Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission
Vedanta Sandesh Year - 22
Issue 8
Feb 2017
Mahashivratri Greetings
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Earlier Issues
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CONTENTS
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Vedanta Sandesh - Feb 2017 1.
Shloka 5
2.
Message of P. Guruji
3.
Tattva Bodha 9-14
4.
Letter 15-16
5.
Gita Reflections 17-22
6.
We Must 23-28
7.
Jivanmukta 29-32
8.
Story Section 30-35
9.
Mission News 36-40
10.
Ashram News 41-46
11.
Forthcoming Progs 47
12.
Links 48 3
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Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Feb 2017 : Year 22 / Issue 8
Published by
International Vedanta Mission Vedanta Ashram, E/2948, Sudama Nagar, Indore-452009 (M.P.) India http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com
Editor:
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Swamini Samatananda Saraswati
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eq[kkÒkldks niZ.ks n`';ekus eq[kRokRi`FkDRosu uSokfLr oLrq A fpnkÒkldks /kh"kq thoks·fi r}r~ l fuR;ksiyfC/kLo:iks·gekRekAA
When we look into a mirror and see our reflection, then we know that the real thing is the face of the seer, and not the reflection; so also when we see the jiva being reflected in our antahkarana, we need to realize that the real me is the seer and not the seen. I am ‘that‘ ever-present & self-effulgent Self. Hastamalaka Stotram - 5
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Message from Poojya Guruji
Akhandakaar Vritti The ignorance of one’s non-dual infinite self is effaced when a person becomes ‘conscious’ of this fundamental fact. Our clear, doubtless awareness about this fact of our ‘self’ is termed as ‘Akhandakaar Vritti’. Let us try to understand this unique vritti, which is like an antibiotic for the ailment of our limited existence. Normally all our thoughts go through two processes. The first is called ‘Vritti-Vyapti’, meaning we become conscious of something, and we say that yes, ‘I know that object now’; and thereafter there is Phala-vyapti, meaning the knower enjoys the fruits of this knowledge. These two components are the basic constituents of any knowledge-process. Every knowledge is respectable so anyone who goes deep into anything and knows any deeper facts of anything also goes through these two processes. Every knowledgable person is respectV edanta Sandes h
ed & maybe even appropriately honored by the people. They become aware of something and then get the fruits of knowledge. Phala-vyapti is the very driver for every knowledge. Better the possible ‘fruits
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of knowledge’ better is the motivation to know the object. However, looking deeper we find that these specialists or even super-specialists may know something deeper and serve the people better also, but we should also see this fact that any ‘fruit’ is aspired for by limited people, and being fundamentally limited they continue to seek something or the other endlessly. When we become conscious of some object specially for some fruits, then is it obvious that the subject is basically limited & a finite entity. The question is, is it necessary that the self-perception of the knower should necessarily be that of a fragmented & limited entity then alone awareness of anything is possible. No, this is not necessary. This is what is different in Akhandakaar Vritti. In Akhandakaar Vritti, after negating everything which is limited there is this awareness of something very fundamental (Vritti-Vyapti), this awareness hits at out very self-perception of ourselves being a limited entity and then there is this direct realization of our fundamental completeness. With this realization of the Self being Brahman - the infinite, there is no burden or question whatsoever of any phala-vyapti. By the very awareness of our true nature, the proverbial tenth man is as though found and there is no question of any subsequent fruits of knowledge. That knowledge after which there is no question of a limited knower trying to know something basically different, brings to an end all duality & fragmentation. This is the USP of this unique & liberating Akhandakaar Vritti, wherein there is a clear vritti-vyapti but no phala-vyapti. Knowledge means to be conscious of something, that consciousness which alone reveals any manifestation need not be limited at all, it can just be like sun revaling any manifestation. This
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is what is the realization of such Brahma-Gyanis.
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TATTVA BODHA
Swamini Samatananda
Tattva Bodha
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aving concluded the discussion on what the Atma ‘is not’ we have started enquiring upon what the Atma is. The intrinsic nature of Atma or the Swaroop Lakshana was revealed as Sat-Chit-Ananda. We discussed about the first aspect of the swaroop lakshana which is the Sat aspect. Now we shall look into the next aspect which is the Chit aspect of the swaroop lakshana of the Atma.
