Shanthisandeshv10n2 by Shanthi Mandir

Shanthi Sandesh Hindu Temple and Community Center Of Mid -Missouri 2006 Holly Avenue, Columbia, MO 65202 -2043 http://shanthimandir.missouri.org (573) 814 -1286 V O L U M E

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Devi Lalitha and Devi Durga: their Functional Variety Dr. C.L. Prabhakar This article is continued from last edition of Shanthi Sandesh

Inside This Issue Devi Lalitha and Devi Durga

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Executive Board

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Sharing the Warmth

The Case of the Empty Jewelry Store

Bal Sandesh

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HTCC Youth Day Picnic

Shanthi Mandir at Ten The Big Picture

Yoga Corner

Bhagavad Gita

Quarterly Fiscal Report

Donor Acknowledgment

Community Calendar

Current Programs

She is worshipped on certain specific days like Ashtami, Amavasya and such odd occasions because she will square up the negatives. For example She will settle family feud and quarrel between the wedded couple and make peace and amity reign. She improves the health and longevity of people (Ayurarogyadam Pumsam). She blesses betterment and success in knowledge. She provides happiness from the happy rites done in the rites. She is fond of her son Kumaraswamy and so gets a special name Kaumari. Also the name ‘Kumaralalasasakta’. She in the form of Lord Krishna is the destroyer of the life of Kamsa, the demon. She is born out of Fire and Mahakala (Mahakala Samudbhava). She is born out of the three murthisBrahma, Vishnu, and Mahesvara. She is born out of the Nara and Narayanas (Naranarayananodbhuta).

s you read this issue of Shanthi Sandesh, please keep Basu family in your prayers. Dr, Asit Basu, HTCC’s beloved sustaining member left for his heavenly abode on October 19, 2015. May his soul rest in Peace and we pray that almighty give his wife Sandra and Basu family strength to bear this loss. It’s hard to believe that 2015 is coming to an end fast. It has been an eventful year indeed.

She is basically a great light manifesting into a female form to destroy the demons. She is described as ‘Purushakarshini’ meaning ill intentions of people are ruined. Here for contrast we cite the name to Lalitha Devi as Karangulinakhotpanna Narayana Daskrutih). Durga is a war goddess and so in older times kshatriyas and warriors worshipped her for victory. She is highly skilled in the war craft and wielding the war weapons appropriately right justifiable to the occasion (Saryudhadhara and Visvsato mukhi). Goddess Durga rides the lion (Vahanam) presented by her father the Himavan. She has killed several asuras in a war. The war details are mentioned in the Durgasaptasati and few other texts. She has killed demons like Sumbha, Nisumbha, Mahisa and several others who came to destroy her in support of the said Rakshasas. She has nine manifestations depending on need during the war. The

goddess Durga is the secret Power (Guhyasaktih) and manifests in several ways. She has several functions related to the cosmic functioning of the Universe .The five vital elements balances universe and human body are forces of great Durgaparamesvari. She is more associated with the lightening Energy (Vidyudgihva). She is cause for the rain and subsequent benefits upon the earth. She is cause for the Ahoratris (Ahoratrividhayini). Her powers are endless even in the cosmic management (Anantaananta Prabhava). She is known for several qualities and corresponding functions. She is well known for immensely powerful qualities (anantagunagambhira). She is fond of good people (sista) known for ‘satvika guna’ She loves those who are known for devotion to elders and dedication to Vedic tradition. She is described (continued on Page 2)

Message from the Executive Board Earlier in the year HTCC celebrated 9th Annual Anniversary Banquet on Saturday, April 4, 2015 at the Peachtree Banquet Center. Sanjeev Khanna chaired the “Anniversary Banquet Committee” this year and did an excellent job despite the late start. Over 200 people attended this year’s annual banquet. It was an evening of celebration with Good Food,

Music and Fun for all the attendees. Net revenue after expenses was over $2,850. We would like to thank all the members who helped to make this year’s anniversary banquet a memorable event. In the BoT message in “Samarpanam2015” that was released on April 4, 2015 at the 9th Anniversary Banquet, Dr. H.R. Chandrasekhar (continued on Page 3)

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Lalitha and Durga. A sadhaka may compare and contrast the as the ’vacya varnesvari’. She is devis- Lalita and Durga. But, beyond the avasthas like birth ultimately they are names, death and old age forms, and powers of unified (Janmamrutyu Jaratita). Energy- parasakti. In a simple All details regarding Durga are terms, she is described as provided by Kumaraswamy, the ‘sivasaktaikyasvarupini’. A son of Durga, to Narada combined form of energies of Maharshi who wanted to find out Shiva and Sakti in unison. who could be the deity who Hinduism which has many could solve samsaric problems facets including the vast and obstacles. Kumara said it is mythology provides ample his mother Durga who is choice regarding the deities. All committed to providing samsaric deities are potentially the same. happiness besides spiritual It is up to our attraction and happiness. All this is in the satisfaction we go with the purview of Durgasahasranama. worship of deities with contrast It is difficult to exhaust the of functions. The devis are functional variety of Deviscommitted to Lokakalyana and Devi Lalith and Devi Durga Continued from page 1

