dullards onward.

Ghanta is the bell used in ritual puja, which engages all senses, including hearing. Its ringing summons the Gods, stimulates the inner ear and reminds us that, like sound, the world may be perceived but not possessed.

Trikona, the triangle, is a symbol of God Siva which, like the Sivalinga, denotes his absolute Being. It repre sents the element fire and portrays the process of spiritual ascent and liberation spoken of in scripture. l 2014 l March [15]

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Tiruvadi, the sacred sandals worn by saints, sages and sat gurus, symbolize the preceptor’s holy feet, which are the source of his grace. Prostrating before him, we humbly touch his feet for release from worldliness.

Kalachakra, “wheel, or circle, of time,” is the symbol of perfect creation, of the cycles of existence. Time and space are interwoven, and eight spokes mark the directions, each ruled by a Deity and having a unique quality.

Vel, the holy lance, is Lord Murugan’s protective power, our safeguard in adversity. Its tip is wide, long and sharp, signifying incisive discrimination and spiritual knowledge, which must be broad, deep and penetrating.

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Chandra is the moon, ruler of the watery realms and of emotion, testing place of migrating souls. Surya is the sun, ruler of intellect, source of truth. One is pingala and lights the day; the other is ida and lights the night.

Rudraksha seeds, Eleocarpus ganitrus, are prized as the compassionate tears Lord Siva shed for mankind’s suffering. Saivites wear malas of them always as a symbol of God’s love, chanting on each bead, “aum Namah Sivaya."

Trishula, Siva’s trident carried by Himalayan yogis, is the royal scepter of the Saiva Dharma. Its triple prongs betoken desire, action and wisdom; ida, ingala and su shumna; and the gunas—sattva, rajas and tamas.

Kuttuvilaku, the standing oil lamp, symbolizes the dispelling of ignorance and awakening of the divine light within us. Its soft glow illumines the temple or shrine room, keeping the atmosphere pure and serene.

Kalasha, a husked coconut circled by man go leaves on a pot, is used in puja to represent any God, especially Lord Ganesha. Breaking a coconut before his shrine is the ego’s shattering to reveal the sweet fruit inside. ••• HINDU TODAY

FIESTA

Holi celebrates the arrival of spring

Women dance around and sing special songs as men spray coloured water at them

oli (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi, Hindus attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets. Celebrated all over India since

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ancient times, Holi's precise form and purpose display great variety. Originally, Holi was an agricultural festival celebrating the arrival of spring. This aspect still plays a significant part in the festival in the form of the colored powders: Holi is a time when man and nature alike throw off the gloom of winter and rejoice in the colors and liveliness of spring. Holi also commemorates various events in Hindu mythology, but for most Hindus it provides a temporary opportunity for Hindus to disregard social norms, indulge in merrymaking and generally "let

loose." The legend commemorated by the festival of Holi involves an evil king named Hiranyakashipu. He forbade his son Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu, but Radhu continued to do offer prayers to the god. Getting angry with his son, Hiranyakashipu challenged Prahlad to sit on a pyre with his wicked aunt Holika who was believed to be immune to fire. (In an alternate version, Holika put herself and Prahlad on the fire on orders from her brother.)

Prahlad accepted the challenge and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone

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watched in amazement as Holika was burnt to death, while Prahlad survived without a scar to show for it. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi. According to some accounts, Holika begged Prahlad for forgiveness before her demise, and he decreed that she would be remembered every year at Holi. An alternative account of the basis of the holiday is associated with a legend involving Lord Shiva, one of the major Hindu gods. Shiva is known for his meditative nature and his many hours spent in solitude and deep meditation. Madana, the God of love, decided to test his resolve and appeared to Shiva in the form of a beautiful nymph. But Shiva recognized Madana and became very angry. In a fit of rage he shot fire out of his third eye and reduced her to ashes. This is sometimes given as the basis of Holi's bonfire. The festival of Holi is also associated with the enduring love between Lord Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) and Radha, and Krishna in general. According to legend, the young Krishna

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complained to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion would change. Because of this associated with Krishna, Holi is extended over a longer period in Vrindavan and Mathura, two cities with which Krishna is closely affiliated. Krishna's followers everywhere find special meaning in the joyous festival, as general frivolity is considered to be in imitation of Krishna's play with the gopis (wives and daughters of cowherds). Holi is spread out over two days (it used to be five, and in some places it is longer). The entire holiday is associated with a loosening of social restrictions normally associated with caste, sex, status and age. Holi thus bridges social gaps and brings people together: employees and employers, men and women, rich and poor, young and old. Holi is also characterized by the loosening of social norms governing polite behavior and the resulting general atmosphere of licentious

merrymaking and ribald language and behavior. A common saying heard during Holi is bura na mano, Holi hai ("don't feel offended, it's Holi"). On the evening of the first day of Holi, a public bonfire is held, commemorating the burning of Holika. Traditionally, Hindu boys spend the weeks prior to Holi combing the neighborhood for any waste wood they can find for the bonfire. The fire is lit sometime between 10 PM and midnight (at the rising of the moon), not generally in an orderly fashion. Everyone gathers in the street for the event, and the air rings with shouts, catcalls, curses and general mayhem. The central ritual of Holi is the throwing and applying of colored water and powders on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name "Festival of Colours." This ritual is said to be based on the above story of Krishna and Radha as well as on Krishna's playful splashing of the maids with water, but most of all it celebrates the coming of spring with all its beautiful colors and vibrant life. â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ HINDU TODAY

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Sadhana for Modern Man By Swami Chidananda

For meditation you don’t need an exclusive room or time. Close your eyes for a minute or two and think of God

wish to give you a few ideas, which I think will be of great practical benefit to all those who have seriously made Godrealisation the sole aim of life. Sadhana is the purpose for which we have come to this planet. This is called the Sadhana-Bhumi and it is this earth-plane alone upon which Sadhana for Self-realisation can be performed. It is not possible in other planes: the lower ones in hell are for working out one’s bad Karmas, wrong actions, paying the penalty for sins; and the higher planes, the heavens, are for enjoying the happy fruits of merits. But from either of these, man has to come back once again to where he was before he went there. But on the earth-plane he can so live that he may pass on to an abode, an abode of eternal existence from which he need not once again return to this plane of HINDU TODAY

pains, suffering, birth and death. Having come to this plane and having also known that the central purpose is to go above phenomena into eternity, man is faced with serious problems. On every side he sees that he is severely limited and his efforts at perfection are thwarted by these limitations. In the present age, the one vehicle for Sadhana which is very important—the human body— has degenerated most frightfully. The span of life is short and the physique is very weak. But strange and contradictory as this may seem, there arises the statement that in spite of this degeneracy on the physical plane, man has evolved enormously. Mentally, he has evolved a great deal. We are at present on the threshold of a glorious dawn. We have passed through the darkest period of spiritual life and are now about to enter into a period which will be full of spiritual illumination and quick progress. If this were so, it must indicate a certain change from a lower to the higher, a certain change from the lesser to the greater. If this were so, man has really evolved mentally, and this assumption that he has evolved, we cannot deny because we see that in Puranic times more stress was laid upon the external and the outward than the internal: might was measured in terms of lifting mountains and drinking oceans. But now we see that the emphasis has been shifted. The emphasis is laid upon Vedanta. That is the

modern method. This is based upon the assumption that the mind of man has evolved greatly. If that is so, why then this moroseness? Why this despair? Why should man be lacking in Sadhana more than he was before? Either there must be something wrong with man or there must be something wrong in the methods that he employs. But we have started with the statement that everything is all right with man. Man has evolved. Man has progressed. He is much farther on the path than he was before. Then the error should be in the method. Let us see where this error lies. Why, in spite of this evolution, this progress, man still cries that he is still in darkness, that he is unable to do Sadhana? Man says, “My physique is not capable of doing severe Sadhana. I have hardly any time! The social economy has changed. Now life is based upon money. The whole atmosphere has become commercialised. I have now to work from morning till night to eke out my livelihood. I have hardly any time.” This is true. The whole outward picture has change, and this despair on the threshold of hope is because man has not changed in keeping with the outward change. His methods of Sadhana are antiquated. He has evolved, the emphasis has changed from the physical to the mental plane, but he has not made a similar change in his methods of approach. He tries once again to

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go along physical lines. He does Japa. He tries to see that the same Tapascharya Sadhana is once again introduced here. But he has now to have a reorientation of his Sadhana. He should shift the emphasis of Sadhana from the physical to the mental. By shifting the emphasis it does not mean that the former method has either become obsolete or useless. It means that the new method is more strong; it is more wise, it is more useful, just as one who has outgrown the lower forms naturally goes into the university class. We have to admit that we have limitations of time, limitations of energy, and in the face of these new set of conditions, we have to see that our Sadhana meets the limitations of these new conditions so that with all these modern changes and environments, our Sadhana current is carried on constantly amid this change. For this Vedanta has given the right cue. Vedanta lays all the emphasis upon mental culture. It says: “Begin your Sadhana from the mental plane” and psychology

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is the science that has hold upon the mental plane. Vedanta is a complete Divine Psychology. We have forgotten our real nature. What is the remedy for this? To remember it and to reassert it. This is one point of Sadhana—auto-suggestion is the mainstay, the pillar of Vedanta. It says: “Remember your lost heritage, your real nature, and reassert again and again.” For this method your hands are not required, your feet are not required; your whole body you can let throughout the day be engaged in any activity which the economic structure of India has forced on you. At the same time you can unbrokenly carry on the divine current of the Atmic assertion. This auto-suggestion will become more a latent aptitude than a Bhava. When it is established into a permanent Bhava then that Bhava will translate itself into practice. As you think, so you become. For this auto-suggestion, two obstacles need to be overcome. Firstly, the impurities of mind and the vices of the social environment

stand as obstacles. Two methods are prescribed for overcoming them. One is thinking of the opposite—Pratipaksha Bhavana. This is a method in which by constantly denying the presence of that which you wish to remove and asserting the presence of that which you wish to gain, i.e., asserting the opposite of your present vice, you grow into the nature of the virtues and the vice disappears. The other is the law that positive always overcomes the negative. Therefore, a set of positive assertions are constantly prescribed to be made. This overcomes the negative state of Dehadhyasa, that is your identification with the Indriyas, your identification with the body and the mind, and then the identification with the Atman is reasserted. Again there is one great weight which holds down the mind from soaring into Atmic realms, that is the heavy one of Upadhis. They have got very powerful effect on mind. You are pure Atman, not the names and forms. Your essential nature is Satchidananda. But this