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Each time we say ‘This is’, ‘the table is’, ‘the chair is’, ‘Life is’, we are pointing out to the existence of something. The perception of anything that exists is only possible by this Chit aspect of the Self. The Chit aspect is the light of consciousness. It is that light of consciousness which makes us aware of something. It is the very seer. The Sat aspect of anything is known by the Chit in the objective world. At the subjective level too, to realise the Sat nature of the self we can stand apart from it, even the Anand aspect of the Self can be experienced in a world of duality but the Chit aspect cannot be seen by objectifying it as something seperate from the Self. In fact seeing an object in the world, practising the sadhana of sakshi bhava or seeing the Anatma as Anatma are all based on the conscious nature of the Self. A question now comes up pertaining to this aspect of the Self.
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Tattva Bodha fpfRde~\ KkuLo:i%A What is meant by Chit? It is of the nature of Consciousness. The ‘Triputi’ of an experience: Chit swaroopata or the nature of consciousness is knowing something. It is becoming conscious of something. The moment I become conscious of something it brings about what I call an experience. An experience involves a subject who experiences something called the experiencer, an object of experience and an experience that is born of the interaction between the subject and the object. This trio in Vedantic language is known as a ‘Triputi’. Various experiences are classified as a triputi-The Bhokta, Bhojya & the Bhoga(The enjoyer-enjoyment, the object of enjoyment) The Dryshta, Dryshya & the Darshan (the seer, seen and the scene), the Gyata, Gyeya, and the Gyanam (the knower, the object of knowledge and the knowledge).
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Chit is the illuminating consciousness: In every experience the subject experiences the object. This experiencing implies becoming conscious of a particular object. We know the existence & nature of a particular thing only when we are conscious of that thing. By being conscious we imply illumining it or seeing it, and this is what is generally called knowing
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Tattva Bodha it. So the essence of all experiences is to be conscious of something. Every moment we are experiencing some thing or the other, so every moment we are illumining something. This reveals a reality that if the subject is the one who illumines everything then the nature of the subject must be the nature of consciousness and that which needs to be illumined by something must be inert. The illumining consciousness is ‘Self-Revealing’. There is no effort in illumining anything. Every interaction between the knower and the known actually speaks the story of the knower. Most of the time and majority of the people get so overpowered by the sense of enjoyment in the worldly experience that we fail to ever be sensitive to this light of conscousness which is actually presenting this entire gamut of experiences for us. All we can feel are the tingling sensations brought about by the inert objects at the superficial level of the senses. This alone is the highest form of delusion. This is what the scriptures call as being an extrovert. Any person even slightly sensitive to his experiences turns his focus to the light which is revealing the entire play of worldly interactions. Enquiry into the details of an experience reveals the ‘self-effulgent’ nature of the experiencer. I don’t need another light to know the existence of my own self. In fact every experience is continuously revealing to us the ‘conscious’ nature of the subject, and the ‘inert’ nature of objects.
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Effortless effulgence of ‘I am’: The ‘I’ is known to the world and the Self in some way or the other. In other words we all have an identity. I may have an identity of being a businessman, a teacher, a student, a mother,
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Tattva Bodha a father etc. All these identities are of great significance to me but all these identities are acquired effortfully with a lot of hard work. Not only are they brought about by hard work but an equal amount of hard work goes in, to maintain such relationships. The truth about these identities is that they are ephimeral, and limited at the level of time, space and object. But there is another identity which exists irrespective of any such relative and secondar identity and that is -I am and that I am Self Effulgent. This identity neither requires any other source of light to illumine it nor does the effulgence require any effort.