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therefore, these devis are uniformly respected with the sloka Sarvamangala mangalye sive sarvarthadayike Saranye tryambike devi narayani/gauri namostute Lalitha is committed to make the life in the word to run and hence she gets the kirti thus’lokayatravidhayini’ and at the same time as the’ sarvavedanta samvedya.’ Jai Lalithambika and Jai Durgambika 

Sharing the Warmth Preeti Shirgur

n November 2015, the HTCC Service Programs Committee, in collaboration with Bal Sabha and Bal Puja youth organized the annual Sharing The Warmth service project to help out people in need. The project involved arranging for donation of winter clothing and accessories. Part of adult and youth items were donated to Public Schools of

our closets and storage spaces, we can always find items that are not being used because of various reasons (at least I do). Using these items to help out other people in need is a great thing to do and it is something I will be doing every year. We hope the community finds it in their hearts (and their closets of course) to donate again. This entire project was completed the week before Columbia, MO and other to Refugees Service of Thanksgiving thanks to the volunteers in charge of Columbia, MO. Both the organizations serve the the project. Phone calls were made to each and Columbia community very well. every contact to ask for donations and everybody The youth collected winter jackets, gloves, caps, came through to make this project a great success winter shoes, socks and blankets in good condition  from the Shanti Mandir community and their friends. No matter how many times we organize

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The Case of the Empty Jewelry Store Anya Kumar - 8th Grade, Gentry Middle School

Can you solve the mystery ? Detective Hunter Bleu observed the sight at Zoe’s Jewelry Palace. No windows were broken, nobody was hurt, and everything was in perfect shape except for the missing jewelry. None of the alarms had sounded, and the glass shielding the jewelry from prying hands had not been penetrated. He scribbled out his notes in frustration. He had been a detective for twenty-four years and had solved every case since he had been employed. He went over the crime scene again and again in his head as he waited for the two women who he knew had close ties with the place to arrive. He heard footsteps and turned in time to introduce himself to Zoe Ross the owner of the store and her primary worker Daphnee Maissels. Daphnee a girl with dirty blonde hair cascading over her shoulders was sobbing into Zoe’s shoulder. “No darling, you couldn’t have stopped the robbery you were being held at gunpoint,” assured Ms. Ross.

Detective Bleu looked carefully at Daphnee. The detective inquired, “Miss Maisells what do you remember from the night of the robbery? Anything you think I should know?” She replied feebly about a large man with a gun, and then paused to think a wistful look covering her face. “Please continue,” said Detective Bleu. “Well, I was working at the shop when a large man in a big black leather jacket walked in. No other customers were inside at the time. He walked up to my desk and pulled me by the collar of my shirt to my feet. He then pulled out a gun and put it to my forehead,” said Daphnee and then put her hand in the shape of a gun and put it to her forehead for emphasis. “He walked around the counter and took a bunch of jewelry with both hands and then ran out of the shop.” She started crying again. “I was so s-s-scared I didn’t try to get away. When he finally left I called the police.” “Thank you, Miss Maissels for all your help.” The detective turned to face Zoe, “Ms. Ross I believe I have found the perpetrator of this crime, you have nothing to worry about.” Who is the burglar? How did Detective Bleu know? (Answer on bottom of last page of Bal Sandesh)

