Nachiketanjali_3rd Issue

8/9/2019 Nachiketanjali_3rd Issue

1/40


2/40


3/40

Content Page No.Editorial 2Holy Company 3True Guru and Sishya 4Aam Panna 5Manasarovar 6Spiritual Quest 8Amrita Dhara 9Yuvanjali 10Goal in Life 10Give Peace a Chance 11Dharma - Boon for Mankind 12Sri Ramanujacharya 14Desire for the Right Thing 16Love Thyself 17Om Mani Padme Hum 18The True Sound of Truth 20Srutilaya 21Benares Ghats 22A Letter from Swami Vivekananda 23Learn Sanskrit 24Test your EpicQ 25A Streak of Light 26Sujok Acupressure 27Mirror Mirror... 28Kara Darshanam 29Summer Camp 30Helping Hands 32An Appeal 33Subscriptions 34

Volume: 1 Issue:3 April 2010

Single Copy - Rs. 10/- Subscription 1 year - Rs. 100/-3 years - Rs. 280/-5 years - Rs. 450/-

Founder & Managing TrusteeVa s u n d h a r a P.Va s u n d h a r a P.Va s u n d h a r a P.Va s u n d h a r a P.Va s u n d h a r a P.

Adi PranetaSw a m i N a ch i k et a n a n d aSw a m i N a ch i k et a n a n d aSw a m i N a ch i k et a n a n d aSw a m i N a ch i k et a n a n d aSw a m i N a ch i k et a n a n d a

Adhyatmik PranetaSw a m i Sh i v a n a n d a m a y iSw a m i Sh i v a n a n d a m a y iSw a m i Sh i v a n a n d a m a y iSw a m i Sh i v a n a n d a m a y iSw a m i Sh i v a n a n d a m a y i

Subscriptions can be sent byMO/DD/Cheque/Cash in favour

of Nachiketa Tapovan.

(Plus Rs. 50/- for outstation cheques)

Editorial & Publication Office Nachiketa Tapovan

Plot No. 70, Phase I, Kavuri Hills,Madhapur, Guttlabegumpet,

Serilingampally, R.R.District. A.P. 500 081Tel No: 040-23113887, 9849168937

email:[email protected]:www.nachiketatapovan.org

Design & LayoutSw a m i N a ch i k et a n a n d a

Vi n n u

Editor-in-Chief : Subhadra K.Executive Editor : Annapurna R.Editorial Team : Surabhi D.

Bhavya T.Vinnu

Printed & Published by Subhadra K., owned byNachiketa Tapovan Trust and printed at Kala JyotiProcess Pvt. Limited, Suburban Press, S. No. 185,Kondapur, R.R. District. 500 081 A.P. and publishedat Nachiketa Tapovan, Kavuri Hills,Madhapur,

Serilingampally, Ranga Reddy District. A.P.

1


4/40

EDITORIALIf you cant be a pencil to write anyones happiness, try at

least to be a nice rubber to erase everyones sorrows. When Icame across this quote recently, I gave it a serious thought. Canthis be possible? Our time on earth is limited. We do not live forever. Yet, we seem to forget this and live as if there is alwaysa tomorrow. We postpone the things we need to do and we tellourselves that, one of these fine days, we will find a time to doit.

When we look around we find students wait till the last minuteto prepare for the exams. It is not surprising to see passengersarriving at the boarding gate, seconds before the gate closes.But, the problem is, we do not know when the gate will close onus. There is no guarantee that we will live up to a ripe age of 75 or 80 years. Since the clock is ticking wed better hurry.

As the saying goes, if we cant be a pencil to write anyoneshappiness or for that matter our own happiness, why cant weattempt to be a rubber to erase someones sorrows. Why cantwe make time for the less fortunate ones by touching their lives.If this is something which we always wanted to do, but have notdone so for one reason or another, hesitate no further. Do itbefore its too late as there will not be a last call for boardingto our next destination.

We can spend a few rupees and erase the hunger of a starvedchild. A used piece of cloth can cover the bare body of a beggar,erasing the cold wind from biting into his bones or even anassuring smile can erase the unhappiness from a tear strickenface. Even these small things that we can do can bring a greatchange in someones life. We all matter to many in more waysthan we know.

HAPPINESS CAN BE WRITTENSORROWS CAN BE ERASED!

- Subhadra K.

2


5/40

There was a young soldier.He had a horse whom he

adored. Feeding everyday, giving bath andtalking to his horse was a routine work for him.They both developed great intimacy and respectfor each other.

One evening, the soldier receives an invitationfrom the King for saving his life in the war. TheKing says, You are the best soldier and I wantto felicitate you by giving half of my kingdomand my younger daughter to you in marriage.The soldier gets excited and feels very proud.This news spreads around and many peoplecome to congratulate him, but in his arrogancehe does not respond well.

The horse doesnt understand all this andthinks: Is my master the same person whorespects and receives everyone with a smile?Why is he behaving so arrogantly? Whathappened to him and where has his usualcharm gone?

The young soldier hastily decides to goto the palace. His friends and well-wishers

try to warn him that it is not the right timeto go to the palace. You have to crossthe dense forest which is full of wildanimals. Please go tomorrow and we shallaccompany you. But he haughtily repliesthat he doesnt need anyones company.

He immediately takes his horse and startshis journey. After riding a few miles intothe forest suddenly the horse stops, sensingthe presence of tigers. The horse makes

different sounds and tries to convey to thesoldier the impending danger, but in vain.The master only gets annoyed and beats thehorse and forces him to move on. After theymove a little ahead the tigers attack the horseand the soldier. At that very moment thesoldier starts realising everything. Heunderstands why the horse was not moving.But it was too late for him to prevent thedanger. The only thing on his mind was to save

his own life whereas the horse decides to save

his master. The horse was already tired and ontop of that injured as the tigers startedattacking. The horse gathers inner strength andtakes a long leap and runs faster than the windtowards the big tree and suddenly gives a jerkto the body in such a way that the master getsthrown up. To his surprise, the master seeshimself holding on to the branch of the tree.The master looks down at his horse with tearsin his eyes. The horse also looks at the tigersand then the master. Their tearful eyes meeteach other. The horse in his contentment thathe could save his master, hardly feels any painin the body and with tearful eyes bids goodbyeto the master.

Dear Sadhakas, our true identity is not ourego, pride or name and fame but the Self. Wemight be saved, but slowly values will die if wedo not get back to our basics. Values themselves

dont need any support, but we need tounderstand that, we are the medium throughwhich values are being expressed. We have lostour natural flavor and instead getting entangledinto artificial fragrance.

Therefore my sincere request to all is, not toproject what you are not, but express what youare!

Holy Company

Swami Nachiketananda

3


6/40

TRUE GURU AND SHISHYA

Along with other fields, lately we have beenwitnessing an upsurge of problems includingsome unseen and unheard of incidents in thespiritual world as well. Due to this, some peopleare in shock, some are in dilemma while someare completely lost. We need to know what thereason is for this situation.

In life, we are bound to come acrossproblems. Most of us, from smallest problem tohighest goal of self-realization, look for someoneto guide us through these. We search for anexperienced soul or true Guru to show us thetrue path. What we fail to realize is that insteadof searching outside for the right source, it isnecessary to search within you. The truth isthat the right source is not in an external objectin the world outside you, but it exists withinyou. The difficulty lies in getting to the rightsource and this is where a true Guru comes intothe picture. A true Guru plays a major role inones life. He does it by unfolding the divinity inyou. He makes you aware of your truesource. But again rarely do you find such aGuru. You may even give up the search thinkingthat there is no right Guru at all in this KaliYuga.

The problems that we are facing in spiritualworld are due to the wrong approach of disciplesand Gurus. Many people are going to Gurus formaterial gains. Many times we see that peopleare seeking a Guru, for health, wealth and manyother worldly reasons rather than for Self realization. The thing to be remembered is thata True Guru will never ask you to fulfill theworldly desires.

On their part disciples and devotees need toknow how to approach a Guru. Some approachthe Guru with desires and for selfish fulfillments.Some approach Him with blind faith; withoutusing their discrimination. There are also somegreat disciples who receive the Gurus messageand start practicing. There are different kinds of people and different mentalities. All are notready to receive the highest truth. You need tohave a proper bowl to drink milk. If your bowl isfull of spices, how could you store the milk in it?You need to clean your external and internaldirt, in order to receive the highest truth. Adoctor doesnt give the same medicine to all thepatients. He prescribes medicine to the patientsaccording to their ailments. God and Guru dothe same thing.

