vedanta sandesh - aug 2014

8/12/2019 Vedanta Sandesh - Aug 2014

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Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Year 21 Issue 2

B v h 3 12 5



Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Aug 2014 : Year 21 / Issue 2

Editor: Swamini Samatananda Saraswati

Published by

International Vedanta Mission

http://www.vmission.org.in / [email protected]

I am not a human being, nor am I a devata or any yaksha. I

cannot be categorized in any of the four varnas - of Brahmain,

Kshatriya, Vayshya or a Shudra, nor can I be classified as a

Brahmachari, Gruhasthi, Vanprasthi or even a Sanyasi. I ambasically pure cosciousness.

ukga euq ";ks u p nso;{kkS

u cz kã.k&{kf=;&oS';'kw nz k%A u cz ãpkjh u x` gh ouLFkks fÒ{kq uZ pkga futcks/k:i%AA

Hastamalaka Stotram - 2



Section Index

1. Message of P. Guruji - 5

2. Tattva Bodha - 6-7

4. Letter - 9

5. Gita Reflections - 10-11

6. Jivanmukta - 13

7. Yoga Vasistha - 14-15

7. Story Section - 17

8. VM News - 18

9. VM Activities - 19

10. Album - 20-21

11. VM Programs - 23



Religion without philosophy is superstition, and philosophy without religion is idealism. As such all practices of Hindureligion have a clear & validated vision & philosophy behind them. Take puja for example. We may start with taking oneparticular form as divine, but slowly & steadily the scriptures guide us to wake up to the truth of God. The God of Hindus is nolimited to a form, but pervades and also transcends everything. He is infinite, non-dual, he is of the nature of pure, uncontaminatedblissful, self-effulgent, existence. He is the substratum of the entire creation, that from which the creation comes, in which isustains and unto which it all goes back. We do not start puja with the notion that we know God, but with humility that we jusbelieve in his existence and wish to be blessed by the knowledge of his truth. Puja is never taken as a direct means of knowingGod, but is an initial sadhana wherein we simply affirm the existence of God to our own hearts. If we remain focused & humble

and continue to take proper directions, then we can be blessed to realize the truth of God. We can not only 'see' God ineverything but more specifically 'see' everything as God, including ourself. One of the indicators of a man of knowledge is tha'He sees himself in everything and everything in him'. Basically the philosophy of Hinduism culminates in revealing the identityof Bhakta & Bhagwan, the Jiva & Brahman. This being so, we can theoretically begin to see God in anything & anyone, andthen start our divine journey.

Many people however tend to take these principles as their personal freedom to worship any form of God 'as theywish'. This amounts to not knowing the very basics of Hinduism, in fact such people blatantly misuse an ancient tradition &system for some other petty ends. When the very beginning should be by humbling appreciating our ignorance about the truthof God, how can anyone start by arrogantly declaring someone as God. Taking any form of God cannot be a matter olicentiousness, but has to be as per the directions of shastras. When we follow the directions of shastras then along with thisinitial sadhana of puja comes a whole package deal wherein is revealed a long divine journey involving karma, dhyana &gyana, which slowly & steadily helps us to realize God as our own Self. The shastras slowly and steadily reveal the finer levels

of devotion, and as the impurities like personal likes & dislikes start getting reduced & replaced with openness & acceptanceof the beauty of everything that is, one starts waking up to a different world all together. They start seeing a beautiful order inthe whole world, they start experiencing the propriety of what is. Objectivity in thinking develops. The mind which was earlieburning with so many worries, desires, anger etc, now becomes thoughtful & quiet. As Gita says a sattwic person with selflessdevotion is blessed with qualities like equanimity. Their thoughtfulness is retained in both cordial & uncordial situations. Theybecome blessed with the capacity to delve deeper into the things in which they were earlier reacting thoughtlessly as per theipersonal whims & fancies. So puja & upasana are highly technical and philosophically validated sadhanas of Hinduism. Thegreat Acharyas conducted shastrarthas (philosophical debates) to validate each & every principle of their philosophy & itsreligion. The scriptures take pain to reveal the smallest step in this package deal. Realization of the truth of God is indeed avery subtle thing, and our journey in that direction can start when we religiously & humbly follow the directions of the awakenedmasters.