Mandir celebrated all the major festivals viz: Janamashtmi (9/05), Ganesh Utsav Chandrasekhar reminds us that Bhagavad (9/17 thru 09/26), Devi Jaagran (10/17) -Gita has taught us that our ultimate goal and Diwali (11/11) with active participation is to perceive the spark of divinity present from members of the community. everywhere in the world. He further We were blessed to have very inspiring encourages us to continue together in a Navratri Satsangs at Columbia, Missouri journey of prayer, meditation, (Oct. 21-22, 2015) by Shri Raviraj Nasery introspection, fellowship and service as with Tabla accompaniment by Shri Ajay we get ready to complete 10 years of Mishra (on Oct 21) and Dr. Raghu service, prayer and fellowship at Shanthi Pandurangi (on Oct 22). Mandir. We look forward to celebrating Members of the community continue to HTCC’s 10th Anniversary next year. actively participate in several community Election committee consisting of activities and fundraisers viz CROP Gagneesh Rawat, Krishna Sharma and WALK, Share the Warmth and more. At Srinath Gopalakrishna conducted the this year's CROP 5K Run (10/17) the electronic ballots via Survey Monkey for Hindu Temple Helping Hands fielded a the election of EB officers and elected team of 5 runners. The team placed 3rd trustee of BoT. Das Kutikkad was out of 6 teams in the Faith Communities elected as Vice-President Fitness Challenge (FC2) rolling trophy. of HTCC Executive Board, Abirami We narrowly missed the 2nd spot by 3 Elangovan was elected as Treasurer points (24 to 21!). Meghna Srinath placed of HTCC Executive Board and Meena 2nd in her age group among female Thawani was elected as Elected Trustee runners and Surendranatha Yerrapu of HTCC Board of Trustees. All positions placed 2nd in his age group among male were uncontested this year. Total of 76 runners. We fielded 9 walkers at votes were cast in 2015 annual election. the CROP Walk (10/18). Hindu Temple Congratulations to all the winners of this Helping Hands raised $943 for the year’s elections. Here’s a recap of the 2015 CROP Hunger Walk/5K Run ($693 events/functions at Shanthi Mandir since in donations, $100 in HTCC sponsorship March 2015. “Akhand Ramayan Paath” and $150 in the 5K Run registration). was held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 Thanks to our many donors! We could and Sunday, March 29, 2015. HTCC’s not have done it without your support! youth committee under leadership of We would like to bring to your attention Gagneesh Rawat once again organized a that during its semi-annual meeting on grand Holi celebration with colors at the April, 11, 2015, HTCC’s BoT has Shanthi Mandir. appointed an ad-hoc committee, chaired Executive Board Continued from page 1

by Ravi Thawani, to prepare a proposal for hiring a Priest at the Shanthi Mandir. The committee involving all the members of the HTCC’s devotional committee is diligently working on this matter and has presented a short list of qualified applicants and the proposal to HTCC’s BoT at its meeting in September, 2015. Anantha Gopalaratnam and Kalai Kumar have been working with several volunteers planting new plants in the yard of the Mandir grounds and keeping the mandir interiors well maintained/clean respectively. I’m sure many of you have noticed the beautiful flowers blooming this summer/fall and also how well maintained the Mandir building is on the inside. This is made possible by all the volunteers who work hard thru out the year. We thank all the volunteer for their continued support and encourage you to help by joining one or more committees that interest you. Please contact the chairperson of that committee or contact one of the EB officers who will gladly introduce you to the appropriate committee. See you at the Mandir  Ravi Thawani Kirtadas Kutikkad Kusum Malhotra Abirami Elangovan

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Photo Gallery

CROP Walk/Run 2015

Janmashtami 2015

HTCC Quarterly Fiscal Report

For the period January 1st, 2015 - March 31st, 2015 Prepared by Abirami Elangovan Treasurer, July 15th, 2015 Quarterly Revenues Interest Income Interest income Membership: Annual Family Membership Annual Individual Membership Donations: Check Donations Hundi Donations/Prayer Services Capital Campaign Other Revenues: Dividend Ninth Anniversary Celebrations (As of 03/31/2015) Total Quarterly Revenues Quarterly Expenses Administrative Bank Charges Lawn and Garden Ninth Anniversary Celebrations (As of 03/31/2015) Printing/Mailing Utilities Total Quarterly Expenses Net Income for the Quarter

$158.56

$600.00 $90.00

$690.00

$2,859.00 $140.00 $1,393.00

$4,392.00

$38.90 $1,745.00

$1,783.90 $7.024.46

$269.46 $21.72 $145.00 $1,601.00 $147.34 $2,061.15 $4,245.67 $2,778.79

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Newsletter of Bal Sabha of Columbia, MO

Bal Sabha Officers President Prasad Calyam Vice-President Currently Vacant Secretary Puja Nistala Treasurer Muruganantham

December 2015

EDITOR’S NOTE

al Sandesh wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New year. Congratulations to the Bal Sabha kids for their wonderful performances in CAI India Night 2015. And thanks to all our youth members and volunteers who helped make Sharing the Warmth drive a big success once more. In this issue we have several interesting articles on the Bike Ride, Picnic, Spain trip, CK Camp and a Mystery story (see if you can solve it). Keep sending the write-ups, poems, jokes, book reviews and more. And lastly, here's wishing Happy birthday to the Decemberians (Saggitariuses/Capricorns). Happy newsletter reading!!! The Editors

