Vedanta Sandesh - Dec 2012

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Year 19

Issue 6

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Vedanta Mission, Mumbai celebrates its 20th Anniversay with ‘Sufiyana’ and a grand ‘Gita Gyana Yagna’

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Dec 2012 : Year 19 / Issue 6 Editor: Swamini Samatananda Saraswati

vkse~ Hknza d.ksZfHk% Jq.kq;ke nsok Hknaz i’;sek{kfHk;Zt=k%A fLFkjSj³xS~Lrq’Vqok Wa~lLruwfHk% O;’kse nsofgra ;nk;q%AA LofLr u bUnzks o`)Jok% LofLr u% iw’kk foÜoosnk%A LofLr uLrk{;ksZ vfj’Vusfe% LofLr uks c`gLifrnZ/kkrqAA vkse~ ’kkfUr% ’kkfUr% ’kkfUr% Om, May we Hear with our Ears what is Auspicious, O Devas, May we See with our Eyes what is Auspicious, O Yajatraa, May we Live with Contentment with Strong Body and Limbs. May we Praise the God and sing His Glories during our Lifespan Allotted to us by the Devas, May Lord Indra of Great Fame increase our Well-Being and Prosperity, May Lord Pusha, who is All-Knowing, bless us with Well-Being and Prosperity, May Lord Taakssarya (Garuda), who is the Protector, bless us with Well-Being and Prosperity, May Lord Brihaspati also Bless us with Well-Being and Prosperity, Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Published by International Vedanta Mission http://www.vmission.org.in vmission@gmail.com

In This Issue

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Message of P. Guruji Atma Bodha Letter Gita Reflections Jivanmukta Yoga Vasistha Story Section VM News VM Activities Album VM Programs

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5 6-7 9 10-11 13 14-15 17 18 19 20-21 23

from Poojya Guruji Types of Selfless Karma There is world of difference between the 'Karma' as prescribed in Karma Yoga, and the 'Actions' done by most of the 'selfless' people or even by the members of various social service organizations the world over. On the face of it any selfless and loving actions look similar & noble, because they both talk about love & selflessness. Both seem to be motivated by the welfare of others, whether of the family or the society at large, and the well-being of all - yet there is a profound difference between both. It is extremely necessary to see the differences between various so called 'selfless' actions, otherwise the field of karma which can be a facilitator for making our mind beautiful can on the contrary make it all the more inert & disturbed. There are so many people who keep on acting day in and day out with their heart & soul for the well-being of their families, society or the world at large, yet we know that very very few are getting ready for delving deep into the subtle world of life's secrets, including the journey and awakening into the transcendental dimension of our own self, obviously they are missing something very important somewhere. What is that? Karma has the potential to not only help us attain the worldly goals but also to simultaneously prepare our minds for the flight into the unknown. Karma has a profound potential to either make or mar our lives. Not knowing such subtle facts, bring all the fall & grief of man - inspite of all their hard work and sincerity.

Cracking of this secret requires one to appreciate the fact as to what is it which makes the mind dull, inert & insensitive. It is ‘Self-Concern’ alone which makes us insensitive to other things around, like a diseased person is helplessly focussed on his/her discomfort and thus is not available for anything around. That is the curse of ego. Ego, which is basically an imaginary self-identity, epitomizes self-concern and it alone is the cause of all our insensitivity and the consequent inertness of the mind. Ego not only creates our identity limited and perishable, but is also fragmentary in very nature. It divides the world - into I & You, Mine & Yours etc. When you are merely a small individual, maybe a good one, and want to sincerely & lovingly 'serve' your family and your society, you have unconsciously taken the fragmented world of 'I' and 'You' as real, and then alone you operate. This fragmentation is the root cause of disasters.

Those who have not gone into the intricacies of self-identity are innocently prompted by a motivation which not only limits us but even fragments our world. Any social service etc which is done by some 'privileged' individual for the benefit of some 'unprivileged' brethren, howsoever selfless such an act may appear to be, is by accepting the fragments created by the ego as facts of life, and all the consequences of an egoistic existence is as they say is history. One should not console oneself that we have made this ego very noble etc., the truth is that a dream is always a dream.

