மனதை தொட்ட கீதை

விமரிசனம் வலைத்தளம் ஆசிரியர் கவேரிமைந்தனின்

மனதை தொட்ட கீதை

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ஜெயமோகன் எழுத்துக்கள் மிக ஆழமானவை. மேலோட்டமாக எதையும் எழுதும் பழக்கம் அவருக்கு இல்லை. ஆழ்ந்த வாசிப்பிற்கும், தீர்க்கமான சிந்தனை  அலசல்களுக்கும் பிறகு தான் அவர் எழுதுகிறார். நான் அவர் உழைப்பை மிகவும் மதிக்கிறேன். முன்னதாக பல சமயங்களில் அவர் கீதையைப் பற்றி விளக்கங்கள் எழுதி இருந்தாலும், அண்மையில் ஒரு பேட்டியில் அவர் - 1987ல் தன் அம்மாவும்,அப்பாவும் தொடர்ச்சியாக
5 மாத இடைவெளிக்குள் இறந்தவுடன்,வாழ்க்கை வெறுத்துப் போய் தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்ள முயன்று, மீண்டுவந்த தருணத்தில்,
தனக்கு ஏற்பட்ட சில அனுபவங்களை  இணைத்து சில விஷயங்களை சொல்லி இருக்கிறார். அவற்றிலிருந்து - ————————

என்ன நடந்ததுன்னு தெரியவில்லை. என் மனசு அப்படியே மலர்ந்து ஜொலிக்க ஆரம்பிச்சிட்டது. நான் பலசமயம் துண்டு துண்டா படிச்ச கீதை
அப்பதான் எனக்கு புரிஞ்சுது. கீதையை எல்லாருமே வாசிக்கலாம். ஆனா கீதை உள்ளே போறதுக்கு ஒரு சந்தர்ப்பம் இருக்கு. அதை கீதா முகூர்த்தம்னு சொல்வாங்க. எனக்கு அந்த நாள் தான் கீதா முகூர்த்தம். கீதை சொல்றதை அந்த நாளிலே –  அந்த நேரத்திலே புரிஞ்சுகிட்டேன்.
ஒவ்வொரு உயிருக்கும் அது மட்டுமே செய்ய வேண்டிய செயல் இருக்கு. அது தான் சுவதர்மம்னு கீதை அதைச் சொல்லுது. அதைச் செய்ற நிறைவுதான் பேரின்பம். …அந்த நொடியிலே இருந்து என் வாழ்க்கை வேறு ஒண்ணா ஆயிடுச்சு. இனி என் வாழ்க்கையிலே
எதுக்கும் துக்கப்பட மாட்டேன். எந்த ஒரு கணத்திலேயும் சோர்வா இருக்க மாட்டேன்னு முடிவு எடுத்தேன். இருபத்தஞ்சு வருசம் தாண்டியிருக்கு.
வீணான ஒரு நிமிஷம்கூட என் வாழ்க்கையிலே இல்லை. நான் எப்பவுமே என்னோட பெஸ்ட் மூடிலே தான் இருந்துட்டிருப்பேன்.
இத்தனை வருஷங்களிலே நான் இவ்வளவு எழுதி இருக்கேன் - இவ்வளவு வாசிச்சிருக்கேன்னா அதுக்கு  இந்த ஊக்கம் தான் காரணம்.
கீதை நமக்கு ஆன்மீகமான ஒரு  தன்னம்பிக்கையை குடுக்குது. மத்த தன்னம்பிக்கை நூல்கள்லாம் - உன்னால முடியும்.
நீ பெரிய ஆள்னு சொல்லுறப்ப -கீதை,  நீ ரொம்ப சின்ன ஆள். ஆனா நீ பிரம்மாண்டமான ஒரு அமைப்போட  உறுப்புன்னு சொல்லுது.
அது இன்னொரு வகையான தன்னம்பிக்கையை குடுக்குது. நான் பெரிய ஆள்னு நினைச்சுக்கிடுறப்ப சில சமயம் தோல்விகளிலே
நம்ம தன்னம்பிக்கையே அழிஞ்சிடும். ஆனா கீதை குடுக்கிற தன்னம்பிக்கை  அழியவே அழியாது. எது உங்களுக்கு உண்மையான
சந்தோஷத்தை குடுக்குதோ, எதைச் செஞ்சா நீங்க நிறைவா செய்ய முடியுமோ அதை செய்ங்க.அதான் கீதையும் சொல்றது.
எதை செஞ்சா நீங்க நிறைவா உணர முடியுமோ, எதை நீங்க முழுமையா ஈடுபட்டு செய்ய முடியுமோ அதை செய்ங்க. அது தான் உங்க தன்னறம்.
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கிட்டத்தட்ட இதே போன்ற அனுபவம் எனக்கும் ஏற்பட்டது. எங்கள் பிரியமான மகள் தனது  16வது வயதில், எந்தவித அறிகுறியும்
முன்கூட்டி தெரியாமல், திடீரென்று மூளையில்  ரத்தக் குழாய் வெடித்து, 24 மணி நேரத்துக்குள் இறந்து போனபோது – வாழ்வே இருண்டு போனது. இனிமேல் வாழவே முடியாது என்று எல்லாவற்றையும் வெறுத்து ஒதுக்கினேன்.
சின்னஞ்சிறு குருத்தை அழித்து விட்டாயே - எங்கள் பாசக்குழந்தையை பறித்து விட்டாயே - உனக்கு எதற்கு பூஜையும், பிரார்த்தனையும்
என்று – எல்லாவற்றையும் நிறுத்தி விட்டேன். கோவிலுக்குப் போவதையும் விட்டு விட்டேன். தற்கொலை எண்ணமும் சில சமயம் வந்தது.
ஆனால் எனக்கு இன்னும் ஒரு மகள் இருந்தாள். மனைவி இருந்தாள். நானும் போய் விட்டால் - அவர்கள் நிலை ?

சுவாமி சின்மயானந்தாவின் எழுத்துக்களில் எனக்கு மிகுந்த பற்றுதல் உண்டு.அவரது கீதை விளக்கங்களை நிறைய
வாசித்திருக்கிறேன். முன்பு எத்தனையோ முறை வாசித்திருந்தபோதெல்லாம் தோன்றாத ஒரு எண்ணம் ஒரு சமயம்
திடீரென்று தோன்றி என்னை மீண்டும் நடைமுறை வாழ்க்கைக்கு கொண்டு வந்தது. நாம் வாழ்வது நமக்காக மட்டுமே என்று
நினைப்பது தானே இத்தனை துன்பங்களுக்கும் காரணம் ?