Those who are true seekers should rememberthe example of Sri Ramakrishna and SwamiVivekananda as a mantra in their life. WhenSwami Vivekanandas family was facing poverty,Swami Vivekananda tries to get a job, but Hedoesnt find any and feels dejected. When SwamiVivekananda seeks Ramakrishna Paramahansashelp in presenting His problem to Mother Kali,He advices Swami Vivekananda to go to Kalitemple and ask Ma for money and wealth.Accordingly Swami Vivekananda goes to KaliTemple in Dakshineshwar to pray. The moment

4


7/40

He sees Kali Ma, He forgets to ask about Hisfinancial issues. On His return from the temple,when Ramakrishna Paramahansa asked SwamiVivekananda, Didnt you pray Ma for money?Swamiji replies, I forgot. RamakrishnaParamahansa asks Swamiji for the second time,to go to Ma Kali and ask for money. Again

Swamiji fails to ask about wealth. He prays toMa Kali for things beyond wealth. He prays forBhakti, Jnana and Vairagya but not for wealth.This repeats the third time also. Thats howRamakrishna Paramahansa makes Swamijirealize His divine nature.

The true Guru is the one who is beyondmiracles, name and fame. He frees you fromignorance and illusion. A true guru will nevermisguide you; He takes you on the right path.

You may think that in this day and age it isdifficult to find a Guru like Sri RamakrishnaParamahansa. But if you are prepared, if youhave a strong and burning desire to experienceself-realization, it is very much possible to findone. God will certainly guide us. He will neverleave us in the midst of maya. God has to takeform and will take you across this ocean of illusion.

Sishyatva is also important; the true seeker is

the one who has a burning desire and longing toexperience the ultimate reality. If you are pure,true to yourself and have the yearning to knowthe truth, God will guide you. In BhagavathGita Sri Krishna says,

Mayyeva mana aadhatsvaMayi buddhim niveshaya |

Nivasishyasi mayyevaAta urdhvam na samshayaha||

Fix your mind on Me only, place your intellect inMe; then, (thereafter) you shall, no doubt, livein Me alone.

The important thing is, if the seeker is clearabout the goal of his life, no one in this worldcan cheat him. God takes care of true seekers inall difficulties and in all circumstances becauseof their unflinching faith in Him.

AAM PANNAAam Panna is a green mango drink

widely consumed in the summer months.Apart from being delicious and refreshing,this summer staple is believed to haveseveral health benefits.

Recipe for making Aam Panna:Ingredients:4 medium sized raw mangoes cup sugar or grated jaggery tsp black salt1 tsp dhania powder1 tsp roasted jeera powderMint leaves to garnish4 cups of water

Procedure:1. Boil or pressure cook whole mangoestill soft.

2. Peel and make into pulp.3. Alternatively roast the whole

mangoes on hot coal or over an openflame.

4. Add water, sugar or jaggery, blacksalt, dhania and jeera powders to themango pulp and blend well.

5. Serve chilled with a garnish of mintleaves.

Health Benefits:- It is a wonderful tonic to fight the

harsh rays of the Sun.- Protects against sunstroke.- A good source of vitamin C.- It also prevents summer diarrhea, cold,

piles, morning sickness, indigestion andconstipation.

- Swami Shivanandamayi

5


8/40


At about 3 miles above sea level, on the roof of the world, in a desert like landscape, stoodManasarovar , the epitome of Goddess Parvati.

The thought of the holy dip in the lake amidstchants of Om Namah Shivaya in the morningstill evoked deep bliss. It was sunset now atManasarovar . The Sun began its descent overthe horizon; the waves glimmered in thesunlight, ducks waded on the shore, themountain ranges around the lake witnessed theglorious sunset, Mt Kailas stood majestically tomy left ....and I drenched myself in this divinebeauty. Time seemed frozen like the snow onthe mountains. Slowly, dusk set in....the fullmoon appeared in the bright sky. I had decidedto spend the night on the banks of the lake inhope of experiencing the Divinity in His abode.I finished my dinner and at around 10p.m daredto step into the freezing night from the tent allby myself.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness of thenight, to my left I saw the moonlight dancing on

the peak of Kailas.Ahead of me wasthe outline of thedancing waves of Manas as I stoodgaping at theshore of Manas.The sky was clearwith a multitude of star patterns anda full moon. The airwas crisp, clear

and very cold. As I stood there relishing thebeauty, my mind was being mesmerized ....aserenity and calmness enveloped me. As timeseemed to pass, suddenly out of nowhere....fear enveloped me ...there I was all alone onthe shore by myself. It was then that myinstinct guided me to chant Maha MrutyunjayMantra. After a while my senses began tocalm. I kept looking all around me forsomething mystical to happen. I stood therein His abode trying to keep in tune withHim. Slowly my physical body and soul werelost in time for I have no recall of whathappened the next 3 hours. Though I wasstanding in chilly night enveloped in layers of clothes my soul was all bare....devoid of anythoughts and feelings. I had neverexperienced anything like that before.

Sometime through the night I began tohear the barks of dogs all around me.....Again I began to chant the mantra fervently.After just a few minutes, I began to see a

AN EXPERIENCE AT MANASAROVAR

6


9/40

star move slowly across the lake. For aminute, I thought I was hallucinating....itcould not have been true. Then more andmore stars just kept whizzing past me....thenI knew I could not take this to be acoincidence. Some of them just went intothe water. I checked the time on my watchand it was around 3am...the BrahmaMuhurtam time. It is said that it is the timewhen the Devas descend onto the Earth.Though I had heard many stories of theDevas taking a dip in the Holy Lake; Manas,at Brahma Muhurtam time, I now had seenand felt it with my own senses.Overwhelmed, my joy knew no bounds. Ibegan to lose track of the count of stars thatwent into the water.

As the blue starsdescended for a dipthey illuminated thedark grey waters withradiance and a halo.Then suddenly,something made melook up.....I cannot tellyou what made me doso....it was as if

somebody had calledme from above. A lonestar ....very slowly started moving towardsthe lake. It was as if a person was walkingvery, very slowly. It moved andmoved....maybe for more than a minute. Itstopped just....somewhere in the middle of the lake. It then started its descent into thelake...still very slowly. I could clearly see thestar rather the blue light touching the waves

because of the radiance from it. I was waitingand wondering... what next... then, it emergedfrom the waters and slowly rose above beforedisappearing into thin air. I could not handle itany more. My vision became hazy as my eyeswere now filled with tears. This was no star....It

was a Light.Was it real.....or

was I imagining? Iknew the truth morethan anyone else...Icould not beimagining so manythings. It washappening right infront of me and my

senses were a witnessto it. It was very real.

The realm which seemed impossible was a realityto me now. That was it; I saw no other starmoving after that. The Sun slowly emerged withtime and a new Me headed back to the tent.When I look back now and reminiscence aboutthat night... There ... I all alone... withoutmoving an inch... in the freezingtemperatures...all night. Was it humanly possible

for me? No, it cannot be! It was definitely aDivine intervention to showcase to me Hispresence there. I was indeed blessed!!!!!!!

Remembering the words of the Hindu poet,Kalidasa, When Manasarovar touches yourbody, you shall go to paradise and shall bereleased from the sins of one hundred births.For me too, this experience was a sojourn intoHeaven.

- A Devotee

7


10/40

What are the spiritual practices?Ans: There are many spiritual practices and

we can adopt any one of those practices. Singingdevotional songs and transforming emotions intodevotion, practicing Asanas and bringing vigor inlife, practicing Pranayama and slowing down theaging, practicing Meditation and listening to the

song of silence within, doing intense Japa andbringing harmony in the body and mind, workingon selfless Karmayoga and finding utmostsatisfaction and there are many more wonderfuldisciplines in spirituality. Without disturbing ourdaily routine we can take up any practice andcharge ourselves.

What is simplicity?Ans: Simplicity is like a fragrance in the flower,

aroma in the incense stick, Ma Ganga in theflowing river, light in the sun and coolness of themoon. Simplicity comes like a cool breeze in hotsummer, warm breeze in chilling winter,spontaneous smile on the face when somebodynear and dear appreciates your work and yet weare just what we are. Simplicity doesnt demandanything. It is a wonderful gesture and expressionof divinity itself. A childlike smile and innocenceare the two wings of simplicity. With the helpof those two wings we can reach to any height

in our lives. A smile is seen whereas innocenceis experienced. A pure smile on the face showsthe depth of the person. We can not practicesimplicity. Simplicity is the true nature of humanbeings but completely lost in the process of livelihood. If we want to find out simplicity thenwe need to understand what life is all about.Sincere sadhana, sincerity in life and pure heartwill awaken that simplicity within and will bringbalance between livelihood and life.

A lovely portrait of Darahasini 16 months old,who is an infant volunteer of Nachiketa Tapovan. Avolunteer in the true sense as she sprinkles the colours of

Holi throughout the year with her beautiful smile. The world comes together with us to observe and even enjoy the innocence of our Indian heart, the bliss of traditional and cultural values imbibed in us with a child like enormous exuberance.