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The Discrimination of ‘I am’ & ‘What I am’ An individual has various identities which he derives from his associations and identifications with his gender, caste, relationships, his roles, and so on. All these identities seem to be so true that they become the cause of our happiness and sorrow, our rise and our downfalls. But a man of wisdom who knows his true Self sees the relative nature of all these identities. Not only are these just roles that we play but these are all second hand and displaceable identities which keep on chaging from time to time. A man of wisdom bases his identity on the permanent, self-effulgent truth. His contentment lies with ‘I am’ and not with ‘What I am’. He just identifies & knows himself as this ‘self-effulgent divinity’, and sees all other transitory aspects of his identity as ‘roles’, which we take up & drop continuously. If this is the vision we have towards all worldly associations, we remain untouched and nothing has the capacity to either unnaturally elate us or shatter us unto grief. This is the glory of an enlightened one who
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Tattva Bodha
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is contented with himself and by himself. Just as the Self is never negated with the dorning and giving up of various roles so also is the case with the various thoughts. A thought about something reveals the knower and the known. Thus the knower exists this is revealed but the truth is that the Self exists even when there are no thoughts and the duality of the knower and the known ceases to exist. When we gain knowledge initially the thought that ‘I am Self effulgent;’ is required then afterwards even that thought is dropped and what remains is pure existence, pure consciosness and pure bliss. So also in case of different states too, even though these states come and go a common subtle level of pure consciousness remains. The Self-effulgent existence is the basis of all existence.
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Mail from Poojya Guruji Q: Does Vedanta accept the Darwinian Theory of Evolution? A: Hari om ! What to talk of Vedanta, even the entire scientific community does not unanimously accept Darwins Theory of Natural Evolution. As someone said it is just a theory, not a law. We should remember that Henri-Louis Bergson, a French philosopher who proposed a non-Darwinian Theory of evolution called as 'Creative Evolution' was awarded Nobel Prize for his work in 1927. Anyone is free to propose his/her theory. This is basically a healthy process, but theory to law is a big journey, requiring various kinds of validations. Well, talking of the perceptions of Vedanta, we the students of Vedanta, do not even accept the word evolution. Our masters dwelled on the matter and saw two possibilities, which they called as Krama Shrishti and second was Yugapat Shrishti. The first one meant, a sequential, slow & systematic evolution, similar to what Darwin and other evolutionists believed; while the other implies a simultaneous manifestation of every being in their diverse ways together. Vedanta believes in the latter. Ishwara the supreme
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intelligence created all this simultaneously - everything together, similar to what we see in our dream world, everything just manifests simultaneously together. There is no process of slow &
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steady evolution. So also is its process of dissolution, in a flick of a second eveything is gone. This methodology is in consonance with the principle of Adhyaropa, and also Drishti Shristi vada. In fact we see that Darwinian Theory has positively harmed the whole world drastically. When you believe that humans stand at the peak of creation and all other beings are subservient in the order of creation then you tend to look down upon every other being and have the moral right to kill them, eat them, experiment on them - as though they were just the earlier rungs of the ladder, culminating in humans - who are the very objective of this entire process. A recent scientific study regarding bees revealed that if we dont protect bees then the whole human race will die in just four years. Study of the role of Tiger in the forest revealed just that the presence of Tigers in the forests shall save the entire eco-system of the forests, otherwise everything will perish. Can a person arrogantly believing that human being stands at the peak of creation can digest all this. We believe that every being including a blade of grass is equally & extremely important to preserve the delicate eco-system of the whole earth and in fact the whole cosmos. So believing the Vedantic view will be extremely beneficial for the well-being of the entire planet and its diverse living beings. We are born together, we live together and we die together.