நாம் வாழ்வது நமக்காக மட்டுமல்ல - மற்றவர்களுக்காகவும் சேர்த்து தான் என்று எண்ணி வாழ ஆரம்பித்து விட்டால் -
சொந்த துக்கம் எதுவுமே பெரிதாகத் தோன்றாது அல்லவா ? செடி, கொடி, மரம், பூ, புழுக்களால் கூட  இந்த சமூகத்திற்கு பயன் இருக்கும்போது,
மனிதனாகப் பிறந்த நாம் மற்றவர்களுக்கு, சமுதாயத்திற்கு எந்த விதத்திலாவது பயனுள்ளவராக இருக்க வேண்டாமா ?
மூளை வேறு – மனம் வேறு. மூளை எப்போதும் சுயநல நோக்கிலேயே யோசிக்கும். எதைச் செய்தால் நமக்கு லாபம் என்றே யோசிக்கும்.
மனம் நல்லது கெட்டதை நினைக்கச் சொல்லும். பிறரைப் பற்றி கவலைப்படும். தர்மம் அதர்மம் பற்றி யோசிக்கும்.
எனவே எதைச் செய்தாலும் -மூளை சொல்வதை மட்டும் கேட்காமல், மனதைக் கேட்டு, மனசாட்சிக்கு விரோதம் இல்லாமல் செயல்பட்டால் -
நம்மால் பிறருக்கு எந்த விதத்தில் உதவியாக இருக்க முடியும் என்று ஒரு மனிதன் யோசித்து
செயல்பட்டால் – அது அவனுக்கும் நிம்மதி, சமுதாயத்திற்கும் பலன். நம்மால் என்ன பெரிதாகச் செய்ய முடியும்
என்று யோசிக்கவே வேண்டாம். மனதில் தோன்றியதைச் செய்யலாம். அக்கம் பக்கத்தில் – 4 ஏழைக்குழந்தைகளுக்கு
இலவசமாகப் பாடம் சொல்லிக்கொடுக்கலாம். வயதானவர்களுக்கு, ஆதரவில்லாமல் தனியே துன்பப்படுபவர்களுக்கு ஆதரவாக இருக்கலாம்.
ஆறுதலாக நாலு நல்ல வார்த்தைகள் சொல்லலாம். மருத்துவ மனைகளுக்கு போக, வர உதவலாம். வாரம் இரண்டு வேளை யாராவது 2 ஏழைகளுக்கு சோறு தரலாம். இரண்டு குடிகாரர்களையாவது - போதைப் பழக்கத்திலிருந்து மீட்க முயற்சி செய்யலாம்.
தெரிந்த இடத்தில் இறப்பு நிகழ்ந்தால், மறக்காமல்,உணர்ச்சி வசப்படாமல், அவர்களின் கண்களை தானம் செய்ய உதவலாம். ஏற்கெனவேயே சமூகப்பணி செய்யும் குழுக்கள் எதனுடனாவது இணந்து, நம்மால் முடிந்ததை செய்யலாம்.
யோசித்தால் – நிறைய தோன்றும். ஆரம்பித்து விட்டால் அதில் சுகம் தெரியும். இப்போதெல்லாம் வாழ்க்கை எனக்கு சுமையாக
இல்லை. கடந்ததை எண்ணி வருந்துவதில்லை. எது நடந்தாலும் அமைதியாக எதிர்நோக்க முயற்சிக்கிறேன். என் மனம் ஏற்றுக்கொள்வதை மட்டுமே செய்ய முயற்சிக்கிறேன். எதைச் செய்தாலும், அதை விரும்பி, முழு மனதுடன் செய்கிறேன் - முழு ஈடுபாட்டுடன் செய்கிறேன்.
இந்த வலைத்தளத்தில் எழுதுவதை கூட - ஒரு சமுதாய நலனாக எண்ணிச் செய்கிறேன். இறுதி நாள் வரும் வரை இப்படியே வாழ
வேண்டும் என்று விரும்புகிறேன். நாளைய தினம் தீபாவளித் திருநாள் - எல்லாருக்குமே மறக்க முடியாத நாள் தான். ஆனால் -
எங்கள் குடும்பத்திற்கு ஒரு வித்தியாசமான மறக்க முடியாத நாள் - இது எங்கள் மகள் அர்ச்சனா மறைந்த நாள்.
இருந்தாலும் முன்பு போல் இப்போது இது என்னை பாதிக்கவில்லை- நடந்ததை வாழ்க்கையின் இயல்பு என்று
ஏற்றுக் கொள்ளும் பக்குவம் வந்திருக்கிறது. அன்பும், பாசமும், அறிவும், அழகும் ஒருங்கே சேர்ந்த ஒரு பெண் குழந்தையுடன்
16 வருட காலம் சேர்ந்து வாழும் பாக்கியத்தை எங்களுக்கு கொடுத்த இறைவா உனக்கு நன்றி - என்று கூறும் பக்குவத்தை கொடுத்திருக்கிறது.
உண்மை தான் - உலகின் சிறந்த தன்னம்பிக்கை நூல் – கீதை தான்

Hindu-Christian Point-Counterpoint

Hinduism:

1. Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Be ing who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.
2. Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scrip ture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.
3. Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
4. Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
5. Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny.
6. Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods.
7. Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God.
8. Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed.
9. Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

Christianity:

1. Christians believe that the bible is the uniquely inspired and fully trustworthy word of God. It is the final authority for Christians in matters of belief and practice, and though it was written long ago, it continues to speak to believers today.
2. Christians believe in one God in three persons. He is distinct from his creation, yet intimately involved with it as its sustainer and redeemer.
3. Christians believe that the world was created once by the divine will, was corrupted by sin, yet under God's providence moves toward final perfection.
4. Christians believe that, through God's grace and favor, lost sinners are rescued from the guilt, power and eternal consequences of their evil thoughts, words and deeds.
5. Christians believe that it is appointed for human beings to die once and after that face judgment. In Adam's sin, the human race was spiritually alienated from God, and that those who are called by God and respond to his grace will have eternal life. Those who persist in rebellion will be lost eternally.
6. Christians believe that spirit beings inhabit the universe, some good and some evil, but worship is due to God alone.
7. Christians believe that God has given us a clear revelation of Himself in Jesus and the sacred Scriptures. He has empowered by his Spirit prophets, apostles, evangelists, and pastors who are teachers charged to guide us into faith and holiness in accordance with his Word.
8. Christians believe that life is to be highly esteemed but that it must be subordinated in the service of Biblical love and justice.
9. Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate and, therefore, the only sure path to salvation. Many religions may offer ethical and spiritual insights, but only Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Why Do Hindus worship the cow?

Hindus don't worship cows. We respect, honor and adore the cow. By honoring this gentle animal, who gives more than she takes, we honor all creatures.

Hindus regard all living creatures as sacred—mammals, fishes, birds and more. We acknowledge this reverence for life in our special affection for the cow. At festivals we decorate and honor her, but we do not worship her in the sense that we worship the Deity. To the Hindu, the cow symbolizes all other creatures.

The cow is a symbol of the Earth, the nourisher, the ever-giving, undemanding provider. The cow represents life and the sustenance of life. The cow is so generous, taking nothing but water, grass and grain. It gives and gives and gives of its milk, as does the liberated soul give of his spiritual knowledge. The cow is so vital to life, the virtual sustainer of life, for many humans. The cow is a symbol of grace and abundance. Veneration of the cow instills in Hindus the virtues of gentleness, receptivity and connectedness with nature.

Elaboration: Who is the greatest giver on planet Earth today? Who do we see on every table in every country of the world— breakfast, lunch and dinner? It is the cow. McDonald's cow-vending golden arches and their rivals have made fortunes on the humble cow. The generous cow gives milk and cream, yogurt and cheese, butter and ice cream, ghee and buttermilk. It gives entirely of itself through sirloin, ribs, rump, porterhouse and beef stew. Its bones are the base for soup broths and glues. It gives the world leather belts, leather seats, leather coats and shoes, beef jerky, cowboy hats—you name it.

The only cow-question for Hindus is, "Why don't more people respect and protect this remarkable creature?" Mahatma Gandhi once said, "One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral progress by the way it treats its animals. Cow protection to me is not mere protection of the cow. It means protection of all that lives and is helpless and weak in the world. The cow means the entire subhuman world." In the Hindu tradition, the cow is honored, garlanded and given special feedings at festivals all over India, most importantly the annual Gopashtama festival.

Demonstrating how dearly Hindus love their cows, colorful cow jewelry and clothing is sold at fairs all over the Indian countryside. From a young age, Hindu children are taught to decorate the cow with garlands, paint and ornaments. Her nature is epitomized in Kamadhenu, the divine, wish-fulfi lling cow. The cow and her sacred gifts—milk and ghee in particular—are essential elements in Hindu worship, penance and rites of passage. In India, more than 3,000 institutions called Gaushalas, maintained by charitable trusts, care for old and infirm cows. And while many Hindus are not vegetarians, most respect the still widely held code of abstaining from eating beef. By her docile, tolerant nature, the cow exemplifies the cardinal virtue of Hinduism, non-injury, known as ahimsa. The cow also symbolizes dignity, strength, endurance, maternity and selfless service.