Inertness and insensitivity is the product of such a fragmented psyche. It is interesting to watch the lives of these social workers closely. The fragmentation exists not merely at the level of subject & object, but even in their objects of love.

They dont really love anything or anyone with their heart & soul. It is their personal likes & dislikes which rules the roost.

Look at their most intimate relationships, and we discover that not even at one place the ego has really faded into insignificance. That’s what Kathopanishad calls as the Path of Preya.

The Art of doing Karma as per Karma Yoga is on the other hand completely different. It is that art of living wherein the motivation is not that of our personal likes or dislikes, but is based on righteousness. There is magnanimity in their perceptions, thinking and conduct. They live for all, and can objectively see the things as they are. There is no burden of doership, just the flow of love; they do not oblige anyone, and live sincerely for all. Positions, rewards, acclamations never motivate them. The situations, howsoever pathetic they may be, of them or of others, just do not matter, what is required is just to accept what is and respond in the best possible way. There is complete acceptability of their self, inclinations or even limitations, without any ire, complaints or complexes, there is no comparision and no pity for anyone too, because for them the real journey of everyone is within & not outside. One who is not prompted by pesonal likes & dislikes is always happy everywhere. Their action is obviously very loving & selfless, it is in fact class apart, and such ‘selfless karmas’ never bring about any inertness or insensitivity, rather facilitates greater thoughtfullness and sensitivity. One should deeply see the subtle differences between these two kinds of ‘selfless’ karmas. The former is fragmentary and is done with efforts and perpetuates our endless seeking and transmigration, while the latter is nonfragmentary, it is liberating even while you live and ofcourse facilitates deep & objective self-enquiry. This is called as the Path of Sreyas in Upanishads, and is indeed the right way to live.

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Swamini Samatananda

Atma is the very ‘Self’ of everything In the previous sloka, the Acharya explained that a yogi through the eye of wisdom sees only the Self everywhere and regards all the universe as one’s own Self. To such a one, there is nothing but Self alone.

From this sloka onwards until the 53rd sloka the Master describes the state of liberation here & now, which the scriptures call as Jivanmukti.

In the following sloka the Acharya explains that a liberated one, by incessant contemplation gives up all the previous identifications with the body, mind & intellect and awakens into the state of Brahman.

49 Jivanmuktastu tadvidvaan poorvopaadhi gunaanstyajet Sacchidanandaroopatvat bhavet bhramarakeetavat Jivanmuktastu:A liberated one; tat: that; vidvaan: the wise; poorvopaadhigunaan: the previous limiting adjuncts and their attributes; tyajet: gives up; sacchidananda roopatvat: because of his nature of sacchidananda; bhavet: he verily becomes (Brahman); bhramara keetavat: like the worm becoming the wasp.

A liberated one, endowed with Self-knowledge, gives up the traits of his previously explained equipments (Upadhis) and because of his nature of Sat-chit-ananda, he verily becomes Brahman like (the worm that grows to be) a wasp.

Jivanmuktastu tadvidvaan Liberation is the very purpose and goal of life discovered by our Sages and Rishis. A life without this goal is a life wasted away in the glory of ignorance. Liberation here and now is the subject matter of Vedanta. In ignorance life is lived with a sense of inadequacy and therefore seeking happiness leads our life to acquiring various things one after the other. The irony is that in spite of acquiring so many things yet this sense of unfulfillment walks with us like an unavoidable companion pushing us to seek more and more. Liberation from this sense of limitation by seeing the very nature of the Self as contented by the Self and within the Self is Liberation here and now. It is known as ‘Jivanmukti’in the scriptures. Often liberation is percieved as freedom from the cycle of birth and death, a state to be achieved hereafter this physi-

cal body dies away. But any wise person can see the futility of such a goal which is posthamous. Our spiritual Masters have revealed to us a divine state of freedom here and now. This is a state which does not require physical aversion from the objective world, its people and experiences. This state of liberation is living like a lotus in water, which in spite of being in water is actually untouched by it.

