Vedanta Sandesh_Sept 2020

Monthly eMagazine of Vedanta Mission

Vedanta Sandesh

Year 26

Sept 2020

Issue 3

Cover Page

The cover page of the Sept 2020 issue of Vedanta Sandesh is dedicated to the festival of Navratras.

Navratras is a nine days festival dedicated to the Cosmic Mother - the Aadi Jagadamba. These are nine days full of austerities. It is a time devoted to the reverential perception of the play of Primordial Power of Creation.

Vedanta reveals that the one, non-dual truth of life is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda, meaning a blissful self-effulgent existence. This is what Brahman is. This basically inexplicable truth of life has an awesome 'power' of creation, called Maya Shakti. Maya not only creates this awesomely beautiful cosmos, but also sustains it and later destroys it. So the primordial mother has three forms - Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga. These three are meditated and revered during Navratras. The nine days of Navratras are divided into three parts, each of which is dedicated to the three goddesses.

The symbolism is amazing, but even if someone does not connect to the philosophical facts then also Navratras are a great time to recharge your body & mind with fasts and inculcation of positive & inspiring thoughts - the so called detoxification of our body & mind and thus live a healthy life.

V edanta Sandes h

Om Tat Sat

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CONTENTS

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Vedanta Sandesh Sept 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 15-21

6.

The Art of Man Making

7.

Jivanmukta 27-30

8.

Story Section 31-34

9.

Mission / Ashram News

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35-56

10.

Internet News 57-58

11.

Forthcoming Progs 59

12.

Links 60 3

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Monthly eMagazine of Vedanta Mission Sept 2020 : Year 26 / Issue 3

Published by

Vedanta Mission Vedanta Ashram, E/2948, Sudama Nagar, Indore-452009 (M.P.) India http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com

Editor:

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Swamini Samatananda Saraswati

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n`';rs Jw;rs ;|n~ czã.kks·U;é fdapuA czãKkukPp rn~czã lfPpnkuUne};e~AA

All that is perceived, or heard, is Brahman and nothing else. Attaining the knowledge of the Reality, one sees the Universe as the non-dual Brahman, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute.

Atma Bodha - 64

Message from Poojya Guruji

Death as a Guru What an awesome & interesting analogy - a dialogue between Death and a Seeker of Truth. Lord of Death being a Guru. That is the basis of the dialogue between a student and a Teacher in Kathopanishad. Death, whose very mention brings shivers in the mind of an ordinary man of the world, is being presented here as the best teacher, someone from whom we can learn the most fundamental lessons of life.

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Death is a fact of life, an inevitable end of the road. For all those who still crave & thirst for the various experiences which life has to offer, death is indeed a villain, a merciless snatcher. The one who brings an end to our apparently beautiful dream, the one who mercilessly takes away our hard earned world which we had built with so much struggle & hard work. We built our entire world - of all our near & dear ones and all the wealth & property to make ourselves comfortable & secure. Everything becomes meaningless in a whiff of a moment. The problem is not really death, but our perception and belief that the world alone has to offer all the joys, comforts & security to us, who is obviously an insecure and a lacking being. The fact that we perceive ourselves as a limited, incomplete and an insecure individual is not really a problem, but the problem is basically in the kind of solution of this malaise.

Every experience requires three components. There has to be an experiencer, an object of experience and then the final experience which is

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brought about by the meeting of the two. Now this experiencer has some problems, of insecurity and lack, but to thoughtlessly jump to this conclusion that this beautiful & colorful world in front of us can help efface our deep-rooted & intrinsic lack etc - is the problem. When we objectively see the entire ‘world of experience’, then one thing we see is that this is all so ephemeral, so changing, so perishable. Everything around is as perishable as we are, so on what basis do we conclude that ‘I the perishable’ can be made imperishable by being conjoined with ‘this perishable’ around us.

It doesnt make any sense, it is illogical. While this is a fact that the world around does definitely fulfill various requirements of our body and sense organs, but to fulfill the hunger of our body etc, and to handle our existential insecurities are two entirely different things. Do we equate the appeasement of our sensual thirst with the handling of our fundamental limitations and lack? Whosoever does, has indeed a reason to fear death. But the issue is that inspite of our life-long love-affair with the world of objects, we still continue to be the same limited and insecure guy. We have satiated our various desires umpteen times, yet the lack & insecurities remain, that is why we tend to hangon to the world around us. Our belief & equation is obviously wrong and baseless. The intrinsic lack in an individual can never be effaced by anything available in the world of objects. Death is not an end of our existence, but is more of a curtain on the show.