In the Vedas, cows represent wealth and joyous Earthly life. From the Rig Veda (4.28.1;6) we read. "The cows have come and have brought us good fortune. In our stalls, contented, may they stay! May they bring forth calves for us, many-colored, giving milk for Indra each day. You make, O cows, the thin man sleek; to the unlovely you bring beauty. Rejoice our homestead with pleasant lowing. In our assemblies we laud your vigor."

What is karma?

Karma is the universal principle of cause and effect. Our actions, both good and bad, come back to us in the future, helping us to learn from life's lessons and become better people.

 Karma is one of the natural laws of the mind, just as gravity is a law of matter. Just as God created ‎gravity to bring order to the physical world, He created karma as a divine system of justice that is self-‎governing and infi nitely fair. It automatically creates the appropriate future experience in response ‎to the current action.‎

 Karma simply means "action" or "cause and effect." When something happens to us that is ‎apparently unfortunate or unjust, it is not God punishing us. It is the result of our own past actions. The Vedas,  ‎hinduism's revealed scripture, tell us if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we ‎will reap evil. Thus we create our own destiny through thought and action. And the divine law is: ‎whatever karma we are experiencing in our life is just what we need at the moment, and nothing can ‎happen but that we have the strength to meet it. Even harsh karma, when faced in wisdom, can be ‎the greatest catalyst for spiritual growth. Understanding the way karma works, we seek to live a good ‎and virtuous life through right thought, right speech and right action. This is called dharma.‎
One of the best examples of karma is that you can't give anything away but that generosity will return to you, with interest. Here, in the upper scene, a lady happily gives clothing to a youth. Below, she receives an unexpected gift from a neighbor as the karma of her good deed brings its natural reward. By wisely heeding karma's ways, we tread the path of dharma.

Elaboration: Karma is basically energy. I throw energy out through thoughts, words and deeds, and ‎it comes back to me, in time, through other people. Karma is our best teacher, for we must always ‎face the consequences of our actions and thus improve and refine our behavior, or suffer if we do ‎not. We Hindus look at time as a circle, as things cycle around again. Professor Einstein came to the ‎same conclusion. He saw time as a curve, and space as well. This would eventually make a circle. ‎Karma is a very just law which, like gravity, treats everyone the same. Because we Hindus understand karma, we do not hate or resent people who do us harm. We understand they are giving back the effects of the causes we set in motion at an earlier time. The law of karma puts man at the center of responsibility for everything he does and everything that is done to him.‎

Karma is a word we hear quite often on television. "This is my karma," or "It must have been something I did in a past life to bring such good karma to me." We hear karma simply defined as "What goes around, comes around." In some schools of Hinduism, karma is looked upon as something bad—perhaps because we are most aware of this law when we are facing difficult karma, and not so aware of it when life is going smoothly. Even some Hindus equate karma with sin, and this is what evangelical Christians preach that it means.‎
Many people believe that karma means "fate," a preordained destiny over which one has no control,‎ which is also untrue. The process of action and reaction on all levels—physical, mental and ‎spiritual—is karma. Here is an example. I say kind words to you, and you feel peaceful and happy. I ‎say harsh words to you, and you become ruffled and upset. The kindness and the harshness will ‎return to me, through others, at a later time. This is karma. An architect thinks creative, productive ‎thoughts while drawing plans for a new building. But were he to think destructive, unproductive ‎thoughts, he would soon not be able to accomplish any kind of positive task even if he desired to do so. This is karma, a ‎natural law of the mind. We must also be very careful about our thoughts, because thought creates, ‎and thoughts make karmas—good, bad and mixed.‎

Interview with Srimati Jayasree Saranathan

I'm pleased to repost the following interview with one of the Hindu bloggers that I've admired for some time – Jayasree Saranathan writes the blog Non-random thoughts. She introduces herself as Sanathanist. This interview was done by Hindu Blog with Srimati Jaysree Madam.

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan – is a sanata dharmist, who have always kept the flame of Santana Dharma steady. It is women who have always protected the flame of core teachings and tradition from numerous attacks from within and outside. And it is they who always passed the flame from one generation to another. It is through our mothers that we come into contact with this great tradition.

Hindu Blog – When you say I am a Hindu, what does it mean to you?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - When I say that I am a Hindu, it means to abide by the wisdom of Vedantha. The Vedanthic wisdom is encapsulated in 3 sources, namely, Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and Bhagawad Gita. The idea of the self, the Supreme, the Karma theory and the Realization of self as the Supreme Self are the essentials taught by this wisdom. Any effort that takes one to these thoughts will make one a Hindu, according to me.

Hindu Blog – What do you think is the greatest strength of Hinduism?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - Its eternity. Hinduism is not an 'ism'. It is the basic science of the Universe of the living and the non living – in manifest and unmanifest forms. So no one can destroy it. It always EXITS. At times it may be forgotten. Even then, someone will come up with the acumen to explore Nature and will eventually find out the Vedanthic wisdom. That is how even after a worst Kaliyuga where Hinduism seems to suffer a low, there will come up Krutha yuga or Golden Age when sages will restore this wisdom. No one can destroy Hinduism.

Hindu Blog – Do you think many scholars and politicians have purposefully misinterpreted the teachings of Hinduism? If yes, how do you think the Hindu society should be correcting the damages?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - My answer is yes and no. Many politicians and vested interests have misinterpreted it but not all Hindu scholars have purposefully misinterpreted. But the cause of the decline is due to the incorrect understanding of Hinduism. For example, worship and prayers are viewed as quick –fix solutions to one's problems. That makes worship a kind of bargain with god. This is incorrect. Every birth comes with a balance sheet of positive and negative karmas and what you do in a birth brings out continuous corrections to it. Throughout the innings, God stands inside you, outside you and also as the Base where you work - giving you a lot of scope for bettering the balance sheet. What finally comes out depends on the status of your balance sheet that you brought with you at the time of birth. There is no instant waiver of your bad times. But God realization makes you overcome the pains and sufferings of the bad times and help you move beyond mundane sufferings.

Popularizing this Vedanthic wisdom and bringing out its subtleties in day to day issues, in relation to changing times and to newer life struggles, are needed to be done.

When misinterpretations are done by vested interests with malicious intent, we have to strongly thwart them.

Hindu Blog – Do you think Hindus are not active enough in the sphere of religious activities, especially defending it against misinformation and mudslinging?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - Yes. Awareness is less.

Hindu Blog – How would you explain Sanatana Dharma to a child who is constantly guided by monolithic institutions?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - I will explain it 3-fold – as why there are many gods, how a single God exists and what we must do.

I take our Body for comparison.

We have many organs and limbs to do specific jobs – such as hands to work, feet to walk and internal organ systems such as respiratory, digestive systems etc that work as independent systems with a specific purpose. Likewise many gods are assigned specific portfolios to oversee their respective jobs in the vast scheme of the Universe and Life. But all the organs owe their functioning to the Master computer called the Brain. They discharge their work only at the instance of the Brain whose control over them is not realized by us.

Similarly the Supreme Brahman is in control of the entire universe though His presence is not felt by us openly. Just as we think of only those visible organs which do work for us, we think of some Gods but such thought must make us realize the presence of the Super Brain like Supreme God.

