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Inside this IssueNew Year Message and Article by Pujya Swamiji Swaminiji’s New Year Address at the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

Gurukulam NewsEugene Completes Gītā Home StudyGītā Jayanti in Eugene Dhanyāṣṭakam at Thanksgiving RetreatThe Sacred Names of ViṣṇuContinuing the Journey with Pujya Swamiji Unfolding Śāstra

ReflectionsMy Visit to EugeneAre You Blessed: Reflections on Thanksgiving RetreatMy Reflections on Viṣṇu SahaśranāmaEugene Balavihar AnniversaryNavarātri at Eugene ShrinesFundraiser for Mūkāmbikā Shrine, EugeneWesley Theological Seminary Visits SSVTRegular FeaturesSatsang with SadhvijiSwaminiji’s Travel/Teaching Schedule

स"#ताSūktā

Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam

Winter 2013 New Year Message 2013from Pujya Swamiji

The truth of time is sometimes very astonishing and sometimes disconcerting also. Astonishing because there is no length involved in time. So without a length how can there be time really speaking? What is the unit of time? The unit of time doesn’t imply any length. That’s an astonishing fact. It is disconcerting also, that we’re all experiencing the trammels of time. The time makes everything change and go out of shape. You see your photograph 20 years ago, you understand what all havoc time has done.

So, this time is a great leveler. Therefore, time has got such a power and at the same time it doesn’t exist, which makes me disturbed. Really speaking, the beauty is that there is a new beginning all the time. Moment to moment there is a beginning.

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LIFE IS ROLE PLAYING1

Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati

Action and reaction, as we know from physics, are both equal and opposite. You cannot rub against something, without yourself getting rubbed in the process. However, I am looking at these two words with reference to one’s response to the world.

LIFE INVOLVES RELATIONSHIP

You cannot avoid relating as well as responding to the world, whether you like it. You must necessarily relate to the world in order to live your life; you need not relate to the world just to be alive. When you are in deep sleep, you are alive but you do not relate to the world; there is no world, in fact, for you. There is no relationship, no memories, no situational problems to cause any concern. You are just alive; you merely exist. You can exist even in a state of coma, without in any way relating to the world. It is possible to keep a person alive in coma for years on life support systems. However, that is not living. In order to live your life, you need to relate to the world.

Any relationship implies two factors: one is you, the person, who relates and the other is what or whom you relate to. Of these two, one is a changing factor – that which you are related to. The situation to which you are related keeps on changing all the time and the change can be total. Now you see fire and now you see a stream of water; two things

This moment is gone. Going it yields its place to a new moment - the going moment yields its place to a new moment, itself yielding its place to a new moment. Therefore all that is there is moment. It’s all new. To get old with these new moments is magic. That is real māyā. It is good to know that time always is new. There is no old time. Therefore there’s no old man. There is only new time. There’s only new you. That, we forget, therefore we require something new all the time. Therefore a new day, a new hour, and a new year, at least. A New Year, you mark a particular day after so many days, 360 days. One round of the sun in the zodiac. So it’s a good cycle. The sun is from the standpoint of the constellations, so it comes back to the same position, 360 days. That’s the real new year day. When it comes to Aries, mesha, 14 April as we understand now, sun comes to Aries. But any 360 days you can just take a particular event as the beginning and 360 days will make a year and the year is new. Good to know that moment to moment you live your life. You are moment to moment new, you’re a new person. Therefore you understand your spouse also is new. You understand your child is new, understand your old father is also new. Everybody is new. At least on the New Year Day let us look at this world, look at our bodies, our own life accomplishments, as achieved in the moment. All achievements are in moments, new moments. You can look for new achievements as new moments get unfolded. Wish you all a Happy New Year.Om tat sat

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entirely different in nature. You meet your father and the next moment you meet your son. The object has completely changed, the son replacing the father. In terms of sensory p e r c e p t i o n , t h e o b j e c t s

constantly change. You perceive a form or smell or sound or touch or taste. Thus, the world you confront keeps changing whereas you, the one who confronts the world, is invariable. A person who sees a form is the same who hears a sound. The one who saw and heard is the one who is talking to someone now. The person, ‘you’ remains the same, whereas the objects keep changing. Therefore, we can say that of the two factors involved in relating, one is variable and the other, the one who confronts, is invariable. You are the same person whether you relate to father or son, uncle or husband, friends or foe, employer or employee. You are the same whether you see or hear, walk or talk, sing or smell. This is true even from the standpoint of mental activities: the one who doubts is the one who decides; the one who loves is the one who hates; the one who is kind is the one who is cruel. The person is invariable and that is you.

THE INVARIABLE FACTOR

We need to look into the ‘you’ that is invariable. Is it totally invariable? We cannot say so because there seems to be a variable status even for the subject, the person who relates, in keeping with what or whom he or she relates. When you relate to your father either mentally or perceptually; you are a son. Again, when you relate to your son, you are no longer the previous person, the son; you are now a father. You undergo a change. The subject ‘I’ that was a son while relating to the father has changed to become a father while relating to the son. The person ‘I’ is there but he or she has a different status

There seems to be a variable status even for the subject, the person who relates, in keeping with what or whom he or she relates.

now. To a sister, the ‘I’ is a brother; to a wife, the ‘I’ is a husband; to a student ‘I’ is a teacher and to a teacher the ‘I’ is a student. Thus, because of a relationship, the ‘I’ also undergoes change.

The change in the ‘I’, however, is not total as is the case with the objects with which the ‘I’ relates. The object can be a form perceived earlier, that is totally replaced by a sound heard now. The object can be a friend that is totally replaced by another, a stranger, the exact opposite. There is something I like and something I do not like. Thus the change in the object is total. The subject ‘I’, however, is not totally replaced. If it is, there will be no continuity at all. The father-I is replaced by the son-I, but the ‘I’ is not totally replaced. If it is totally replaced, there will be neither father nor son because the one who related to the son has vanished, while a new one who has appeared in his place cannot have a relationship with the father. If an invariable factor is not there in the subject, there will be no thread to connect the experiences. Hence, the subject does undergo a change in relation to the object but the change is not total; it is incidental and partial.

The partial change in the subject ‘I’ does not seem to leave any trace upon the ‘I’. Imagine that while you are talking to your sister, your wife comes along and you start talking to her. In relation to your wife, the brother goes away completely and the husband has taken his place. You are very much there, remember, because the one who was a brother is the same who is now the husband. At the same time, the previous role does not leave a trace upon you, the subject. Therefore, you are able to assume

You are the same person whether you relate to father or son, uncle or husband, friends or foe, employer or employee.

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a new role altogether without suffering a change on your part. It reveals a great fact about life. It is an amazing

capacity to undergo change when you relate to something, without intrinsically undergoing change. It is this capacity that makes your life imbued with freshness and freedom. If you do not recognise this fact fully, it is indeed a great tragedy and life becomes a misery.

The invariable factor ‘I’ undergoes a seeming change with reference to a particular situation. When I come in contact with an object that I like I become a liker. The next moment, if I come in contact with an object that I dislike I immediately become a disliker. In both these situations the ‘I’ is very much present. This ‘I’ is invariable and is therefore neither a liker nor a disliker. Is it not true? If you know this to be true, you have made your life.1Excerpt from Action and Reaction, Arsha Vidya Research and Publications, Chennai, 2007.

New Year is a time for reflecting upon changes in one’s life that can bring positive outcomes. This reflection can be extended to the spiritual pursuit. In fact, including the spiritual pursuit provides an opportunity to confirm that one’s efforts and goal continue to be in alignment. No matter whether one calls oneself a mumukṣu who is desirous of freedom from suffering, or a jijñāsu who is desirous of knowing the truth of oneself, the seeker’s life necessarily includes Īśvara. Indeed, a spiritual pursuit without Īśvara is an oxymoron, after all, the pursuit is the reconciliation of one’s existence with the Lord. There is no possibility of knowing oneself without knowing Īśvara. With an abundance of grace one comes to understand the possibility of the truth of the mahāvākya, tat-tvam-asi, the equation between oneself and Īśvara. That grace is what brings one to a teacher and gives one the desire, the ability, and the availability for śravanam. However, assimilation of this equation as the truth of oneself requires a lot more grace. The mahāvākya cannot be assimilated without displacing the knower. How is this achieved? Only by building a relationship with Īśvara. The knower, that is the one who mistakenly identifies with the truth of oneself, must be laid at the feet of the Lord who one seeks to know. If the knower holds onto the status quo no knowledge can, or will, take place. As one’s surrender increases so too the truth of one’s self becomes clearer. When Íśvara resolves into oneself, all that shines is the very truth of oneself.This New Year why not renew the commitment to Īśvara. It is grace that has brought you to this pursuit and given you a teacher such as Swaminiji. It is grace that provides you with the pramāṇa and the opportunity for śravanam. Blessed as you are to have this much of the pursuit in alignment, it is still more grace that determines the course of your pursuit. The most effective way to continue to “tap the grace” is by regular śravanam, daily worship, whether one attends temple of performs pūja at home, and leading a prayerful life. Recordings of classes are available when classes are not otherwise offered - contact Harinder at harinder@uoregon.edu for more information.Wishing all of our readers a Happy Īśvara-full New Year. OMThe Ramakrishnan Family - January 2013

Editorial

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New Year Celebrations 2013Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

Saylorsburg

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A m o n g t h e m i t h y a objects, that which takes people for a ride the most is time. Being relative,it masquerades as absolute. But really speaking, what is time? It has so many units --year, month day, hour and second. The second is further divided into infinitesimal parts, all of which resolve into the present, into the now. When we look into the now, we discover two things: First, the now is ever new: Now, now, now, now, now. Each m o m e n t i s n e w ; preceding the one that just left, and succeeded by the one that is waiting to come. Perhaps the

word now is derived from the Sanskrit word "nava," which means new. Second, the length of "now" is indeterminable. It is timeless. The past and present are constructs of time, while the length of the present, the length of the now, is not time bound. One of the names for the names for the self in the Upaniṣads is purāṇaḥ, purā eva, nava ca, that which is at once the ever ancient ever new. In other words, the self is free of time. At the entrance of some of the redwood forest state parks, one can see a slice of a tree trunk of a fallen redwood, that has been polished and

placed on its side, with various historical events marked on the rings of the trunk. From the birth of Christ to humans on the moon, the tree was witness to all kinds of events. Like the tree, the ātmā is also a witness; but unlike the tree, the ātmā is an timeless witness --a limitless canvas over which the doodles of time do not leave a mark. Each event, local or global, is a squiggle on this self, a squiggle drawn with invisible ink. Mithya ink cannot afflict the satya canvas. The past is a big squiggle, and the future is another squiggle, perhaps in the shape of a question mark. Really speaking, all there is, is the present. It is in the present that one regrets the past; it is in the present alone, that one frets about the future. To not understand this is a costly mistake. There is an ancient saying in Sanskrit: Hāsyā na kim syāt gatabhāvi carcā, vinaika sankhyām, gaṇanaiva loke. If one does not take the present into account, all serious discussions about the past and the future are as laughable as attempting complex mathematical equations without reckoning the numeral 1. Without the numeral 1, all other numbers are meaningless; without the present, which is the adhiṣṭhāna, the concepts of the past and the future have no bearing.