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Love & om
Swami Atmananda
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Gita Reflections
rLekn~ loZs"kq dkys"kq ekeu~qLej ;q+?; p A e;~~;fiZreukscqf)% ekesoS";L;la’k;% AA 17 17
Maam Anusmar Yudhya cha... (ekeuqLej ;q/; p)
Swamini Samatananda
Therefore, constantlyremembermeat
all time and fight, offering your mind and
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intellect unto me and certainly you shall attain me without doubt. 18 18
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Gita Reflections A
nswering the queries of Arjuna like what is karma, what is adhyatma etc, in the eight chapter of the Gita Bhagwan Sri Krishna speaks upon the last query put forth by Arjuna. Bhagwan answers this question in a very elaborate manner and it thus forms to be the major part of the eighth chapter. His last question was pertaining to how does one remember God at the time of his death. To which he answers, that the last thoughts in the mind of a person before death have a significant role in deciding the journey onwards, but this is not incidental to that moment alone. The mind set in the last moment is a reflection of the impressions created during the entire life span. This imples the importance of a pure and righteous life style in our day to day life. A life that reflects constant awareness and abidance in God. It is a life that is endowed by a mutual co-existence of karma and upasana both. Our scriptures and Rishis have greatly emphasised the role of taking up karma & upasana. Integration of karma & upasana teach us the art of living in this world in a holistic manner with a mind set that reflects a peaceful, poised, and subtle mind, enthusiasm, creativity and selflessness. With regards to this, one needs to understand the significance of what is integrated karma and upasana in our day to day life. Very often people have questions like ‘Is upasana one thing and the field of action another’? ‘Are they independant of each other’? Or is the nature of integration like doing some worship for some time and then dedicating the rest of the day to performing actions? Well all such questions and the answers to them form the subject matter of this continuing part of the eighth chapter. With referance to this, first of all let us try and understand what is meant by the integration of Karma & Upasana.
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Gita Reflections Integration(Samuchchaya) of Karma & Upasana: The practice of karma and upasana in a holistic manner is the most inevitabley prescribed medicine by not only the Gita but also the Upanishads. It is this practise alone that carves a mind set pure, sharp, and subtle ready to enter the portals of Self knowledge, without which the doors of vedantic knowledge seem to have an automatic locking system and there is no entry for any student who has not walked this path of devotional and karmic purification. At the same time one must also understand that action and devotion inevitabely go hand in hand and can never be taken up as a single alternative. In fact the Upanishads warn that any person walking only on the path of performing action and who has no place for the devotion of God in his life, he goes into darkness. On the other hand again the Upanishads warn that any person who takes up the means of devotion alone and leaves aside all field of action and duty penetrates into an even more grave darkness. Karma and Upasana are not an alternative to each other but together they bless a spiritual aspirant who wishes to gain knowledge of the Self. In fact devotion to God is not something that is practised in the confined walls of a temple or room of worship. Neither is action possible without the blessings of the creator and sustainer of this world, the Ishwara. Hence both are equally complimentary to each other. Our Rishis have been great man-making Scientists who have innovated such systems like puja, japa, meditation, teertha yaatra etc so as to invoke and enhance the love for the existence of one supreme and divine entity who is creator and sustainer of all. A temple or even a small place of worship at home is where we sow the seeds of devotion for God but these seeds do not remain buried and subdued there. These are the seeds which sprout with a vision of seeing God
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Gita Reflections
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every where in the world outside the place of worship and serve the same Ishwara in the form of the endless number of beings all around. The love for God that began at the temple altar now spreads its roots in all our actions, in our responses, in our relationships, in our sensual interactions in every thing and every moment that we do something. This spirit alone of associating Ishwara in every dimension of life is what Bhagwan Sri Krishna calls as Karma Yoga in the Gita. Like wise we practise the same spirit of devotion in the field of action too. A mind surrendered at the feet of God reflects its fragrance in the field of action too. So too when a person performs action with an integrated personality as an instrument of God he can easily glide into a devotional absorption of the mind. Hence one cannot see the field of action and upasana as two seperate means but in this chapter Bhagwan very prominantly says Tasmaat sarveshu kaaleshu maam anusmar yudhya cha-Therefore remembering me at all times O Arjuna you get ready to fight this war. With this background we shall see the implication of this sloka. Tasmaat sarveshu kaaleshu maam anusmar yudhya cha: Often a superficial word meaning is derived that one should perform actions at the same time chant the name of God or remember God. This is wrong and not at all suggested by Sri Krishna any where in the Gita. This statement coming from the divine Master has some profound implications which if understood correctly can bring about a revolutionary change in life. The secret of this statement lies in rediscovering the identity of the self as a true yogi and devotee. Certain charecteristics which have been discussed below, if brought about in one’s identity translate the true spirit of this sloka.