Now think of life. When I say that I live, where is that life force or soul located? Is it in the skull, or in the heart or in the hand or in the leg? Everywhere in my body or in every part of my body, Life force has permeated. It is as though Life Force is everywhere in my body or my body is fixed in Life Force. Similarly, God permeates every part of Creation and every part of Creation is fixed in Him. This is the import of Narayana tattwa – He resides in everything and everything resides in Him.

Now what we must do with this realization of the Body and Life Force? Do we ever harm our body, our body parts or life? Never. We always take good care of every part of our body. We take utmost care to keep them in fantastic working condition. Likewise do the same to the many Gods, to the Single Supreme God and do whatever you must to make their name and fame shine at all times. That is the duty of every Hindu towards this Dharma.

Hindu Blog – As a mother what would be the first lesson that you will be teaching about Hinduism to your child?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - Faith, blind Faith that god is always with them, watching them. Wherever they go, whatever they do, God is coming along with them and silently watching them. If they do some mischief, God knows. If they tell some lies, God knows. Whenever they think that they have done something wrong or something that must not be done, tell them to tell God sincerely why they did that and pray that He forgives them and make them not repeat it.

Two things are achieved by this.

A sense of what is right and what is wrong is inculcated at the very young age and that they are answerable to god.

Modern age psychiatrists will say that we must allow the child to experiment and know. That works well with things but not with attitudes and behavior. If one keeps experimenting with life, entire life will pass on with experimentations. In Hinduism we have numerous stories of Rama, Krishna, puranas and Neeti tales to know what is to be done and what is not to be done. These stories must be told right from the young days and a Faith in God must be taught.

After that, once they grow up to think on their own, let them explore what they learnt as Faith. Let them search, seek, question and argue – but with a strong foundation seeded in their young mind about this Dharma. Only then they will come up with better understanding of this Dharma and not lose it due to ignorance.

In my life, I grew up like that and believed that I am always surrounded by Rama and Lakshmana on my right and left sides with Sita leading me in the front and Hanuman guarding me from behind. When all the four directions are secure with their presence, there is no need to worry, or fear – this was my childhood imagination. It continues even today.

I used to ask lot of questions – more like an atheist, but the deep faith within me always makes me search for that answer that conforms to that Faith and not that which shakes that Faith. Even if there is something that is not convincing, I used to tell myself that Hinduism or Vedic Wisdom can not be wrong.

May be I have to grow up better to understand the correct import.

Hindu Blog – Which book (s) would you be suggesting to a teenager who wants to learn about Sanatana Dharma?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - Presently David Frawley's and Stephan Knapp's books are there. In Tamil I suggest to start with Kannadasan's 'Arthamulla Indu matham' series and 'Deivatthin Kural' by Kanchi Paramacharyar

In my case, I have always depended on original texts. Vedartha Sangraha by Ramanujacharya is a small book that contains the essence of Vedic wisdom.

Hindu Blog – How have you fared as a blogger writing about Sanatana Dharma?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - I don't know.

As for me, whatever knowledge we have, must be imparted to others without any kind of expectation. It is a duty that I write. Whoever is there in the similar frame of thought, or whoever is searching for these information, will come to my blog. That's all.

Hindu Blog – Do you think Hindus are not active enough on the internet?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - I don't think so. Internet has opened up a better scope for more people to access the info on Hinduism. In those days, we have to search for books in old and new book shops. Today, net has made it easy to the reach of people. Sharing and forwarding has also made the spread of information faster and effective. Many Hindus who are non serious in religious activity, do stumble upon the views on Hinduism and pick up inertest as a result.

Hindu Blog – What would you like to say to Hindus who are the readers of Hindu Blog?

Srimati Jayasree Saranathan - Life will teach them appropriate lessons at appropriate times.

If they have the awareness of Vedic wisdom on karma and dharma, those lessons can be well received by them and can help them grow in Self realization.

The Ultimate Vedanthic wisdom is that our Consciousness must grow to become one with the Supreme Consciousness. How that happens are all schools of thought – like whether they become one with That or become identical to That.

But what is to be understood is that we are in the continuous process of evolution of the consciousness. Dharma, Artha and Kaama exercised in the right spirit and within norms help us to achieve this evolution. For this, we need to know what Dharma sastras say. Simple way is to study the Bhagawad Gita – particularly the 2nd chapter and absorb what is told in it and live by it.

Let everyone develop the habit of reading this chapter atleast and keep thinking on the meaning. That is sure way for evolution of the Consciousness.

My thanks to you for giving this opportunity to express my views.

Let there be Peace at three levels of existence.

An American church celebrated Diwali

SOurce: www.proudhindu.org

In a remarkable interfaith gesture, First Universalist Church of Norway (FUCN) in Maine (USA) celebrated Hindu festival of Diwali.

According to reports, its minister Reverend Richard Beal, in Diwali worship service on November seven, read from ancient Hindu scripture Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord) and Rabindranath Tagore and said: enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining illumination of the soul...Celebrate the real Deepavali by living in Brahman, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the soul...Merge yourself in this light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.

Well known Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, welcoming the interfaith gesture of FUCN, said that religion being a complex and powerful component of our lives, a more broader and inclusive approach to religion was needed.

Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, he added.

Mission of FUCN, founded in 1799, is "to nurture spiritual growth", and it is affiliated with the Boston (USA) headquartered Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), whose roots go back to 1793. Unitarian Universalism is a religion with Jewish-Christian roots. UUA has about 1,041 congregations and estimated number of its adherents is about 800, 000. Peter Morales is UUA President while Bernice Martin is FUCN Board President.

Largest of Hindu festivals, Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. (ANI)

Article source: http://sify.com/news/an-american-church-celebrated-diwali-news-international-kmknEqgacji.html

Do Hindus believe in reincarnation?

Do Hindus believe in reincarnation?

Courtesy: Hinduismtoday

Hinduism believe the soul is immortal and takes birth time and time again. Through this process, we have experiences, learn lessons and evolve spiritually. Finally we graduate from physical birth.

Carnate means "of flesh," and reincarnate means to "reenter the fl esh." Yes, Hindus believe in reincarnation. To us, it explains the natural way the soul evolves from immaturity to spiritual illumination. Life and death are realities for all of us. Hinduism believes that the soul is immortal, that it never dies, but inhabits one body after another on the Earth during its evolutionary journey. Like the caterpillar's transformation into a butterfl y, physical death is a most natural transition for the soul, which survives and, guided by karma, continues its long pilgrimage until it is one with God. I myself have had many lives before this one and expect to have more. Finally, when I have it all worked out and all the lessons have been learned, I will attain enlightenment and moksha, liberation. This means I will still exist, but will no longer be pulled back to be born in a physical body.

Even modern science is discovering reincarnation. There have been many cases of individuals' remembering their past lives. These have been researched by scientists, psychiatrists and parapsychologists during the past decades and documented in good books and videos. Young children speak of vivid past-life memories, which fade as they grow older, as the veils of individuality shroud the soul's intuitive understanding. Great mystics speak of their past lives as well. So do our ancient scriptures, the Vedas, reveal the reality of reincarnation. Reincarnation is believed in by the Jains and the Sikhs, by the Indians of the Americas, and by the Buddhists, certain Jewish sects, the Pagans and the many indigenous faiths. Even Christianity originally taught reincarnation, but formally renounced it in the twelfth century. It is, in fact, one of the widest held articles of faith on planet Earth. Elaboration: At death the soul
leaves the physical body. But the soul does not die. It lives on in a subtle body called the astral body. The astral body exists in the nonphysical dimension called the astral plane, which is also the world we are in during
our dreams at night when we sleep. Here we continue to have experiences until we are reborn again in another physical body as a baby. Each reincarnating soul chooses a home and a family which can best fulfi ll its next step of learning and maturation.

