Vedanta Sandesh - Mar 2011

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Year 16

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Issue 9

In This Issue

1.

Vedanta Section:

Atma Bodha - Shloka-28

2.

Letter Section:

Acceptance & Expectance

3.

Devata Section:

Bhagwan Sri Rama

4.

Katha Section:

Atri Rishi

5.

VM Programs:

Mission / Ashram Progs

From Poojya Guruji

Vedanta Sandesh

Hari om!

Spreading Love & Light

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Sharing the message of Vedanta and Sanatan Dharma

Mar 2011 On the Net since 1995

Started by:

Poojya Guruji Sri Swami Atmanandaji

Editor:

Swamini Samatananda

Published from:

Vedanta Ashram E/2948-50, Sudama Nagar Indore-452 009, India

Web:

www.vmission.org.in Email:

vmission@gmail.com

Sense of responsibilty reveals a sensitive and a conscientious mind. Such a person feels gratified & obliged for the love & service of so many around them - parents, relatives, teachers, society & even gods, and thus feels inspired to serve them to the best of their abilities. Heartfelt gratitude is a great motivation to voluntarily take up responsibilties. This is however true for sensitive & selfless people only, because the selfish ones become blinded and insensitive by their self-obsession. They dont bother to even hurt those who love & serve them, and it is this blind self-centricity which takes away all humaneness from man and brings about their fall. The sattwik ones are on the other hand selfless because they feel blessed, and are motivated by heartfelt gratitude. These people thankfully do loving & caring sewa for all who have done something for them. Wherever love is there, there will always be greater purity of mind. Whatever makes a mind selfless, blessed and gratified is positive, and facilitates the spiritual journey too, apart from a blessed & happy life here. Such people are indeed punyatma’s making the world a better place to live, as compared to the selfish ones, who rather create hell.

However, we also need to see a fine distinction between motivation by gratitude and motivation by love. Feeling of gratitude etc pertains only to the ignorant ones and not to the wise ones; the enlightened ones are neither grateful to anyone, nor are they motivated by any sense of responsibility they do what they do just out of pure love. Things like gratitude, a sense of duty, responsibility, obligation etc are words in the realm of duality, relevant only when I am a limited entity, separate from others. Only when someone is basically different from others, that they will get obliged by them, and thus need to thank etc.

Even though these relatively better jivas seem to serve nicely, but what needs to be seen is the fact that they continue to remain limited individuals, and every thing is a deliberate act, out of obligation of personal favors rather than selflessness. Those who wake up to the non-dual truth are not only free from the limitations of their body-mind complex etc, but even from all duties, all social obligations & family responsibilities, which are all ego-centric. When the jiva dies, then alone the Atma is realized, so the wise ones dont live like a fragmented individual, but as the unfragmented, all-embracing, infinite ‘life’ principle, the Self of all. The whole world is in them, and they are in all. When even God is also not seperate from them, then what to talk of people, beings, rishis or devatas. In non-duality, love alone motivates. Motivation by love is divine, effortless and magnanimous, while motivation by duties & obligations is samsar, and thus is never ending. Self-Knowledge brings about an existential paradigm shift. It is a new life with an air of total freedom.

Love & om,

Swami Atmananda

Atma Bodha - Shloka 28 Vedanta Section

Effulgent reveals the inert, not vice-versa In the previous sloka the Acharya explained the grave consequences brought about by imagining the Self to be a Jiva, an individual limited being. All the sufferings of Samsara, fear and anxiety are born once we see ourselves as a limited Jiva with a sense of doership and enjoyership. Once this realisation dawns that the Jiva is only born ot of ignorance and imagination and can be effaced with the right knowledge then the truth of the limitless Self is revealed thereby liberating the individual Jiva from the shackles of fear and insecurity.

The following sloka reveals the Atman as being the illuminator of all the faculties the sense organs, the mind and the intellect. If the objective world can be percieved by the sense organs and the mind it is due to the blessings of the Atman which is of the nature of consciousness. Being the illuminator of all the physical and mental instruments and these faculties being inert by themselves the Atman can not be illuminated by these organs.

28 Atmaavabhasayatyeko buddhyadeenindriyanyapi Deepoghatadivatswatma jadaistainaavabhaasyate Atma: The Atman; avabhasayati: illumines; eko: alone; Buddhyadeenindriyanyapi:the buddhi and the like, including the sense organs too; deepo: lamp; ghatadivat: just as a pot and the like; swatma: one’s self; jadaistaih: by those inert; naavabhasyate: is not illumined.

