Monthly eMagazine of Vedanta Mission
Vedanta Sandesh
Year - 26
July 2020
Issue 1
Cover Page
V edanta Sandes h
The cover page of the July 2020 issue of Vedanta Sandesh is the national bird of India - the beautiful Peacock. The Indian peacock (Pavo cristatus) is an exquisitely graceful & beautiful large ground bird. It has iridescent metallic blue and green plumage. The peacock "tail", known as a "train", consists not of tail quill feathers, but highly elongated upper tail coverts. These feathers are marked with eyespots, best seen when a peacock spreads & fans his tail while courting the females. Both sexes have a crest atop the head. Females have a shorter tail, an iridescent green neck, and browner plumage. Found in forest, forest edge, and agricultural land. Its loud screaming “may-yow” calls are heard incessantly during the rainy season. This picture was taken by P. Swamini Samatanandaji inside the sprawling campus of Indian Botanical Research Institute in Lucknow in Mar 2020. There were many peafowls there and this one opened its tail feathers and danced trying to enchant its female partner. Om Namah Shivaya.
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CONTENTS
V edanta Sandes h
Vedanta Sandesh July 2020 1.
Shloka 5
2.
Message of P. Guruji
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3.
Sadhana Panchakam
9-12
4.
Letter 13-14
5.
Gita Reflections 15-20
6.
The Art of Man Making
7.
Jivanmukta 27-30
8.
Story Section 31-35
9.
Mission / Ashram News
21-26
36-38
10.
Internet News 39-47
11.
Forthcoming Progs 49
12.
Links 50 3
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Monthly eMagazine of Vedanta Mission July 2020 : Year 26 / Issue 1
Published by
Vedanta Mission Vedanta Ashram, E/2948, Sudama Nagar, Indore-452009 (M.P.) India http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com
Editor:
V edanta Sandes h
Swamini Samatananda Saraswati
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Lo;eUrcZfgO;kZI; Hkkl;ĂŠf[kya txr~A czĂŁ izdk'krs ofg~u izrIrk;lfi.Mor~AA Just as the fire pervades every vee-bit of a red-hot iron ball and reveals it too - so also Brahman pervades everything in the creation, inside-out, and this effulgent conscious life principle reveals everything too. Atma Bodha - 62
Message from Poojya Guruji
Sharanagati
Our antahkarana has two broad faculties - the head and the heart.
Vedanta reveals the science & art of trancending the realm of duality to our head - the intellect. Vedanta is awesome and very logical. However, when it comes to our heart, it doesnt work on logic but on our likes & love. The journey of the heart from duality to being one with our beloved is called Sharanagati. Ideally we need to work simultaneously on both fronts - head & heart, for the complete awakening to the state of non-duality.
There are rare few adhikaris who have an integrated head & heart,
they are called Uttam Adhikaris. When their head believes in something then their heart too loves it and vice versa. However, in most of the people this integration is not there and their head & heart work independently. Even though they may intellectualy appreciate the logic of non-duality yet their heart dominates. They have very strong likes & dislikes that instead of V edanta Sandes h
saying that ‘I do something because God loves this’ they say rather say ‘I do this because I like this’. There is clear independent existence and also
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domination of heart over head. These are Madhyam Adhikaris. For such people mere study of Vedanta does not help. The science of revealing and appreciating non-duality doesn’t fully help. They do get a great inspiring goal, however, it doesnt really help them to wake up, because the heart doesnt work in tandem. They need something more than the philosophy and intellectual appreciation of the science of non-duality. This is where Sharanagati comes. Sharanagati is the way of the heart to attain oneness with someone we love & revere someone.