After many lifetimes of following dharma, the soul is fully matured in love, wisdom and knowledge of God. There is no longer a need for physical birth, for all lessons have been learned, all karmas fulfi lled. That soul is
then liberated, freed from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Evolution then continues in the more refi ned spiritual worlds. Similarly, after we graduate from elementary school we never have to go back to the fi fth grade. We have gone beyond that level in understanding. Thus, life's ultimate goal is not money, not clothes, not sex, not power, not food or any other of the instinctive needs. These are natural pursuits, but our real purpose on
this Earth is to know, to love and to serve God and the Gods. That leads to the rare and priceless objects of life: enlightenment and liberation. This Hindu view of the soul's evolution answers many otherwise bewildering questions, removing the fear of death while giving assurance that each soul is evolving toward the same spiritual destiny, for the Hindu believes that karma and reincarnation are leading every single soul to God Realization. 

Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?

1 Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?

Contrary to prevailing  misconceptions, Hindus all worship a one Supreme Being though by different names. This is because the peoples of India with different languages and cultures have understood the one God in their own distinct way. Through history there arose four principal Hindu denominations— Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism. For Sai vites, God is Siva. For Shaktas, Goddess Shakti is supreme.

For Vaishnavites, Lord Vishnu is God. For Smartas—who see all Deities as refl ections of the One God—the choice of Deity is left to the devotee. This liberal Smarta perspective is well known, but it is not the prevailing Hindu view. Due to this diversity, Hindus are profoundly tolerant of other religions, respecting the fact that each has its own pathway to the one God. One of the unique understandings in Hinduism is that God is not far away, living in a remote heaven, but is inside each and every soul, in the heart and consciousness, waiting to be discovered. This knowing that God is always with us gives us hope and courage. Knowing the One Great God in this intimate and experiential way is the goal of Hindu spirituality. Elaboration: Hinduism is both monotheistic and henotheistic. Hindus were never polytheistic, in the sense that there are many equal Gods. Henotheism (literally "one God") better defi nes the Hindu view. It means the worship of one God without denying the existence of other Gods. We Hindus believe in the one all-pervasive God who energizes the entire universe. We can see Him in the life shining out of the eyes of humans and all creatures.

This view of God as existing in and giving life to all things is called panentheism. It is different from pantheism, which is the belief that God is the natural universe and nothing more. It is also different from strict theism which says God is only above the world,apart and transcendent. Panentheism is an all-encompassing concept. It says that God is both in the world and beyond it, both immanent and transcendent. That is the highest Hindu view. Hindus also believe in many Gods who perform various functions, like executives in a large corporation. These should not be confused with the Supreme God. These Divinities are highly advanced beings who have specifi c duties and powers—not unlike the heavenly spirits, overlords or archangels revered in other faiths. Each denomination worships the Supreme God and its own pantheon of divine beings. What is sometimes confusing to non-Hindus is that Hindus of various sects may call the one God by many different names, according to their denomination or regional tradition. Truth for the Hindu has many names, but that does not make for many truths. Hinduism gives us the freedom to approach God in our own way, encouraging a multiplicity of paths, not asking for conformity to just one. There is much confusion about this subject, even among Hindus. Learn the right terms and the subtle differences in them, and you can explain the profound ways Hindus look at Divinity.  thers will be delighted with the richness of the Indian concepts of God. You may wish to mention that some Hindus believe only in the formless Absolute Reality as God; others believe in God as personal Lord and Creator. This freedom makes the understanding of God in Hinduism, the oldest living religion, the richest in all of Earth's existing faiths.

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The medicine of Grace to wipe out our sorrows is to develop unshakable faith in God and tolerance is the medicine of Grace to wipe out our sorrows. Bhakti alone can give us the capacity to put up with sorrows. Temples are the agencies for developing that Bhakti. Hence, the need for temples at all places. All offerings to the deities in the temples are tokens of our gratitude to God.
50 Divine Thoughts of Shri Kanchi Maha Swamiji.
That which is within all, which is seen as "This" is the source. He who is within and sees as "This" is God. It is the reality. It is in yourself. What is limited is Sadhana; what is unlimited is the end.

	He alone is an Acharya, who, after clearly understanding the conclusive teachings of the Sastras, makes the people of the world gain their welfare by making them stick to the path shown in the Sastras and also himself does everything according to Sastras and remains in that experience.
	Many acts relating to God, like building temples, digging tanks are performed. While executing them, there would be many difficulties. There would come also several kinds of dishonour. Not minding any of these, they would complete their tasks with mental one-pointedness removing impurities from their minds and letting the mind wander. By straightening their mind, they acquire mind control and at the end, they realise the Reality that is to be known. Digging tanks, building temples and such other acts are called poorttam. The performance of sacrifices, etc., is known as ishtam. Combining these two, we have the word Ishtapoortam.

In all that you do, let love be the sole motive. Any need must be with reference to another. Let action be out of love. Passions such as desire and hatred , anger and malice must be totally eschewed. If love becomes the grounding principle of all deeds . then most of the ills of the world will vanish.
We know many faults we commit, even if others do not know them. Sometimes we realise we are doing so many evil things and repent bitterly and feel why we should be born . Our duty is to pray to God -"I have committed so many faults. Will you not, 0 God, give me the will power not do like that in future and will you not purify my mind?" We must note down in a diary every night before we go to bed the faults committed by us and pray to God to give us courage and intelligence not to do so. This must be propagated widely.
Parameswara and Sriman Narayana are one and the same in reality. They are not two. This is the conclusive view of all the sastras. Names differ, forms are different, occupations vary, but the reality which is within Them is one and the same.

	What is the purpose of human birth? To earn, to eat, to undergo misery everyday and finally to die? Instead of earning and suffering, can we not die now? The purpose of birth is to avoid re-birth. Except man, all animals grow horizontally. Only man grows vertically. Instead of growing horizontally, it is God's will that he should grow vertically in order to look up. God has given to animals devices for self-protection; to man alone He has given intelligence. By doing nothing, we avoid re-birth; By giving up attachment, we avoid sins.

When any object is consumed by fire, it becomes charred. If that black residue is burnt again, it becomes white ash. White ash continues to remain white even when burnt again. This shows that white is the ultimate and black is proximate to it. Science tells us that diamond and coal are basically one. White and black are not colours. The primary colours get separated from the objects to which they are attached when subjected to the test of fire and ultimately white. Similarly, in the mental and spiritual place, the Ultimate Reality is Siva, who is white and proximate to Him is Parvati, who is dark. When we test everything in the fire of Jnana, or true knowledge, the residue is Siva. Ash in the material plane corresponds to Siva in the spiritual plane. We smear our bodies with the sacred ash to remind ourselves of Siva and the fact that the ultimate goal of life is Siva.

Much is said about the personal God and the impersonal absolute God with attributes and without attributes. It is only when all the colours in the light mix together that we get the colourless rays of the sun. Similarly by the very virtue of being the abode of attributes, God becomes Nirguna, attribute-less.
By education we realise Truth. There are many truths, History is one truth. Geography is one truth, Mathematics is one truth. The content of truth is the greatest in Mathematics. In others, there is an element of imagination. In Geography, we come across names Asia, Africa, Madras, Calcutta, etc. These names were given by us. By imagination, we have given names "plateau" "valley", etc. By a process of gradual elimination of all that is imaginary, when we arrive at truth, that Truth is found to be God. To think of Him with real devotion is the fruit of education.

What is the use of education? Its first use is to develop humility (vinaya). In olden days, the disciple who went to a guru was called "vineyan" meaning a person of humility which is the hall-mark of Instruction he had from his guru, the fruit of education. Education without humility is no education. Education is the same today as it was before, but methods have changed. The medicine is the same but if the diet is changed, the medicine becomes poison. Education has today become merely the means of livelihood. For true education, the student should go to a guru and follow the guru-kula system.

