SatVidhya July 2014

Lotus 1 Petal 10 - July 2014 www.SatVidhyaEzine.com

The Twins Rahu and Ketu and Their Mission

RAHU KETU

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This too Shall Pass

Be Our ‘Reader's Editor’ - Details Inside Does God Play a Role in Sports?

He is Always With Us!

WHAT’S INSIDE

SATVIDHYA - July 2014

1. The Twins ‘Rahu and Ketu’ and Their Mission - 02 2. Does God Play a Role in Sports? - 05 3. Is a Living Guru Necessary? - 07 4. He is Always With Us! - 09 5. If You Love Me Then… - 11 6. The Powerful Cancer Fighter - 13

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Disclaimer

7. Relationship - 15 8. From My BookShelf - 17 9. This too Shall Pass - 20 10. From the Readers - 22 11. From You Tube - 23

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SatVidhya July 2014 Lotus 1, Petal 10 Editor-in-Chief : Charukesi Viswanathan Deputy Editor : Ramesh Siva Managing Editor : P Venkatesh Creative Designer : Vivek M

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The Twins ‘Rahu and Ketu’ and Their Mission

The Twins ‘Rahu and Ketu’ and Their Mission

Lalitha Devi

Once upon a time,

a terrible demon stole the nectar of immortality meant for the Gods. Lord Vishnu promptly beheaded him with his discus. Two immortal demons resulted from this incident—a headless snake, Ketu, and a bodiless snake’s head, Rahu.

This is the story in a nutshell. But it’s actually a much more complex tale, rife with deeper meanings and vast psychological implications for humanity.

In Vedic astrology, Rahu and Ketu possibly embody the two greatest contradictions of the human experience and the pathos of our lives. They are the yin and yang of planetary influence on Earth.

Rahu is ever-hungry, pushy and ravenous for material gains and power, whereas Ketu seems mildly annoyed with life on Earth,

denotes a mysterious expertise in the areas of life he rules in a horoscope and wishes to release all engagements—hence Ketu’s desire for moksha or liberation.

Whether Rahu or Ketu will win the existential battle during our lifespan largely depends on our level of spiritual evolution and our inborn inclinations.

Because we know that everyone is under the influence of Rahu and Ketu-both the enlightened being and the villain-we are left to wonder how do the greatest souls deal with such powerful influences in their lives. What compels these great beings to choose a course of action and what role do Rahu and Ketu hold in their horoscopes?

From an astronomical standpoint, Rahu and Ketu are the two lunar nodes that cause both lunar and solar eclipses. Perhaps this role in obscuring the light of the two luminaries can better explain how 02

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The Twins ‘Rahu and Ketu’ and Their Mission

Rahu and Ketu can help make or destroy a human life.

Dr. Pillai says that life is intelligence and intelligence is light. The more light we hold, the higher our intelligence.

I have recently been pondering the life and natal chart of an eminent man-a giant of spirituality and a great light for those whose lives he touched-Swami Vivekananda.

His guidance, support and philosophical ideas still touch many millions of followers worldwide.

In my opinion and if most Vedic astrologers are correct, he was born with a Sagittarius ascendant, while his Moon was in Virgo. That would placehalf of his relatively short life under the influence of the Rahu major astrological period (or mahadasha) that lasts a total of 18 years. Vivekananda died at the age of 39.

What does this mean for us? It means that even so-called demonic (or dark) forcesare powerless in the face of our strong resolve to do good. We know that Vivekananda‘s life was completely oriented towards dharma (or righteousness) and he spent all his life helping others, teaching higher divine principles to drive humanity out of spiritual and material poverty.

He was a pure yogi and his compulsion and even obsession with spreading divine knowledge denotes the intensity that is often attributed to Rahu. Of course many other factors in Vivekananda’s natal chart indicate his spiritual purity. But perhaps Rahu contributed to his unstoppable drive and ultimate sacrifice to defend humanity against injustice and his wide influence on foreign masses.

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The Twins ‘Rahu and Ketu’ and Their Mission

The two shape-shifters Rahu (in the 12th house of foreign lands, spiritual seclusion and hospitals) and Ketu (in the 6th house of health) might have caused his rise in a foreign country (the U.S.) and ultimately his loss of health and life.