This is really the crux of the teaching. The self is neither an event in time, nor is it the product of time. The ātmā is the author of time, just like it is the mother of everything, starting with the five elements. This is what one has to know; assimilating this knowledge, one is free. If one

Swaminiji’s New Year's Address Delivered at the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

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does not know this, one is subject to saṃsāra, life after life of playing hide-and-seek with oneself. The best place to gain this knowledge is right here at this gurukulam, where the truth of oneself is authentically taught. Assimilating this teaching, the grip of time becomes less oppressive, and one awakens to a growing sense of inner clarity and freedom. Alongside this knowledge, the role of sādhanā, auxiliary practices that help prepare one for knowledge, cannot be underscored enough, for it is only in a prepared mind that the knowledge takes place. Primarily, sādhanās are of two kinds --antaraṅga and bahiraṅga, internal and external. An example of antaraṅga sādhanā is meditation, where one practices sitting with oneself, training the mind to be in the present.

Today, I am going to address bahiraṅga sādhanā, an important manifestation of which is karma yoga. Here is where one develops śraddha and bhakti in one's life, in one's actions, by learning to perform them devotionally. The Bhagavad Gītā says "sva karmaṇā tam abhyarcya, siddhim vindati mānavah," one accomplishes success in life by learning to worship Bhagavān with one's actions, where each action is like a flower at the altar of Īśvara. If our actions have to be sanctified

to offer to Bhagavān, we have to ensure that they are performed with devotion, and in a timely manner. Just as one cannot offer yesterday's food to Īśvara, so too, one cannot offer the actions that are pending from many days. Actions have to be performed cheerfully and in a timely fashion to make them worthy of worship. Bhakti itself is not an action; it is the attitude with which the work is performed.

The best way to be in the present is to help oneself with the sādhanā of performing actions devotionally. An important sādhanā is to give up procrastination. Procrastination inhibits devotion. If one keeps putting off what needs to be done, one can never do things cheerfully and devotionally. Procrastination creates impediments in the spiritual path as it can make one feel out of control, stressed, anxious, and irritable. Procrastination has the tendency to rob of of one's cheer and self-confidence and, finally, procrastination make one repeatedly succumb to the myth of time. The more one learns to give up procrastination, the more one is in the now. As this habit is given up, the shadows of sorrow and angst, represented by the past and the future, dissipate in the rising sun of knowledge, enabling one to glimpse one's own inner glory. The present is indeed a present. In fact, it is nothing but your own presence. Your own presence is the present. Happy New Year to All.

Om tat sat.

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On November 17, 2012, we gathered with Śrī Swaminiji Svatmavidyananda and members of the Eugene community for a ceremony, celebration and potluck for Eugene’s Gītā Home Study (GHS). Five members of the Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam community have now completed reading the Bhagavad Gītā and commentaries by Śrī Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati.

We began the ceremony with pūja offered at two small shrines to Pujya Swamiji. It was such a blessing that Śrīmati Shobha Parasuram was visiting Eugene from Atlanta to offer chanting classes in the community, and was therefore able to attend our celebration. Shobha offered the chants Guru Vandanam, Guru Stotram and the dhyāna ślokas for the Bhagavad Gītā.

Then Mayaskari talked about the history of Eugene’s GHS. The Eugene Gītā Home Study was founded by Swaminiji nine years ago. After our first meeting at the University of Oregon, the group moved to Mayaskari and Mick Rothbart’s home and met there regularly over the nine years of study.

Swaminiji supported GHS by introducing each new Gītā chapter during her visits to Eugene, and answering by email the questions we had about our readings. Sometimes we were moving very slowly through the material, and Swaminiji would introduce the same chapter for several successive visits!

Five people attended Eugene GHS from the beginning to its completion: Kanchan and Nilendra Deshpande, Michael Posner, Myron Rothbart and Mayaskari Rothbart. A number of members of our community also attended meetings for periods up to five years. One of our members, Julie

Carpenter, left our study for the three-year Vedānta course at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Anaikatti, India. GHS met for an hour a week each Monday. We followed the calendar of the academic year, taking a long summer break, a winter and a spring break.

At the beginning of our study, Alan Kellogg attended our meetings, helping us with Sanskrit and our questions, which were often quite extensive. At the beginning, our personal comments were also extensive. Over the course of the years, however, our questions and comments became fewer and shorter, so that by the end of our study

we were chiefly just listening to the teaching. After Alan left Eugene, Kanchan Deshpande read the Sanskrit verses to the group; this was very important to our study. It also helped our pronunciation when it was our

Eugene Completes Gītā Home Studyby Mayaskari Rothbart

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turn to read a portion of the commentary to the rest of the group. The GHS mailing list was also very popular, with people across the country supporting our study. Members of the mailing list especially enjoyed reading Swaminiji’s answers to our questions.

After the GHS history, personal comments on what we had learned were given by the five people who had been with GHS throughout, and by a number of other members of our community who had attended GHS and were taking part in the celebration. We expressed much appreciation for the maturity we had gained from our study, and the lessons we had learned that allowed us to live enriched lives, lives of meaning and knowledge. The poem written and read by Michael Posner expressed this beautifully:

For many years we have followed Arjuna in his spiritual questAt last we have arrived at this milestoneFriends, seekers, but not doersThanks to all for guidance.

We sent our best wishes via Shobha to the Atlanta, Georgia GHS currently studying Gītā and commentary.

After our comments, Swaminiji presented certificates of achievement to the Deshpandes, Rothbarts and Mike Posner, and commented about our study and what we had learned. We then had a group picture and a delicious potluck. It was, all in all, a beautiful event.

We celebrated Gītā Jayanti on Dec 9, 2012 at the Lord Medha Dakṣiṇāmūrti Shrine in Eugene, OR with an unbroken reading of the Bhagavad Gītā following the lead of Pujya Swamiji and Sri Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji. The reading of the entire Gita took about 2.5 hours and was concluded by a beautiful pūja chant lead by Dr. Veena Howard, who teaches about Hinduism at the University of Oregon. Students of Vedanta and some of Dr. Veena Howard’s students were present at the celebration.

Reading the Bhagavad Gītā in its entirety is very uplifting. The vibration created by the simple yet melodious measures and the beauty of the language allows one to immerse oneself in the sound current easily. One finds oneself in meditation effortlessly. I personally do not know all the meanings of the words we chant but I see myself come to a place of a deep understanding and a great sense of acceptance as the Gita unfolds. This is one of the magical mysteries of Bhagavān that teaches me that the śruti penetrates into the heart in more than one way. The trust that the teaching is always present in one’s life in one way or another grows in my heart knowing that this very awareness itself comes only through the grace of the guru.

Gītā Jayanti Celebrations in EugeneBy Harinder Kaur Khalsa

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For our fourth annual Thanksgiving retreat in Oregon, Sri Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji chose to unfold the Dhanyāṣṭakam, which is attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya. This year the retreat was held locally in

Eugene at the Trauma Healing Center building, rather than on the Oregon Coast as in previous years. Although it was a much simpler venue than the large guesthouse of years past, our beloved Swaminiji showed us that location does not matter; the power and beauty of Vedānta remain the same wherever it is taught. The retreat was attended by people from all over Oregon as well as from Ohio. There was a wonderful mixture of new faces, familiar people, and friends from past retreats.

Day 1: “I am enough.”

Swaminji commenced each day with a half-hour meditation that

reminded us to leave the outside world outside and to let our own peaceful natures come forth. As she beautifully stated, “I take the time now to really arrive”.

The students having “arrived”, Swaminiji began to unfold the meaning of the title Dhanyāṣṭakam, translating it as, Eight Verses in the Service of the One who is Blessed. She explained that the term “blessed” is relative. For example, a farmer might pray for rain while someone else hopes it does not. Or, someone might feel blessed when they get married, but the same person may feel differently just a few days later. The human condition is that one becomes a “blessing chaser,” or a “blessing

hoarder” due to the mistaken understanding that I am not complete and therefore I am a wanting individual. It is for this reason that everyone becomes a seeker. As Swaminiji explained, this is a provisional projection of the I onto objects, believing that blessed by these objects alone one will find fulfillment. One does not recognize that what one really wants, one is already blessed with, that is oneself. That oneself, that I, will not be found in any object.

Swaminiji then explained the purpose for studying Dhanyāṣṭakam. In the tradition, there are two kinds of texts. One kind is called prakaraṇa grantha, meaning a text which unfolds the vision of the Veda. Then, there are other texts, called manana grantha, whose purpose is to rekindle the vision for those who already know. Dhanyāṣṭakam belongs to this latter group and describes in detail the behavior of the blessed ones. Swaminiji highlighted the discrepancy that commonly occurs between understanding the teaching and behaving in accordance to the teaching. Listening to the teaching, śravaṇam, is the only thing needed to attain the knowledge, but if one still is doubtful, then manana can be helpful. Manana can be considered a doubt remover.

tajjñānam praśama-karam yad-indriyāṇām tajjñeyam yadupaniṣatsu niścitārtham,te dhanya bhuvi paramārtha niścitehāḥ,śeṣāstu bhrama-nilaye paribhramanti. 1

Knowledge here is defined in a particular way, as that which causes the senses to be totally quiet. It is called paravidyā, or the understanding of oneself as ātmā, knowing which there is nothing more to be done. “That knowledge which immediately lulls the sense organs and the organs of action is alone, knowledge.” Swaminiji stated that all other knowledge causes one to act, thus perpetuating duality. This type of knowledge is called aparavidyā - non-ultimate knowledge which is useful in preparing one for the ultimate knowledge.

due to the mistaken understanding that I am not complete ... I am a wanting individual

Dhanyā akam at the Thanksgiving Retreatby ShinShin Tang

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That which is to be known is what is to be ascertained by the Upaniṣads. This meaning is arrived at from the word itself. Ṣad has three meanings: to destroy (pain, sorrow), to uproot without a trace, and to make you

reach or know. Upa means that which is nearest (you) and ni m e a n s c e r t a i n a n d unshakeable.

Those blessed ones are those who are committed to this

knowledge and vision of the ultimate thing that is sought, limitless ānanda, contentment. All others are lost in delusion, wandering aimlessly in a maze of wants. If there is limitless happiness, it must be here right now - one cannot give a point in time for that which is limitless to arise. Therefore, it is essentially the non-complaining I that is seeking itself, the non-complaining I.