In sharanagati there is a progressive subservience of our likes &
dislikes and in its place we start the inner transformation of living as per the likes of our ideal. All so called bhakto shastras reveal this journey of our heart towards sharanagati. There is a shloka which sums up this process into six steps of sharanagati. It says anukoolasya sankalpah, pratikoolasya varjanam. Rakshishyatiti viswasah, goptrutve varanam, atma nikshepa and karpanya. Meaning, instead of being driven by what I like, we start liking what our God likes; we start avoiding all that which our Guru or God doesnt like. We have complete belief that he shall protect me, and that he alone is my sustainer and protector. Our identity becomes that I am his, and finally comlete negation of our independent identity. This is sharanagati - the road to becoming one with someone from the point of our heart.
V edanta Sandes h
Om Tat Sat.
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Sadhana Panchakam
V edanta Sandes h
- : 12: -
Swamini Samatananda 9
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Sadhana Panchakam
T
he right practise of various sadhanas coming
in the realm of karma and upasana purify the mind of various individual likes and dislikes and cultivates a mind that is pure, quite of worldly desires,focussed and integrated. Such a mind is thus blessed with the six-fold qualities ‘Shaantyaadih paricheeyataam.... the qualities of shama, dama uparama etc. which prepare a student for the knowledge of Vedanta. Now, in the next rung of the ladder the Acharya says that when the mind and intellect of a student has cultivated the qualifications which will help him enter the portals of knowledge he should soon, with a clear and firm mind give up self prompted actions.
n`<+rja dekZ'kq lUR;T;rke~% Eschew all selfish actions. Karma has a very important role in life. It is not only a means to achieve various things in life, fulfill various desires, but it is the very signature of life. A person performing actions reflects the throbbing of life. Only a person who is dead is inactive. Our very existence of the body and mind depends upon the action of looking after the body, nourishing it, and then alone the chapter of various other desires opens. But karma has far reaching goals apart from just helping sustain our lives. It is V edanta Sandes h
such an important means that karma alone can either bind a
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Sadhana Panchakam person or karma alone can take a person on the path of liberation. Such is the significance of understanding karma that the entire message of the Gita focuses on teaching the art of karma in a manner that not only brings about happiness, peace and success at the worldly level but it also becomes a sadhana that prepares a mind for higher knowledge of knowing Ishvara and of knowing the Self. Invoking the blessings of karma or actions is a journey. It is a journey of performing actions with the faith that I am basically complete. It is a journey of performing actions with Ishvara as the nucleous of my life. An ignorant man performs actions as a seeker with the desire to be fulfilled through all that is achieved in the field of action. But such a seeker soon comes to realise how this misunderstanding only brings about bondage of action, how it brings about self-centricity, stress, anxiety and a never ending journey of seeking. It is only when we practise the art of karma yoga as explained by Sri Krishna in the BhagwadGeeta that action becomes a blessing. It then becomes an art of living that affirms righteousness, that brings about a mind that is holistic, peaceful, quite, integrated and yet all actions are an expression of selfless dynamism. Having lived in the field of action with the spirit of karma yoga, the mind goes on to become pure, sensitive and subtle mind. Not only this, one soon comes to realize the limitations V edanta Sandes h
of actions too. There is no doubt that karma is a highly potent
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Sadhana Panchakam means to achieve the highest levels in the objective world. All comforts, conveniences, experiences can be achieved by performing actions to the best of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability. However, karma has its limitations too. Performing actions can only present to us that which was not there earlier and can be produced and at the same time karma is a means to bring about change. This implies that what ever is brought about by karma will always be limited in space and time. It will always be momentory. Realization of this limitation of the field of action is the biggest blessing for any performer of actions. This blessing manifests when karma is performed as a sadhana. Such a sadhaka comes to see that karma and all its achievements can take me this far and no farther. Permanent gratification can never be achieved by karma. One comes to see the futility of constant seeking in the field of action. One comes to realize that it is not worth all the effort and time. Realizaton does not end here but one is further blessed with an inquisitiveness to know what then will give me complete satisfaction. A satisfaction that brings an end to all seeking. This desire for self enquiry opens the portals of spiritual knowledge. To such a student the Acharya suggests its time to give up the field of action and dive into Vedantic knowledge. Thus it is said here give up the field of action with this realization as soon as possible. Life is too precious to be wasted V edanta Sandes h
in fruitless seeking.