But here is the good news for all-in July Rahu and Ketu will be the horoscope where they can actually help humanity. mysticaldomain-will bring both spiritual and material Virgo-a sign of Mercury ruling intelligence and interests-will applyhis strong focus to research and Being shape-shifters, Rahu and Ketu are going to act like respectively. The disguise of these shadow planets might world, especially while both Jupiter, celestial force of wealth, and Saturn, planet of perseverance and social exalted-meaning simultaneously at their strongest in 60

placed in the two areas of Ketu in Pisces-a wealth. And Rahu in intellectual studies.

Mercury and Jupiter, bring much good to the spiritual growth and justice, will be years.

Wishing you much happiness, beauty and inspiration during this extraordinary time.

Author Bio Italian born Lalitha Devi (Donatella Riback) is a yogini and writer. Since 1993, she has been learning Vedic Sciences, furthering her studies while living in India for five years.

After resigning in 2003 from an executive level position in PR, she has been teaching yoga and Ayurveda. Lalitha is a certified yoga teacher and Reiki master. She has studied Ayurveda with Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. David Simon and Dr. Vasant Lad. Lalitha is also a certified Vedic astrologer from the American Academy of Vedic Arts and Sciences (AAVAS) and her Jyotish gurus include: Sam Sadasiva Geppi, founder of AAVAS, Dr. Pillai, founder of AstroVed, Dr. K S Charak, and AstroVed astrologer Valli Wells.

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Does God Play a Role in Sports?

Does God Play a Role in Sports?

Mintu Jha Despite their competency, innovation and improvisation, scientists and doctors would often look upon God for some of the unresolved puzzles and wonders connected with their field. Professionals, Farmers, Workers and Businessmen would line in queue offering thanks for their success and gains in their trade. No wonder Artists thank Almighty in the most touching manner for their talent given by God. Even though Sports is considered as a subset of art, it has evolved beyond proportions and has to be defined as a separate entity in the present age. Now, few questions arise: - Do sportsmen recognize and regard God for their talents and success as others? Does God play a role in sports?

One might argue that God has several concerns and priorities rather than deciding the IPL (Indian Premier League – Cricket) winner or moulding the penalty shoot-out skills of Argentina soccer players. Sports can be defined as entertainment and fun in generic terms. Some would like to add elements like patriotism, team bonding, fighting spirit, character, etc to the existing definition. In that scenario, how do sports and sportspersons connect them with God? Diego Maradona, one of the greatest soccer legend would always be remembered for his ‘Hand of God’ goal in 1986 FIFA World cup. It was an unbelievable and match winning goal in the most breathtaking match against England. Maradona claimed that the goal was possible with ‘a little with the head of mine and a little with the hand of God’.

The ‘God of Cricket’, India’s Sachin Tendulkar has always been extremely religious and would always worship 05

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Does God Play a Role in Sports?

Sun God before entering into the crease and acknowledge God after scoring a century. Remember, he has scored a century of centuries.

But, Sachin never failed to thank God. Saeed Anwar, a prolific run scorer of Pakistan after his daughter’s demise, chose the religious path and started preaching Islam. After a long gap, he returned to Cricket and still performed well as before. He credited Almighty as the reason for his success and prolonged career.

Jennifer Capriati one of the highly rated, yet FFan unsuccessful tennis player, while winning the 2001 Australian Open, after coming out of her personal disasters was highly emotional and acknowledged God for being kind to her in her tear-filled speech. Olympic Medal winner and leading Indian boxer Vijender Singh had quoted, “God has been great. My fantasies have turned into reality only with the blessings of Almighty”.

Michael Chang, a fighting tennis star who was known for making terrific comebacks in many 5-set thrillers, once declared, "I thank Lord Jesus Christ, because without Him, I am nothing”.

Many NBA (National Basketball Association) teams earnestly make prayers seeking success for their team. They believe prayers add value and power for their mental strength and success. Spiritual stories and beliefs are shared and discussed during rigorous training sessions by Saudia Arabia’s soccer and boxing teams to instill confidence among players.

Steffi Graf believed as one who has born in this world to play just tennis, after being inducted into Hall of fame recalled the troublesome moments of her personal and professional life. She also rendered heart filled thanks to the Almighty for blessing her with the special talents. Sportsmen making a sign of a cross or offering namaz or wearing a tilak on forehead has become a common sign nowadays in sports arenas. Recently, we saw a picture of Captain of Indian cricket team, M.S. Dhoni offering prayers in a temple at his hometown.