The Atman alone illumines the Buddhi and the like and the organs of senses too, just as a lamp illumines the pot and other objects, but the Atman is not illumined by those inert objects like Buddhi and so forth.

Atmaavabhasayatyeko: Life is a flow of experiences. 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 it. 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. Now, if we go a bit deeper, we will realize that this becoming conscious is possible when the subject is of the nature of consciousness, and the object is inert. Subject is like a focus of light.

It keeps on exuding light. There is no effort required Vedanta Sandesh - Mar 2011

to illumine it. This is what is called as ‘Self-Revealing’ or Chit. The Atman or the Self is of the nature consciousness or Chit. The Self is self-revealing, I do not need any other light to know my own presence and I illumine everything effortlessly. This is what the Acharya reveals in this sloka that all our experiences are illumined by the Atman. Enquiry into the details of an experience reveals the ‘selfeffulgent’ nature of the experiencer. In fact every experience is continuously revealing to us the ‘conscious’ nature of the subject, and the ‘inert’ nature of objects.

Buddhyadeenindriyanyapi: As a human being we have various faculties

which are our instruments to experience various things in life and also respond to them. Our organs of action, our sense organs, the mind and the intellect are our gross and subtle instruments to function as a manifested being. But all these instruments by themselves are inert and made up of the five elements. (the panchamahbhutas). Being inert they cannot enliven or enlighten the objective world, instead they get their power to bring about awareness of the world outside from the Atman which is of the nature of pure consciousness. The Atman alone is truly the source of light that enlivens and enlightens all our experiences. In the Kenopanishad the shruti says know the “Atman as that which is the ear of the ear, which is the mind of mind, the speech of speech. The Acharya explains here that the apparent luminous nature of the mind and the sense organs is in reality due to the Atman which is their substratum.

Deepoghatadivatswatma: The body, mind and intellect as our instruments cannot bring about the awareness of objects and their experiences. It is with the light of the Atman that they are able to function, this principle is explained here with a beautiful example of a pot. Just as a pot cannot be illumined by itself, but it is known with the light of a lamp. Similarly if you place a pot with holes designed on it and place a lamp inside the pot, not only does the lamp illumine the pot but the light reflected out through the holes illumines the objects around it. So also one can imagine our body in place of the mud pot. The light of the consciousness is like the lamp in the pot and our various sense organs are like the holes in the pot.

Throught these sense organs the light of the Atman is reflected and the sense organs as though become the instruments to enlighten and brig about the awareness of the world outside. But in both the cases neither can the presence of the pot itself be known by itself, nor can the pot illumine the lamp.

So too the gross and the subtle bodies cannot enlighten their own selves, neither can they enlighten the world of objects around and nor can they en-

lighten the Atman.

Jadaistainaavabhaasyate: As explained just as the pot cannot illumine the lamp because the pot itself is illumine by the lamp so also the mind and the intellect being inert and dependant on the Atman, they cannot illumine the Atman. In Kenopanishad, the shruti explains - Yan manasa na manute yenahur manor matam, Tadeva Brahma tad viddhi nedam yadidam upasate i.e.

That which s not thought by the mind, but by which they say, the mind is thought, that verily, know thou, is Brahman; it is not what people here worship.

With the aide of all the sense organs, the pranas and the mind, one is able to objectify and experience the external world. But as it is being explained that the source of illumination is Brahman, the Self. The self being the source of light for all means of experience, the eyes, the ears, the mind, the intellect, it cannot be objectifiable by these means, The mind itself with all its functions is pervaded by this light of intelligence.

The Atman can never become an object of knowledge. To objectify something and gain its knowlege it has to seperate from the knower. There is a knower , then there is the object of knowledge and the experience of having gained that knowledge.

If the Self were to be known then it would become an object other than the objectifier. And secondly anything that needs an illuminater is inert. The Atman is self luminous. It does not need some other light to know itself. It is the illuminater of everything, the senses, the mind. It is the innermost self of all these organs of experience. Hence the mind etc cannot reach the Atman. One cannot move towards one’s own self. Yet it is the glory of the scriptures that the true nature of the self is revealed.

Since the Atman cannot be objectified as any other thing, the knowledge of the Self is a very tricky thing. That is why this knowledge is never acquired by one’s own self and must be gained very humbly at the feet of a Knowledgable Master of vedanta. It is a science wherein that which is already there is revealed.