It is a state of fulfillment which not only reflects a joyous state within, but bubbles with enthusiasm to selflessly serve others with love and compassion. It is a state wherein when one is with himself, he sheds off all attachments with the external world and retires within himself like a tortoise who goes into the solitude of his shell. This state of pure existence is realised by the knowledge of Vedanta, by the knowledge of the Self. Here the Acharya speaks of this divine

Vedanta Sandesh

state where a Man of wisdom sheds off all bondages of attachments with his gross and subte body.

there is no seeking, no fear and no insecurity.

Sacchidananda roopatvat: These three words indicate that whose very nature is pure existence, sef effulgent and bliss . This existence is life itself, and this alone is of the nature of bliss.

We try to get glimpses of this bliss alone, in & through all our experiences and gratifications. A Jivanmukta knows this fact very directly & intimately that ‘I am the one, infinite, blissful, self-effulgent existence’. Existence pervades everything as ‘is’. The body is, world is, tree is, sun is, stars are, people are, animals are, birds are, and so on.

Nothing in the creation can ever be experienced divorced from existence. Because something ‘is’ that is why we can experience it. This existence pervades everything in & out. It is the Atma of everything, without which, everything will be a void. This pure, untainted, one existence is the nature of my very Self. The existence which is not inert or dead, but is conscious & blissful. It is the effulgent nature of the Self that enlivens everything.

This is the truth of life. Everything else is transitory, a dream-like projection. Something which just appears temporarily, like mirage-water, which is seen glimmering like water on hot surface, but where no water truly exists.

The substratum of this imaginary existence is that which is this Sat-Chit-Ananda. A Jivanmukta knows this alone as his Self, his true essence, his real identity.

Poorvopaadhi gunaanstyajet: The expression that a Man of wisdom gives up the previous limiting adjuncts and their attributes basically implies dropping off all mental identifications of the Self with the body, mind and intellect. As long as ignorance prevails we identify with the Self as “I am the body, I am a human, I am a businessman, I am a housewfe, I am happy, I am sad, I am healthy, I am ill, I am ignorant or I am knowledgeable”. In subjective knowledge ‘giving up’ pertains to mental shedding up of identifications with the BMI by discriminating between the Real & the Unreal. The root problem in this scenario is not the existence of or the use of the objective world or even the body and mind for that matter. The crux of the whole problem is not knowing the nature of the Self as Real and not knowing the objective world and the BMI to be unreal. Our ignorance and wrong convictions have led us to see all the manifestations as the truth and the goal of life rather than looking upon them as a means to realise the Real nature of the Self. Using our faculties and the external world as a means to serve others and the requirements of the manifested Self is never a problem. The problem lies in the wrong identification with them as being the truth of life. All these objects in the external world, all our faculties, and all the experiences borne of them are constantly changing and impermanent.

They are limited in nature at the level of space, time & object. Identifying with them as being the Self is identifying with the Self as a limited being, who eventually becomes a seeker to fulfill this limitation. Hence is born the samsara-the trip of endless seeking.

A Man of direct knowledge that I am Brahman, drops off these identifications mentally and comes to see everything on the platform of reality. Such a person obviously does not need to run away from things physically, but he establishes a right relationship with them where

Bhavet bhramara keetavat: The acharya explains with an example of a wasp, as to how with knowledge & contemplation a person awakens into this state of Brahman. Just as a wasp goes out and brings a type of worm to its nest. It goes on tormenting the worm for days. The worm therefore is as though continuously and intensely thinking of the wasp only.

As time goes on, due to its constant concentration on the wasp, the worm acquires all features of the wasp and itself becomes a wasp.

Qbsbn!Qvkzb!Hvsvkj’t!Cjsuiebz We seek Param Pujya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji’s blessings on the auspicious occassion of his birth anniversary on 15th Dec. This year this auspicious day will be celebrated with love and devotion in Mumbai and then later at Vedanta Ashram Indore.

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Reaching Out Far Sally, a difficult independent 75 year old, liked sitting by the park feeding the pigeons. One day she brought with her a whole bun of fresh bread just to feed her daily company. Little by little, pinch-by-pinch, she fed each pigeon with joy. She sat there without being noticed by anyone in our rich suburban neighborhood.

Then suddenly a man in his early 40's rained on my mom's parade by telling her that she shouldn't throw away good food on a bunch of pigeons that can find food anywhere... when there are a lot of people starving in Africa, says the stranger.