Sports fans across the globe normally offer prayers to God seeking victory for their country, before and during the course of many matches. We see athletes everywhere give credit for their talent to God. God gets so many mentions in many victory and farewell speeches. God is a binding force during the toughest and testing moments of life. As we all know, sports is a

toughest and testing field, which certainly necessitates the role of God.

Author Bio Mintu Jha is a native of Kolkata. He has over 8 years work experience in Customer Relations and ITES. He is a member of the Pillai Center team. His life has changed immensely from the time he started following some of Dr. Pillai’s teachings.

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Is a Living Guru Necessary?

Is a Living Guru Necessary?

P Venkatesh Venkatesh “I have not said that a Guru is not necessary. But, a Guru need not always be in humanPform”, said Sri Ramana Maharishi, the saint who lived at the footsteps of the Arunachala Hill in South India.

This was evident in the life of Dattatreya, the son of sage Atri and Anusuya, who was renowned as the foremost among Gurus. Once a king asked Dattatreya to name the latter’s Guru. Dattatreya admitted to having not one or two, but as many as 24 Gurus - Earth, water, fire, wind, space, Moon, Sun, a flock of pigeons, a python, ocean, a moth, a bumblebee, a honeybee, an elephant, a deer, a fish, a prostitute, a bird, a baby, a young woman, a snake, an arrow maker, a spider, and a worm. Dattatreya learnt from the entire nature, not just a specific human Guru.

Even an image of the Guru can be as powerful as the Guru himself. As per the epic Mahabharata, a tribal archer called ‘Ekalavya’ approached Drona, the best archery Guru or teacher of those times. When Drona refused to teach him, Ekalavya went ahead and created a statue of Drona. Even though Drona was not physically present, Ekalavya practiced his archery skills considering the statue itself as his Guru. His devotion to the statue of the Guru was so intense that he even surpassed the students who had learnt directly from Drona.

Guru’s image, in the form of a statue or photograph, embodies the energy of the Guru. This is what a seeker needs to attain the highest goal of life. “Through grace, the Guru is able to transfer everything to you. You can read books and gain understanding about the process of enlightenment. However, you will still remain 07

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in the theoretical domain”, reveals Dr. Baskaran Pillai, an international teacher belonging to the lineage of enlightened Siddha Masters from Southern India.

‘Guru Parampara’, the ancient Vedic tradition of knowledge transfer, was itself rooted in the glory of the Guru’s grace. An anecdote from the life of Adi Shankara, one of the most learned saints of India, shows this. Once Adi Shankara delayed the start of his teachings until the return of Totakacharya, a student who had gone to wash the saint’s clothes. The other students felt it was no use waiting for someone as dumb as Totakacharya. Adi Shankar decided to reward Totakacharya’s dedication. Even though they were physically far apart, Adi Shankara mentally transferred all his knowledge to Totakacharya. When Totakacharya returned, all students were stunned to witness his brilliance. Time and distance are not a factor to receive the Guru’s blessings.

All Gurus themselves owe their knowledge to Shiva, who is said to be the primordial Guru. In his form as ‘Dakshinamurthy’, the south-facing Guru seated under a Banyan tree, Shiva does not utter a word and teaches his disciples in absolute silence. Once, when a fight of superiority broke out between the Creator God Brahma and the Preserver God Vishnu, Shiva appeared as a column of fire and gave initiation to Brahma and Vishnu as their Guru. The same Shiva, when he forgot the meaning of the cosmic syllable OM, humbly accepted his own son Karthikeya or Muruga as the Guru.

The word ‘Guru’ means one who removes (Ru) darkness of ignorance (Gu). In essence, Guru symbolizes the divine principle of light within us. “Appo Deepo Bhava” or “Be a light unto yourself” – was Gautam Buddha’s last teaching to his disciple Ananda. Renowned philosopher J Krishnamurthi expressed the same when he said, “You must be your own light and not the light of another, nor can this light come through another. You cannot light that light from the candle of another. If you once see the truth of it then you will not follow a single human being, you will not follow any Guru”.

“You don’t have to go and search anywhere else. God is sitting there in the midbrain as a flame of light. Let this light get into your ego and dissolve it, so that you can become God”, shares Dr. Baskaran Pillai. This inner light can be the Universal Guru, guiding people of all faiths, cultures and nations into the Golden Age.

