VedantaSandesh Sept2015

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Year 21

Issue 3

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Sept 2015 : Year 21 / Issue 3

Editor: Swamini Samatananda Saraswati

?kVlao`rekdk'ka yh;ekus ?kVs ;Fkk A ?kVks yh;sr uk··dk'ka r}Tthoks uHkksie%AA Space appears to be inside a pot, but when the pot breaks, the space inside doesn’t break; so also the Atma of every individual is like space, when the body dies, the Atma does not die. It remains as untouched & immaculate as the space.

Amrutbindu Upanishad -13

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

Kshar, Akshar & Uttam Purusha Bhagwad Gita takes us from the perishable to the transcendental in a simple, logical & an amazing way.

We begin from where we stand - from a changing & perishable world. All that which is an object of our experience is termed here as the ‘Kshar Purusha’ - the manifestation of Brahman in a changing way. Everything here is in a state of flux. It is coming & going. Birth & death is the story of everything that is seen, including our own body, mind & individuality. It is all so beautiful & amazing. We can see the signature of profound intelligence, love & beauty in everything around. The whole world is amazingly inter-connected and is throbbing as one organic whole. There are no fragmentations of any kind whatsoever from the cosmic point of view. All of us are so unique and also connected with everything around. This perceptible manifestation which is continuosly changing is called the Kshar Purusha. Kshar because it is changing & perishable, and Purusha because basically it is all a manifestation of one divinity. We all see this world as a deliberate creation of & by some supreme intelliegnce & power. This is an effect of some cause.

Akshar Purusha refers to the cause of everything that is Kshar. It is the seed from which this creation manifests. Even an atheist knows that no effect can manifest without a cause. Every tree comes from a seed, and so too is the case with we humans. We were mere seeds at one point in time and then after the due process manifested. Every art was once an idea in the mind of an artist, every litrature was once in the mind of an author.

That was the seed from which it manifests. Akshar Purusha not only has the potential to visualize, think, dream but also has the power to manifest. He is the Ishwar - God, with infinite intelligence & power, the so called omniscience & omnipotence. Whatever we see outside in the manifest world was one day in the mind of the creator - the Akshar Purusha. This is unmanifest stage, while the Kshar is the manifest one. Relatively speaking the Kshar Purusha has birth, growth, decay & death - because it is a manifestation, while Akshar is a potential, so it is not afflicted by such modifications. Whatever a person can visualize & dream, can one day manifest as a reality outside. This is what this principle is all about. One is the cause & the other is its effect. Vyakt & avyakt, creation, and then its dissolution and going back to the unmanifest state. Our waking & dream states are manifestations of what all is there in our minds in an unmanifest state. Thus the cycle goes on endlessly. To wake up tothe akshar is a great leap forward, one is empowered to create whatever one wishes, because such people know that the secret lies in their clear & strong sankalpa - rest is as they say a history.

However this Akshar Purusha too is not the ultimate truth. Manifest or unmanifest, cause or effect - these words are relevant from a particular point of view, and that point of view is - form. A material can manifest itself in various forms. Initially the manifestation is potentially inherent, and later it manifests, this is what is cause & effect stage, but lets remember that we are just talking about the potential expressions of a material. A goldsmith can create various ornaments of gold, every ornament if a unique manifestation, and each has its own identity. When manifested it becomes an object of our experience, it has a life span, a date of creation and also the possible day of end. Initially the ornament was inherently present in unmanifest state in the gold, later a creative person manifested it. Now all this talk is only about a particular dimension - and that is the various ‘forms’ in which gold can manifest. Another point of view is of the very nature of gold, not its possible manifestations. Kshar & Akshar Purusha are unmanifest & later the manifest forms. Purushottam or Uttam Purusha is the very ‘nature’ point of view. Can we just keep aside this ephemeral dimension of manifest or unmanifest forms, and just look at the very ‘nature’ of the ‘substance’. Just look at the glory of gold. It is there even when an ornament has been made or not.

Gold is not born when a ring is born, gold doesn’t die when the ring is melted. Even when the ring is born or it dies gold remains untouched by all this and as though revels in its glory. This realization of the fundamental ‘substance’ is the transcendental dimension. We just need to look at the whole play from a different angle. That’s Purushottam.