Then my mother said in crazed anger and without hesitation, "Well, sorry for you but I can't throw that far!"

Vedanta Sandesh

Are all Religions same?

Hari om !

Letter of the Month

Only the ignorant say that all religions are same. The God of Hindus represents something which is completely different from the understanding of God in other religions, and when the very understanding of God is different how can the means to realize him be same?

It is the childish Christian understanding which first says that sex is sin, and then after going to heaven, their spiritual summum bonum, they get a free for all sex life, 72 virgins and all that stuff. How come this contradiction? Our understanding of heaven is not like that, moreover, attaining heaven is not the goal of a Hindu, it is Brahma Gyana – direct realization of our oneness with God. Our God is not somewhere beyond the clouds in heaven, but is right here & now as the Self of all.

‘Only

the

ignorant say that all religions are same.

The God of Hindus r e p r e s e n t s something which is completely different from

the

understanding of God

in

other

religions, ’ - Poojya Guruji

So obviously we do not consider that worshipping Jesus is the way to salvation, because the entire thinking of that tradition is based on baseless premises. It is rather positively harmful. In Hinduism we don’t need saviour's because they feel damned, but we believe that everyone is basically empowered to carve their own lives & future by their 'Karmas', and then get Brahma Gyana. Therefore in our tradition it is the Guru who is more important rather than any saviour’s. The Christians first say that you are children of the first sinners, that the children of the first sinners are eternally damned to suffer, that no man ever has the intrinsic capacity to get over the effects of that first sin, which incidentally you have never committed, but is like a debt carried forward to you from your first sinner ancestor. Then they go ahead to say that the only way out of this scenario is by the blessings of the son of God - who is not born out of sex, but is a virgin child, and therefore free from sin. All this is childish stuff, and we are surprised that how can any educated modern person fall for such a thinking. Well, we do not consider sex to be a sin, and with this alone their entire propositions drops like a pack of cards. To the surprise and consternation of these people we even have scriptures like Kama Sutras, teaching us the art of love & sex. We say that you are pure, intrinsically divine, and all the problems are just product of ignorance, and therefore right knowledge alone is the way. You don’t need any saviour’s but just a right enlightened teacher. That’s the way of Hindus. There is no comparison between what we say and what is being doled out by these childish semitic religions. No wonder the birth of these so called 'religions' is historically proved to be by kings to keep their rule unhindered. The motivations of their forefathers was something different from real salvation.

So please study Hinduism properly and appreciate deeply the truth of bandage and freedom, and make the best of your life.

Blessings & Best Wishes.

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by

(Study of our Natural Inclinations)

The ‘Varna’ System

Swamini Samatananda

Every person has an intrinsic nature of the mind which is called as his ‘Varna’ or also his ‘Swadharma’ in the Gita. Varna refers to the deep rooted impressions in the mind due to our past impressions. In other words it may be understood as the aptitude of a person which inspires him to take up a particular field of action.

Varna Classification-Uniqueness of Sanatan Dharma: Varna system, which is more popularly known as the Caste system is the uniqueness of Hindu Dharma. Unfortunately the purity of this system’s objectives, it’s right understanding has been lost over period of time and it is more known as an evil discrimination of people as belonging to a higher or lower class. The real essence of this classification of Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra was to create a pshycologically perfect system for the division of labor of people. This discernment of the caste was basically on the intrinsic inclinations of a person. It was on this basis that a person was initiated into a particular field, and it was due to this reason that there were great specialists in every field.

Every individual is unique: Every individual is unique in himself and therefore the varna or natural inclination of every individual is unique in itself. One should be able to recognise one’s intrinsic nature and live by it with a sense of dignity and pride. Unable to recognise one’s intrinsic inclination misleads a person to taking up a field of action by blindly following someone else’s field of action. As it may also be seen, in todays times that if a youngster is not able to discern his work field on the basis of his own love and passion for it, he is inspired to simply take up what the majority are taking. It is due to such reasons that sometimes going to an IT field becomes a fashion or doing an MBA becomes the in thing. At times even parents impose their ambitions on their children forcing them to take up professons as per their unfulfilled dreams. Non-acceptance of one’s intrinsic aptitude reflects a lack of self-esteem and surfaces an inferiority complex, compelling one to do what another person is doing, by seeing their success, fame and wealth. It is highly important to understand that to be able to enjoy one’s actions one should accept that if I am rose let me excude the fragrance and qualities of a rose and not strive to be a sunflower. This alone will bring about joy and love in the work field and the best of my abilities.