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Upadhi of body makes you think you are a person of limited strength. The first is the body Upadhi. This Upadhi has got other Upadhis. The moment you put on Western dress, your thoughts immediately plunge into Western channels, you begin to think in English, your whole line of thought becomes materialistic. The moment you put on a very fashionable and rich kind of dress, at once the egoism is puffed up. All these Upadhis limit the mind and hold it down. The power of Upadhis has also to be considered and in order to counteract them, Sattvic Upadhis are purposely prescribed. Man is asked to take Sannyasa. He is asked to wear ochre-coloured cloth. That gives a powerful colouring to the mind. He is asked to be in a room where the whole atmosphere is charged with spirituality. He is asked to do Japa, Kirtan and meditation. The mental Upadhis also are to be made Sattvic. He should do it through autosuggestion, through Pratipaksha Bhavana, through always trying to be positive in his ways of thinking and through voluntarily taking over Divine Upadhis. The colouring of the mind should be made divine. For those who are constantly forced to be in worldly atmosphere and who do not get time—if you ask them, they say they have already a properly setup programme and that they cannot spare even half an hour out of it for spiritual Sadhana—only they should shift the entire emphasis of their Sadhana from physical, like sitting upon one Asana, sitting in one place and doing Kirtan, going into the meditation room etc. If these are not possible, one need not worry. What should he do? Let his Japa, his meditation, his Kirtan, all be mental. Sri Swamiji Maharaj has prescribed: “You need not HINDU TODAY

necessarily have a separate meditation room or fix some time for meditation. Close your eyes for a minute or two once in every two hours and think of God and His various Divine qualities, during work, repeating mentally Hari Om, or any other Mantra according to your taste.” This, however, does not mean that a meditation room and so on are all useless. Meditation room you can have. If you cannot have it, then do not give up your Sadhana. The mental repetition can be carried on throughout your hours of work. It can go on unceasingly. “Feel all along that the body is a moving temple of God, your office or business-house a big temple or Vrindavana, and every activity such as walking, eating, breathing, seeing, hearing, reading, etc., are offerings unto the Lord.” This is the second mental action. You can first have Sattvic imagination, Kalpana, and secondly you can cultivate Sattvic Bhava. Bhavana and Kalpana are the two things which you have to achieve, and once Kalpana through constant repetition becomes a settled Bhavana, then you will find that your whole Sadhana will move along without a hitch. ‘Work without the idea of agency, without any motive, and as offerings unto the Lord.’ That is, every action of yours in whatever sphere of life you may be, you have to transform with this touchstone. Let Karma become Bhajan. This mental Bhavana at once transforms even the most prosaic act into a direct worship of God. There are three points which I like to mention. Transformation of ordinary action into divine Bhajan. Before you begin any action, imagine and try to feel that what you are about to do is a grand Bhajan of the Lord, a grand worship of the Lord who is manifest in His Virat Svarupa in everything you hear, in everything

you see, in everything you touch. Then you begin the work. As you go on doing the work, every now and then try to feel that this work is not being done by you. You are a mere instrument and it is the Omnipresent power of the Lord that is working through you. Completely negate the idea of agency and doership. Try to feel that the Sakti of the Lord is working through you. With this feeling you carry on the work to its logical conclusion. The third point you have to note is that when you have finished the Karma, do so as an offering to Lord. Let your last action be a whole-hearted Arpanam— Krishnarpanam. When you start, feel that you are doing it as a mere instrument of the Lord and let the day close with the Krishnarpanam of the whole day’s work. Thus everything will become a worship of the Lord and every action will be transformed into divine worship through your putting the emphasis upon Bhavana. So, Bhava is the one basis to which man has to cling in the present age. He has no escape from the necessity of work. Materialistic life forces him to work for his livelihood. Thus, in whatever circumstances he is placed, let him see that he generates this Bhava through repeated imagination and makes his Bhava a permanent portion of his Being. Thus his whole life will become a continuous worship of the Lord. By shifting thus the emphasis from the physical to mental, he is living the life of incessant Sadhana in any circumstance where God has placed him. In an incredibly short time he will see that the whole world stands transformed before him. He will begin to feel the Lord constantly and he will feel the presence of the Lord everywhere. ••• l 2014 l March

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MAKE OUT

Ten things you should know about Hinduism 1. Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?

5. Are Hindus idol worshipers?

Hindus all believe in one Supreme God who created the universe. He is all-pervasive. He created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers.

2. Do Hindus believe in reincarnation?

Hindus do not worship a stone or metal “idol” as God. We worship God through the image. We invoke the presence of God from the higher, unseen worlds, into the image so that we can commune with Him and receive His blessings.

Yes, we believe the soul is immortal and takes birth time and time again. Through this process, we have experiences, learn lessons and evolve spiritually. Finally we graduate from physical birth.

Yes, we believe the soul is immortal and takes birth time and time again. Through this process, we have experiences, learn lessons and evolve spiritually. Finally, we graduate from physical birth.

Hindus don’t worship cows. We respect, honor and adore the cow. By honoring this gentle animal, who gives more than she takes, we honor all creatures.

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The dot worn on the forehead is a religious symbol. It represents divine sight and shows that one is a Hindu. For women, it is also

9. Are the Hindu Gods really married?

6. Are Hindus forbidden to eat meat?

4. Why do Hindus worship cow?

8. Why do many Hindus wear a dot near the middle of their forehead?

a beauty mark.

3. Do Hindus believe in reincarnation?

dom,” is comprised of four ancient and holy scriptures which all Hindus revere as the revealed word of God.

Hindus accept vegetarianism as a way to live with a minimum of hurt to other beings. But in today’s world not all Hindus are vegetarians.

7. Do Hindus have a Bible?

Our “Bible” is called the Veda. The Veda, which means “wis-

It is true that God is often depicted with a spouse in our traditional stories. However, on a deeper philosophical level, the Supreme Being and the Gods are neither male nor female and are therefore not married.

10. What about caste and untouchability? Caste is the hereditary division of Indian society based on occupation. The lowest class, deemed untouchables, suffer from discrimination and mistreatment. It is illegal in India to discriminate against, abuse or insult anyone on the basis of caste. ••• HINDU TODAY

WEDDING SPECIAL

Why Gayatri Mantra is indispensable? By Dr. KK Aggarwal

Aum Trayambakam Yajamahe, Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam, Urva Rukamiva Bandhanan, Mrityor Mokshiye Mamritat.

ny activity should always engage the 3H model of Heart, Head, and the Hand. The same has been advocated by the contemporary western scholars. The concept means that while doing any work one should ask oneself (head) for choices and then refer these choices to the heart to choose one and finally order the hands to do the action. Deepak Chopra also talks about this in great details in his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. He writes that conscious-based decisions are the best decisions. Before taking any decision he recommends asking the body for the signals of comfort or discomfort and if the signals of discomfort are perceived, then one should not indulge into that action. All the above concepts are derived from our ancient Vedic knowledge. The two main mantras are the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra and the Gayatri Mantra. The Mahamritunjaya Mantra comes from the Rig Veda. This is the greatest reliever from all evils and reads as under: Aum Trayambakam Yajamahe, Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam, Urva Rukamiva Bandhanan, Mrityor Mokshiye Mamritat. It means we worship Shiva – The Three-Eyed Lord; who is fragrant and nourishes all beings; May he protect us (bandhan) from all big (urva) diseases (aarookam). May he liberate us (mokshiye) from death (mrityor), For the sake of immortality (mamritat, amrit); as HINDU TODAY

the cucumber is automatically liberated, from its bondage from the creeper when it fully ripens. The meaning of the mantra is the importance of the third eye and the benefits of its opening. The two eyes are at the level of the physical body. The third eye means the eyes of the mind and the eyes of the soul. It also indicates that in difficulty one should look inward from the eyes of the mind and ask for the choices. Like the cucumber, one should chose the good ones and drop the bad choices. (Jo acha lage use apna lo; Jo bura lage use jaane do). The mantra for the consciousbased decision comes from Gayatri Mantra. The same reads as Om Bhur Bhuva Svah Tat Savutur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayaat. It means that 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 He enlighten our Intellect. It talks about the importance of conscious-based decisions and its directions to the intellect to choose the right and not the convenient actions. The Gayatri Mantra is the Vedic prayer to illuminate the intellect. Gayatri is considered as Vedasara or “the essence of the Vedas.”Veda means knowledge, and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge-yielding faculty. As a matter of fact, the four mahavakyasor ‘core-declarations’ enshrined in the four Vedas are implied in this Gayatri Mantra. Choosing the right decision from the consciousness was later

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defined by Buddha. He taught that before any action ask yourself the following four questions and if the answer to any of the question is no, one should not indulge in that actions. These four questions are: • Is it the truth? • Is it necessary? • Will the action bring happiness to you? • Will the action bring happiness to others? • Why do we pray on the day of marriage? Addressing the spiritual needs of a person facilitates recovery from any mental stress. Religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes. In prayer, we talk to God. In meditation, GOD talks to us. Prayer is like inserting intent in the field of consciousness and meditation is akin to formatting our hard disk. Most people pray either at home in the prayer room or go to a temple that is often situated far away and usually at a great height. Most Indian homes have a prayer room or altar where they light a lamp everyday and worship the Lord. The room is also used for japa (reciting the Lord’s