Tattva Bodha Tattva Viveka

The text began with the invocation of blessings at the Lotus Feet of the Guru and the resolve to write this text Tattva Bodha. The Acharya went on to discuss the four fold qualifications which are necessary to gain and imbibe the knowledge of Truth. Having discussed about these qualifications a very significant part of the text now begins with a statement which is the exact nature of the viveka of Tattva.

The entire text is a detailed explaination of this pregnant statement-Atma satyam tadanyat sarvam mithya iti. One can say the question & answer put forth here is the backbone of the entire text.

Before we go into understanding what is Real let us first understand what is Unreal. It is the Unreal world which appears to be real to us today. This is our realm of present existence. Hence the journey starts from where we stand today. Only when we understand what is Unreal, then shall the doors of ‘Real’ open.

Mithya: The word ‘Mithya’ means Unreal. It is that which appears in the present but does not exist forever. The Unreal has the following attributes: It has conditional existence: It has a conditional existence, based on certain factors or conditions. Just as a rainbow appears in a particular condition when there is some rain and it is sunny at the same time.

Likewise, there are so many things which apear in this manner. The scriptures reveal that ev-

erything in this world is conditional. Our physical existence is conditional, based on certain karmas that we have done in the past. Einstein said everthing has a relative existence. Everything that as though appears actually is all matter. At a particular time certain required conditions all fall into the right place and something appears. An apple tree when it gets the right climate, right amount of water & sunlight it is born and grows. All these conditions vary from one thing to another, from one person to another.

It is dependant on another: Another important feature of Mithya or the unreal is that it is dependant on something else for its existence.

It is limited in time & Space: It is born in one particular time, goes through changes and then dies away. Mithya

Vedanta Sandesh

is that which is temporary. It comes and goes constantly. We are ignorant about the reality of the world and the Self and so catch that which meets the eye, and that which as though gives us some fulfillment. Even the appearance of God as an avatar is time bound. At one time God takes an incarnation and then even this form of Ishwara goes away one day. If a person wishes to know the truth of life then one needs to know this fact of life that everything is mithya or an illusion. Yet everything is very beautiful, everthing is a blessing and everything has a worldly purpose. Yet, nothing has any substantial existence. If one is aware of this one can establish the right relationship with the world. Knowing it is a dream there is no grief A knowledgable person knows it is all a dream. Everything that is born must die one day-Jaatasy hi dhruvo mrityuhu. Tatva Viveka is to see that all the objective world that can be identified seperately from the Self , is unreal. One who cannot see this truth alone grieves on the changes and death of various things.

If everything is Unreal then what is Real?

There is a truth other than that what we see with our physical eyes. This truth is the reality of the seer himself. He is the one who sees everything, enlightens everything. This consciousness is not dependant on any thing else. Atman is that who is the subject within. It is the word used for the self. It is my reality.

This is specially thought about because there is something else too can be understood as the atman. An identity can be made on the basis of all that which is mithya-illusionary-my body, mind, intellect, relationships, sex, profession, colour, etc. I am a human being, I am a man, a woman, I am a wife, I am an engineer, doctor, I am knowledgable or I am ignorant and so on and so forth. These are my identities but this not my reality. These identities are all conditional, second hand and temporary. They are all transitional, limited in time and space and constantly change. If this is not my reality then what is my reality? My reality is that which does not change, which is not dependant, which is not relative. When I am not a father, son, daughter, wife, officer then what am I? The discovery is that all these are my roleswhich I adorn as per the demand of the situation. These are all changing and dependant on someone else. Does my identity cease to exist when I am not any of these? There is another dimension of the Self which is the Truth of the Self. That Truth is I am eternal, I am the light of all lights and I am the blissful one. The objective of Tattva Vivekah is to understand deeply these two facets of Real & Unreal. This alone is the crux of the entire spiritual journey.

This discrimination and the subsequent determination of what is real (Self) and what is unreal (the not-self) constitutes the enquiry into the truth.

Janmashtami Camp, Indore

A five days Janmashtami Camp is being organized at Vedanta Ashram, Indore from 31st Aug to 5th Sept. Poojya Guruji will give talks on the 10th Chapter of Panchadasi. Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji will conduct classes on Avatara Rahasya Section of Bhagwad Gita. Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji will conduct Meditation classes and also conduct chanting sessions.

