VOLUME 1 l ISSUE 8
SEPTEMBER 2016
H I N D U
S WAYA M S E VA K
S A N G H
Balagokulam AZ Times H I N D U D H A R M A F O R K I D S, T E AC H E R S & PA R E N T S
RAKSHA BANDHAN WISHESH DIGITAL | SEPTEMBER 2016
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Disclaimer
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Balagokulam AZ Times and/or HSS do not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information, product or service represented in this publication. The information provided in Balagokulam AZ Times Magazine is for educational or entertainment purposes only.
Contents SEPTEMBER 2016
Raksha Bandhan independence day KID REPORTERS Health Tips HINDUISM Q & A Yoga pose of the month person of the month Story
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Events
HSS & Balagokulam’s
Events Raksha Bandhan (On August 18, 2016) Raksha Bandhan is one of the 6 main Utsav Sangh celebrates. Sangh utsavs gives us an opportunity to learn our culture, history and heritage. Traditionally, Raksha Bandhan is the bond of love and affection between brother and sister. Sister ties the Rakhi to the wrist of her brother and seeks protection and brother takes the vow of protecting her.
Independence Day (On August 14, 2016) Indo- American Cultural & Religious Foundation in Arizona (IACRF) and the Indian community and friends celebrated 70th India’s Independence Day at its Community Center facility and religious facility Bharatiya Ekta Mandir. HSS adults and kids participated in various programmers. A pre-program Debate/Public speaking event was held on Aug 13th . The outstanding speakers received a chance of presenting their views at the Independence Day event in the presence of Vice-Mayor Kate Gallego and the Arizona Corporation Commissioner Tom Forese and many other distinguished guests and members. IACRF thanked HSS Phoenix for joining hands to make the event a grand one.
Events : RAKSHA BANDHAN
Raksha Bandhan is celebrated as the day where a sister ties a thread around her brother’s wrist as a symbol of protection while the he promises to protect and take care of her.
Here are five more things you need to know about this auspicious occasion: ORIGIN OF RAKSHA BANDHAN
DEMONS WON THE WAR
The origin of Raksha Bandhan comes from the ancient times when Indrani tied a thread given to her by Lord Vishnu around her husband Lord Indra’s wrist to protect him from demons during the war between the Gods and demons.
Another story believes that demons won the war and captured heaven. Lord Indra, who was unhappy about this, complained to Brihaspati (guru of the gods), who then prepared a raksha sutra and told him to wear it for protection.
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THE PROMISE OF PROTECTION The promise of protection was seen in the Mahabharat too. It is believed that once Lord Krishna cut his finger and was bleeding profusely. Seeing this, Draupadi tore a part of her sari and tied it around his finger. This is believed to be the reason why he saved her during her cheerharan by Kaurava.
RAKHI SAVED ALEXANDER Rakhi saved Alexander The Great’s life. When he had invaded India, his wife Roxana had sent a rakhi to the Katoch King Porus and he had vowed to protect her and her husband. So, on the battlefield when he was about to kill Alexander he saw the rakhi and refrained from killing him.
DEDICATION OF A BROTHER’S PROMISE The most significant story of the dedication of a brother’s promise if that of Emperor Humayun who went with his troops to Mewar when Rani Karnavati who ruled the region then asked for his help. Mewar had been attacked twice by Bahadur Shah and as a ray of hope she sent a letter to Humayun with a rakhi asking for his help. The emperor who was between a military campaign then left everything to go and protect her.
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Events : RAKSHA BANDHAN
Significance of
Raksha Bandhan in Sangh Raksha Bandhan is one of the 6 main Utsav Sangh celebrates. Sangh utsavs gives us an opportunity to learn our culture, history and heritage. Traditionally, Raksha Bandhan is the bond of love and affection between brother and sister. Sister ties the Rakhi to the wrist of her brother and seeks protection and brother takes the vow of protecting her. In Sangh Raksha Bandhan Utsav is celebrated among family and friends. We tie Rakhis to Bhagavad Dhwaj and to each other, taking the vow that we will protect each other. In sangh Bhagavad Dhwaj represents as our guru or Dharma. ‘DHARMO RAKSHATHI RAKSHITHA’ means Dharma protects one who protects Dharma.This Utsav has more social relevance in Shakha. It reminds us about our samajik Runa, or our duties to our society. When tying Rakhis to each other we all are becoming members of one big family as the children of one motherland who are bonded with love, affection and committed to protect each other. We are bringing the reality of ‘Vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ which means “the world is one family”. Raksha Bandhan Utsav is a main outreach Utsav for Sangh. We visit many
organizations, fire stations, police station, and ties rakhis to them. By this, we are showing our love and care for them and saying that we are here to protect then you, please protect us. Sangh organizes various Sewa events. We are always connected to the Dharma followers of the society. We show our Dharma and responsibility to our society by various activities like food drives and by taking care of the neediest people who are in the lower layer of social system. We always participate and take actions in the current affairs. The recent ones are the California textbook issue and the Diwali stamp campaign by Tulsi Gabbard. Raksha Bandhan is a festival of oneness and universal brotherhood. This is an auspicious occasion to recharge with the spirit of service and sacrifices for the welfare of the society that is the highest spiritual fulfillment of human life.
