A couple of weeks ago, in the sunday edition of a local newspaper, I read a column from one contributor about fasting during Ramadan month. The author’s husband practices Islamic faith and the author being a Christian says in the column on how difficult it has been to fast dawn to dusk every day and she had to do it initially to please her husband. She goes on to say how this sacrifice from her has helped her connect with her husband and improve on their marriage through team work and trust.
I do agree and understand with her on the aspects of team work, trust and sacrifice in marriage and do appreciate her fasting for Ramadaan along with her husband. However I felt after reading the column, that there is a lack of spirituality in her which made it seem very difficult to go through this religious practice of fasting.
All world religions attest to the practice of fasting and the positive benefits derived from it. The time, duration etc. of the fasting may vary from one religion to another, but the basic premise is one and same - the premise is that by fasting the individual tries to transcend his/her attachment to physical body (gross) as well as to the subtle (mind & intellect) layers and tries to go deeper into his/her soul. By searching deeper into the soul and integrating it with the supreme power of this cosmos (that we call Brahman in Vedanta and as GOD in general), we realize the oneness of all living beings in this universe. This is the basic foundation of spirituality.
The purpose of fasting is not starving oneself of food, starving is suppression of the emotions and needs of the body. A person does not gain anything by suppression, what is needed is sublimation. Sublimation is making any activity nobler and purer through knowledge. This knowledge has to come from reading of religious scriptures, contemplation, and meditation and there by developing the spirituality within oneself. So for fasting to be easy and effective, there has to be a strong affinity for spirituality, whatever the religious beliefs may be. Individuals with materialistic mindset need to overcome many of their attachments and ego for such religious practices to be successful.
Hari Om.
Vedanta is pure knowledge on the 'Dharma' of human life, the purpose of our life in this world and the paths of attaining the highest levels of spirituality - the Brahman. The sources of Vedanta are the Holy texts of Vedas from Bharat (India) written about 3000 years ago. My intention is to reflect and write about the ultimate philosophical truths of Vedanta as I understand from the many books read and discourses attended. Hari Om.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Kauai’s Hindu Monastery and their publications
The past few days, I have been reading a wonderful magazine by name ‘Hinduism Today’ published by the Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, based out of Kauai island in Hawaii. As per their website http://www.himalayanacademy.com, they practice the Tamil Saiva tradition of Hindu worship which is originally popular in Tamil Nadu (India) and in Sri Lanka. The monastery has a well equipped publishing team and they are doing a great and noble service of publishing excellent books and magazines on Hinduism which covers a range of topics from Vedantic philosophies to modern Hindu traditions and lifestyles. Their quarterly magazine Hinduism Today www.hinduismtoday.com has very insightful articles and commentaries on Hindu Dharma, interviews and news clippings related to Hinduism. The monastery also has published a book on ‘What is Hinduism’ which can be downloaded free as PDF copies from their website http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/wfdownloads/viewcat.php?op=&cid=2. This book will also make a great option as gift for others who may be new to Hinduism or would like to know more about it. I heard that some Hindu communities across the US are conducting discussion groups among adults and kids in temples and other community centers where a chapter from this book is read regularly.
Hari Om.
Hari Om.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Fundementals of Vedanta - Sraddha (श्रद्धा) and Bhakthi (भक्थि)
Hari Om.
In Kaivalyopanishad (कैवल्योपनिषद), the student Asvalayana asks the teacher Lord Paramesthi to teach him the highest Brahma Vidya (the Science of Reality). The teacher starts the teaching with one powerful and significant statement as below:
“श्रद्धा भक्थि ज्ननयोगात अवैहि”
‘Sraddha Bhakthi Jnanayogat Avaihi’ – Know (the Bramha Vidya) yourself through Sraddha, Bhakti and Meditation.
What is Sraddha (श्रद्धा) and Bhakthi (भक्थि) ?
Sraddha is Faith infused with knowledge. It is not a blind faith on the words of the master. The student has to understand the import and reasons of the knowledge taught and intellectually understand and comprehend them. Gurudev Chinmayananda explains it as follows: ‘Faith is the faculty of the human intellect by which it can reflect and understand the deeper imports of the scriptural declarations and thereafter assimilate those ideas into the very texture of the intellect’ .
Bhakthi is devotion to the ideals that is understood through Sraddha. Devotion is higher than just love – it is love combined with respect to a higher entity or statement. We love our pets but we do not say we are devoted to it. However we are ‘devoted’ to our parents and Gurus and their teachings. Devotion makes a person attached and dedicated to the higher ideal.
Sraddha is the function of the intellect and Bhakthi is the function of the heart. They are the two wings of Dhayana (Meditation) that uplifts a person to higher plane of consciousness. Both the wings are needed to fly upwards. Sraddha without Bhakthi would be mere ‘theory’ with no practical applications. Bhakthi without Shraddha will be blind faith with no knowledge. Infact, nowadays we see more of blind faith with no effort to gain the knowledge through the scriptures (such as the priceless Vedas or Bible etc.). People visit places of worship to search for GOD externally and petition to that GOD ! Without knowledge, such individuals do not see the universality of GOD in every living being in this plant and this result in disrespect for each other and other living beings.