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name repeatedly), meditation, parayana (reading of the scriptures), prayers or devotional singing. For those who believe in dualism (Dwaita philosophy) God is present every where and is the true owner of the house. The prayer room is the Master room of the house that belongs to him and we are only the caretakers of His home. He is always with us in every difficulty and decision making. We invoke His grace and blessings by communing with Him on the day of marriage. In any house the drawing room is for receiving guests and kitchen for cooking. The furniture, decor and the atmosphere of each room is made favorable to the purpose it serves. So for worship or prayer, we have a conducive atmosphere in the form of a prayer room where sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the place and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Even when we are tired or agitated, by just sitting in the prayer room for a while, we feel calm, rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted. For believers of non dualism (Adwaita philosophy), God is within us and prayer room is the place

to be in silence and to be aware of the God within us. In yoga, it is said that only in silence can one be in touch with all the powers of the spirit. A prayer room is the place to experience that silence. True silence is the silence between the thoughts and represents the true self, consciousness or the soul. It is a web of energized information ready to take all provided there is a right intent. In his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Deepak Chopra discusses about the importance of observing silence. He recommends that everyone should observe silence for 20 minutes everyday. Silence helps to redirect our imagination towards self from the outer atmosphere. Silence is cessation of both sensory and mental activity. It is like having a still mind and listening to the inner mind. Behind this screen of our internal dialogue is the silence of spirit. Meditation is this process of achieving silence, which also combines alongside, the art of observation. (Next issue: Essentials of marital status of a Hindu woman)

••• 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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Why Should We Go To Temple?

uestions like these are being incessantly passed on from one generation to the other without any answers. The following is an excerpt from Sri Sri Adi Shankaracharya’s Bhaja Govindam composed in 8th century. It is not fair that Sita Devi had to enter into fire to show her purity to Sri Rama and the whole world. It is not fair that Sri Rama killed a great warrior Wali. It is not fair that Arjuna killed Karna while he is off his chariot. All of us were brought up with questions related to these incidents depicted in our Puranas. Further, we also had doubts on many day to day rituals like do pranamam to God, put Sindhoor on our forehead, take Charanamruth

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(Theertham) in the temple, bow for Shataari (God’s feet), etc. Questions like these and rituals that are confusing to young children are being passed on from one generation to the other continuously. But very few adults make an effort to provide answers to these questions and explain the meaning behind such rituals prevailing in our way of life (Hinduism). One genuine reason is that many adults also don’t know the importance of all these rituals and practices which have been in our tradition for thousands of years. Going to the temple to worship is one aspect that is in discussion and debate often. Temple is a place where Devathas (gods and goddesses) are

invoked. In Sanskrit this invocation process is called “Parthista”. During the Prathista gods and goddesses are invited to the place where the temple has been built and the specific gods and goddesses are asked to be present in the Vigrahas (idols) that are made of black stone or marble stone. All this process of inviting gods and goddesses to be in the Vigrahas is done with the Veda Mantras, sacred rituals, and Homas (fire sacrifice/prayer). It is the power of the Veda Mantras recited and chanted by learned priests that transform mere stone forms into Devathas. Many Hindus worship and pray at home. It is usual practice to have small prayer room in any Hindu home. Mostly Devathas (gods

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and goddesses) that are in ones’ prayer room at home are pictures of Devathas framed. Also, there are small idols in gold, silvers, brass, panchalohas (made of five metals) in different sizes. Very few people will have the Vigrahas that were given pranaprathista by the Acharyas (saints). Most people buy the virginals that are sold in markets and directly worshipped at home. Without pranprathista vigrahas the virginals are equivalent to decorative dolls. When we go to a temple we will see many other devotees who come to worship and pray. Because of Devathas’ presence there is already enormous amount of energy that doesn’t exist at home. Ever person carries some amount of energy. When enormous energy of Devathas and little energy of humans combine at one confined place, the amount of energy that is totaled becomes huge. In addition to this, chanting of Veda Mantras, recitation of sthothras, singing of songs and bhajans, performances of traditional dances, etc., add extra energy to the place. Also, the prasadam cooked in the temple is done cleanly with devotion, only certain types of food is cooked and offered to Devathas, and everything is kept clean. Devotees receive Theertham (sacred water) which is nothing but the water that Devathas have been bathed. Also, their heads are touched with a silver hat (Shatari, which is nothing but the Holy feet of God). These two blessings take away the sins and purify devotees forever. One aspect that underpins all these activities is to create a sacred environment in the temple, because Devathas are there all the time. At home, we are at more liberty. There are rarely any scope of HINDU TODAY

Vedamantras being recited by Veda pandits, many devotees come together to worship and pray, food cooked with sanctity, place is kept clean, etc. Many materialistic activities that are non-sacred take place at home. Watching TV, eating meat, talking loud, using bad language, walking with shoes all over the house, etc. are just some of them. All these humanly activities will not help in creating the energy that we have in a temple. The above two scenarios indicate the difference between the devathas at temple and Devathas at home. So, when we worship at temple we are worshipping not idols, but worshipping Devathas. Since the Devathas at temple were invoked with Veda Manthras, what one sees in a temple is not a stone idol but actual Devathas. On the other hand, what many people at home have are pictures and idols of Devathas. The energy that we get in contact with at the temple is far superior to what we get at home. The Holy Water, Blessing, Prasadam that we get at temple cannot be found at home. As Bhagavath Shankara Charya says in his Bhaja

Govindam: satsaNgatve nissNgatvaM nissaNgatve nirmohatvam nirmohatve nishchalatattvaM nishcalatattve jiivanmuktiH That means when we are in the company of devotees and good people, we will have no attachment to this world. When there is no attachment to this materialistic world, our mind will be calm and peaceful. When our mind is calm and peaceful we will be liberated from this world. Our Sastras and Puranas have indicated at many places the importance and advantage of praying at temples than just at home. Also, many scholars have written extensively on this subject. What has been quoted and explained in this article is very little. Some usages and explanations can be interpreted in many ways. But the goal of this write up is to reach out to the group of audience who has questions about going to temples to worship. (Reference: Sri Sri Adi Shankaracharya. 788 CE - 820 CE: Bhaja Govindam) •••

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Why I Became a Hindu

e must all do our part to preserve and protect and make sure that India remains the homeland of a dynamic and thriving Vedic tradition, writes Krishna Bhakta Stephen Knapp When I go to India one of the most common questions I get is why did I start following Vedic culture, or what attracted me so much to India and its traditions. Many people wonder why, if I’m born in the opulence and decadence of the West, would I be so interested in India? Why would I be so fascinated by their ancient Vedic tradition?

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Wouldn’t I already have everything I would want, everything I need? Maybe not. Maybe the American dream is not all it’s cracked up to be, at least not without a higher level of spirituality for balance and completeness. Maybe Western religion also does not give all we need. So, let me provide a little insight into why I took up the Dharmic path. Now this is about "why" I became a follower of Sanatanadharma, not "how" I became a Dharmist, which is a longer story. But this does include a little of how it happened.

Back when I was a teenager, I felt like I did not fit into this world and thought ill of the premise that the whole purpose of life seemed to be based on the idea that you have to get an education to learn a skill so you could find a career that should last the rest of your life, even if you don’t know what you want to do. So, I was cynical toward everyone because of that, and would have fun playing the subtle game of tearing apart anyone’s paltry purpose for their existence. In that process, I would find that most people also had little reason for what they were doing. They just went along with the crowd be-

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cause it seemed right, or because their parents wanted them to do something. Of course, it was amusing to my friends to make sarcastic jokes at others’ expense, but I was just irritated for being pushed into a world with social patterns and expectations that didn’t make sense to me. In my mid-teens I became a musician. Music was the only thing I liked. It saved my life. I learned how to play guitar and specialized in bass guitar, and became quite good at it. So, I spent time hanging out with other musicians, artists, and hippies of the area, and though we would express ourselves in various ways, we would still get serious at times and sit down and wonder what was our real purpose in this life and where did we really fit into this world. Then, in my late teenage years, I had to set my guitar down for a while and do some considerable research into the various philosophies and spiritual paths of the world to find some solid answers for the real purpose of life. Having grown up as a Christian, which was typical of most people in America, I decided to seriously look into it. I studied the Bible, not only in Sunday school and Church, but privately I read the Bible from cover to cover. It took me a year to do that, so I was fairly determined, but I did it. This was simply to see what was really contained in its pages. I knew of few other people, especially of my age, who had read the Bible from cover to cover. But I had more questions than it could answer. So, I had to keep searching for the spiritual knowledge I wanted to know, because if you look deeply into the Bible, it mostly covers moralistic principles, what to do or not do. These, of course, are necessary for any religious path, but it HINDU TODAY

is only the beginning. I wanted to know more about spiritual knowledge and the process to increase my spiritual perception. The fact of the matter is that most religions start with faith and end with faith, without any real spiritual experiences or realizations in between. There is often nothing to take you to a deeper level of self-perception, but merely the same beliefs in concepts that remain outside your own encounters, and often times with no encouragement from the church authorities to reach that higher level of consciousness. So, I obviously had to look elsewhere for the information I needed.