- By Greeshma Ajith (Shakti Shaka)
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Events : RAKSHA BANDHAN
RAKSHA BANDHAN By HSS
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Events : RAKSHA BANDHAN
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RAKSHA BANDHAN By HSS
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Events : INDEPENDENCE DAY
INDIA INDEPENDENCE DAY By IACRFAZ
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Kid Reporters
A chat with a Film director!! Sriram Vegaraju It was a wonderful road trip from Phoenix all the way to Vancouver!!!!! We visited many places and family friends. That’s how I got a chance to meet my dad’s friend, Sriram Uncle. I already knew from my dad that he is a film directed. Even though I have watched many movies, I have never met a director before. So I was so excited to meet him. I am very glad to share my chat with him.
About Sriram Vegaraju Uncle in his own words
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My love for movie watching turned into a passion and forced me to attend film school. It’s all started with a school project when I shot “Distant Beats”, a crossover musical filmed in India and USA. It received best recognition from two film festivals Los Angeles Movie Awards and Columbia-gorge film festival. Those awards help motivated me to venture into a full length narrative film in Telugu, Oridevudoy.
Sriram Vegaraju Film Director WISHESH DIGITAL | SEPTEMBER 2016
Oridevudoy, since its concept inception I received lot of appreciation for storyline, cultural mix, fastest filming schedule with over 52 popular
actors in the film, and comedy filled entertainer. Post release the film received over 10 film awards and many recognitions across web and TV media. Some of the notable film festivals include California film awards, Nevada film festival, Los Angeles international, Oregon film festival, Canada international film festival, Accolade film festival and more. The art of creativity, blend of 24 crafts, and ability to work with like mind artists and technicians is a blessing and that continue to keep energize my filmmaking experiences. More projects to come.” 14
Q: Why did you go to the film industry?
Q: What was your life before direction?
A: I used to watch a lot of films and I wanted to make one.
A: I went to a proper film school in Seattle and learned the crafts and all about direction.
Q: Why did you choose this particular film why didn’t you choose another one? A: I am a religious person and this film deals with a fantasy element that God will come down and ask for publicity because a lot of people are forgetting God and so we wanted to refocus on devotion so God will come and ask for publicity and that is the central theme of the film. Q: Are you going to go into other professions in the movie industry? A: Not really because as a filmmaker I have my own stories to direct and direct and I don’t have plans to go into any other professions because I think a director should have a basic understanding of all 24 crafts so I think I like direction better and I would also like to write my own stories and direct them.
Q: I came to know you wrote audio cassettes what is it about? A: It is another passion that I write lyrics about Lord Balaji and I distribute them throughout the temples. I will keep writing them. Q: Are you planning to put your audio cassettes in your movie? A: Yes as time comes and the story asks for it I will. Q: Are you making a new movie or are you keeping it as a secret? A: Not that I will keep it as a secret, I am working on the projects and when time comes I will tell everyone.
Q: What do you mean by 24 crafts? A: 24 crafts are story writing, editing, voiceovers, and stunts and the things required in a movie. Q: What is the budget put into this movie? A: The whole movie costs you around 400 to 50 thousand dollars which is 2.5 crores in IDR.
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- Arpana Ajith
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Kid Reporters
Martial Arts By Krethik Sathishkumar (Vivekanada Shaka)
Martial art is a form of sports with different sets of practices. People learn martial arts for various reasons like selfdefense, fitness and discipline. I started learning karate, a type of martial arts at the age of 6. I got inspired when I saw my friends wearing white and white uniforms with different colored belt and practicing their moves in our apartment lawn. Sensei Tim Hope, black belt world champion is my guru. First time when my parents took me for the class, I dint interact with him due to my shyness. So he sends me back and asked me to come after two weeks. During this period I overcome my shyness and started interacting with him few times with the guidance of my parents.