Bike Ride to Rocheport and Back

Charu Murugesan - 6th Grade, Gentry Middle School

t was August 15, 2015, a special day for all Indians. Sixty-eight years ago, on this very day, India got freedom from the British. Bal Sabha planned our annual bike ride to Rocheport which happened to be on this special day (India’s Independence Day). We all met at Scott MKT trail at 7:00am. I pushed my new bike to the starting point. I may have looked prepared for the 26-mile ride but I was feeling nervous on the inside and unsure of riding on my new bike. We took a few pictures and then when everybody was there and ready, we all pushed off for the long ride to Rocheport. We went up and down hills, and over the bridges. Everything was going well.As I started to feel more confident and gain speed, I heard a screechy crunching sound and I knew something was wrong. So me and my dad slowed to a stop and checked my bike. What we saw was strange and we tried to fix it. By the time we repaired it we were far behind but we did our best to catch up. Finally we reached the Hindman junction at 7:50am which meant that we were close to halfway mark. I asked my dad how many more miles to our destination and he responded with 8 more miles, so we pedaled on. At last we reached Rocheport. When I got there I felt pride flood all over me. I made it to Rocheport! I said it over and over and over again with my head held high and a grin glued onto my face. At Rocheport, I was happy to see the variety of snacks that Senthil uncle, Smruthi aunty and Smrita aunty had brought from Columbia. Once I got off my bike, I made a straight beeline to the juice boxes and for my favorite rice Krispy treats. I ate a banana too. All that food recharged me and I was ready to ride back to Columbia. Before we left, we took some group photographs that Gagneesh uncle said was proof of who all made it to Rocheport. The ride back was less tiring, partly because of the food and more so because of my excitement for the upcoming picnic event at Rock Quarry park where I would meet all my friends and get to play with them and relax. Overall I had a fun time, a strong feeling of accomplishment, and a good dose of healthy exercise. But I was mostly proud of the fact that I completed this long ride on my new untried and untested bike

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My Week at College for Kids Camp

Aditi Yerappu - 4th Grade, Mill Creek Elementary

his Summer I went to a week-long overnight camp called College for Kids (CK). The day I was leaving for the camp, I was nervous but at the same time very excited. I had never been to a boarding camp before and was not sure if I could survive the week without my family. When my parents, my friend Sriya (my roommate), her family, and I arrived, we found our dorm and then Sriya and I unpacked. My friend Tia and her dad came to say hi and help us organize our stuff as Tia has been to this camp for 3+ years. After arranging our stuff, we went to the opening ceremony and got to know about all the fun activities we would be doing. I found out that every year there is a theme and this year it was medieval, so there was a guy who came to talk about medieval. Then our parents left and we all ate dinner. A couple of hours later, all of the kids went to their dorms and slept. During the day, we went to fun “college type” classes. I was lucky to get my first choice for both my morning and afternoon sessions - “Blast off with Rocket Science” and “Fit for Life”. I liked Rocket Science because we got to launch the rockets. Fit for Life was fun because we brought

our bikes and rode them and then we went swimming on Friday. On Wednesday, all of the kids at College for Kids got into groups and built catapults that were as tall as me! Afterwards we went to the fire department and had a fireman spray water on us. It was cold but really cool- like a huge water sprinkler! Then on Thursday evening we had a glow-in-the-dark pizza party outside and we stayed up until midnight that day. With all of our activities and having so much of fun, the week passed so quickly and soon it was Friday afternoon, the time for our parents to come and pick us. We had packed all our belongings which our parents loaded in the car and then we went to the auditorium for the closing ceremony. That was a lot of fun too as they played a video of our activities during the week. Towards the end, all the kids went on the stage and danced to the YMCA song and then we left the College for Kids camp. That week I had so much of fun and will definitely be back next year too. CK rocks!!!

My Trip to Madrid Spain

Sriya Pokala - 5th Grade, Mill Creek Elementary

he day I left for Spain, I was very excited. We drove to the airport, hopped on the plane, found our seats, and took off. Once we landed, we got off the plane and took a cab to our hotel. It was a long trip and we were dead tired. We dropped on to our beds and drifted off to sleep. The next day we went on the subway to eat a famous dish from Spain, churros covered in powdered sugar and melted chocolate! It was delicious. After that, we went to look at the statues outside. There were bulls and bears and a tree behind the bear. They looked really cool. My family spent the next 3 days shopping, looking at land marks, going to museums, and much, much more. Some of the places we went to were: The Crystal Palace, Buen Retiro Park, Prado

museum, a place where kings and queens lived, and a lot of other monuments. The last full day that we were in Spain, we watched a Flamenco dance, the traditional dance of Spain. They wore big dresses that had a lot of ruffles and polka dots. It was fun to watch.We traveled back home thinking about everything we had done in Spain. I had so much fun sightseeing, trying new things, admiring art and culture, and learning about whole new country. Fun facts about Spain 1. Bull fighting has been a Spain tradition for thousands of years. 2. Christopher Columbus’s home country is Spain. 3. Spain’s Flamenco dance is like India’s Bharatanatyam