We all need to develop the faculties of Sraddha and Bhakthi and this harmonized head and heard develop in themselves a power of subjective perception called ‘Intuition’ which is needed for Spiritual awakening.
At His Service,
Hari Om.
In Kaivalyopanishad (कैवल्योपनिषद), the student Asvalayana asks the teacher Lord Paramesthi to teach him the highest Brahma Vidya (the Science of Reality). The teacher starts the teaching with one powerful and significant statement as below:
“श्रद्धा भक्थि ज्ननयोगात अवैहि”
‘Sraddha Bhakthi Jnanayogat Avaihi’ – Know (the Bramha Vidya) yourself through Sraddha, Bhakti and Meditation.
What is Sraddha (श्रद्धा) and Bhakthi (भक्थि) ?
Sraddha is Faith infused with knowledge. It is not a blind faith on the words of the master. The student has to understand the import and reasons of the knowledge taught and intellectually understand and comprehend them. Gurudev Chinmayananda explains it as follows: ‘Faith is the faculty of the human intellect by which it can reflect and understand the deeper imports of the scriptural declarations and thereafter assimilate those ideas into the very texture of the intellect’ .
Bhakthi is devotion to the ideals that is understood through Sraddha. Devotion is higher than just love – it is love combined with respect to a higher entity or statement. We love our pets but we do not say we are devoted to it. However we are ‘devoted’ to our parents and Gurus and their teachings. Devotion makes a person attached and dedicated to the higher ideal.
Sraddha is the function of the intellect and Bhakthi is the function of the heart. They are the two wings of Dhayana (Meditation) that uplifts a person to higher plane of consciousness. Both the wings are needed to fly upwards. Sraddha without Bhakthi would be mere ‘theory’ with no practical applications. Bhakthi without Shraddha will be blind faith with no knowledge. Infact, nowadays we see more of blind faith with no effort to gain the knowledge through the scriptures (such as the priceless Vedas or Bible etc.). People visit places of worship to search for GOD externally and petition to that GOD ! Without knowledge, such individuals do not see the universality of GOD in every living being in this plant and this result in disrespect for each other and other living beings.
We all need to develop the faculties of Sraddha and Bhakthi and this harmonized head and heard develop in themselves a power of subjective perception called ‘Intuition’ which is needed for Spiritual awakening.
At His Service,
Hari Om.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Western philosphies and their connections to Vedanta
A few weeks ago, I happened to read a quote by Wayne Dyer who is a well known motivational speaker. The quote says “We are all infinite spiritual beings having a temporary human experience. Find that within yourself ".
I have heard of Wayne Dyer, and have read some of his writings and blogs, but this quote above from Dyer took me by pleasant surprise as it reflects exactly our Vedantic declarations. With all the due credits to such motivational gurus for their writings, I still could not stop thinking that all this philosophical thoughts in the Western world ought to have some connections to Eastern philosophies and specifically to our Vedas from Bharat (India). I decided to read to look for connections and started reading further, but did not have to go too long.
In his writings, Wayne Dyer refers to his guidance on philosophy from Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) who was a famous essayist and philosopher and started the "Transcedentalist' movement in America and Europe in late 19th century. Though Ralph Emerson had been brought up in a Christian thoughts and trained as a minister, he was greatly influenced by the writings on Hindu Religion and on Vedas by another well known thinker and philosopher Henry Thomas Colebrooke. Henry colebrooke spent many years in Bharat (India) in the 18th century (1765-1837) studying on Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures. He wrote a well known treatise “Essays on Vedas” in 1805. This essay is now available to read and download in Google books (http:// books.google.com).
Wikipedia says Ralph Emerson was greatly influenced by Vedas and much of his writings has strong shades of non-dualism (Advaita Vedanta). In his essay 'The Over-Soul' Emerson says the following:
"We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related, the eternal ONE. And this deep power in which we exist and whose beatitude is all accessible to us, is not only self-sufficing and perfect in every hour, but the act of seeing and the thing seen, the seer and the spectacle, the subject and the object, are one. We see the world piece by piece, as the sun, the moon, the animal, the tree; but the whole, of which these are shining parts, is the soul."
Infact the term 'Over-Soul' can be considered as the closest English equivalent of the Vedic term 'Paramatman' . This essay 'Over-Soul' by Emerson is also available for all to read and download in Google books.
Another great poet and philosopher who influenced Ralph Emerson and became his friend and was his contemporary was Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) who had most beautifully expressed his admiration of reading Bhagavad Gita every morning as follows:
"In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial; and I doubt if that philosophy is not to be referred to a previous state of existence, so remote is its sublimity from our conceptions."
Thoreau was a naturalist and poet and a follower of Vegetarianism. He is quoted to have said ""Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."
Mahatma Gandhi was deeply influenced by Thoreau's writings and in fact took the idea of Civil Disobedience from him.
Another philosopher who brought Eastern philosophical knowledge to the western world was the French thinker Victor Cousin (1792-1867). Ralph Emerson was introduced to scriptures from Bharat (India) by Victor Cousin.