I spent time hanging out with other musicians, artists, and hippies of the area, and though we would express ourselves in various ways, we would still get serious at times and sit down and wonder what was our real purpose in this life and where did we really fit into this world. Now is that being difficult? I don’t think so. I was just asking the kind of questions that any inquisitive and decent human being would ask. But if you look, what does the Bible say about God, even in simple matters such as what is His form, what does He look like? Other than mentioning that He appeared as a burning bush or a dove, etc., it does not say much. It also says he is a jealous and angry God. But why would God be angry and jealous, and of who? He already owns everything, and everyone is under His control, so what is the problem? Or is it actually a matter of humanity merely projecting their own weaknesses on their conception of God? Then the conception of God that is

presented is not really God at all, but merely mankind’s idea of what God must be, based on their own weaknesses and imagination. Well, this was not what I wanted to learn. Furthermore, what does the Bible really say about the soul, about our spiritual nature, about our spiritual relationship with God and each other, or even about heaven and hell, or things like that? Furthermore, it was completely absent of any description of the soul. Thus, it really does not say all that much regarding higher spiritual knowledge, which means there are numerous questions left unanswered. This also means that we have to rely mostly on faith that we are doing what is necessary to reach heaven. After all, this is one of the goals of Christianity. Everyone has hopes of going to heaven. In this way, it offers a very elementary level of spiritual knowledge based on the idea that you have to do whatever the church tells you if you expect to have any relationship with God. Without that, you may face excommunication, which is synonymous with going to hell. Sorry folks, but that is not enough for me, or any sensible person for that matter. However, another problem is that the church took out most references to the topics of karma and reincarnation, which I later found out in my research had been a part of a political ploy to keep people in line with the demands of the church. Without such obedience, they would not be good Christians, and, thus, have no standing in the eyes of God, or so they say. So, you cannot expect to get the whole spiritual truth out of such books when these kinds of things are done to them. So, where do we go to find the answers? Therefore, I also studied

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Judaism, Egyptology, magic, witchcraft, I Ching, palmistry, Tarot, Voodoo, Zen Buddhism, mysticism, Yoga, and many other esoteric topics. I even read most of the Koran. However, as anyone who reads the Koran will see, in comparison with other scriptures, it is not a book which focuses much on theology or spiritual doctrine. It does not dwell on describing our eternal spiritual identity, the characteristics of the soul, or the spiritual nature of God. In fact, it provides a harsh view of God when compared to other religious texts like the Vedic literature. It presents God, Allah, as a God who gives out much punishment with little or no mercy for those fallen ones who do not follow the Islamic path, even though verses within it say how merciful He is. But this mercy is shown mostly

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to those who are already followers of Islam or who convert to Islam, while apostates deserve to be killed. But, again, is this really God, or only mankind projecting their own characteristics and demands into their concept of God? In this way, it became obvious to me that all religions are not the same. They definitely take you to different levels of understanding. The Bible and Koran, for example, deal mostly with moralistic principles, which are, of course, necessary if a person is to begin any spiritual process. However, books of the western religions consist mostly of rules, or dos and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ts with the promise that if you follow all of them properly, you will go to heaven. Otherwise, you go to hell with no second chance. In the conventional monotheis-

tic religions, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like you are walking a tightrope just to make sure you do not make the mistakes that will take you to hell, what to speak of trying to make any genuine spiritual advancement. But anyone who is spiritually experienced and knowledgeable knows that you cannot go to heaven by faith alone. It just does not work that way. The only way you can go to a higher dimension is by changing your consciousness to a higher level of perception and activity, and doing it right here in this life. And I found few genuine spiritual paths that provided the means or the processes by which you could do that. Thus, I had to continue looking for the answers I needed for a higher understanding and for things to make sense to me, including the purpose of life. But fear-based reli-

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gions, those that promise hell and punishment if not followed, were not for me. I did not want the fear of going to hell as the main motivation for accepting a particular spiritual path, or a dogma that everyone was supposed to accept in order to go to heaven, or to maintain an approved connection with an institution or church to keep from being excommunicated and, thus, going to eternal damnation. This did not seem logical to me. I wanted a path that could give me a natural and progressive way to attain a clear perception of the spiritual dimension, not dogma or fear-based indoctrination or blind faith. In all my research, I finally read the Bhagavad Gita As It Is by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, which was like the final piece of the puzzle that I had been putting together from all of my philosophical and spiritual investigation. I could see that all of the spiritual paths were connected. Through the knowledge they offer, they can bring a person to different levels of consciousness, some higher and some lower. But the Bhagavad Gita gave me exactly what I needed, which was a big boost in spiritual understanding, and I knew I needed more. So, I went on to read the Upanishads, Vedanta Sutras, Yoga Sutras, and other texts including the Puranas. These all gave me profound insights into the purpose of life, and, finally, let me know that this world is not my real home. It is not like I have to find a permanent place here, or an occupation that has to last forever, like I was being taught in school at the time, and which was expected of me by my parents. I was a spiritual being and only a passing tourist on this planet as I moved forward, preparing for higher realms. HINDU TODAY

As I studied the Eastern texts, it became clear that we all have a connection with God regardless of what our religion is, or whether we have a connection with a religious institution or church. All we have to do is reawaken that relationship. And the Vedic system gives you many tools to choose from to help you do that, such as gurus and teachers, sacred texts, temples for worship and learning, systems of yoga, and processes of development. Nothing is forced on you. In the Vedic process, you choose your own speed at which you advance, your own methods that work best for you, the level

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a question of having a dogma forced on you. It is a matter of proceeding at the rate that works best for you so that your spiritual progress unfolds naturally, not artificially or superficially. of understanding and the spiritual texts you want to use. You decide whatever lessons you need to learn in order to proceed. And whatever advancement you make is never lost. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a question of having a dogma forced on you. It is a matter of proceeding at the rate that works best for you so that your spiritual progress unfolds naturally, not artificially or superficially. The Vedic system expects you to have your own spiritual awakenings and experiences when you are ready for them or developed enough. I did not want to merely read about the spiritual dimension, and what it must be like. I wanted to see it. I did not want to merely read about the Supreme Being, which is more than you can get in most

Western religions anyway. Most of them have no idea about His appearance, characteristics, how He acts, jokes with His devotees, or displays His pastimes and love towards them. But I wanted direct evidence and realizations, a connection to fill my soul, and to complete my purpose in life. I did not get that from anything else, whether it was material pursuits or Western religions. They all remained too shallow for me. I must admit that even parts of Hinduism were more like intellectual exercises or pursuits until I came to the teachings of Lord Krishna, especially in Bhagavad Gita and then in the Bhagavata Purana. These provided deep teachings that awakened a higher awareness of life and the spiritual nature of us all. I also did not try to learn this spiritual knowledge through an academic pursuit. Most academics have never experienced whatever spiritual culture they teach anyway, or may even teach outright wrong information about it. Armchair philosophers often lack the necessary direct insight and awareness to qualify for teaching others. It is known amongst all Eastern mystics that anyone, regardless of qualifications, academic or otherwise, who does not engage in the spiritual practices described in the Vedic texts, cannot actually enter into understanding the depths of the Vedic spiritual science, nor acquire the realizations that should accompany it. So, rather than pursuing my research in an academic atmosphere at a university, I directly engaged in the spiritual disciplines that have been recommended for hundreds of years. Thus, in time, I studied the Vedic knowledge and spiritual practice under the guidance of a spiritual master. After several years of serious

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independent study, I earnestly took to the Dharmic process of yoga and became a steady follower of it. This was because it gives a person the means or the system to spiritualize oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consciousness, and, thus, actually begin to have insights into perceiving the spiritual dimension. It does not merely prescribe faith that such a thing exists, but it gives you the descriptions of it and the process by which you can have your own spiritual experiences. The point is that the more spiritual you become, the more you can perceive that which is spiritual. This is the key. Thus, the spiritual dimension no longer remains a mystery, or merely something you study or learn about, but it becomes a reality, something to experience. And that makes all the difference. Thus, I imbibed the teachings within the Vedic texts and that of Lord Krishna and took up the path of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga or devotional yoga and became a Krishna bhakta. Thereafter, I lived in an ashram to practice, study, and be trained in the Vedic teachings and learn the way of regulated spiritual life, sadhana, along with temple rituals, puja, and so forth until I became initiated into the Brahma-Gaudiya sampradaya under the auspices of Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and was given the name of Sri Nandanandana dasa. Several months later I was brahminically initiated as well. One of the reasons why I became a Krishna bhakta is that He is the God of unconditional love, which is something that everyone is looking for, and He also instructed in the Bhagavad-gita that we should stand up and protect Sanatana-dharma for the benefit of others. At the battle of Kuruksetra, Arjuna wanted to leave the battlefield and go to the forest and med-

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itate, but Lord Krishna said no. It was best to do oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duty and stand up to protect Dharma, not only for oneself but for all others as well. By working for the benefit of others in such a way, a person simultaneously helps oneself. You get a little of the spiritual credit, or punya, for whatever advancement others make because of your endeavors. And now this is one of my main activities, not only pursuing my own practice of Sanatana-dharma, but helping to preserve, protect, and promote or explain Vedic culture so others can understand, utilize and benefit from it.

That is why I never went back to the Western religions, though I may respect all paths and still study portions of them for comparative reasons. But what is the point of going back to something less profound, less expansive, less spiritual, less dynamic than what we have in the Dharmic tradition and philosophy as found in India? To do so makes no sense. If we look at the library of Vedic texts like the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Mahabharata, or Vishnu Purana, or especially the Bhagavata Purana, they all explain various aspects of the nature of God, what our spiritual identity is, what is this universe, where we came from and where we are going based on whatever our actions are, and what are the pastimes, characteristics, attributes, and nature of the Supreme Being. How else are we supposed to learn this knowledge, and where else can it be found in such a complete fashion? I have studied all of the world religions and

no other texts or scripture offers such a depth of spiritual information. That is why I have concluded that the Vedic philosophy is the last bastion of deep spiritual truth and knowledge. Nothing offers what it does. Vedic culture, essentially, takes up where the Western religions leave off. That is why I never went back to the Western religions, though I may respect all paths and still study portions of them for comparative reasons. But what is the point of going back to something less profound, less expansive, less spiritual, less dynamic than what we have in the Dharmic tradition and philosophy as found in India? To do so makes no sense. Though raised in the West with its Christian beliefs and its modern facilities, many of us Westerners look toward the East, especially India, for our inspiration and spirituality. We are rejecting some of the very aspects of the Western religions that some of the present day Indians are accepting when they convert to them. This means that possibly they have not looked into them as deeply as we have, at least when it comes to seeking the deeper aspects of spiritual knowledge, beyond the moral principles. They also may not be looking at the bloody history they have left in their trails through the past. Horrible crimes against humanity have been committed in the name of these religions, mostly in order to control such people and make them convert, not by their spiritual purity, but by political force whether they wanted to or not. In this way, Vedic culture, Sanatana-dharma, by giving me this spiritual knowledge, saved my life, more than music did. It gave me the insights I needed to understand the purpose of life, what I was doHINDU TODAY