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The Lord of Death reveals that see death just as an end of the show of the world of experiences. It is not your or my end. We need to go deep into the question of Who am I? I am not this body, but we all are basically the spark of life, manifesting through this body & mind. The moment this realization dawns, then we realize that all the lack & limitations of ourselves was basically pertaining to the manifested life, not ‘the life’. Yamaraj ji clearly reveals that you do not die when you leave this body, it is the body which comes & goes, not the basic existence. Indeed there can be no one better than the Lord of Death to reveal to us the secrets of Life & Death. An awesome Upanishad and an awesome teaching. A must read for one & all.

Om Tat Sat.

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Sadhana Panchakam

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- : 13: -

Swamini Samatananda 9

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Sadhana Panchakam rRiknqdk lsO;rke~% Everyday serve the Teacher

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aving been blessed by a Sadguru in

one’s life it’s now a great privilege, a great fortune to have the opportunity to build a relationship, a bond with the Teacher.

Any relationship bears it’s fruits when there is a strong bond of understanding, of faith and of love. In worldly relationships we first get introduced to someone and slowly a relationship is identified and built on the basis of understanding one another, on the basis of trust and love. This is a natural path of relationship building. The big difference here is that in worldly relationships the aim is to mutually satisfy each others desires and fill the sense of vacuum by worldly experiences, by worldly give and take, but in a relationship of a Guru and shishya the Guru leads a student from darkness to light freeing him from the sense of lack- lock, stock and barrel. But, even though this is the goal and a goal that is truly divine and fulfilling yet there is a journey to it. It is not realized overnight. It is a journey where the veil of ignorance and misconception must be removed through authentic knowledge of the Shastras. And this is possible only through effective communication. A communication which is not done from one ear to another ear, but a communication done from V edanta Sandes h

one heart to the other. From the heart of the Guru to the heart

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Sadhana Panchakam of the shishya. Such communication is only possible when there is a fine tuning of the hearts. This fine tuning is made possible only by means of sewa of the Guru by the shishya. Having an opportunity to serve the Guru is the greatest blessing of God. This sewa may include anything from various chores in the ashram of cooking, cleaning, or taking care of the various requirements of the Teacher.

When a student serves his Guru in various ways it is an opportunity to know and understand each other, it is an opportunity to overcome one’s own likes and dislikes, to dissolve one’s ego.

Although a student can hardly fathom the indepth mind of the Guru but more so the Guru works like an architect to carve a student’s body and mind in a manner so that he gets ready to dive deep into the oceanic knowledge of the Upanishads. So indeed, it is as though a double blessing for a student. One- he gets to serve the Guru and two- he is blessed with a prasad of a mind that is purified of individual whims and fancies, a subtle mind, a selfless mind and all such values that enrich his heart with a treasure unattainable anywhere in the world or in any relationship in the world.

Thus the Acharya here, says, that serve the teacher. Serve in an unconditional manner, serve selflessly, serve tirelessly, serve with devotion. When serving the Guru do not look at any serV edanta Sandes h

vice as big or small, as convenient or inconvenient, pour out

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Sadhana Panchakam your heart and soul into it. Enjoy the tapas that comes as a purifying breeze on sweaty gands. Such service with integration, dedication and devotion shall form the soil to bloom the flowers of knowledge.

The Acharya says to serve the Paaduka of the Guru. The Feet of the Master is the only point where a student can look up to, rest is like being incapable to look at the sun. Such is the glory of a Sadguru that by surrendering at the Lotus Feet of the teacher alone one can get redeemed of all worldly bondages.

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Tat paaduka sevyataam.

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Mail from Poojya Guruji Gruhastha giving up Karma Hari om !

Regarding your question whether a Gruhasta who has so many duties, and cannot give up karma, can ever ‘be’ in the state of Samadhi, well the answer is both yes & no.