Author Bio As a communications expert and creative consultant, Venkatesh has designed and executed web campaigns, organized transformational seminars, and produced radio documentaries for global audiences.

He has consulted respected NGOs on national-level projects on community radio, climate change and education. He has written over 50 articles on 08 diverse subjects for leading publications.

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He is Always With Us!

He is Always With Us!

Sanchita Maitra “God is keeping an eye on you. If you do not behave properly, He will punish you”. These words of my grandmother were aimed at restraining me, when as a child I would try to disobey her orders or go around the house to give shape to my mischievous intents.

I would then wonder how God, restricted to pictures and statues, can punish me. So regardless of the warnings, I would carry on with my plans and would inevitably hurt myself in the process. My shriek that ensued from being in pain would make my grandmother aware of what I was up to. The pain of injury along with my grandmother’s whacking would be enough to make me submit to the forces that were beyond my understanding.

The words of my grandmother have remained ingrained in my consciousness very deeply. Even today whenever I hurt myself, I think of her warning and then ask myself, ‘What wrong I must have done to be punished’?

Is God really keeping a tab on us 24X7 and punishes us for our misconduct and wrongdoings?

The theory of Karma says all our actions have consequences. The universe responds to us, sooner or later, with respect to the quality of our actions. Good deeds will not, therefore, go unrewarded but if the actions don’t conform to righteousness then one cannot escape paying up for the mistakes.

Correlation of this theory can be found in Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which says, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

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So, both the theories affirm that what is happening to us is the reaction of our own actions. We enjoy when life brings us good and rewarding moments but grumble when things don’t go according to plan.

Importantly, the theories absolve ‘The God’ of any role playing in bringing us either pain or pleasure.

So, we need not fear God or blame Him for the troubles in our life. But we have been taught to pray to Him when things do not go well, which means He has an authority to influence the course of events in our lives.

Over the years I gained a deeper understanding of my grandmother’s words of admonition. I stand by those words – they were quite appropriate to discipline a child and to introduce her (i.e. me) to the existence of a higher force that is essentially good and cannot be fooled. The consciousness of God or the constant awareness of His presence is in itself a good energy to be endowed with.

If we can always be with the energy then actions and will be able to connect with the we are carrying.

automatically, we will become conscious of our pure energy within us, the divine essence that

Author Bio Sanchita Maitra is working as a Senior Content Writer with AstroVed.com. In the past 7 years, she has written webpage content, online newsletters and articles on subjects like current affairs, entertainment, astrology and spirituality. Apart from writing, she enjoys reading on diverse topics, travelling, cooking and listening to music.

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If You Love Me Then…

If You Love Me Then…

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik Emotional blackmail perhaps began with Kaikeyi, who used it to get her way with Dasharatha in the Ramayana. Or maybe Duryodhana, who used emotional blackmail to manipulate Karna in the Mahabharata. Even perhaps Krishna when he told Arjuna, “If you love me, then pick up your bow and fight your enemy”.

Naturally, it has made its way to Indian families. The mother says, “If you love me, you will finish all the food on the plate”. Then the father says, “If you love me, you will study hard.” Then the aunt says, “If you love me, you will not marry that girl you chose”. Then the uncle says, “If you love me, you will marry this girl we chose”. Lovers often say to each other, “If you love me, then you will give up your job/religion/family/life”.

Religions have long used this strategy. Evangelists go around saying, “If you love the Lord, you will hate homosexuals and those who support abortions”. Religious sects say, “If you love the guru, you will make that donation regularly”. Political parties tell voters, “If you care for the minorities/Hindus/Dalits/social justice, you will vote for us”.

So, it had to happen. “If you care for your country, you have to watch a television show”. The ultimate measure of patriotism driven by consumption economics!

Animals do not emotionally blackmail, though some dog lovers reluctantly admit being controlled by the weepy whines of their pets. Humans set themselves up for emotional blackmail. It is rooted in the human desire to be validated by those around us. We may be rich/honest/brave/patriotic, but we need someone else to validate it. And people take advantage of this yearning for validation. They turn into judges and 11

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define evaluation measures that usually benefit them. As long as we grant such people the power to judge us, we remain at the receiving end.