ādau vijitya viṣayān mada-moha-rāga-dveṣādiśatru-gaṇam-āhrta-yoga-rājyāḥjñatva amṛtam samanubhūta parātmavidyā,kāntā-sukhā bata gṛhe vicaranti dhanyāḥ. 2

The Dhanyāṣṭakam is a “step-by-step primer” on how to attain contentment. The second śloka describes the things to conquer at the beginning of the pursuit: viṣaya, the state of being bound by sense objects, i.e., the desire to hold onto something other than yourself; mada,being intoxicated with pride; moha, delusion; and finally, rāgas and dveṣas, likes and dislikes. Swaminiji described how capitalism can play upon these desires and the belief that one is inadequate saying, “every emotion is a thread upon which capitalism plays a tune”. Swaminji assigned “homework” on the first day of the retreat. Each time the desire to buy something came, or the feeling of being left out arose, we were to repeat, “I am enough”, just as one would a mantra. When one feels alienated from others, one is already giving that negative thought a form, a subtle body. By saying, “I am enough” this tendency is countered. We had 24- hours to practice the task of letting go of viṣaya, mada, moha, and rāga dveṣa!

Day 2: “From mocha to mokṣa.”On the second day of the retreat, Swaminiji continued unfolding the second verse of Dhanyāṣṭakam. She addressed the human condition of being bound to sense objects, viṣayas, explaining that this refers to not only material objects, but also to relationships, emotions (anger, sadness, regret, etc.), and experiences. Swaminiji discussed the nature of longing for such things saying that “displacing ignorance onto other people, objects and experiences” we think that they will bring the happiness that we seek. Thus, we unwittingly become attached to these limited things without understanding that they do not have the capacity to bestow lasting happiness.The third and fourth lines of the second śloka describe what happens as a result of letting go of sense objects. One is blessed by the knowledge and is able to see it in daily life. Swaminiji emphasized that this does not mean there is a special experiencing of knowledge, since the knowledge is oneself, but that one reaps the result of the knowledge in the form of great contentment and lack of complaints. Using a story of someone who judged the life of a monk to be very boring, she addressed with humor a common concern that many of us likely hold related to letting go of sense objects - would life not be devoid of fun without objects? She described the life of a monk as content and free to enjoy things without being bound by them. Free from the desire to either acquire or retain anything, for the saṅnyāsi everything is magical.

Those blessed ones are those who are committed to this knowledge and vision of the ultimate thing that is sought

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tyaktvā gṛhe ratim adhogati hetu-bhūtāmātma-icchaya-upaniṣad artha rasam pibantaḥ,vītaspṛhā vishaya-bhoga-pade viraktāDhanyāścaranti vijaneṣu virakta sangāḥ. 3

This third śloka tells the next step towards joining “the club of saintly people”. The first step is to conquer the worldly desires. Next is to give up attachments to relationships to household and related things that are capable of precipitating a fast downward spiral. How? When one mistakenly displaces the 'I' onto the house, the spouse, and children one is simply projecting one's fears and frustrations and thus leaving no room for self-examination. Swaminiji gave the advice that if there is something in the house you feel you cannot let go of, you should give it away. However, with her never ending compassion and knowing that might too difficult right away, Swaminiji said one could at least put it aside in the closet for a while if one was not yet ready to part with it! “How do we give up attachments?” The rest of the verse provides the answer. One pursues the knowledge with single mindedness; one becomes busy like the butterflies drinking the amṛta, the nectar of the Upaniṣads, reveling in the mahāvākyas. As Swaminiji stated, “the desire for a mocha becomes mokṣa!” What if the desire for ātmā itself binds one? Fortunately, the desire for mokṣa is non-binding because it is already attained. By reducing all dualities to the one between the student and the teacher, one attains the freedom to gain the knowledge that there is actually no duality at all. “The blessed ones are those who have

become free from desire for all sensory objects. Without longing for company, they are alone but not lonely.”

tyaktvā mama-aham iti bandha-kare pade dvemāna-avamāna-sadṛśāḥ sama darśanaścakartāram-anyam avagamya tad arpitānikurvanti karma paripāka-phalāni dhanyāḥ 4

This śloka delineates the third step, which is to give up the notions, “me” and “mine.” One is not being asked to give up the I, but the I-notion, that idea that I am a victim or a doer. Essentially, this is giving up the “why me?” rāga. As a result of knowing one is not the doer, one can also let go of being affected by either praise or criticism. Samadarśana means to see everyone through the same lens, with equanimity. This follows from the understanding of the kartṛ as Bhagavān. The beauty of this approach is that it facilitates self-understanding and forgiveness. For example, if one does something one regrets in anger, one can say, “considering my background, which has overtaken me, I understand why I was feeling this way and can use the wisdom gained from this experience to not fall into this situation again.” One dedicates everything that one does to God.

The seeker being discussed here is the one who does karma yoga, not the jñani. Karma yoga coalesces the duality to that between the seeker and the knowledge, and eventually this duality is also resolved. Thus, a jñāni is not a karma yogi. Rather, jñānis dedicate the fruits of their action to others. As Swaminiji humorously observed, “a jñāni is not interested in being a puṇya collector.”

tyaktvaiṣaṅā trayam avekṣita mokṣa mārgābaikṣa-amṛtena parikalpita dehayātrāḥjyotiḥ parātparataram paramātma-saṅjñamdhanyā dvijā rahasi hṛdi-avalokayanti 5

The sādhus can enjoy the light that is the truth of oneself having renounced the three kinds of desire: for wealth, vitta; for children, putra; and desire for a particular place, loka. The latter includes longing for enjoyable experiences such as bliss, as well as going to heaven. Many people yearn to go to heaven, but even heaven is a finite place if it is

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o u t s i d e o f y o u . Swaminiji observed that in addition, it would be impossible to enjoy heaven if you carry with you the unquiet mind. Indeed, Swaminiji explained, the one should not pack anything on the road to mokṣa, not even food. Our society is one of instant gratification and lacks t i t ikṣa , forbearance, which is

one of the qualifications for the adhikāri. This is a “NTC” Swaminiji joked, a no titikṣa culture!

Day 3: “Pack your brain cells on the road to moksha!”

Picking up from yesterday’s theme that all desires, including the desire to take food with one on the road to mokṣa, should be renounced, Swaminiji allowed that there was one thing that would be helpful; that is brain cells.

nāsanna sanna sadasanna mahanna cānuna strī pumān na napumsakam eka-bījamyairbrahma tat samanupāsitam eka chittādhanyā virejuritare bhava pāśa-baddhāh 6

The blessed ones shine in their glory by knowing a few things. These are: 1. Brahman is not asat (non-existent).2. Brahman is not sat (existent). It is important here to understand the

context in which the word sat is being used. Sat is not being used to describe an attribute of brahman, but as an indicatory definition, a word that points to brahman that is cognized as the self revealing "I" The word sat does not and need not objectify brahman because (a) it is not an object; and (b) it is ever available as the self-existent self.

3. Neither is brahman a tiny atom, nor is it a mountain. The observer of the atom is free of size.

4. Brahman is also not restricted by gender. 5. The blessed ones see no separation between themselves and brahman

and are always able to maintain this focus.

ajñāna-paṅka-parimagnam apeta-sāramduḥkhālayam maraṇa-janma-jarau asaktam,saṁsāra bandanam anityam avekṣya dhanyājñāna-asinā tad avaśīrya viniścayanti. 7

This śloka describes those who are completely drowned in the sludge of ignorance, who are devoid of “juice or essence”, that is those who do not know the truth and who are wearing a garb of ignorance. Swaminji explained that the jīva and Īśvara are both brahman, just clothed in different garb. It is not possible to remove the body-mind-sense-complex since this is how we were created. What is important is to not to judge oneself or others by the apparent limitations, leaving one free to enjoy the duality rather than lament it. By observing the limitations rather than identifying with them, one can come to recognize that one is brahman. It is like being able to touch the ocean by just touching a single wave. Discarding the possibility of an incorrect reading of the śloka, Swaminiji pointed out that the author was not saying that the jagat is truly a place of sorrow. Rather, that the jagat is actually full of joy. It is only ignorance that causes the jīva to think the jagat is the source of all sorrow.

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The last two lines of the śloka describe the sickle of knowledge that tears asunder the scary jungle of saṁsāra. Having done this, one is able to see the truth of oneself.

śāntairananya matibhirmadhura-svabhāvaiḥekatva niścita-manobhirapeta-mohaiḥsākam vaneṣu vijita-ātma-pada-svarūpamtadvastu samyag-niśam vimṛśanti dhanyāḥ 8

The blessed ones spend their time with others who are also at peace. The blessed ones do not see themselves as separate from others, they have a madhura, sweet, nature. They know that they are one with everything. They are beyond delusion and have clear knowledge. Thus, they are in the forest, or in modern-day context, a place devoid of shoppers and moviegoers! Their rāga-dveṣas do not run the show. They discuss the nature of the self with like-minded people. However, they do not need this company or seek it out. It is impossible to get into an argument with someone like this. Swaminji recounted a

r emarkab le even t when she was with Pujya Swamiji. A man had walked up to Swamiji and told him he had come to argue with him. Swamiji politely asked the man to sit, which he did. After some time of sitting in Swamiji's presence, the man simply got up and left on his own. I often

feel similarly when I am with Swaminiji. All the complaints about my own life that seemed important before meeting with her, become insignificant or vanish in her presence.

The unfoldment of this last śloka finished, Swaminiji led us in chanting the first śloka again. This symbolizes the cyclical nature of the knowledge; there is no beginning, and every end is simply a new beginning. As always, Swaminiji ended each day of the retreat patiently answering questions from the students. Om śrī gurubhyo namaḥ. May she who exemplifies all that she teaches continue to bless us with her presence and her teaching.

Many thanks also to Elaine Walters and the Trauma Healing Center for the use of their space that made possible this special retreat.

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The redeeming power of the divine names as found in Viṣṇu Sahaśranāma was the subject of Swaminiji’s week long teaching in Washington DC. Regularly, chanting the names with understanding and devotion will help neutralize obstacles that lie between oneself and the knowledge that one is non-separate from Bhagavān. Reciting the Viṣṇu Sahaśranāma is useful to prepare the seeker to receive the knowledge of the self.

The devotee seeks to surrender at the Lord’s feet everything that one cannot alter in ones life. The more one identifies with Bhagavān, the less he or she is afflicted by the body-mind-sense-complex, since “I” is not subject to pain and suffering. The root of the word viṣṇu, means, to enter. Viṣṇu, being all-pervasive, describes the one that has entered everything, including the jīva.Swaminiji began the verses of the Viṣṇu Sahaśrnāma Stotram. All prayers begin with om, the auspicious sound symbol of one that is formless and yet the receptacle of all words and form. Each name in the order it appears will be presented with a brief summary of the meaning of that name.Verse 1Viśvam the first name is none other than the truth of oneself. Viśva is the epithet given to the waker in the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, but here includes the entire waking world, the jagat. There is no jagat without the conscious presence, the adhiṣṭhāna upholding the jagat.Viṣṇu means the one who is all pervasive and free from all limitations.Vaṣaṭ is the mantra accompanying oblations and is described in Yajur Veda. During fire rituals, the offerings are put into the fire, chanting either svāhā or vaṣaṭ. The one who offers the objects of oblation, the objects themselves and the fire that consumes the offerings are all the same Brahman.

Bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhu is the lord of past, future, and present. This is the name of Viṣṇu as the lord of time. It is in his presence the jagat unfolds and into whom the jagat resolves. Time is not absolute. The past and future do not really exist for any reference made to either, is always in the present. So the present is timeless. Recognizing that there is no past and no future, the jīva gains freedom from pain and sorrow. The notion that one is limited is surrendered at the altar that is limitless through prayer and chanting of the names of the Lord. The Lord that is initially seen outside of oneself, eventually comes to be recognized as the as the truth of oneself, with the help of the study of the śāstra, and through a life of karmayoga and prayer. The root verb bhu refers to that which is defined as “is”. It is well known that everything that is “is”, is subject to become “is not”. The only exception to this Bhagavān, the truth of oneself, whose existence is does not undergo any change. The prefix pra refers to the uncreated and limitless Īśvara, manifest as the causeless cause.Bhūtakṛt is the consciousness from which the whole manifestation has come. It is made up of the five elements from the subtlest, space, to the grossest, earth.Bhūtabhṛt refers to the Lord as sustainer of the manifest jagat, by its own presence. That which lends its presence to everything without “becoming” any one of them is Bhagavān.Bhāva means existence. The Lord, as consciousness, is the only thing that is existent. He pervades the entire universe, including one’s body-mind-sense complex, blessing it with his presence. Therefore, like the ornament that cannot exist independently of gold, the jagat has no being without the presence of the all pervasive Viṣṇu.Bhūtātmā is the content and truth of everything in the universe.Bhūtabhāvana is Bhagavān is the repository of knowledge of jagat. The one who effortlessly visualizes the jagat, and minutely choreographs all manifestations and their interactions to the last minute detail. Bhūtabhāvana is also the sustainer of all that is created.Verse 2Pūtātmā is the one who is free of papa and puṇya, the one who is pure, Bhagavān is untouched and unaffected by the guṇas and free of guilt and hurt.

The Sacred Names of Vi ṇuby Leela Krishnamurthy

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Paramātmā is not different from ātmā. When connected with the body-mind-sense complex, the witness of everything is referred to as ātmā. Parama denotes the glory of one who has no limitation whether by object, space and time and is the svarūpa of oneself.Muktānām paramā gatih is the ultimate goal of

all seekers wishing to be freed from self-ignorance and the throes of samsara.Avyaya is that which is not subject to decline. Projecting the jagat effortlessly, without undergoing any change, bhagavān is untouched by the finite nature of the jagat, and therefore bhagavān is called avyaya.Puruṣa has two meanings. Through one derivation, it refers to the individual who dwells in the fortress of the body-mind-sense complex. The king of the fort, is the ‘I’ notion. The thinking entity or buddhi, is what directs the individual to the guru’s feet. It is the guru takes away the suffering by imparting the knowledge of self.By another derivation, the word puruṣa is the one who fills up everything, the one who completes everything. refers to Bhagavān. In Puruṣa Suktam, Puruṣa is described as having thousand heads and sense organs and infinite amount of hands and feet.Sākṣī is the one who sees everything, even without the help of the sense organs. All order and disorder, dharma and adharma, us perceived by Sākṣī, and at the same time but transcended by Sākṣī.Kṣetrajña kṣetra indicates the world of objects. This includes the five subtle elements, five organs of action, the five sense organs, the ahaṅkāra or I notion, the buddhi, and also the world of sense objects, as well as likes and dislikes, sukha - happiness, and duḥkha – sorrow, and so on. Kṣetrajña is the knower of the Kṣetra, the world of objects. Kṣetrajña is in every individual,

that which knows the subject and object without being one of them.Akṣara is the one who is not subject to decay or decline. Verse 3Yoga yoga is derived from root, yuj, which means to bring together. The one who is attained through the sādhana of karmayoga none other than Viṣṇu.

Yogavidam netā refers to the leader, exalted yogi, of all people who are practicing yoga. Yogavidam netā resides in the hearts of yogis who are trying to overcome self-ignorance.Pradhānapuruṣeśvara pradhāna refers to māyā. The action of creation is primarily by māyā śakti. Māyā is the mithya power of Brahman who as though endows Brahman with the power to create the jagat. On the other hand, she as though cloaks the same Brahman with ignorance, who is then known as the jīva. The jīva is the individual who in turn is thrown into saṁsāra with its cycle of birth and death. The one who is not under the spell of māyā is Viṣṇu. As a mukhya puruṣa, He is the Lord of all. Nārasiṃhavapu Until this name, all the names described thus far, reflect the glory and svarūpa of Bhagavān. Here, is one of the names given to the Lord when he appears in the world as an avatāra. In the fourth chapter of Gītā, the avatāra is explained in the following way. Whenever there is an increase in adharma in the jagat there is suffering and destruction. When adharma becomes intolerable, Bhagavān appears to protect the people of dharma as well as destroy the perpetrators of adharma. The Lord appeared as Nārasiṃhavapu, part human and part animal, when the arrogant King Hiraṇyakaṣipu considered himself above Nārāyana, and ordered all his subjects to worship himself and not Nārāyana. Prahalāda, his son, is an ardent devotee of Viṣṇu and refuses to worship his father, which engenders his father’s wrath. To protect Prahalāda, the Lord appears as Nārasiṃhavapu, part lion and part human, to destroy Hiraṇyakaṣipu, and release all from the oppression. Thus, avatāra is for a definite purpose, whose manifestation is the result of the collective puṇya of devotees, arising from their heartfelt prayers and pleas for help. The Lord in the body of an avatāra is free of ignorance, doership, karma and karmaphala, in other words, he is in control of māyā.Śrīmān śrī is Lakṣmi who resides in the heart of

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the Īśvara. The goddess of wealth and glory is always on the move. While Śrī blesses individuals, she is known to never be with one person. However, she is non-separate from Viṣṇu and hence He is called Śrīmān.Keśava is the one with beautiful hair and symmetrical face reflecting perfection. The hair

also symbolizes desire, and Bhagavān has complete mastery over desires. This name is also for the one who destroyed the demon called KeśinPuruṣottama is the exalted among all. There are three kinds of puruṣa: The first the effect, known as kṣara, meaning subject to decline, and the second is the unmanifest cause, akṣara, which not subject to decline or destruction. Puruṣottama is the one beyond these two puruṣas – being beyond cause and effect, sustains them both. Verse 4Sarva is the one who is all, the source of everything that is known and not known, that has form and no form. In using pairs of opposites, sarva is shown to include everything from subtle elements, such as space and air, to the more gross elements, such as agni and water. Even emotions, such as happiness and anger, and actions along with all the factors that go along with actions are included.Śarva is the one who takes back everything without leaving any residue.Śivah is the auspicious one who is free from all guṇas - sattva, rajas, tamas.

Here lord Viṣṇu is referred to as Śiva reflecting one Īśvara. Sthāṇu is the one who stands firm like the stump of a tree. Bhagavān pervades everything and all things in jagat are constantly in motion. So, while change is the feature of jagat, Bhagavān remains unaffected and unchanged. Bhūtādi is the one who precedes the five-elements. Ādi refers to the beginning and so the name Bhūtādi describes one who is the cause of all beings without He himself undergoing any alteration.

Nidhiravyaya nidhi is the receptacle or the treasury, where all that is valuable is preserved and kept secure. This includes the Vedas. So Bhagavān is the treasury of the jagat even at the time of pralaya, total resolution. Nothing is lost and everything becomes manifest at creation.Sambhava is the one who appears in appropriate forms at the time of need, such as matsya, a fish; kūrma , tortise; varāha , boar, and the aforementioned nārasiṃha, lion and human form. Śrī Rāma, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and others are also included by the name Sambhava.Bhāvana is the one who visualizes the beings before creating them. Bhagavān is completely infallible in His creation. As the Lord of karmaphala, He precisely matches the form, the proper contacts, and right situation in order to allow the jīva to exhaust his karma.Bhartā is the Lord who pervades and sustains everything. He especially allows humans the choice to follow dharma by using his or her free will. When erosion of dharma takes place following false teachings and beliefs, Bhartā restores the balance. Prabhava is the one from whom the five elements are born. He is the source of everything needed for sustenance. The one skilled in creation and sustaining the jagat, he is also capable of resolving all that has been created. Īśvarah is the one who has unlimited aiśvarya, lordship. He is the Lord of all beings and celestials like Brahmaji, Indra and Yama also. He is glory itself and needs no help to achieve that, and He is not subject to limitation.Verse 5Svayambhū is the name for the one who is uncreated, not dependent on anything for its existence. Every thing in the jagat is dependent on something else for its existence. For example, a shirt needs fabric for its existence; fabric needs yarn for its existence, and so on. Bhagavān, does not depend on anything for existence and hence is Svayambhū.Śambhuḥ śam is maṅgala or auspicious and is the source of blessings. Behind all the quests in

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the world, is the search for happiness and freedom, called mokṣa. There are four types of bhaktas described in the scriptures. Ārta is the one who calls out to Īśvara when in a dire situation; arthārthi who thinks of Bhagavān alright, but more on a partnership basis; jijñāsu is the one who has gained emotional maturity and longs to know