-7-

The Pencil

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked:‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:

I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.

‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you

manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget

that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’

‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpner.

That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper.

So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any

mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’

‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’

‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same

way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action’

Vedanta Sandesh

by - Paulo Coelho

Request for Sanyas Hari om !

The knowledge which qualifies us for sanyas not only is a very clear appreciation of the ephemerality of the world, but more importantly the realization that seeking per se reveals our limited identity. If by the very seeking we accept our limited idenity, then how can we expect that endeavors based on accepting our limited identity will one day culminate in my realization that ‘I am one, non-dual limitless Brahman’.

- PoojyaGuruji

It is always nice to hear such a desire, however the implication of this desire is so profound that all wise people will first check out the exact motivation of such a desire. While Sanyas is indeed the fourth & final Ashram of we people, and should indeed be the goal of every thoughtful person - but before one desires to take up sanyas one needs to know very deeply as to what it is all about. Sanyas without the required knowledge may just be a glorified escape.

Why do you want Sanyas? It is very important that you be fully truthful to yourself and appreciate the real motivation. Is it because of some failures in life, you wanted something desperately and inspite of your best efforts could not fulfill your dreams, and that has brought about a deep-rooted dejection & disenchantment? or Is it because of some bitter or failed relationship? or maybe you wish to enjoy more lasting joys & security, rather than work for some momentary ones? Well, if any of the above motive is the reason of your wish, then please note that you are not yet ready for Sanyas. You may say that I want Moksha, then the obvious question would be ‘What is your understanding of Moksha’? Is Moksha a synonym of some divine, ecstatic, mind-blowing experience in which you transcend time etc? If so then please understand that this is not what Moksha is all about.

Whenever anyone wants Sanyas then most often some of the above motivation alone is the cause. When however you wish to get knowledge of the truth of life & yourself, then the whole scene changes. Sanyas is a means and not the goal.

We dont aspire for sanyas, we aspire for knowledge, and with right knowledge things start just dropping off. Sanyas naturally happens, thereafter the ritual of sanyas is just a validation of this development by ones Guru. We dont go to a Guru for sanyas, but for knowledge, and it is the guru who after getting satisfied with the knowledge & sincerity of the student proposes that he may now preferably take formal sanyas. This knowledge which qualifies us for sanyas not only is a very clear appreciation of the ephemerality of the world, but more importantly the realization that seeking per se reveals our limited identity. If by the very seeking we accept our limited idenity, then how can we expect that endeavors based on accepting our limited identity will one day culminate in my realization that ‘I am one, non-dual limitless Brahman’. Sanyas is rejection of all seeking. Sanyasi is not motivated by any desire whatsoever, even of infinite ecstatic bliss etc., he/ she just wants the knowledge of truth, and moreso has the inner strength to live as per his conviction. If anything is untrue, then he will not be a part of that game.

There will be no second thoughts about it. That is Sanyas - samyak nyasa, complete & effortless giving.

Love & om,

Swami Atmananda

-9-

by

One Whose Mind is attached to me

Swamini Samatananda

In the opening of the seventh chapter Sri Krishna speaks of three very significant qualities which open the doors for a seeker of knowledge. The knowledge of truth requires very definite qualifications without which the portals of knowledge are closed. The amazing thing about this knowledge is that it’s absorption is an inbuilt system taking place by the very qualities of a person. If a person has the qualities the secrets are revealed and if one does not have the qualities then even if a person may acquire word knowledge, wisdom never dawns upon such a person. He will never be blessed by this knowledge. The blessings of this knowledge too are not dependant on any certificate given by a teacher or institute of learning.

The success of this knowledge reflects in the life of a person. It is an absolute fool proof knowledge. If one sincerely gains this knowledge and lives it one will live a life of contentment and selflessness otherwise situations will speak for themselves.

A student with right attributes involes the knowledge from his Guru, who himself feels blessed to impart the knowledge to the student and gives hhim the best of what he has. Here Sri Krishna is happy to have a student like Arjuna who is devoted, dedicated, open minded and open hearted too and so glorifying the value of this knowledge he speaks of three important attributes necessary for this knowledge. They are: 1. Mayi aasakt manah - Be attached to Me (Ishwara) 2. Yogam yunjan - Connection with God 3. Mad ahsrayah - Be dependant on Me (Ishwara) Be Attached to Me Alone : Here when Sri Krishna uses the word ‘Me’ he is not speaking of an indiviual or the manifested form of Sri Krishna but the implication is being attached to Ishwara. To understand this concept of being attached to Ishwara let us understand the various facets of attachment.