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Gita Reflections My Identity: In today’s times a person feels extremely proud to say he is an employee of a multinational company. Can I expand my identity to a more cosmic level? The spirit of ‘maam anusmar’ speaks of reidentifying one’s self as an ambassador of God. I am a part of Ishwara’s grand creation and feel a sense of pride in being the chosen one to do whatever God wishes me to do. Living the will of God: Situations reveal to us the will of God and an honest devotee of God is one who feels pride, a sense of gratitude and immense love in doing that which god wishes him to do. I see my self as a humble instrument in the hands of God, as is the flute of Sri Krishna. I tune myself to that music which God has directed to play.
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Conscious deliberate and perfect Action: If I believe that all my actions are a service to God than my actions and resolves cannot be lose and complacent. A karmayogi begins with a determined resolve and a highly awakened and alert mind featuring all his actions with dexterity, clarity, love, creativity and enthusiasm. He performs action enjoying the journey and mastering the art of perfection. Finally making it a humble offering at the feet of God. This is the spirit of ‘Maam anusmar yudhya cha’. A karmayogi practising it glides into upasana very smoothly. In Upasana the nature of remembering God is more different. In the field of action, action becomes an instrument in invoking bhavana. In upasna it is more bhava pradhan.
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WE MUST 9
Break your shell, open your wings and fly
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We Must
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Learn to serve all, with devotion and knowledge
P.P. Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji 24
We Must
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A
fter all, a man and his thoughts are one. Thoughts are the blueprint and man is the edifice. By our thoughts, then, we are the architect of our own manifestation. If we cultivate our thoughts to be dynamic and positive, we have cultivated ourselves. In every moment we are somehow trying to express our wants, fulfil our desires, satisfy our needs, accomplish our ideas and enrich our ideals. Yet we know that all wants, desires, needs, ideas and ideals are nothing but thoughts. Taming the thoughts is taming the personality, and to dig up the richness and brilliancy of our thoughts is to vivify the man in us and to invoke our individual efficiency. This we must. There is no educated man who has not the competency to act and to achieve. Everyone is competent in his own limited field, yet while working therein many are indeed inefficient. Competency arises from the technical ‘know-how’ from the general theoretical information and facts gathered and remembered and from the patient and analytical observation of one‘s own and others experiences in the field. With all this knowledge the intelligent individual can still prove to be inefficient in the chosen field of action itself. ‘Efficiency’ is the capacity in an individual to funnel out his available ‘competency’ into the field of action. The intelligent preparedness is called “competency”, and this is to reach ultimately the field of our action, to be expressed as “efficiency”. The vital artery carrying the competency into the work is our mind. Therefore mental discipline is the secret of all efficiency, the conduit of poised competency. In the spiritual world this is equally true if a missionary is not efficient, he is ineffective in reaching the seeking humanity.
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We Must Systematically, therefore, we must train and discipline the mind for right thinking and correct, diligent activity. Right thinking is a habit that can be cultivated. Substitution of positive thoughts, and flooding the mind with creative ideas are methods by which we can flush out the floor of the mind, littered as it is now with the filth of incomplete thoughts and decaying ideas. Having recognised a thought to be negative or wrong, do not waste time in upholstering it to look neat and attractive, but reject it immediately and totally-the power of right thinking expels all false thoughts and induces healthy conceptions. Indeed, we must. In fact this is not a difficult process. It is as easy to entertain noble and elevating ideas as it is to suffocate our minds with wrong thoughts and vicious ideals. It may be that at this moment our minds are full of uncreative thoughts, brought therein by our unconscious wrong thinking. Their easy presence, therefore, may make us feel that to entertain wrong thoughts is simple, and to fight them out of their entrenchment is rather difficult. But to a sincere and heroic seeker, this is not at all very difficult. In fact, positive thinking is much easier because it brings in its wake harmony, peace, joy and inner realisation. When the thoughts, unswerving, are rendered straight and when their quality and texture thus change, we shall come to notice that our actions gather a new glow of perfection, a charm of brilliancy. When the actions are more glorious, as a member of a competitive community, our life becomes more productive, carrying with it always the sure insignia of success and achievement. When we look out to the life around us, through a mind filled with the light of clear thinking, we shall also recognise a larger and meaningful significance to life itself.