But then one day the child grows up. Refuses to eat that food the mother forces him to eat, or marry the girl the family chooses for him, or take up a career that meets with family approval. Rather than submit to family pressures, he follows his own heart. He is accused of being the unfaithful son, the home-wrecker, even the evil one. But he does not succumb. He does not need their judgement to validate himself. He makes his own path, knowing fully well that he loves his parents, even if they are manipulative control freaks, even if they are unable to love him for not being their perfect obedient child.

Emotional blackmailers despite their avowed declaration of noble intentions (“I am doing it for you own good”) are usually self-absorbed.

They fail to understand the other. They never ask, “Why is he not doing what I feel is good for him?” If they did, they would understand something more about the human condition, and about themselves. There will be a bit more affection and empathy for the failings of humankind, and less smug sanctimony.

(Reprinted from Devdutt.com with the permission of the author)

Author Bio Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik writes and lectures extensively on the relevance of mythology in matters related to leadership, entrepreneurship, branding, management and governance. He is inspirational speaker at many conferences where he ‘opens the minds’ to a very Indian approach of business.

His columns on management and culture appear in Economic Times while his shows are popular in CNBC and CNBC Awaaz. He has written over 25 books and 400 articles on mythology for people of all age groups.

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The Powerful Cancer Fighter

The Powerful Cancer Fighter Dr. Kavitha Bharat A popular proverb says, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, which signifies the importance of eating apple every day. This means the habit of eating an apple regularly will enrich us with all essential vitamins and minerals, which are needed for the body to get protection from diseases.

There is one more apple known as “Seeded apple” that can guard us from minor ailments to severe life threatening diseases like cancer, when consumed regularly. It is a medium sized, red colored fruit and has 200 to 1000 no’s of seeds covered with thick reddish pulpy skin. These seeds are embedded in shiny yellow or reddish, hexagonal shaped outer covering called rind. Now, can you guess what it would be?

Yes, it is Pomegranate, a miraculous fruit, which we ignored to add in our diet regularly due to influence of imported fruits from other countries. Ancient Ayurvedic scholars were well-known about its medicinal value in treating and preventing the ailments. They formulated many recipes of medications with Pomegranate and effectively treated many diseases with those medicines especially gastro intestinal disorders like diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal worms and abdominal tumors. They have prescribed eating vitamin C rich antioxidant fruit pomegranate for maintaining good digestion and good appetite.

Pomegranate is of two varieties one with sweet taste and the other variety is mixed with sweet and sour tastes. It is hot in potency. Sweet variety is able to control all three doshas while sour and sweet variety controls Vata and Kapha doshas which are commonly elevated in all kinds of Cancer. It is good for the heart, 13

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improves intelligence, promotes strength and stimulates digestion.

In order to evidence its healing ability modern researchers are involved in various research studies for separating those healingmolecules from Pomegranate to prepare synthetic medications that can fight with cancer.

Metabolites of Pomegranate juice, named ellagitannins targets specific tissues like colons, intestinal epithelium and prostate gland. A study was conducted to know the efficacy of Pomegranate in inhibiting pancreatic epithelial cell cancer. They have found that elagic acid which is abundantly present in Pomegranate, inhibited proliferation of cancer cells in Pancreas. It controls cell multiplication by targeting specified group of cells that may recur in future. This study reported that Pomegranate’s anti-cancer potency was 60 % greater than conventional chemotherapy medications.

Other Heath benefits of Pomegranate

Juice taken from

this fruit control 90 % of LDL (bad cholesterol) absorption into blood stream.

Thereby Pomegranate juice is helpful in preventing and reducing heart diseases.

 It is a rich source

of vitamin C and K and also provides Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Potassium and Sodium.  Seeds contribute

fiber content that helps in pushing out intestinal toxins.

 Pomegranate juice is very helpful to reduce blood  It is an antioxidant fruit that

exhibits free radical scavenging activity and provides anti-ageing benefits.

pressure. A clinical study was conducted in hypertensive patients by administering pomegranate juice. After 2 weeks of consumption, their systolic pressure was reduced due to reduction in angiotensin-converting enzyme.

Author Bio Dr. Kavitha Barath B.A.M.S. serves as Manager, Quality Control Department with Vopec Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. She graduated from Dr. MGR Medical University with an excellent academic track record.