What is Attachment?

Attachment is a very commonly used term which is often mistaken to be love. Not many people are able to discriminate between love and attachment.

Attachment per se is a part of all ignorant people who are unaware of the truth of life. Therefore attachment is as normal to a worldly person as fragrance is to a flower. We cannot expect worldly people to be devoid of attachment. A mother is attached to her child, a wife to her husband, a human being to money and fame, some people are attached to their work. Attachment shows its play in so many different manners. Attachment is so inevitable that life appears to be impractical and impossible without it. Infact it appears extremely necessary to have attachment to live one’s relationships. But what is attachment? Attachment is a effect of ignorance. Ignorance gives birth to a limited, insecure being who then gets attached to all those things and people who are instrumental in giving love and security. This limited being is the Jiva. The jiva gets attached to various things and people. This jiva gets trapped in his own circle of misunderstanding and gets attcahed to his worldly source of joy and security. This jiva jumps like a monkey from one branch of attachment to another. It becomes an existential problem. All attachment are borne out of self-centerdness & only bring about more attachVedanta Sandesh

ment. In ignorance my relationship with the world around only becomes a medium to fulfill my attachments. But is attachment same as love or is it different? How isattachment different from love? Attachment is when we fully depend on someone and that someone is like a crutch for me. On the other hand love is selfless and it reflects living for the happiness of the beloved.

A

l

l

attachment are borne out of selfcenterdness

&

only bring about more attachment.

In ignorance my relationship with the world around

only becomes a medium to fulfill my attachments.

How to grow out of Attachment?

The scriptures hav given us the medium of righteous living to give this sense of attachment a direction and to overgrow it. Righteous living is where we grow over attachment and learn to live a life of true love. What is the difference between attachment & love? Love is selfless & attachment is self centric. Love for someone at the same level & love for some greater person is devotion. So the scriptures speak of changing focus from the self to Ishwara. Attachment with Ishwarah. Growing over attachment is shifting attachment from worldly things & people to god. but there is another form of relation which god sets an example in his leelas, which wise men live. That relationship is of love. Sometimes attachment is misunderstood for love. but one should be able to discriminate between love & attachment. Attachment with worldly things & people is known to be love, & attachment to god & anything greater than us is called bhakti. When we have love for someone greater than we feel secured. In attachment ones own fulfillment is priority & in love there is no worry about the self, but there is concern for the other.

In attachment there is mutual expectation. in love everything eating drinking total living is for the happiness of the beloved. It is nice to b attachment to a potent one.

Connect with ishwara to get over attachment. depend on me god says. This is the key to opening the doors to knowledge. A potent one lifts the other person also.

He will make us strong and knowledgable. Make god your inspiration.

2 - Yogam Yunjan : Always be connected to God. Being connected to God all the time does not mean that one needs to sit in a temple and constantly do japa or puja.

Being connected to God means that the presence of God is retained all the time. This retention of awareness is basically feel the presence of God within and everythinh that one does, eating, sleeping, taking care of other family members, doing puja or yogasana, all in all whatever we do and not do being aware of the presence of God and seeing the Self as an instrument of God, seing the Self as a part of the whole creation and offering all activities at the Feet of the Lord. Making work a worship is the crux of this entire discussion. This idea is being constantly in connection with God. At the same time freeing the mind of the anxiety of the frits of action, having a balanced mind in convinient and adverse situations, being dynamic in action and making work a worship are all a means of being constantly in connection with God. 3 - Mad Ashrayah : Sri Krishna speaks of his Godhood and as though offers us a covering that keeps us protected and at peace at all times. It implies that even if one feels the need to depend on someone then one should depend on God, who is the omnipotent one. The all powerful. Depending on the learned Masters and taking the refuge of God is not a medium to fulfill ones desires but being in their connection - 11 -

The Triple Filter Test In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about

my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first

filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and…"

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don’t really know if it’s true or not.

Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"Umm, no, on the contrary…"

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about

my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test

though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

Vedanta Sandesh

Wandering in Himalayas From April to October several Mahatmas make these caves their abode

Badrinath

and practise penance in them. The Alaknanda coming down from a snow-ridge,

in the north-west, and the Saraswati, which flows down from the Lake of the Gods in the North, meet here, and this Holy place of junction is described in the Puranas as Keshava Prayag. From there a path proceeds in the direction of

Tibet, over the Mana Pass, 18000 feet high. Leave aside that path and go straight

west along the bank of the Alaknanda and you reach a waterfall called Vasundhara. This spot is regarded as a Holy Pilgrimage centre.

If you cross the Alaknanda here, using the boulders of snow that stretch

across the river just like a dam, and go westward, you reach a beautiful place

called Lakshmivanam. Birch trees with their dark green foliage and slightly reddish bark and various kinds of plants, both big and small, covered over with flowers of different colors, flourish here, making it fit to be Lakshmi Devis own garden. The beauty of the place filled my heart with joy.

I plucked a number of these fragrant flowers smelt themand decked my

Excerpts from the

Travel Memoirs of

Param Poojya Swami

Tapovanji Maharaj

head with them in reverance. It is a well-known fact that during the summer months when the snow melts on the Himalayas, many rare kinds of plants and

flowers, hardly met with elsewhere, make their appearance. These flowers are capable of fascinating not only human beings, but also cows and other animals.

They appear to be quite ordinary plants, but the wise know them to be plants of great medicinal value.

Along the foot of Narayana Parvata you wend your way to the west and

then turn South. From here it is all trackless. To move forward you have to tackle clusters of rocks and masses of snow. From the high top of Narayana Parvata

you may see many waterfalls, everyone of which is regarded as a place of pilgrimage by Hindus. On reaching the difficult and dangerous place, your mind

cannot but revert to Yudhishthira and his perfect indifference to worldly comforts. Although a mighty Emperor who could be rolling in worldly pleasures, he left his court and kingdom to walk along the terrible gorges all alone.

- 13 -

by

Swamini Vidyananda

Story of Lila continues as she was able to recollect her and her husband’s

past lives, and visit several places of their previous births. In all these travels, time and place constraints, and even cause-effect relations appear to be discordant - a

few days contain long years of very detailed life with many happenings, and universes are contained in a room, and dead come back alife. All these things are amazing from the common point of view, yet, from the point of view of absolute, their only reality is the pure Consciousness.

Though from the spiritual standpoint the whole universe is experienced

here, from the physical point of view, millions of miles separate the planes. In the infinite consciousness, in every atom of it, universes come and go like particles of dust in a beam of

sunlight that shines

through a hole in

the roof. These come

just our life, but

the existence of the

The world is born,

exists for some time,

will perish. The

reality behind that birth,

and

go

like

ripples on the ocean. Not

whole world is

compared to a ripple!

changes a lot,

and at some other time it

existence and

Adhyatmic Teachings of Guru Vasishtha to Sri Ramji

destruction is ever the

same, and it is

the same reality which

being. It is your

reality also. And you are

may believe to be

yourself or the world, are

sustains every

object and very living

That. Anything

besides that, what you

just transient appearances. And, as we already saw, anything transient cannot be true or real.

Vasishtha says: To an immature and childish person who believes in his

conviction that this world is real, it continues to be real - even as a child who believes in ghost is haunted by it. If a person is enamoured of the appearance of the bracelet, he does not see that it is just gold; and he, who sees the glory of

palaces, elephants and cities, does not see the infinite consciousness which alone is true.

Vedanta Sandesh

This universe is but a long dream. The ego-sense and also the fancy that

there are others, are as real as dream-objects. The sole reality is the infinite

consciousness which is omnipresent, pure, tranquil, omnipotent, and whose very body and being is absolute consciousness, and therefore not an object or anything knowable. Because the substratum is real, all that is based on it acquires reality,

though the reality is of the substratum alone. This universe and all beings in it are but a long dream.

Truly, all that appears to your eyes is nothing but the infinite consciousness

alone. Everything is as it is; nothing has ever been created. You may say that what

appears to be is the creation of Maya, but then Maya itself is not real! All this is but

Maya, for there is no contradiction between the infinite consciousness and the apparent existence of the universe. It is like a marvellous dream of a person who is awake.