Na tatra chakshur gacchati na vaagacchati no manah.

Na vidmo na vijanimoh yathaitadanushishyaat. (Kenopanishad) Not there the eye goes, nor speech goes nor mind. We do not know neither do we understand how any one can teach it.

Page # 5

Letter of the Month

Acceptance & Expectance Hari om H..,

Knowledge is all about being aware of the truth of what R e m e m b e r, is, while Yoga and real love is in Bhakti aim to accepting someone change the mind for as they are, and not the better, so merely expecting technically they fall personal cordiality, at in the category of any cost. That is not karma, working to fair. Before we free change something. ourselves from our For knowledge even self-imposed a sankalpa to limitations and change anything is ignorance, we first an impediment, need to free others to because then our be what they are, priorities change irrespective of my from knowing what conditionings & is to working for inconveniences. what should be.

- Poojya Guruji

Life is never only a bed of roses, it is indeed at times a carpet of thorns - for everyone. It is important that you learn to deal with both these ups & downs with proper viveka, otherwise there is this inevitable despondency & dejection which you are facing right now.

Everyone is as free as you are - to live, think, act and speak as they feel like. Expecting others to live as you wish is the real cause of dejection, while accepting others as they are is the gateway to love & peace. If someone is not virtuous or ethical, then be realistic and know the limitation of their minds and accept the problem, why expect that they be better. Such people suffer first and later others around also suffer. Of course the scenario is not good, but that is what it is. Like a diseased person, they suffer helplessly, and not by choice. Slowly & steadily work to help them and bring out a better person in them. Maybe they have been denied love earlier, so apply that balm lovingly & forgive them compassionately.

Some people prefer to see such scenes as wish of God, who wants to make us tough or wise in some ways; some prefer to associate it with their past karmas, you get what you need to get, because of some of your past karmas; some see it as a privilege wherein God has bestowed confidence in us to be HIS instrument to help someone in a challenging situation; astrologers have their own way of providing consolations; but finally it boils down to realism and accepting the things as they are.

In Gita Chapter 2, Bhagwan Krishna tells Arjuna that look upon the whole world as a realm of change, and have some patience, soon enough things shall change by them self. You as a seer is constant, and everything seen is in a state of flux. So learn to patiently bear things also.

Vedanta Sandesh - Mar 2011

So learn to first accept things as they are, give freedom to all to be as they are; and with loving service slowly help to bring positive changes. True wisdom & freedom is only in the capacity to change our own minds & understanding, not of others - which is rather the ways of dictators. Let them realize to voluntarily change in their own sweet time, if & when they wish. The moment you accept others, that very moment they become incapable to hurt you, because hurt is just a personal reaction because of our non-acceptance. Relationships are to mutually help & serve others, esp in times of pain & need. Remember, real love is in accepting someone as they are, and not merely expecting personal cordiality, at any cost. That is not fair. Before we free ourselves from our self-imposed limitations and ignorance, we first need to free others to be what they are, irrespective of my conditionings & inconveniences.

Also learn to turn towards yourself and discover the timeless truth.

Blessings & Best Wishes.

Swami Atmananda

Best Wishes to all our readers for the colorful festival of Holi It is an occasion to celebrate the victory of gooddness over evil.

Let the differences vanish, lets keep aside the walls build by ego, and embrace one & all with love.

Remember all of us manifestations of one divinity, children of ame God, and all differences are man-made.

Religion always teaches us to remain sensitive to all, so lets see to it that no one is harmed. Some colors have harmful chemicals, so as far as possible lets play dry Holi - preferably with flower petals.

Page # 7

Poornavatara of Bhagwan Vishnu

Bhagwan Sri Rama

Bhagwan Sri Rama Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Rama, the perfect avatar of the Supreme Protector Vishnu, is divinely worshiped among the Hindu deities. According to the Hindu belief, Sri Rama lived in the Treta Yug. Rama is the symbol of courtesy and virtue, a man of values and morals.

Ramachandra is Maryada Purushottama, which means the perfect man. Lord Rama is considered to have taken birth on the earth to destroy the evil forces of the age.

Athough all beings are basically the Supreme Brahma, it is due to ignorance of their true self they are born and they die of the sense of limitation. They are also compelled to live a life of a limited being constantly seeking from the outside world. But when the Lord takes on an embodiment, his birth is not a result of ignorance and seeking. This alone is the meaning of being incarnated. He manifests with all the knowledge of the true self shows that he voluntarily is born in a form.