The fundamental rule is indeed to give up all karma and then alone the abidance in self is possible. That is why there is importance & necessity of sanyas ashram. To be a karta is to accept the duality of subject & object as real, and in samadhi you transcend this, so logically you need to choose either of the two. There is no samucchaya possible. When you have accepted the independent existence of anything apart from you then obviously you require to be conscious, calculative & deliberate in all your karmas, and all kinds of planning etc. is required - customized for different kinds of work, situations & the people in your life. Sanyasi’s can afford to keep everything aside and flow with the wind thus reserving their entire attention for directly seeing the truth of all that they have

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come to intellectually appreciate.

However, Bhagwad Gita reveals that the essence of sanyas can

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also be accrued by a person who has appreciated the secret of Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga is a very unique & dynamic Art of Living wherein one learns to give out ones best in every situation, yet the agenda is two fold. Apart from excellence in the work outside, one simultaneously prays to realize & actualize the art & capacity of seeing ‘Inaction in Action’ – Karmani akarma yah pashyet.... This art is worthy of deep exploration & clear appreciation, and once you get the hang of this, then you get blessed with the ‘Sanyas state of mind’ even in your field of karma, and thereafter being yourself, even while the guna’s do their job, is cake-walk. Think.

Love & om,

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Swami Atmananda

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Gita Reflections

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vlfDrjufHk"oax% iq=nkjx`gkfn"kq fuR;a p lefpÙkRoa l 'kkfUref/kxPNfrAA (Gita 13/9) 15

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The Value of Detachment Swamini Samatananda

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Remaining unattached, without identification with one’s son, spouse, home and others, and constant equanimity of mind when favourable or unfavourable (situations) are attained.

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Gita Reflections

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piritual knowledge can only be imparted to

a student who is mentally ready for knowledge. When knowledge is given to a mentally unprepared student it becomes toxic like undigested food. When food is digested well and assimilated finely in the body, then alone it is a source of nutrition and good health. So also in the spiritual journey, if one aims to assimilate the knowledge and benefit from it, then it also requires a mental preparation. For self-knowledge one needs to cultivate a sattvik mind. A sattvik mind is a mind which is free of raag and dvesha, a mind with single pointed devotion, a mind which is pure, balanced, subtle, and integrated. When these qualities are absent in a seeker of knowledge, it will either go on to become a burden instrumental in shattering one’s faith towards the scriptures and the Guru or it will become a source of ego-satisfaction. In either cases it will be extremely harmful for the student. Thus in the thirteenth chapter of the Gita Sri Krishna illustrates twenty values which are like twenty stepping stones which pave the path of self-enquiry. In the following sloka Krishnacharya brings to our understanding three virtues, which are rare to find.

The Acharya says:

Asaktihi anabhishwangaha putra daar grihaadishu:

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Asaktihi: Sri Krishna reveals another virtue to live by for a seeker of knowledge and that is detachment. ‘Saktihi’ is attachment and

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Gita Reflections ‘Asaktihi’ is absence of attachment. Attachment is the most inevitable consequence of living at the level of duality. I am a limited being and the world outside me is seperate from me which is capable of satisfying my sense of limitation is the story of an ignorant individual jiva. Once an individual is convinced with the idea that I need to seek fulfillment from people, things and situations outside then the entire scenario of ‘Me and Mine’ comes into the picture. The world is such a beautiful place which God has created. It is like a show God has created which we can enjoy but only if we sit on our seats like a seer with a sense of detachment. Just like we watch a film. But sadly we come to identify with the body, mind and intellect as ‘Me’ and everything connected to the body as ‘Mine’. And thus a sense of ownership, a sense of attachment begins. Experiencing the world as a show can make it a wonderful experience that helps us grow in life, but the moment we live in the world with an attitude of me and mine all situations, people and things which may be joyful as long as they are convenient to us, start taking a turn and if things are not as per my expectations then the pains of attachment start unfolding making life miserable. I love someone is one thing but to be attached to someone to the extent that the other persons existence starts controlling my happiness and my existence, then attachment becomes a disease.

Here Sri Krishna says attachment is a big obstacle which will forever make us dependent, unhappy and limited. It will never open the doors of knowledge for us. Thus give up attachment and live V edanta Sandes h

like a trustee of all that God has blessed you with. Make the most

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Gita Reflections of it to serve others and grow within.

