Bhagavad Gita - facing legal ban

One man's guidance philosophy, another man's "extremism". GOD Bless All.

Hindus in Russia have reached Manmohan Singh for help. I am sure they are going to get "Silence" as reply, as usual.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/bhagvad-gita-faces-extremist-branding-legal-ban-in-russia-159070?pfrom=home-otherstories&cp

Moscow: Bhagvad Gita, one of the most sacred Hindu religious texts, is facing a legal ban and the prospect of being branded as "an extremist" literature across Russia, with a court in Siberia's Tomsk city all set to deliver its final verdict on Monday in a case filed by state prosecutors.

The final pronouncement in the case will come just two days after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was here for a bilateral summit meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev from Dec 15 to 17.

The case, which has been going on in Tomsk court since June this year, seeks to get a Russian translation of Bhagvad Gita As It Is written by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), on the Hindu religious text banned in Russia and declaring it as a literature spreading "social discord", apart from rendering its distribution on Russian soil illegal.

In view of the case, Indians settled in Moscow, numbering about 15,000, and followers of the ISKCON religious movement here have appealed to Manmohan Singh and his government to intervene diplomatically to resolve the issue in favour of the Hindu religious text, an important part of Indian epic Mahabharat written by Sage Ved Vyasa.

The ISKCON followers of Russia have also written a letter to the Indian Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi seeking immediate intervention, lest the religious freedom of Hindus living here be compromised.

"The case is coming up for a final verdict on Monday in Tomsk court. We want all efforts from Indian government to protect the religious right of Hindus in Russia," Sadhu Priya Das of ISKCON and a devotee of a 40-year-old Krishna temple in central Moscow, told IANS.

The court, which took up the case filed by the state prosecutors, had referred the book to the Tomsk State University for "an expert" examination Oct 25 this year.

But Hindu groups in Russia, particular followers of the ISKCON, say the university was not qualified, as it lacked Indologists.

The Hindus had pleaded with the court that the case was inspired by religious bias and intolerance from a majority religious group in Russia, and have sought that
their rights to practice their religious beliefs be upheld.

The prosecutor's case also seeks to ban the preaching of Prabhupada and ISKCON's religious beliefs, claiming these were "extremist" in nature and preached "hatred" of other religious beliefs.

"They have not just tried to get the Bhagvad Gita banned, but also brand our religious beliefs and preachings as extremist," Das said.

In fact, the ISKCON devotees have taken up the matter with the Indian embassy in Moscow too, apart from writing to the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi, for an early diplomatic intervention, before things get worse and the court passes an adverse verdict banning the 'Bhagvad Gita' and Krishna consciousness teachings.

In the Nov 1 letter, addressed to Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Pulok Chatterji, ISKCON's New Delhi branch Governing Body Commissioner Gopal Krishna Goswami, said the prosecutor's affidavit claims Lord Krishna "is evil and not conforming to Christian religious view".

Goswami also urged Singh to accord priority to the matter during his Moscow stay and to take it up with the Russian authorities.

Indian diplomatic corps officials at the embassy here, who were unwilling to be named, told IANS that they have been following up the case since the time it was brought to their notice earlier this year and that they had also taken up the matter at the appropriate levels in the Russian government to get the case either withdrawn or get the defence to fight the case to obtain a favourable verdict.

Officials at the Indian Prime Minister's office, who are part of the Indian delegation accompanying Singh, confirmed the case and the letter they received from ISKCON in this regard to IANS.

"This matter is receiving the highest attention and the Indian embassy officials in Moscow have been instructed to follow up the case with the Russian authorities," they said.

Thiruvannamalai Girivalam

Thiruvannamalai Girivalam:

All days are suitable for doing Girivalam. The circumambulation path is 14 kilometres.Poorima or the full moon day is considered auspicious to do the Pradakshina. Nevertheless circumambulation done on all days of the week bestow the Lord's blessings abundantly.