Īśvara; lastly the jñāni who has the knowledge of the self. All are exalted but jñāni is recognized non-separate from Īśvara. It is the one who allows this yearning to know the Lord to fructify who is called Śambhu.Āditya is one who is self-shining like the sun. It is the sentient presence in all-sentient beings, called cit. That which is sat and cit in myself is āditya.Puṣkarākṣa puṣkara is the lotus flower and akṣiṇī are the eyes of the Lord. Puṣkarākṣa means the eyes of the lord are pleasing like the lotus flower, and are a source of blessing.Mahāsvana stands for the one with a great sound; the sound of the Vedas. The sound of chanting the Lords name is immensly pleasing and healing. That worshipful sound is Mahāsvana.Anadhinidhanah is the one who has no beginning or an end, who is free of birth and death, and who is unchanging.Dhātā is the sustainer of the universe.Vidhātā refers to giver of results of karma. Bhagavān is the law of karma. Dhāturuttama includes the word dhātu, which here stands for the five elements. Uttama is the exalted one. Therefore, dhāturuttama is that is the source of all the elements.Verse 6Aprameya refers to one who is not the object of knowledge. Pramā is clear knowledge, and the knower is called pramātā. Initially there is subject and object. This is also referred to as “I” and “not I.” “Not I” denotes everything

in the jagat which ultimately resolves into the “I,” but the subject never becomes the object of any means of knowledge.There are two kinds errors that occur in self-ignorance. First, vastu-agrahaṇa, that is I do not know who I am, and second, anyahta-grahaṇa, I

take myself to be what I am not. With a lot of rāga-dveṣas and free-will, the individual identifies himself with as a limited, finite individual. S/he suffers from sadness, confusion, feels bound and limited and is thrown into saṃsāra, into the repeating cycles of birth and death.By what pramāṇa, means of knowledge, does one understand that which will release one from this saṃsāra? There are five pramāṇas: direct perception using the senses organs, like eyes, ears, and touch; anumāna which is one step inference; arthāpatti, or two-step inference; upamāna, simile; and anupalabdhi, the cognition of absence of an object. The sixth pramāṇa is called śāstrapramāṇa, which is the knowledge revealed by the śāstra. The words of the śāstras, as taught by an able teacher, remove ignorance. This is the only way to understand the subject. This inability to know Bhagavān by any other pramāṇa is the meaning of Aprameya.Hṛṣīkeśa stands for the lord of the senses. Hṛṣīka are the sense organs and Īśa means the lord. As the lord of senses, he is the force that allows the eyes to perceive, the ears to hear, and the tongue to speak and the inner senses as well. He is in full control of all the senses.Padmanābha is the one with the lotus in his navel. Padma, the lotus is analogous with creation, while nābha denotes the hub. The nābha, like the hub of the wheel holds together the entire wheel of the jagat.Amaraprabhu is the lord of the devas. The celestials and devatas are called amaras. They live in the heaven where there are no core issues and is therefore a happy place! Amaraprabhu is the lord of these denizens.Viśvakarma is the one who is the master sculptor. All actions belonging to him, the universe therefore, is his signature creation.Manu is a sentient being that is a thinker, who has a contemplative nature.Tvaṣṭā is the one who chisels away and has the power to resolve the universe. Staviṣṭha is the most solid thing in the jagat. While the entire universe is constantly moving, the observer of all is completely still. Only that which is ‘I’ is solid, unmoving and unchanging.

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Sthavira, the one who is free of age but causes everything to age. Dhruva is constant and unchanging.The beauty of the names were elaborated with lot of anecdotes and stories from the scriptures, as only Swaminiji can unfold. To me it felt like a double dose of elixir because of writing this report. If the readers can feel inspired to chant these powerful and beautiful names of Lord Viṣṇu, please do.To Be Continued.

Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad

“Tattva-agrahaṇa-nidrā, that means that everyone is in nidrā, [sleep] even when one is awake.” It was with this statement that Pujya Swamiji began a recent class teaching Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad to over 100 students in Anaikatti, which included the three-year residential students and many visitors. Pujya Swamiji went on to explain that tattva-agrahaṇa, means, the non-recognition of what is truth. When one doesn’t recognize the truth, the truth of non-duality, one is in nidrā.

Additionally, wrong-recognition of the truth, meaning the belief that there is duality, i.e.: subject-object division, is called svapnam, dreaming. When this wrong recognition occurs it is called anyathā-grahaṇa.

As with any prakaraṇa discussing advaita, there are constraints using language, which by default is based in dvaita. These are circumvented, seemingly without effort, by the śāstra and the guru. How this is achieved is

a wonder in itself. It should be stated, and in fact cannot be overstated, that the ability of śāstra to achieve this is dependent upon the guru to pass the teaching onto the śiṣya. For without the teacher, the śāstra can only be understood through the lens of the reader; and it is that reader, that knower, as he or she takes himself or herself to be, that is the very one that has to be negated, leaving the truth, the self-effulgent ātmā.

Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad begins by saying that oṅkāra is all this. Then in the very next mantra, it is stated that brahman is all this. We know that śruti’s vision is advaita, and therefore the possibility of having two of “all this” is untenable. Bhaṣyākāra, i.e., Ādi Śaṅkāra, whose commentary is generally studied with the Upaniṣad, explains that om is therefore necessarily a name for brahman. So, whether om or brahman is used, the meaning is the same – there are not two of “all this”. The Upaniṣad then gives the equation between ātmā and brahman, paving the way for the vicāra, the inquiry, that will lead to the knowledge that there is nothing but ātmā, brahman – that is advaita, the vision of Vedānta.

Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad uses the avasthā-traya-prakriyā, which is a method of unfolding the sentence that equates the oneness of the individual and the Lord by analyzing the three states of experience, waking, dreaming and sleeping, to unfold the equation. The Upaniṣad divides the ātmā into four quarters; the waking, dream, and sleep states each comprise one quarter, all of which are sustained by the fourth quarter, turīya, literally meaning fourth, which is ātmā.

The experiencer in each of the three-states is referred to as, Viśva, Taijasa and Prājña respectively. Each has its own objects of experience, which again respectively are sthūla, physical objects at the transactional level; sukṣma, subtle as is seen in dream; and ānanda, here bringing in the additional meaning of causal, as we will see later. Thus, the whole human experience is covered in these three states, which are then shown to be sustained by ātmā alone. It is important to note that the Upaniṣad includes discussion of each state from the individual standpoint and the total standpoint – that is the connection between jīva and Īśvara is made in each state. One cannot discuss the individual without discussing the total – indeed, there is no individual without the total.

Continuing the Journey with Pujya Swamiji Unfolding Śāstra

By Julie Carpenter

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To be Pujya Swamiji’s student with reference to this particular connection, the connection between jīva and Īśvara, is the difference between glossing over something that is generally not understood – the order that is Īśvara - and having the vision of Vedānta be taught in a way that one cannot fail to understand. Pujya Swamiji explains that Īśvara, being all knowledge, manifests as one grand order. Within that grand order many smaller orders are found. They can be grouped into three main categories. Those that are centered on the body, adhyātmika, include the sense organs; for instance, eyes see, ears hear, etc. At the level of sṛṣṭi, adhibhautika, are colour, forms, sounds, etc. Thirdly, orders that connect adhyātmika and adhibhautika, which are called adhidaivaka. This includes karma and the resulting punya/pāpa.

It is because of this order that is Īśvara that scientists are able to draw conclusions in various fields of study. For instance, measurement of gravity is dependent amongst other things upon the density of a given planet, the speed at which the planet moves and the altitude at which the measurement

takes place. It is not that before Isaac Newton started to ask questions about why the apple “fell down” and landed on his head instead of “falling up”, that there was no gravity! In fact it was also grace, Īśvara’s order, that gave Newton a mind capable of questioning why things fall down and not up.

In fact, without understanding that cause and effect is nothing more than the order of Īśvara, one cannot arrive at advaita. If one takes the behaviour of any given person to be initiated by the “individual”, without taking into account the given background of that person, there is dvaita. Why? Because that person is being looked upon as separate from the whole. Incidentally, this includes one’s own behaviour.

The waker is the only complete person, the only one who recognizes that he or she is the same as the dreamer and the sleeper that are experienced. In the waking state there is kāryakāraṇa-bandha, meaning that the waking state is bound by having the status of both cause and effect. That is, there being an adhiṣṭhāna, self-effulgent ātmā, which is not understood or known for what it is, something other than what it is can be superimposed on it. The buddhi, because of its nature, superimposes what is within the realm of its current capability to know. Much like the rope-snake, where the locus of error is perceived but, for any number of reasons, is not recognized for what it is. Therefore, the buddhi makes a connection to something that it has knowledge of that has “rope-like” attributes - in this example a snake, but could just as easily be a stick, or these days, a hose pipe. So too, aware of the self-effulgence, the buddhi can only superimpose what it knows at any given time onto that self-effulgence. Thus until one is exposed to the pramāṇa that is śāstra, one will not know the truth - and even then, just as with any knowledge it can take time to fully understand.

In dream also kāryakāraṇa-bandha is there. The difference from waking is that what is experienced is not initiated by the sense organs, as is generally the case in the waking state - meaning that often one is caught in memories. The dream experience is based solely on vṛttis arising from memories of the waking state experiences and vāsanas. However, during dream, not being aware that one is dreaming, the projected dream-world that is based on memories and vāsanas is taken to be real by the dreamer. In sleep there is only kāraṇa-bandha. What is recognized upon waking is the same samsāri jīva that went to sleep. One does not wake up a jñāni, therefore, the ānanda

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experience of sleep is also limited by the body and mind. It has the status of being the cause of either waking or dreaming state.

It is in this context that Pujya Swamiji started the class with the statement, “tattva-agrahaṇa-nidra, that means that everyone is in nidrā, even when one is awake.” Therefore, because there is tattva-agrahaṇa, non-recognition of what is truth - ie: non-duality, which is self-evident, the possibility for wrong recognition arises. This is called anyathā-grahaṇa, taking ātmā, what is self-evident, to be other than what it is.

Sanskrit Classes

The value of the Sanskrit classes that take place alongside the Vedānta classes has really come to the fore in the study of Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad. Having an understanding of some of the subtleties of kārakas brought in by the use of various vibhaktis, brings a greater depth to one’s understanding of the discussions of bhāṣyakāra. Further, as one becomes more familiar with the vocabulary, with Pujya Swamiji’s guidance, one is able to discern the difference in writing styles of various authors.

Bhagavad Gīta

In Pujya Swamiji’s afternoon Bhagavad Gīta class, we have just made the shift from tvam-pada vicāra to tat-pada vicāra, having begun the

Seventh Chapter. Chapter Six which marked the end of tvam-pada vicāra, gave timeless instructions to help one gain a certain mastery over the mind. The instructions, Pujya Swamiji pointed out, are equally pertinent for meditation upon saguṇa Brahman or contemplation on nirguṇa Brahman.

Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa’s emphasis on the importance of vairāgya and abhyāsa, was complemented by Pujya Swamiji’s discussion on the importance of intention with regard to understanding what is distraction of the mind. One may go about one’s life moving from one thing to the next without recognizing that the driving-force behind the actions is rāga-dveṣas. On the other hand, one may spend the day moving from one thing to the next with the intention to spend time focused on each successive occupation that one is involved with. Pujya Swamiji gave the analogy of the desire to cultivate a piece of land. If the tātparya is to grow a lawn, what is not grass is to be weeded out. On the other hand, if the tātparya is to cultivate the very plant that was weeded out from the lawn, it is the grass that needs to be weeded out. One must have a clear intention in order to recognize what is distraction. This is where japa is so useful. By repetition of a particular mantra, each one a complete thought in itself, one is able to recognize when the mind moves away. In time one comes to recognize certain patterns, or ways in which the mind gets distracted, and even as it starts to move away it can be brought it back. Eventually one is able to sit for a period of time with the mind absorbed in the task it has been given, which is necessary for contemplation.