Anabhishwangaha putra daara grihaadishu: Another value Sri Krishna suggests here is to overcome excessive attachment to one’s wife, son, house and all such things closely knit in our lives.

Although in the sloka Bhagwan has refered to ‘wife and son’ but one must understand it as attachment to the spouse in general, be it attachment to the husband or be it to the wife and similarly son implies attachment to one’s children be it a son or a daughter.

Spouse and children they are the most intimate relationships for any householder. So it is but natural to give great importance to them and share mutual love and care. There is no doubt that love is the basis of any intimate relationship and also that every relationship also comes with a responsibility of looking after each other’s physical and emotional requirements, of security, of happiness. A family bond also calls for being beside each other during ups and downs of life. In fact, the Vedic philosophy sees the realtionship of a husband and wife as two partners who walk together as companions and help each evolve on the path of righteousness and spirituality. Similar is the responsibility of parents towards children. So the entire institution of marriage and the unit of a family is a divine relationship. Therefore the Vedas have also called a householders phase as ‘Grihastha Ashrama’. This entire bond of family is a platform of human evolution. But a problem arises when due to ignorance this beautiful relationship V edanta Sandes h

becomes a a source of aattachment and dependence. When we

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Gita Reflections are not aware of the goal of life, when we are not aware of the role the world and all its interactions play in fulfilling this goal of life, one comes to see the world as a place of fulfilling one’s inner sense of lack, one’s individual likes and dislikes and therefore every relationship becomes a means to satisfy one’s self-centric desires. Thus leading every conducive relationship to the point of excessive attachment and dependency. Thus here it is said if one wishes to open the doors of self enquiry then give up excessive attachment to the family and worldly means.

The third virtue isNityam cha samachittatvam ishtanishtopapattishu: This value is expressed in terms of attitude of a balanced mind in situations desirable or undesirable. Situations will always come with a flavour of either being desirable or undesirable, and this too is so relative. What may be desirable to me may not be so for another person. A farmer prays to God-may the rains come, may Indra Devata smile, but another person will pray to God-O God! please may it not rain today as I have to appear for an examination or an interview and I want to reach the place nice and dry. So, its all so relative. A wise man does not work to manipulate situations or change them but he would rather change his attitude towards situations and be calm and thoughtful in every situation. It is only the weak and thoughtless ones who will be elated in desirable situations and sorrowful in undesirable ones. Such a composure of V edanta Sandes h

the mind is what Bhagwan Sri Krishna calls as yoga-Samatvam

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Gita Reflections yoga uchyate. Such a yogi alone is fit for the seat of knowledge.

A mind which is agitated and reactive cannot persue knowledge of the Self. So a seeker who aims for this knowledge must do the sadhana of cultivating a poised mind. Such a balanced and calm mind is cultivated with an attitude of devotion and faith towards Ishvara. With an attitude of Prasad Buddhi that what ever Ishvara has bestowed upon me as a situation is the best for me and I

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ought to accept it with grace and gratitude.

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The Art Of Man Making

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Hindu Socialism

P.P. Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji 22

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The Art of Man Making

K

rishna rightly warns here against

those who try to misappropriate the profits created by the common endeavour of all, when all have served in a spirit of Yagya.

He says, *The Devas cherished by the Yagya spirit will bring to you all your desired-for objects. So he who enjoys objects given by the Devas without offering to them is indeed a thief.

Nature blesses every co-operative endeavour with complete fulfilment and rewarding success when it is selfless and desireless.

All such communal profits and successes are really gifts from Nature-blessings of the Devas. When any profit accrued thus as a result of the total dedicated efforts of the many is misappropriated by a man then he is verily a thief. No single member of a team has the right for even a “larger” share in the total wealth created out of the team’s dedicated co-operative efforts.

He who misappropriates is a looter, a common thief-degrading, disgusting, despicable. Equal distribution is the Krishna ideal.