Lord Rama is "the embodiment of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and above all, the ideal king". Shri Rama was a paragon of virtues. Rama was not only kind and affectionate but generous and considerate of feelings for all around him.

Lord Rama had a marvelous physique and captivating manners. Shri Ram had a magnanimous personality. He was extremely noble, generous, chivalrous and fearless. He was very simple and absolutely free from flamboyance.

Lord Rama is considered as a son unequalled in the world, and resembled Dasaratha in each and every aspect of good qualities. He never spoke a lie throughout his life. He always offered respect to the scholars and the elders, people loved him and he adored the people. His body was transcendental and outstanding. He was eloquent, attractive and adjustable to circumstances. He knew the heart of each and every human being on the earth (being omniscient). He had all the conceivable qualities of a king's son and was dear to the people as their own hearts.

Lord Rama was endowed with incredible transcendental qualities. The earth personified adored him, who was possessor of such virtues, who was indomitable, who was brave, and who was the unequalled Lord of all. To put succinctly, Sri Rama's life VedantaSandesh Sandesh- -Mar April2011 2009 Vedanta

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was a life of holy compliance, of stainless purity, of matchless simplicity, praiseworthy contentment, commendable self-sacrifice and remarkable renunciation.

The scriptures reveal a life extremely full, intense, sublime of Sri Rama. Sri Rama has played various roles during His stay in the world. Infact in and through the entire life of Sri Rama the unique message we get is that living in this world and being embodied by itself is not an obstacle in awakening in total fulfillment and neither is it an obstacle in living in total fulfillment. One learns the message of how being in this very world one can transcend the limitations of time and space. Infact this is the main message of the incarnation of the Lord. The Incarnation of Ishwara comes to reveal the divine nature of man and makes him rise above the sense of a limited individual being, who lives a life of ignorance and misunderstanding.

The personality of Sri Rama is so unique and glorious that he stand as the perfect example of uncompromising goodness. Sri Rama potrayed idealistic perfections in all the roles of life. He was a perfect son, an ideal king, a true husband, a real friend, a devoted brother, and an ideal disciple too.

During one such instance Sri Rama reflects a highly graceful and humble picture of an ideal disciple surrendered totaly at the Holy Feet of his Master. Sage Vishwamitra took Sri Ram and Laxmana to the forest to conquer great demons there who were creating terror and obstacles in the religeous practises of various saints living the forest. Having completed the task Vishwamitraji was invited by King Janaka for the swayamvara (where the brides choose their hubands.) of his daughter, Sitaji. King Janaka had laid a mighty condition that any person who is able to lift the great bow of Lord Shiva and tie the string of it, alone shall be eligable to marry Sita. Vishwamitraji asked Lord Rama and Laxmana too to come for the occassion.

During the swayamvara the palace of King Janaka was adorned with great kings known for their valour and might. All these kings had assembled here to win the hand of Sitaji in marriage, by lifting the glorious and divine bow of Lord Shiva.

One by one, great many kings stood up and attempted to lift the great bow. They walked up to the bow with great flamboyance, showing off their strength and might.

But none of these mighty kings could even stir the bow an inch from its place. Their ego crumbling down like a pack of cards. Amidst all this show-off, Sri Rama sat with humble and divine grace, untouched by any temptations to show off his valour and strength. Even though here was the Lord himself who was the sustainer of the entire cosmos. For him lifting the bow would be like picking up a blade of grass. But Sri Rama sat like humility personified.

When a number of kings tried and failed to lift the bow, Rishi Vishwamitra said, “Arise oh Rama!.� It was only then that Lord Rama rose, humbly bowing down to his Guru and King Janaka, proceeding with dignity and yet a lot of humility to lift the divine bow of Lord Shiva. In this story we have a classic example of an ideal student and devotee who inspite of the unlimited strength is untouched by boasting off his strength, but only gets up on the command of his Guru. A dedicated, selfless, and humble student or devotee lives every situation selflessly as a command from God or his beloved Guru. He is not pushed by his personal likes and dislikes but he serves like a humble flute in the hands of God.

Page # 9

The Glass Of Milk One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation.

When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.

She read these words....."Paid in full with one glass of milk" (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

Vedanta Sandesh - Mar 2011

Stories from Purana’s n o p e u .. c n .

O e m a ti

Rishi Atri He is among the Sapta Rishi symbolized by the great bear and the seven stars around it. Named Megrez in Latin. The star is also considered as d (Delta) or the 4th star in the Great Bear constellation.

