VedantaSandesh April2016

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Year 21

Issue 10

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Apr 2016 : Year 21 / Issue 10

Editor: Swamini Samatananda Saraswati

Hkork turk lqfgrk Hkfork futcks/k fopkj.k pk#ersA dy;s'oj&thofoosdfona Hko 'kadj nsf'kd es 'kj.ke~AA O Sankar! the great teacher, whosoever is inclined to know the truth about their own Self, you bless all such devoted students with the discrimination of Jiva & Ishwar. I am fully devoted to your lotus feet for such a knowledge.

Totakashtakam - 3

Published by

International Vedanta Mission

http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com

Section Index 1.

Message of P. Guruji

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5

4.

Letter

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9

2.

5.

6.

7.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Tattva Bodha

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6-7

Gita Reflections

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10-11

Yoga Vasistha

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14-15

VM News

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18

Jivanmukta

Story Section

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13

17

VM Activities

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19

VM Programs

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23

Album

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20-21

from Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

Simhasta (Kumbha) at Ujjain From 22nd April onwards a month long mega religious festival is being organized at Ujjain, which is an hour drive from our Ashram at Indore. This is one of the four places where the famous Kumbh Mela is organized. Kumbha Mela at Ujjain (and also at Nashik) is called Simhastha - because Jupiter ascends into Leo or Simha Rashi. No humans decide for these festivities, but it is the special astrological configurations because of which the devotees start their pilgrimages to such places. Termed as the biggest religious congregation on earth, millions throng the place. Saints & Sadhus of different sects camp in the area, and lovingly share their wisdom freely with one & all. This has been the great knowledge tradition of this part of the land - that like the ever-flowing Ganga, knowledge flows freely for one & all, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or sex - in the spirit of 'Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu'.

The story goes that once Sage Durvasa was not happy with the conduct of Indra, the king of Devatas. Devatas were expected to be more magnanimous, and as per him should even lovingly take cooperations to everyone, including Asuras. So he cursed Indra, that his powers shall start waning and shortly end - till he took assistance of Asuras and both the Devatas & Asuras churn the ocean and get Amrut, which alnone shall help them get their power back. So the famous Samudra Manthan was organized. When deep reflections is done on something then apart from the aspired karma-phala, all choicest blessings and worldly siddhis are also acquired. Thus seven special blessings came out, the last of them was the Amrut, brought out personally by Dhanvantariji. Later when Bhagwan Vishnu was distributing Amrut to devatas, some altercation happened, in which some drops of amrut fell down in four places. These four places are the ones where Kumbha Mela is organized to celebrate the event, and even partake some drops of Amrut.

The real amrut is in fact the knowledge of wise people who gather in such places. Devotees come & not only serve great masters but also get the knowledge from them. Great story, and equally great tradition.

Tattva Bodha

The Three States: The Dream State In the discussion of the three states having discussed about the waking state the Acharya goes on to discuss about the dream state. Let us see the various facets and implication of the dream state.

An important pointer is given here as the ‘Dream

world at all levels of senses, mind and the intellect.

a witness to the experience. The dream state is an

The dream state on the other hand is a state of partial

State’ which discriminates between an experience and

experience like any other state because not only is it ephimeral but also the so called experiencer is a wit-

ness to it. I am that consciousness which is not displaced by the coming and going of any experience.

This alone reveals that the Self is other than the various states of experience.

In the discussion of the three states an impor-

tant point is that it is so unique that it displaces the

other. But it too is temporary. It is relative. There is some thing that has been intrumental in bringing about

the state. The scriptures speak of the three gunas.

Sattva Guna, Rajo and Tamo guna. Which ever guna dominates we glide into a particular state.

