VedantaSandesh_Feb2018

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Vedanta Sandesh Year - 23

Issue 8

Feb 2018

Mahashivratri Greetings

Cover Page

Ved anta S andesh

This month our cover page is dedicated to Bhagwan Shankar, and more specifically Bhagwan Sri Gangeshwar Mahadev - the presiding deity of Vedanta Ashram, whose main festival of Mahashivratri is coming this month - on 13th Feb 2018.

The internet is full of lovely & artistic images of Lord Shiva, and we happened to come across one such image. The artist has picturised Lord Shiva as Jyotirmaya, of the nature of light. He is thus shown adorning Moon, while sun literally creates an aura around him.

Basically Lord Shiva is the truth of creation, and thus pervades the entire creation. Inside him alone the infinite stars have been depicted.

Creation is his Virat Roopa.

Devotees devote this auspicious day to not only worship Shivji, and also meditate on him as their very Self. Keeping the day very austere devotees fast on this day, do Rudrabhisheka, do Japa of Om Namah Shivaya mantra. The story goes that Lord Shiva manifested on this day as the great pillar of fire - Anala Sthambha, he is also said to have married Parvatiji on this day. There are many stories associated with this day, so devotees devote this day for intense worship & dhyana of their beloved God. Our Greetings to all our readers for this auspicious day. Om Namah Shivaya.

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CONTENTS

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Vedanta Sandesh February 2018

1.

Shloka 5

2.

Message of P. Guruji

3.

Tattva Bodha 9-13

4.

Letter 14-15

5.

Gita Reflections 16-23

6.

We Must 24-29

7.

Jivanmukta 30-32

8.

Story Section 33-34

9.

Mission / Ashram News

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35-54

10.

Forthcoming Progs 55

11.

Links 56 3

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Feb 2018 : Year 23 / Issue 8

Published by

International 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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jkxsPNklq[knq%[kkfn cq)kS lR;ka izorZrsA lq"kqIrkS ukfLr rék'ks rLekn~cq)sLrq ukReu%AA

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Likes, desires, happiness or sorrow etc. are experienced only when the mind-intellect are there. In deepsleep when the mind too is asleep, none of the above are there. This is a clear proof that all these likes etc, are of the mind-intellect and not the Self.

Atma Bodha - 23

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Message from Poojya Guruji

Vision of Oneness - Ekatmata

Discussions on the vision of oneness is gaining popularity in today’s frag-

mented world. There was this topic of ‘Discovering the Thread of Unity’ in this years Prerna Talk organized by Indian Cultural Foundation at Mumbai; then there was the Ekatma Yatra, an endeavor of MP Govt to bring to forefront the message of non-duality taught by Sri Adi Sankaracharya. MP Govt plans to build a 108 ft statue of the great Acharya at Omkareshwar, where he met his teacher. Then there was this talk at Davos, in which the PM presented his views on Çreating a Shared Future in Fragmented World’. All the three talks, which were not connected to each other, but were manifestation of the common concern of importance of such a unifying vision by various wise people of the country & the world.

Differences at various levels of our personality are very natural & obvious. However, there is also a thread of unity inspite of the superficial differences. This fact is of most profound importance & consequence. Those who are not aware of this underlying unifying thread, have no other option except to attach to some superfi-

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cial aspect from where they not only become very limited but also isolated & fragmented from everyone around. The consequence of seeing the thread of unity and on the other hand seeing differences galore everywhere are very profound.

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For one who sees the thread of unity of all inspite of superficial differences, sees all as their own. Everyone is that which they too fundamentally are, and when you see yourself anywhere, there is love for everyone, effortlessly. Moreover, they become so big, so as to embrace the entire cosmos. With such a vision there cannot be any war or animosity. While if you see the other as different, then not only the seer is small, limited & isolated, but everyone around are ‘not-me or mine’.

It is this perception which is the cause of all conflicts. Therefore such apparently philosophical tenets are not a matter of someones luxury and thought, but are so consequential, that such a knowledge needs to be taught by all countries & societies of the world.

If the unifying thread is a matter of fact, then obviously it is a very fundamental reality of all. For realizing it we need to go very deep within ourselves. We will need to ignore the superficial aspects of ourselves, and keep going so deep, till we discover a dimension from whose point of view there are no differences. It is all about Self-Discovery. No wonder the entire culture of our ancient country is basically adhyatmic. Discovery of this unifying thread was the objective of alll teachings. Its realization was called Moksha - redemption. It alone is the foundation of a healthy human being and the world.