She has profound knowledge and experience in Ayurveda and Panchakarma Therapy, and has effectively treated various diseases during her tenure with Ayush Therapy Centre, Chennai. She is also an expert counselor in alleviating disease.

During her professional career Dr.Barath has successfully treated many cases of Inter-vertebral disc prolapse, Sciatica, Arthritis and Psychological disorders.

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RELATIONSHIP Maheshwari S Relationship is a beautiful aspect of life. At every stage of life, human beings pass through various relationships and it is a chain reaction.

Why Relationship is important? Mike Murdock says, “Each relationship nurtures a strength or weakness within you”.

Right from the time a person has born on this earth plane, the relationships begin. The first relationship is the mother.

She is the one who shows us the various relationships in our life, including the father.

At each stage, we lean on different relationships. First is mother – this is a forever relationship. Then comes the father – this relationship cannot be replaced. Then the relationships of family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbours, siblings etc.

Parents and Grand Parents start teaching us about God and they sow the seeds of faith in God. This is the divine relationship and can sometimes sound mystical. Unless you experience this, it is not easy to understand.

As we enter into our school life, it is our teachers, friends, caretakers at school, the van drivers, etc.

Then we grow and enter into a professional life, at that stage we develop a relationship with our colleagues, boss and our clients.

After a particular age, the circle expands. As and when we grow, we come across various people and develop different kind of relationship at different levels.

So, relationship is an integral part of one’s life. It is a beautiful feel. Relationship directly or indirectly teaches many things in one’s life like patience, understanding, give and take, diplomacy, being courteous, loving and to be unconditional.

As said by Toni Collette, “The better you know yourself, the better your relationship with the rest of the world”.

Maintaining relationship is an art. Greta Scacchi says, “A relationship requires a lot of work and commitment”.

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From My BookShelf

From My BookShelf You Turn India by D.K. Hari & D.K. Hema Hari – From Bharath Gyan

Charukesi The book is full of thought provoking essays that project India that is Bharath, a land of plenty but has been plundered by the British. India has seen a wave of plunders and this has resulted in poverty. If the water bodies of the land are well harnessed, as our ancients have shown us, there is a possible turn around, say the authors.

The book is based on well researched source material is borne out in the fact that the author is able to quote Vedic literature in chapter and verse.

Read the following, for example: “The Vedic literature does not speak from the perspective of a poverty ridden society. The examples in the Vedic literature clearly indicate an advanced state of agriculture, metallurgy, trade, welfare and defence. For example, there are mentions of systematic strengthening of river embankments and development of irrigation canals from the rivers in connection with agriculture”.

“The Maitrayani Sukta of the Rig Veda in 3.33.3 and 4, discusses about river water flow and how to irrigate fields with the same. Verse 1.38.11 of the same Sukta, discusses about building strong river embankments. River embankments are also discussed in Kshetrapati Sukta of the Rig Veda”.

“The Aranyani Sukta of the Rig Veda discusses about the laying of good roads”.

“If a civilization could harness waters, grow food in a controlled manner and could also travel over land and seas to trade, then it implies that it must have been fairly matured in understanding science, engineering, commerce and society”.

The authors define the looters and the subsequent Moghul rulers distinctly. The rulers who came from the Near West, won their battles in India, settled and ruled the land, becoming one with the people of the land.“These chieftains who raided India but stayed back to rule this land as its kings cannot be classified as plunderers in the same breath as Muhmud of Ghazni, Mahmud of Ghauri or Nadir Shah, as they did not decamp with their loot”.

According to the authors, Will Durant, the respected American historian, thinker and writer in a note in his book ‘The Story of Civilization-Our Oriental Heritage’ wrote in the 30s thus: ‘I had not thought it possible that any government could allow its subjects to sink to such misery. I was filled with astonishment and indignation at the apparently conscious and deliberate bleeding of India by England throughout a hundred and fifty years. I began to feel that I had come upon the greatest crime in all history’. Robert Montgomery Martin, another historian, who visited India in 1835 writes: ‘It is impossible to avoid remarking two facts as peculiarly striking: 1. The richness of 17

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the country. 2. The poverty of its inhabitants’.

Dr. K.M. Munshi one of the intellectual independence, in his book ‘The Ruin writes that the total amount of from India had already reached i.e. one billion pounds by 1901.