Thus goes all the connections of these western philosophers to our rich, exquisite, unparalleled and priceless collections of Vedas, Upanishads and of course the crown jewel, the Bhagavad-Gita. Undoubtedly, there has been no society, no country, no civilization in the history of the earth with such advanced and scientific contributions to philosophy as that of our Vedas. As Emerson quoted above, in comparison (to scriptures from Bharat) all the rest of the world's contributions seem puny and trivial. The more I read on the western thinkers and philosophies, the more I see the connections to our scriptures. I feel it is only the tip of an iceberg that I have scratched - there is a huge mountain of knowledge that needs to be read and understood ! I don't think our lifetime is enough to go through all of them, but I am determined to keep reading.
Hari Om.
I have heard of Wayne Dyer, and have read some of his writings and blogs, but this quote above from Dyer took me by pleasant surprise as it reflects exactly our Vedantic declarations. With all the due credits to such motivational gurus for their writings, I still could not stop thinking that all this philosophical thoughts in the Western world ought to have some connections to Eastern philosophies and specifically to our Vedas from Bharat (India). I decided to read to look for connections and started reading further, but did not have to go too long.
In his writings, Wayne Dyer refers to his guidance on philosophy from Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) who was a famous essayist and philosopher and started the "Transcedentalist' movement in America and Europe in late 19th century. Though Ralph Emerson had been brought up in a Christian thoughts and trained as a minister, he was greatly influenced by the writings on Hindu Religion and on Vedas by another well known thinker and philosopher Henry Thomas Colebrooke. Henry colebrooke spent many years in Bharat (India) in the 18th century (1765-1837) studying on Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures. He wrote a well known treatise “Essays on Vedas” in 1805. This essay is now available to read and download in Google books (http:// books.google.com).
Wikipedia says Ralph Emerson was greatly influenced by Vedas and much of his writings has strong shades of non-dualism (Advaita Vedanta). In his essay 'The Over-Soul' Emerson says the following:
"We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related, the eternal ONE. And this deep power in which we exist and whose beatitude is all accessible to us, is not only self-sufficing and perfect in every hour, but the act of seeing and the thing seen, the seer and the spectacle, the subject and the object, are one. We see the world piece by piece, as the sun, the moon, the animal, the tree; but the whole, of which these are shining parts, is the soul."
Infact the term 'Over-Soul' can be considered as the closest English equivalent of the Vedic term 'Paramatman' . This essay 'Over-Soul' by Emerson is also available for all to read and download in Google books.
Another great poet and philosopher who influenced Ralph Emerson and became his friend and was his contemporary was Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) who had most beautifully expressed his admiration of reading Bhagavad Gita every morning as follows:
"In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial; and I doubt if that philosophy is not to be referred to a previous state of existence, so remote is its sublimity from our conceptions."
Thoreau was a naturalist and poet and a follower of Vegetarianism. He is quoted to have said ""Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."
Mahatma Gandhi was deeply influenced by Thoreau's writings and in fact took the idea of Civil Disobedience from him.
Another philosopher who brought Eastern philosophical knowledge to the western world was the French thinker Victor Cousin (1792-1867). Ralph Emerson was introduced to scriptures from Bharat (India) by Victor Cousin.
Thus goes all the connections of these western philosophers to our rich, exquisite, unparalleled and priceless collections of Vedas, Upanishads and of course the crown jewel, the Bhagavad-Gita. Undoubtedly, there has been no society, no country, no civilization in the history of the earth with such advanced and scientific contributions to philosophy as that of our Vedas. As Emerson quoted above, in comparison (to scriptures from Bharat) all the rest of the world's contributions seem puny and trivial. The more I read on the western thinkers and philosophies, the more I see the connections to our scriptures. I feel it is only the tip of an iceberg that I have scratched - there is a huge mountain of knowledge that needs to be read and understood ! I don't think our lifetime is enough to go through all of them, but I am determined to keep reading.
Hari Om.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Tattva Bodha (तत्त्वबोधः) by Aadi Shankaracharya
Tattva Bodha is a ‘Prakarana Gantha’ (translated as ‘basic texts’) written by the great master Aadi Shankaracharya. It introduces the students to Vedantic terms and equips them for higher Vedantic studies. In Tattva Bodha, Sri Shankaracharya explains the term and significance of ‘Saadhna Chatustayam’ which is the four-fold qualifications that I have referred in my previous blog. Sri Shankara elaborates the Saadhana Chatushtayam (four-fold qualifications) as thus:
साधन चतुस्तयं किं ?
नित्य अनित्य वस्तु विवेकः
इह मुन्नर्थ फल भोग विरागः
शमदिस्तकसंपत्ति मुमुक्षुत्वं च इति
Sadhna Chatustayam kim?
Nitya-Anitya Vastu Vivekaha,
Iha munnartha phala bhoga viragaha
Samadhisthakasampathi, Mumukshutvam cha ithi
The viveka (knowledge) to discriminate between Nithya (permanent) and Anithya (Non-permanent), dispassion towards enjoyment and results of action, six fold qualities of Sama, Dana, Uparama, Thitiksha, Sraddha, Samadhana and finally Mumukshutva, which is the ardent desire to achieve liberation.
Aadi Shankara provides wonderful insights into each of the above qualifications in great detail in the book. As explained in my previous blog, the significant points in the above are 1) Viveka 2) Vairagya, 3) Control of mind, body etc and 4) Intense desire to attain moksha or liberation. All these are achievable only through knowledge and our effort to experience the Pure Consciousness (Aatman) within all of us.