I see the ongoing concerns of one of our Sankaracharyas to misuse our principles of Hinduism by some people to

worship some Muslim saint who use to serve poor lovingly. We in India can never mind anyone following any faith as they wishor even respecting anyone, but when it comes to misusing our time-tested & validated systems, then a voice of dissent is justified. India is one of the rare few countries in the world in which people of all faiths & beliefs are free to live as per theibeliefs, provided it does not hamper the belief of others, however, how can we accept blatant misuse of our systems. TheAcharyas who have been given this responsibility to maintain the purity of their systems will have to voice dissent, because iamounts to distorting their traditions & systems for objectives for which they were not meant. The sadhana which was initiallya divine journey towards the transcendental has now been reduced to a ritual which is all about blatant self-gratification. If noone raises any voice then ultimately our scripturally validated principles will be distorted & replaced by these superficial neotraditions which are based on appeasement of ego rather than its effacement. India has had so many non-Hindu rulers whohave tried to destroy our traditions that today it is so difficult to find our true traditions in our various temples. Hinduism isprofound, it is unique, it stands apart from everyone else, it is worthy of being celebrated - only if we know its real message &objectives. It is in fact worthy to be spread all over the world. The world needs its profoundity & magnanimity very badly todayHowever, we need to set our own house in order first, wherein we have systems by which the real vision is revealed to theiown believers. This alone will stop all the various kinds of misuses, distortions or destructions. We indeed need to.

Arise Awake !

from Poojya Guruji


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/vedanta-sandesh-aug-2014 6/24Vedanta Sandesh

T attva Bodha An Introductory Text-Book of Advaita Vedant

Tattva Bodha is a fundamental text of Vedanta which provides a necessary platform for the beginnof Vedantic knowledge.It defines the fundamental terms used in Vedanta like the Atman, Ishwara, Jiva, Ma

etc in a very simple and clear cut manner. Although it gives us very crisp definitions of various Vedantic ter

yet it is not just a text that randomly defines certain terms but the text as a whole gives us an overview

Vedantic knowledge in a capsule form. It gives answers to questions regarding the fundamental principles

Vedanta covering the entire spectrum of the knowledge of Truth. Who am I? Where have I come from? W

is the goal of my life? Who is God? Who is the creator of this world? What is Maya etc? This beautiful tex

written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. The most unique quality of this text is that the entire text is presented i

dialogue form between the disciple and the teacher. It is a classic example of the Upanishadic pattern

learning where the teacher blesses the student with knowledge in an intense and intimate one to one discussi

The answers of all the questions raised are crisp and precise and yet each answer being pregnant with deimplications. Tattva Bodha in one sentence means the knowledge of Truth. Let us see what Tattva Bod

means in a more deeper form.

Tattva means the Truth:

Tattva' means the truth or essence of a thing. For

example the essence or the truth of fire is heat. Fire

may manifest in any form, like a blue flame, a yellow

lame, in small or big flames but the basic truth of fire

s heat. Truth of something is that which will never

change or get destroyed irrespective of any time, placeand object. Fire is hot any where and at any time. The

heat of fire can never be destroyed. We can never

have a cold fire. Similarly Vedanta reveals to us the

ruth of the Self. What is the truth of the Self? Is it

what we perceive ourselves to be as of today or is

here some deeper truth of our own Self which we are

not aware of? Vedanta reveals to us that the identity

of the Self which we know as of today is an imaginary

and false identity which is based on what we can

perceive of the Self in the world outside. Our true

dentity is much beyond the superficial identity that

we carry of the Self today. Our perception of the Self

oday is that of a physical body and mind who is born

one day, who lives for some time in this world and

dies away. I see myself as a limited being today in

search of happiness that can fulfill me forever, and

yet this search seems to go on forever and ever. This

s where the knowledge of Vedanta comes as a

liberator. A liberator from the shackles of the bond

of seeking and revealing to us our own Truth th

limitless and free from the limitations of time

space. The truth of the Self that is ever existent

blissful life principle. Amazingly this truth not jus

truth of one individual self but it is the truth of e

living and non living being in this universe. One malways aim to gain the knowledge of truth to free

Self of constant misery which is only a produc

ignorance and has no real existence. Know the t

or the Tattva of the Self which is not attained f

outside but is the very nature of the Self.