The authors’ penchant for prove their points is According to the authors, it Money Laundering! The of the past sixty years, though indeed meticulous.

giants of India at the time of That Britain Wrought’ in 1946 treasure that the British looted 1,000,000,000 British pounds, presenting statistics to amazing. What is SCAM? is Stealing, Cheating, and compilation of list of scams not in chronological order, is

How many of us Indians know the Organization of Economic to blacklist Switzerland for protecting Swiss agreed to change their outlook of

that Germany had appealed to Co-operation and Development, tax dodgers? Once pressurized, absolute secrecy of foreign accounts.

In this context, it is relevant to recall that raised a tax demand of Rs.71,849.59 and his wife. The same income tax under Rule 6 of FRBM Rules 2004 has as Rs.49,176 crores. The authors raise of one person itself are more than arrears for the whole department be

the income tax department had crores on Hasan Ali Khan of Pune department in its annexure 10 declared the outstanding IT arrears a pertinent question: ‘If the arrears Rs.71000 crores, how can tax less than Rs.50000 crores’?

The intriguing part, however, is Government of India subsequently received all the dues from the amount has been recovered in statements of the department money?

The book is a treasure that every narrative is very simple and a great service to the Indian such literature as not only food them vigilant and an awakened lot.

another declaration of the that the Government has Hasan Ali couple! If the entire full, should not the financial reflect such a large amount of Indian must read. The direct. The authors have done readers, who would lap it up for thought, but also turn

Charukesi is a freelance journalist based in Chennai. He has served a multinational pharma company in various capacities, in different locations. He has translated books of Sudha Murty, Gurcharan Das, Devdutt Patnaik, R. Gopalakrishnan, R. Kannan, Peter Gonsalves and other writers into Tamil.

He has won prizes for his short stories in competitions held by Tamil periodicals Kalki, Kumudam and Kanayazhi. Author of over a score of books on self-improvement, biography and travelogue, Charukesi has been writing for Economic Times Town Talk column on Sundays a decade ago. Currently, he writes articles and music & book reviews in The Hindu’s Friday Review column.

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JULY Reader's Editor – What’s that and how does that work?

Reader's Editor What’s that and how does that work?

SatVidhya encourages its readers all over the world to pen their ideas and thoughts. The novelty idea is named ‘Reader's Editor’, which is intended to bring out and improvise the creativity skills and knowledge of aspiring writers. After all, an opportunity to write in the leading global spiritual magazine is a windfall. Isn’t?

Please read the details concerned below.

Commencing from July issue, we would invite a 100–200 word write-up from SatVidhya readers every issue on themes with global impact.

Benefits for Reader's Editor    

He/She will join the Editorial Team in creating the next issue Their write-up will be published in next issue Their photo and profile will be highlighted on SatVidhya Face book He/She will become part of Global Panel of SatVidhya.

July issue throws the first challenge for SatVidhya readers.

What is the Biggest Challenge the World faces today and how to solve it?

You can write an article based on the above challenge and send it to satvidhyaezine@gmail.com on or before July 27, 2014.

Contributor with the best write-up, chosen by SatVidhya Editorial Team, will be adjudged as "Reader's Editor" in the next issue.

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JULY

This too Shall Pass

This too Shall Pass Ramesh Siva On 15th May, 2002, around midnight when I was asleep, I received a phone call. It took some time for me to overcome sleepiness and attend the call. More important, to understand and come to terms with reality of whatever being told, it took a lot of effort. A devastating news was conveyed to me. Brain understands the reality of what was heard, but heart refuses to accept it. My friend’s sister had called up to inform that her brother and my best friend Aravindan had expired. Even though she was crying, her words were clear and it conveyed the message. Still, I believed that this could be a dream or a prank call. But which sister would play prank with her brother’s life? “Aravindan met with an accident during the evening hours and he succumbed to injuries”, she uttered with a sobbing voice and broke down soon uncontrollably. I could hear some consoling voices behind her and I do not remember how I closed the call.

Five years had passed, since then. The 5th death anniversary remembrance of Aravindan in his beloved native town was an emotional affair in 2007. I met Aravindan’s sister for the first time, after five years. One or two letters during this interim period were the only communication between me and her. She gestured me with a nod of head, when I joined the remembrance-gathering.