Viveka is the knowledge and capacity to discriminate the Real from the un-real, the Permanent from impermanent, the Changeless from the changing. The scriptures provide us five types of viveka needed in all humans. They are
Amsa-Amsi Viveka : (relationship between) part and whole
Sadhana-Sadhya Viveka : the means and the end (goal)
Sreyah-Preyah viveka : the good and the pleasant
Atma-Anatma viveka: the self and non-self
Nithya-Anithya viveka : Permanent and impermanent.
Viveka is a trait that is naturally inherent in us as human beings and is one of the unique skills that we have compared to other living things. We should use this skill regularly and wisely in all situations we may face in life.
Hari Om.
- KVR
साधन चतुस्तयं किं ?
नित्य अनित्य वस्तु विवेकः
इह मुन्नर्थ फल भोग विरागः
शमदिस्तकसंपत्ति मुमुक्षुत्वं च इति
Sadhna Chatustayam kim?
Nitya-Anitya Vastu Vivekaha,
Iha munnartha phala bhoga viragaha
Samadhisthakasampathi, Mumukshutvam cha ithi
The viveka (knowledge) to discriminate between Nithya (permanent) and Anithya (Non-permanent), dispassion towards enjoyment and results of action, six fold qualities of Sama, Dana, Uparama, Thitiksha, Sraddha, Samadhana and finally Mumukshutva, which is the ardent desire to achieve liberation.
Aadi Shankara provides wonderful insights into each of the above qualifications in great detail in the book. As explained in my previous blog, the significant points in the above are 1) Viveka 2) Vairagya, 3) Control of mind, body etc and 4) Intense desire to attain moksha or liberation. All these are achievable only through knowledge and our effort to experience the Pure Consciousness (Aatman) within all of us.
Viveka is the knowledge and capacity to discriminate the Real from the un-real, the Permanent from impermanent, the Changeless from the changing. The scriptures provide us five types of viveka needed in all humans. They are
Amsa-Amsi Viveka : (relationship between) part and whole
Sadhana-Sadhya Viveka : the means and the end (goal)
Sreyah-Preyah viveka : the good and the pleasant
Atma-Anatma viveka: the self and non-self
Nithya-Anithya viveka : Permanent and impermanent.
Viveka is a trait that is naturally inherent in us as human beings and is one of the unique skills that we have compared to other living things. We should use this skill regularly and wisely in all situations we may face in life.
Hari Om.
- KVR
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Reading Gurudev's biography
Sri Chinmaya SadGuruve Namaha.
Hari Om.
Recently I have started reading a biography of Guruji Swami Chinmayananda. The book is written by Nancy Patchen and published by Chinmaya Mission Trust. I bought the book during the Chinmaya camp I attended in Dallas in Dec 09.
The book elucidates wonderfully the life of Guruji and how he came to this chosen path of Vedanta. The author has very clearly attempted to describe the life of Rishis and the way of Gurukul education of those days. What inspired me in the reading is the dedication and effort demanded of the students through their rough and tough life in the Gurukulam (Guru’s Ashram) in the Himalayan ranges. The daily regimen for Swami Chinmayananda when he was the disciple of Swami Tapovanam consisted of getting up by 4 AM, bath in the freezing Ganga river, meditations, day long education, discussions with the Guru and other disciples outside among the nature and contemplation during evening hours. They managed life there in the most minimal of conveniences and just enough food to keep them going. This kind of life is not to stave or deny themselves, but to transcend the pulls of BMI (Body, Mind and Intellect) away from the transient sensual pleasures and instead focus them pointedly on the path towards Self-Realization. Gurudev (Swami Chinmayananda) studied under the able and highly knowledgeable masters Swami Tapovanam and Swami Sivananda.
In the first few pages of he book, he author Nancy Patchen explains four prerequisite qualities demanded of a student, in order to be successful in the learning, understanding the Vedantic scriptures and to experience the ultimate Truth of Brahman. They are:
Viveka: The capacity to discriminate the Real from the un-real, the Permanent from impermanent, the Changeless from the changing.
Vairagya : Detachment from the un-real through logic and intellectual discrimination.
Satkasampatti: This consists of six moral and mental qualities: 1) Sama - Control of mind and ability to remain focused on one's objective; (2)Dana - Control of organs of perception and organs of action; (3) Uparati – the ability to cease all activities; (4) Thithiksha – endurance; (5) Shraddha – faith based on intellectual appreciation of the truths of the scriptures and (6) Samadana – A tranquil, calm mind born out of contemplation on the Truth – the Brahman.
Mumukshutva: The compelling desire to leave the limitations of the mortal world to reach the final divine goal of freedom from all bondage.
I believe the above qualities are a must in order to attain the highest levels in any field of knowledge, and the last quality – Mumukhutva being the final step to attain Moksha - the Infinite Brahman.
Hari Om.
Recently I have started reading a biography of Guruji Swami Chinmayananda. The book is written by Nancy Patchen and published by Chinmaya Mission Trust. I bought the book during the Chinmaya camp I attended in Dallas in Dec 09.