HOLIthe colour of innocence

Cover Story

- Swami Nachiketananda

Swamiji answers questions from theseekers. Questions are welcome

from everyone.They can be e-mailed to

[email protected]

Swamiji answers questions from theseekers. Questions are welcome

from everyone.They can be e-mailed to

[email protected]

SPIRITUAL QUESTSPIRITUAL QUEST

8


11/40

and foot. Thinking that lustand gold will make themhappy and give them

security, they do not realisethat it will lead them toannihilation. When a manthus bound to the world isabout to die, his wife asks,you are about to go; butwhat have you done forme? Again, such is hisattachment to the things of

the world that, when he sees the lamp burningbrightly, he says: Dim the light. Too much oilis being used. And he is on his death bed!

The bound souls never think of God. If theyget any leisure they indulge in idle gossip andfoolish talk, or they engage in fruitless work.

When His devotees queried whether therewas any way man can get out of this misery,He answered certainly there is. From time totime he should live in the company of holy menand time to time go into solitude to meditate

on God. Furthermore, he should practisediscrimination and pray to God to give himfaith and devotion. Once a person has faithhe has achieved everything. There is nothinggreater than faith.

Every creature has an instinct for survivaland knows precisely what its role is. Forexample birds migrate from Siberia to Indiafor nesting and the younglings once capable of flying instinctively know the route back to

Siberia. Research is on whether these birdsare equipped with GPS (Global PositioningSystem). Then is it not entirely possible thatGod has given the same GPS to us humans toseek Him? Since human birth is the supremeamongst His creations and been gifted withthe power of discrimination. It is for us todiscern and locate the said GPS within us toseek Him. Have immense faith in Him and goforward!

Sri Ramakrishna hasbeautifully divided meninto four classes: those

bound by the fetters of the world, the seekersafter liberation, theliberated and the ever-free.

Among the ever-freewe may count sages likeNarada, they live in theworld for the good of others, to teach men spiritual truth.

Those in bondage are sunk in worldlinessand forgetful of God. Not even by mistake dothey think of God.

The seekers after liberation want to freethemselves from attachment to the world.Some of them succeed and others do not.

The liberated souls, such as the Sadhus andMahatmas, are not entangled in the world, inlust and gold. Besides, they always meditateon the Lotus Feet of God.

He gives an example of a net being cast intoa lake to catch fish by fishermen. Some fish areso clever that they are never caught in thenet. They are like the ever-free. But most of the fish are entangled in the net. Some of them try to free themselves from it and theyare like those who seek liberation. But not allthe fish that struggle succeed. A very few do

jump out of the net, making a big splash in thewater. Then the fishermen shout, Look! There

goes a big one! But most of the fish caught inthe net cannot escape, nor do they make anyeffort to get out. On the contrary, they burrowinto the mud with the net in their mouths andlie there quietly, thinking, We need not fearany more, we are quite safe here. But thepoor creatures do not know that the fishermenwill dig them out with their net. These are likethe men bound to the world.

The bound souls are tied to the world by the

fetters of lust and gold. They are bound hand

AMRITA DHARA

Man seeking the ultimate

Compiled byP. Vasundhara and Gita K.

9


12/40

The monkeys of Varanasi are hugebrutes and aresometimes surly. Theynow took it in their

heads not to allow meto pass through theirstreet, so they howledand shrieked andclutched at my feetas I passed. As theypressed closer, I beganto run, but the faster

came the monkeys and they began to bite atme. It seemed impossible to escape, but just

then I met a stranger who called out to me,Face the brutes. I turned and faced themonkeys, and they fell back and finally fled.That is a lesson for all life-face the terrible,face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardshipsof life fall back when cease to flee beforethem. If we are ever to gain freedom, it mustbe by conquering nature, never by runningaway. Cowards never win victories. We haveto fight fear and troubles and ignorance if we

expect them to flee before us.(I:338-39)I fervently wish no misery ever came near

anyone; yet it is that alone that gives us aninsight into the depths of our lives, does itnot? In our moments of anguish, gates barredforever seem to open and let in many a floodof light.(8:466)

Dont look back-forward, infinite energy,infinite enthusiasm, infinite daring, and infinitepatience- then alone can great deeds be

accomplished. (8:353)-from Living at the Source, Yoga Teachings

of Vivekananda: Edited by Ann Myren and Dorothy Madison.

A serious problem in todays lifestyle is stress.Stress is a silent killer and everyone in todayssociety is stressed. Inspite of all that we have,most of us are stressed. The reason is nobodyhas a goal in life. It is usually work, socializingaccompanied by drinking and smoking andleading an unhealthy life. There is no aim...nopurpose and the most crucial of all, no wanting

to achieve anything. Money or fame or anymaterial end cannot be the purpose of life. Thepurpose of life should be such that it gives ushappiness, peace and has a contributing factor.Comfort can be bought but peace cannot bebought. Happiness cannot be purchased. Materialhankering can only lead to stress and worry; itwill never give peace of mind. One has to growthe heart. Dalai Lama has so truly said that inour country so much energy is wasted on

growing the mind, but what is required is growthof the heart. Only if we feel for others, can wedevelop ourselves. Compassion should be thekey word. Then we can have a goal in life andthe rest of the things will fall in place. A fast life

Goal in Life

YUVYUVYUVYUVYUV ANJANJANJANJANJ ALIALIALIALIALIFace the brutes

10


13/40

I opened the morning newspaper today and read about thehomage being paid to a young student who had died, succumbingto his wounds from the blast in German Bakery, Pune on

February 2010. Also, his friends said that he had rejected a joboffer a few days ago because he wanted to be a Radio Jockey.I allowed myself a small smile- ah, a rebel! Just like me

Another picture showed the crumbled stones that were oncethe roof of German Bakery. I thought to myself, how many suchdreams and lights were blown away in such blasts? This, andso many other places where blast, riots and killing has becomeso commonplace that we read about it only as we would readabout a new scientific invention or a political figure giving a talksomewhere.

The last article I then read was about the owner of GermanBakery, who said that the bakery would be rebuilt. It would bethe same again. Now thats news! Hope, optimism and theperseverance to build a better tomorrowthats what our worldneeds today.

Centuries have passed, and weve been plagued by everypossible threat- diseases, famines, world wars, terror attacks.But if there is something that keeps the world going round, itspeace.

By peace I dont mean a cute little dove flying off somewherein the sky- I mean the peace in our hearts. Happiness, love,prayer, gratitude and service- these are little signals that thecandle of peace is burning brightly inside us and all is not lost.In fact, nothing is lost. After all, as the saying goes, a flicker of light is enough to dispel centuries of darkness.

So this is an appeal to you reading this- Look for a reasonto celebrate! Life is not a mindless pursuit of happiness; its anexpression of happiness!

And along the way, give Peace a chance

can only give short time happiness andlong time unhappiness. A wanderingmind is of no good to oneself and equallydestructive to others. An unhappyindividual causes harm to himself andto all that surround him. There has to

be wanting. It is the most essentialthing. We have to grow from withinand help others to grow. Peers have aheavy influence on our thinking. It isessential to have good peers and it isequally important to give good adviceto others. The easy life with best of material comforts is so alluring. But itleads to more restlessness from within.Very soon everything else goes out of

control and depression sets in. We haveto fight back every such temptation forour own good. The more we can keepsuch enticement at bay, the strongerour resolutions will grow. It is veryimportant to grow as an individual. Lifeshould be one continuous process of learning. We should not stagnate in ourlife. We must brush ourselves and acceptbetter things to improve ourselves. Lifeis short and so much has to be done.When God breathed life into us He didnot create us for our self needs. Hewanted us to do something for others.We can contribute something positive if our own direction in life is positive only.Eat well, think well, sleep well and workwell, then everything will be okay. Lifeis a balance of thoughts, work and deedand the key player is we ourselves. Allis in the mind. If we understand that acertain thing is good and we should doit, then it can be achieved but the willpower has to be developed for it. Wehave to be our own guides then onlycan we light the lives of others. Thething is not just to live but to developoneself to the fullest. Then life will giveus back much more than we can everanticipate.

Give Peace a Chance

- Sukanya Ghosh - Avinash Agarwal

The Youth Speaks...The Youth Speaks...The Youth Speaks...The Youth Speaks...The Youth Speaks...

