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Issue No 1: Dec 2013, Lafayette, Louisiana 1

Vedanshi

Mantras,Shlokas & StotrasSri Ganesha ShlokaVakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha

Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryessu Sarvadaa

Meaning:1: O Lord Ganesha, of curved trunk, large body, and with the brilliance of a million suns,2: Please make all my works free of Obstacles, Always

Sri Saraswati StotraYaa Kunde[a-I]ndu-Tussaara-Haara-Dhavalaa Yaa Shubra-Vastra-[A]avrtaa

Yaa Viinnaa-Vara-Danndda-Mannddita-Karaa Yaa Shveta-Padma-[A]asanna

Yaa Brahma-Acyuta-Shankara-Prabhrtibhir-Devah Sadaa Vanditaam

Saa Maam Paatu Sarasvati Bhagavatii Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa

Meaning:1: (Salutations to Devi Saraswati) Who is Pure White like Jasmine, with the coolness of Moon, Brightness of Snow and Shine like the garland of Pearls; and who is covered with pure White Garments,

2: Whose Hands are Adorned with Veena (a stringed musical instrument) and the Boon-Giving Staff; And who is seated on pure White Lotus,3:Who is always adored by lord brahma, lord Acyuta (Lord Vishnu), Lord Shankara and Other Devas,4: O Goddess Saraswati, please Protect me and Remove my Ignorance completely.

Sri Gayatri MantraOm Bhuur-Bhuvah SvahTat-Savitur-Varennyam |Bhargo Devasya DhiimahiDhiyo Yo Nah Pracodayaat ||

(Rig Veda 3.62.10 and Yujir Veda 36.3)Meaning:1: Om, that (Divine Illumination) which Pervades the Bhu Loka (Physical Plane), Bhuvar Loka (Antariksha Loka or the Astral Plane) and Suvar Loka (Swarga Loka or the Celestial Plane),2: That Savitr (Divine Illumination) which is the Most Adorable,3: On that Divine Radiance we meditate,4: May that Enlighten Our Intellect and Awaken our Spiritual Wisdom. ! - www.greenmesg.org

To these who are thus in a constant union with me, and adore me with an intense delight of love, I give the yoga of understanding by which they come to me. !

Chapter 10, Verse 10; Bhagavad Gita

SHSK IntroductionNeed for a temple in Lafayette area. SHSK goals and objectives. IRS and state approved 501 (c) (3) organization. Yearly membership and life membership details.Page 2

Volunteers NeededSHSK is seeking volunteers to steer ahead its activities in the year 2014.Page 3

Letter from the board“As of today we have 64 members, 7 of whom are life members, few of them have pledged to support further for purchase of land and building a temple.”Page 3

Vaikunta Ekadasi

Significance of Vaikunta EkadasiPage 3

Eternal WitnessA short story

“We should perform our actions with the realization of the truth that God is the eternal witness of all our actions.”Page 4

SponsorsSHSK sponsorship opportunities are listed.Page 4

A Monthly Newsletter Issue No 1: Dec 2013

The part of the sacred knowledge

S A N A T A N H I N D U S A N S K A R K E N D R A

2 Issue No 1: Dec 2013, Lafayette, Louisiana

Durga

Santan Hindu Sanskar Kendra is an IRS and Louisiana state approved non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. The organization with its 5 voluntary board members have initiated discussions to find prospective Trustees for the organization. The board members have planned discussions with many of the prospective members and groups to be a part of board of Trustees for the next two years.

SHSK is actively seeking membership dues from prospective members in coming months. A nominal annual fee of $100 per person

Sanatan Hindu Sanskar KendraPO Box 80362, Lafayette, Louisiana - 70508

Email: shskendra@gmail.com, Website: sanatanlft.orgTax Id: 46-2580905

Sita Ram

Living in Lafayette area has been a wonderful experience for many of us. With its unique culture, festivals and food it has earned its place in US. As you all know apart from enjoying cajun culture, we (Indian Community) also actively participate in sharing Indian culture to the Lafayette community. With a strong Indian association in town, we manage to host and participate in various activities around the year.

We also have an active Hindu community in town such as Sanatan Hindu Sunday School, Gujarti Samaj and Purna Vidya for kids. We

Ganesh

organize spiritual events around the year such as Janmastami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Shivaratri, Ramanavami, Holi, Ugadi and Navaratri. We have seen active participation and devotion of our friends and family in such activities.