Bal Sandesh needs you! We welcome submissions of all types (reports, poetry, short stories, artwork, puzzles, jokes etc.). Work can be submitted to the Editors or the Parent Advisor. We prefer electronic version of the submission (e-mail or diskette). Artwork can be submitted on paper. Older kids interested in volunteering to serve on the editorial team should contact the Editorial Staff or the Parent Advisor. Bal Sabha meets every fourth Sunday of the month from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at Shanthi Mandir

Editorial Staff

Phone

Tia Rawat Anya Kumar

(573) 808-3491 (573) 639-1689

E-Mail tiarawat@outlook.com

Answer to the Mystery Question from Page 3: The “thief” was supposedly holding Daphnee at gunpoint. If this was true and the thief used two hands to get the jewelry he would have had to put the gun down. Therefore Daphnee is the burglar.

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HTCC Youth Day Picnic

Tia Rawat - 7th Grade, Gentry Middle School Do you like picnics? I don’t like them. I LOVE them! This year on August 15th, India’s 69th Independence Day, we had our temple picnic shortly after the bike ride to Rocheport. The bike ride was long, but enjoyable with many breathtaking views of nature. However, the picnic was even more fun – relaxing, eating delicious food and spending quality time with friends. Several volunteers had cooked food and planned for a foodmela. To get the delicious food we had to purchase tickets that

the equipment. Some kids ran around and played their own little games. All the children were kept busy and had fun. The picnic was a great opportunity to meet other people, talk to old friends and relax. There were even some new Indian origin families who had just moved in to the town. One of the families had recently moved from Connecticut and another family moved all the way from Singapore! They attended the picnic and were introduced to the community. We were able to meet them, learn about them and talk to them about Columbia. Overall, I had a wonderful time at the picnic. It was a lot of fun and a great experience and I'm definitely going to come back next year

would allow us to get our choice of food item. There were a lot of options of what to eat like idli, dosa, vada, chole, puri, sambhar, chutney and lassi. I got my favorite dosa, idli, puri and more. The food was scrumptious, and all the money collected ($800+) was donated to the temple . You would think the children would be bored at the picnic since there weren’t any games or entertainment, but there were actually a lot of things they could do. The older kids were in charge of taking the money and distributing the tickets for the food. Right next to the shelter where we had the picnic there was a park with swings and slides and some kids went to that area and played on

Shanthi Mandir at Ten - The BIG Picture

HTCC Revenue Streams September 2005 - September 2015 Average Revenues: $57,845/yr

Amount (in thousands), $

Shanthi Mandir opened its doors ten years back on Ganesh Chaturthi day. In addition to offering a home for worship, service and numerous community activities, we have also come to serve the larger Columbia and the Mid-Missouri communities. The graph below highlights the growth in HTCC’s capital funds for future investments in infrastructure to better serve our community. The pie charts alongside provide information on our average revenue streams and expenditure categories during these ten years. We thank you for your continuing and unstinted support of HTCC and the Shanthi Mandir.

$375 $350 $325 $300 $275 $250 $225 $200 $175 $150 $125 $100 $75 $50 $25 $0

2% Facilities Use

21% Special Events 54% Check Donations

15% Membership

4% Interest 4% Cash Donations

Quarterly Revenue Quarterly Expenditure Capital Growth

HTCC Expense Categories September 2005 - September 2015 Average Expenses: $21,427/yr

5% Administration 5% Garden /Snow 3% Start-up

39% Special Events 5% Printing /Mailing 24% Utilities

Timeline

13% Upgrade /Repairs

6% Maintenance /Supplies

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Yoga Corner Ritcha Mehra Chaudhary

his time In “Yoga Corner” we will look at the asana called “Ushtra/Ustra” asana.

The term “Ushtra/Ustra” comes from a Sanskrit word which means camel. Therefore, this asana is also known as the “Camel Pose”. Additionally, “Ushtra/Ustra” has also been translated as “that which releases knowledge”. This asana involves performing a deep backwards bend which is quite challenging as this action is not part of everyday life. 1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

6. 7.