Even the awareness of my existence is disconnected. awareness wherein we are totaly cut off from the external world and our senses too are inactive. The intellect

too is unavailable. It is a state of mental play. A mental projection of our subconscious mind borne out of the

impressions gathered in the mind based on our past experiences or future dreams in the outside world. Not

all experiences make a home in our subconscious minds, it is more of a play of our unfulfilled or partially fulfilled desires. When any desire that is very strong

remains unfulfilled or unsatiated the mind makes a way for itself to release the pressure of such unfulfilled de-

sires creating an imaginary world. This can be compared to the pressure cooker which we use in our external world. All pressure built up of such unfulfilled or

What is the dream state:

Our sleep is of two types. One is the deep sleep

state where in we lose total awareness of the outside

partially fulfilled desires finds a release for itself in this state. Dream state thus is a great blessing of God to

relatively relax the mind. But we all do know and expe-

Vedanta Sandesh

rience that dreams only help release the pressure and

of a dream is that the dreamer when identified with

truly satisfy our hunger for anything. We may eat a sump-

through a wide range of emotions. It is only on wak-

relax us from a built up pressure but dreams can never tuous meal in a dream but our hunger is not truly ap-

peased on waking up. On waking up we still need to walk up to the kitchen and arrange for food. In the dream state

the dream considers it to be fully real and goes ing up that one brushes aside the dream as unreal and insignificant.

the subtle and the causal body are involved but more

Identity of the dreamer as per the sharira:

form in projecting an imaginary world.

three states have been given a unique name. In the

Nature of the Dream State:

body and identify predominantly with the subtle body.

predominantly it is the subtle body which forms the plat-

Each of the identities that we adorne in the

dream state we drop all our identity with the gross

As in the waking state the dream state too has a

continuum of time, space, and objects. A dream may be

of a few minutes or even a few seconds but we experience time which may reflect years of experience. I may

Such an entity has been given a specific name ‘Taijasa’ or the ‘Effulgent’ one., since it has profound power of imagination.

experience a life time in just a few seconds. Similary space

Lessons from the Dream state:

try. Not only this as we all know that a world of emotions

is only a projection of our minds.

too exists. I can experience a house, a street or a coun-

are experienced in a few moments of a dream. Happi-

ness, fear, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, all shades of emotions are experienced in a dream. Sometimes we may suddenly wake up feeling horrified and scared or some-

times one may even start laughing in a dream. The dreamer too may have a completely different identity in the dream than that of the waking state. Due to some

impressions I may see myself as a thief in a dream but in

the waking state I may be the most honest person around.

The intellect has no role to play in the dream. My dream

may be a mixture of all unconnected things unimaginable for me in the waking state. The most interesting part

- The world which appears to have a real existence - The experience of the dream state, the objects of

experience and the experiencer are all borne of the

one Self alone. Not knowing this we run after the world which is our own creation and a creation of the mind alone.

- As long as we are in the dream world it appears

real, the moment we are out of it all we see its imaginary nature.

- The identity as the dreamer or Taijas is relative and only state specific. Our real identity is that of

the witness who does not change or die away with the change of state.

WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY SRI RAM NAVAMI (15th April) & HANUMAN JAYANTI (22nd April) -7-

The Eagle Once a farmer found an abandoned eagle's

nest and in it was an egg still warm. He took the egg back to his farm and laid it in the nest of

one of his hens. The egg hatched and the baby eagle grew up along with the other chickens. It

pecked about the farmyard, scrabbling for grain.

It spent its life within the yard and rarely looked up. When it was very old, one day it lifted up its

head and saw above it a wonderful sight - an

eagle soaring high above in the sky. Looking at it, the old creature sighed and said to itself, "If only I'd been born an eagle".

Vedanta Sandesh

Negation Method Hari om !

Your answer is more of Soliloquy of Consciousness. Nice reflection, and to some extent good at this stage too, but I suggest that you The reason why

the scriptures resort to methodology of negation to point the

truth of our self, is

because all positive or descriptive

words

reveal only limited & fragented things. The Self is non-dual – no I

& you, no indriyas nor

even time & space from its point of view.