11


14/40

DHARMABoon for Mankind

When I was a child of 8 years, one beggarused to come to our home daily for alms. Hewas a blind beggar. I used to ask my motherwhy he cant see. My mother while trying toinculcate some moral values in me would say

that he committed a sin and whoever commitsa sin would be punished by God, like in thiscase. This did not startle me, but what sheuttered next did. She said that it is our Dharmato give alms to him. Since he is blind and needsour dharma to support him. Since then I hadbeen flooded with the same word in differentcontexts as I started growing. Sometimes I usedto think the meaning for dharma as offeringalms or work or duty or responsibility. The search

for the real meaning did not end there. As Igrew older I tried to find out the core meaningof the word Dharma. It was the time when Ilearnt from my School Teacher about theimportance of usage of Dictionary to know themeaning of new words. I used the chance forknowing meaning of the word Dharma. Theliteral meaning of Dharma as found in thedictionary, 1) Social Custom, 2) Correct Behaviorand 3) Hindu Moral Law. At that time I could

only perceive the meaning of Correct Behaviour,

but not Social Custom and Hindu Moral Law. Fora student, the Dharma is to pursue studies andbecome self-reliant. Swami Vivekananda said,Education is the manifestation of perfectionalready in man.The perfectionist can only bringchange in the lives of his own people and in thesociety around. For a policeman, the Dharma isto protect the people and maintain Law andOrder. The Dharma of a government is to strivefor the welfare of its public and for theirbetterment, peace and prosperity. For the headof a family, the Dharma is to ensure a brightfuture for his dependents. So on and so forth.The intention of writing the foregoing lines isnot to explain the different Dharmas but torealize how everyone is inherently bounded byDharma. Are we Dharma abiding? The dharmais the bedrock of our culture. In all our epics theDharma played a pivotal role. Lord Rama alongwith His wife Sita left for Aranyavaasa indischarge of Dharma called Pitru vakya

paripalana. Even Lord Krishna had said to Arjunato follow Dharma in the battle field, we knowbetter as Bhagavad Gita. It glorifies nothing butDharma. The duty of a warrior is to fight war,a just war. Try to understand what would havebeen the mind set of Arjuna before war.Fortunately Arjuna had the Lord by him duringthat vacillating stage. Today whom do we haveby us to resolve problems in the battle fieldcalled life? We cant teach Strength unless we

are strong is the saying. Similarly unless weprotect Dharma, it cannot protect us. Dharmorakshati rakshitaha. Every person though bornby Karma is bounded by Dharma. This is not acurse but a blessing indeed. No other creaturein this world is privileged like the man. We havethe ability to think which is lacking in othercreatures even today. Yet we are acting weirdly.Our selfish needs are ruining the very fabric of Dharma to some extent. We have unknowingly

tuned our minds that Dharma is a concept that

12


15/40

belongs to saints and noble men. It is to bepracticed by these men only and we need notbother about it at all. The startling fact is thatall of us practice dharma in our daily life. Thewestern culture calls it an obligation but we callit Dharma, a noble duty. This great sense hadmade King Janaka to take birth again and again

to serve humanity. To understand Dharma,thereis no better and simple way than to practice itincessantly. To do this we need not fight battleslike Arjuna or go to forest like Lord Rama. Ourcountry is called as Karma Bhoomi wherein LordRama and Krishna took birth for the bettermentof humanity, yet lived like ordinary people andperformed dharma. Let us erase the false notionfrom our minds about the Dharma and try to doour daily chores with great feel in a detached

manner. The attachment and expectation arethe two foes of Dharma. This attachment andexpectation is the root cause of all the problemsin day to day life. We work and try to excel inour works. The attachment factor disturbs uswhen we do not get enough appreciation forthe work done. An employee does his worktaking it as a challenge, trying to outperformothers. In the process he getsattached personally and

accomplishes it. He forgets thefact that it was a part of hisoccupation and gets upset whenhe does not get enoughappreciation or recognition. Hetakes it personally though hedischarges his duty professionally.The crave of expectation andappreciation is also playing a keyrole in family life. The parents,

when they grow old feel thepain when their siblings do notspend time with them; theyignore the fact that during theirhay days they also did the same.When the parents understandthis issue in a better way, theproblem of loneliness orpersecution does not arise. Thisis one side of the coin and theother side is not that rosy, the

children tend to ignore to look after their agingparents and try to join them in an old agehome. In both instances the parents and childrenalike, failed to perform grihasta dharma . Todayit has become human tendency not to acceptfailure. If one realizes ones Dharma i.e.Swadharma, it will automatically solve the crisis.

For realizing, we can look up to our heritageand culture, which preaches nothing butDharma. With realization comes theresponsibility, a commitment where the self hasno role. With this sense of duty anddetermination a government can serve its peoplein a better way, a citizen can become lawabiding, a student will achieve better results,parents will look after their siblings moreresponsibly and vice versa, a professional will

act more professionally. In this backdrop, if weresolve to do our duty first i.e. swadharma theother aspects will fall in place on their own. AsLord Krishna said in Gita, if you win you willgain the kingdom, lest will achieve the heavenlyabode. Let us try to apply the same to our livesand make this world a better place for ourselvesand future generations.

- M. Koti Rajsekhar

13


16/40

In the dark of the night,Ilaya Perumal slipped intothe forest to save Himself from a designed murder.As He was trying to traceHis way out of the forest,miraculously thereappeared a man and Hiswife attending to Him. Hetook the water offered bythe aged hunter coupleand went into a trancecoming out of which Hefound Himself nearKanchipuram and that thecouple had disappeared.They were none otherthan Lord Varadaraja andPerundevi Thayar guidingtheir beloved devotee SriRamanujacharya who wasnamed Ilaya Perumal after Lakshmana and wasan incarnation of Adisesha.

Sheer Jnana (knowledge) without bhakti candegenerate into dry intellectualism and at thesame time bhakti without jnana can lapse intosentimentalism. When Sankaras (788-820 AD)Advaita was being misinterpreted and misusedthere arose a dire need to restore balancebetween sheer Jnana and pure Bhakti. This needwas fulfilled by the advent of the philosopher-saint Ilaya Perumal who came to be known asSri Ramanuja a theologian, exponent of VishisthaAdvaita school of Vedanta, philosophical andsocial reformer and the author of several literaryworks which paved way to the theistic approachto realization of the Ultimate. Thus Sri Ramanujawas the savior who brought about a balance of the two elements and raised Vedanta to sublimelevels. His life and works show His strong andunique personality, logical acumen, charismaticenergy, contemplative insight, love anddedication to God and fellow human beingswith no place for caste distinction.

SRI RAMANUJACHARYAIlaya Perumal (1017AD-

1137AD) was born in anaristocratic family toKesava Perumal andKantimati Ammal at SriPerumbudur. By the age of sixteen, He mastered allthe Vedas and Shastras. Atthe age of seventeen IlayaPerumal was married toRakshakambal within fourmonths from which Hisfather died and they movedto Kanchipuram. In Kanchi,Ilaya Perumal was placedunder the renownedscholar Yadava Prakasa fortraining in AdvaitaVedanta. Ramanuja provedHimself to be a goodstudent, but His devotional

temperament clashed with the dry monisticinterpretations of Yadava Prakasa. After a fewconflicting events Ramanuja left His teacher andestablished a small school of His own which in notime attracted many people. Soon His famespread far and wide. Around that time SriRamanuja came upon a saint namedYamunacharya from Sri Rangam whom Heaccepted as His Spiritual Master. Spiritualconjunction with the Guru doubled Ramanujasstrength and conviction in the doctrine of devotion. Yamunacharya who was also the chief pontiff of Sri Vaishnava Monastery had decidedto take Ramanuja as His successor but diedbefore carrying out His wish. However SriRamanuja fulfilled His Gurus last desires whichwere protecting people from the delusion of impersonalism and bestowing upon them thenectar of surrender to Narayana, writing acommentary on Brahmasutras and to prepare,name and devote a disciple after Parasara muni.After being a householder for many years, Hefinally took up sannyasa. From that day,

14


17/40

Ramanuja wore the symbol of Narayana on Hisforehead, wore saffron clothes and carried thethree sectioned staff which signified service toGod with body, mind and words. He neverentertained any caste distinctions.

According to Sri Sankara, there is one AbsoluteBrahman who is Sat-chit-ananda, who is of anabsolutely homogeneous nature. Brahmanappears as this universe due to Maya the illusorypower. The individual soul becomes identicalwith Brahman when he overcomes the mayathrough Jnana. Sri Sankaras Brahman isNirvisesha Brahman (Impersonal Absolute)without attributes. According to Ramanuja,Brahman is not absolutely one andhomogeneous. Brahman is with attributes(Savisesha). He is endowed with all auspiciousqualities e.g. He is not intelligence itself, butintelligence is his chief attribute. He containswithin Himself whatever exists. World andindividual souls are essential constituents of Brahmans nature. Matter or Achit (without afree will) and soul or Chit (with a free will) formthe body of the Lord, who is the Inner Ruler(Antaryamin). The living entity is a particle of the Supreme that can only serve the completewhole. The individual souls will never be entirely

resolved in Brahman. Bhakti is thechief means to final emancipation andnot Jnana. When the living entitiesare freed from the illusions producedby material energy through devotionand love for God, soul enters thespiritual sky called Vaikuntha andengages in eternal service of theSupreme Person, Narayana.