Liberation is the realization of the total non-existence of the universe as

such. This is different from a mere denial of the existence of the ego and the

universe! The latter is only half-knowledge. Liberation is to realize that all this is pure Consciousness, and you are that pure Consciousness.

Wind, Water, Stone Water hollows stone, wind scatters water, stone stops the wind.

Water, wind, stone.

Wind carves stone, stone's a cup of water, water escapes and is wind.

Stone, wind, water.

Wind sings in its whirling, water murmurs going by, unmoving stone keeps still.

Wind, water, stone.

Each is another and no other: crossing and vanishing through their empty names: water, stone, wind.

By Octavio Paz

-7-

Quotes Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.

If you are unwilling to question your beliefs you will never know you are following truth or lies.

Take care of your body. Its the only place you have to live.

Whenever you can find time for just being, drop all doing.

Life is art in the purest form.

"The earth is large enough for all to share, but mankind's heart is not large enough to care."

Before Truth can set you free you must first recognise which lies are holding you hostage.

Its never too early or too late or a bad time to start anything.

Anyone who is angry is fearful.

Before you speak...

- Is it kind?

- Is it necessary?

- Is it TRUE?

Vedanta Sandesh

Goverdhan Parvat Story Section

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

Vishnu in his many forms is an icon of protection and Krishna was

(among other things) an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. It is said that the

residents of Vrindavana were sometimes aware of this and at times depended on Krishna to protect them. A good example was when Krishna lifted

Govardhana Hill. Every year the residents of Vrindavana worshiped Lord Indra for supplying rain. One year when Krishna was a youth, He asked Nanda to

worship Govardhana Hill instead of Indra. Krishna argued, "We do not de-

rive any special benefit from Indra. Our specific relationship is with Govardhana Hill and Vrindavana forest. Let us have nothing to do with Indra."

King Nanda finally agreed with Krishna and prepared to offer the sac-

rifice to Govardhana Hill. This made Lord Indra angry and jealous. Forgetting

the divine position of Krishna, Indra reasoned, "These cowherd men in Vrindavana have neglected my authority on the advice of this talkative boy who is known as Krishna. He is nothing but a child, and by believing this

child, they have enraged me." Indra then sent a storm to devastate Vrindavana. All the people and animals came to Krishna for shelter, and in a miraculous show of strength, Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill with one finger

to make the mountain into a huge umbrella. Everyone crowded underneath it and remained safe until the rains stopped. Later, Lord Indra realized his mistake in attacking Krishna and apologized. This is an example of one of the demigods behaving like a demon. Krishna Book explains, "Indra became angry because he thought that he was all in all within this universe and that no one was as powerful as he."

- 17 -

Vedanta Sandesh

8th Aug was celebrated as the Savan Utsav Day at Ashram. It is the beautiful & rainy month of Savan, devotees worship Bhagwan Shiv, and 8th Aug is also the birthday of P. Swamini Amitanandaji. We combined all these to have a Savan-Utsav on that day. It was more of a devotional & cultural program. We brought a ‘Shiv-Parivar’ idol in a procession to the hall above and placed it in a specially decorated Jhula. Bhajans & dances were presented and also judged and the winners presented with gifts. Later everyone had prasad.

Every Monday, special puja and beautiful decorations (Jhanki) of Bhagwan Sri Gangeshwar Mahadev was done at the Ashram Mandir - throught the month of Savan. In the evening the devotees living near Ashram gathered for darshan & Aarti.

A new format of Monthly Satsang of Vedanta Mission members & devotees has been started at Lucknow. It is a combination of prayers,, dhyana, bhajans, charcha & finally a short aarti. The first such satsang was organized on 25th Aug at Hariom Mandir, and was moderated by Sh Shekhar & Smt Asha Khanna. There were 18 members. The subject of discussion was sent from Ashram at Indore.

On 23rd Aug, Poojya Guruji alongwith some Ashram Mahatmas & few devotees decided to visit the newly made Sangam of River Kshipra & Narmada. It is a great & commendable project by the Govt of MP, by which the River Kshipra has been regenerated.