Recognising one’s Varna is recognising what God has made me for. It is being able to see and accept the role that God has written for me to play. In this manner I get associated with God through my actions. This is what Gita calls as ‘Karma Yoga’.

Actions as per one’s Varna brings out the best: A person who is into a field of action which is his love and passion reflects love, creativity, integration of the mind and intellect, selflessnes and enthusiasm in his

VedantaSandesh Sandesh- Mar - April 2009 Vedanta 2012

Vedanta Sandesh

work. Such a person does not get distracted with the worry of the final result. Infact success surely knocks the doors of such people. It is important that a person be capable and puts everything he can in his actions, then for such people success is never a problem.

On the other hand a person who is not aware of his intrinsic aptitudes and hasn’t got any guidance either, will chose a wrong path and the field of action becomes a burden for such people. Such a person will never be be able to enjoy his work or excel in it. Work becomes a task to be completed accompanied with the anxiety of success or failure. The mind and intellect become disintegrated giving birth to various impurities & imbalances. One cannot ever ignore the vital significance of discerning the Varna of a person if he wishes to live a healthy life.

A person who is into a field of action which is his love and passion reflects love, creativity, integration of the mind and intellect, selflessnes and enthusiasm in his work.

How is the Varna of an individual created?

When one looks at the natural inclinations of a child in this birth it appears that he has not made any conscious deliberate effort to invoke qualities in a particular field. This implies that the present mental aptitudes are given to us as a situation which is a blessing of god. Although we have the full freedom to express our mental abilities but these skills are passed on to us as a will of God. This statement is tricky to understand. It does not imply that God is blessing us with intrinsic abilities on the basis of his personal whims and fancies but it really means that God is passing on to us those qualities, the seeds of which have been sown by our very ownselves in our actions in the previous births. We have aspired for and worked for certain qualities and these may bear fruits as our intrinsic naure in this birth. This is what is implied when the scriptures say that recognising one’s aptitudes or varna is recognising the will of God. It reveals what God wants us to do as his instrument. This principle is extremely important to understand because this alone makes us truly selfless and enables us to love our work and enjoy it.

Varna-the first step to Self knowledge and liberation: The real nature of the Self is beyond any attributes and aptitudes of the mind and intellect. Realising this nature of the self which is attributeless is really the goal of life. But this state cannot be realised until one does not intensely live a life of total integrity by abiding in one’s intrinsic nature of the mind. As long as the jiva , the limited being exists so long as the sense of doership & enjoyership will exist. This binds a person in the journey of action. In this journey even though practising one’s varna is purifying yet it still is limited by a sense of doership and can never awaken a person into the state of total contentment. Swadharma, in the process helps one discover the non-doer and the Self beyond the colors of mental aptitudes. It helps one see that he is an instrument of God and not the doer of anything. Ultimately seeing the Self beyond this Varna also is the basic goal of life.

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Quotes Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is a quite voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything.

The eyes are useless when the mind is blind.

Speak the truth even if your voice shakes.

Judging a person does not define who they are, it defines who you are.

A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you are at home.

Speak only when you feel your words are better than your silence.

What les behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.

Vedanta Sandesh

Wandering in Himalayas Vision of a Jivanmukta

6 Excerpts from the

Travel Memoirs of Param Poojya Swami Tapovanji Maharaj

One such mahatma was Swami Vishuddhananda, more familiarly known as Baba Kali Kamli Wallah. He came to be known by that peculiar name because he generally used only a piece of black cloth to cover his body. He was ascetic among ascetic. His life, totally free from the acceptance and hoarding of wealth, was a perfect model of innocence and piety. In spite of his greatness , for a long while he remained a stranger to fame. But at last paradoxically as it would seem, his fame began to spread and riches began to rain down at his feet.