Ramanuja traveled throughout the

country spreading the message of Vishistha advaita. He continued tolive until He was 120 years in SriRangam, serving Narayana, doing allHe can to preserve Vedas andimparting enlightenment to Hisdevotees before He cast away Hisbody. Fulfilling the pleas of Hisdisciples who could not bear the

separation from their beloved teacher He leftHis physical body (which is preserved even todayin the Sannidhi, in the South West corner, withinSri Rangam temple) and His last instructions forthe ones near and dear to Him were - to remainin the company of souls devoted to God, havefaith in teachings of Vedas and Saints, not tobecome a slave of ones senses and to conquerlust, anger and greed, worship of Narayanaand utterance of His name is the refuge, servingHis devotees is the highest service and thefastest means to the Supreme mercy.

Ramanujas Literary Contributions:1. Vedartha-Sangraha - A treatise presenting

the tenets of Visishtadvaita, a reconciliation of different conflicting srutis.

2. Sri Bhashya - A detailed commentary onthe Vedanta Sutras.

3. Gita-Bhashya - A detailed commentary onthe Bhagavad-Gita.

4. Vedanta-Dipa - A brief commentary on theVedanta Sutras.

5. Vedanta-Sara - Another brief commentaryon the Vedanta Sutras and meant for beginners.

6. Saranagati-Gadya and Sri Ranga-Gadya -Manuals of self surrender to Lord Vishnu.

7. Sri Vaikuntha-Gadya - Describes SriVaikuntha-loka and theposition of the liberatedsouls.

8. Nitya-Grantha - Ashort manual intended toguide the Sri Vaishnavadevotees.

I take refuge at thefeet of Sri Ramanuja, our

venerable master, who,during the dark night of the impersonalconception of divinity,carried the torch light of knowledge and thusilluminated the path of devotion to thePersonality of Godhead.

Compiled by Annapurna R.

15


18/40

Once upon a time a group of rishis were traveling to a far off land. On their way they had totravel through forests, villages and

hilly areas. One morning the groupwas passing by a forest.At one point the rishisdecided to rest for awhile and then resumetheir journey. Whilesitting down under atree, the eyes of one of the rishis from the groupfell on two glittering gold

bangles.Hurriedly, the rishi started tocover the gold bangles because hefeared that the gold bangles wouldmake his wife, who was alsotraveling with them, greedy. Thesight of gold bangles would arousein her the desires for worldly things.And she may be directed back toattachments of life.

- Suhani Dewra

Desire For The Right Thing

As the rishi was trying to put mudover the gold bangles and hide them;the rishis wife saw him doing so. Shelooked at him and said smilingly - Whyare you covering mud with mud?

This is a story I hadheard a few years back.If we reflect on it, thestory reveals deepermeaning of life andindicates the foolishnature of humans whoalways overlook theimportant things of lifeand get caught in

meaningless things.A piece of gold does not bring peace

with it. It brings pride, greed,attachment, lure and insecurity. And athing which carries with it, all these evilfeelings does not deserve to be desired.But Alas! This is where we humans fail- we desire the undeserved.

16


19/40

My body, my family, my house, my country,my daughter, my husband, my laptop- what iscommon to all these phrases? It is simplyMY. As unceremonious as it sounds, it playsthe role of digit 1 in front of 00,00,000 orumpteen zeroes. When you hear the word achild your heart responds, but when you hearthe word your child, your eyes glisten, yourheart and senses get alert. Hence not onlymaterial but also emotional and sensorycomponents, or in fact the entire world havemeaning because of I, my or Self feeling.The magical word my makes a world of difference.

Human life, right from the moment he isborn revolves around this magical word my.The sense of belonging, attachment,possession, responsibility, ownership, loveand pain that is attached to these two lettersis unmatchable in case of most humans. Thisidentity called my is the thread that instillsand preserves life in the physical body.Everything else falls in place when it connectsthrough this channel called my or Self.We love our offspring, family and friendsbecause they are ours. We do servicebecause doing so gives us the sense of satisfaction. We strive to achieve because itgives us the sense of accomplishment. AsYajnavalkya reasons the importance of Self realization to Maitreyi in Brihadaranyaka

Upanishad: Sah uvacha Na va are patyuhkamayapatih priyah bhavati, atmah na tukamaya patihpriyah bhavati , My dear, it isnot for the sake of the husband that thehusband is dear, but only for ones own sakethat the husband is dear. So ultimatelyeverything comes down to me and mine.Does it mean that we are selfish creaturesthat dont deserve this coveted human birth?

No. Self is like the Sun that sustains life onthe earth. It is the crux of human existence.

Love Thyself!

It is as essential as oxygen to stay alive. Whenyou identify something as vital as this forexistence, what do we normally do? Treat itpreciously; take the best care for its healthy,prolonged and fulfilling life. The same kind of care needs to be taken of the Self . Butbefore that we need to exercise utmostcaution not to identify our body as the Selfand get caught up there. Again as Yagnavalkyaprescribes, to know who this I is, Self should

be realized throughsravana, manana andnidhidhyasana that islistening, reflecting andmeditating upon it.

But then somewherealong the course weconvert this Self-loveinto Selfish love andSelf-centered love whichnot only takes the fun outof life but also taints it.The sense of possessionexceeds the limits of mere convenience and

becomes possessiveness, sense of belongingbecomes obsessiveness and self preservationtakes the ugly face of destruction of non-self

entities. When Self goes beyond the limitationsof physical body and extends to unlimited Self is when we experience the world at its best.According to Swami RanganathanandaMaharaj, We have to understand that weare not an object but the Self. That should beour understanding. Let us realize that first.

-by an aspirantReference: The Message of Brihadaranyaka

Upanishad, First Edition, 2005 by Swami

Ranganathananda

17


20/40

Sludge, mire, muck! Rooted in the dirt,sprouts a stem that makes its way throughthe waters and on touching the surfaceconsummates in a bud which at the

enlightening stroke of the Sun unfolds intothe most splendid and mesmerizing masterpiece of His creation - a lotus. It is due to thistranscendence that a lotus became the seatof all Gods and has forever been associatedwith a Jnani. The lotus plant anchors itself inthe mud, seeps in water, grows by absorbingand processing the essential nutrients,emerges untouched by the scum and evolvesinto an epitome of ethereal beauty andpurity. Lotus conveys the quintessence of human life. Human being rooted in the mireof attachments and materialism wadesthrough the waters of pleasure, pain, loveand hatred working his/her way towardsliberation. When touched by the light of supreme knowledge, the consciousnessunfolds into a thousand petaled lotus.

OM MANI

PADME HUM

18


21/40

Om mani padme hum [O Jewel in theLotus Flower ], the buddhist mantra is saying, Iam in You and You are in me, thereby statingthe unity and brotherhood of all beings, as wellas their inner divine potential. In ChhandogyaUpanishad (8:1:3), the lotus is a symbol for themacrocosm and the microcosm, the universeand man.

Light and darkness, good and bad, joy andpain, health and sickness, youth and old age- allcome hand in hand. We revel in the former butdistress in the latter. A lotus is also a reminderto us that the best things are churned out of adversities. Only the searing heat of a summerday can bring forth jasmines which suffuseheavenly fragrance and radiate the soothingcoolness. The incense stick has to be subjectedto burning in order for it to surrender its essenceto God! The scorching temperatures of a kilnonly can harden soft clay into a bowl that canhold an offering of fruits for God.

The spirit of the best of men is spotless, likethe new lotus in the [murky] water which doesnot adhere to it. -Gautama Buddha

By Annapurna R.

19


22/40

A devoted meditator, after years of concentrating on a particular mantra, hadattained enough insight to begin teaching. Thestudents humility was far from perfect, but theteachers at the monastery were not worried.

A few years of successful teaching left themeditator with no thoughts about learning fromanyone; but upon hearing about a famous hermitliving nearby, the opportunity was too excitingto be passed up.

The hermit lived alone on an island at themiddle of a lake, so the meditator hired a manwith a boat to row across to the island. The

meditator was very respectful of the old hermit.As they shared some tea made with herbs themeditator asked him about his spiritual practice.The old man said he had no spiritual practice,except for a mantra which he repeated all thetime to himself. The meditator was pleased: thehermit was using the same mantra he usedhimself but when the hermit spoke themantra aloud, the meditator was horrified!

Whats wrong? asked the hermit.

I dont know what to say. Im afraid youvewasted your whole life! You are pronouncingthe mantra incorrectly!

Oh, Dear! That is terrible. How should I sayit?

The meditator gave the correct pronunciation,and the old hermit was very grateful, asking tobe left alone so he could get started right away.On the way back across the lake the meditator,now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was

pondering the sad fate of the hermit.