- PoojyaGuruji

please wait for some more time before you see the point of view of pure consciousness. The reason why the scriptures resort to

methodology of negation to point the truth of our self, is because all positive or descriptive words reveal only limited & fragmented

things. The Self is non-dual – no I & you, no indriyas nor even time & space from its point of view. Only when you negate all of these

that we can possibly appreciate our true self & unimaginable nature of this ever-effulgent – so called consciousness. We use the word consciousness because the self does reveal everything, but even

this word has its own limitation. Consciousness implies ‘that which is conscious of something’. How are you going to call this

indescribable thing when all objects of our awareness have been

negated and there is nothing to be conscious of? So the trick is all

about slowly & steadily negating various superimpositions. Later in the text we will be going into the Mahavakya ‘Tat-tvam-asi’, which

plays a very important role to negate every thing & point to non-dual truth. However, I appreciate this effort. Such efforts helps to bring

forth the possible perceptions, which can be discussed & clarified.

Keep it up.

Love & om, Swami Atmananda

-9-

by

Effects of Strong Likes-Dislikes

Swamini Samatananda

In this stanza of the Seventh Chapter Sri Krishna reveals a very subtle philosophy which aims to show as to why the Jiva is unable to see the basic nature of Ishwara. In his journey of the world the Jiva struggles for survival and towards his desire for fulfilment. Backed by this instinct to sustain himself and further look for more vistas to bring about consistent joy he endlessly searches amongst the various dimensions of the material world. In this struggle naturally there is no space for knowing the creator or seeing the oneness of the Jiva with the creator. This marathon of constant seeking is paced by two strong steps of desires and aversions, likes and dislikes. This duo of desires and aversion brings about the world of opposites. Success and failure, happiness and sorrow, these are all worlds of opposites. The world of opposites leads to a delusion of the mind.

In this stanza Sri Krishna says all beings in this creation are in a state of total delusion. A delusion passed on from one birth to another. What is this delusion?

How is it caused? This is the story revealed in a very subtle manner in this sloka.

Opposites are not a problem: Opposites by themselves are not a problem. Day & night, heat & cold, are not a problem and so also success and failure are not a problem. In reality, there is nothing like a problem. In fact all that there is, is a situation, and all opposites are but a variation in situations. Problem is a mental experience borne out of our own expectations based on our conditionings of likes and dislikes. Failure is a problem for someone purely based on his expectations. I first have an expectation, then build it up and when this built up expectation is shattered I experience a problem. This is the biography of a so called ‘Problem’. My expectations in my newly set up business are to earn millions and if this does not happen I see myself as a failure. Another person may see this situation as an opportunity of great experience and learning, even though he has not earned millions. So success and failure are nothing but a creation of the mind. Problems experienced at the level of opposites are all subjective and do not have any objective reality.

How are opposites created?

Sri Krishna says opposites are created by our own Iccha or raaga (desire) which means that which I want and dvesha(aversion) is that which I do not want.

An iccha has as its object someting which is desirable. Devesha has as its object something which is undesirable. One is the cause of pleasure and the other the cause of pain. Certain opposites are created by God, like heat & cold, day & night, light & heavy etc, but all that which is tagged by me as good or bad, I want & I don’t want are all created by me, my mind set. Ishwara only created situations, it is the individual entity who tagged them as good and bad, painful and pleasing. It is one’s own likes and dislikes that create opposites . Once a person has a strong conditioning of likes and dislikes then the delusion about success and failure, Vedanta Sandesh

happiness and sorrow is inevitable. Sankaracharyaji says that Iccha and dvesha themselves are opposites. One is the cause of pleasure and the other pain. Not only are all likes and dislikes very subjective and differ from one individual to another, but the same likes may change into dislikes in the same person. They are connected to the individual.

Strong likes

and dislikes overpower the faculty of

discrimination, bring-

ing about an all round

delusion. Basically any kind of strong conditioning of per-

sonal likes and dislikes hinders the ca-

pacity to see some-

thing as it is or to see

s o m e t h i n g obejctively.

Opposites create delusion: Strong likes and dislikes overpower the faculty of discrimination, bringing about an all round delusion. Basically any kind of strong conditioning of personal likes and dislikes hinders the capacity to see something as it is or to see something obejctively. When we see something we immediately tag something as good or bad, pleasurable or painful. If a person is bitten by a dog in his childhood he will forever fear dogs and will experience pain for his lifetime. He may even start disliking any kind of animal for that matter. He will never be able to discriminate between a wild animal who truly needs to be avoided or a loving and approachable one who can be easily trained.