Kshipra starts from a place which is around 20 Kms from Indore, and then slowly becomes a nice river on whose bank the Ujjain city is situated. Narmada river was brought to that point in huge pipes and a lovely Sangam has been made. Devotees throng the place and have a dip in the sangam. We also had darshan of the ancient Shiv Mandirs of Dev Guradia & Kevedeshwar.

On 30th Aug was the day of the monthly Hanuman Chalisa Satsang. The campers of the Janmashtami Vedanta Camp had started coming too, which was beginning from the next day. After the lovely bhajans for about 45 mins, everyone chanted the Hanuman Chalisa, and then there was the pravachan of Poojya Guruji. He spoke on the 5th chaupayi of the Chalisa, and told about the significance of each & every description of Hanumanji whose upasana is being done by this immortal composition.

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Bhajans, dances & bhandara presented by various devotees, with Shivji on Jhula. Birthday of Swamini Amitanandaji. Organized & presented by devotees at Vedanta Ashram, Indore - on 8th Aug 2015

Poojya Guruji, P. Swamini Amitanandaji, P. Swamini Poornanandaji and devotees.

Planned & executed by P.Swamini Amitanandaji, and assisted by other Ashram Mahatmas.

Darshan opened for devotees at evening Aarti time - on all four Savan Somvar

Vedanta Sandesh

Poojya Guruji, P. Swamini Amitanandaji, P. Swamini Poornanandaji and devotees.

Devotees tie Rakhi to Poojya Guruji and all Swaminiji’s on 29th Aug

Bhajans by devotees and Pravachan by Poojya Guruji- 30th Aug

By All Ashram Mahatmas - Poojya Guruji Sri Swami Atmanandaji / P.Swamini Amitanandaji / P.Swamini Samatanandaji and P.Swamini Poornanandaji - at Vedanta Ashram. From 31st Aug to 5th Sept 2015

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The Sweetness of Lord Sri Krishna His words are sweet, His character is sweet, His garments are sweet, His posture is sweet, His movements are sweet & His roaming is sweet.

Everything about the King of Sweetness is sweet.

His flute is sweet, the dust of His lotus feet is sweet, His hands & His feet are sweet, His dancing is sweet & His friendship is sweet.

Everything about the King of Sweetness is sweet.

His song is sweet, His drinking is sweet, His eating is sweet, His sleeping is sweet, His beautiful form is sweet & His tilak (mark adorning the forehead) is sweet. Everything about the King of Sweetness is sweet His deeds and activities are sweet, His path of salvation is sweet, His thieving/stealing is sweet, His love-sports are sweet, His oblations/offerings are sweet & His countenance is sweet.

Everything about the King of Sweetness is sweet.

Vedanta Sandesh

Janmashtami Camp, Indore :

A five days Janmashtami Camp has started at Vedanta Ashram, Indore on 31st Aug

and will conclude on 5th Sept. Poojya Guruji is discussing Natakdeep Prakarana of Panchadasi.

P. Swamini Amitanandaji is talking on the Avatara Rahasya based on Gita Chap-4. Sri Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated on the 5th Sept - by all ashramites & campers.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Jalgaon :

A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by P. Swamini Poornanandaji will be organized at

Dutta Mandir, Jalgaon from 9th to 15th Sept. Subs: Gita-5 / Kathopanishad 2-2.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Lucknow :

A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by P. Swamini Amitanandaji will be organized at

Hariom Mandir, Lal Bag, Lucknow from 4th to 10th Oct. Subs: Gita-8 /Kaivalya Upanishad.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Bhavnagar :

A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by P. Swamini Amitanandaji will be organized at

Ramdas Ashram, Bhavnagar from 25th to 31st Oct. Subs: Gita-8 /Kaivalya Upanishad.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Indore :

A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by Poojya Guruji Sri Swami Atmanandaji has

been planned to be organized at the Main Hall of Hindi Sahitya Samiti Sabhgruh, RNT Marg, Indore from 23rd to 29th Nov. Subs: Gita-3.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Lucknow :

A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by P. Swamini Samatanandaji will be organized at

Ramnaam Bank Community Hall, SBI Colony, Lucknow from 27th Nov to 3rd Dec. Subs: Gita-1 / Tattva Bodha.

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

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

Indian Cultural Foundation http://icf.vmission.org.in/

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

Om Tat Sat