The book elucidates wonderfully the life of Guruji and how he came to this chosen path of Vedanta. The author has very clearly attempted to describe the life of Rishis and the way of Gurukul education of those days. What inspired me in the reading is the dedication and effort demanded of the students through their rough and tough life in the Gurukulam (Guru’s Ashram) in the Himalayan ranges. The daily regimen for Swami Chinmayananda when he was the disciple of Swami Tapovanam consisted of getting up by 4 AM, bath in the freezing Ganga river, meditations, day long education, discussions with the Guru and other disciples outside among the nature and contemplation during evening hours. They managed life there in the most minimal of conveniences and just enough food to keep them going. This kind of life is not to stave or deny themselves, but to transcend the pulls of BMI (Body, Mind and Intellect) away from the transient sensual pleasures and instead focus them pointedly on the path towards Self-Realization. Gurudev (Swami Chinmayananda) studied under the able and highly knowledgeable masters Swami Tapovanam and Swami Sivananda.
In the first few pages of he book, he author Nancy Patchen explains four prerequisite qualities demanded of a student, in order to be successful in the learning, understanding the Vedantic scriptures and to experience the ultimate Truth of Brahman. They are:
Viveka: The capacity to discriminate the Real from the un-real, the Permanent from impermanent, the Changeless from the changing.
Vairagya : Detachment from the un-real through logic and intellectual discrimination.
Satkasampatti: This consists of six moral and mental qualities: 1) Sama - Control of mind and ability to remain focused on one's objective; (2)Dana - Control of organs of perception and organs of action; (3) Uparati – the ability to cease all activities; (4) Thithiksha – endurance; (5) Shraddha – faith based on intellectual appreciation of the truths of the scriptures and (6) Samadana – A tranquil, calm mind born out of contemplation on the Truth – the Brahman.
Mumukshutva: The compelling desire to leave the limitations of the mortal world to reach the final divine goal of freedom from all bondage.
I believe the above qualities are a must in order to attain the highest levels in any field of knowledge, and the last quality – Mumukhutva being the final step to attain Moksha - the Infinite Brahman.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Resilence of kids in Haiti - A Vedantic view
Hari Om. Today morning in the NBC 'Today' program I was listening to the story of the resilience of kids in Haiti. Inspite of the terrible tragedy of earthquake, with thousands of deaths, no homes and no basic utilities, etc. it is amazing to know that the young kids there have been the first to regain their normalcy (whatever normalcy they could get !) and bring their life back to fun and smiles ! News reporters are seeing kids playing with kites and soccer balls among the ravages of the earthquake - even those who are seriously hurt have been seen smiling and trying to enjoy.
What is it that brings kids into this state of mind ? We all have heard infants are considered to be in a Godly state of mind in their initial years. They are said to be pure and innocent in their thoughts and actions . What is the reason for this and why do we change as we grow up ?
Here is my take on it. As we learn from the concepts of Vedanta, BMI and the Pancha Kosas, it is the association of our self with the grosser layers of Body, Mind and Intellect that is the cause of all emotions including the ego. Our Self or Atman is always pure. When we are born, each of us come with certain inherent Vasanas within us - that is the reason for our rebirth as per Hindu Shastras. As we grow up, these hidden Vasanas exert as thoughts in our intellect and as emotions in our mind. In addition to these inherent Vasanas, we accumulate our own share (a big share !!) of Vasanas through our senses and actions from the outer world. All these form the thick layer of Ego within us and form a veil covering the Pure Inner Self . It is this ego in the form of various mental emotions (sadness, worrries, desire, hatred, anger, lust, etc.) that prevents us from coming back to our own self - our real nature which we are born with.
Infants and kids have purer mind and intellect and lesser vasanas. They do not have any vasanas driven ego and emotions in them. So any sadness or desires they have is momentary ! It goes away as soon as their attention is diverted and they do not keep those emotions botteld up. We have seen numerous examples of crying babies smiling or laughing the very next moment their attention is diverted !
We tend to say kids are not matured, so they have this tendency to take it lightly, but looking in from a philosophical angle, I have to ask are we as adults moving from maturity to immaturity as we age ??
Adi Shankara says in Bhaja Govindam .
'Viddhi Vyadhyabhimanagrastam; Lokam Sokhatam cha Samastham; Bhaja Govindam.."
The Very world is consumed by disease and conceit; riddled with pangs, so Seek Govinda...
As Gurudev says, pleasures and pains come and go away, not knowing that we as adults are sad, upset and angry for situations where we have no contol (like earthquake). Kids in Haiti let it pass and look for the next best chance to return to normal. So who is more matured ??
Hari Om.
- KVR
What is it that brings kids into this state of mind ? We all have heard infants are considered to be in a Godly state of mind in their initial years. They are said to be pure and innocent in their thoughts and actions . What is the reason for this and why do we change as we grow up ?
Here is my take on it. As we learn from the concepts of Vedanta, BMI and the Pancha Kosas, it is the association of our self with the grosser layers of Body, Mind and Intellect that is the cause of all emotions including the ego. Our Self or Atman is always pure. When we are born, each of us come with certain inherent Vasanas within us - that is the reason for our rebirth as per Hindu Shastras. As we grow up, these hidden Vasanas exert as thoughts in our intellect and as emotions in our mind. In addition to these inherent Vasanas, we accumulate our own share (a big share !!) of Vasanas through our senses and actions from the outer world. All these form the thick layer of Ego within us and form a veil covering the Pure Inner Self . It is this ego in the form of various mental emotions (sadness, worrries, desire, hatred, anger, lust, etc.) that prevents us from coming back to our own self - our real nature which we are born with.