Seer of Rig Veda He is the seer of the fifth Mandala (Book 5) of the Rig Veda. He had many sons and disciples who have also contributed in the compilation of the Rig Veda and other Vedic texts.

Rishi Atri’s Life Atri maharishi is one of the ten sons of Creator Brahma and first of the Saptha Rishis, created by just the will of the Almighty and therefore designated as a Maanasa-putras. There were ten of these. Atri's wife is Anasuya or Anusiya devi, a daughter of Kardama Prajapati and an embodiment of chastity.

Rishi Atri’s significant role in Mahabharata He had a close connection with Mahabharatha. We all know that Drona was made the head of the Kaurava army after Bhisma's fall. Dronacharya fought ferociously. The wounded and the dead soldiers was thousands. Their cry of pain rented the skies. Blood flowed on the battle field. Dead bodies got piled up and provided the food for the birds of prey. In this carnage which went beyond all human estimation, Drona stood like a mad hero of demonic proportion. Sage Atri was very much worried of this because if Drona continued this he would cause destruction and human misery beyond proportions, Atri and Gowthama came to the battle field along with their five of their companions. It was at this time Dharmaraja had shouted at the instance of Sri Krishna saying that Ashwathama was killed. This put Drona off completely. He lost all hope in his life. He became mad with anger. This sent danger signal all around.

Sage Atri felt sad for him and talked to him in a friendly manner, consoling him, Dear friend, all along you have done everything against Dharma. This war you are engaged in is the best proof. It is enough and stop it. Stop this carnage. You are a good man. This act is not in tune with your status. You are a scholar of Vedanta par excellence. You have been a Brahman and you have got to practice dharma.

This cruel act does not befit you. Give up your weapons, fix your mind in our glorious Sanathana Dharma. I am sorry, you have wielded the most terrible Brahmastraon the innocent soldiers! Put an end to your meaningless killing. When Atri said that Dronacharya decided to give up his arms and stop killing. He drove away his anger jealousy and sense of revenge and his heart became pure. He sat in a yogic posture and started to meditate amidst the cries of pain, killing, flow of blood on the battle field. He concentrated on Lord Vishnu and closed his eyes and never opened them again until he left his body and started his journey towards the lord. Hence Sage Atri's kind nature helped to save man.

Atri Gotra Atri Gotra is from the lineage of Brahmarshi Atri and Anasuya Devi. He had many sons, including Soma, Datta, and Durvasa, who are the incarnations of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra. The trimurti channeled through Brahmarsi Atri when they granted boons to his wife Devi Anusuya for helping the Sun to rise in the east everyday.

Vedanta Sandesh - April 2009

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Feb’11 VM / VA Programs Kathopanishad Classes at Ashram:

Vedanta Mission / Ashram Programs

Poojya Guruji is conducting discourses on the first valli of the second chapter of Kathopanishad for the ashram inmates. These discourses have been going on from Oct 2009, and are detailed study of this Yajurvediya Upanishad based on the Sankara Bhashya.

Vedanta Sandesh - Mar 2011

This section starts with the discussion of the obstacle in the pursuit of self-knowledge. The Sruti tells that it is just the helpless and almost hypnotized extrovertedness which is the real problem, or rather the evident manifestation of the core obstacle. Because of that we neither have the time nor the disposition to observe or analyse our self-perceptions. The delusion about our sense of limitation & impermanance, and on the other hand the reality & permanance of the world keeps us helplessly extrovert. One who questions this and turns inwards alone truly starts the journey.

Kathopanishad Classes for Senior Citizens: A senior citizen study group which had been regularly studying Bhagwad Gita from Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji have now taken up the study of Upanishad, and have started with Kathopanishad. Most have them are hearing the Upanishad for the first time, and are awed by them. The inspiring student of Lord Yama, the young Nachiketa is an ideal embodiment of Sadhana Chatushtaya Sampatti, the four-fold qualities of a student of Vedanta. He is intelligent and also selfless. He got three boons, the first he asked for the well-being of his father, second he requested for the knowledge for a heavenly life, and the final for the knowledge of truth. A great dialogue followed thereafter.

Every Monday Swamini Samatanandaji conducts classes on AtmaBodha for the same group.