‘Bodha’ means knowledge:

Bodha-means to know, to be awar

something. Knowledge of Self is a very tricky ga

Unlike any other knowledge, here the very kno

has to be known, making this knowledge uniqu

itself. One must understand here that knowing

nature of the Self is not gaining a divine experie

on the seat of meditation. It is not like seeing s

light, or hearing some bells or any other form

experience for that matter. Experiences always

place in the realm of duality. There is an objec

experience, an experiencer and the experience.



After completing the commentary on Atma-Bodha from this issue we start the study

of another introductory text of Vedanta - Tattva Bodha.

Tattva Bodha is the best place to begin for any new student of Vedanta. It provides

the basic principles of Vedanta, without going into any dialectics. The style is question &

answers, the language is very simple and straight forward, and is written in prose.

Upanishad gives us a specific process of learn

where Yagnavalkya Rishi says that the 'Atman is re

worth seeing. One should 'see' the Atma by Srava

Manana & Niddidhyasana'. Which means that

should first hear these scriptures from a 'right teac

then reflect on what is being revealed by him,

finally meditate on it till the knowledge is assimila

thoroughly. This alone is the means of knowledg

’Bodha’-Knowledge is of two types:

Knowledge is of two types. Direct knowle

& Indirect knowledge. Indirect knowledge is a log

deduction which is got by having faith towards

teacher and the Scriptures. It displaces our pres

illusory convictions.This is the truth that we see thro

the eyes of the teacher. This is what we see when

sit at the Feet of the Master and listen to his teachi

This type of knowledge acts a s a pointer to Diunderstanding of the Truth. Having gone thro

further clarification of doubts and contemplatio

bring about a steadfast knowledge one then awak

into Direct knowledge where even the knower him

is dropped. Direct knowledge alone is bodha.

Who is eligible for this knowledge?

A sadhaka who has lived a life of righteo

ness and has thus purified his mind of vari

conditionings. One who sees anitya(impermanentanitya he invokes the curiocity to know the truth

opens the door to knowing the nitya(permanent). O

who has not seen the limitations of the imperman

will never be desirous to know the eternal. Suc

person will take up the means of actions, astrolo

and such things to keep going. Such a perso

samsari. Only a person who has relatively discr

nated between the permanent & the imperman

one who has dispassion towards worldly pleasureeligible. for this knowledge.

ruth about any experience is that it is always

hangeable and impermanent. It is bound by the

mitations of time & place. Whereas the nature of the

Self is not limited to time & place. I know my presence

t all times. Even in deep sleep state there is a very

ubtle awareness of the Self therefore I can wake up

nd say I slept well. On the other hand any experience

f any object or situation is constantly changing. In

uch a case how can an unstable and changing thingive us eternal joy and permanent security. This is

he nature of the objective world and it's experiences.

Although experiencing something gives a good feeling,

ut it is all so momentary. Even in that case, the

ossibility of happiness and sorrow in an experience

s dependant on knowledge. I am happy or unhappy

ecause of my understanding about the self and the

world. Our convictions decide the natur of our

xperience. One must have authentic convictions. Ourresent conviction is responsible for our happiness &

orrow, our bondage. It is unauthentic and illusory

ecause we are only attracted & fascinated by the

mpermanent objective world. Therefore right

nowledge is the only means to seeing the world as it

s and relating with it on a realistic platform. That is

beration. So, a spiritual seeker desirous of knowing

he truth of the Self, simply aims to know the facts, in

he process of which even the knower is ultimately

ropped. What remains is the pure existence of theSelf.