Hindu socialism stems forth from the recognition of the Supreme divinity that is at once the core of all and transcends the universe of names and forms . It is the infinite factor whose multiple expressions constitute this wide universe, and so all must live a healthy life of mutual love, consideration and char-

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ity. The community is sure to succeed in progress and welfare when it has learned to live and strive as one entity, as a sin-

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The Art of Man Making gle unit in essence. The more the tensions among members , the more gross becomes each seperate ego and, thereafter, each in his selfishness cheats, loots , misappropriates, arrogates that which belongs to all. Soon disparity in wealth is brought about.... from then on growth of class and class bickerings, race and racial problems, national and international pulls and counter pulls come into play. Peace is broken easily and readily, first in the hearts of people, then within the community, immediately followed by national disintegration and international wars.

According to the Hindus, the entire universe is a home and all creatures belong to it. In brotherly love, striving together, gather the profits and distributes them equally in distribution-not according to needs, it is a blind and ready equity in distribution.

Some are “producers”; the many are “consumers: in any community, in any period of history. Few create wealth, many are there to share, and share they must equally. Together produce, together enjoy.

One may wonder if this is just. One may ask, “Why should then the few produce? What benefit do they derive for their extra exertions?” Our scriptures answer very reasonably that theirs is the privilege of feeling happy that by the Lord’s grace they have the extra ability to produce and serve all others who have not this capacity. The industrial organiser, the scientific research V edanta Sandes h

scholar, the agricultural producer, etc are privileged-they are

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The Art of Man Making the few who have the extra knowledge and ability to serve a larger number of their brethren.

Again, **The good eating the “remnant of Yagna” are freed from all sins, but those who cook for themselves are the sinful ones, eating but sin. This verse is a typical example of the veiled language of all scriptures. The metaphor of the Yagya ritual is continued. In a religeous ritual, “what is left over” after the worship at the altar(Prasad) is called in Vedic literature as Yagya shishtam. This is distributed to all as a “communion”. This is equally distributed to all who are present in the sacred hall after the auspicious function.

Krishna using this term says, “ the good eat the remnant of Yagya” meaning, the healthy members of a dynamic society producing and progressing under the irresistable dash of their togetherness receive “what is left ove” from the Yagya-Yagya meaning the co-operative endeavour undertaken with a spirit of selfless dedication and without any selfish desires.

Such persons who serve the society with all their ability “are freed from all sins”. They no more have any obligations in lifethey are not indebted to society-they are not thieves in the community. When actions-obligatory duties (nitya karma)- are undertaken without ego and ego-centric desires, the existing V edanta Sandes h

Vasanas are exhausted and no new Vasanas are created. To live

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The Art of Man Making this in the society is Hindu socialism.

Each is to strive hard, sincerely, producing as much as he can for the welfare of all and himself, to receive from the society only his humble share (yagyashishtam). He who thus gives and enjoys his share in the community has no more ay oblgations: he is free to enjoy his share. This is the Hindu Socialism... based upon the guidance for the evolution of man to Godhood.

“Those who cook for themselves” meaning those who oragnise and run productive centres for their own personal gains(this, of course, includes all activities springing from selfish motives, activities catering to the aggrendisement of wealth and power, such persons who are cooking for themselves, are described here

by Krishna as “sinners eating but sin”. In the spiritual science the people who act in the world with ego and ego-centric desires gather to themselves more and more “sins”-meaning negative Vasanas, which will rake u pfuture restlessness, mental worries, regrets and anxieties.

Hindu Socialism is thus preached to the Hindu Prince by the

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Lord in these four simple looking verses.

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Jivanmukta Wandering In Himalayas

91 Pashupathinath

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in Nepal

Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of Param Poojya 27 Swami Tapovanji Maharaj

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Jivanmukta W

e were told that in addition to all this,

there were several monasteries in this area. But the present inmates of these monasteries are not true monks but a kind of householder-sadhus known as “Gosayees They serve to show how difficult it is for all to be true to an exalted ideal”. Verily it has been said “All those who wear cowl are not monks”. Irresistible indeed is the power of Maya which misleads even the great souls who desire to take the path of wisdom.

More than all the attractions of Khatmandu, what delighted me most was the natural grace and beauty of a square shaped, small lake in the heart of the city. Red lotuses bloomed in the lake and at its centre was a small temple. Frequently on evenings I bent my steps thither and enjoyed the beauty of the scene. At times, I was attracted also by the sight of hundreds of Gurkha soldiers in their uniforms drilling on the plain near the lake. This meeting place of natural and artificial beauty in the very centre of the city was, I must admit, the greatest source of my pleasure during my sojourn at Khatmandu.