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After two weeks, I joined my class and started my trainings. There are two commonly used techniques in Karate.
KUMITE (which is usually called as kata)
Kata Shows us the different fighting methods of an individual. It is performed in a solo way which is a combination of different patterns of kicks and punches. There are different Kata, in each level. They are commonly called as kata 1(shodan), kata 2(nidan) and it continues.
SPARRING - Fighting with our opponent.
We use the techniques of different punches and kicks to fight against our opponents. We can win our opponents by gaining more points .There are lot of
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rules which need to be followed while we spar. We need to use our sparring gear like mouth guards, hand wraps, boots, gloves etc. This sparring equipment’s help us to protect ourselves. Earlier I was strong in sparring only, but day by day I improved in my Kata too. We start our training by learning the basic patterns in kata and basic techniques in sparring with our white belt. After certain period of time, Sensei evaluates in different aspects and promote to next level. Once we trained and promoted to next level after our tests, we receive our new belts with different color. The standard order of the belts is white, yellow, gold, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, red and black. Each color signifies different thing such as
WHITE
Beginning of the seed.
YELLOW
First beam of sunlight
ORANGE
Growing power of sun
GREEN BLUE
KALARIPPAYATTU:
Blue sky, plant continue to grow toward
People of Kerala are the originators for this fighting system .It is one of the oldest fighting system which is still in existence .Footwork pattern is most important in Kalarippayattu.
Changing Sky
BROWN
Ripening of the seed
BLACK
Apart from Karate there are different forms of martial arts in India which is a part of Indian ancient culture and traditional games. Those are started in south India and now it has different names and different forms in different parts of India. This ancient sport used to hold great importance in Indian societies of the past. Some of these arts are armed and some are unarmed. I like to learn these martial arts too.
Growth of seed as sprouts
PURPLE
RED
Apart from our training and competition in our classes, Sen Sei trains us to participate in different competitions. We can register in USKA (United States Karate Alliance) and participate in all the competitions. Whenever we participate and win, our points will be added up in the list, which gives a lot of motivation to improve ourselves. I have won few trophies and medal and also got an opportunity to participate in national level championship held in Las Vegas. I won 3rd prize in team Sparring which makes me some excited.
Heat of the sun Darkness beyond the sun
SILAMBAM: This is practiced by using the weapons like staff, stick, sword, shield, spear and flexible sword .It is originated from Tamil
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Kid Reporters Nadu, and happy to say it’s my state. Even lot of women’s practices this silambam, which is still in existence.
GATKA: Gatka is practiced by Sikhs of Punjab. This art uses weapons like talwar, kirpan and kataar. The attacking and defense methods are based upon the positions of the hands feet and nature of weapons used.
MUSTI YUDDHA:
PARI CHANDRA: This style of martial arts is created by Rajput’s from Bihar with sword and shield. Pari Chandra steps and techniques are also used in chau dance. The traditional south Indian martial arts grew up alongside with yoga. All the martial arts were created to help individual to bring the peace to worldly conflicts. I wish all the kids to start learning at least one martial arts in their childhood.
Musti yuddha uses punches, kicks, knees and elbow strike. This is unarmed martial arts, which is originated from Varanasi. Than all the other arts, I like to learn this since it’s similar to what I am learning currently.
LATHI: The word lathi refers to one of the oldest weapon which is a stick .This stick may be short or a long staff. Punjab and Bengal region people uses this arts more.
MARDANI KHEL: This is originated in art of Maharashtra .Most of the princes started train to this and it most familiar with Maharashtra kings. This martial art is an armed one, they used fake sword called tora, which is paired with a shield.