To persue the man who spurns her is an odd, but well-known charecteristic of the Godess of wealth. Wealth and wealthy men now place themselves at the disposal of this ascetic, enabling him to provide the ill-clothed, poorly fed sadhus of Rishikeh with clothing and food.

Even when he had become the Lord of great wealth, he remained a bhikshu, completely detached from all worldly pleasures and desires. The life of Baba Kali Kamli Wallah demonstrates how a sadhu who comes by wealth because of tendencies carried over from previous lives-should conduct himself. The extensive and efficient arrangements he has made in Rishikesh and other places in the Himalayas for ministering to the needs of sadhus are simply wonderful, and as long as Rishikesh and Kedarkhand (the land washed by the Ganga and the Alaknanda) exist, his name will be remembered with gratitude and reverance.

It has been my good fortune, from time to time, to lead a blissful life at Rishikesh, sanctified by the presence of ancient sages like Atri and Angiras and modern saints like Kali Kamli Wallah. Where those sadhus were engaged in study and meditation, in solitary hermitages on the banks of the Ganga, days pass like seconds. It is certainly a covetable experience. But it is open to only a limited number of people who have realised the unsubstantial, painful, illusory nature of worldly life and have given up such life for a life of devotion & contemplation.

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by Swamini Vidyananda

2 Adhyatmic Teachings of Guru Vashista to Sri Ramji

Yoga Vasishtha is unsurpassed in its beautiful poetry and depths of wisdom, it talks about the most difficult and important truths in simple language, persistently explaining the subtle truths again and again, but everytime revealing its new aspect, and the listener is awed as though someone anticipated their questions & interests. Multiple beautiful stories are interwoven with deep philosophical explanations, which make understanding easy. Listening to the stories, even a start worldly person is turned into an innocent & inquisitive child, whose heart is softened, all worries and problems are set aside, and words of wisdom freely and easily flow inside. For generations and generations of seekers of the Truth, this book has been the helping hand in taking them back to their own source.

Ramayana and Yoga Vasishtha, both being work of Valmikiji, are basically two sides of one coin, together they constitue one complete masterpiece. One reveals the worldly life and noble lilas of Sri Ram, while the other reveals the wisdom part of the great manifestation. It reveals the teachings of Guru Vashista to his disciple because of which he was what he was. The worldly people see the effects, while the wise see the cause, the ‘teachings’ because of which all that greatness could manifest. Life of an Avatara purusha basically reveals that every man is equally potent to live life of such magnanimity & greatness, all what is required is right teachings.

Just before visit of sage Vishvamitra Rama went to a pilgrimage to holy places and upon return got disgusted with the superficiaility and meaninglessness of all wordly joys and pleasures. He becomes quiet and disinterested in everything, depressed & disenchanted, wanting nothing, as though seeking some answers of life. Yoga Vasishtha starts with this episode, and whole first book of it (out of six) is Rama’s words talking about miseries of the worldly enjoyments, deficiencies of childhood, youth and old age and death. Seeing only transitory ephemeral states of the world he does not see a way out, and asks for a wise advice. Seeing this state of mind of Rama, Vishvamitra concludes he has got all necessary dispassion toward the transient happenings of the world and is ready to receive the highest knowledge. Vishvamitra asks sage Vasishtha to teach Rama the truth of life, world and his own self. Other Prakaranas of Yoga Vasishtha contain this teaching of Vasishtha, addressed to Rama, God incarnate. As a result, Rama’s depression is over, and he obtains the complete understanding of his own essential truth which is also the truth of creation. Thus, Yoga Vasishtha is a great book which describes one important episode of Ramayana story, interesting in what here God himself receives wise teaching of his own divine nature.

Second prakarana of YV describes the qualities of adhikari, a fit seeker after the liberation. Before starting the teaching, reader has the chance to see what is needed for the student, and to look into himself to see if he himself has necessary Vedanta Sandesh

Overview of the Six Prakaranas

qualities. Vasishtha concludes Rama is ready, he refutes fatalism and depression and calls to the right actions for purification of the mind, because only pure mind is able to understand the unreality of the world and pave its path to the liberation.