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Om Tat Sat,

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TATTVA BODHA

Jiva & Ishwara

Swamini Samatananda

Tattva Bodha T

he subject matter of this section is about the

oneness between the Jiva and Ishvara. Hence building upon this subject the Acharya has so far discussed about the identity of the Jiva and that of Ishvara and how this identity comes into existence. This understanding of the present identity of Jiva and Ishvara will actually lead us and help us discover the non-duality between jiva and Ishvara making us realise that truly there never was duality between the Jiva and Ishvara.

Therefore the Acharya warns us that since there is no duality between Jiva and Ishvara as a matter of fact and yet if out of ignorance we continue to live a sense of duality then the eternal seeking in samsara and suffering in this world will continue to exist for ever and ever. Hence the fulfillment of life lies in discovering this oneness or advaita between Jiva and Ishvara.

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,oeqikf/kHksnkr~ thos'ojHksnn`f"V% ;koRi;ZUra fr"Bfr rkoRi;ZUra tUeej.kkfn:i lalkjks u fuorZrsA

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Tattva Bodha

So long as the notion which is due to difference in the

conditionings that Jiva and Isvara are different, remains, until such time, there is no redemption from ‘Samsara’ which is of the form of repeated birth, death etc.

As we saw in the earlier part of the text that the con-

sciousness conditioned by ignorance is Jiva. In other words Jiva is a product of one’s ignorance and has a relative identity only in the mind. Jiva is a thought born out of a sense of limitation as we are ignorant about the complete and fulfilled nature of the Self. I am an incomplete being and therefore I need contentment from outside is the womb of the Jiva who is born and then starts walking on the two feet of enjoyership and doership. In that case as long as I am limited and seek fulfillment from outside so long the existence of Ishvara will be seperate from me and I will be a continuous seeker living a life of joys and sorrows, a life of fear and insecurity.

This sense of duality defines my realtionship with the world as well as Ishvara too. As long as I see myself as a limited and fragmented being so long Ishvara will have a seperate existence from me. There is no doubt that at the level of mani-

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festation there are opposite qualities like Ishvara is omniscient,

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Tattva Bodha omnipotent, compassionate, all pervasive, but this is what the scriptures are aiming to reveal to us that even though Jiva and Ishvara appear to be different it is only at a manifested level, which is incidental. Intrinsically Jiva and Ishvara are one. This is what one should aim for as this is where the culmination of knowledge is, to discover the oneness between Jiva and Ishvara.

In this entire journey of awakening into the advaita the

interesting thing is that the journey begins from where we are standing today. Today I identify with the Self as a Jiva and there is an existence of an almighty Ishvara who is seperate from Me. The scriptures very scientifically begin from where we stand. We begin by accepting the duality and invoke faith and devotion towards Ishvara. This is not only a mental practise but this devotion needs to be reflected in all my actions and the fruit of actions. As devotion towards Ishvara gets more and more deeper the desire to know the beloved and get one with him is the natural outcome of it. Then begins the journey of unfolding the secrets of Tat Tvam Asi by gaining knowledge at the Lotus Feet of the Master. Through Vedantic knowledge one discovers the oneness between Jiva and Ishvara.

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Therefore it is extremely important to diagnose the prob-

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Tattva Bodha lem and see that the real problem is in being ignorant and seeing the duality and living the life of a limited being. Samsara is only because of this percieved duality. As long as this sense of duality exists so long the Jiva shall continue to seek and suffer.

Thus the Acharya here says one should not accept the difference between the Jiva and Ishvara as the ultimate reality but one should aim to see the nonduality between Jiva nad Ishvara

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by studying the Mahavakyas Tat Tvam Asi.

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Mail from Poojya Guruji Break-Ups Q: How to handle a break-up in a relationship?

Ans: Breakup in a relationship which was initiated very lovingly and was also apparently developing nicely is indeed a very disturbing incident. It is one of the common reason to bring about stress in a person, whether in a boy or a girl.

Relationships are not only very important but are very special too. They create an important foundation for life, which is of mutual love & trust.