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Mail from Poojya Guruji Contentment Hari om ! Someone wants to know whether contentment implies absence of aspiration to progress in ones field of endeavor. Well, if we see the field of karma as the wish of God, and we are just his nimitta or instrument to do something in a field, then why let God down by just being a mediaocre fellow. Why not be the best. Our goals should definitely be as high as you possibly can have. Such questions arise because of some wrong understanding. Contentment is not about just being content in minimum things, but rather in whatever you get - after your necessary hard work. Please remember that apart from contentment you also need to have a highly thoughtful & alert mind, which has dynamism, enthusiasm and fearlessness. How can you have enthusiasm without a great goal, how will you know you are fearless and a true believer of God when you dont even dare to face challenges, and mind you invocation of intelligence is only possible when you have the need
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to scratch your head. So facing challenges & problems are necessary components to invoke positive qualities in us.
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Your question has an underlying fear, that suppose if we have lots of money etc, then maybe we shall get attached and become dependent on too much money & comfort and thus miss out on contentment, or may get arrogant etc as we see in so many people. Well, please note that contentment is with reference to your karma-phala, and not karma. Capacity to be what you are in any situation is what is required. Karma-phala may be good or bad, can you continue to retain your equanimity as though nothing can efface or effect your existence. Contentment is the art of being happy with what you have irrespective of the fact whether it is comparitively less or more. People blessed with contentment think of big goals with love & contentment in their minds. Why should contentment make you fearful that you cant even dare to attain bigger things in life. God has sent to this world as his messengers to serve in some field, so do the best. To handle the possible problem of arrogance & dependence, do have a life style which reflects simplicity & austerity, and let all your actions spring forth from such a fertile, fulfilled & selfless mind. Once you attain big things then also always see yourself as an instrument of God and all achivement as his prasad. Aim for such a life, and be motivated with dynamic goodness. Love & om,
V edanta Sandes h
Swami Atmananda
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Gita Reflections
v/;kRefo|k fo|kuka
V edanta Sandes h
(Gita 10/32)
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Best amongst all knowledges Swamini Samatananda
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Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the Self.
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Gita Reflections
C
uriosity, inquisitiveness, desire for knowledge
is a natural human trait. A small child is curious to know every little thing around him. His toys, the switch-sockets in the room, the crockery and all. He wants to fiddle with everything out of curiosity. Growing children have an endless list of questions to ask, and as we grow up each person at his or her level acquires various kinds of knowledge pertaining to their field of work, art and music, home-management, etc. Scientists are deeply engrossed in trying to understand each and every field on earth and even beyond the realms of the earth. Acquiring various kinds of knowledge is a part of every human being’s life. For some, the journey ends with school, college and university. For some learning is a continuous process of life. The desire to know one thing or the other is what makes a human being alive. And needless to say that knowledge alone brings about clarity, success, and satisfaction. No wonder it is said that ‘Knowledge is power’. If one has the right kind of knowledge then even the harshest of situations cannot deter a person from fulfilling what ever he wishes to. However, even though most of us are aware of the significance of knowledge a very important question arises in this context. Is our knowledge complete in life? Is it just enough to acquire some worldly knowledge be it regarding our professional field V edanta Sandes h
or regarding the various subjects of the world like Mathe-
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Gita Reflections matics, Science, technology, Computers, Psychology, History, Economics, Astronomy and so on and so forth. Is any kind of worldly knowledge enough? The Vedas say that there are two dimensions of knowledge that a human being must acquire. Two dimensions of knowledge that will make his or her knowledge complete. One is Objective knowledge and the other is Subjective knowledge. Objective knowledge is any field of knowledge in the world outside. Subjective knowledge is knowledge about the ‘Self ’, knowledge about ‘Me’. Now, this is where the question arises-Is my knowledge complete? The scene is that we all are pursuing various fields of knowledge but unfortunately very rarely there is a curiosity of knowing ‘Who am I’? ‘Where have I come from’? ‘What is the goal of my life’? ‘Who has created me’? and various other questions regarding my own self ? It is interesting to see that whatever we do in life, whatever we achieve in life, whatever we experience in life, everything is to satisfy my very own Self. The nucleus of all activities in the world is the ‘I’. All activities aim to cater to the happiness, security and satisfaction of the ‘Self ’. Yet the biggest irony is that I have absolutely no knowledge regarding my own self. It is the glory of the Vedas, the Upanishads, the BhagwadGeeta who are compassionately suggesting to us that ‘Know Thyself ’. This knowledge regarding the Self V edanta Sandes h