Sit in “Vajraasana” for 20-30 seconds with your palms resting on your thighs. Now push yourself up with knees still on the floor in a kneeling position. Keep the thighs and feet together, toes pointing back and resting on the floor. The knees can be kept slightly separated. Support the spine with the palm. Inhale. Lean backwards pushing the hips and abdomen forward and expand the chest and shoulder, dropping the neck backwards. While exhaling, release the palms and bend backwards until you can touch the soles of your feet. Once you have bend backward to hold the soles of your feet, this is the final posture and you can hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing normally. Release the pose and sit in “Vajrasana” for another 20-30 seconds. Learn the safe practice of this asana and modify it according to your needs and capabilities. You can start by leaning against a wall to avoid excess stress or strain. Beginners don’t have to reach back and touch the soles of the feet. They can just start by bending backwards slowly to their comfort level. Some examples of safe modifications are in the following pictures:

Navratri Bhajans

Image courtesy :Yoga Journal, Yoga for Beginners, Carol Krucoff, Aug 2007; Claimount Community News, In Rhythms Yoga: Monday Morning Camel Pose, Nov 2013; Sciatica.org, Yoga poses to prevent Osteoporosis Caution: Avoid this pose if you are suffering from: 1. High or low blood pressure 2. Migraine 3. Insomnia 4. Serious low back or neck injury Benefits: 1. This is a powerful posture that stretches the spine, back muscles, belly, hip flexors, thighs, shoulders and arms 2. It is a good asana for improving the posture 3. It aids in digestion 4. It releases stiffness from the spine and stimulate the spinal nerves 5. The backbends opens the heart chakra (one of the seven energy centers associated with love) 6. The “ushtra-asana” is very beneficial in respiratory problems like asthma and bronchitis as it expands the chest and fills the lungs with an abundant supply of oxygen 

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Shreemad Bhagavad Gita – Part 27 Saroj Mohan

he substratum is the Self, nothing is other than the non-dual Self, but in the delusion of Primordial ignorance we superimpose material dualism. Every finite thing and being is in the Infinite consciousness, without which nothing exists. In the Infinite consciousness, all the finite things and beings are superimposed. The dream world disappears once the sleeper is awake. This concludes the description of the all pervasiveness of the lord Shri Krishna. We have learned in the 12th verse that all finite things and beings are superimposed on the Infinite Consciousness without which nothing exists, and which is all-pervasive. Shri Krishna describes in the 13th verse, how the whole world is deluded and enchanted by his three Prakritis. Because of the delusion they do not know the Immutable Self. This mysterious play of the Lord, His bewitching and deluding Maya is very interesting. In Sanskrit, ‘Ma’ means not, no, and ‘Ya’ means that is not, so it means that which is not, is the play of ego and ignorance. The mind sees this material world but does not see the Reality, the Self. On the substratum of infinite consciousness this finite word is superimposed. In fact everything and being is in the Infinite consciousness only, for instance if we become unconscious for some time, there is nothing, no existence, no awareness of anytime, things and beings. In the 14th verse the Lord describes His Maya, ‘ the power of veiling all’. Shri Krishna says, “This powerful, divine, bewitching illusion of mine Maya,(Mama Maya duratyaya) is very hard to cross over. Only those who take refuge inMe, can cross over this is illusion.” When we see this world of names and forms, loving family, beautiful objects, tasty food and experience it with our sense organs, it is very hard to imagine that there is some thing other than this. Only some fortunate few wonder about the hidden power behind it. Only a few wonder ‘who am I’, who created and sustains and understands this world, etc. It is hard for an egocentric mind, to even comprehend that there is something beyond sensual experiences. Only a blessed seeker strives to know the Truth and the Reality. The onward journey of the seeker begins for those who try to understand the Reality, the true Self. Only then we find the different paths to transcend the egocentric mind and achieve pure intellect and awareness. God’s Grace and taking refuge in Him is the only way and the solution to the