Infants and kids have purer mind and intellect and lesser vasanas. They do not have any vasanas driven ego and emotions in them. So any sadness or desires they have is momentary ! It goes away as soon as their attention is diverted and they do not keep those emotions botteld up. We have seen numerous examples of crying babies smiling or laughing the very next moment their attention is diverted !
We tend to say kids are not matured, so they have this tendency to take it lightly, but looking in from a philosophical angle, I have to ask are we as adults moving from maturity to immaturity as we age ??
Adi Shankara says in Bhaja Govindam .
'Viddhi Vyadhyabhimanagrastam; Lokam Sokhatam cha Samastham; Bhaja Govindam.."
The Very world is consumed by disease and conceit; riddled with pangs, so Seek Govinda...
As Gurudev says, pleasures and pains come and go away, not knowing that we as adults are sad, upset and angry for situations where we have no contol (like earthquake). Kids in Haiti let it pass and look for the next best chance to return to normal. So who is more matured ??
Hari Om.
- KVR
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Significance of Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthihi.
In Hinduism, all sacred, auspicious and significant events in life are supposed to start with invocation of a God to seek His blessings in the successful conduct and completion of the activity without hindrance. Nowadays, this is normally done through prayers to Ganesha who is considered as ‘gate keeper’ to prevent any ‘vignams’ (hindrances), thus Ganesha is also called Vigneshwara.
All the Hindu mantras end with the invocation of peace through the chanting of ‘Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthihi..’. The word Shanthi means ‘peace’ and is repeated 3 times. Swami Chinmayananda Guruji has explained the significance of repeating this word ‘Shanthi’ three times as below:
The first ‘Shanthi’ is for preventing God-Sent (Aadhi-Daivika) obstacles which come unexpected and unpredictable, such as asteroids hitting the earth, earthquakes, Tsunami’s etc.; The second ‘Shanthi ‘is for preventing worldly phenomenon (Aadhi-Bhoutika) obstacles such as floods, fires etc. which are known to mankind, but not controllable. The third ‘Shanthi’ is for preventing subjective inner obstacles in each of us such as worries, anger etc. It is prayed that the ‘Vignams’ from all these three are prevented till the function or event is completed successfully.
When reciting the prayers, Guruji suggests that the first ‘Shanthi’ should be loud and clear, the second time it should be of moderate sound and the third time it should be a whisper since it is for subjective mind and intellect.
Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthihi. Hari Om.
All the Hindu mantras end with the invocation of peace through the chanting of ‘Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthihi..’. The word Shanthi means ‘peace’ and is repeated 3 times. Swami Chinmayananda Guruji has explained the significance of repeating this word ‘Shanthi’ three times as below:
The first ‘Shanthi’ is for preventing God-Sent (Aadhi-Daivika) obstacles which come unexpected and unpredictable, such as asteroids hitting the earth, earthquakes, Tsunami’s etc.; The second ‘Shanthi ‘is for preventing worldly phenomenon (Aadhi-Bhoutika) obstacles such as floods, fires etc. which are known to mankind, but not controllable. The third ‘Shanthi’ is for preventing subjective inner obstacles in each of us such as worries, anger etc. It is prayed that the ‘Vignams’ from all these three are prevented till the function or event is completed successfully.
When reciting the prayers, Guruji suggests that the first ‘Shanthi’ should be loud and clear, the second time it should be of moderate sound and the third time it should be a whisper since it is for subjective mind and intellect.
Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthihi. Hari Om.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Fundementals of Vedanta-Part 1
In one of my previous postings, I talked about Advaita Vedanta being a science in itself to improve the life of humans in this planet. The Vedantic principles transcend religious beliefs, cultural practices and national boundaries. I keep repeating this because there is a general thinking that Vedas are scriptures only for Hindus. Saying so would be unfortunately limiting this wonderful philosophical work to only a section of people in this world. Hinduism is considered as ‘Sanathana Dharma’ which means ‘Eternal Righteous Way of life’ so the principles of Hinduism is applicable for all other religious beliefs. Vedas are given to us for the welfare of the entire humanity. All human beings are same in terms of body composition, mind and intellectual thoughts. Vedanta delves into the working of these three aspects – Body, Mind and Intellect (BMI) in an individual and how the control of the BMI could bring about the ultimate contentment and resulting happiness in an individual.
The ultimate motive of all human beings is happiness. Happiness comes from contentment – a feeling that you have all you need and that you are ‘complete’ and satisfied in life!! All our cravings for materialistic comforts and personal relationships are for achieving this contentment and happiness. Unfortunately, in spite of all advances in science and technology, material comforts, unlimited money etc. we are yet to find peace and happiness in this world. The reason for this, as per Swami Chinmayananda, is because we are searching for answers (to happiness and peace) in the wrong place to begin with!
The scientists and engineers of our modern day world do research and development in the external world, among materials, objects and even nature. We are led to believe that rearranging or changing our external interfaces (bigger house, faster cars, cell phones etc.) will result in more comforts and thereby more happiness and contentment. Because of this theory, the present day generation accumulates more and more materialistic comforts and spends their BMI in the sensory pleasures from these external interfaces! Alas! The more a person gets, the more he/she desires and demands, so there is no end to this accumulation!