Its so fortunate that I came along. At leasthe will have a little time to practice correctlybefore he dies. Just then, the meditator noticedthat the boatman was looking quite shockedand turned to see the hermit standing respectfullyon the water, next to the boat.

Excuse me, please. I hate to bother you, butIve forgotten the correct pronunciation again.Would you please repeat it for me?

You obviously dont need it, stammered themeditator; but the old man persisted in hispolite request until the meditator relented andtold him again the way he thought the mantra

should be pronounced.The old hermit was saying the mantra verycarefully, slowly, over and over, as he walkedacross the surface of the water back to theisland.

from Dharma Haven

The True Sound of Truth

20


23/40

Mans soul urges and inner-drives expressed in rhythmic bodymovements constitute an art form and it is called Dance. Like yoga,dance induces trance, ecstasy, the experience of the divine, therealization of ones own spiritual nature and finally mergence into thedivine essence. Shiva, the arch yogi of Gods, is also the master of dance. The forces gathered and projected in His frantic, ever-endinggyration, are the powers of the evolution, maintenance and dissolutionof the world. Nature and all its creatures are the effects of His eternal

dance.Rhythm and movement are basic to all creation and existence. Men,

birds and beasts, plants, the earth, the planets and the stars, all areengaged in a ceaseless cosmic dance recital as it were. Rhythm andmovement is life and its cessation stagnation, decay and death.Dance symbolizes both evolution and involution. Dancing as an artform finds its best and continuous expression in man, whom God hascreated after Himself. Man is destined to dance his way to higher andstill higher levels of consciousness till he achieves perfect fulfillment.

The aesthetic foundations of this Indian art form are laid on the rock

foundations of spiritual sadhana or rigorous discipline leading to mokshaor liberation. The experience evoked through dance is essentiallytranscendental. The artists experience in their creation and othersexperience as spectators. Both are participants in the same sadhana.The happiness derived is of higher order and serves to attain the yogicstate when restlessness of the senses and the mind ceases and veilsof duality are torn asunder leading to identification of the knower withthe Self of Atman. The aim of all art is that which liberates.

And in the ultimate analysis, God is the only source of beauty, blissand beatitude. That is why different art forms are at their best when

they express His glory.Ref: Dances of IndiaBy Dr.B.R.Kishore

Srutilaya...t he rhy th m of

Dance

21


24/40

Benares or Varanasi is famous for spiritualism, mysticism,Indian philosophy and Hinduism. All these are reflected innumerous Temples, Ashrams and Ghats. Spiritual life inVaranasi revolves around the ghats, the long string of bathing steps leading down to the water on the westernbank of the Ganges. The best time to visit the ghats is atdawn when the river is bathed in a mellow light as pilgrimscome to perform puja to the rising sun and at sunset whenthe main Ganga aarti ceremony takes place atDashaswamedh ghat. The most venerated and frequentedghats for devotional worship by the pilgrims are theDashaswamedh ghat and Manikarnika ghat.

Dashaswamedh ghat is located close to Kasi VishwanathTemple and is probably the most spectacular ghat.According to mythology Lord Brahma sacrificed ten horsesin a yajna here. A group of priests daily perform Agni puja,in the evening wherein a dedication is made to Lord Shiva,Ganga, Surya, Agni and the whole universe.

Manikarnika ghat is believed to be the place where LordVishnu dug a pit with His chakra and filled it with Hisperspiration while performing various penances. While LordShiva was watching Lord Vishnu at that time, the lattersearring Manikarnika fell into the pit. According to

BENARES GHATS

another legend, Goddess Parvati hidHer earrings and asked Lord Shiva tofind them, saying that they had beenlost on the banks of Ganga. Her ideawas that Lord Shiva would then stayaround searching forever for the lostearrings. In this legend, whenever abody gets cremated at theManikarnika ghat, Lord Shiva asks thesoul whether it has seen the earrings.

Enhancing the spiritual significance,it was at Benares that Tulsidas wroteHis Ramacharitamanas and GautamaBuddha gave His first sermon atSaranath near Varanasi. In many waysVaranasi epitomizes the very bestaspects of India and as Mark Twainwrote: Benares is older than history,older than tradition, older even thanlegend and looks twice as old as all of

them put together.

22


25/40

To Alasinga PerumalBreezy Meadows,

Metcalf, Mass.20th August, 1893Dear Alasinga,Trust not to the so-called rich, they are more dead than alive. The hope lies in youin the meek, the lowly,

but the faithful. Have faith in the Lord; no policy, it is nothing. Feel for the miserable and look up for helpit shallcome. I have travelled twelve years with this load in my heart and this idea in my head. I have gone from door to door of the so-called rich and great. With a bleeding heart I have crossed half the world to this strange land,seeking for help. The Lord is great. I know He will help me. I may perish of cold or hunger in this land, butI bequeath to you, young men, this sympathy, this struggle for the poor, the ignorant, the oppressed. Go nowthis minute to the temple of Parthasarathi and before Him who was friend to the poor and lowly cowherds of Gokula, who never shrank to embrace the Pariah Guhaka, who accepted the invitation of a prostitute in preferenceto that of nobles and saved her in His incarnation as Buddhayea, down on your faces before Him, and makea great sacrifice, the sacrifice of a whole life for them, for whom He comes from time to time, whom He lovesabove all, the poor, the lowly, the oppressed. Vow, then, to devote your whole lives to the cause of the redemptionof these three hundred millions, going down and down every day.

It is not the work of a day, and the path is full of the most deadly thorns. But Parthasarathi is ready to be our Sarathiwe know that. And in His name and with eternal faith in Him, set fire to the mountain of misery that hasbeen heaped upon India for agesand it shall be burned down. Come then, look it in the face, brethren, it isa grand task, and we are so low. But we are the sons of Light and children of God. Glory unto the Lord, wewill succeed. Hundreds will fall in the struggle, hundreds will be ready to take it up. I may die here unsuccessful;another will take up the task. You know the disease, you know the remedy, only have faith. Do not look up tothe so-called rich and great; do not care for the heartless intellectual writers and their cold-blooded newspaper articles. Faith, sympathyfiery faith and fiery sympathy! Life is nothing, death is nothing, hunger nothing, coldnothing. Glory unto the Lordmarch on, the Lord is our General. Do not look back to see who fallsforwardonward! Thus and thus we shall go on, brethren. One falls, and another takes up the work

I must try to the end, and even if I die of cold or disease or hunger here, you take up the task. Holiness,sincerity and faith. First I will try in America, and if I fail, I will try in England; if I fail there too, I can go backto India and wait for further commands from On High.

Yours,Vivekananda

Alasinga Perumal, was a householder devotee of Swami Vivekananda.He was instrumental in sending Swamiji to America when Swamiji was

an unknown monk wandering in South India. As Swamiji wished to starta magazine on Vedanta in India, Alasinga took it upon himself, to fulfillhis wishes. In Swami Vivekanandaa own words, He is my dearestdisciple. He is the faithful man who sent me to America and revealedme to the world.

A Letter from Swami Vivekananda

23


26/40

A W q A W q A W q A W q A W q x x M i - z M |p ul p ul p ul p ul p u l M ?I am Samskrit teacher. Who are you?

(Here the questioned is a male. Also noticethat aham means I whereas mamameans my. Similarly, bhavataH means

your and bhavAn means you. Quite afew use mama where they should useaham initially.) Notice that I am using anintuitive way to transliterate Samskrit wordsinto English. In fact, this is Barahaconvention. Baraha is a software that canbe downloaded from www.baraha.com andused for typing Samskrit. Capital vowelsindicate longer or dIrgha versions of Indianletters. Similarly, Capital H is used toindicate visargaH.)

A Wq N | (A Wq uI am student. chAtraH and vidyArthI

are synonyms.

A W m w|puip ui puip ui pui M?I am man. Who are you? (As you would

guess, the questioned is a female.bhavatyAh means your while speakingto a woman/girl, whereas bhavatI meansyou.)

A Wq qWs | ( l U, uluuuuu|)I am woman. (All of us know that

mahilA, nArI, vanitA or strI mean thesame. So one can say aham nArI, aham

vanitA or aham strI.)

A l l S A x i | u l j l x i p ui |)

Anand is there. Viswanath is not there.(na asti together becomes nAsti. nameans not in Samskrit.)

mU x U M q M q A x i uS i | E S WUh j q , Uq ur e l q, mx i M q C i r S

In your vicinity, you may find things likedoor, window, picture, cloth, fan, book etc.Use asti or nAsti with these words suchas vastram nAsti, vyajanam asti etc.)