Inspite of all these, we miss a Sanatan Hindu temple in Lafayette area. We have to travel more than an hour to the nearest temple. We miss opportunities to show devotion and serve the almighty in various occasions due to far of distances. Many such opportunities include pooja, archana,

Krishna

abhishekam, pradakshanam, satsang, bhajans, yagna and many more. Whether its a new year, birthdays, anniversaries or festivals lack of having a spiritual place is felt by many of us for many years.

Many discussions were initiated in the past to address this issue and with evolution of ideas from past and a vision for the future, a spiritual organization called “Sanatan Hindu Sanskar Kendra” (SHSK) was formed this year (2013). This organization’s mission is to build a Sanatan Hindu Temple in Lafayette area.

Shiva

is required to be a member. A registered member will be eligible to elect the board of trustees to build the organization. There is also an option to become a lifetime member by contributing $5000.

With all your support and help, we believe that the mission of bringing up a Sanatan Hindu temple in Lafayette area will soon come true. Don’t miss this history making golden opportunity of being part of building Temple in Lafayette. Please contact current acting board members on how you can be a part of this wonderful opportunity.

The current acting volunteering board members: Jay Patel - 337.739.2400, Senthil Thavamani - 337.296.1340, Dinesh Deoras - 337.296.6576, Ravi Vallalar - 337.356.6288, Srinivasan Ambatipati - 518.867.6645

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Issue No 1: Dec 2013, Lafayette, Louisiana 3

VolunteersVolunteers needed to support SHSK activities. Current opportunities include Editor for SHSK monthly Newsletter (Vedanshi). Members can also sent a spiritual short story or short biography of famous personalities.

Volunteers needed to lead the SHSK events committee. This committee will be responsible to organize SHSK fundraising events.

Volunteers are also needed to lead the media committee. This committee is responsible to capture

SHSK events through video and photography and share it to SHSK supporters through website, email and social media (Facebbook, Google+).

SHSK would like to thank Alok Banga to volunteer his time and expertise on finding appropriate land for the temple. Would also like to thank Rani Chandra to volunteer her efforts in the layout and planning for temple infrastructure.

SHSK would like to thank the following members who volunteered to lead website committee. Prasanth Chintamaneni, Kannappan Periathamby, Uttam Nalla, Shravan Ramaram and Swaroopa Ambatipati.

There will be many more opportunities to serve in coming years and members who come forward in this initial stage of SHSK activities will lay the foundation for coming years.

Significance of Vaikunta EkadasiVaikunta Ekadasi is an important festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December - January). Vaikunta Ekadasi festival is of great significance at the Tirupati Balaji Temple, Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Temple and the Bhadrachalam Temple. In Kerala, it is known as Swarga Vathil Ekadashi and in Andhra, it is also known as Mukkoti Ekadasi. Next Vaikunta Ekadasi date is January 11, 2014.

The significance of Vaikunta Edadasi can be traced back to the Padma Purana. The Purana indicates

that Lord Vishnu took the form of ‘Ekadasi’ - female energy - to kill demon Muran. This happened during the month of Margazhi. Impressed by ‘Ekadasi, ‘ Lord Vishnu told her that whoever worships him on this day will reach ‘Vaikunta’ (heaven).

Like all Ekadasi days, devotees fast on this day and observe vigil the whole night. Some people indulge in meditation, japa and singing of Hari Kirtan. Rice is avoided during Ekadashi days as it is believed

that the demon Muran finds a dwelling in the rice eaten on Ekadasi day.

It is widely believed that the gates to the heaven open - the Gate of Vaikunta - on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day. It is one of the most auspicious days in Lord Vishnu temples in South India.

The ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to the heaven’ is opened on this day. This is the passage encircling the innermost sanctum of the Lord. Scores of devotees queue up to pass through the Gate of Vaikunta in the temples. Vaikunta Ekadasi occurs in December or early January.

It is important to look at the significance of this auspicious day from spiritual angle.

The demon Muran stands for the Rajasic and Tamasic qualities in people, attributed to lust, passion, inertia, arrogance etc. When one conquers these tendencies, one attains the purity of mind, Satva, indispensable for attaining moksha, the liberation or realization of the self.

For realizing the self as pure awareness, purity of mind is required. Fasting helps to keep at bay tendencies which could be triggered by intake of

certain foods. Keeping vigil in the night is symbolic of awareness, or being watchful of the contents of the mind. When the mind is looked at, it becomes still. To abide in the stillness is to attain freedom or peace, acquired

through merging of the mind with the self. This is symbolic of the mind automatically being absorbed at the sight of Vishnu after the arduous fast and vigil.