According to Swami Chinmayananda, the ancient Rishis (sage) of India who were the Vedantic scientists of that time, went in search of answers for contentment and happiness internally – they were convinced the happiness and bliss is inward in an individual and not external. Through appropriate structuring and control of the Body, Mind and Intellect (BMI) and their sensory interfaces to the outside world, an individual could alter his or her outlook on the stimulations received from outer world and ensure that only that is noble, relevant and needed information could be absorbed by his/her senses ! This is intelligent detachment of our senses from the external happenings in this world. This detachment brings about an amazing level of tranquility and peace within the mind. A peaceful mind results in better concentration, dexterity and equipoise (balance), there by improving our skills and decision making capabilities in this world !
Let me provide a normal life situation example of this detachment: In the US, of late we have been hearing about interest rate (APR) increases and fees increases from credit card companies. I have a couple of credit cards myself, so I totally understand the impact these may have on the consumers. I feel, the ideal solution for these actions from the credit card companies is not to depend on them!! If people could learn to use the credit card only as a ‘convenience plastic card’ and spend only what they can afford to pay fully in the next statement, it would insulate them from these whims and fancies of the card companies. I spend on my card only those which I could afford to pay fully in the next statement, so no worries on interest rates ! Nowadays I use debit cards more often!
So intelligent detachment on day to day work activities is the solution for worry free life. Work honestly and sincerely without expecting anything for self in return. This is selfless activity which is Karma Yoga in Vedanta.
More on BMI and Karma Yoga in my next posting.
Om Sri Chinmaya Sadguruve Namaha.
Hari Om.
The ultimate motive of all human beings is happiness. Happiness comes from contentment – a feeling that you have all you need and that you are ‘complete’ and satisfied in life!! All our cravings for materialistic comforts and personal relationships are for achieving this contentment and happiness. Unfortunately, in spite of all advances in science and technology, material comforts, unlimited money etc. we are yet to find peace and happiness in this world. The reason for this, as per Swami Chinmayananda, is because we are searching for answers (to happiness and peace) in the wrong place to begin with!
The scientists and engineers of our modern day world do research and development in the external world, among materials, objects and even nature. We are led to believe that rearranging or changing our external interfaces (bigger house, faster cars, cell phones etc.) will result in more comforts and thereby more happiness and contentment. Because of this theory, the present day generation accumulates more and more materialistic comforts and spends their BMI in the sensory pleasures from these external interfaces! Alas! The more a person gets, the more he/she desires and demands, so there is no end to this accumulation!
According to Swami Chinmayananda, the ancient Rishis (sage) of India who were the Vedantic scientists of that time, went in search of answers for contentment and happiness internally – they were convinced the happiness and bliss is inward in an individual and not external. Through appropriate structuring and control of the Body, Mind and Intellect (BMI) and their sensory interfaces to the outside world, an individual could alter his or her outlook on the stimulations received from outer world and ensure that only that is noble, relevant and needed information could be absorbed by his/her senses ! This is intelligent detachment of our senses from the external happenings in this world. This detachment brings about an amazing level of tranquility and peace within the mind. A peaceful mind results in better concentration, dexterity and equipoise (balance), there by improving our skills and decision making capabilities in this world !
Let me provide a normal life situation example of this detachment: In the US, of late we have been hearing about interest rate (APR) increases and fees increases from credit card companies. I have a couple of credit cards myself, so I totally understand the impact these may have on the consumers. I feel, the ideal solution for these actions from the credit card companies is not to depend on them!! If people could learn to use the credit card only as a ‘convenience plastic card’ and spend only what they can afford to pay fully in the next statement, it would insulate them from these whims and fancies of the card companies. I spend on my card only those which I could afford to pay fully in the next statement, so no worries on interest rates ! Nowadays I use debit cards more often!
So intelligent detachment on day to day work activities is the solution for worry free life. Work honestly and sincerely without expecting anything for self in return. This is selfless activity which is Karma Yoga in Vedanta.
More on BMI and Karma Yoga in my next posting.
Om Sri Chinmaya Sadguruve Namaha.
Hari Om.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Chinmaya Famiy Camp
Hari Om. Last week, me and my family attended a week long Chinmaya Camp in Dallas,TX organized by the local (Dallas, TX) Chinmaya Mission centre - Chinmaya Saaket. Several CM Acharyas and Swamijis including the Head of Chinmaya Mission worldwide - Swami Tejomayananda (Guruji) participated in the event. Hundreds of Chinmaya devotees from different parts of the country (US) and some from Hong Kong and Tokyo also attended.
The goal of the camp was ‘The Journey from Change to Changeless’. Our Supreme Consciousness, the Brahman is the only changeless substratum of this universe. Everything else happens ‘on and because’ of this substratum. Change is relative; for a change to happen, there needs to be a changeless base which supports it. Attaining this ultimate base, which is the Atman within us, through knowledge and thereby reaching a state of changeless-ness within ourselves was the goal of this camp. Anyone who attains this Self-Realization is freed from all the sensuous afflictions of mind, body and intellect (BMI). This is the knowledge embedded in the priceless texts of Vedas and Bhagavad Gita.