Satsang with Pujya Swamiji

In evening satsangs Pujya Swamiji is taking Vivekacūḍāmaṇi – not just selected verses, but in its entirety. Pujya Swamiji has pointed out that in Vivekacūḍāmaṇi there is a lot of repetition of various themes in verses. While one may notice this in one’s own reading of the verses, when Pujya Swamiji unfolds the verses subtle shades of meaning brought about by synonyms and context are highlighted, which increase one’s own vicāra in this most blessed of all pursuits, with the most exalted of teachers.

om tat sat

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Sri Gurubhyo Namah

On Friday November 16, 2012 I boarded the plane from Atlanta to San Francisco, my first stop before flying to Eugene on Saturday November 17. As the tiny United Express plane which only fits about 30 passengers approached the Eugene airport my mind was excited in anticipation for what awaited me there and for being in Swaminiji's company.

The view from the plane was beautiful and I could see the lush landscape. Dr. and Mrs. Deshpandeji were waiting for me at the airport. It was rainy and colder than what I am used to in Atlanta. We reached their home and I was served a hot lunch. Then I got ready and went to meet Swaminiji. She is in a small apartment with the stairs at the back. Swaminiji was very happy to see me. I conveyed my praṇāms to her and she asked about everyone in Atlanta.

We had tea and Bidyut took me to t h e f i r s t c h a n t i n g c l a s s a t Harinderji's house. Here, in a separate room in the house, I saw the majestic Dakṣiṇamurthy nicely decorated with a beautiful silk cloth and f lowers . Th is i s where Swaminiji conducts her classes.

I had all the materials ready for class and started the session at 5:30. Several people and some children attended the classes. We learnt the invocation ślokas and Gaṇeśa stotram.

The class was followed by a potluck and graduation celebration at M a y a s k a r i ' s r e s i d e n c e . T h e

g r a d u a t i o n w a s f o r t h e completion of a reading of the Ātmā Home Study course which had taken nine years. There were several devotees who were receiving certificates from Swaminiji. Five people had attended all the years, while others had attended at various times. Everyone shared their own experiences about the course. It was amazing to be part of this celebration. We offered food and paid obeisance to Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati’s picture and then ate dinner.

The next day I went back to Harinderji's house for the second chanting lesson. We learnt Hanuman Cālīsā, Guru Vandanam and the Gītā dhyāna ślokas. Then Shin Shin drove me to the Mūkāmbikā shrine. The Devi is enshrined in a weatherproof tent built in Faith and her husband’s backyard. The pathway leading to the tent was clean and there were flowers and fruits in the small garden just outside. Swaminiji said this area is near the confluence of two rivers, McKenzie and Willamette.

The Devi was so lovely with a beautiful smile wearing a white dress with gold border on it. She had red carnations on either side. The beauty of this shrine is the possibility for the devotee to forge a close relationship with the Goddess through the worship. There is Gaṇeśa and Her consort Mahādeva seated by her feet. Shin Shin showed me the Devi's closet. I was completely taken by surprise when I saw her wardrobe. There were several outfits of brilliant colors and patterns and these were all sewed by our very own Swaminiji! Our Swaminiji has many hidden talents!

Then we went to meet Swaminiji. She had prepared for us a simple, delicious lunch.

Reflections on My Visit to Eugeneby Shobha Parasuram

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Later that day we went to a fundraiser organized by the temple board members to raise money to build a permanent place for Mūkāmbikā. The dancer, Swathi, took us to the days of Daśaratha and Viśvamitra and Śri Rāma by enacting the enchanting Rāmāyana on stage. Then Roopa and Bhaskarji : motivated people to donate generously to the new temple. This was very effective and several people pledged varying amounts. Swaminiji recognized the effort of all the volunteers and gave them gifts. She also gave a talk on the importance of the shrine. I chanted Rasa Krīda from the Narayanīyam.

After this there was a potluck dinner at Dr. Deshpandeji's residence where we met several devotees who had come from Corvallis.

On the third day, in the final chanting class we learned Daśaka 64, the episode of Kṛṣṇa crowned as Govinda from the Narayanāyam, and also learnt a few ślokas from the Śrīmad Bhagavatam. Then we chanted Hare R ā m a H a r e Kṛṣṇa mantra and closed the s e s s i o n s . Everyone was thankful for the opportunity to learn.

In the afternoon w e w e n t t o some stores in what is called the 5th Street Public Market. Here I saw the store where Swaminiji buys materials for the clothes for Devi and Dakṣiṇamurthy.

I went back to see Swaminiji before taking my leave from Eugene. It was raining heavily and flights were delayed, but I made it back to San Francisco in one piece! It was a wonderful trip and I look forward to going back with my family next time.

Are you blessed? As a student of Vedānta you know the answer is yes, if for no other reason than having manuṣatvam, being a jīva with a human birth. In this way, the dictionary meaning of “blessed” as favored or fortunate applies. Further, we all have situational reasons to say we are blessed: with family, friends, health, wealth, beauty, brains, and so on.Over the three days following Thanksgiving 2012, whether here in Eugene, Oregon, or listening online, we all were blessed to have six hours with our revered (blessed) guru-ācārya, Swaminiji Svatmavidyananda as she served the sacred (blessed) words of Śrī Ādi Śaṅkarācārya’s Dhanyāṣṭakam. In eight short ślokas, this stotram reveals the preparations, practices and nature of the dhanya, the “Blessed One”. Swaminiji reminds us that blessings are usually relative, being constrained and modified in time and space. That which seems a blessing to me may not be to thee and, even to me, may cease to be a cause of happiness or contentment the next time I sit under the self-same tree. To be blessed is to be contented, to be free of seeking and wanting. However unlike in sleep when one is not aware of the surroundings, when awake the wanting person being aware of all the temporary ‘this’ is immersed in endless seeking. Where, then, are the blessings of wakeful awareness to found? Swaminiji told us that objective blessedness is to be found in the truth of the awareness of ‘I’. We are blessed when not subjectively confusing the self, the awareness that upholds everything, ātmā, with the coming and going world of all ‘this’ which is ‘not I’, anātmā. The Dhanyāṣṭakam tells us more about the dhanya.The dhanya no longer wanders aimlessly in the world of delusion, the ephemeral world of saṁsāra with its sorrows caused by the cycle of birth,

Are You Blessed: Reflections of Thanksgiving Retreatby Ramagiri Rondeau

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sickness, old age and death. The dhanya shines in the stillness of the senses, meaning that the senses have been withdrawn from the objects of desire. Having ascertained that knowledge, which is the essence of the Upaniṣads, the dhanya knows only the the light of paramātmā.The dhanya has equanimity towards all. The dhanya understands that worldly bondages are transient traps, and has subdued the passions of anger, krodha; jealousy, mātsarya; arrogance, mada; delusion, moha; likes, rāgas; aversions, dveṣas; alone with the three desires, kāmas, of wealth, progeny and worldly experiences and the binding notions of “I” and “mine”, which are all seen as toxic. By viveka, using discrimination to ensure that one’s actions are in alignment with the goal to be free from a life of becoming, the dhanya knows ātmā as brahman, and with single-minded focus meditates upon parat parātaram jyoti, literally translated as the light of consciousness, thereby gaining the blessed goal, mokṣa, knowing the truth of oneself as brahman. The dhanya is otherwise asaṅga, needing no other associations, content to live alone in the forest. Whether roaming in a forest of trees or the forest of humanity, the dhanya is solitary, serene, satisfied, situated always in the self, the ātmasvarūpa, seeing the Lord in everything, samadarśina. With vairāgya, renouncing the world of coming and going, the dhanya abides in the self, living simply, not needing the company of others. Content with whatever alms the jagat offers, the dhanya knows the true self is not the kartṛ and accepts the fruits of actions as the prasāda, the grace of Īśvara by whom alone, doing nothing, all is as though done. Walking the path of liberation, the mokṣa marga, the dhanya enjoys the company of sages who have ascertained the oneness of the self and remain always in the ānanda that is brahman.The dhanya is that manuṣatvam who, blessed by desire to attain liberation, mumukṣutvam, and having had the association of a mahāpuruṣa, has learned the truth of the self as limitless-existent-awareness, sat-cit-ananta.Are you blessed? Say yes!

During the third week of December, Swaminiji Svatmavidyananda gave lectures at Śrī Śiva Viṣṇu Temple (SSVT) in Washington, DC on Viṣṇusahaśranāma.Śaṅkarācārya wrote an extensive commentary on this text, the title of which means "The Thousand Names of Viṣṇu". Pujya Swamiji assures us that if we study this text along w i t h t h e p r o p e r u n f o l d i n g o f t h e Bhagavad Gītā, then the assimilation of the Gītā is a certainty.During Swaminiji's classes at SSVT, the first few verses of this text were unfolded word by word, that is n a m e b y n a m e . Swaminiji’s way of unfolding the meanings of the names clarifies our understanding of the nature of the Lord, which is our own nature. Every name that is unfolded sharpens one’s focus of the vision. With the guidance of Swaminiji, we are able to see clearly the connections between the names and the aspects of the vision that are highlighted in a given name.I would like to share part of whatI learned from the unfolding of one name in particular bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhu. This particular name struck quite a chord with me and served to open my eyes quite a bit to the profundity of what we are learning. Bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhu, can be translated as the Lord of time, or the Lord of the past, future and present. Bhūta means past, that which was. Bhavya is the future, that which is to come, and bhavat that which is right now, the present. Prabhu is that which is.

My Reflections on Viṣṇu Sahaśranāmaby Ed Akehurst

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It is important to note that Prabhu is a special form of “ is" . Every “ is” becomes “is not”, with the exception of Bhagavān. Bhagavān alone never b e c o m e s " i s n o t . " B h a g a v ā n h a s n o beginning and no end. That is what is meant by Prabhu - that which always was, always is and always will be. Prabhu is that which is without beginning and without end. This is the truth of oneself.

That which always is can only be consciousness, ātmā. Therefore, time must exist within that, not the other way around.

Time is relative, it is not absolute, it is part and parcel of the manifestation of the jagat. Neither time, nor space, touch Bhagavān. If they did, Bhagavān would be limited by time, which cannot be the case.

If we analyze time closely, we find that the past and future "are not", while the present never "is not". When do we concern ourselves with the past? Always in the present. For instance, if we experience regret or guilt over past actions, that regret or guilt always takes place in the present. When do we worry over the future? In the present alone.

How long is the present? How long is now? Again, if we analyze it, we find it has no length of time. It is ever new and ever fresh. It is free of past and future and thus free of sorrow and suffering. All regret, guilt, sorrow, and suffering find their cause in time. Time is like a ghost that possesses

the person, when one is possessed by time, one takes on the attributes of finiteness. When we ask what is it that is actually finite and time bound, we see it is the body-mind-sense complex, it is karma and samsara. It is only from the perspective of time that saccidānanda as thought becomes jīva. That one is this body mind sense complex, that one is time-bound, is a notion that can only be removed by knowledge of the truth that is limitless which, by its very definition, includes ourselves.