In the above two verses we understood that a pure heart, mind and intellect alone, is capable of comprehending the Self. Only the virtuous and righteous can reach the goal of the self-realization, not egocentric evildoers. In those virtuous men who invoke the Lord, have some desire in their minds and hearts. Some cry for help in distress, some for wealth and worldly objects of enjoyment, some with curiosity to know the Reality and finally some seek the Lord for knowledge. They all have a longing for the grace of the Lord. A longing for the grace of God and taking refuge in Him, is the best thing on this spiritual journey. Shri Krishna, in the 17th verse, praises the devotee who is a Gyani or the man of wisdom, as the best. Shri Krishna says, “Amongst all of them, I love the Gyani devotee or the wise devotee, who excels and knows Me Tattwatah or as the Reality, the Truth. He absolutely loves and worships Me, with single-minded devotion. I am most dear to him and he is dear to Me.” We see that according to their temperament and aptitude, people worship the Lord in four ways. They all reach the same goal but a man of wisdom or Gyani is ever established in the one-ness of his problem. Only those who do so can get Self. There is no separate state for him at past this Maya. all, not even the emotional separation of a worshiper and worshiped. Shri Krishna Shri Krishna explains in the 15th verse, says that He loves all of them deeply but in those people who do not even try to know his opinion the wise or the Gyani is very the Reality. dear to Him. It means a total The Lord says, “The Dushkritinah, transcendence of the individuality in the Moodhaah, Nara Adhama, or evil-doers, Lord at all times. deluded and lowest of the base-natured, Shri Krishna elaborates a little more on whose mind is totally absorbed or deluded this subject in the 18th verse. by my Maya, because of their demonic Shri Krishna says, “They are all very nature, do not take refuge in Me” noble devotees of Mine but the Gyani This verse clearly describes the negative devotee is My own Self.” -minded people, who are egocentric, and As we saw in the previous verse that all beyond help. Shri Krishna has used some the devotees are very dear to the Lord but very strong words for such people. Like the man of wisdom excels amongst them lowest of low among men, deluded, with as he is nothing but the Self or the Lord demonic nature, evildoers, who are totally Himself. It is a fine line, in the total Onetaken in by His bewitching Maya. These ness, everything, even the slightest sense people neither approach the Lord nor do of duality merges in the Lord. Only the Self they succeed in reaching the divine life. prevails. In the 16th verse Shri Krishna declares In the 19th verse Shri Krishna explains that four kinds of approaches are taken by why such a devotee is so rare. This is also pure-hearted, virtuous seekers and a very popular and important verse. devotees in order to know the Divine Shri Krishna says, “After many life times, Reality. a man of wisdom, a Gyani devotee is born Shri Krishna says, “O best of Bharatas, who knows the Reality. He knows it Arjuna, four kinds of virtuous men and Tatwattah, or realizes (and worships Me); devotees try to know Me and worship Me. that all this is Vasudeva sarvam iti or the Aartah, or those in distress and suffering inner Self is the Self only. Such a great craving for My help, Arth-aarti or those Mahatma is very rare.” seeking worldly wealth, Jignyaasu or those It means that the superimposed duality who want to know My Reality and Me and is not true. The non-dual substratum Self, finally the Gyanis or thethose with wisdom.” is the only Reality Part 27 in this series by Saroj Mohanji on Shreemad Bhagavad Gita includes discussions from the 13th - 19th verse of Chapter 7.

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SHANTHI

SANDESH

HTCC Quarterly Fiscal Report

For the period April 1st, 2015 - June 30th, 2015 Prepared by Abirami Elangovan, Treasurer, July 15th, 2015 Quarterly Revenues Interest Income Interest income Donations: Check Donations Capital Campaign

$159.37

$317.00 $6,061.00

$6,378.00

Other Revenues: Ninth Anniversary Celebrations

$6,330.00

Total Quarterly Revenues Quarterly Expenses Administrative Bank Charges Lawn and Garden Maintenance and Supplies Ninth Anniversary Celebrations Printing/Mailing Special Events Upgrades and Repairs Utilities

$6,330.00 $12,867.37

$172.15 $3.00 $331.43 $247.45 $3,265.96 $1,269.80 $17.39 $120.24 $1,739.63

Total Quarterly Expenses

$7,167.05

Net Income for the Quarter

$5,700.32

HTCC Quarterly Fiscal Report

For the period July 1st, 2015 - September 30th, 2015 Prepared by Abirami Elangovan, Treasurer, November 16th, 2015 Quarterly Revenues Interest Income Interest income Membership Annual Family Membership Donations Check Donations Hundi Donations/Prayer Services Capital Campaign Facility Use Fund Raiser Carnatic Music Concert Mandir Cookbook Sales Picnic Food Sales Other Revenues: Bank Refund Total Quarterly Revenues Quarterly Expenses Bank Charges Lawn and Garden Maintenance and Supplies Upgrades & Repairs Utilities Youth Day Picnic Total Quarterly Expenses Net Income for the Quarter

$159.24

$50.00

$2,168.00 $614.00 $982.00 $277.00

$3,764.00 $277.00

$362.00 $60.00 $802.00

$1,224.00

$6.00

$6.00 $5,480.24

$3.00 $767.33 $312.61 $289.00 $1,104.26 $105.74 $2,581.94 $2,898.30

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10,

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Community Calendar (December 15, 2015 – February 15, 2016) Unless otherwise indicated, all events are at Shanthi Mandir, 2006 Holly Avenue, Columbia, MO 65202. Dec.19th

Dhanurmasa Puja with Thiruppavai Recitation Time: TBD Contact: TBD

Jan. 1st

**More details will be posted on the Shanthi Mandir website (http://shanthimandir.missouri.org) a week before the scheduled event )

New Year Celebrations Time: TBD Contact: Chandra Rawlani : (573)446-5960

Thank You!