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We Must We must therefore, in the secret chambers of our own homes, first of all silently create out of ourselves efficient and cheerful men. We must become marked out for spectacular success and achievement. Thereafter when we try to converse with others and convey to them the convictions we have gathered through our study of the scriptures, we must be psychologically careful and scientifically precise in all our dealings. Unless we arc extremely careful, we may ruin all our chances to serve the society of tomorrow. In sharing our ideas with others, let us remember that it is our own wealth of inner silence that creates the greater contact for very often it is found that our silence creates an equally deep silence in the listener, and in that silence his confusions get liquidated. To create such a silence in the heart of the listener, the speaker must be great, and the listener also must have the spiritual stuff in him sufficiently well brought out. In silence, that which was not before clear to the listener becomes suddenly illuminated and vivid. In that inner silence the still small voice of conscience is rendered more eloquent than at other times. Let us not forget that the greatest forces in nature are all ever silent. Electricity has no noise. Heat is dumb. Flood creeps up silently in the night and sweeps away the sleeping villages, against which at that time man is helpless. The earth quake itself has only a frequency but no noise. The effects are noisy, but the force behind is ever silent. The silent power of Truth, in irresistible efficiency, is constantly at work without strife, sound or confusion. As devotees of Truth when we work in the society, let us make use of this silent might of the ever-conquering Truth. We must learn to be cheerfully silent, gracefully silent, powerfully silent. We must. If we are conscientious and consistent in our efforts and love, we shall have many, many experiences of the efficacy of silence.
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We Must
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When all other efforts fail to serve a brotherseeker, then one sits silently next to him the whole evening, without a word passing between them. Invariably he will cry out at the end of the evening his self conversion, his clearer perception, his changed conviction. This is no magic; this is only because silence always promotes quietness within, and in that quietude all doubts get cleared naturally, automatically. We must not only make use of our cultivated eloquence and memorized pregnant words quoted from the Upanishads and the Geeta, but we must also learn to wield the strength of our conviction, the power of our devotion, the silence of our meditation to serve the world and help others. We must. Silence is the most effective instrument of the sincere and ardent devotee-worker. Only now we know not how to use silence for expressing eloquently the glory of the Truth. In our sincere prayer to serve mankind, we must first become aware of this magnificent faculty within us. And it must be our loving urge to see all men restored to spiritual health that prompts us to carefully train it not for impressing ourselves or others. As we grow in spiritual stature and find that others are able to drink liberally from the fountain of wisdom and love flowing from us, we must, ourserves, simultaneously, melt away in vibrant remembrance of Him, in humility before Him, in recognition of Him in those to whom we speak. There is no other way. We Must. We Must.
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Jivanmukta Wandering In Himalayas
53 The Temple of Sharada Part-8 Beauty of Sharada-Land
Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of Param Poojya Swami Tapovanji Maharaj
The Ancient ‘Sharda Temple’
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fu%lax fueqZfDr ina izi| czãkReÒkosu fojkftrks ;% Jh lkSE;dk’kh’k egs’ojk; rLeS ue% Lokfe riksouk;AA 30 30
Jivanmukta
O
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ur life at Sharada was peaceful and happy. But an ancient Kashmiri custom did disturb our equanimity slightly. We learnt that Kashmiri travellers would come to Sharada now and then and sacrifice sheep or goat to propitiate her. This informatin set us thinking. The Kashmiris like the Bengalis, are worshipers of Shakti, their temple rituals are similar. In most of the Temples of Kashmir, we were told, animal sacrifices were quite common. The old and pious priest told me many stories to convince me that nothing else could satisfy the Godess. Kali is only a terrible form of Sharada. According to historians, Hindu Gods and Godesses are merely creatures of ancient Hindu imagination. But to the faithful, even today they are perfectly real and capable of personal and direct contact. The forest around the Temple of Sharada, where there is a dense growth of deodar and other holy trees, look deep blue and beautiful, and my walks were a source of entertainment. In how many shapes and forms does the Supreme Self (Paramatman) show Himself ! There are deadly poisonous plants and those that bring the dead back to life; trees bending under the heavy load of fruits , and those that never bear fruit - all manifestations of God. Wonderful is His conception! When we consider the variety in external appearance and internal nature conceived by the Creator in the production of the movable and the immovable things, there seems to be no end to his fancy. Every one knows that everything in the world is evolving from moment to moment. A thing ap-
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Jivanmukta pears in one form today, in another form tomorrow, and in yet another form the day after. But within all these changing things, there is something unchanging, eternal. That is God.