One who thinks Arunachalam and desire to go around by water covering 15km the Arunachala hill and forwarding one foot will get equal benefit of Yagam and for second foot he will achieve the benefit of Raja suya Yagam and with clear mind of third foot will achieve Aswameda Yagam and who continues further will get beneficial of all Yagams.

Siddhas and devotees from various part of the World walk around on all days. In the full moon day of every month, lakhs of devotees go around the hill regularly.

Sunday : Penetration into the region of the sun and attains liberation and the world of Shiva.

Monday : Freedom from the afflictions of old age and death

Tuesday : Freedom from debts and the attainment of the state of an emperor

Wednesday :Attainment of wisdom and omniscience

Thursday : Attainment of the state of a Guru and being worshipped by the celestial beings

Friday : Prosperity and reaching the abode of Vishnu

Saturday : Worldly success and the aversion of ill effects of the planets in the horoscope.

Method of Girivalam:

One is to take a bath before doing the Pradakshina or Girivalam, wear clean clothes and wear the Rudraksha. The Pradakshina is supposed to be done with a meditative mood slowly with heart filled devotion and love for the Lord in order to imbibe the silence and the stillness of Arunachala in one's being. The moment one takes a step with the intention of circumambulating Sonagiri the very earth becomes extremely pure by coming into contact with the dust of one’s feet. At every point of the compass one should meditate and bring the palms together in praise and reverence. One should walk carefully, slowly and noiselessly. Before setting out a bath should be taken, clean clothes should be put on, sacred ash applied on the body, and rudraksha beads worn. While circumambulating one should meditate on Siva. Thousands of invisible manus, devatas, siddhapurushas and others accompany a devotee who circumambulates in this manner.  It is auspicious to do Giripradakshina on the day of the commencement of the Uttarayana season which is the Makara Sankaranti to attain one's goal in life.

The benefits of the Pradakshina is reaped if one could do it by foot. It is not recommended to circumambulate in any mode of conveyance. Thousands of invisible Siddhapurushas, Devatas and Manus are said to accompany a devotee who circumambulates the Hill with reverence meditating on Shiva. The palms are to be joined prayerfully at every specific direction. It is also good to do the circumambulation chanting the Lord's name, singing or dancing His praise. It is good to offer alms to the needy while doing the Pradakshina with utmost humility and love. The Lord is said to asunder the cord of the birth and death cycle bestowing His own state to a devotee who does the Girivalam accordingly.

Lets thus circumambulate Annamalai Hill in reverence to attain the Lord's grace to have our thoughts transfixed to the Hill, to be motionless within in order to realise the silence of Arunachala in one's being.

Tips to follow while going Girivalam

1. It is advised that devotees go Girivalam only barefooted.
2. Always view the top of the giri all through their Girivalam.
3. Preferably Girivalam should be undertaken only during full moon nights or else in normal nights.
4. To chant during Girivalam the namam of Om Arunachala.

VEDIC ASTROLOGY AND MOON

VEDIC ASTROLOGY AND MOON

  Vedic astrology is about 7000 years old and the oldest branch of  astrology known . This science has been mentioned in the Vedas and carried down through generations. Vedic Astrology uses a unique system of dasas and sub divisional charts that are different from Western Astrology. It can give astonishing results when an expert  Vedic scholar reads your chart based on your correct date, place and  time of birth.

In Astrology Moon is the signifactor of the MIND. Since Moon is the HEAVENLY BODY CLOSEST TO THE EARTH, the magnetic influences of all other planets reach EARTH through the Moon.

Also since the mind is ruled by Moon and all influences on the HUMAN BEING whether PHYSICAL, MENTAL, PSCHYOLOGICAL OR SUPERNATURAL effect the HUMAN MIND. The HUMAN BODY which is ruled by SUN may or may not respond to the mental / psychological / supernatural influences.

 THIS IS THE REASON THAT INDIAN ASTROLOGY RECKONS THE PLANETORY MOVEMENTS BASED ON YOUR MOON SIGN (RAASI).