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ing here, where I came from, where I’m going based on my actions in this life, and how to acquire the highest levels of spiritual perception. It gave me the means to keep going in this world. For me, without those things, my life remained incomplete and void of real meaning. It meant that I had little purpose to continue living. Why bother with something that made little sense to me? And materialistic life was just that, something that made no sense. However, anyone who grasps the big picture of things, meaning to understand that our existence spans many lifetimes, will know that this is not my first life as a follower of Sanatana-dharma. I was obviously an Indian devotee in India in a previous life. I’m only taking up where I left off from before. And I will continue to follow Sanatana-dharma, as well as work to preserve, protect, and promote it for the benefit of others until the day I die. And I invite others to join me on this great path. The thing is that I was not born into Vedic culture in this life. I did not learn about it because my parents or grandparents followed it, like most Indians do. I was born in a small Midwestern town in America where there was no hint of any Vedic tradition. So, I had to search for it and fight to attain it. That is why I do not take it for granted at all. And no one is going to take it away from me now that I have found it. I know what my life was like when I did not have it, and it has made such a difference in my life compared to when all I had was the elementary form of religion that I started with. I learned the benefits of the Dharmic path and how it can relate to my life, and the many improvements of understanding it has given me. HINDU TODAY

So, as a typical American, when we find something good, positive, and advantageous, we want to share it with others. Our enthusiasm makes us want others to take a look at it and see what they think because they might like it as well. And I have seen what it has done for others with its deep spiritual knowledge, peace, insights into the purpose of life, and how to increase our own spiritual perception, over and above mere faith and hope. This is why I have gone on to write various books on the many aspects of Vedic culture, so others can learn about it, use it in their life, and benefit from it. I especially try to write in a way to make the lofty and sophisticated Vedic philosophy understandable for the regular layman. But amazingly, even though I started out writing for Westerners, many Indian Hindus have also appreciated what I do and have expressed how they have gathered much from my own learning, research, realizations, and experiences about which I have written. This enthuses me to continue the work I do to help preserve, protect, and promote the Vedic knowledge and its traditions. Its timeless wisdom and spiritual knowledge still serves a most important purpose. However, as things stand today, we may think that the battle of Kuruksetra was just a story in the Mahabharata, a scene for the Bhagavad-gita in which Lord Krishna told Arjuna that it was foolish for him to want to go off to the forest to meditate when his duty was to stand and fight. But fight for what? To fight for Sanatanadharma and our freedom to pursue the spiritual Dharmic path. Thus, we should all follow in the footsteps of Arjuna in this way, un-

der the direction of Lord Krishna to do our parts to take a stand to help protect Vedic culture. In this way, I have worked with a wide number of organizations, both within India and outside, and numerous individuals who have similar ideas for doing this. It is not our time to be timid about standing up for our rights to follow the Dharma. It is not time to be afraid to come together and work to preserve our culture from those forces, whether they be different religions, non-Hindu politicians, Marxists, or secularists who still wish to destroy it or see its demise. We should be on the forefront to work with each other to maintain our spiritual traditions. We should be on the forefront to create a spiritual revolution in India through the promotion of Vedic spiritual knowledge, and allowing all other interested people to participate in it without restriction. If we can do this, we could change India in 18 days, which was the same length of time as the Battle of Kuruksetra. Vedic culture is, as I call it, the last bastion of deep spiritual truth. We must all do our part to preserve and protect it, and make sure that India remains the homeland of a dynamic and thriving Vedic tradition. Why am I so enthused and determined about this? It is because my life has been so much blessed because of it. I cannot imagine what my life would have been without it. I love this Vedic culture. I love India. I love Sanatana-dharma, and I love being a devotee of Lord Krishna, and I think everyone should take a serious look at it. Bharata Mata ki jaya! Jai Hind! Sanatana-dharma ki jaya! Hari Om, and Jai Sri Krishna! •••

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Nine Beliefs of Hinduism

ur beliefs determine our thoughts and attitudes about life, which in turn direct our actions. By our actions, we create our destiny. Beliefs about sacred matters-God, soul and cosmos--are essential to one's approach to life. Hindus believe many diverse things, but there are a few bedrock concepts on which most Hindus concur. The following nine beliefs, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality. • Hindus believe in a one, allpervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. • Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion. • Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. • Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. • Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through

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By. Dr. Harish Chandra

many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny. • Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods. • Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, selfinquiry, meditation and surrender in God. • Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, non-injury, in thought, word and deed. • Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding. Hinduism, the world's oldest religion, has no beginning – it precedes recorded history. It has no human founder. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. Hinduism

has four main denominations – Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism. Saivism (Sanskrit: शै व पं थ , śaiva paṁtha; is "associated with Shiva"), is one of the four most widely followed sects of Hinduism, which reveres the god Shiva as the Supreme Being. Followers of Shaivam, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Shaivites," believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer, revealer and concealer of all that is. Shaivism is widespread throughout India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Areas notable for the practice of Shaivism include parts of Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Saivism is the Hindu sect that worships the god Shiva. Shiva is sometimes depicted as the fierce god Bhairava. Saivists are more attracted to asceticism than adherents of other Hindu sects, and may be found wandering India with ashen faces performing selfpurification rituals. They worship in the temple and practice yoga, striving to be one with Siva within. Shaktism (Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ, शाक्तं ; is 'doctrine of power' or 'doctrine of the Goddess') is a denomination of Hinduism that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi – the Hindu Divine Mother – as the absolute, ultimate Godhead. It is, along with Shaivism and Vaisnavism, one of the primary schools of devotional Hinduism. HINDU TODAY

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Shaktism regards Devi (lit., 'the Goddess') as the Supreme Brahman itself, the "one without a second", with all other forms of divinity, female or male, considered to be merely her diverse manifestations. In the details of its philosophy and practice, Shaktism resembles Shaivism. However, Shaktas (Sanskrit: Śākta, शाक्त), practitioners of Shaktism, focus most or all worship on Shakti, as the dynamic feminine aspect of the Supreme Divine. Shiva, the masculine aspect of divinity, is considered solely transcendent, and his worship is usually relegated to an auxiliary role. Vaishnavism (Vaisnava dharma) is one of the major branches of Hinduism along with Shaivism, Smartism, and Shaktism. It is focused on the veneration of Vishnu. Vaishnavites, or the followers HINDU TODAY

of the Vishnu, lead a way of life promoting differentiated monotheism (henotheism), which gives importance to Vishnu and his ten incarnations. Followers worship Vishnu,

Vaishnavism (Vaisnava dharma) is one of the major branches of Hinduism along with Shaivism, Smartism, and Shaktism. It is focused on the veneration of Vishnu. Vaishnavites, or the followers of the Vishnu, lead a way of life promoting differentiated monotheism (henotheism), which gives importance to Vishnu and his ten incarnations.

the preserver god of the Hindu Trimurti ('three images', the Trinity), and his ten incarnations, and many other deities, including Ram and Krishna, both thought to be incarnations of Vishnu. The adherents of this sect are generally non-ascetic, monastic and devoted to meditative practice and ecstatic chanting. Vaishnavites are mainly dualistic. They are deeply devotional. Their religion is rich in saints, temples and scriptures. Its beliefs and practices, especially the concepts of Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga, are based largely on the Upanishads, and associated with the Vedas and Puranic texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, and the Padma Purana, Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana. The followers of Vaishnavism are referred to as Vaishnava(s) or Vaishnavites. Awareness, recog-

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nition, and growth of the belief has significantly increased outside of India (see: ISKCON) in recent years. The Gaudiya Vaishnava branch[9] of the tradition has significantly increased the awareness of Vaishnavism internationally, since the mid-1900s, largely through the activities and geographical expansion of the Hare Krishna movement founded by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in New York City in 1966, and more recently, through several other Vaishnava organizations such as Pure Bhakti Yoga Society

of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj, conducting preaching activities in the West. Smartha Sampradaya (Sanskrit, meaning Smartha Tradition) is an orthodox Hindu "family tradition" composed of Brahmins, a certain category of brahmins", which follows Shanmata. The term Smārtha is used to denote a specific, specialized category of Brahmins, who specialize in the smriti, who hold the smriti as the most authoritative texts. Generally Smartas worship

the Supreme in one of six forms: Ganesha, Siva, Sakti, Vishnu, Surya and Skanda. Because they accept all the major Hindu Gods, they are known as liberal or nonsectarian. They follow a philosophical, meditative path, emphasizing man's oneness with God through understanding. It is not as overtly sectarian as either Vashnavism or Saivism and is based on the recognition that Brahman (God) is the highest principle in the universe and pervades all of existence. •••

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SPIRITUALITY

Renaissance in All Strata of Life

he real meaning of the word “renaissance” is reawakening. That is, humanity was sleeping, and now it must wake up from that cimmerian slumber and do something in all the spheres of life, in all the strata of existence. There are three important strata in life: the physical stratum, the psychic stratum and the spiritual stratum. In the physical stratum, there are many strata: say, scientific achievement, social progress, political life, economic life, culture life. People often say that this twentieth century is the century of science. No, it is not the truth. Human life has been associated with science from the prehistoric era, from the very birth of humanity on this earth about one million years ago, and not only in this twentieth century. And as long as there will be a single human being, there will be an age of science. Nowadays science means creating new weapons – strengthening the hands of warmongers; but

HINDU TODAY

By Shri Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

the spirit of science should not be like this, and at the start, in the primordial phase of human life, it was not so. Yes, there is necessity of weapons – weapons not for strengthening the hands of warmongers, but for providing security for good ideas, good thoughts and good persons. Science should be just like art: science for service and beatitude. Art for service and beatitude, I said; and now I say, science is also for service and beatitude. Science should always be utilised for the proper progress of human society. Then the social. In the social sphere there are several sub-strata, and the real spirit of social progress is to dispel all social disparities. Each and every member of the human society should enjoy equal rights as members of the same family, but there is disparity and it is the duty of the Renaissance movement to dispel the disparity and bring about equality, equilibrium and

equipoise amongst human beings. There are disparities, disparities of different types and different kinds. For instance, there are biological disparities existing in the society, which are being encouraged by certain selfish persons. The biological disparity between human and animal, between human and plant, between animal and plant – that disparity must not be there. Just as a human being wants to survive, a pigeon also wants to survive – similarly a cow also wants to survive, or a tree. Just as my life is dear to me, so the lives of created beings are also equally dear to them. It is the birthright of human beings to live in this world, and it is the birthright of the animal world and plant world also to remain on this earth. To recognize this right, and to get it recognized by the entire human society, the Renaissance movement will have to do something concrete.