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The theory that Reality is One, that it is the basis of everything, that it is the final cause, that it is the Life-force that pervades all objects and shines perpetually can never be questioned. Lord Buddha also holds that this world which changes from moment to moment is not real; it is only a reflection, and the thing of which it is the reflection alone is real. There is nothing in his words or teachings to show that he considered Truth to be non-existent like the Horns of a Hare. His idea was that Truth, which cannot be designated by a name or described in words and of which one cannot even say whether it is existent or non-existent, is like non-existence. This idea is quite in agreement with the view of the Upanishads. An object which cannot even be talked about is for all practical purposes, as good as non-existent. But it is not non-existent in the sense that the son of a barren woman is nonexistent. This subtle idea, Lord Buddha’s contemporaries and even his disciples failed to catch. In one passage Lord Buddha says clearly: ‘So will the people attribute to me atheism, which is not mine. So will they ascribe to me the theory of non-existence, which again is not mine’.
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STORY Section
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Hanumanji
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H
anumanji inspires all to live a life wherein we make even the so called impossible as possible. Dont impose baseless limits on yourself - says Hanumanji. Having given birth to Lord Shiva’s incarnation, Anjana, the mother of Anjaneya (who was later called as Hanuman), was released from the curse of the sage and had to soon return back to Heaven. When Anjaneya came to know that his mother was about to leave her body, he became sad. “Mother, without you how will I be able to live? Who will take care of me so lovingly, guiding & educationg me? How can I feed myself ? he asked. “Don’t worry, Anjaneya,” said Anjana. “Everyone has to leave this world one day. Live a life which will make you & others a better person. Talking about taking care of you, your father is the brave Kesari. Your guardian spirit is the life-giving Vayu. They will always protect you. When you feel hungry, fruits as red and ripe as a rising sun would be your nourishment.” Saying so, Anjana kissed her son and left her alone. She went back to her heavenly abode. One morning, when Anjaneya got up and was hungry, he saw the rising morning sun, and pondered that my mother had said that I can eat fruits as red and ripe as the sun. So I will eat this fruit, and off he went towards sun to eat it. His innocent mind, just believing his mother fully, had no thoughts of any impossibility. Thinking that the sun was actually some delicious fruit, the baby Anjaneya wanted to just eat it. He made a giant leap to catch the glowing ball on the sky. Suryadeva, the Sun-God was glowing peacefully in the morning sky when he suddenly saw a monkey coming towards him. The monkey grew bigger and bigger as he neared the sun. But the terribly hot rays which made any mortal presence impossible near the sun, had no effect on this creature. Seeing that, Suryadeva got scared and started calling out for help. “Indra! Indra! Help me!” he shouted.