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Krethik Sathishkumar (Vivekananda Shakha)
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Health Tips
AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC Garlic is a popular ingredient in recipes across many cultures. Has been grown across various geographies, over a centuries worth forgetting about. Along with onions, chives and leeks, garlic belongs to the allium family. Often termed as the stinking rose, the bulbs of the garlic get their distinct pungent aroma from the sulphurouscompounds within them, which always in more ways than one bring about all the goodness that is bestowed upon this root, by nature. The antibiotic properties of garlic has been known to mankind since the age of the sages and Pharos. However, mere consumption of garlic when you would have contracted an inflammation is no substitute for pharmaceutical remedies. However, regular consumption of garlic would strengthen your
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immune system, thus enabling you to lead a healthy life in general. It would certainly be of assistance to your system in fighting virus and bacteria in general. A number of home and natural remedies utilize the application of garlic. Toothaches, earache, warts, coughs, congestionand skin infections find their remedies in garlic. Studies have guaranteed the long time effect of garlic in maintaining the blood pressure, blood sugar, in addition to providing protection to the system against free radicals, and the ensuing inflammations that they bring about. A check on the levels of LDL or bad cholesterol is also among the essential benefits of garlic. Source : www.healthspectra.com 19
Q&A
Hinduism Volume 8
Hinduism is the oldest religion of this world. During the period when people in other areas were hunting down animals, the great Hindu sages, holy men and Kings were leading their people in virtuous life by chanting the vedas, carrying out great yagas (yagna) and medical research in Sittha, Ayurveda and also in astronomy.
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Q: Why is Hinduism so confusing? There are multiple reasons for that. Trying to do an in and out analysis without getting on to taste its fruit by practicing would make one feel exhausted. Because it is not a religion of limited contours. It is really an ocean of knowledge. But don’t we find quite contradicting statements in Hindu scriptures ? What explains that contradiction ? Science tells us that water becomes ice when its temperature falls to zero degree centigrade or below. The same science also tells that water can exist even in temperatures below zero degree in certain conditions and the water is called supercooled water. Which one to believe ? The fact remains that both the statements are true however contradicting they are. Hinduism - an open religion - supports the view that there could be multiple facets of the same truth! And hence the things that have a value in them would find their place in Hinduism. Some scriptures would say knowledge is the way to the Supreme and some would say devotion is the way! There is no need to be confused. Choose the way that is appropriate in your situation, but do remember just because one is approprite for you, the others do not cease to be true !!
Q: Does Hinduism prohibit meat eating ? There are actually very less things as prohibits, commands, mandates etc in Hinduism. So in this case too Hinduism does not prohibit, but it recommends that meat eating could be avoided for spiritual benefits and kindness towards fellow creatures.
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Q: What is Hinduism’s sacred text ? Hinduism is not based on one single text book. Though it could be said that vedas are the base, in essence veda is nothing but knowledge. It is the science of the self and Supreme. The science can not be limited to one book so is Hinduism.
Q: What are the marks on the forehead of Hindus ? There are many virtual lotuses of power locus in the human body. The one at the place between the eye brows is highly powerful (which could be felt). This highly sensitive point is protected with the kumkum or chandan dots. Shaivites adorn their forehead with the Holy Ash the one with medicinal power and spiritual meaning and the vaishnavas with the shri chUrNam and so on each indicative of something.
Q: Why is Hinduism so complex to understand ? Well, Hinduism was not born out of the thoughts of one particular philosopher or at one particular time. It is an accumulation of the knowledge and experience of seers from ancient time. Also as it does not impose the supremacy of one specific postulation hence many complementary at times totally different concepts exist because of this openness. This advantage makes it sophisticated.
Source : http://shaivam.org/
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INDIAN YOGA Yoga Pose of the Month
Matsyasana (BEGINNERS YOGA POSE)
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Matsyasana is one of the beginners yoga pose inbuilt with lot of health benefits. Fish in a pond eats every dirt and clean the water. Likewise, Matsyasana purifies our blood and keeps us healthy. The name of the posture derives from the fact that if you adopt the position in water, you will float quite easily. How to do 1. Sit on the carpet; fold the both legs together like Padmasana, Ardha Padmasana or Sukasana. 2. Thrusting hands on the carpet and slowly lies down. 3. Place the palms next to ears, towards the shoulder blade. 4. Press palms and waist, raise the trunk and head. Then place the crown of the head on the floor. 5. Place both the hands on the thighs and relax the elbow on WISHESH DIGITAL | SEPTEMBER WWW.WISHESH.COM | OCTOBER 2016 2016
Benefits the floor. If possible hold the toe with the fingers. 6. Now the crown of head and lower body on the floor making an arc shape on the back. Maintain the pose at least 50 or 100 counts. 7. Release the fingers, thrust the palms on the floor and raise the head and shoulder blade, rest them on the floor. Unfold the legs, straighten them and do savasana.