Within a week of the Sivaratri festival all pilgrims whether sadhus or householders had left the city in obedience to the law of the state. But, at the request of many noble men and sadhus I stayed V edanta Sandes h

on. The devotees vied with one another in attending to my needs

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Jivanmukta

as if they were under imperial orders to do so. The forenoon was taken up with bathing, bhajan and other rites, and the afternoon was devoted chiefly to the discussions of religious topics with men who naturally delighted in the company of sadhus.

The Nepalese are a highly religious people devoted to sadhus as well as Brahmins. As the news of my arrival spread through the city several people came to me and kept coming to me day by day to see me and discuss philosophy with me Amongst those who thus flocked to me were learned Brahmins and zions of the royal family who bear the title ‘Rana’ and ‘Kshatriyas’ who occupy positions of trust and responsibility in the state Though most of them loved detachment and were devoted to the sacred Brahma Vidya, some of the Rajput warriors were under temptations. The possibility of mastering the art of working miracles had fascinated them They wanted to learn yogic feats.

Many are the people who are so misled The truthisS, the greatest siddhi is but of the earth , the greatest sidda is yet a worldling.

He still remains a slave to passions In the universe who is a greater siddha than Hiranyagarbha Except those who have detached themselves completely from the world, who possess the talent of wise and careful thought, none can hope to understand Brahma Vidya, even indirectly, that is, even intellectually Association with the good intoxicates people as much as the intercourse with the

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wicked and so crowds of people flocked to my residence at the regular hour, day after day, eager to imbibe the true knowledge

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Society of the good is like nectar, sweet and beneficient to man That is why ancient rishis like Vasishta and modem rishis like Guru Nanak have paid unstinted tributes to satsanga The company of virtuous people turns the wicked into the good, the sinful into the blessed It clears off the trammels of bondage and sets slaves free It makes the sad happy But with all this, satsanga is yet infenor to samadhi bhava (firm concentration on God) because the

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former is only a means to the latter which is our main objective.

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STORY Section 31

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Gayatri Mantra Story

T

he origin of the Gayatri mantra is associated

with two popular characters in Hindu mythology - King Vishwamitra and the sage, Vasistha.

The story begins with a king, Vishwamitra, who went into the forest with his entourage and came across the hermitage of the powerful sage, Vasistha. Vasistha had attained the highest position amongst sages and carried the title of ‘Brahma-rishi’.

Upon seeing Vishwamitra and his entourage, Vasistha greeted them and offered food to eat and a place to rest. The king, however, was reluctant as he thought there were too many people in his entourage for the sage to feed. Vasistha was unfazed. He turned to a cow in the yard and whispered some words into its ear. Lo’ and behold, immediately, there was a lot of food for the king and his entourage to eat.

Vishwamitra was fascinated and wanted the cow for himself – his intention was to take the cow back to his kingdom so that his people would never be in need of food again. When he asked Vasistha for the cow, the sage refused to part with the animal.

A violent argument ensued between Vishwamitra and Vasistha.

In the end, Vishwamitra accepted defeat and went back to his

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kingdom. However, he continued to be troubled by the fact that

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Gayatri Mantra Story Vasistha was the one who had true power. Vishwamitra decided to give up all ties to the material world and meditate in the jungle; he wanted to become enlightened and, thereby, be conferred the title of ‘Brahma-rishi’.

Vishwamitra spent many years in the pursuit of his goal and faced many obstacles. For instance, his meditations were once interrupted when he was seduced by an apsara (heavenly nymph), Menaka. Some years later, after an argument between them, she left him. Vishwamitra returned to his meditations, but was forced to start all over again.

In time, Vishwamitra overcame all his desires and Lord Brahma conferred upon him the title of ‘Maha-rishi’. Lord Brahma added the following: when Vishwamitra received the blessings of Vasistha, he would be conferred the title of ‘Brahma-rishi’.

Left with no choice, Vishwamitra went to seek out Vasistha. As he approached the sage’s hermitage, Vishwamitra could hear Vasistha talking with his wife, Arundhati, and Vishwamitra eavesdropped on their conversation. He learned that Vasistha had been quietly encouraging him throughout his journey to enlightenment.