To prepare oneself for the knowledge, one must first surrender to that which is limitless, that which is timeless. If one cannot see the timelessness, the mind, the thoughts that arise, as other than oneself, one can through bhakti as though "merge" into that which timeless. That which is timeless becomes an altar of surrender for the one who has the notion of being bound by time.

What is it that has no beginning and no end? It can only be that which is limitless. Satya. Consciousness. In every moment, the entire jagat unfolds and resolves into that which has no beginning and no end. Bhagavān is that timeless consciousness which is satya, which is none other than Brahman. The Lord is Bhuta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh.

It was quite a blessing to have six days of classes on this beautiful text. We will pick this up when Swaminiji is next here in the Spring; I am very much looking forward to it. Every time I hear Swaminiji unfolding the texts of Vedānta, I seem to expand in my spiritual understanding, which allows me to see everything shine just a bit more brilliantly.

Hariḥ OM!

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On Saturday, November 3, 2012, Eugene Balavihar celebrated its first anniversary. Since its inception, the Balavihar group has met weekly. We teach the children ślokas and bhajans as well give them character education through traditional stories. The children also participate as a group in cultural community events.

The anniversary celebration was held in the Gilham Elementary School Performance Hall. The children were very excited to perform a cultural program to commemorate the occasion. The program began with a ‘Welcome Address’ by our emcee, Smt. Shri Krishna and the Invocation song sung by our enthusiastic Balavihar mothers.

The cultural part of the program commenced with a Diya (lamp) dance by two of our older children, Namratha and Sagarika, to the song 'Gaṇeśāya Dhīmahi'. This was followed by a dance drama depicting some of the scenes from the life of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

In the first scene, Neel as Kṛṣṇa a n d S u k r u t i a s Ya ś o d ā , beautifully depicted the mother-son bond in the episode where Yaśodā sees the entire universe in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mouth. Next,

the relationships of Lord Kṛṣṇa with his brother Balarāma, acted by Kavin, the cowherd, played by Sanjaya, and the gopis, Hansini, Druthi and Neha, were depicted through dances. The final scene illustrated the beautiful story of the true friendship between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā. This was dramatized by Madhav, Naman, Nikhil, Maya, Haveesh, Nehal and Praneesh.

The cultural program was followed by the presentation of certificates to the children in recognition of their enthusiasm to learn about our culture and traditions as well as for their participation in all the activities of the past year. We were privileged to have Swaminiji in our midst; the children were excited to receive their certificates and special prasād from Swaminiji.

Swaminiji also presented gifts to the mothers to honor them for all their efforts. The parents then surprised the Balavihar teachers presenting them with gifts as a token of their appreciation. The celebrations concluded with the chanting of śantī mantras by the children.

Eugene Balavihar Anniversaryby Roopa Praveen

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Navarātri at Eugene Shrines

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By Devī’s grace and through Swaminiji’s guidance, we installed Śrī Mūkāmbikā Devī with her consort Śrī Mahādeva on 16th May, 2010 in Eugene in the yurt built for her with the help of a number of volunteers

from Eugene and Corvallis. This shrine was funded by donations raised at a Bharatnatyam dance concert held in Eugene about four years ago. After moving to this shrine, we had punaḥ pratiṣṭāpana of Śrī Vidyā Gaṇapati in May 2011, Navgraha Homa in October 2011 and Devī Abhiṣekam in May 2012. All of these religious rituals attracted a large number of devotees from the Eugene-Corvallis area as well as Portland. Since the inception of the shrine we are continuing to attract more and more devotees who visit the shrine, take an active part in the daily pūja, and also participate in various religious festivals organized by Faith and a group of volunteers. During the last two years several devotees have generously made donations for the completion of a concrete path around

the shrine, the addition of a fence and other improvements. Dr. Deshpande, our board president, has been looking for opportunities to raise more funds for the upkeep of the shrine as well as seed money for the future temple to be built in Eugene. It was a blessing then that Swathi K. Ravi of Corvallis was desirous of offering a dance recital for the Goddess and, at the the request of the Dr. Deshpande, agreed to perform in order to raise funds for the shrine.

We are indeed fortunate to have the talented dance artist Swathi amongst us who is willing to donate her time and efforts for such a worthy cause. Swathi, a highly sought-after Bharatanatyam artiste, with over twenty years of performance experience and 250 recitals, is known for her vibrant choreography and bhāva laden renditions. Following her passion for Bharathanatyam she completed a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Bharathidasan University in India. Swathi had her initial training with Guru Śrī Udupi Laxminarayanan and has attended several Bharatanatyam workshops with illustrious Gurus from India. Her training and knowledge of Kuchupidi, Mohiniattam Odissi , Kathak, and Western dance adds depth to her performances.

Swathi has performed in many prestigious venues at international dance festivals in India and the USA. She has popularized Indian dance through lectures at universities, public schools, and community centers. She has choreographed several dance dramas for fund-raisers and temple anniversary celebrations. As an aspiring scholar, Swathi is researching and practicing Natya Yoga (Bharatanatyam as a form of Yoga). She is also a dedicated teacher to several Bharatanatyam students, and is a guest teaching faculty at Oregon State University.

A Fundraiser for the Mūkāmbikā Mahādeva Shrine, Eugene

by E. Bhaskar

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The fundraising program started with Dr. Deshpande welcoming the audience and giving a brief history of the shrine. The Eugene Balavihar group melodiously sang the traditional invocatory chants. Swathi then gave a brief description of the entire Rāmāyaṇa to be enacted in the

dance, Bhāvayāmi Raghurāmam, beautifully showing the various bhāvas - eye and facial expressions, mudras - the hand gestures, and nātya - the

dance poses. True to her reputation she kept us enthralled for the next 50 minutes by her graceful dance depiction of the entire Rāmāyaṇa. Her bhāva, mudras, and nātya were executed to such perfection that one could follow the story to the smallest detail. She brought to life each character of this wonderful epic, especially the almighty Lord Rāma, the beautiful and graceful Mother Sītā and the dutiful Hanuman.

After this enchanting dance, Swaminiji spoke of the importance and need of a shrine/temple in any community. In her own inimitable way, Swaminiji gave a very logical and inspirational talk peppered with down to earth examples and quotes from the scriptures. Following this inspiring talk it was easy for the emcees, Roopa Bhat and Bhaskar Eldurkar, to work with the audience to donate for this worthy cause. Sure enough the devotees rose to the occasion and by the end of the day

we had a net contribution of about $10,000 after all the expenses.

After a brief intermission two of the Eugene Balavihar students, Priyanka and Nitya, enchantingly sang a prayer, Śrī Gaṇānatham Bajare, in praise of Lord Gaṇapati. Smt. Shobha from Atlanta rendered a mesmerizing Śrī Kṛṣṇa chant.

Swathi ended her dance program with a wonderful Tamil folk dance called Kurathi. This dance was about a fortune teller and her daily routine. Once again, Swathi was amazing in conveying the meaning and the story behind the lyrics through her expressions and liquidity in the dance poses and movements. It is worth repeating that we are indeed fortunate to have such a wonderful performer and artist amongst us. We pray that the younger generation will take advantage of her talents, learn from her and perpetuate this traditional and ancient dance form.

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We did not plan a fund raiser but it happened! It all started when Swathi Ravi, a renowned Bharatnatyam performer from Corvallis, expressed her desire to dance for Mūkāmbikā Devī in our Shrine in Eugene during the Navarātri. Not having been to the shrine, Swathi did not realize how small the shrine is – there is no space there to dance. So we thought we could find a bigger place for Swathi to dance in Eugene and keep it

simple. But then Swaminiji suggested that it was perhaps the right time to hold a fund raiser, not having had one since the first one that we had three years back. When we approached Swathi about her willingness to give a dance performance as a fund raiser, she very generously agreed. We were nevertheless thinking in terms of a small performance with tickets to raise funds for the shrine. Sometime after that, it was suggested that we might as well have a well advertised fund raiser, and we should ask for donations, as well as charge tickets for the performance. Finding a suitable hall within our budget proved to be a harder task than we anticipated. The stage for Bharatnatyam performance has some basic requirements and most of the facilities had smaller carpeted stages suitable for music performances. After some running around, we settled upon the auditorium in Gilham elementary school.

Then the pamphlets were prepared and advertising went into full swing. The Indian community in Eugene was contacted, and many were very enthusiastic about coming and bringing their friends. Parents of children in Balvihar group were particularly eager to participate, and much of the final success owes to their hard efforts.

The performance took place on the 18th of November, which was a Sunday, at 4 PM. The program began with a prayer sung by children in the Balvihar group. This set a right mood for the occasion. After that Swathi performed Rāma Līlā. She at first explained the whole story by demonstrating the hand movements and expressions, so that the audience would be able to follow the story. Then we had a wonderful

Eugene Fundraiser ReportBy Nilendra Deshpande

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performance of Rāma Līlā for about 50 minutes. The performance of this dance requires the dancer to play several different roles and Swathi did this with seamless elegance. The whole dance was superlative; it began with Rāma slaying the demons who were disturbing the yajñas being performed by the ṛṣis, then an enactment of Rāma breaking Śiva’s bow and marrying Sītā. We were taken to Kaikeyī asking for banishment of Rāma, and subsequent sorrow of Daśaratha who dies because of the separation from his beloved son. Swathi through her wonderful dancing transported us to the forest, where demon Śūrpāṇakā is trying to win over Rāma, but is ignobly dispatched by Lakṣmaṇa, with her nose cut off. Later we have the famous scenes of the the demon Mārīci in the form of a golden deer who leads Rama on a chase, and subsequent abduction of Sita by Rāvana. A mighty fight is put up by Jatayu, who also succumbs in the end. It is hard to believe that all these scenes are so beautifully evoked by dance movements, but that is the genius of Swathi. Her enactment of Hanuman, with face that looks like that of a monkey, were pure pleasure to watch. The final battle with Rāvana with 10 faces culminates with an arrow to his naval where the amruta is lodged, and

his subsequent death. The audience watched the whole performance with rapt attention.

During the intermission, Swaminiji gave an inspirational talk on the importance of the Shrine, and then our two emcee’s, Roopa Bhat and Bhaskar Eldurkar, were in charge of motivating the audience to contribute to the worthy cause of the Mūkāmbikā Shrine. They did a superb job, the total tally of ten thousand dollars far exceeded our expectations.

After the intermission, we had a nice song by Priyanka and Nithya, and then a chant by Shobha Parasuram, who had come all the way from Atlanta to participate in the fund raiser. The concluding number was by Swathi in a lighter mood - a scintillating folk piece on a fortune teller Kurati.

A nice end to the program was when Swaminiji went on the stage, and recognized the performance by Swathi by awarding her a plaque and a Sari worn by Mūkāmbikā Devī. She then recognized various others who had played a role in the fund raiser by giving them small gifts.