The mind is completely deluded towards all such beings. Such is the glory of likes and dislikes. On the other hand a strong desire or a liking for something brings about anxiety.

Dislikes bring about fear & aversion whereas iccha brings about anxiety. If one has a very strong liking for something there will be continuous anxiety until one gets his object of desire.

Delusion obstructs the path of knowledge: The Scriptures speak very clearly of a mind ready for knowledge. It is said in the scriptures that only a pure mind is a mind that can acquire and sustain knowledge. A deluded in the first place is devoid of the very desire for knowledge let alone acquiring knowledge. A person who can see the nature of the objective world and can discriminate between that which is valuable and invaluable will be available for knowledge. One cannot see the objective world properly without any conditionings, how will he have the pottential to see the reality of the world, the Jiva and Ishwara. A deluded person cannot identify the goal of life and hence his priorities in life will always be confused. He will forever dance to the tunes of various objects, people and situations. Objects and situations of his likes will bring about pleasure and anything undesirable will bring about fear, anxiety and tension. There is no freedom for a person bound by conditionings. In Ishavasya Upanishad it is said that a person who lives bound by his conditionings is as good as dead. Such people are highly predictable because of their strong likes and dislikes. Their responses and interaction with world is veiled by their delusory nature and such people are not the right potentials for Self knowledge.

In this manner Sri Krishna says in the seventh chapter that all the human beings of the world are deluded by the pairs of opposites born out of strong desires and aversions.

- 11 -

The Tiny Frog There once was a bunch of tiny frogs...who arranged a run-

ning competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.

A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants... The race began...

Honestly, no-one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs

would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:

"Oh, WAY too difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top". "Not

a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!" The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one... Except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher...

The crowd continued to yell "It is too difficult!!! No one will

make it!"

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...But ONE continued

higher and higher and higher...

This one wouldn't give up!

At the end, everyone else had given up climbing the tower.

Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one

who reached the top! THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?

A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded

had found the strength to reach the goal?

It turned out... That the winner was deaf.

Vedanta Sandesh

Wandering in Himalayas Difficult Routes,

Blissful

Contemplations

Are we to imagine that this inanimate mountain, a mere heap of earth and

stone, sings like skilled musician?” The silent grandeur, the enormous extent,

and the unshakable firmness of the mountain, and the divine beauty and fragrance of the flowers that fascinate even birds and beasts-these are, in themselves, hymns to God. The music, of course, is not vocal. But vocal music is

harsh and grating compared with silent music of the sights around me here.

Heard melodies are sweet; those unheard are sweeter! The perrineal stream, Alaknanda, and this waterfall, Vasudhara-what are they doing here? They too are loudly and ceaslessly singing the glory of God: “It is from this that all forms of streams flow.”

These streams are gratefully singing the praise of the creator who makes

them flow. These fine birds sweeping along the skies are proclaiming the matchless glory of the Lord. Look at those charming flowers, bright with many colors, blooming here on the meadow! They too, proclaim nothing else. In this holy land everything seems to join in that universal harmony.

As usual I had my bath in the Vasudhara and then sat down on the plain

which shone bright with fresh green grass and lovely flowers, to enjoy the gentle

Excerpts from the

Travel Memoirs of

Param Poojya Swami

Tapovanji Maharaj

warmth of the sun. Gradually my ears were filled with the divine music issuing

from all sides. That lifted me to the thought of the glory of the Lord, and slowly I

attained a state of meditation in which I became unconscious of the material world around me. My body grew bright and lustrous without the formal rites of

Sankranthi, such as the anointing of the body with sandalwood paste or the wearing of clean linen.