Right education should make us know that God is the Truth. Knowledge must fill one with good qualities, through which one can realise the Truth, that is God. Therefore, the goal of knowledge is the understanding of the Ultimate Truth. The first fruit of education must be humility and self control.

	The total surrender to the Lord is a means of learning our insignificance and the transcendent grace of the Lord.
	If we engage an inquiry into the Atman, at the end of it, it will be clear that God is in us as our very self. When that stage is reached, we have no use for the devas. Then all karmas will fall away from us. But, until then, we must obligatorily do the karmas directing them to the Gods.
	Those who are the leaders of a group, society, or state should not neglect the established religious customs and usages. For themselves the may mot be in need of Church ceremonies, for instance, their advance in spirituality may not require them. But if they begin to neglect them, the people for whom the rituals are really helpful, will also start neglecting them. This would be setting a bad example. In the words of the Bhagavad Gita, the wise one should not unsettle the minds of those who are ignorant, and are attached to action: on the contrary, he should encourage them to perform what they should perform, by himself doing the appropriate actions well and with diligence. It is duty cast upon the leaders and those that are at the top to lead the people from where they are, and not to refrain from participation in the traditional ways of worship.

Of all scriptures, the Gita has acquired a specialty of its own. Like this, there are many other books of wisdom. In the Mahabharata, there are many chapters teaching wisdom. Besides, in the Sivapurana, Vishnupurana, Skandham, etc., there is Jnanopadesa. So also in agamas. But what is the special importance of Gita due to? Not only in our country but in countries like Java, people follow the Gita. My inference is that because it was born in an atmosphere utterly free from attachment - attachment to life, attachment to body, attachment to kith and kin, but out of attachment only to Reality, it has become so famous. On deep consideration, ahimsa appears to be good as an ideal or for preaching. But practically speaking, it is difficult to follow fully. First of all, we must love others. But if we love anyone too much, the end is sorrow. Therefore we should love God who always gives happiness and not sorrow. I ask myself if we love God, should we not love anyone else in this world? So long as there is false knowledge which distinguishes God from the rest of the world, there will be differences. If we attain Jnana that God is all, we will develop the same love for all that we have for God; This is the sign of Ahimsa.