The Means of knowledge of Truth:

Knowledge of Self can take place only by

Sabda Pramana. The words of wise people alone is

he means of knowledge in this case. The problem is

nly about not knowing the truth hence bringing about

nowledge by the words of Men of wisdom is the only

means. We just have to understand their teachingswhich opens the doors of Self knowledge. Chandogya

- 7 -



There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sonsto learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each ona quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a greatdistance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring,the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called themtogether to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.The second son said no it was covered with green buds and fullof promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossomsthat smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the mostgraceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripeand drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right,because they had each seen but only one season in the tree’slife. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, byonly one season, and that the essence of who they are and thepleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only bemeasured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up

when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beautyof your summer, fulfilment of your fall.

The Four Seasons



Introspection

To live at the

evel of 'ego' is just

a matter of your

choice, not a

necessity. All what is

equired is toexplore the truth of

your Self - very

incerely & deeply.

- Poojya Guruji

Hari om,

Nice to see your honest introspection. A clear appreciation that

an individual is limited and bound by his/her self-generated

actions, thoughts & relationships - is indeed a factual

appreciation. Where ever you go these values & perceptions

shall go with you and so will the bondage, so the real solution, ifany, can never be to go to some other place etc., nor even

gliding into some other state of mind temporarily.

Acceptance of the inevitability of limitations at this realm of

existence does reduce the pain to a large extent, but certainly it

all continues to exist. To live at the level of 'ego' is just a matter

of your choice, not a necessity. All what is required is to explore

the truth of your Self - very sincerely & deeply. Study of Tattva

Bodha is a step in that direction. We are sure that that any

sincere & open-minded person will surely get necessary

directions for this self-exploration & knowledge.

Love & om

Swami Atmananda

- 9 -



by

SwaminiSamatananda

A human being grieves as naturally as a duck takes to water. Grief can co

about on various accounts but most of all we grieve at the loss of someone who is extrem

dear to us. Often grief can overpower us even at the thought of losing someone v

close to the heart. In the second chapter of the Gita Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna so

very logical truths and scriptural evidences as to why it is not worth grieving. Arjuna

was facing a dillema between rightousness and unrighteousness regarding fighting

war of Mahabharata. As this war was not just another of the umpteen number of wars

Arjuna may have fought before. It was a war of righteousness where, in the proces

which not only the lives of all the family kinsmen was at stake but the glory and dignit

relationships of teacher & student, of father & son, of grandfather and grandson and

such relationships was also at stake. Hence such a grave situation proved to be as e

as walking on a two sided sword. In such a situation grief was inevitable for Arjuna wh

the very thought of his revered teachers and elders dying by his own bow and ar

shattered him. Arjuna's case is a classic example of all mankind where grief sets in hypnotises the human mind with the very thought of taking a harsh decision and losin

near & dear one. All of us are struck by intense grief when any of our beloved is ta

over by the God of death. How can man handle such a grief stricken mind set wh

shudders at the very thought of death. The Gita gives us significant insights on this fa

of death.

Life & Death are a cyclic journey from the manifest unto the unmanifest:

In the Gita Lord krishna says 'Jaatasya hi dhruvo mriyu dhruvam janm mrita

cha'-All that is born dies one day and that which dies is born again. Basically life

death is coming from the unmanifest to the manifest and then going back into unmanifest, the cycle of which goes on endlessly untill one realises the Truth of the

and the world. In such a case what is manifestation and how does it lure us and wh

going into the unmanifest and how does it bring about grief?

Manifestation & Unmanifestation:

Manifestation in simple language is taking birth somewhere as a human bein

any other living being. It is dorning some name & form and interacting with the world

gaining experiences at the level of the body, mind and the intellect. This manifestatio

involuntary in case of an ignorant Jiva who is bound by the cycle of birth and death du

his ignorance of the blissful Self and sense of limitation compelling him to eternal seeof happiness in the outside world. It is during this phase of worldly life that we m

relationships, experience the objective world live various kinds of emotions and knowled