When a relationship is not very deep, then a break-up can be handled relatively easily, because the relationship has not yet taken deeper roots, but when it had been developing slowly, with appropriate consent and love, and then suddenly there is a break-up, then certainly it is very disturbing. It can bring about a question-mark on ones esteem, and makes a person wonder as to where did he or she go wrong. Introspection is a good quality and if at all one finds that his or her behaviour has not been very cordial & respectable then necessary correction should be brought about. Relationships for whole life have to give to the other person due respect & comfort. There should be no obligation

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from either side, one should rather get a feeling of the freedom to be what you truly are. This ‘you’ should be loved, respected & also needed by the other. If even after due reflection on the whole incident, you

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are surprised why did it happen, then alone this shock element is there.

However, painful it may be, I personally consider break-up in relationships good. It shows that the other person has some other aspirations & values, and therefore could never have been a long-life association and partnership. He or she was looking for some other thing which was not possible in this relationship. Respecting the aspirations of the other person, one should rather think that - earlier the better. Love is all about accepting the other partner as they are, and this fundamental requirement was absent. In love there is joy of giving rather than selfish desires. The beauty of a good relationship is that it is your partner who takes care of you and you of the other. This is ideal, and this assures a life-long association, and is also a foundation for fulfilling all the four purusharthas of Dharma, Artha, Kama & Moksha. In good relationships superficially there are two people, but deep-down there is oneness. Obviously a break-up indicates that nothing of this existed, so consider such a break-up as a blessing of God. Such incidents will definitely leave you wiser about the truths of life. Having learnt appropriate lessons get on with your life. Continue to be a good caring person with clear values & goals. You will soon find the right person & partner.

Love & om,

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Swami Atmananda

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Gita Reflections

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Å/oZewye/k% 'kk[ke~

v’oRFka izkgqjO;;e~A NUnkafl ;L; i.kkZfu

;Lra osn% l osnfor~AA (Gita 15/1) 16

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Oordhvamoolam Adhahshakham (Å/oZewye~

v/k%’kk[ke~)

Swamini Samatananda

They say the imperishable asvattha tree has its roots above, its branches below and the Vedas as its leaves. The one who knows that V edanta Sandes h

is a knower of the Veda.

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Gita Reflections

T

his first sloka of chapter Fifteen is a highly

pregnant sloka. It is an inspiration to understand life.

Bhagwan symbolises life as a tree. He says, who so ever

knows and understands this tree of life knows the essence of the Vedas. The knowledge of the Vedas reveals the knowledge of life and the knowledge of life leads to the knowledge of the Vedas. The accomplishment of Vedic knowledge does not lie in distancing oneself from the flow of life but it is otherwise. A life lived with full integration of the body, mind and intellect goes on to inspire us to know the truth of life, thus inspiring us to get Vedic knowledge. Infact the Vedas speak of the complete package of life giving us the four Purusharthas. Man has been going through the cycle of birth and death in this world since time immemorial, yet very rarely does a person come to understand the secrets of life. Where have we come from? Where we will be going to? Who created this world and how? All these questions are the doors to getting a deeper insight about life and beyond. Life is a big riddle. Who created this world and how? The story of life is My story. It has been the beauty of our Vedic heritage that various philosophical truths have been explained and revealed through a unique medium of symbolism and metaphors. Here too, Bhagwan takes up the symbol of V edanta Sandes h

a tree that reveals to us the philosophy of life. Even if one were

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Gita Reflections to understand the beauty of a tree at a very worldly level even then a tree reflects a glory that is divine. We are so blessed by trees. Trees are compared to a Man of wisdom always steadfast in knowledge. The branches and leaves of which may sway with the winds but the roots can never be detered from their place.They stand facing the sky and the sun like Sadhus engrossed in austerity. The branches bow down with humility as they bear the fruits ready to satisfy one and all with their juisy fruits without any expectation and without any discrimination.

A tree stands equipoised in all circumstances of heat, cold and storms. Indeed great and endless is the glory of a tree.