Third book talks about the creation of the world, which is non-existence in essence, but is experienced as existing because of the lack of right enquiry. World, together with time, space, causes and effects, notions, desires and happenings, is perceived but is unreal, and this is illustrated with beautiful stories which easily sink into the mind, bringing with them the important message and changing the whole habitual outlook onto surrounding “reality�. Wrong notions are based on the mind, and so the nature of the mind is discussed, and how it comes to ignorance and how it can come out of it. Mind is the cause of seeing separateness around, but with understanding of truth, mind loses its power of giving separate perception, and everything is perceived as Brahman alone.

Continual error of the mind is the sole cause of notion of continual existence of the world; its desires and aversions are the cause of continual re-births in the endless samsara flow. Wrong identification with body, mind, intellect, actions, possessions, desires and relations makes a limited fellow, who alone suffers being divided from the world. Wrong identification is the misunderstanding of the mind, and the wrong understanding is cured only with right understanding. How mistaken notions persist and how they are cured is discussed in the fourth book of Yoga Vasishtha.

Whatever having the beginning will also have an end, and existence of body and mind are no exceptions. Birth, life, death are all just stages in the continuous flow of changing phenomena, and existence itself is never affected by these. Existence of something is limited, Existence itself don’t have any limits. Anything which comes and goes can be a great pointer to what which is never comes or goes, by its only presence giving the opportunity for everything to happen. This is the topic in the fifth book of Yoga Vasishtha.

The sixth book explains the importance of self-knowledge which alone gives the understanding of reality and leads to the final liberation from all sorrows and worries of samsara. As in all previous books, this book is full of stories and elegant illustrations, and one story leads to another taking the reader into the beautiful journey deep into the great truths of his own being, compelling and wise, leaving no corner of the limited ego unlightened with the lamp of knowledge. Throwing the light on the ignorant notions leads to disappearance of them, just like when you go to examine the darkness with the lamp in your hand, darkness disappears...

Yoga Vasishtha is the great lamp of wisdom, in whose light ignorance flies off in fear and panic of being discovered as non-entities. Read the book carefully once, twice, or as many times as needed and see how darkness of ignorance and suffering cannot stand this light, limitations disappear and you discover yourself as ever free, limitless shining conscious blissfull being, which is only by mistake was taken for something limited and suffering. Discover who you are, what everything else is, and shine in your own glory of ever being the truth of everything.

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Seven Steps to Holistic Living

Total Health You are not merely a physical body, but have different layers in your personality. Aim for holistic health. Learn to ‘listen’ to your body, mind and also the world around. Always excude cheerfulness, confidence and enthusiasm.

Vedanta Sandesh

Surrender Story Section

Two fishes lived in a lake. Of the two one was very strong and was equally proud of her strength too. The other one was physically weak but very intelligent and humble at the same time. Once a fisherman casted a fishing net in the lake. To save her life the stronger fish started swimming away from the net, as fast as she could. She

on p u e Onc me ... a ti

thought to herself, “I am a very strong fish and I will be able to escape the net, but the faster she swam the fisherman spread his net as much further with equal ease. Finally, inspite of all her efforts she got trapped in the net. On the other hand the weaker fish was not capable of swimming as fast as the stronger one. She started praying to God and and since she was humble and had a calm mind, she was indeed blessed by an idea. She thought the fisherman will never cast the net on his own feet. With this thought in her mind she kept close to the feet of the fisherman.

In this manner her life was saved. She was blessed by her faith towards God, her humility and timely thinking. But even then the little fish remained as humble and thanked God for everything. Every individual should cast aside his ego of having great pottentials and fine qualities and surrender at the Feet of Ishwara. One should live being an instrument in the hands of God. With the attitude of surrender not only does an individua become more humble but even the illusionary maya cannot trap such a person. Such a blessed one comes to be a deserving being for liberation and also finally gets liberated from the clutches of sorrow.

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Vedanta Sandesh

Hjub!Hzbob!Zbhob-!Mvdlopx; A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji was conducted at Hanuman Setu Mandir Satsang Bhavan, Lucknow from 17th to 24th Nov 2012. The subject-matters of the morning and evening Discourse series were Gita Chapter 1, and Kathopanishad Chapter 1.