The belief that rice is prohibited, because Muran dwells in it, symbolically signifies that the eating of rice makes one feel heavy and hampers the vigil. This signifies that entertaining negative tendencies could hamper one’s progress towards awareness or consciousness.

In the Mahabarata, Bhagavad Gita the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna at the beginning of Kurukshetra War is said to have occurred on this day.

- www.hindu-blog.com & www.wikipedia.org

L E T T E R F R O M T H E B O A R DO...M...Shree Ganeshaya Namaha......Journey of our soul started many moons ago. We are freezing this moment in the universal clock to take a snap shot of where we are....wondering who we are.....where we came from.....and where we are going ? Studies, practice and understanding of Shastras......Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Bhagavatam, Mahabharat, Ramayan and Shrimad Bhagawad Gita may bring some understating of these difficult questions. The answer will be different for each soul as journey is quiet unique for each one of us.

On this journey, we have paused and formed an organization called Sanatan Hindu Sanskar Kendra here in Lafayette, Louisiana in August 2013. Our goal is to purchase a track of land and build a Temple of God where we can perform our spiritual activities, find solace and peace within. Activities such as puja, archana, abhishekam, aarati, meditation, ashtang yoga, singing bhajans, chanting shlokas, stuties, stotras, nam smaranam, teaching and learning of vedic scriptures, purna vidya classes, teaching and learning of Indian languages such as sanskrit, hindi, gujarati, telugu, etc, Indian music classes, learn to play instruments such as harmonium, tabla, etc. learn singing, dance classes of bharat natyam and kutchipudi, drama, natak, and many more activities can be performed at this center.  

As of today we have 64 members, 7 of whom are life members, few of them have pledged to support further for purchase of land and building a temple. Life members and Donors of $25,000 and larger amounts are proposed to be the trustees of this organization. A small group of volunteers including current board members are working very hard to purchase a land by the end of this year. A volunteer architect has prepared a preliminary beautiful layout of a temple facility which can be modified to fit our needs and shape of the land. There is an expert group of IT folks volunteering their services to build a wonderful web-site "Sanatanlft.org". Check it out to monitor our progress. Soon, we will start posting our weekly spiritual activities. We have held three public sessions to get the message out to the Indian community at large and plan to continue the same over coming months. A regular weekly meeting is held to capture the progress and plan of upcoming activities to include - select, go and look at lands, go visit other similar temple projects, etc.

This is a long journey, difficult and a serious one. We are fully dedicated to give it all we have, to make it happen. We seek your full support and blessings. We are actively seeking volunteers for several committees. Your donation in form of money, land, pledges, your services, in any and all form, will be greatly welcomed and appreciated. Send us your blessings, comments, thoughts, your donations, your monetary pledges, and your pledge of voluntary services via email to shskendra@gmail.com or feel free to call us. This is your/our project and together we will make it happen. Where there is a will....there is a way. At the lotus feet of shree lord Krishna.....

O...m...tat...sat...iti

Jay Patel

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Short Story

Eternal WitnessOnce a sage gave a banana each to all his disciples and said to them, ‘come back and report to me after eating this banana when nobody is seeing you.” After receiving the banana from their Guru, the disciples went to different directions. One disciple ate the banana after closing the door of his room. Another disciple went to a garden away from the village and ate the banana. One of them went to a hilly area bereft of all habitations, and ate the fruit. A disciple by name Kanakadasa however came back in due course without eating the fruit, and returned it to the Guru. The Guru asked him, “Kanakadasa! why have you not eaten the fruit”? With due humility, Kanakadasa said to his Guru, “Swami! The fruit has to be eaten without being seen by anyone. Isn’t it so? It is not possible to eat without being seen by God. Hence, I have not eaten the fruit given by you.”

This test was administered by the sage to his disciples to know how much they had grasped the principle of divinity. We should perform our actions with the realization of the truth that God is the eternal witness of all our actions. - Sanathana Sarathi

SponsorsSHSK is actively looking for sponsors. Two immediate sponsorship needs are:

1. Monthly Newsletter sponsor

2. SHSK Calendar 2014 sponsor

Members who would like to sponsor the above mentioned activities are requested to contact one of the current volunteering board members.

FeedbackWe would like to get your comments, feedback or suggestions on SHSK activities. Please email us or talk to us when we meet together next time. Thank you for your support and blessings.

Srinivasan AmbatipatiEditor

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Shiva TempleThanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India

Is an architectural and engineering marvel because the shadow of the main temple never falls on the ground throughout the year