The tree descibed here in the sloka is not an ordinary

tree. It is a very extra ordinary and unique tree. This is the tree of life. The tree of life involves the whole cosmos. All living and non-living beings. All the forms of manifestations in the beautiful creation of God. Here Bhagwan reveals, this tree of life is unique as it stands upside down. (Oordhva moolam adhah shaakham.) The roots are facing the sky and the branches are looking downwards. This tree as Bhagwan says has a very long life-(Ashvattham). Like a Banyan Tree it is almost eternal. It does not die for generations together. A Banyan tree is self multiplying. The tree of life too is almost eternal because the flow of life too is self multiplying and goes on forever and

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ever. From the unmanifest to the manifest and then again back

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Gita Reflections into the unmanifest. Creation and dissolution go on forever in a wave pattern. So life is like a big huge tree. The tree is as though standing on its head. There is something deep about it. It is something other than as it appears to be.

As said in the sloka the roots are upwards-’oordhvam’-One

meaning of this is that the roots are facing on the upper side but a more meaningful implication is that the roots are superior (utkrisht). The real beauty and life lies in the roots of the tree.

It is the roots that nourish the tree and hold it firmly to the ground. It is the roots from where the branches, leaves, flowers and fruits etc are born. The only thing is the roots are not as visible as other parts of the tree. A tree therefore has one part which is visible and another which is invisibke. Now here lies the test of a Man’s power to discriminate. There are some people who are able to understand that if the branches, leaves etc exist then it is due to the roots of the tree and therefore they have more value towards the roots of the tree and wish to discover the roots and understand them more deeply. But these kind are very rare. Majority of the people have a superficial mind and they are more superficially associated with the wood, the flowers and the fruits of the tree. In the tree of life too, one needs to understand that life would not exist without the unmanifest roots of existence, consciousness and bliss. There cannot be life

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without a creator. Without the avyakta-the roots, life will cease

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Gita Reflections to exist. The purport here is to direct our attention to the roots, the unmanifest. It is only due to the roots that every thing else surfaces up. the branches, the leaves the buds flowers and fruits.

The world is extremely beautiful but the roots are more beautifull and superior, because they alone are creating and sustaining the whole tree. Ishvara is the creator and sustainer of this beautiful world. Looking at the beauty of the world how can we ignore the creator. If the effect is so beautiful then one can imagine the beauty of the cause. The manifest is just an iota. It is just like a tip of the ice berg. The scriptures reveal that the beauty of the cause, the creator of this universe is that not only he is the creator but he also pervades all that he has created. It is like the clay that pervades all the creation of toys and utensils. A man of faith and devotion believes in such a creator and makes his life a service to God. His life is the commaned of Ishvara and therefore he is a humble sevak towards whatever God wishes him to do. He is a karmayogi. A Jigyasu or a mumukshu is one who enquires in to the unmanifest. He not only lives a life of gratitude but also gains the knowledge of Ishvara and the nature of his creation, ultimately going to realise that basically Jiva and Ishvara are one and there is no duality. Such a person here has been named by Bhagwan Sri Krishna as the ‘Vedavit’, the knower of the Vedas. A Vedavit is one who has total knowledge of the manifest and the unmanifest. the branches and the

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roots. The leaves are the expressions of such vedavit people.

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Gita Reflections This gives us a definition of an enlightened life. Knowing both the manifest and the unmanifest. A Vedavit is one who understands life and also those aspects of life which are not visible. He is truly an educated person. Education is not only about getting some fomal education and getting a degree. So many people are so called degree holders , they are earning in millions yet they are suffering in life. That person is knowledgable who knows the fundamental truths of this tree of life. He not only knows the branches but also knows the roots. In Mundaka Upanishad it is said there are two types of knowledge which a person should know. Para Vidya and Apara Vidya. Know the world as much as one needs to know the truth beyond the world. In Apara Vidya be a superspecialist in your field but also know the truth of life otherwise there will be ego, anxiety, tension and suffering. The knowledge which brings about a sense of gratitude within is Para Vidya which one should really know. Vyakt and Avyakt.

One is the branch and the other is the root. A worldly person is only fascinated by the various fruits on the tree and has a mind that is extrovert. A mind that constantly hungry with desires looking out for a new experience each time. Such people are bonded in the realm of samsara constantly moving around in the merry go round of deisres and their temperory fulfillment.

The life of such people is a canvas of various colours of joys and sorrows, ups and downs, success and failures. That is the

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way they understand of life and accept it oo. On the other hand

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Gita Reflections a jigyasu is more eager to understand the roots, the cause of this life. His only wish is to discover the creator and the substratum also. He is not only inclined to knowing and appreciating the roots but he can also appreciate the other aspects of this tree of life. As it is said in Purusha Sooktam, everything is the cosmic body of the Purusha but Paramatma is ten folds still higher.