SIGNIFICANCE OF LUNAR INFLUENCE IN EARTH IN GENERAL

In a more general manner, the impact of the lunar influence can be seen all around us and in nature and in our immediate environment. Three quarters of our globe are covered in water and these oceans are in constant movement (tides) due to the attraction of the Moon. Tides are simply the movement of the ocean's waters in an opposite direction to the spin of the Earth and the influence of the Moon does not stop here.

 

It's proximity to the Earth causes a certain atmospheric 'friction' and slows down the spin of the Earth which effectively means that the Moon also increases the length of our days. The Moon also affects underground water sources, regular terrestrial movements, vibrations on the Earth's surface and also touches living creatures such as ourselves as we are in fact made up of 80% water! This particular lunar influence can also be called biological tides.

 

Moon has such a powerful influence upon ourselves and our environment. I am going to go over some more examples, just to show you how extensive the lunar influence actually is. First of all, plants need the Moon's pretense to maintain their good health and full lifespan. We now know that plant's metabolism uses photosynthesis which is basically the transformation of light rays into combustible chemical energy and these light rays must correspond to a certain wavelength which fortunately enough the Sun and the Moon's rays provide.

Lunar rays can be considered as a source of powerful energy and these rays work as catalysts in various natural processes in all living organisms on this planet. Animals for example feel this energy very strongly and certain species live according to lunar cycles, for example regulating their mating or hunting rhythms to the frequency of the lunar cycle.

Certain fish for example only mate during a very particular lunar phase (gibbous) during the month of October. On land, koala bears only eat during the waning cycle of the Moon and many many other examples can be found of routines based firmly on the lunar cycles.

The Moon acts upon us all and on many different levels. First of all it affects our birth as studies have proved that women's menstrual cycles follow the Moon's phases and the births of newborn babies fall in line with this period of fertility.  Menstruation is the preparation of the female body for pregnancy and ovulation is made possible by the presence of a hormone called LH which is made available from the 4th day of the cycle and after receiving this hormonal signal the body transforms itself ready to receive the fertilized egg, the human embryo.

 

When fertilization does not take place menstruation serves to clean the body of the uterus' mucus. Many scientists have concentrated on investigating the role of the lunar cycle in menstruation and have remarked on the number of menstrual cycles which begin during a full or new Moon. Men's fertility also seems to follow these same lunar cycles as many more fertilization's take place at the rise of a new Moon than at any other time of the month. These cycles are also reflected in the ticking of our internal clocks, our day's seem to be timed much more in keeping with Lunar rather than Solar cycles.

 

One interesting scientific experiment consisted of placing a person under observation and in an underground shelter far from light and any means of measuring time. The scientists noticed that the subject quickly adopted a rhythm which was based entirely on a Lunar cycle.  The Moon was seen to act directly upon us, it conditions our emotions, our feelings and our responses and on an astrological level the Moon serves as a catalyst, concentrating and strengthening the influence of the many other planets of our personal Zodiac.

Moon affects a whole range of opportunities in many different areas of your life such as your sentiments, your romantic tendencies, your relationships, your finances and your professional life. For a full 6 months the Moon will act as a magnifying glass, focusing the energy of a number of different planets upon you and to give you more of an idea about this magnifying action try to imagine that the Moon will be a cosmic TV - the Moon will take the transmissions from all of the planets around us and will form clear images of these transmissions inside of us just as our home TV set does though its cathode-ray tube.

The astrological role of the Moon is to transmit clear and comprehensive images of everything which is going on around us and a portion of this energy which the Moon transmits towards us is absorbed by our bodies though the receptors that we all have within our souls and is then transformed into actions and events that we provoke.

  Many professionals can see these centers of receptors, which are known as Chakra points in Hindu philosophy. Thus, the Lunar cycle is important for all of us , how the Moon plays a daily role in our lives and exactly what it's influence consists of.