“So, how is life?”, I tried to sound casual. I expected a sob or a heart-breaking response. Hence, I had no eye contact with her. “Well! Life goes on”, she kept it simple, which was difficult for me to presume if she had overcome her personal trauma. She continued, “If something is meant to happen, it will happen. In the right time and for the best reason”. She paused and looked into my eyes. “It could be wrong for us at the wrong time and for the wrong reason. But, Almighty has different ideas, which we could never understand”, she ended with a sarcastic smile. Philosophical words flowing from the mouth of a rather

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SATVIDHYA

JULY This too Shall Pass

innocent and naive girl was news to me.

When I left her place in the evening, her boldness and endurance was more evident. “The pain, agony and stress were annoying us in the beginning. But, this too shall pass! For me and my parents, my brother was our whole world. He passed away for a reason known only to God. We undergo the pain everyday and at the same time relieved that he would be resting in the heels of the creator, who sent him here”.

The girl with whom I have joked and played for many years was not standing in front of me. Now, she is a mature woman.

Maturity is not judged by age and looks, but with mental toughness. Desolation has not shattered her. Miseries have not destroyed her. She had overcome her pain and also helped her parents to come out of their depression. She trusted that God would stand by her to get rid of her grief. Her conviction did not let her down. She lost her brother, but gained inner strength and courage to overcome any situation in life.

There are a lot of people in this world with unfulfilled dreams, uncontrollable pain, miserable life and emptiness in heart. But, there is only one assurance and hope from Almighty to them.

Their trauma, pain, misery would not last forever. Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.

Whatever happens in this world, life has to go on and you have to move on. “This too shall pass” is the answer for all the pain and failures.

Author Bio Ramesh Siva is an expert writer and avid reader and quizzer. His articles, short stories and poems have been published in several magazines.

He is a keen observer of current affairs and sports, and loves reading on diverse subjects, specifically arts, culture, modern day literature, and spirituality.

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are grateful for the response to the previous issue of SatVidhya. We thank you wholeheartedly for your love and appreciation!

Sleep - Fuel for mind and body article is very useful for day today life. Advice of the doctor in this article and another article about the relationship of father in this magazine make SatVidhya as an interesting magazine.

I have been reading SatVidhya ezine regularly and I found it is very beneficial. There are lot of eye openers, interesting articles and Divine Messages. I also wish that this can also be done in Regional Indian languages so that the reach can be more and benefit wider range of people. Management topics can also be added and many knowledgeable and experienced people can contribute consistently for the growth and popularity of this magazine.

Arun C SatVidhya's June issue was really good. I am impressed with 'To Dad on his day ' and 'From My Heart’ articles. The Designs throughout the E-zine are breathtaking. Keep going.

I take this opportunity to congratulate everyone behind this effort and continuous change in the content would bring more appreciation for this endeavor.

JULY From the Readers

P. S. Guru

SATVIDHYA

Vinothkumar E

Please send your suggestions and thoughts to: feedback.satvidhya@gmail.com.

From the Readers

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JULY

Uniting Human Mind with Divine Mind From Mythe BookShelf

Dr. Baskaran Pillai, Founder, AstroVed

Uniting the Human Mind with Divine Mind I have been teaching the divine mind for some time and it is the re-wording of the practice of yoga. Yoga means union of the human mind with Divine Mind. This is a true definition of yoga. According to Patanjali, ‘Yoga Chitha Vrithi Nirothayasya’. Yoga is nothing but stopping thought process. Once you stop the thought process, then you are in the divine mind. Unfortunately people go and spend time in physical exercise of yoga. This type of yoga is good only for the body. It helps to keep the body healthy but that is not the yoga meant by Patanjali. Patanjali doesn’t recommend Asana or the physical postures for yoga. Yoga is expanding the human mind that merges with the divine mind. Expansion of divine mind does not mean too much of thought process.

I have put out a lot of material on that and many of my students have taken up this seriously and are teaching courses on divine mind. I am indeed happy about it. You must understand that it is absolutely important to have a large number of people to subscribe to this idea. Only then each can inspire the other person to live the divine mind. Right now we have collectively lived the human mind. The day we all together live the divine mind, we can bring heaven on earth. I am very committed on bringing heaven on earth. The way we can do this is by collectively getting together and meditate. There must be a global meditation time and I want the listeners to take it as their personal project and gather groups around them, so that we all can meditate at the same time to bring heaven on earth. It can be any group or any religion, but they all should have the same intension, to bring peace, prosperity and heaven on earth.

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