24

Krupalu Ogeti, Secretary, Samskrit Bharati, Hyderabad. email: [email protected]


27/40

1.Which of the following is generally considered as the oldest literary work in the historyof the world?a. Rigveda b.Yajur Veda c. Mahabharata d. Ramayana

2.Which sage was credited for organizing voluminous vedic literature into four distinctvedas?a.Sage Jaimini b. Sage Vyasa c. Sage Vasishtha d.Sage Yajnavalkya3.Which of the following is NOT a part of Shruti Literatue?a.Yajur Veda b. Sama Veda c. Bhagavad Gita d. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad4.Which of the following is one of the three principle scriptures of Hindu philosophy knownas Prashthana Thraya?a.Bhagavad Gita b. Sama Veda c. Ramayana d. Puranas5.Which of the following Hindu scriptures does not occur in the Mahabharata?a.Yoga Vasishta b. Vishnu Sahasranama c. Sanat Sujatiya d. Bhagavad Gita6.Vedas are considered as apaurusheya, meaning not created by humans even thoughthe books themselves were attributed to various sages. This is because ___?a.Vedas contain truths revealed to sages b. The final teachings of Vedas are universalin nature c.The Vedas are composed by Gods themselves7.Upanishads primarily deal with _____ a.Karma Kanda b. Sacrifices and other rituals c. Jnana or Final Spiritual Truth8.Sage Yagnavalkya is popularly identified with which of the following Upanishads?a.Kenopanishad b. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad c. Kathopanishad d. Isha Vasya Upanishad9.Which of the following Upanishads contains the teaching of Lord of Death (YamaDharma Raja) to the little boy Nachiketas?a.Kena Upanishad b.Brihadaranyaka Upanishad c. Mundaka Upanishad d. Katha Upanishad10.In which Upanishad, the Pranava or the Primary Sound AUM or OM was principallydealt with?a.Chandogya Upanishad b.Mundaka Upanishad c.Mandukya Upanishad d.PrasnaUpanishad

TEST YOUR EPICQ

A n s w e r s : 1 . R i g V e d a 2 . S a g e V y a s a 3 . B h a g a v a d G i t a 4 . B h a g a v a d G i t a 5 . Y o g a V a s i s h t a 6 . V e d a s c o n t a i n t r u t h s r e v e a l e d t o s a g e s 7 . J n a n a o r f i n a l s p i r i t u a l t r u t h 8 . B r i h a d a r a n y a k a U p a n i s h a d 9 . K a t h a U p a n i s h a d 1 0 . M a n d u k y a

U p a n i s h a d

- Annapurna R.

25


28/40


29/40

1) Increase immunity level in the body

With change of weather one tends to fall sick, but if we increase the immunity of the body, then we can fight back any ailment (disease) as per above figure.

Search for thymus on the figure/ it is little below the starting of thumb line whichis touching the palm, in centre.

Search for the painful point with pen/ pencil. Place the green moong seed or methi seed, with adhesive medical tape. Remove after 6-7 hrs. Application can be done for 7-10 days as required.

2) Headache due to gas 3) Fever 4) Giddiness 5) Nausea 6) Acidity

Apply dark blue colour with sketch pen on navel correspondence or centre of palm/ sole of foot

If it still persists, apply ice cubes (till one can bear it) Remove when feeling better. Application of ice cubes can be given for 3 times in a day. Dark blue colour can be applied for 6-7 hrs, redo it, if colour fades or washed

7) Sunstroke and Fever Application of Dark Blue colour with sketch pen on the a) centre of the palm/ foot sole and

on the head correspondence b) Tip of thumb (as above figures) Apply colour till the person feels better.

SUJOK ACUPRESSURE BASIC TREATMENT FOR-1. Increasing immunity level in the body2. Headache due to gas3. Fever

4. Giddiness5. Nausea6. Acidity7. Sunstroke

- Mamta Agarwal

27


30/40

ProbablyShiva is the creator and Uma- the creation.ProbablyDNA is the blue print and RNA the active fine print.ProbablyADAM had seen on the morning of creation- the miracle, moment by moment,

of naked existence when place, time and distance ceased to matter much.ProbablyExistence, though may seem fragmented with people, place and events. From

the perspective of the bank it is one smooth flowing river of experience.

ProbablyYour deeds determine you, as much as you determine your needs.ProbablyYou are the one that creates the intention and the one who fulfils it.ProbablyYou desire to create something for this world and there are a group of people

already desiring for someone to create it.Probably All your ancestors ever existed because of you.Probably There is only one you and there is no one else like you.Probably You have a gift to offer that can teach the world in a way that no other

persons gift can do.Probably It is not the gift but it is you.Probably The whole world would be denied experience of that gift without you.Probably The fruits of your labour already exist in you with your values.Probably Your garden of purpose is perennial and forever in need of tending.Probably You are surrounded by results that you have intended to create.Probably You are empowered by the splendor of your life and your asset is your

personal validation.Probably The fulfillment of your dream, the resources and opportunities are reserved

for you alone.Quite possiblyYou being reborn to every golden present moment is the greatest miracle

of all.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL...Which is the greatest miracle of all?

-You

- Dr. A. Surendra

28


31/40

Karagre Vasate LakshmiKaramule Saraswati

Karamadhye Tu GovindahaPrabhaate Karadarshanam

Meaning: Kara =palm, Agra = tip of thepalm, mule = base of the palm, madya =middle of the palm. So the meaning of thissloka is: on the tip of the palm Ma Lakshmi,on the base of the palm Ma Saraswathi, andin the middle of the palm Govinda exist.

The meaning of this sloka is deeper than itseems. This sloka says that Lakshmi,Saraswathi and Govinda reside in your palm.That is the reason our sages say that everymorning we should have a darshan or glanceof the palm. Why only Lakshmi, Saraswathi

and Govinda? Why Karadarshanam? Wecome across many people who blame othersfor their unsuccessfulness. They would evenblame God. Through this sloka our sagesconvey that man can do anything andeverything. Swami Vivekananda also said thatyou are the creator of your own destiny.

Man has to fulfill the Chathurvidhapurushardhas; Dharma, Artha, Kama andMoksha. Sometimes man struggles to fulfillall the Chaturvidha purushardhas. It is blindfaith that just by having the darshan of yourpalm you will achieve all the Purushardhaswithout any effort. In fact this sloka remindsthe divinity and existence of God in you. Youmight question why only Ma Lakshmi, MaSaraswathi and Govinda? Because in oneslife, if Lakshmi or wealth is attained morethan a certain limit, his ego props up;excessive Saraswathi or intellect also boostshis ego. Thats why Govinda brings balancebetween Ma Lakshmi and Ma Saraswathi.This sloka conveys that if you gain money orknowledge, it is because of Govinda orParamathman. Only weaklings think thatthey cannot do anything in their life. Thissimple but beautiful sloka gives strength andtells us that God not only exists in the temple,but he very much exists within us. This slokagives inspiration to perform Karma yoga orthe path of action. In order to get perfectionin the action it is necessary to invoke thepower of Ma Lakshmi, Ma Saraswathi andGovinda in us. Let us invoke these greatenergies in us by having Karadarshanam everymorning.

Kara Darshanam

29


32/40

Children have unlimited energy and Nachiketa Tapovan endeavours totap the source of this energy. The Non-Residential children camps aredesigned to achieve this objective.Efforts are made to bridge the gap between the privileged andunderprivileged children by making them participants of these camps andproviding them the opportunity to establish a good rapport with allcommunities. Active participation of the children is ensured. Volunteersclosely monitor the aptitude and skills of every individual participant.Punctuality and Discipline are emphasized.Campers are exposed to Group work, Team building, Leadership andCommunicative skills, Positive thinking, Decision making, Exampreparation, Goal setting, Time management and Memory skills. Specialattractions are Meditation, Devotional Singing, Vedic (shloka) chanting,

Creative workshops, and fun filled games. The programmes are conductedby experts in various fields.Play forms one of the important elements of childs personality anddevelopment. Children are given the opportunity of expressing their variousemotions through their motor skills. Swamiji is tactful in allowing them tobring these emotions to the surface and attempts to heal them, therebygiving them a positive approach in life.One of the unseen results of NRCC(Summer Camp) is the extraordinarysense of unity and co-operation that it produces among the campers.

SUMMER CAMPSUMMER CAMPSUMMER CAMPSUMMER CAMPSUMMER CAMP

30


33/40

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT CAMP FOR CHILDRENAge Group:

12 to 15 years

Date:2nd May to 9th May 2010

Time:8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m .

Fee:Your hearty involvement and

personal commitment.

Venue:Nachiketa Tapovan

Plot No. 70, Phase-I, Kavuri Hills,Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad - 500 033

Ph. No. 040-2311388709849168937, 08008882828

Admissions: Only for new applicants. Limited entries only.

Please arrange your own transportation. Kindly bring your lunch box.