Donor Acknowledgement March, 2015– October, 2015

We gratefully acknowledge the following donations made during the above period. If we have inadvertently made an error in not including your name, please let us know. Upto $50 Sethi, Sanjiv and Punam Mohan, Saroj Raman, Srikkar & Sandhiya $51 - $100 Mohan, Rajiv and Sunilima Sinha Puri, Vivek Kumar, Senthil and Kalai Akkaladevi, Narahari Raghuraman, Kannan and Anandhi Upendran Sehgal Santosh $101- $150 Aggarwal, Arpit Balakrishnan, Elangovan and Abirami Batchu, Sudhir and Priya Gupta, Ghanshyam and Manorama Sahota, Pradeep K and Shaku

$151 - $199 Krishna, Gopal and Santosh Aggarwal, Kul and Archana Kumar, Adarsh and Sangeeta Shukla, Shivendra and Asha Malhotra, Anil and Kusum Venkatesh, Meera Khurana, Inder and Jasmit Thawani, Ravi and Meena Ratneshwar, Srinivasan and Subbalakshmi $600 and up Dale and Hema Srinivasan Loyalka, Sudharshan and Nirja Gopalaratnam, Vellore and Anantha Chandrasekar, Holalkere and Meera

Sharing the Warmth

Vishnu Arun - 7th Grade, Gentry Middle School “Sharing the warmth” was an enlightening experience for me. It taught me gratitude and the importance of giving. I called many aunties and uncles and asked them for their support in giving to the local population in poverty. Although I couldn’t reach many families, the ones that I talked to were very supportive and encouraging. The collection of winter clothing and essentials went very well and we managed to collect an assortment of items (sweaters, jackets, blankets, caps, and hats) in over 18 boxes. The HTCC

Bal Sabha Kudos!!! We had several Bal Sabha kids make it to their school spelling bee!! We are wishing them good luck and hoping one or more of them go on to win their school bee and qualify for the Tribune Regional Bee! • Mill Creek finalists: Aarya, Savy, Meera, Gauri, Ruchee and Shubha • Gentry Middle finalists: Tia, Charu, Anya, Shruti and Vignesh • Ruchee won 3rd place in the "Girls on the Run 5k ", in the 6-12 age group category. Way to go Ruchee! • Wishing "Good Luck" to Vignesh for his upcoming 2nd degree black belt testing and to Tia and Aarya for their upcoming Gymnastics competitions in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield

Parents interested in teaching their kids Hindi please contact Sumit Gupta at (573)823-7398

Shanthi Mandir

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 286 Columbia MO 65201

Hindu Temple and Community Center of Mid-Missouri (HTCC) 2006 Holly Avenue, Columbia, MO 65202-2043 HTCC is registered as a Nonprofit Corporation in MO HTCC is tax-exempt under IRS Section 501 (c) 3

Current Programs at the Mandir (November 30, 2015)

Devotional Programs Open prayer time/Aarti Geeta Study Circle Sai Bhajan Venkateshwara Suprabhatam/Vishnu Sahasranaamam Open prayer time/Aarti Kirtan (Monthly event) Educational/Youth Programs Tamil Classes Bal Puja Bal Sabha Service Programs Volunteering at Central Missouri Food Bank Narayan Seva (Sai Group - St. Francis Home Lunch) Non-Perishable Food Collection (Ongoing continuously) Soup and Sandwich Service Fitness and Cultural Art Programs Tabla classes (instructor fee required) Carnatic vocal music classes (instructor fee required) Yoga classes (instructor fees required)

1st

Tuesday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Saturday Sunday

6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

1st /3rd 3rd 4th

Sunday Sunday Sunday

3:00 - 5:00 p.m. 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

1st 2nd

Tuesday Sunday

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

4th

Sunday

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Sunday Sunday Saturday

Flexible for now 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Flexible for now

Shanthi Sandesh is a quarterly publication of the Hindu Temple and Community Center of Mid-Missouri (HTCC). It is published on behalf of HTCC by its Publications Committee. Editor: Tarang Parashar <tarangparashar@gmail.com>.

Directions: Take Exit 127 on Interstate 70, Head north on Rangeline Street, Right at first traffic light on Vandiver Drive, Left on Parker Street, Right on Holly Avenue, Shanthi Mandir sign will be visible on the right after 5-6 homes. (Note: Holly Avenue is immediately before the Sunrise Optimist building). Please visit our web site and send us your e-mail address if you would like to be included on the Friends of the Mandir distribution list to receive timely program notices.