Without eating anuthing I was filled; without friends and things to gladden,

my heart was filled with bliss. Intoxicated with Divine Joy, I forgot all distinction between me and the world around me. All sense of duality disappeared. I was

now one with the Vasudhara, the Himalayas, the world itself. In that union I felt

the fulness of Divine Joy. That oneness is the truth, the blissful truth. Oh Himalayas!

I find no end to your spiritual greatness. May you grant me many Sankranthis like today! As a dweller among the Himalayas I have indeed listened with rapture to

your divine song from day to day, but really, very rarely have I experienced that ecstasy which I attained today.

- 13 -

by

Swamini Vidyananda

Karkati is the embodiment of the cosmic illusion of Maya. At first it shows

to us its aspect of avidya, ignorance. At the beginning, Karkati is full of desires, cravings, plans, fantasies and wrong notions. She is dissatisfied with the world

and herself, and thinks that harming others can make her happy. Ignorance

assumes subtle form, like she assumed the form of a tiny needle to create diseases of body and mind. She wanted to harm others - and, as a result, she harmed

herself and ended up with even more agitated and suffering mind. But by turning

attention to the divine Brahman, and keeping steady at it, with diving grace, all problems can be overcome and one can stop the endless wheel of continuous births, sufferings

and deaths. And she

direction

recognized her own true

turned

nature.

her

attention into the right

and

This

transformed form of

Karkati is another

aspect of Maya, - now it

is aspect of Vidya,

knowledge.

Maya has

in itself three qualities,

or gunas - sattva,

rajas and tamas, and

all

(products) of Maya.

the same three So,

Adhyatmic Teachings of Guru Vasishtha to Sri Ramji

the

qualities are present in

effects same

three qualities are

present in the

mind, too. Sattva is

knowledge, peace

and contentment. Rajas

the

quality of

purity,

is the quality of agitation

clearness,

activity, restlessness,

and unsteadiness. Tamas is the quality of dullness, lazyness,

ignorance and dumbless. These three qualitites are seen in every product of

maya, but their proportions vary from object to object. When the qualities of rajas and tamas are prevalent in mind, the mind is impure and non-controlled, and

so cannot do proper viveka, separating truth from untruth, right from wrong and unchanging from changing. As a result, such mind is always judging everything

from the position of its own likes and dislikes, and since such position is purely

subjective and individual, it cannot see the objective truth. The mind which is

clear and pure is the one where sattvic qualities predominate. Such mind is steady and calm, non-agitated and composed, and no restlessness disturbs its clear

reflection of reality. Such controlled mind only is able to do proper viveka, and its Vedanta Sandesh

analysis will be accurate and not affected by personal likes and dislikes.

The mind gets gradually purified through the practice of karma-yoga and

upasana. Devotion of Karkati, her tapas for many years, made her mind sattvic.

All disturbing rajasic and tamasic qualities disappeared, and she obtained

the highest wisdom. With that, all her past desires and evil tendencies also disappeared. The same divine energy of Maya, that acted as the force of

ignorance now becomes transformed into the power of knowledge, which destroys that very ignorance. This power enables one to know himself as the very Bliss, eradicates the impurities and stops the circle of repeated births and sorrows.

The principle of duality is the demon present ing our minds. As long as

rajas and tamas dominate our minds, ignorance is our condition, and all sufferings caused by this ignorance are ours. In ignorance, the demon of duality exists in

its terrifying form, causing anger, jealousy, hatred, pride, passion and dispassion, violence, injury and harsh words. But when sattvic qualities are dominant in our minds, power of knowledge prevails. Pure mind wants to become more pure, and

is able to work on it, so the power of rajas and tamas is reduced still more.

Sattvic mind promotes dispassion, self-knowledge, love, contentment, compassion and understanding.

After listening to the answers of the King and his minister to her questions,

Karkati was extremely pleased. She became tranquil and her demoniac nature left her. She discovered them to be knowledgeable wise people and asked what she can do for them. King told her what people in his country are suffering from diseases and requested her not to create any harm to them. Karkati agreed and

stepped forward with her own story. Remember, she was the disease itself and

was given healing mantra to treat sick people? She taught that mantra to the King, and he was able to cure the epidemic in his people. The grateful king said to

Karkati: "O kind lady, now you have become my guru and friend. Friendship is

valued by good people. Pray, assume a gentle and smaller form, and come to my palace and live as my guest. You need not affect good people at all. But I shall feed you with sinners and thieves".