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Hanumanji
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Indra, king of the gods, was surprised to hear the Sun calling for his help. Indradeva promptly climbed on his Airavatha, the white elephant, and went there to find the cause of problem. Soon he found that a huge flying monster was trying to catch hold of the sun. “Little wonder then that Suryadeva was so scared!” thought Indra, who had never seen such a creature. Nearing the sun, Indra was surprised to see that the monster was actually a giant monkey. “Stop!” he ordered. “Who are you? Why are you trying to catch the sun?” “I’m Anjaneya, son of Kesari and Anjana.” replied the giant child. “My mother told me that fruits as ripe as the red sun will be my food so I’m going to catch the sun and eat it.” At first, Indra was amused by the child’s innocence, so he advised him to return to earth. “This is not a fruit, Anjaneya, this is the sun, the source of all light and life.” said he and commanded, “Return whence you came”. But hungry Anjaneya ignored his commands and went on to gobble the sun as a fruit. Later Indra hit the vanara with his Vajra, a thunderbolt like terrible weapon, which hit him on his jaw, and he fell down unconscious. Pawan devata, the father of Anjaneya was very angry, and stopped the flow of wind all over, soon every being started to die, later after due apologies and also promise of bestowing the child with their choicest blessings & boons, the things were set right again. This did make the jaw of child vanara slightly bigger, and he was thereafter called Hanuman - one with a bigger jaw. Lesson: This story reveals that unless told otherwise our mind never thinks about anything being impossible. Thoughts of impossibilities are baseless conditionings brought about by wrong education. If an individual grows up to have a conditioned & limited mind bound by the likes of ‘I can do only this much, and I can’t do that, etc.’ then such people live a pathetic life of self-imposed & baseless limitations, and this alone is the cause of all inefficiencies, incompetence & subsequent sufferings. Hanumanji inspires us to live a life where sky is the limit and there is nothing impossible in life.
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Mission & Ashram News
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Bringing Love & Light in the lives of all with the Knowledge of Self
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Gita Gyana Yagna, Lucknow ends
26th Dec to 1st Jan 2017
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New Year Begins with Vishnu Sahasranama Archana
Mission News
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Mission News Gita Gyana Yagna, Vadodara
Atmajyoti Ashram, Vadodara - 2nd-8th Jan 2017
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Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji
Subs: Gita Ch-6 / Kathopanishad 1-2 38
Mission News Das Bagichi Satsang, Indore
Satsang of Poojya Guruji on their Annual Function 13th Jan 2017
Album Link
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There is a Veda-Pathashala for training Pandits
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Ashram News Birthday Celebrations of Swami Asanganandaji
Shiv-Pujan & Guru-Pujan in the morning
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Bhajan & Bhojan in the evening
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Ashram News Poojya Guruji visits Charchit Apparels - 18th Jan
Conveys his blessings on a major upgrade
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on the occasion of the Birthday of Sunil Garg
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Ashram News Flag Hoisting on Republic Day - 26th Jan
Shiv-Puja was by Pradeep / Rekha Sharma
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On the occasion of their Marriage Anniversary
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Ashram News Vishnu Sahasranama Archana - on 26th Jan
For Samapan of the year long Gita e-Study
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Conducted by Sw Amitanandaji on WhatsApp
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Ashram News Hanuman Chalisa Satsang - 29th Jan
Pravachan 41 / Chaupayi No 18
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Story & Rahasya of Hanumanji swallowing the Sun
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Ashram News Ashramites go for Yatra - 29th Jan
To Janapav Kuti - Birth place of Rishi Parashuram
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Organized by Walking Wanderers - a Trekking Group
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Ashram News They all created a World Record
4000+ people joing a single Trek
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It was an uphill walk of 3 Kms - with good arrangements
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Forthcoming Programs 19th - 23rd Feb 2017 VEDANTA CAMP @ Vedanta Ashram, Indore. Panchadasi Ch-15 (Vishayananda) / 20 Values - Gita Ch-13 By : Poojya Guruji / All Mahatmas
5th - 11th Mar 2017 GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Hari Om Mandir, Lucknow Gita Ch-8 / Mundakopanishad 1-2 By : Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji 6th - 12th Mar 2017 GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Samutkarsh, Ahmedabad Gita Ch-2 / Drg-Dryshya Viveka By : Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji
16th - 22nd Mar 2017 V edanta Sandes h
GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Dutta Mandir, Jalgaon Gita Ch-8 / Bhaja Govindam By : Poojya Swamini Poornanandaji 47
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