is what is known as ‘Adhyaatma Vidya’. In the tenth chapter
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Gita Reflections of the Geeta Bhagwan says that know Adhyaatma Vidya to be my glory amongst all kinds of knowledge-Adhyaatma Vidya Vidyaanaam... Today in spite of so much scientific and technological advancement in the objective world, in spite of so many comforts, conveniences and facilities, in spite of so much material prosperity, there is a pandemic of stress, anxiety, dissatisfaction, insecurity, unhealthy competition, and destructive ego clashes. So then, what is the cause of such a pathetic scenario amongst the socalled superior species of the mankind. Our scriptures give us an answer to it all. The problem is our ignorance about our own self and also about the reality of the objective world and its experiences. The Vedic scriptures reveal to us the ephemeral and transient nature of all material objects and their experiences including our own mind and body. On the one hand, we all are wandering in the fun-fair of the world with the aim of acquiring contentment, joy and security and on the other hand, the world of objects and all its interactions even though very beautiful, are so momentary and transient. So definitely, the truth is something different. Our expectations from the objective world to give us total contentment is a big fallacy. If the objects themselves are inert and temporary then how can they give me eternal satisfaction. The truth is that basically I myself is the nature V edanta Sandes h
of infinite bliss and my expectation of joy from outside is the
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Gita Reflections projection of my own mind. In reality, no kind of diverse situations can contaminate the purity of my own blissful nature. No limitations of time and space can limit my eternal existence. I am Sachidananda swaroopa and the nature of the objective world is as illusory as my dreams. The bottom line here is that I need to discover my inner nature of bliss and redeem myself of the endless dependence and seeking of the outside world. I need to discover the truth and establish the right relationship with the world. The beauty of it all is, that there is no need to cut off from the material world or shun it like an untouchable. The world by itself is a beautiful creation of Ishvara. Why not enjoy the beauty of nature, why not share and care for all human beings, animals, birds, trees, and the entire nature. Why not live with a sense of gratitude appreciating every little thing that God has blessed us with. It is the knowledge of Adhyaatma alone that teaches us to establish the right relationship with the ephemeral world. It is the spiritual knowledge of the Vedas that teaches us to live in the world like a dewdrop on a lotus flower. As we acquire various kinds of knowledge at worldly level our knowledge will only be complete when we also discover the truth of the Self, of Ishvara and the world. Our human birth will be fulfilled when we will
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understand the secrets of the object and the subject.
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The Art Of Man Making
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Act In Yagya Spirit
P.P. Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji 21
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The Art of Man Making
A
ctions by themselves are neutral; they are
neither good nor bad. The motive of the doer determines the quality of action. This is recognized even by the makers of secular law: in penal code one is accused of manslaughter only when “intention to murder” is proved; else it amounts to only; “culpable homicide no amounting to murder”. If our actions spring from selfishness, then those actions leave vasanas behind and create more and more agitations in life. But when actions are undertaken without the ego and egocentric desires, they lead to exhaustion of Vasanas. Therefore, in order to exhaust Vasanas, we must learn to act, renouncing the ego and egocentric desires. This is easier said than done. How are we to get rid of these two urges in us, which are very powerful, consistent and deep-rooted? These baser urges can be eliminated when we work in a sprit of dedication to a higher and nobler ideal. To act thus in a spirit of a surrender is to act in a spirit of yagna. Yagnas were the most popular mass-rituals known in vedic days. In a great grand shed erected for the purpose on the banks of a flowing river. People assembled in an utter spirit of dedication. Each tried to contribute his bit towards the yagna. Everyone worked in a spirit of dedication and with no selfish motive. The only intension V edanta Sandes h
was the common welfare of all. For this, the blessing of Lord was invoked for altogether as a single happy community.