Karkati agreed. She became a charming young woman and accompanied

the king to live as his guest. During day she was a woman, the friend and guest of

the king. At night she was fed thieves and other criminals and sinners, and after the meal she would go into samadhi for a few years at a time, before returning to normal consciousness and normal life. Even now she is protecting the king's

descendants. Karkati is adored as Kandara Devi (the Goddess who abides in caves) and Mangala Devi (the Goddess who gives auspiciousness).

-7-

Quotes In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. Theodore Roosevelt The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Mahatma Gandhi In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.

Dalai Lama A problem is a chance for you to do your best. Duke Ellington At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst. Aristotle I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble. Rudyard Kipling Living well is the best revenge. George Herbert Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. John Wooden To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.

Steve Prefontaine Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people. Carl Jung

Vedanta Sandesh

Sandhya Devi Story Section

n o p u e c O n e ... m a ti

Shiva Purana narrated an intersting link of the most revered Devis: Lord Brahma created Sandhya and Manmatha as his ‘Manasika’ or mind born children. He got infatuated with Sandhya and Lord Rudra chastised Brahma and the latter looked for an opportunity when Rudra might also be a victim of passion and Vishnu said that Mahadeva was above such temptations. Meanwhile Sandhya Devi who was ashamed of Brahma’s passion resorted to fierce Tapasya to Mahadev for thousand years under the tutelage of Maharshi Vasishtha in disguise as Sage Medatithi as per Brahma’s instruction. Since there was no response from Shiva she got desperate and tried to jump into the Homa Kunda (The Sacred Fire-Pit) in the Yagna being performed by Medatithi. Shiva made his appearance as she desired that none on her clan should ever be a victim like Brahma, that she should be an example of chastity and her husband should never cast a lustful eye on another woman. Shiva granted her wishes and advised that she might now fall into the fire-pit thinking of a person whom she desired to be her husband in her next birth.

Shiva further gave her the boon that she would be the daughter of Daksha Prajapati as Sati Devi and as the daughter of Himavan as Parvati Devi in her subsequent two births. Sandhya then leapt into the fire-pit thinking of Medatithi (Vasishtha) as the husband in the immediate next birth. The Prana Vayu or the Vital Air of Sandhya’s burnt body was carried to the Solar System and Surya Deva converted it into three parts as Pratah Sandhya-Madhyahnika Sandhya and Sayam Sandhya or of the morning-noon-evening timings of a day.

The Sages at the Yagna were wonder struck that Sandhya was re-born as a girl-child as named Arundhati and was married to Vasishta when she came of age and earned the examplary fame of chastity; the practice of Vedic weddings is followed by the visioning of the Arundhati Star on the Sky by the new-weds as a part of the wedding procedure till date.

- 17 -

Vedanta Sandesh

A five days Vedanta Camp prior to Mahashivratri was organized at Vedanta Ashram from 3rd to 7th Mar. The subject matter of the discourses were Isavasyopanishad by Poojya Guruji and the Kamana Section of Bhagwat Gita and Meditation Classes by P. Swamini Amitanandaji. P. Swamini Samatanandaji took the chanting class, while Mandir Puja were guided by P. Swamini Poornanandaji.

After the grand festivities at Mahashivratri all the campers went out on a short pilgrimage, visiting Deva Guradia Shiv Mandir, Kevadeshwar Dham and the newly made Narmada-Kshipra Sangam. The whole Camp as well as the trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all the devotees.

Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji conducted a week long Gita Gyana Yagna at Hari om Mandir, Lalbag, Lucknow from 15th to 22nd Mar. The subject matter of the twin discourse series were: Mundaka Upanishad 1-1, and Gita Chapter 7. The Gyana Yagna was very well attended.

On the day of the program the Mandir authorities organized a Bhandara fro all the devotees.