For the sake of food, clothing and shelter, everyone is toiling and sorrow-stricken. If sorrow is to be banished and if we are to be ever happy, we must dedicate all our actions to God. If we get His grace, then we need not do anything and can be happy. God is a good master. By praising Him always, we cannot please Him. He is indifferent to our praise or dispraise, action or inaction. But all our actions are ordained by Him and are meant only to purify our minds. Why so many Gods? Is it not enough to have only one? Other religions speak of one God only and not many. We are assailed by such doubts. We eat to satisfy hunger, the stomach becomes full, there is no trouble or hunger. Then why can't we take cooked rice alone? Why should we eat so many side dishes? So, if we eat, it is just not to fill the stomach, but we want food tasty to the palate and pleasing to the eyes. Whoever is attracted to a particular God he worships that. By multiplying wants, we only increase poverty. What is essential for life and honour should be made available to all the people of the country. It is for this we want plans. Men of means should live like the poor and should not increase their wants beyond necessities. The rich should share their prosperity with the poor. This is punya, leading to salvation. The more we increase our wants, to that extent, there will be no peace or comfort and it will only produce poverty and sorrow. Vedanta which is the peak of the Vedas teaches the way for the removal of sorrow. Hatred and desire arise only in respect of the objects other than us. That desire will not arise if those objects are rendered identical with us, if there is nothing other than us, then desire will not arise. If there is no desire, there will be no effort and no sin. When there is no sin, there will be no body and there will be no misery. We may get many types of sorrow. What seems to be sorrow to all the people of a place may not seem sorrowful to us. If we stay always happy, without wanting to attain anything untouched by sorrow like the lotus-leaf and the Kalakodi - seed, that is called yoga. "Know that to be indicated as yoga which is separation from being united with sorrow, The removal of association with sorrow." In order to reach one purport, why should the Veda speak of many matters? This question may arise in our minds. It is through many matters that it is possible to understand that one purport which is Reality - yoga, meditation, austerity, sacrifice, performance of karma; when these are accomplished, what they indicate is that one Reality. It is that Reality which is the true purport of the Veda. Other things are of a changing nature. They become woven into a story and then even that story disappears. What for is the science of medicine? It is for keeping the body strong and healthy. What if the body is not strong and healthy? The body will be subject to diseases. What if there is disease? One will not be able to function properly. He who has given this body is the supreme Self. This is the truth, we should practice several disciplines. We can practice them only if the body is well. In order to keep it well, we must prevent it from becoming a prey to disease. The science of medicine tells us how to prevent diseases. Thus, Ayurveda helps in the realisation of Advaita experience. Savikapla Samadhi: The mind is steady without any distraction, contemplating its object wholly absorbed therein. Nirvikalpa Samadhi: This is the goal of yoga. In this, the mind ceases to function and vanishes once and for all, leaving the self to shine forth alone. In Advaita too, the path of meditation is recognised; but here the object of meditation is the distinction-less Brahman. Sahaja Samadhi: This is realised through the path of enquiry. It is the natural state of Self - realisation and one of utter unconcern for the fleeting phenomena. There is nothing to feel elated about seeing the people worshipping me. But when I reflect that is worship to the God, who they think are approachable through me, I feel glad that there are so many who believe in a compassionate God who will hear them and remove their misery. Our religion Hinduism has grown by devotion, meditation and self - purification. The other religions might have grown by propaganda and conflict. The reason for crores of our people remaining within the fold of Hinduism, in spite of powerful propaganda of other religionists, wars, lure of money, etc., is we see a great man (Mahatma) in our midst by whom we are impressed. We develop devotion to him and generate faith in our religion. There is a text in the Veda which says that a flowering tree attracts bees automatically. If we examine ourselves and we find one of use to be perfect, the world will follow him. A child eats earth. Its hands are tied by the mother. The child gets angry and cries. Is it without reason the mother ties it's hands? We do not know the mercy of Universal Mother. The good or harm coming to us has its source in Her Grace; Suffering - Her Grace for some reason. We must accept whatever comes to us, good or bad, as Her Grace. We do not know why she gives it. Our vision is limited. We do not know what precedes it or follows it. If we are able to look into the past present and future, we will know that God does no harm to us. Other than God, there is no kith or kin for us. We cannot say that a child or an idiot who keeps quiet without activity like a stone is great. We cannot presume that he has attained jivanmukti. This is the result of sin. He is a Yogi or Jnani whose intellect is very subtle and as sharp as a sword. He has to become like a withered tree, an immovable object with a steady mind. He must understand all that is happening around him. His knowledge should be perfect. He should not be affected by passion or sorrow. He should always be happy. None of us is like that and Iswara is described as Sat-Chit-Ananda. If God is the ocean of mercy and if He knows everything, He must know what we want. Why should we appeal to Him to do this or that? The reasonable answer is that instead of begging useless people at useless places, we plead before the Highest and the Omniscient. Otherwise, we have no justification to ask Him to give us this or that. Everything disintegrates on earth and this earth also will vanish one day. The sun will disappear and the whole universe will go. Then there must be some powerful substratum responsible for creation, protection and destruction. We call it God. We have the faculty of thinking and capacity of doing, in smaller or greater measure. This also merges after our death with the omnipotent. Being, from whom we derive this energy. The stable principle which is the cause of creation and destruction of all energy is God, called by any name. Mother loves her child but later on, an unfaithful sun causes her sorrow. We know of cases where mother starts litigation against sons or sons against mother. If one loves another, and if one of them dies, the bereavement causes sorrow. The bank helps people who have deposited money with them. It is supposed to remove the sorrows of the people in times of need. But when the bank itself is liquidated or closed, the depositors weep. Their sorrows once gave sustenance to the bank. The more we love, the greater the sorrow in consequence. Then, shall we decide that we should not love anyone at all? The object of this birth is to bestow undivided love on someone. The subject of our love should not be quarrelsome or separable. If we say that we should love only the imperishable God, then the question is: can we hate others? Let us learn to love all be realising that God is in all. God is eternal and our love for him should be eternal. I am prone to come to the conclusion that there lives none without predominantly selfish motives. But with years rolling on, an impression, that too a superficial one, true to my nature, is dawning upon me that there breathe on this globe some souls firmly rooted in morals and ethics who live exclusively for others, voluntarily forsaking not only their material gains and comforts but also their own sadhana towards their spiritual improvements. It is clear to us that there is birth and there is death. Passion is the cause of birth. Time is the cause of death. What is created by passion is destroyed by time. If passion comes, the seed sprouts. If time comes, the tree dies. Kaalo Jagat Bhakshaka: Even the sun and the moon disintegrate when time comes. If there is no passion, there is no production. If there is no time then there is no destruction. Therefore we have to conquer Kaala and Kaama. Iswara burnt Kaama and kicked time. So if we go to Him, there is neither birth nor death for us. Let us therefore pay to the Universal Father and Mother. "Jagatha pitarau Vande Paarvati Parameswarau" A master has two servants. One always flatters the master, the other just performs his duties without any love for the master. If the master is a fool, he would love the flattering servant. If the master is too clever, he will not love either the man working for wages or the flatterer. The master will love more the one who does his job as his own out of devotion. So is the case with the Good Master, God. Why do we break coconut before Lord Ganesa's idol? He is the Son of Parameswara and asked His Father to sacrifice His head with three eyes because only then, he thought any effort would be crowned with success and without any obstacle. So, instead of the head with three eyes, we are breaking coconut which has three eyes. Ganesa is so powerful as to demand the head of his own father. Whatever is superior to everything else must be sacrificed to God. Symbolically, we are sacrificing the three - eyed coconuts created by God, as ordained by Him. When a sannyasin attains Siddhi, this is done. This practice is in vogue only in Tamil Nadu. Thinking that God is far away from you, you are wandering in search of Him. So long as you do not know, He is far away. Though you may wander, you cannot see Him, but he is near you. He is distant, yet near. The story of a girl wanting to marry the highest among men, a king, ended, after all the travels, in the discovery of an ordinary man her parents had already selected. The bridegroom was so near. She took a long route to arrive at a point so near. We see our reflections in a mirror. In a row of mirrors, thousands of reflections are seen. It is only one person who sees all these reflections. The one who resides within us and who sees all this, is God. The seer is the cause of all the seen. That cause is knowledge which is the basis of this world. Where is that knowledge? Within you, what is macroscopic is microscopic in you. Joy comes in the form of status, money, etc. comes from without. We feel isolated. But it is the smallest fragment of the great joy from within, which is Ananda. Paramatman, the ananda within is not worried whether any joy comes from outside and mixes with it or not. Waters enter into the sea, which though ever being full, is ever motionless. If we analyse the teachings of the Gita, there may appear to be many contradictory matters regarding bhakti, karma and jnana. But the Lord takes the devotee step by step. We must meditate on the form of God as described in the scriptures. This bhakti will enable us to understand the universal nature of God. Spiritual vision will then make it clear that God without form is the Supreme Reality, which hears without ears, moves without legs. To worship God at the initial stage, metaphysical knowledge is not necessary. The more and more we meditate, bhakti grows and we automatically realise the universal form. There is no distinction between the devotee and the object of devotion. Our minds should automatically seek and cling to God just as iron filings are attracted by the magnet; the heart of the chaste wife seeks her husband; the creeper embraces the tree; the rivers go to the sea. Philosophical truths and ordinary people have nothing much in common. Therefore outward garb is useless. The representatives of religion must have real worth, peace - loving nature (shantam), austerity (tapas) and unselfish nature. Hinduism, in spite of its vicissitudes, is surviving even to this day. This is due to the blessings of a succession of saints. If there is one saint among us, the world will prosper. It is natural that man should seek to satisfy his wants like hunger, thirst, and a place to rest. There are duties which an individual has towards himself, the social group and the nation. Ordinarily, the performance of these duties remains on the level of satisfying the creaturely wants. But there is a way of performing these duties which will elevate everyone concerned spiritually. That is dharma. And it is the duty of the king or the state to see that the citizens are provided every opportunity for spiritual growth and progress. That is the meaning of saying: "Raja Dharmasya Kaaranam". Upaasana is dhyaana or concentration of meditation. A form is required for concentration. Reality is always the same and changeless. God, as the Ultimate Reality, is Formless. But Upasana of a Form is done with a purpose, namely, the attainment of a given benefit. The purpose to be attained by worshipping or concentrating on a Form differs. The scriptures tell you how to meditate and on what all Forms and with what results. For Upasana, you have to follow the Sastras or Scriptures. The different upasanas are all aids in the path to the ultimate goal, namely, understanding Reality. Scriptures prescribe Upaasana n order to train the mind to concentrate. Upasana is the affair of the individual; there is nothing collective about it. Neither the raw fruit nor the tree wants to leave each other. But when the fruit becomes ripe, this attachment automatically disappears. Man requires to experience anger, jealousy, passion, etc. just as the fruit had to undergo various stages of growth and taste before it became fully ripe so to get automatically detached from the tree. We cannot overcome these experiences in the beginning. But we must ponder over the fact why we undergo these experiences. Otherwise we will be the losers. We will become slaves of these experiences and can never achieve fulfillment or contentment. When adversities overtake us, we blame God and complain that He is blind to our misfortunes. But if we indulge in a little introspection, we will realise that our faults are so enormous that we are utterly unworthy of His grace and, in spite of that we are able to get food, shelter and clothing. It is due to the abundant mercy of God. We must consider the difficulties we encounter as a blessing in disguise. A mother may tie the hands of her child who has the propensity to pick up and eat mud. This seeming cruelty of the mother is for the good of the child. Similarly troubles are verily God's grace to save us. In the entire picture of life, troubles form but a tiny spot. In our inability to visualise the past and the future, we complain when we suffer in the present. A proper perspective will enable us to understand our present plight in its proper setting. Whenever any honour is done to a person the recipient must remember the divine source from which he derived the qualifications to receive that honour, and feel humble and not elated with a feeling of self - importance. Cultivate Friendly attitude to conquer the minds of men; Look at others as yourself; Give up war; give up jealousy; Don't commit aggression without reason; Mother earth is like Kamadhenu to fulfil wishes; The Lord God is like father showering mercy People of the World ! Live with discipline; Live with charity; Live with mercy; May all people attain greater well - being

Conspirator History of Christianity against Hinduism

Conspirator History of Christianity against Hinduism

August 7, 2011
Shravan Shukla Navami, Kaliyug Varsha 5113

Source: http://forumforhinduawakening.org/dharma/news/2011/08/08/conspirator-history-of-christianity-against-hinduism/