(Atya tishthat dashaangulam).

Thus this sloka is a profound indicator of how we should

percieve life. The fulfillment of a human life is to be able to see the branches etc with full integration and yet not get so entangled with the visible aspect so as to be ignorant about the invisible roots. To be able to see the glory of the roots redefines not only our relationship with the other aspects of the tree but also helps us discover the very substratum that is the worlds reality

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and our reality.

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WE MUST 21

Break your shell, open your wings and fly

- 21 -

We Must Resolve to Bring out the Best in Us

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P.P. Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji 25

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We Must A

life barren in aspirations to work out good plans, to

fulfil great schemes, to realise noble visions, is indeed tragic, empty and insufferably blistering. The deeper enthusiasm of our inner soul is invoked only when our towering vision thrusts our eyes, our hands and our hearts upward to heavenly heights of thought and action. Our life must grow entirely into dedicated, cheerful work and selfless, undemanding service. When these two are ignored by members of a community, in that community poverty and discord, sin and sickness, fear and anxiety, war and insecurity are inevitable. These are all self-invited sorrows, made-to-order by a society infested with idlers and selfish men. To work in an attitude of humble service, cheerfully and selflessly is, in itself, the greatest Religion, the highest spiritual Life that is to be lived. To be cheerful, we must have an inexhaustible source of Joy which we gain from the constant thought that we are serving Him through our chosen worldly service to the unhappy ones about us. When an act is done in pure and total love, the very act has a rewarding satisfaction. When we love the Lord and act in His name there can be no selfishness or egoism in our movements. To learn to eliminate the ego is to move close to the experiences of the spiritual realms within us. The spirit of dedication gives to any individual a handle to lift himself in his own life. The universe of living creatures is V edanta Sandes h

evolving and steadily marching towards a greater state of con-

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We Must sciousness, a larger arena of love, a higher peak of bliss. Men of integrity, committed to the spirit-of-service-and-love, to the values of charity and selflessness, are the rare ones who have the supreme privilege to participate and contribute to this evolutionary movement of the world. Continuous exertion poured lovingly into the field of our selfless endeavour is sure to bring success even if the efforts not well planned or carefully organised. Only there should not be any trace of ego in the worker. And he must have the tenacity of purpose, the fortitude to meet challenges smilingly and an inexhaustive poise arising out of his cheerful disposition. Many are tempted to give up their work just at a time when success is reaching them. Had there been a bit more of the “do-or-die”power in them, they would have had the satisfaction of seeing their great work climbing the triumphal crest. But some choose to end in a suicidal retirement, in exhaustion, in fatigue, in disgust. These feelings lurk only in a heart that is darkened by selfishness, vanity, anxiety and desire. In the light of Lord-remembrance, there are no such ghosts to frighten a sincere worker away from his “seva”.

Let each one, therefore, repeat to himself whenever he is

discouraged or tired: “Success is around the corner; let me walk up to it and claim it all for these efforts.” But we must work with real enthusiasm. It is indeed an agony even to watch someone work-

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ing laboriously with out system or sincerity as a purchased slave,

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We Must fearing the fore man’s lashes. A truly enthusiastic worker automatically becomes systematic in his planning and orderly in his executions. Instead of pausing to improve all others on our team, let us try to influence them by our own laughing face and sweating back. We must.

Let us not complain that there is not enough time; so long as

we waste our time in complaining, we will never find enough time to act, win and achieve. Let us avoid all dissipation of energy by the restless movements of our limbs or by the incessant agitations of the mind. Conserve our mental energies we must. And the only effective way for this is to be noble in intention, ethical in purpose and moral in behaviour. Let us be positive in our thoughts; let wholesome, creative thoughts of love, tenderness, kindness and mercyfill our hearts.A deeply virtuous man is the most potent servant of mankind. He alone is the sacred reed through which the Lord shall sing His Song of Blessing to the generation. “Be pure” is our supreme duty, so that what we do may be fruitful and benefit the maximum number. As a great thinker thundered: “Virtue makes men on the earth famous, in their grave illustrious, in the heavens immortal”. This is no less if not more true even today in our modern technological age of continuous grabbing and endless indulgence. When a team works sincerely, it is natural that there will be human-serpents that will hiss and even bite. If the sevak