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Then there is disparity due to birth – disparity between people of higher caste and people of so-called lower caste. People of a particular country die of starvation, and people of another country die due to overeating due to voracity. It is a disparity – it is bad. It is a creation of selfish people, not of Parama Puruśa (Supreme Consciousness). The Renaissance movement will have to do something concrete in this respect also. All are equal, with equal glamour as human beings. Now, difference of colour. Due to geographical conditions, due to historical facts, there are differences in colour. A particular human beings may be of white complexion, someone black, someone very black, someone yellow. It is not an innate difference, it is an external difference. Why should there be a special type of scripture based on these differences? No, there must not be any difference of colour, or any social disparity because of difference of colour. Now, there is the sex difference. Females are debarred from many socio-political rights. You know, a few hundred years ago they had no voting rights in many countries of the world. Why? They are also human beings – they also have the same rights as men. Renaissance people will have to start a movement for social equality and fight against such inequality based on sexual difference. Are women like cattle, or sacks of cloth that people give as gifts at the time of marriage? Are they slaves to be sold to others? As long as women lacked courage or intellect, they tolerated these things – but what a great humiliation! To submit them to such indignities is far worse than to whip them publicly on the road. Are women simply like bundles of cloth to be sent to the washerman’s house? Women must not be suppressed, and there should not be domination of males in the society.

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Society should have a cooperative leadership, not a subordinated leadership; there should be a coordinated, cooperative leadership, leadership between males and females. Renaissance people will have to start a movement immediately to fight against all these disparities; otherwise if fifty percent of the population, that is the ladies, remain downtrodden, how can there be all-round progress of human society? So these are all the social duties, the social responsibilities of the Renaissance movement. Renaissance people will have to wage war on these disparities, these inequalities – they will have to be rooted out of the society. In political life, a group of people exploit another group of people of the same country, or of some other country. There is political inequality. Still there is a sort of economic polarization, economic exploitation, and not only that, there are social and cultural disparities, and social and cultural exploitation also. Renaissance people will have to bring this fact to the notice of one and all: this disparity cannot be supported by good thinking, by right thinking people, and so we will not support it. Yes, in the political sphere, there should be the rule of moralist people, for immoralist people cannot lead the society: they cannot goad the people onto the path of righteousness. And this political life should also be based on universalism, without forgetting the fact that a particular area of the world has its own particular problems and its own particular conditions. Economic life. In economic life there is extreme inequality and exploitation. Although colonialism no longer exists openly in the political and economic spheres till it persists indirectly, and this should not be tolerated. The Renaissance movement will have to do something in this respect. You should remember that in economic life, we will have to

guarantee the minimum requirements to one and all. There cannot be any second thought, there cannot be any sort of adjustment as far as this point is concerned. The minimum purchasing requirement must be guaranteed to all. Today these fundamental essentialities are not being guaranteed. Rather, people are being guided by deceptive economic ideas like outdated Marxism, which has proved ineffective in practical life, and has not been successfully implemented in any corner of the world. Why do people still believe in such a theory, which has never been proved successful? The time has come for people to make a proper assessment whether they are being misguided or not. Then comes one of the important points: cultural life. What is culture? Culture is the collection of different expressions of human life. The culture of the entire human race is one, but there are different local expressions. This difference in local expressions does not mean that people of different corners of the earth have different cultures – culture is the same, but the expressions vary. Education is a part of cultural life. Education should be free, and education must be based on universalism. While imparting education you should also remember that there are certain local conditions, local problems and local requirements; so while formulating the educational structure, we should do everything remembering this fundamental fact. So you see, the scope of the Renaissance movement is vast, and you will have to start your work from this very moment: it brooks no delay. There are the different types of inequalities prevailing in the physical world. In the psychic world also there are so many ailments, and Renaissance people will have to wage war against these inequalities and man-made HINDU TODAY

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differences. There must be progress in the psychic realm, in the psychic arena. In the psychic arena, the progress should be unbarred and unaffected. There are so many ailments in the psychic sphere. You see, in the psychophysical sphere, many people are guided by – rather goaded by – dogmas. Dogmas have taken root in the human mind. People cannot get rid of these false ideas because they have been injected into their minds since childhood. As a result, one human society is divided into different nations, and one nation is divided into different religions; religions also have different castes, and caste also have different sub-castes – what kind of situation is this? We have only learned how to divide and subdivide humanity, and we never learned how to unite the people. This is all due to the defective teachings of dogmas. Some people think that the particular group of people to which they belong are the blessed beings of Parama Puruśa, and others are cursed beings. This is a very bad type of dogma opportunists have introduced all this. Renaissance people will have to fight against these dogmas, and carry on the struggle endlessly. For that, they may have to confront numerous obstacles, censure and humiliation, but they will have to move on undaunted and unaffected. Dogmas are psycho-physical diseases. Then there are physico-psychic ailments. Some people argue that animals have been created by Parama Puruśa for our food. I knew a certain person who used to say that if people do not eat goats’ meat, the world would become populated only by goats. And others said that if people don’t eat chickens, there would not be even a single inch of space on this earth – it would be filled with chickens! Now my point is, even though human beings do not eat vultures, is there a crowd of vultures in the world? How HINDU TODAY

foolish such people are! People don’t eat earthworms – has there been an uncontrollable growth of earthworms on earth? Only out of excessive greed, people eat chickens and goats and are simply searching for logic to support their actions and cover up their weakness. This sort of cunning will not do. In the mobility of the psychic world, there are certain defective thoughts prevailing – that we humans are destined to rule this earth, and the creatures are destined to be ruled by us. You will have to fight against this type of psychology with the help of your strong weapon. What is that weapon? Neohumanism. All have the equal right to live here: this universe is for all. It is not the patrimony of human beings only. This is also the duty of Renaissance people. Then there is the progress in the pure psychic level. In the pure psychic level, defective thoughts prevail in human society, and as a result, an individual or a group of people often try to suppress or oppress others. Due to this type of defective psychology, a vast section of the populace suffers from psychic depression. The Renaissance movement will have to be active against this sort of exploitation, and it will have to save human society from the clutches of these defective philosophies. These ailments should be removed and dispelled from the minds of human beings. There may be another disease, another psychic ailment, and that is in the psycho-spiritual stratum. In the psycho-spiritual stratum, the movement is a pinnacled one; that is, all ideas coincide in a particular point, and that point moves towards the Supreme Entity. But the movement is certainly a synthetic one, not analytic. However, if the movement is extroversial, the path naturally becomes an analytic one, and that is dangerous. In the name of psycho-

spiritual approach, in the false name of religion, disparities are created in the human society, differences are created between human beings. In the name of religion so many sanguinary battles were fought in the past, and even now people belonging to one religious group cannot rely on other groups, or pay credence to other groups. Thus one should remember that only the pinnacled Entity, the apexed Entity is our Saviour – He is the only goal of our life. This is the panacea for all psychic ailments. And the third stratum is the spiritual stratum. In this stratum the natural path is to convert everything into spirituality. This conversion should be in the realm of learning, in the realm of language, in the realm of studies, in the realm of solidarity. That is, in every arena of our spiritual life, this conversion should take place – the conversion of your entire existence, the parts and portions of your existence, into spirituality. But due to defective philosophy, defective guidance, people forget this fact, and they convert spirit into mind and mind into matter. That is, they take the path of negative Pratisianscara [devolution], and that is detrimental to the cause of human progress. Renaissance people will have to raise their voices against this, and they will have to do it now – they will have to do it immediately. And I also desire that you all should move on the path of Renaissance, which is fully supported by rationality, from today – from this very moment. Let victory be yours. ••• Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, also known by his spiritual name, Shri Shri Anandamurti and known as Baba to his disciples, was an Indian philosopher, author, social revolutionary, poet, composer, and linguist.

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The Potential Challenges of Temple Visits as Teaching Tools By Murali Balaji

Over the past few weeks, I've had the honour of speaking to parent groups and educators at conferences in different parts of the country.

and can be valuable in helping students – and teachers – see religions in practice, it's also often just the tip of the iceberg and can pose several challenges for public schools.