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The Art of Man Making The ritual as such was centered around the fire-trough. Into the blazing fire in the trough, a mixture of nine grains was offered by everyone to the chanting of Vedic-Mantras. The invocation of the Lord was only a prayer for the community’s happiness, for the nation’s glory, for the welfare of the world. (loka samastaa sukhino bhavantu). There was no selfishness, no personal desire to be fulfilled. These yagna-shalas were communal classrooms where men and women were taught the spirit of working together without the ego and egocentric desires. This yagna spirit was later completely veiled from the people, and the pomp and show of the ritual started attracting the attention of the masses. At such a time it must have been a revolutionary idea for Krishna to expound his karma-yoga, explain in the language of the popular ritual already known to them. The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of yagna. Therefore, O son of Kunti, you perform actions for yagnas alone, without any attachment”. A doubt may arise in the student because of the insistence that “action is nobler than a life of inaction”. If inaction is bad, then action is worse because actions create Vasaas which in their turn prompt us to perform more and more similar actions. It is true that actions breed Vasanas and perpetuate through them our extrovertedness. But this is the result only of actions undertaken without the yagna spirit. But those undertaken in a V edanta Sandes h
spirit of co-operative endeavour cause a purgation of Vasanas,
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The Art of Man Making rather than create any new ones. “The world is bound by actions other than those performed in the spirit of yagna”. “Therefore, O son of Kunti! you perform actions for yagna alone”. Thus the spirit underlines the most popular vedic ritual is brought to bear in all actions, not only in the yagna shalas but also in the home, in the market place, the factory, and the field. Every action can become a sacred yagna if we undertake it without ego and egocentric desires. Such day-long activities even the drab and dreary daily routines in all walks of life can be divinized in to a sacred pooja only if we change our mental attitude to work. To be released from the bondages of our own past actions is to re-discover a freed personality in us, capable of seeing life as it is, and reacting to life spontaneously without being ordered by the Vasanas. So let us do all our actions in a spirit of dedication to Narayana. Then all our day to day work-good bad or indifferent-will become a long and continuous worship to the Lord (Narayan Puja). Today the youth have no such higher altar at which they can dedicate their ego and egocentric desires and execute selflessly any program of work. Leaders f eminence and stature are not easily available. In this age of fast communications, national V edanta Sandes h
boundaries are blurred, and the young ones not a spirit of na-
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The Art of Man Making tionalism sufficient to inspire them to dedicate themselves to their country. Without any ideal there is no altar, and without an alter dedication is not possible. Naturally we find amidst us all over the world, a larger play of shameless ego and it’s baser desires. Krishna advises Arjuna to perform all his duties as an army officer in the spirit of Yagna (tadartham karma kaunteya samaachar). When we are thus employed in our daily pursuits of life and it’s duties, when it is not for our own ego satisfaction or desire-gratification, we are apt to be in our actions rather slip shod. Half heartedly we do work when it is for others. Here Krishna emphasizes two features which we must maintain in all our actions, they are to be; 1 “efficiently performed” (samaachar) and 2 undertaken and executed “without attachment”(mukt sangaha). If we carefully watch the social work taken up by voluntary organizations, invariably we find them performing inefficiently. The very same persons at home while doing their own work are more whole hearted and efficient, painstaking and careful. But in voluntary work they suddenly become half-hearted, inefficient, easy-going and careless. Krishna warns all men that they should be efficient in the performance of all actions. If they are to gain mental poise and beauty from the work undertaken.