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who has been steadily cultivating himself within and expanding

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We Must into the realms of virtuous living, firmly holds on to his cheerfulness, selflessness and dedication, the poison will not affect him at all perhaps it may kill only the very serpents. This is a strange law and never-failing. Let us be tolerant, silent, and with tender eyes of true compassion for them, bless them ardently with more dedicated, loving service. Victory over them will be ours in the long run. Our life and its achievements will not be on the tongues of others. Remember this constantly. All great servants of man have been vilified and tortured by the society around them. Yet the world remembers those abominations and their perpetrators only because of the glory of those who served their generation. Also, it is the service of such heroic men that has moulded society and its peoples into the civilizations and cultures which we today proudly claim as ours. To blessedly forgive and god-like work on We must.

Let us be the moulders of tomorrow, architects of the world

of coming eras. We must.

In thus working, we are one with the Lord of the universe.

What greater spiritual life is ever possible to a seeker in this world?

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To realise this and divinely act on it We must.

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Jivanmukta Wandering In Himalayas

65 Yoga Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of Param Poojya Swami Tapovanji Maharaj

Jivanmukta C

ertainly yoga is one of the higher methods of realiz-

ing God. It is far superior to Shakti worship. It is also true that, in certain cases, men are able to know Truth only through cultivating yoga, even though they might have precously spent years in study and meditation. But the yoga must be of the correct type, emanating from the Upaishads and handed down by the great Rishis. It must be learnt from true teachers. The world should know how dangerous it is to experiment with breath control (pranayama) without first carefully studying its basic principles, its nature, and its results from a real master of yoga. Some people are under the impression that yoga consists simply of the several steps of pranayama, such as exhaling(rechaka), inhaling(pooraka), and so on. Some others consider acts like neti and dhauti (two practices by by which the nostrils and the stomach are cleansed) to be yoga. Yet others make it for the vision of stars or the sun and the moon within. If a person succeeds in raising himself howsoever little from his seat, he is deemed to have attained the very limit of yoga. None of these is yoga. Even if he fails to do any of these, he may still be a yogi.

Then what is yoga? What is the true nature of the yoga dealt with in the Shastras and regarded by the wise as helpful in the effort to realize God?

Yoga is defined as chittavrittinirodhah; that is, it consists of

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attaining complete control over the vascillations of the restless

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Jivanmukta mind. The process involves eight steps; Self-control(yama), observance of virtues (niyama), practice of yogic postures (asana), control of breath (pranayama), withdrawal of the mind (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyan), and absorption (samadhi). First, one should master yama, niyama and asana, and only then proceed with pranayama. Pranayama means the conquest of prana by practising breath control. The Yoga Sutra describes the nature of pranayama, which one may attempt after attempting mastery over the yogic postures: “Controlling the movements of inhalation-exhalation is called pranayama.” Drawing in the air deeply (inhaling) in called pooraka; letting it out gradually (exhaling) is known as rechaka. The complete stoppage of breathing (neither inhaling or exhaling) is designated as kumbhaka and that is the most important part of pranayama. Not only the hatha yogis but also the raja yogis accept pranayama as an essential element of yoga: “The ‘ha’ sound stands for the prana known as Surya (Sun-the presiding diety of the spirit); ‘tha’ signifies Apana, which is called Chandra (Moon-the presiding diety of matter). The union of the two is called yoga.” From this description of hatha yoga given by its principal exponent. Gorakshanatha, it is clear that the particular type of yoga stops with the attainment of health, lasting youthfulness, vitalityand longevity. Physical health, however important, is only physical health. However long a tree might live, it is no more than a tree. Raja Yoga, therefore, accepts pranayama merely as a means to

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an end, namely control of the mind.

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STORY Section 33

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Shiva’s Curse

A

t the time of creation of the universe Brahma created a

woman named Shatarupa to help him with his job of creation. Shatarupa was so beautiful that Brahma became completely infatuated with her and stared at her wherever she went. Shatarupa was embarrassed by this attention and tried to escape his gaze, but in every direction that she moved, Brahma sprouted a new head until he had developed four. The frustrated Shatarupa became desperate and began to jump to try to escape his gaze. This prompted Brahma to sprout yet another head on top of the others in order to keep her in sight. He showed his lordship on her. This unholy behavior and an extra attachment to the created things of Lord Brahma angered Lord Shiva.