After my talks, several teachers have approached me to say that they give their kids a sense of Hinduism by taking them to a local temple, and in some cases, field trips to both Hindu temples and Sikh Gurdwaras. One teacher even admitted that she would prefer a temple visit in lieu of classroom instruction because of her lack of understanding about Hinduism. While the cultural immersion is admirable

For starters, a field trip to a Hindu temple can be helpful in illuminating the way Hindus worship, especially since many textbooks continue to depict Hinduism as a religion confined strictly to the Indian subcontinent. In the United States, the diversity of Hinduism is reflected in the plethora of temples representing numerous worship traditions as well as cultural beliefs. Temples in many parts of

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the country now serve immigrants – and their children – from India, the Caribbean, South Africa, and Malaysia, as well as people who weren't born into Hinduism, but have become Hindus. The diversity of temples is both a blessing and a potential obstacle, because cultural customs often become conflated with religious values, and even the most wellmeaning of temple tour guides can often present a perspective limited to just one sect or worship tradition. For schoolteachers, taking students to an ISKCON temple (Krishna devotees) would present one view

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SPIRITUALITY

of Hinduism, while going to a Shiva temple might present another. It would be in some ways akin to the challenges posed by taking school children to a Catholic Church or Presbyterian house of worship and representing either as the epitome of Christianity. Another problem with temple tours is that they don't always fit neatly with a curriculum about Hinduism. A temple visit can thoroughly articulate ways that Hindus worship, but might not explain Hindu beliefs of dharma, karma, moksha and the four paths to the Divine. A temple representative might be able to explain these concepts to students, but not in the way that teachers might find helpful to classroom instruction. Sometimes, parents of Hindu American children, frustrated by inaccurate depictions of Hinduism in textbooks and other instructional materials, organize the visits in a way where students are exposed to more of a Sunday School atmosphere than a public school one, which is a big no-no for advocates of keeping church and state separate (including the Hindu American Foundation). Temple visits as the primary

source for learning about Hinduism present additional Constitutional and community concerns. The ability of public schools to take students to religious institutions has been challenged in court with claims that it violates separation of church and state. While these assertions might have validity, the increase of parent protests in these cases seems

Another problem with temple tours is that they don't always fit neatly with a curriculum about Hinduism. A temple visit can thoroughly articulate ways that Hindus worship, but might not explain Hindu beliefs of dharma, karma, moksha and the four paths to the Divine. to reflect fears among some that religions such as Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism might have an undue influence on their children. In fact, some of the teachers I've spoken with say that their biggest challenge is convincing parents that teaching about other religious tra-

ditions outside of Christianity (and sometimes Judaism) is not preaching in the classrooms. Temple visits, particularly in areas that are still adjusting to diversity, can become a source of tension between schools and community members. Community concerns, however, are likely to vary depending on demographics. A visit to the Ganesha temple in Flushing, N.Y., is unlikely to cause much of a stir because of New York City's diversity. Moreover, the push by a diverse coalition of secular and faith-based groups to recognize Diwali - which Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs observe as a New York public school holiday demonstrates the progress made to integrate diverse views. The same sort of recognition of Hinduism - or any minority faith tradition, for that matter - is unlikely to happen anytime in places such as Murfreesboro, Tennessee, however. With that being said, schools that are able to nuance the separation of church and state do have a tremendous opportunity to use temple visits to supplement what students are learning about Hinduism. Any religious or cultural practice becomes more tangible to students when they are able to experience it in person instead of just reading about it. Doing so not only increases a student's cultural fluency, but makes them better prepared for the global society that we have rapidly become. ••• Murali Balaji The writer, Hindu American Foundation's Director of Education & Curriculum Reform, often provides Hindu American perspective on various issues. This article originally appeared in Huffington Post

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Science

Space for Hindus is shrinking in Pakistan

aiths which reduce mankind to a flawed species renounce real convictions and the right to choose. Therefore, when Pakistan's religious minorities believe that the country's road to democracy has spelt a slow death for them, it is difficult to disagree. It was the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) five-year rule that proved detrimental for the minorities, be it the Shias, Ahmedis, Christians or Hindus. A supposedly secular party ushered in the worst era of religious militancy and sectarianism, including forced conversions of young Hindu and Christian women. The PPP's first three years in power saw a mass exodus of 11,000 Hindus who left Balochistan for India to avoid losing their girls to abductors and another religion. Cut to January, 2014 and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N is following a shoddier path. It is determined to court hardliners with an ongoing demand for a peace dialogue, with the result that crimes of intolerance perpetrated by Islamist radicals escalate by the day. In this week alone, there have been two incidents of forced conversions, which have met with an

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By Reema Abbasi

incensed reaction from the Pakistan Hindu Council, Pakistan Hindu Sewa and the community. First, a Sindhi Hindu woman, Lucky Bhel, was kidnapped and forced into marriage with the disciple of a local religious leader. A few days later, Sapna Rani, a Hindu teacher in Peshawar, was

ties, enshrined in the Constitution. However, the formation of a three-member commission by the Sindh government to consider an edict that halts such heinous violations is a plausible measure. Pakistan must promulgate an ordinance that prohibits conversion by force and prescribe

(Courtesy: Daily Mail)

recovered after 15 days in captivity. Rani told the magistrate that her tormentor from Bahawalpur had coerced her to convert to Islam to marry him. Human rights activists say that a minimum of 20 such cases occur almost every month. Dr Ramesh Kumar, PML-N member in the National Assembly, has vowed to raise the issue at all platforms, including the Parliament and prompt leaders to recall Jinnah's long-forgotten promise of equality to the country's minori-

stringent penalties. Such a law is critical when the country's marginalised communities view the crime of forcible conversion and the desecration of two Hindu temples this year, as part of the extremist agenda. So, the establishment must implement neutralisation of the rising Taliban tide with absolute force. Otherwise, Sharif can face an unpalatable reality - the stage is set for Islam's secular values to be assailed by Islamism.

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SPIRITUALITY

News Scan Only TTD can sell ‘Tirupati laddu’ rules High Court

Allentown former bingo hall to become Hindu temple

Chennai: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam alone is entitled to use the brand name ‘Tirupati Laddu,’ the Madras High Court has ruled while granting a decree in favour of the TTD on a civil suit filed against a city-based sweet shop. The TTD had claimed that it had the Geographical Indications (GI) tag for making ‘Tirupati Laddus’ which were being given to pilgrims as ‘prasadam.’ Small time vendors as well as well-known big sweet outlets had been selling laddus using the name of ‘Tirupati.’ This could mislead people into believing that the original Tirupati laddus were being sold through these sources. In the suit, it said the Ganga Sweets of Anna Nagar here was making and selling laddus in the name and style of ‘Tirupati laddu.’ Following which, the High Court in November last restrained the sweet stall from making and selling laddus that were deceptively similar to Tirupati laddu. M.S. Bharath, counsel for TTD, told The Hindu that “the defendants had come forward to settle the issue amicably by withdrawing the tag name ‘Tirupati’ from their laddus.” When the matter came up for hearing before Justice R.S. Ramanathan on Tuesday, the respective counsels made their submissions. The court decreed in favour of the TTD while restraining the Ganga Sweets from infringing its registered GI mark. (Courtesy: The Hindu) ***

Allentown: A former bingo hall in south Allentown will soon be converted into a Hindu temple. The former Rainbow Room Bingo Hall at 2413 Sunshine Road could be turned into a place of worship by this summer after receiving zoning approval from the city last month. Local Hindu families have to drive about 90 minutes to reach the closest temple in Cherry Hill, N.J. according to Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism. Phone messages to the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation, which will be establishing the temple, were not returned. The temple is expected to serve as many as 50 families. The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board voted Feb. 24 to reduce the required number of parking spaces from 88 to 65. In a statement, Zed praised the efforts of the temple leaders, calling it important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to new generations "amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society." Hinduism is the oldest and third-largest religion in the world, and has about 1 billion adherents worldwide. There are about 3 million Hindus in the United States. (Courtesy: The Express-Times) ***

HINDU TODAY

Sikh Association Pays Tribute to Iron Man of India London: A ceremony was organized to mark the centenary of

Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s call to the Bar-at-Law at the Middle Temple, London. A plaque was unveiled to commemorate Patel’s contribution to modern India as a barrister and as a statesman. Coming from humble background, Patel later became what the world would remember as the Iron Man of India. The Indo British Cultural Exchange and the British Sikh Association in partnership with the Sardar Patel Memorial Society UK, National Congress of Gujarati Organisations UK and Society of Asian Lawyers held a historic event to pay tribute to celebrated Indian statesman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The ceremony was presided over by H.E. Ranjan Mathai, High Commission of India to the United Kingdom and was attended by over 150 prominent members of society. Sailesh Mehta, President, Society of Asian Lawyers; Dr. Chandra Kant Patel, author of the article in the souvenir booklet "A Homage to Sardar Patel"; Baroness Verma of Leicester, The Junior Minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change; Dr. Rami Ranger MBE, FRSA, Chairman of the British Sikh Association; Vyjayanthi Kumar, Director IBCE and the Compere of the Ceremony; Sharad Parikh, President National Congress of Gujarati Organisations UK; Master Jai Diptesh Patel, City of London School for Boys; Shailesh Vara, MP, Junior Minister in the Justice Ministry of the United Kingdom; Ranjanbala Patel, Chairperson of the Charotar Ladies Group Brent; Leslie Whitelaw, Archivist at the Middle Temple; Pravin G. Patel, President of the

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Science

Courtesy: www.britishsikhassociation.org

Sardar Patel Memorial Society UK and Praful Patel, Chairman of the Indo-British Cultural Exchange attended the event. Vyjayanti Kumar, the compere of the evening, welcomed the guests and introduced the Top Table which was followed by a garlanding ceremony of the bust of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabbhai Patel and members of the top table. Dr. Rami Ranger MBE, FRSA, Chairman of the British Sikh Association welcomed the guests by sharing the message of the British Prime minister, David Cameron MP, “Please accept my best wishes to the British Sikh Association and the Indo British Cultural Exchange. I would like to welcome the unveiling of this commemorative plaque honoring the anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s call to the Bar. His contribution to modern India as a barrister and statesman are very widely respected.” Dr. Ranger went on to describe the Sardar as a remarkable visionary leader who touched the life of

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every Indian and beyond. At the time of independence India was a fragmented country and it was the unenviable task of Sardar Patel to make the case for a united democratic India where all would be equal, with one person, one vote in order to make their destiny. He was the architect of modern and united India as we see it today. Dominic Grieve QC, MP unveiled the commemorative plaque. He spoke in admiration of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel saying that the revered Indian came from a humble background and transformed himself into a successful lawyer and statesman by hard work. The Attorney General added that the plaque would remind future generations of students and people alike of the remarkable life of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Baroness Verma of Leicester unveiled the brochure that had been specially printed for release on the evening. This contained archival documents of the work of Sardar Patel. Ranjan Mathai paid his respect

to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for being a man of self-discipline. He praised the Sardar for his vision and determination to unite India within a matter of months. He also narrated some interesting facts about Sardar Patel - how he walked every day from his flat in Bayswater to Middle Temple and how he gave his savings to his brother so that he could travel to the UK for his Bar. The High Commissioner thanked the organizers for their hard work in organizing such an historic event. Master Jay Patel of the London School of Boys spoke about the legacy of Sardar Patel, what he represented and how he personally became inspired by him. He added that schools should teach more about Sardar Patel to ensure that the legacy of such an amazing mind was not forgotten. Praful Patel, Chairman of the Indo-British Cultural Exchange announced that a Sardar Patel Scholarship would be launched to enable students from India and the UK to study at Middle Temple.