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Apart from performing all duties and fulfilling all engagements with maximum efficiency, there must be within an attitude of
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The Art of Man Making “unattachment” (mukta sangah). We have already seen that “attachment” connotes ego and ego-centric desires - “I want”. This lingering anxiety to gain and enjoy the fruits of one’s actions spoil the inspiration to act and loads the mind with anxieties-which in their turn sap up all our present efficiencies. Act efficiently when ever you work. Then you grow, and your community grows with you. Refuse to burden your self with worries and anxieties for the results of actions, even while you are performing the actions. Remember, the results of actions
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depend upon the very quality of your actions.
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Jivanmukta Wandering In Himalayas
89 Pashupathinath
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The Shivaratri Festival
Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of Param Poojya 27 Swami Tapovanji Maharaj
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Jivanmukta H
istorians say that “Nepal” is the cor-
rupt form of “Nayapalam”-the land ruled by the great Rishi Naya. From east to west this mountaneous country is 450 miles long and its avaerage width is about 150 miles. In the centre of the state there is a plane 20 miles long and 15 miles broad. Kathmandu is like a jewel set in the middle of the plain. According to an ancient tradition, this plain was once a large lake called Nagavasa. Kathmandu (Kashtamandapam) is a mountain city two miles square situated at the height of 4500 feet above sea level. I entered Kathmandu on Feb 20th and took up my aborad joyfully in a monastery at Tappathali. On the bank of the Vagmati. The Shivaratri festival was on the very next day. At dawn, after my usual bath, I set out for the temple which is 3 miles away on the bank of the Vagmati river. On reaching there, I had a rare and wonderful darshan. Around the temple was a concourse of thousands, among whom were sannyasins clad in various ways. Here was a triumph of faith and devotion. For the moment all distinctions between the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, sannyasins and householders, men and women had disappeared and the oneness of Godhood was manifest every where. “The peacock never attains the speed of the swan. Even so a householder can hardly attain the greatness of the sannyasins who pass V edanta Sandes h
their days in devotion in the solitudes of forests”, says a Buddhist
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Jivanmukta scripture. The Hindu scriptures hold that a householder however distinguished can never approach even an ordinary sannyasin in sanctity. The reason given is this: worldlyness, deceit, and vilence characterise the householderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existence, where as the thought of the come, straight-forwardness and nonviolence form the foundations of the sannyasins life. Hence the latter is holy while the former is sinful. What ever be the opinions of the moderns regarding sadhus whom the ancients used to hold in such high esteem, I was sincerely glad to meet so many of them in the holy precincts of the Himalayan shrine. I made my way into the temple with great difficulty and ad darshan of the Great Pashupatinaath wh appears here with five heads. I could not remain there for more than a few seconds because of the crowds pushing forward to have darshan. So my body moved forward while my face kept turning backward again and again in eagerness to see the form of the Holy Lord once again. Soon I found myself outside the temple, and for a long while I paced around it in deep devotion. The temple of Pashupatinaath is concrete proof of the deep devotion of Nepali kings as well as their oppulence. In the construction of the temple they have used gold and silver as profusely as wood and stone. The temple may be compared to the Nataraja shrine at Chidambaram or the Golden Temple of the Sikhs at Amritsar. Later I visited several minor temples in the vicinity. Thus the V edanta Sandes h
day was passed in the darshan of the Gods and in hearing Holy hymns and scriptures. I gradually entered into a state of bhava
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Jivanmukta samadhi. I found that divine presence not only in this body alone but in everybody that had gathered there. In installing idols for worship our ancesters have done a great service to humanity. These idols and religeous ceremonies lift the heart of common men and women to a higher plain of devotion. Man may worship God as the Supreme Self (Parmatman) who is the creater, preserver, and the destroyer of the universe and who is immanent in everything, or find him in a tree or blade of glass or a piece of stone and worship him there. And according to the sankalpa of the devotee, God will bless him. God is omnipresent and omniscient. God is everywhere, wheather in stone, soil, pillar, or piece of straw. Nothing exists in which God is not. So there is nothing absurd in worshipping God in any object. The fact that we reffered to Shiva, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Kali or Laxmi, should not suggest plurality of Gods. We adore Vishnu by repeating his thousand names. That does not mean that there are thousand Vishnus. Similarly, different names and forms do not posit more than one God. For the convenience of worship, devotees concieve of God as Shiva, Vishnu, etc. Really they worship the one Supreme Being which is only one without a second. Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and others worship the same Supreme Being, but
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in their own fashion and under different names.