It is said that Shiva admonished Brahma for his “unholy” behav-

ior towards Shatarupa and chopped off his fifth head as punishment.

He effortlessly and by the mere tips of his finger nails, crushed the head of Brahma.

Brahma had given into the cravings of the flesh and abandoned

the work of the soul and for this Shiva’s curse was that people should not worship Brahma. The story also goes on to say that Brahma has been continually reciting the four Vedas ever since as a form of repentance, one from each of his four heads.

Brahma got attached to his own creation and reflected a behav-

iour of indiscrimination by being over powered by that which is born

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of maya and is impermanent. Lack of the presence of mind he got cursed by Lord Shiva so as not to be worshipped.

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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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Mission News Gita Gyana Yagna, Baroda

by Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji

V edanta Sandes h

Gita Chapter 8 / Kathopanishad 1-3

5th - 11th Jan 2018

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Mission News Satsang at Dubai

by Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji

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Om & Ek Omkar

16th Jan 2018

ñ 37

Mission News Gita Class, Dubai

by Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji

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Gita Chapter 1

17th - 19th Jan 2018

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Mission News Gita Satsang, Dubai

by Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji

V edanta Sandes h

Karma Yoga

20th Jan 2018

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Mission News Stress Talk for Law Students

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

V edanta Sandes h

GJ Advani Law College, Dahisar

27th Jan 2018

ñ 40

Mission News Meditation & QnA at Mumbai

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

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Vivekananda Auditorium, RK Math, Khar

28th Jan 2018

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Mission News Prerna Talks 2018

by Poojya Guruji & Dr. Sambit Patra

V edanta Sandes h

Topic: ,drk ds lw= dh [kkst

28th Jan 2018

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Mission News Talk at Rotary Garden, Dahisar

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

V edanta Sandes h

Topic: Be The Inspiration

29th Jan 2018

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Ashram News Hanuman Chalisa Satsang: Jan 2018

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

V edanta Sandes h

Chaupayi - 22 Continues

21th Jan 2018

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Ashram News Ekatma Yatra Arati

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

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Rajwada Chawk, Indore

18th Jan 2018

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Ashram News Ekatma Yatra Sammelan

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

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Gandhi Hall, Indore

20th Jan 2018

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Ashram News Shiv-Puja & Abhishek

by Siddharth Arora

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Gangeshwar Mahadev, Indore

15th Jan 2018

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Ashram News Republic Day Celebration

Flag Hoisting by Pradeep & Rekha Sharma

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at Vedanta Ashram

26th Jan 2018

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Ashram News Yogi’s Birthday Celebration

Blessings by all Mahatmas

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All his delicacies served

1st Jan 2018

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Genral News Visit - New Office of Satish Sharma

Sharma Associates - Comprehensive Law Services

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The entire family is of Advocates

28th Jan 2018

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Genral News Visit to the New House

of Anjali Kapoor & family

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Poojya Guruji & Ashram Mahatmas

20th Jan 2018

ñ 51

General News Trip to Sirpur Lake

It is just 4 Kms from Ashram

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It is a ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Area’

A Preserved & Protected Area

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General News Birds of Sirpur Lake

A BNHS Recognized Place

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A lovely, serene & green place

Great for Walks too

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General News Sirpur Lake Visit

It has Naktas, Moorhens, Hornbills,

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Spot-billed Ducks, Egrets, Drongos etc

Kingfishers, Eagles, Waterhens, Shrikes etc

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Forthcoming Programs 8th-13th Feb 2018 VEDANTA CAMP@ Ashram Kaivalya Upa / Shiv-Sankalpa Sukta All Ashram Mahatmas 23rd Feb-1st Mar 2018 GITA GYANA YAGNA@ Lucknow Gita Chap-9 / Mundaka Upa 2-1 Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji 5th-11th Mar 2018 GITA GYANA YAGNA@ Amdavad Gita Chap-4 / Dhyana Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji

V edanta Sandes h

16th-22nd Apr 2018 GITA GYANA YAGNA@ Jalgaon Gita Chap-10 / Narada Bhakti Sutra Poojya Swamini Poornanandaji

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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

Editor: Swamini Samatananda Saraswati