Ashamed of his anger towards Vasistha, Vishwamitra began to

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hit his head against a wall. Vasistha rushed out to stop Vasistha and Vishwamitra fell to the ground. As his head touched the feet of Vasistha, Vishwamitra felt a divine current course through his

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Gayatri Mantra Story body. He also went into spontaneous samadhi (divine communion). In that state, he heard the mystical sounds of the Gayatri mantra inside his head and recited it. He was then blessed by Vasistha and, finally, conferred the title of ‘Brahma-rishi’.

The Meaning of the Gayatri Mantra and It’s Significance The Gayatri mantra in Sanskrit: “Om Bhuh, Om Bhuvaha, Om Swaha, Om Maha, Om Janaha, Om Tapaha, Om Satyam, Om Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat” “O Self-effulgent Light that has given birth to all the lokas [spheres of consciousness], who is worthy of worship and ap-

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pears through the orbit of the Sun, illumine our intellect.”

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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 Recordings of Online Pravachans

Poojya Guruji giving talk

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Shiv-Mahimna Stotram

6th July-13th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations

Beautiful Altar was made

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Inmates alone celebrated

12th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations

There was Gita Chanting

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At 12 in the night was Maha-Aarti

12th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations

Janam & Jhoola

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Everyone put a hand in swing for Balkrishna

12th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations

Festivities followed

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Bhajans & Dance

12/13th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations

Govind Jai Jai

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Gopal Jai Jai

12/13th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Saamohik Shiv-Puja

On completion of Shiv-Mahimna-Stotram

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All inmates participated

15th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Shiv-Puja on Birthday

by P. Swamini Amitanandaji

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The day started with expression of gratitude

8th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Flag Hoisting on 15th Aug

Flag hoisted on Ashram Terrace

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Sang the National Anthem

15th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Rakhi Celebrations

All Ashramites tying Rakhi to P. Guruji

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Om Sri Guruve Namah

3rd Aug 2020

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Ashram News Bhajan & Bhojan Program

On Birthday of Swamini Amitanandaji

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Started with Bhajans & Prayers

8th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Bhajan & Bhojan Program

Sureshji taking Blessings

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Om Sri Guruve Namah

8th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Bhajan & Bhojan Program

Next day was Angad’s Birthday

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Cake cutting

8th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Bhajan & Bhojan Program

There was a Joke Program

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by Manohar Agarwal

8th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Bhajan & Bhojan Program

Laughter is the best Medicine

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Om Sri Guruve Namah

8th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Blossoming Flowers of Ashram

Clicked by Sw. Amitanandaji

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On World Photography Day

19th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Drive on the Outskirts of Indore

Prakruti reveals Param Purusha

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Waterfalls / Full Lakes / Lush Green Forests

27th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Birding around Indore

Indore has rich Fauna & Flora

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Kingfishers / Cormorants / Sunbirds

27th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Birding around Indore

Starlings - Brahminy & Pied

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Robins / Black Drongo

27th Aug 2020

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Ashram News The Birders

Poojya Guruji / Sw. Amitanandaji

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Sw Samatanandaji / Angad Kapoor

27th Aug 2020

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Ashram News Photography

Dancing Drops on Leaves

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& Flowers

Aug 2020

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Internet News Talks on (by P. Guruji) : Video Pravachans on YouTube Channel - Shiva Mahimna Pravachan - Shiva Mahimna Chanting - Bhaja Govindam - Hanuman Chalisa - Dhyan on Vishnu Sahasranaam Audio Pravachans -Shiva Mahimna - Bhaja Govindam - Hanuman Chalisa Vedanta & Dharma Shastra Group on FaceBook

Monthly eZines Vedanta Sandesh - July ‘20

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Vedanta Piyush - July ‘20 Vedanta Sandesh -Aug ‘20 Vedanta Piyush - Aug ‘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

1st Sept onwards till 17th Oct SAMPOORNA KATHOPANISHAD Daily online releases on You Tube Sraadh & Adhik Maas Special - by Poojya Guruji BHAJA GOVINDAM PRAVACHAN Daily online releases on You Tube In Marathi & English Recorded for Online Release 27th August 2020 onwards

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SHIV-MAHIMNA CHANTING CLASS On the You Tube

By Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji

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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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