Hindu religion is the world's most liberal and tolerant religion. Despite being a Hindu country, Nepal is the most liberal and tolerant non-secular country in the world. If the Hindu identity and cultural traditions will be eliminated from Nepal, it will be very easy to establish the Christian state in these zones. So, in this critical situation, if a solution is not sought with the presence and participation of the monarch, this country could see a bloodbath. If that happens, no one knows what will be the future of this country. After 2006, the culprit leaders of Congress, UML and Maoist declared secular state by the hint of RAW and CIA. Now the situation is becoming confused & despotic day by day. Unconstitutional declaration of the secularism and republic will be the cause of terrorism. It is because the objective behind the declaration was to suppress the Hindus and its root from Nepal.
The Secretary General of UnitedNationalistNepalese.org.USA, A Nepali Scholar Ashutosh Shrivastav has released a news, Aug.14th 2009- 'Planned eradication of Hinduism', – Aug.14th 2009-' Just got the news from Nepal, Christian organizations in Nepal have bribed 50 Lakh rupees to Nepalese Parliament to declare Rhinoceros as the national animal replacing Holy Cow. This will enable them to slaughter cows and inhumanely rape Hinduism.' We all know that religion was never an issue for Nepal. However, a Ghost suddenly edited the Interim constitution and declared the country secular. There are reports that Anti Hindu groups are advocating for cow slaughter in Nepal. It is evident that Indian Congress has historically been against Hindus. Nepal's Hindu monarchy was abolished with the help of Indian government.
A cultural export Dr. Tilak shrestha says- 'Some Janajati (indiginious) people of Nepal have this erroneous idea that Hinduism is about Bahuns exploiting Janajatis. It is far from the truth. All of us, Janajati or otherwise, have ancestral traditions and cultures, which we are proud of. Matter of fact such roots and traditions define us. No body in Hindu society condemns any of the customs or traditions. A scholar Chand K. Sharma says in online- 'Hinduism does not make any discrimination in the society on the basis of color, race or gender. The meaning of Dharma (religion) is related to the service of society and environment. Every person is respected equally in individual capacity. Professions have been graded inter-se according to the contribution made towards the well being of society. Hindu society is the only society that propagated the slogan of 'Vasudeva Kutambakum' (world is a family) at the dawn of civilization, implying that entire universe is one large family where every one has to play the assigned role for the well being of all. A scholar Stephen Knapp says the history of Christian's invasion in India- 'India is slowly losing the Vedic culture (Hinduism) through the process of secular or Christian education. In public schools all Vedic books have been removed from the curriculum. There are no possibilities to study the ancient Hindu literature or art in such institutions. The Hindu population is slowly forgetting the unique history and lofty culture of their homeland. (5th Feb. 2008- Peoples Review) In fact the Christian saints order to destroy the huts where they keep the idols of Hindu's God & Goddess and to break the statues of Hindu idols into tiny pieces. That was their goal to destroy Hindu & Buddha culture and make the country a Christian nation. So, it is a high time Nepal also should be careful to save her indigenous culture.
Cultural export, Stephen Knnap writes- India is a predominantly Hindu nation. 83% of the Indian population is Hindu. But it is a matter of great regret that India is the only country in the world where the Hindu majority population is being ruled by the other 17% minority communities. Sonia Gandhi, the President of the ruling Congress Party is a practicing Catholic Christian. Her son Rahul Gandhi who is being groomed as the next Prime Minister of India is also a Christian. Sonia's daughter Priyanka Vadera and her husband are also Christians. India's Defense Minister is A. K. Anthony, a Christian. Sonia's closest advisors are: Margaret Alva, Oscar Fernandez, Ambika Soni, all Christians.

'A scholar V. S. Sardesai has written- 'British invasion of India and to the address of Lord McCauley to the British Parliament on February1835. He said- (Lord Mecaule addressed to the British Parliament 2 Feb 1835- 'I have traveled across the length and breadth of India, …I don't think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indian think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what they want them, a truly dominated nation'. And in order to break what McCauley called the backbone of India, the British replaced the old and ancient educational system of India as proposed by McCauley by what is now known as Mc Cauley's system of education and which is still being followed in India even after independence and which makes Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own and which also makes Indian loose their self esteem and their culture.
We all the nations of the world should think and decide the religious rights of all country. The reality is that out of the 199 countries around the world, more than 100 are non-secular countries and of them more than 100 are Muslim and Christian non-secular countries. Despite being aware of the fact it is intriguing that so-called big party leaders (Congress, UML and Maoist) declared Nepal a secular state without the mandate of the people. They directly hurt the feeling of the majority of the Hindus in the country and more than 1 billion Hindus all over the world. It is their suicidal path to minimize the reality of Hinduism and Buddhism. So, we request to all nationalist party leaders and every nationals to respect the identified identities of Nepal- 'The Hindu kingdom and monarchical democracy.'
Source: Blitz

Public funds used to denigrate Hinduism:

Public funds used to denigrate Hinduism: protests held in front of San Jose Museum of Art !

Source : http://forumforhinduawakening.org/dharma/news/2011/08/08/public-funds-used-to-denigrate-hinduism-protests-held-in-front-of-san-jose-museum-of-art/

August 7, 2011
Shravan Shukla Navami, Kaliyug Varsha 5113
San Jose, USA. On Saturday, 6th August 2011, around 100 local Hindus and volunteers of Hindu organizations such as Forum for Hindu Awakening, Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh, Friends of India Society International, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and Hindu Yuva gathered in front of the San Jose Museum of Art. They held placards and shouted slogans, denouncing the denigration of Hinduism perpetrated by this publicly funded museum. The placards read, "It is not art, it is denigration", "Community funds coming back to hurt the community", "If Sita Sings the Blues, you have no clue", "Nina Paley, why ridicule Lord Rama for your failed marriage ?" (Please see attached photos.) Thanks to the protestors distributing flyers about the issue, several movie goers skipped the denigrating film 'Sita Sings the Blues' being shown there and said they would protest to the Mayor and the museum.


San Jose, USA. On Saturday, 6th August 2011, around 100 local Hindus and volunteers of Hindu organizations such as Forum for Hindu Awakening, Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh, Friends of India Society International, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and Hindu Yuva gathered in front of the San Jose Museum of Art. They held placards and shouted slogans, denouncing the denigration of Hinduism perpetrated by this publicly funded museum. The placards read, "It is not art, it is denigration", "Community funds coming back to hurt the community", "If Sita Sings the Blues, you have no clue", "Nina Paley, why ridicule Lord Rama for your failed marriage ?" (Please see attached photos.) Thanks to the protestors distributing flyers about the issue, several movie goers skipped the denigrating film 'Sita Sings the Blues' being shown there and said they would protest to the Mayor and the museum.

The museum is hosting an exhibition on Hinduism and Sita, a deity revered by Hindus for Her chastity. The exhibition that will continue until 4th September 2011 includes anti-Hindu Late M. F. Husain's painting that shows Sita naked. As a part of this exhibition, the museum had sold tickets to the denigrating film 'Sita Sings the Blues' show on 6th August at a nearby theatre. Hindus have found almost every scene of the film 'Sita Sings the Blues' denigrating, as it draws irreverent parallels between animator Nina Paley's failed marriage and the sacred relationship between Hindus' revered deities Rama and Sita.

Owing to the non-response from the museum, Forum for Hindu Awakening sought police permission to hold protest demonstrations outside the museum on 6th of August. The protestors that included children, adults and seniors alike, also held protest demonstrations outside the theatre, where the film 'Sita Sings the Blues' was being shown. Afterwards, the protestors had a meeting with the museum's marketing director, who maintained vague responses, such as "Some people like the exhibition, while some others don't" when asked why they did not consult a Hindu organization before putting up this exhibition.


Over 13,000 Hindus worldwide have joined Hindu Janajagruti Samiti's online protest campaign against this denigration. Several San Francisco Bay Area Hindus, including the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple have protested in writing or by calling the museum. Hindus are asking the Mayor of San Jose, "How can an art museum that receives substantial funding from the City of San Jose hold this exhibition that denigrates a certain section of its community ?!" Hindus are getting a standard response from the Mayor's office: "The Mayor's senior policy advisor has now contacted our Office of Cultural Affairs regarding this issue." Supporters of Hinduism are urged to continue making their voice heard.