For application form please contactthe organiser on or before 30th

April 2010

NON - RESIDENTIAL

Swami Vivekananda said,

T h i s w or l d i s t h e g r ea t T h i s w or l d i s t h e g r ea t T h i s w or l d i s t h e g r ea t T h i s w or l d i s t h e g r ea t T h i s w or l d i s t h e g r ea tg y m n a s i u m w h e r e w e c o m eg y m n a s i u m w h e r e w e c o m eg y m n a s i u m w h e r e w e c o m eg y m n a s i u m w h e r e w e c o m eg y m n a si u m w h er e w e com et o m a k e o u r sel v es st r o n g .t o m a k e o u r sel v es st r o n g .t o m a k e o u r sel v es st r o n g .t o m a k e o u r sel v es st r o n g .t o m a k e o u r sel v es st r o n g .

So d ea r c h i l d r en ,So d ea r c h i l d r en ,So d ea r c h i l d r en ,So d ea r c h i l d r en ,So d ea r c h i l d r en ,m a k e y ou r sel f st r on gm a k e y ou r sel f st r on gm a k e y ou r sel f st r on gm a k e y ou r sel f st r on gm a k e y ou r sel f st r on g

p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y ,p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y ,p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y ,p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y ,p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y ,m o r a l l y & s p i r i t u a l l ym o r a l l y & s p i r i t u a l l ym o r a l l y & s p i r i t u a l l ym o r a l l y & s p i r i t u a l l ym o r a l l y & s p i r i t u a l l y

t h r ou g h . . .t h r ou g h . . .t h r ou g h . . .t h r ou g h . . .t h r ou g h . . .

Positive Thinking Self Confidence

Creativity Decision Making

Yogasana Pranayama Meditation

Power of Prayer Values

31


34/40

SPONSOR OPTIONS Anna daanam maha daanam; vidya daanam mahattaram.

Annena kshanika trupthihi yaavajjeevanthu vidyaya.

Vidya Mandir at Nachiketa Tapovan is currently able to accommodate a family ofabout 150 children who receive all-round nourishment from man-making educationto milk-n-meals and basic health-aid in an atmosphere of genuine love.Kind-hearted Well wishers have been the unseen force behind this offering to God.We thank you for your continued support.

Vidya Daanam (Education ) Rs. 3500/year/child

Anna Daanam (Mid-day Meals) Rs. 3000/day

Ksheera Daanam (Morning Milk) Rs. 600/day

Vastra Daanam (Uniforms) Rs. 600/2 pairsDinnerware (Steel Plates & Glasses) Rs. 5000/ 50 sets

Stationery Supplies (Copier Paper) Rs. 5000/term

Festivals Celebration Rs. 1500/festival

Oushadhi (Medical Supplies) Rs. 5000/month

Celebrate your Special Days with the Children at Nachiketa Tapovan!

The CDs comprise instructions given on different yogictechniques based on an extensive research done by SwamiNachiketananda and assisted by other Swamis and volunteers.'Om' - A divine melody is first of the series. All the CDs areavailable at the Nachiketa Tapovan premises at Kavuri Hills,and also in leading bookstores.

A set of 8 'Yogic CDs' were released on 1st April 2007.

Cost of each CD is Rs.35/-

PUBLICATIONS

32


35/40

Dear Atman,

Nachiketa Tapovan has launched a massiveAshram project in Kodgal village, JadcherlaMandal in Mahboobnagar district with a noblevision of providing Free Education, Medical aid,Vocational training and Spiritual upliftment forthe underprivileged. Temples, Dhyana mandir,Residential Campus, Vidya Mandir andDispensary are given priority in the 1 st Phase of construction. With the grace of the Almighty wehave been moving forward towards thecompletion of some of these projects.

First we want to thank our supporters andwell wishers for accomplishing our goals of constructing a Dhyana Mandir and ResidentialCampus at the Ashram. Your support wasessential for meeting the substantial expensesof this Humanitarian work for which we are

deeply grateful. At present our top priority isthe major Temple Project and Vidya Mandirwhich are under construction. The total cost forthese projects is estimated at Rs 2.9 CroresCurrently we have collected Rs 1.19 Crores. Therest of the funds have to be raised to inauguratethe Ashram. For the coming year, our goal is tocontinue reaching out to more and more souls

AN APPEAL

with our basic spiritual services, programs andpublications and also to accomplish a number of smaller projects at Nachiketa Tapovan, Kavurihills and Ashram at Jadcherla.

We hereby make a fervent appeal for generousdonations. You can contribute to the project inany manner possible. Please participate in this

noble task so that our cultural heritage andreligious traditions will be safeguarded for thecoming generations.

It may kindly be noted that donations toNachiketa Tapovan are exempted from IncomeTax U/S 80 G of IT Act, 1961 of Govt of India.Donations in the form of cheques/ Demanddrafts may please be drawn in favour of Nachiketa Tapovan.

Yours in the service of Motherland


33


36/40

SUBSCRIPTIONS INDIA INTERNATIONAL GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS

Single copy Rs. 10/- N. A. Rs. 10/-

1 year Rs. 100/- N. A. Rs. 100/-

3 years Rs. 280/- N. A. Rs. 280/-

5 years Rs. 450/- N. A. Rs. 450/-

Subscriptions can be sent by MO/DD/Cheque/Cash in favor of Nachiketa Tapovan.

(Plus Rs. 50/- for outstation cheques)

Ashraydatas are encouraged to become patrons of the magazine by joiningNachiketanjalis Patrons Scheme. You can become patrons by donating Rs. 5000/- whichwill be deposited in the magazines corpus fund. We express our thanks by announcingtheir names in the following issue of the Magazine and the patron will also receive a

5 year subscription of the same.

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

AN APPEAL TO PATRONS & SPONSORS

WELL-WISHERS:1. K. Vijay Kumar2. P. S. Reddy3. Y.V.S.S. Prasad4. Rama Devi K.5. Intelligroup6. Maa TV7. Matrix Labs

SUBSCRIBERS:1. P. S. Reddy - 100 Gift Subscriptions -1 year2. R. Manjula - 10 Gift Subscription -1 year3. Y. Laxmi - 10 Gift Subscriptions -1 year4. N. Krishna Mohan - 10 Gift Subscriptions -1 year5. P. Ramamurthy - 10 Gift Subscriptions -1 year6. B. Rukmini Rao - 10 Gift Subscriptions -1 year7. K. Rama Devi - 100 Gift Subscriptions -1 year

Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you - Carl Jung

ADVERTISEMENT TARIFFPAGE SIZE MULTICOLOUR BLACK & WHITE

Fourth Cover 15 cm x 19 cm Rs. 12,000/- N.A.

Third Cover 15 cm x 19 cm Rs. 10,000/- N.A.

Inside Full Page 15 cm x 19 cm N. A. Rs. 5,000/-

Inside Strip 3 cm x 15 cm N. A. Rs. 2,500/-

So long as the body is considered, birthis real. But the body is not I.

The self is not born nor does it die.

- Ramana Maharshi

34


37/40

a) You can send articles by email [email protected] or by post toNachiketanjali, Nachiketa Tapovan, PlotNo.70, Phase I, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur,Guttlabegumpet, Serilingampally, RangaReddy District. A.P., with your full name,

address and contact details.b) No article is returned.c) Your article should be reader friendly with

a positive view point.d) No controversial or political issues are

published.e) Word limit for an article varies from 250

(one column) to 1000 words (four columns).

A NOTE TO WRITERS:

BOOK REVIEWWe r eques t P ublis he rs to se nd tw ocopie s o f thei r Spiritu al, Philos op hicalan d Rel igio us bo ok s for pu blishi ng aBo ok Re view in ou rNach ike tanja li - mo nth ly Ma ga zine.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTNa chi keta Tap ova n is ind ebte d t o al lthe w ell -wis hers , do nors , pa tron s an dadv iso rs w hos e im me nse he lp a ndco ope ra t ion in mul tipl e w ays ha shelp e d u s a ccom plis h o u r goals .

Writers can contact the editorial team forfurther details.

f) The styles of references should be as perthe Documentation of Sources given atthe end of the Merriam WebstersCollegiate Dictionary .

g) Editor reserves the right to accept/ rejectarticles and edit the selected articles.h) Unsolicited articles are not acknowledged.i) The Editor does not accept responsibility

for the authors views. j) Articles received will be published in one of

the forthcoming issues.

It all depends on how we look at things and not on how they are themselves - Cark Jung

with best wishes from

Griha Constructions, Chennai

Be Good and Do Good - Swami Vivekananda

35


38/40

WITH BEST WISHES FROM

VASAVI PRINTS, HYDERABAD

Pushpanjali to Martyrs...23rd March

On our work depends the coming of the India of the future.

- Swami Vivekananda

36


39/40


40/40

Documents

Nachiketanjali_3rd Issue