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V edanta Sandes h
STORY Section 31
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The Story of Svetaketu S
age Uddakala was deeply concerned
about his young son Svetaketu. His son had just returned home
full of pride in his learning after 12 years of discipleship to an eminent guru. His father said to him: ‘Svetaketu, I know you have learned a lot, can you tell me by which we hear the unhearable, perceive the unperceivable, know the unknowable?’ ‘Sir, I am not aware of that knowledge,’ said Sveteketu. ‘I request you to please teach me that essential thing by which everything else becomes known?’ Uddhakala Aruni answered the question himself. ‘That is Brahman, the truth, the subtle essence of all and the Self. Son, you are aware of the fact that there are many products made out of clay, but the clay is the real thing. Likewise there are also different forms of gold. Even if the forms and names are lost, the essence of the article is revealed as clay or gold. That essential nature is the ultimate truth. Brahman is within everything as its own Reality, as its Self, as its subtle essence, and that, my dear Svetaketu, That Art Thou’.
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‘Please, sir, I want to know more about this Self.’
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The Story of Svetaketu ‘You know dear, the bees make honey by gathering nectar from many flowers, and as all these nectar becomes honey can anyone identify the droplets of the honey to their respective flowers? . Rivers flow into the ocean only to lose their names and forms. The same is with beings when they merge in that One Being. Whether it is a lion, or a tiger, or a boar, or a worm, all these have their self in him alone. Beings lose their identities on merging with the One Supreme Being which pervades everything and is the source of all things. The whole universe has That as its soul. That is Reality, That is the Self, and That is you, Svetaketu. ‘Please, sir, tell me more about that subtle essence which is the supreme reality’ said the son. ‘ O.k’, said the father, ‘Bring a fruit of that Nyagrodha [Banyan] tree’. ‘Here, sir.’ ‘Please Break it.’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘ What do you see’ ‘Exquisitely small seeds, sir.’ ‘Can you break one of them.’
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‘I have split it ‘
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The Story of Svetaketu ‘What do you see?’ ‘I see nothing at all, Sir.’ ‘Son, can this marvel of a tree come out of nothing. Only you are not able to see the subtle essence in the seed from which this banyan tree has sprung. That which is the subtle essence is the bed rock of all existence. Dear boy, that which is the finest essence, the whole universe has That as its soul. That is Reality, That is the Self, and That is you, Svetaketu!’ ‘Please, sir, tell me if I can realise it’ said Svetaketu. ‘Now take a few crystals of salt and put them into a bowl of water.’ ‘ Yes done.’ the sage then said, ‘Take out the salt.’ ‘I can’t, the Salt is dissolved in the water.’ He then asked the boy to taste it from the edge, the middle and the far edge. The boy said it was salty. Just looking at the water, one cannot assume that the water doesn’t contain salt. ‘The Self or Being, which is invisible like salt, pervades all things
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and that self is you, Svetaketu.’