It was a week spent in complete spiritual thoughts and alignment. Just as we do tuning up of our automobiles, just as we revitalize our physical bodies through massages, our inner Indriyas also need to be tuned up and revitalized frequently with doses of spirituality. Spirituality is contemplating on the One Supreme Power (OSP) which pervades all life and inert objects in this cosmos and aligning our Body, Mind and Intellect (BMI) to this eternal power. It transcends religion, rituals and other cultural practices - hence this exercise is applicable for all humans for improving their efficiency and productivity in their life.
The camp provided a great opportunity for all Chinmaya devotees and Vedantic students to listen to Swamiji’s and Acharyas of CM on several aspects of Advaita Vedanta. Our daily regimen in the camp started with Meditation early in the morning followed by discourses on Kaivalyo Upanishad, Gopika Geetam, Satsangs on Karma Yoga as applicable to different situations in life (Workplace, Parenting and other everyday life), Bhagavad Gita Ch. 17 and various cultural activities. Kids had activities appropriate to their age groups including Yoga and stories from Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Sri Aadi Shankara in his Bhaja Govindam has advised the following:
Trijagati Sajjanasangathireka; Bhavathi Bhavarnavatharane Nouka
In the three worlds, it is the association with good people alone that can serve as a boat to cross the sea of change (of birth and death)
Attending Satsangs and camps helps us forge our association with like minded people interested in Vedantic science and having ambitions to reach the plane of higher consciousness. Importantly it is indeed a blessing to talk, discuss and contemplate with senior Acharyas of Chinmaya Mission who have themselves been fortunate to have talked, walked and worked with Swami Chinmayananda for many years.
Aadi Shankara in another stanza of Bhaja Govindam also says :
Satsangatve Nissangatvam
Nissangatve Nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve Nischallatvam
Nischallatve Geevan Mukthi.
Through the company of good, there arises non-attachment; when there is non-attachment, there are no delusions; when there is freedom from delusions, there is the Immutable Reality; when there is the experience of Immutable Reality, there comes the state of liberation of life!
Seeking company of good like minded people is important in any profession of life - all the more in spirituality. In our present day world, most of us have enrolled into associations and groups for many of the career based professions – both online and otherwise. In the same way, it is important to devote time and effort to improve our inner conditioning in a spiritual way through Chinmaya Mission and other centers.
The goal of the camp was ‘The Journey from Change to Changeless’. Our Supreme Consciousness, the Brahman is the only changeless substratum of this universe. Everything else happens ‘on and because’ of this substratum. Change is relative; for a change to happen, there needs to be a changeless base which supports it. Attaining this ultimate base, which is the Atman within us, through knowledge and thereby reaching a state of changeless-ness within ourselves was the goal of this camp. Anyone who attains this Self-Realization is freed from all the sensuous afflictions of mind, body and intellect (BMI). This is the knowledge embedded in the priceless texts of Vedas and Bhagavad Gita.
It was a week spent in complete spiritual thoughts and alignment. Just as we do tuning up of our automobiles, just as we revitalize our physical bodies through massages, our inner Indriyas also need to be tuned up and revitalized frequently with doses of spirituality. Spirituality is contemplating on the One Supreme Power (OSP) which pervades all life and inert objects in this cosmos and aligning our Body, Mind and Intellect (BMI) to this eternal power. It transcends religion, rituals and other cultural practices - hence this exercise is applicable for all humans for improving their efficiency and productivity in their life.
The camp provided a great opportunity for all Chinmaya devotees and Vedantic students to listen to Swamiji’s and Acharyas of CM on several aspects of Advaita Vedanta. Our daily regimen in the camp started with Meditation early in the morning followed by discourses on Kaivalyo Upanishad, Gopika Geetam, Satsangs on Karma Yoga as applicable to different situations in life (Workplace, Parenting and other everyday life), Bhagavad Gita Ch. 17 and various cultural activities. Kids had activities appropriate to their age groups including Yoga and stories from Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Sri Aadi Shankara in his Bhaja Govindam has advised the following:
Trijagati Sajjanasangathireka; Bhavathi Bhavarnavatharane Nouka
In the three worlds, it is the association with good people alone that can serve as a boat to cross the sea of change (of birth and death)
Attending Satsangs and camps helps us forge our association with like minded people interested in Vedantic science and having ambitions to reach the plane of higher consciousness. Importantly it is indeed a blessing to talk, discuss and contemplate with senior Acharyas of Chinmaya Mission who have themselves been fortunate to have talked, walked and worked with Swami Chinmayananda for many years.
Aadi Shankara in another stanza of Bhaja Govindam also says :
Satsangatve Nissangatvam
Nissangatve Nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve Nischallatvam
Nischallatve Geevan Mukthi.
Through the company of good, there arises non-attachment; when there is non-attachment, there are no delusions; when there is freedom from delusions, there is the Immutable Reality; when there is the experience of Immutable Reality, there comes the state of liberation of life!
Seeking company of good like minded people is important in any profession of life - all the more in spirituality. In our present day world, most of us have enrolled into associations and groups for many of the career based professions – both online and otherwise. In the same way, it is important to devote time and effort to improve our inner conditioning in a spiritual way through Chinmaya Mission and other centers.
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