1. Spinal Cord and back muscle tissues gets refreshed. 2. It helps to cure asthma and respiratory disorders. 3. Headache caused by stiffness of neck can be cured easily. 4. Practicing this yoga pose regularly helps to cure impotency. 5. It is an alternate yoga pose for sarvangasana. 22
6. Stiffness caused by the practice of sarvangasana and halasana can be warded off by practicing matsyasana. 7. It helps to stop bleeding hemorrhoids. 8. Practicing this yoga pose with drink water early morning helps to relieve from constipation. 9. If a person suffers neck pain lumbago and spondylosis practice this pose daily using pillows, their pains and agony get suppressed and disappear. WISHESH DIGITAL | SEPTEMBER 2016
This Yoga pose is equal to traction therapy. 10. Recommended for professional bloggers, IT field people, official workers, persons those who travel a long distance in motor cycle or bus. These peoples may suffer from forward neck pain. This pain can be cured temporarily by taking tablets and ailments. But practicing matsyasana relieves the pain forever.
12. Insomnia being eradicates. That results in good normal or deep sleep. 13. It helps to shed away diseases such as seizure, leprosy and skin diseases. 14. It helps to reduce thigh and belly fat.
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Person of the month
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ndia is an amazing country and unique in several aspects. For example, in every age great spiritual personalities appear who are aware of their true nature and act as guides to the truth. One such outstanding personality in recent times was Ramana Maharshi, who left his body in April 1950 at the foot of Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai. His teaching is as up to date as it can be. He has distilled the essence of India’s ancient wisdom into one single question. It is the ultimate science and the ultimate fulfilment: to know “Who am I?” What made this man so special, who sat for years mostly silently on a couch, wearing only a loin cloth? What is the reason that even today many well-known spiritual teachers consider him to be their inspiration? Why do so many people from all over the world keep coming to the place where he had lived – over 60 years after his death?
Sri Ramana Maharshi
The Sage of Arunachala
The reason is that the name Ramana Maharshi guarantees for quality in a field where impostors also roam. His life is an open book. And whoever reads in it will be touched by his simplicity and compassion. Shortly before he died he said, “People say that I am going. Where can I go? I am always here.” By ‘here’ he surely did not mean the place at the foot of Arunachala and by ‘I’ not to the person known as Ramana Maharshi. Source: www.hinduhistory.info
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Story
Tolerate like Yogi Bapa Once, Yogi Bapa and some sadhus were travelling and arrived at keriya village, where they decided to rest. During the afternoon, the sadhus were all resting except Yogi Bapa. Because he was fasting, he was awake and taking care of various tasks. Some other sadhus who were opposed to the principle of AksharPurushottam arrived to punish them. They entered the mandir where everyone was resting and started beating up the sadhus. They smashed pots, pushed the sadhus and broke things. They even pushed a blind sadhu, Bhagwatswarupdasji, against the wall; such was their cruelty! Finally some satsangi villagers arrived with WISHESH DIGITAL | SEPTEMBER 2016
sticks and chased away the opposing sadhus. After the disturbance, the satsangis were very upset, but neither Yogi Bapa nor any of the other sadhus muttered even one single word against their attackers. This incident truly highlights how tolerance is a definition of sadhuta – ‘saintliness’. Even after reading this incident, we might think, “How can I stay so calm in such a blood-boiling situation?” The solution: if we always remember that Maharaj is the all-doer and that nothing happens without his wish, then we can see the above type of situation as an opportunity to erase our swabhavs and increase
our control over our emotions and mind. We can use the situation as an opportunity to learn about ourselves instead of looking for faults in others. But this understanding does not come so easily. We must also pray daily to Yogi Bapa and our guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj in our puja. We should ask them to bless us with the ability to learn the virtue of tolerance so that we can be resilient in any difficult situation and behave how they would have behaved, rather than responding to our emotions and mind.
Source : kids.baps.org
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Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh
hssphx@gmail.com
Balagokulam Every Child has the spark of divinity within... Balagokulam is a forum for children to discover and manifest that divinity. Balagokulam will enable children in the US to appreciate their cultural roots, learn Indian values in an enjoyable manner and make good friends.
• To facilitate children to appreciate, learn and practice Hindu way of life. • Instill pride and confidence in Indian children about their identity. • Character building and leadership skills among children. • Develop social awareness and connectivity in the society. • Stronger bonding among Indian children. • Awareness of our rich cultural heritage and traditions.
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