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The Story of Svetaketu Everything is alive, only because the living principle, Brahman, inhabits it. When the Self leaves the body, the body dies, but not the Self. ‘Now, I understand’, said the boy, ‘ please tell me how could the Being that leaves the body find its way to that One Being? ‘ ‘Son, Suppose a person is blindfolded and is left in an unknown wilderness, far away from his place, the first thing he would do is to remove the cover from his eyes, then he would inquire about the logistics and would get a guide to reach his residence. Similarly a person should acquire knowledge with the help of a guru. The guru will help and guide him to break the bondage of ignorance through experiential knowledge, which is the way to merge with the One Being. Son, the entire universe is what the Brahman conjures up, projects and dissolves. The sense of ‘me’ and ‘ mine’ is nothing but ignorance. When this ignorance is destroyed, the true self shines forth ‘. Uddalaka who was more like a guru than a father was able to pierce the veil of pride that was masking the brilliance of his son Svetaketu. The son who was more like a disciple not only got an insight into the knowing of ultimate truth and the real Self also understood that it was only through humility that one can inculcate knowl-
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edge and attain wisdom.
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Mission & Ashram News
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Bringing Love & Light in the lives of all with the Knowledge of Self
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Ashram News Recording for Online Satsang
by P. Swamini Amitanandaji
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Bhaja Govindam (Gujarati)
June 2020
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Ashram News Corona Blues
Masked attire at Dentist Clinic
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Ashram View from outside
June 2020
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Ashram News Ashram Flowers Album
Smiling Beauties
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Photo Album by Suresh Rohra
June 2020
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Ashram News Ashram Flowers Album
God has made the world colorful
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Every manifestation is unique
June 2020
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Ashram News Ashram Leaves Album
Beauty is in everything
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We need to be sensitive to beauty
June 2020
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Ashram News Ashram Leaves Album
Leaves are silent factories
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Taking minimum and giving maximum
June 2020
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Ashram News Ashram Leaves Album
Leaves purify our environs
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Green color is soothing, and birds love it.
June 2020
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Ashram News Avian Vibhooti’s
Clicked at Katkut Forest
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Birds are unique creations of God
June 2020
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Ashram News Avian Vibhooti’s
Indian Paradise Flycatchers & Woodpeckers
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Paradise Flycatcher is State Bird of MP
June 2020
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Ashram News Bird of Sirpur Lake-Indore
Clicked by Ashram Swami’s
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Beauty is in the beholders eyes
Everything is exquistely made - by God
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Internet News Talks on (by P. Guruji) : Video Pravachans on YouTube Channel - Bhaja Govindam - Hanuman Chalisa - Dhyan on Vishnu Sahasranaam Audio Pravachans - Bhaja Govindam - Hanuman Chalisa Vedanta & Dharma Shastra Group on FaceBook
Monthly eZines Vedanta Sandesh - June ‘20 Vedanta Piyush - June ‘20 Vedanta Sandesh - May ‘20 V edanta Sandes h
Vedanta Piyush - May ‘20
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A Vedanta & Dharma Shastra (VDS) Group has been started by us on Facebook to freely share the vast resources of the knowledge imparted by Mahatmas & Acharyas of Vedanta Ashram, Indore with the knowledge-seekers of the world. URL of the VDS Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vedanta.dharma.shastra/ Please do visit the Group Page and check out all the varied and helpful resources, and also join the Group to receive the notifications of all postings pertaining to - Pravachans, Chantings,
Meditation,
Bhajans,
Quotes,
Vishnu
Sahasranama etc.
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Om Tat Sat
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Ashram / Mission Programs Ongoing: Five days a week - Tue to Sat MUNDAKOPANISHAD 3-1 - With Shankar Bhashya @ Vedanta Ashram, Indore P. Guruji Swami Atmanandaji
5th July 2020 GURU POORNIMA CELEBRATION There will only be an in-house program An Online Satsang is being planned 6th July 2020 onwards SHIV MAHIMNA SATSANG Daily online releases on You Tube Saavan Special - by Poojya Guruji BHAJA GOVINDAM PRAVACHAN
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Daily online releases on You Tube In Gujarati / Marathi & English Recorded for Online Release
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Visit us online : International Vedanta Mission
Check out earlier issues of : Vedanta Sandesh
Visit the IVM Blog at : Vedanta Mission Blog
Published by: International Vedanta Mission
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Editor: Swamini Samatananda Saraswati
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