On 27th Mar, Poojya Guruji continued his discourse on the 8th chaupayi during the monthly Hanuman Chalisa Satsang. He said Hanumanji loves to hear the Ram-Katha very much. He co-related the love for listening to Ram-Katha with Navdha Bhakti. Both in Bhagwat and Ramayana, we have nine steps to help manifest Bhakti for Ishwar whose beginning is inlove for hearing Ram-Katha. Bhakti is a great goal to aspire for, and Hanumanji is one of the few acclaimed Acharyas of Bhakti.

Before the pravachan there were lovely bhajans and later the Aarti.

On 27th Mar, there was a special motivational Talk by Poojya Guruji organized at the monthly conference of Indore Dentist Association. Dr Ashish Gargaji introduced Poojya Guruji to the audience. Poojya Guruji started by narrating the story of Vibhishana where he told Hanumanji that his stay in Lanka was as helpless as is the existence of tongue in between so many harsh teeth. While it apparently looks as though a tongue is so helpless, yet the truth is quiet contrary. Tongue is very powerful. More important than that also is the fact that they are incomparable and make the lives of others a blessing.

- 19 -

By P Guruji and all the Mahatmas of the Ashram - from 3rd to 7th Mar - Isavasyoponishad

Campers went to some ancient Shiv Mandirs and Narmada-Kshipra Sangam - on 8th Mar

Vedanta Sandesh

by Poojya Guruji at Hari om Mandir, Lucknow - 15th to 22nd Mar. Mundaka 1-1 / Gita Ch-7

Poojya Guruji: on 27th Mar. Chaupayi 8th continued - Ramcharit sunebe ko rasiya

By Poojya Guruji - on 27th Mar. at Best Western Plus Hotel, Indore

- 21 -

The Great Fire & the little Water Among the Aztec people of Mexico, it is said that a

long time ago there was a great fire in the forests that covered our Earth. People and animals started to run, trying to

escape from the fire. Our brother owl, Tecolotl, was running away also when he noticed a small bird hurrying back

and forth between the nearest river and the fire. He headed towards this small bird.

He noticed that it was our brother the Quetzal bird,

Quetzaltototl, running to the river, picking up small drops of water in his beak, then returning to the fire to throw that

tiny bit of water on the flame. Owl approached Quetsal bird and yelled at him: "What are you doing brother? Are you

stupid? You are not going to achieve anything by doing this. What are you trying to do? You must run for your life!"

Quetzal bird stopped for a moment and looked at

owl, and then answered: "I am doing the best I can with what I have."

Vedanta Sandesh

Gita Gyana Yagna, Bhubaneshwar :

Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji will be organizing a week-long Gita Gyana Yagna

at Sivananda Samskritik Kendra at Bhubaneshwar from 7th to 13th April. Subjects will be Gita-2 / Katho-1-2.

Hanuman Chalisa Satsang - Apr’16:

The April 2016 edition of monthly Hanuman Chalisa Satsang will be organized

on 24th Apr. There will be bhajans, chanting of Hanuman Chalisa, followed by continuation of the talk of P. Guruji on the 8th chaupayi Chalisa. Open to all.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Mumbai :

Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji will be conducting a week-long Gita Gyana

Yagna at Ramkrishna Math campus in Khar, Mumbai from 15th to 21st May. Subjects will be Gita-14 / Mundaka 3-2.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Baroda :

Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji will be conducting a week-long Gita Gyana Yagna

at Atmajyoti Ashram, Baroda from 6th to 12th June. Gita Chapter - 5 / Katho 1-1

Guru Poornima, Indore :

This year Guru Poornima is on 19th July. Special pujas / Satsang & Bhandara will

be organized during thesedays. Devotees desirous of coming to Ashram may kindly reserve their rooms at the earliest.

- 23 -

International Vedanta Mission http://www.vmission.org.in/

Vedanta Mission Blog: http://blog.vmission.org.in/

Earlier ‘Vedanta Sandesh’ issues http://bit.ly/1oGD4TK

Om Tat Sat