All in all, it was a tremendously successful event. We were very fortunate to have a dancer of Swathi’s talent perform for the fund r a i s e r . D i d Mūkāmbikā Devī plan it?

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Greetings on behalf of Dr. Sathianathan Clarke’s World Religions Class at Wesley Theological Seminary!

In October we had the distinct pleasure of joining Śrī Swamini Svatmavidyananda at Śrī Śiva Viṣṇu Temple in Lanham, Maryland, for an evening lecture and discussion. Our class’s goal for the semester has been to develop a more informed understanding and respect for the religiously plural world we live and work in and our meeting with Swamini Svatmavidyananda was the perfect addition to our semester of encounters with the religious traditions of our neighbors. For most of our students this was their first visit to a Hindu temple and first encounter with a guru. The welcome we received from Swamini and the members of the Śrī Śiva Viṣṇu Temple to explore the temple and ask questions and expand our minds was an amazing expression of genuine hospitality.

From the moment we entered the temple the whole experience was enlightening and engaging. Confronting sights, sounds, and smells, all very pleasant, but also foreign, was a true adventure. While observing the worship practice of the local temple visitors, one student remembers being amazed by the activity of Hindu worship. Another student, Christine Clardy, reflects, “I liked the many ‘rooms’ inside the temple; I

was struck by how it was like having many churches crammed into one big macro-church (there are many rooms in my Father's house, after all!).”

After touring the altars in the temple, we gathered with the welcoming Swamini, who shared with us her experience of the Hindu tradition and the

philosophies around which she shapes her life. Student Jennifer Gillyard recalls, “Swamini's gracious attitude towards us was moving. When I went to ask her a question the first thing she did was hug me and call me friend. She did not know me, yet she immediately embraced me as a friend.” Through her welcoming attitude to our questions and curiosity, we were invited to expand our understanding of Hinduism and in the process we came to appreciate the differences and similarities between it and our Christian faith. Part of the joy of this course is the opportunity to see our own faith tradition in a new way. For Clardy this came forth when Swamini shared with us her belief that “self-love is great!" Clardy recalls that this was a “great lesson to honor the divine spirit in us.”

We are thankful for the opportunity to visit the temple and speak with Sri Swamini Svatmavidyananda. It is an experience we will carry with us as we complete our studies and enter our various ministry settings. We will often recall the feeling of being graciously and lovingly welcomed and the experience of encountering other persons of genuine faith. Ultimately we will carry a deeper understanding of Hinduism and its ability to help us better understand our own faith tradition. Thank you Swamini for your gracious hospitality and may you be blessed as we have in your presence.

Margaret Frazier, Teaching AssistantWorld Religions as Resource for Christian Theology and Church MinistryWesley Theological SeminaryWashington, DC

Wesley Theological Seminary Visits Śrī Śiva Vi ṇu Temple, MD

by Margaret Frazier

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Tackling Today’s Thorny Issues

HINDUISM TODAY interviewed Swamini Svatmavidyananda at the Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference held in California in August, 2012. This interview appears in the January 2013 issue of Hinduism Today.

We are encountering more Hindus today who avoid the word Hindu and use the word Vedic instead. What is your view on this?

Swamini Svatmavidyananda: Unfortunately the word Hindu has become a bad word. People don’t want to use it because of the tremendous pressure within most colonized societies to become like the colonizer. We see this in India: everything foreign is good, because it has come from the US or somewhere else.

In other colonized cultures, the whole indigenous tradition was wiped out due to forcible conversions. India was spared because of the resilience of the Hindu dharma. Therefore we are very, very lucky. We were left with our culture and our tradition, but we were also left with the scarring of internalized oppression caused by mainstream colonizers’ inculcating this hatred.

That is why there is great shame and dilution of our tradition, or a refusal to accept it at all. Due to this dilution, we have unfortunately seen established orders in India apply for minority status. This is very sad, and it shows that there is something wrong. The whole Hindu tradition is nothing but religious; there is not a single thing that is secular about it. Secular should mean that if I’m secular I treat everybody equally—all beliefs, all traditions, all people. But unfortunately, secularism has meant erasing myself, self-effacement in order to appease someone else, and that is not correct. This is the factor, embodied by the government and the media, that has influenced the Hindu heart so much that one will stick up for the Muslim neighbor and the Christian friend and not think about himself as a Hindu.

I have had this experience at world interfaith conferences where they will say, “Please, all the Christians rise;” everybody rises. “All the Hindus rise,” and I was the only one standing up! Afterwards I asked some of the people there, who said, “No, we are not Hindu. We believe in compassion,” as though Hinduism is about non-compassion. It’s ignorance, basically, causing self-hatred. And that self-loathing is a very sad thing, because it doesn’t let us grow spiritually, it doesn’t let us grow into our full potential. That self-loathing has to be eradicated.

We have to network and educate. A meeting like this conference is good for boosting self-esteem. We have to boost our own self-esteem and that of others around us, because self-hatred brings us down. It’s almost like the colonizer is sitting inside; the colonizer has replaced Bhagavān within, and that is what we have to change.

The inner landscape—perhaps we have to say the inner jungle—has to be pruned a little bit to eradicate this self-hatred through relating to Bhagavān, through being proud of our achievements, our culture, our understanding. The Hindus are generally proud of the past; it’s the present they have a problem with. So we have to look for things in the present—icons, swamis, role models in all fields—so that this allergy for one’s own nature is gone.

In a mixed-religion marriage, what advice do you give to the couple about how to make their marriage succeed and how to approach religion when children are born?Swamini Svatmavidyananda: It is difficult, because religion is not just a set of beliefs, it’s also how we enact religion, just like how we enact

Satsang with Swaminiji

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gender. We “do religion,” and in this doing, many possibilities remain. “Kartum śakyam, akartum śakyam, anyāthavā kartum śakyam: I can do, I need not do, I can do differently.” We have to transcend doing and focus

on being.

There is a reason why we are not called human doings; we are called human beings. So, we have to learn how to be, and learning how to be cannot happen unless I let the other

person be. In a marriage there are already so many differences—the way of cooking is different, the way of eating is different. In an intercultural marriage it’s not just the marriage; everything is different. This is something we have to live with; it is a growing reality of modern times.

I would tell the couples to focus first on teaching values that are absolute and universal, what we call samanya dharma, which means what is correct, what is incorrect, what is right, what is wrong. These are absolutes, and they are all there in the mandates. Then we have to focus on the interpersonal, viśeṣa dharma, how those values translate in living together. The maxim there would be “live without hurting another or getting hurt in the process.” Finally, svadharma, minding one’s own business. “You do what you have to do;” that is really svadharma. Don’t look into the other person’s portfolio, asking, “How come you are not

doing this? What are you doing?”

These definitions o f d h a r m a —samanya dharma, viśeṣa dharma , and svadharma—a r e e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t , because they are not peculiar to the Hindu tradition. They should be

something that is p r a c t i c e d universally. They are universal, even though we have a very sophisticated understanding of them in Hinduism.

W h e n c h i l d r e n c o m e i n t o t h e picture, it becomes even more important to inculcate in them these values. Children are very sensitive; they are influenced by how the parents think, how they act. So, to maintain that harmony in the child-rearing process is very important. It’s also important to give in, because when one willingly concedes an argument, one wins by growing spiritually. I would say to the couples, especially after having children, to compete with one another to lose an argument. Who will lose the argument first?

In your opinion, what is the most important issue needing to be addressed in the Hindu community in North America today?

Swamini Svatmavidyananda: Bhakti: that is something we have forgotten after we emigrated from yoga bhūmi to bhoga bhūmi. This is bhoga bhūmi, because this is the land of instant gratification. We forget the connection to the Ultimate, the nurturer of the soul for all beings. It is bhakti, which is devotion and reverence, that is the real key to success in everything. Bhakti makes one able to weather all storms. It gives one an inner strength. Most of all, it clears the heart, because bhakti is the cloth that wipes the inner mirror, the antaḥkaraṇa mirror, and śraddha is the Windex. Śraddha is reverence and faith for the Vedas, for the teachers, for Bhagavān.

The only reason we don’t have inner darśan of Bhagavān—the ultimate goal in the Hindu tradition (to understand the truth of what we worship as oneself), despite Vedānta, despite temples, despite all these things—is that the mirroring medium, the reflecting medium, is full of dust and dirt.

“live without hurting another or getting hurt in the process.”

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This is what Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says in the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā when Arjuna asks why is it that, after all these teachings, as though by force, one goes down the wrong path, toward papa (wrongdoing), although the two paths are very clear—one is dragged down the wrong path even though one wants to do the right thing. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says there is a film on the mirror. Just as the film on the mirror covers the reflection, it covers who you are. The antaḥkaraṇa, the inner instrument, the mirror, is eminently cleansable. That is the ninth-tenths of Hinduism that is preparation, while one-tenth is knowledge.

How can we encourage youths to care for their elders at home rather than sending them to assisted-living facilities, as is becoming more and more common in the UK, US and India?

Swamini Svatmavidyananda: In the Vedic tradition, when we have reverence, then there is caring. Reverence and caring go together. We are told, “Matṛ-devo bhava, pitṛ-devo bhava, āchārya-devo bhava” (“Be the one to whom mother is an avatāra of God, be the one to whom father is God, revere your teacher as God”). Even atithi, the guest, is an incarnation of Bhagavān. So, be the one unto whom your elders are incarnations of Īśvara. That cannot happen until you value your elders and the guidance they provide. We can coordinate in this country and in India and use the services of the retired people to teach their knowledge, their values, and the methods of inculcating these values in the younger generations. That is what makes it valuable and dear.

The reverence of everything as Īśvara—where the elders are also manifestations of Īśvara—is strong until the teenage years, when rebellion starts. In the difficult ages between and 30, until they settle down and have their own children, youth tend to see an elder as another mouth to feed or something that takes up time.The value of elders has to be inculcated, and the best way to do this is by example. We could have classes for children and youth at old-age homes taught by elders who are able, thus providing constant contact between the younger and older generations. The younger generation are in crèches and day cares, and the older generations are in homes: this is the problem right now. So we have to have more contact.

Travel'Schedule

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA December-FebruaryPlease check the website at http://www.arshavidya.org/Events.html for more information.

Atlanta, GA, February. Contact Sri Ramakrishnan 770-232-0552)

Washington, DC April. VS Raghavan vsraghavan@verizon.net

Detroit, IL May. Srini Raman svraman92@hotmail.com

Cleveland, OH May. Carol Dombrose carollar@juno.com

Milwaukee, WI May. Dr. L. K. Bharadwaj bharadwaj919@yahoo.com

Arsha'Vijnana'Gurukulam

Please check the website at: www.arshavm.org at the beginning of February for classes in Eugene and online.

Swaminiji’s Teaching and Travel Schedule

Sūktā Editorial BoardJulie Carpenter, Harinder Kaur Khalsa and Mayaskari Rothbart.