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HALL OF FAME

Nat Puri: A Perfect Role Model

ndustrialist, entrepreneur, renowned philanthropist and ardent supporter of education, Professor Nathu Puri is all rolled into one. He is a very well-known figure in Britain, and there’s hardly in the list of London who’s who who doesn’t want to rub shoulders with him. But what makes him distinctive is his ability to dream big and give back to the society which is otherwise not his own – Britain. Shouldn’t that make him singularly unique! He hit headlines of major UK newspapers and further beyond when few years ago he donated £1 million to London South Bank University to launch the Institute for Engineering and Enterprise. University vice-chancellor and chief executive Prof Martin Earwicker acknowledged: "The creation of this institute has only been possible thanks to the amazingly generous gift from Prof Nat Puri (as he’s affectionately known) and to the corresponding matched funding from HEFCE." Following which the institute started having a professorial chair in engineering and management, a professorial chair in engineering and enterprise, two senior lecturers in engineering and enterprise and research and development space. Britain's Business Secretary Vince Cable struck the right chord when he said: "The establishment of this institute shows that philanthropic donations can lead to great things for a university, its students and the economy.” HINDU TODAY

By Nilamani Kalia Robinson

On his part Nat emphasised the need to educate students with an ability to take risks. He reinforced the need for engineers to be introduced to non-technical topics such as business and finance, contract law and organisational psychology. He said that successful people learn to capitalise on any help they can get, as they are developing a business. Born in Chandigarh in the Punjab (India), Nat's family had passed through hard times. The seeds of Nat's later ambition and success were probably planted when he was young and struggling to come to terms witnessing the collapse of his father's banking business after India’s partition in 1947. As a Hindu in a predominantly Muslim area, his father lost most of his money as many of his clients either fled to Pakistan or were the victims of communal violence. "There were no debtors left, only creditors," as Nat would put it dryly. Eventually, after years of struggle, he himself left India at the age of 27 with a degree in pure Maths and little money in his pocket.

And it was to the National College that he came and studied, which he now says, profited from the excellent teaching there. After leaving the college, he joined the long-established Nottingham firm FG Skerritt where he worked as an engineer. As the story goes, in 1975 his life took a major turn. He had made a proposal for some new business in the Middle East and when the company declined he walked out with a month's salary. Turning round a property deal, he set up a consultancy which flourished. Eight years later he had bought out his former employer.

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HALL OF FAME

And from then on, the story is well known as Melton Meedes, his holding company, now part of the bigger Purico Group of Companies, set out on the acquisition trail. With a small staff in Nottingham, which has become his adopted home, the company gradually became an empire.

gineering and construction, including steel fabrication and airconditioning units, to printing – a subsidiary company printed Variety and Billboard in the United States. Questioned about the logic of such a wide range of activities, his answer is simple – business is business.

With extraordinary singlemindedness, he showed no qualms about the size of any potential new business. He is said to have bid for the likes of Rover and the former British Shipbuilders' yard in Sunderland, despite having no experience of either the car or shipping industry. He didn't get these particular companies, but his capacity to surprise is famous.

Yet, he used his wealth and influence in pursuit of those things

No wonder, his interests are extraordinarily diverse and global – from car badges like Mercedes, to waste products, from textiles to cigarette papers and from en-

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With extraordinary single-mindedness, he showed no qualms about the size of any potential new business. He is said to have bid for the likes of Rover and the former British Shipbuilders' yard in Sunderland, despite having no experience of either the car or shipping industry

he values most: chiefly education. In 1988, he set up the Puri Foundation, a charitable trust, with an initial donation of £1 million pounds. He strongly supports schools and the education of young people. Most recently, together with Toyota, the Puri Foundation has created an Engineering Centre at Top Valley School in Nottingham, providing training and education to young apprentices in the county. He has also made generous donations to Nottingham University, where he has been awarded the title of Special Professor in the Business School. He has also set up a scholarship fund at this university, in commemoration of the role the National College played in his own development. So much so he has also been generous to political parties. Although, he is a well-known benefactor of the Labour Party, he

HINDU TODAY

HALL OF FAME

has also supported Ken Clarke for the Conservative leadership, and it has even been suggested that he is watching the Liberal context with interest. This, of course, says much for his even-handedness and his adroitness. Even after his meteoric rise he has not lost touch with his roots. India occupies a large space in his mind. In 1999, he and Gulam Noon presented the President of India with a collection they had bought at auction in Sotheby's of hitherto unpublished letters from Gandhi to Maulana Abdul Bari, an Islamic scholar, leader of the Khilafat Movement (1920-22) and founder of the Jamiat-e-Ulema. This was at a time when late President Narayanan was endeavouring to encourage inter-religious understanding and in the letters Gandhi makes a passionate plea for communal friendship, something with which Nat Puri clearly identifies from his own personal experience. He gave a £1 million pounds to the Gujarat Earthquake (2001) victims. He has embarked on a proHINDU TODAY

Even after his meteoric rise he has not lost touch with his roots. India occupies a large space in his mind. In 1999, he and Gulam Noon presented the President of India with a collection they had bought at auction in Sotheby's of hitherto unpublished letters from Gandhi to Maulana Abdul Bari, an Islamic scholar, leader of the Khilafat Movement (1920-22) and founder of the Jamiate-Ulema. ject to bring education and medical care to these people and he is currently developing a higher education institution in northern India. But cricket, especially Indian cricket, is also a great passion. Indeed he is said to have two boxes in Trent Bridge and the Indian Express, faced with a sudden dearth of tickets for the Test Matches, sug-

gested that it was time to be even nicer to Nat than usual. In his book The Magic of Indian Cricket, Mihir Bose recalls a dinner hosted in 2004 by Nat Puri in honour of the Indian team. Nat had promised £50,000 for the first Indian to get a triple century in a Test match and as the keen followers of the game here will recall, Veeru Sehwag, the unconventional batsman, became the first – with 309 against Pakistan in Multan and of course helping India to its highest ever 675 for five against Pakistan. Veeru Sehwag was presented this award by Geoffrey Boycott, a rather different kind of batsman, who asked him about his feat – and especially getting the 300 with a flourishing six. Sehwag's answer was nonchalant – "you bat your way, I bat mine." A few years ago he was given the inaugural Hindu Forum of Britain's Award for Excellence in Community Service, and who knows maybe one day he could be a serious contender for Bharat Ratna too.

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IN MEMORIAM

Science

Gita on Death, Grief, and Loss By Girish Naker

e have all read and heard so many times about the famous saying of the Bhagavad Gita: “When one is born, death is a certainty.” Yet, we hesitate to accept it and make part of our existence. It comes to us like a bolt from the heavens when we hear someone has passed away, and it is more so when the news of death is one of a very close to your heart: your parents. Last month, on 14th February at 11.00 my mother passed away. The sad news hit the family hard. Within an hour of the doctors raising an alarm, the family barely made it to the hospital in time. She was no more. We really did not know what hit us. As the long grieving process was underway, I was given the advice and encouraged, by a close relative Shri Chetanbhai Vyas to do the last rites for my mother myself. It was a difficult task for someone who, despite being a Brahmin has never participated at officiating in any religious ceremonies, let alone bidding farewell to one’s own mother. As days to the funeral drew closer, I kept on studying and reading on what the ceremony ought to be. What is its significance and what it should include? With a lot of assistance and support from Shri Chetanbhai and Shri Rashmibhai Trivedi, I performed the puja at home and a “funeral service” at the crematorium, followed by the other rituals thus completing the 16th Sanskaar.

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Late Bhanuben Chunilal Manishanker Jeram Naker

These few weeks forced me to think about this phenomena and has given me an opportunity to learn and understand about what really happened to my mum. In Sanatan Dharma, we believe in the concept that the Aatman and Dharma are closely tied together. Without Dharma, the Aatman is “lost”. Atman on its journey back to Brahman, uses the body as a transition towards its journey to its original pure state, to its Moksha. The karmas we perform/undertake, helps or hinders the atman as these travel with it. So in the Dharmic traditions, performance of Dharma, finding that “purpose and meaning” that “way of life” which encapsulates and brings a sense of balance and growth via performing Dharma, Aartha, Karma and to Moksha gives one an understanding and respect for all of creation. Dharma has to be your real loyal friend, as it clings to the Aatman. Thus Dharma asks of us that we be honest and responsible for

our Karmas (actions) in mind, body and spirit. For these will impact on the Aatman to help it move closer to Moksha or away. In everything we do, Dharma asks, “What is your intention” (what you wish to achieve) and “purpose” (what is the outcome you expect). Therefore, one could conceptualise the Gita thus: The true battlefield is within us. Krishna is our Atman/pure consciousness. Arjuna is the intellect, asking and seeking the right actions and path. The Chariot is our body. The horses are our senses which take us through all our emotions – egoism, lust, jealousy, greed, pride and hypocrisy. Dhitrastra , on the otherhand, is our Ignorance and our blind beliefs. It is only Krishna who guides us through our consciousness and gives us the ability to choose the right path of righteousness, of compassion and love, the highest moral values that will lead us to Moksha or Yoga. The last few weeks have been life and spirit changing, it has changed how I see life and how the Atman moves on to the next life. The doctors could only try to help my mother while she was alive and once she stopped breathing, the only thing we could help her with were our prayers. As a close knit community of family and friends, everyone helped us to pull together to give her a dignified, personal and meaningful send off. Om Shanti, Om Shanti, Om Shanti.

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HINDU TODAY

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HINDU TODAY