Gita Classes for Youth: A new program of ‘Gita Classes for Youth’ has been started at the Vedanta Ashram. This weekly study group is conducted every Sunday by Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji from 11.30 onwards. After the Gita lecture, there is time for questions and the session concludes with a short session of Meditation.

The students included some old Balvihar students also, who are now college students pursuing professional studies. Their Balvihar stint had earlier been very beneficial in the studies and even selection processes for their professional career. They feel a profound difference in their self-confidence and self-esteem. Awareness of ones heritage, absence of stage-fright by their regular exposure to crowds proved to to be a great booster, so they are generally full of gratitude & respect for the contribution of Vedanta Ashram in their lives.

Feb’11 VM / VA Programs

Vedanta Mission / Ashram Programs

New Website Updates: The vmission.org.in website of our International Vedanta Mission got few important updates and changes. The first one was regarding the checking and re-organization of our Download Page. Some download links were giving trouble, so all of them were checked or changed, and have been presented in a new convenient manner. Now all the Yagna discourses, talks, meditations, chants or bhajans of Poojya Guruji have been given on one page itself.

Another major update was regarding the Gita Section. A new Index Page and re-organization of links, incorporating all the Gita links on one page have been made. We are sure these efforts will prove to be helpful to all our visitors & devotees.

New Hall is ready before Mahashivratri: After two months of hard work by the entire team the new Hall at Vedanta Ashram was finally completed just before Mahashivratri Celebrations, just as the new Dining Hall was ready just before the Sadhana Camp in Jan. With profile sheet roof and polycarbonate multiwall sheets as wall the new Hall has really come out very nicely. It is therefore well-lighted, high ceiling, spacious convenience.

Apart from using it for special programs, the Hall will be regularly used for exercises for ashramites devotees. All the exercise equipments have been shifted up, alongwith making of a badminton court too. Vedanta Mission aims for holistic health of everyone - spiritual, emotional, intellectual & also physical, and we propose to set a good example at our training center for all this.

Birthday of Sw. Poornananda, Indore: The birthday of Poojya Swamini Poornanandaji was celebrated at the Ashram on 28th Feb. On this date Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji was also given Sanyas Deeksha on the banks of Narmadaji at Kheri Ghat. From tithi point of view the Sanyas Deeksha day of Swamini Amitanandaji and Swamini Poornanandaji is Mahashivratri day, which will be celebrated on 2nd of Mar this year, and not 3rd as earlier announced.

Birthdays as occasion for thanking God, parents and all connected with our existence, and also remembering the objective of our life, so as to re-affirm our resolve to pursue it with all possible dedication, enthusiasm and persevereance. A Rudrabhisheka of Bhagwan Gangeshwar Mahadev was performed by her on that day, alongwith special Bhandara for ashramites.

Check out the detailed Photo Albums of the various functions on VM News Blog at : http://vmissionews.blogspot.com/ Page # 13

Quotes We have to be able to grow up. Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. They are what we have been through and who we want to be.- Lauren Hutton When I was little I thought, isn't it nice that everybody celebrates on my birthday? Because it's July 4th.

- Gloria Stuart Your children need your presence more than your presents.

- Jesse Jackson All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.

- George Harrison If you can give your child only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.

- Bruce Barton God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.

- Voltaire My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.

- Jim Valvano The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.

- Brian Tracy

Vedanta Sandesh - Mar 2011

Forthcoming Programs

Gita Gyana Yagna, Lucknow: A Gita Gyana Yagna will be organized at Hari om Mandir, from 10th to 17th Mar, a week before Holi, which is on 19th March. The subject matters of the discourse series will be Gita Chapter 2, and Kathopanishad 1-2.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Bhavnagar: A Gita Gyana Yagna will be organized at Ramdas Ashram, Bhavnagar from 23rd Mar to 29th Mar 2011. The subject matters of the discourse series will be Gita Chapter 3, and continuity of the Kathopanishad 1-2.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Dehradun: A Gita Gyana Yagna will be organized at Dehradun in the last week of April at the residence of Dr Bhatia by Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji. The subject matters of the discourse series will be Gita Chapter 2, and Kathopanishad.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Mumbai: A Gita Gyana Yagna will be organized at BHA Hall Mumbai in the first week of May. The subject matters of the discourse series will be Gita Chapter 4, and continuity of the Kathopanishad.

Sadhana Camp, Rishikesh: A Sadhana Camp will be organized at Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh from 6th to 11th June 2011. The subject matters of the discourse series will be Gita Chapter 4, and Ishavasyopanishad.

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Hari om !

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