She arrived at Lucknow’s Amousi Airport well in time after her flight took a detour via New Delhi. The management of Hanuman Setu Mandir are very enthused and positive on having Poojya Swaminiji so soon again. There is a Sanskrit Pathshala at Hanuman Setu Mandir, so its students chant Vedic hymns in the beginning of Pravachans. The discourse series were highly appreciated by the devotees and VM members of Lucknow, and have invited her again there, andd the dates for the next Yagna have been booked too.

Namrata Dubey her host took good care of Poojya Swaminiji during her stay. Even P.Swamini Amitanandaji had stayed with her.

Ejxbmj!Dfmfcsbujpot; This year we had Sh Ramakant and Ushaben Trivedi of Ahmedabad for the Diwali Celebrations at Ashram. On the Diwali day they were the yajman for the Laxmi Pujan and later they also helped decorate the Ashram and burnt some Phuljaris, and a symbol of the occasion. We basically support the idea of Green Diwali, and do not prefer to pollute the atmosphere more. Now the limits of pollutions - both of sound and air and taking such magnitude that the very objective of Diwali is becoming self-defeating. Hindus are traditionally worhippers of Prakriti, all our Vedic Gods were just devaatas of various aspects of Prakriti - Sun, Fire, Wind, Water etc, and any celebration which pollutes these elements cannot be a religious act at all. So enlightened people will always have to strike a balance between the blind traditions and righteousness practices.

Cjsuiebz!Dfmfcsbujpot!pg!Tx!Tbnbuboboeb; Human birth is worthy of celebration, human life is the greatest gift of God to man, so we celebrate the birthdays of everyone at Ashram. Birthdays not only become an occasion to realize the profound potential of human life again, but it also becomes an occasion of social get-togethers and interactions. On 15th Nov was the birthday of Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji. Early morning she did the Abhisheka on Bhagwan Sri Gangeshwar Mahadev, and later in the evening there was a lovely get-together of various devotees at the Ashram. There were prayers, bhajans, games, cutting of the cake and finally prasad for all.

It was a lovely evening.

Pomjof!Tbutboh!Qsphsbn; The weekly Online Satsang Program is going on very nicely every Sunday, which devotees in various parts of the world are enoying thoroughly.

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Vedanta Sandesh

Check out the detailed Photo Albums of the various functions on VM News Blog at : http://vmissionews.blogspot.com/

Nov 2012

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Vedanta Sandesh

Forthcoming ‘Sufiyana’ Cultural Program, Mumbai: On 9th Dec a big Cultural Event will be orgnaized at Manik Sabhagruh Hall, Bandra by the Indian Cultural Foundation, Mumbai, the parent Trust of Vedanta Mission, Mumbai. Folk singers like Mir Mukhtair Ali and Parvathy Baul etc have already given their consent to participate.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Mumbai: A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji will be conducted at Ramkrishna Mission Hall, Khar, Mumbai from 10th to 16th Dec 2012. This will be just after the Sufiyana Program at Maniksabha Gruh on the 9th. The subject matter of the discourses will be Gita Ch-7 and Kathopanishad Ch-2-3

Gita Gyana Yagna, Ahmedabad: A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna by Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji will be conducted at Ramkrishna Kendra, Ahmedabad from 23rd to 29th Dec 2012. Poojya Swaminiji will conduct discourses on Gita Chapter-15 and Panchadasi Chapter-10 in the evening and morning sessions respectively.

Gita Jayanti Celebrations, Indore: This year Mokshada Ekadashi i.e. Gita Jayanti is on 23rd Dec. Special mega functions are organized at Indore from 20th Dec onwards on the occasion. Poojya Guruji and other Ashram Mahatmas are special speakers on the occasion at Agrasen Dham and Gita Bhavan.

Sadhana Camp, Indore: The annual Winter Sadhana Camp at Vedanta Ashram, Indore will be organized this year from 22nd to 26th Jan 2013. The deligates will need to arrive at Ashram by 21st Jan, and can plan to leave on 27th. The subject matter of the Camp will be 6th Mantra of the first Mundaka of the Mundaka Upanishad, and 10th Chapter of Bhagwad Gita.

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

Vedanta Mission News Blog: http://vmissionews.blogspot.com/

Om Tat Sat