This intermingling casts various impressions of good & bad, hapinness and sorrow on

mind thus making us averse or attached to some situations and people. Life of a manifes

being thus is a play of various such impressions of various people and beings interming

with each other. The only difference is that a human being has the freedom to change

mental impressions or live with them, whereas an animal is programmed to live

particular manner. In this journey when death embraces a human being or any o

living being he suddenly goes into the unmanifest never to come back again. All

N a t v e v a a h a m j a

a t u n a a s a m

Vedanta Sandesh



There is a

ruth of the Self

which is beyond the

manifest and the

nmanifest. That is

he reality ofveryone, which is

s basic nature. I

m ever existent. I

was there before

he manifest, during

he manifest and

will continue to behere after the

manifestation.

gestures, all the intermingling unexpectedly comes to a halt, even though we all kn

death must come to one and all some day. This sudden disappearance of a beloved

is absolutely shattering for someone who is not awakened into the truth of life. Hand

such a situation Sri Krishna says that life & death are an inevitable wave like pattern

beings relate with each other on the basis of their attributes and mental impressions.

loss of someone pulls down the curtain of all expressions of the body, mind and intell

-The lesson that one needs to learn from the world of manifestation is that all tha

manifested constantly undergoes change and in course of time dies away too. Su

people and our relationships are all beautiful yet they are temperory. This is the v

nature of the manifested world & is inevitable.-Secondly, hanging on to someone for hapinness and security will only make a per

handicapped and dependant, whdhyere obviously we give the strings of our joys

sorrows in the hands of various other people, relationships, things and situations.

-Taking the worldly manifestations to be real and eternal brings about false expectat

only bringing about more misery and suffering in life.

-Treat the manifested world as a wave in the ocean that is born, rises and then sinks aw

At another level if one were to look at the mental bonding with our beloved o

then the identification brought about by pure, selfless love between two living beings

between humans or animals, is so intense that one becomes united with the other per

to the extent that even death cannot be a bar in feeling the presence of the belov

Although the physical expression may not be there at the level of senses & the body

we all know and experience how we can intensely feel the prese

of someone who is extremely close to the heart. There is

sense of seperation in spite of death embrac

the other. All one can feel is a loving prese

of the beloved.

Going into the unmanifest:

Going into the unmanifest

embracing death is actually a bless

rather than a curse. Firstly it teaches u

be humble to accept the will of God

inspires a person to enquire about the t

of life. Secondly, the beauty of life lies in

quality of life that one lives rather than quan

A life lived fully with sensitivity and intellige

with the right knowledge is more fulfilling than

ignorant, insensitive, self-centred life. If one has lived such a righteous life than ther

no scope to grieve. Death then becomes a cultured escort opening the doors for a

fresh life or even being liberate in case of Men of wisdom who have nothing more to s

in the world.Beyond the Manifest & the Unmanifest:

There is a truth of the Self which is beyond the manifest and the unmanifest. T

is the reality of everyone, which is its basic nature. I am ever existent. I was there be

the manifest, during the manifest and will continue to be there after the manifestatio

am that in which the waves of manifestation & unmanifestation dance & play, and yet

untainted and unaffected. This is what Sri Krishna says in this sloka that it was neve

that I or you or these warriors were never ther and neither will any of us cease to exis

any time. We wll always be there as the essential reality of every thing that is manifes

and unmanifested. When one gains this wisdom then the blissful consciousness is fore

there beyond the journey of birth and death.- 11 -



Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can falltogether.

Don’t think of cost. Think of value.

Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see thingsclearly.

No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow youprogress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’ttrying.

Think twice before reserving a space in your heart forpeople who do not make an effort to stay.

Saying someone is ugly doesn’t make you any prettier.

The only normal people you know are the ones you don’tknow very well.

The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process ofloving someone too much, and forgetting that you arespecial too.

Quotes



Wanderingin Himalayas

AColorfulRoute toUttarkashi

Excerpts from

the

Travel Memoirs

of

Param Poojya

Swami

Tapovanji

Maharaj

25

Gangotri

Gangotri is the holy place where Bhageeratha performed hpenance. The forest where he lived and the rock on which he remained

meditation are still pointed out as Gangavanam and Bhageeratha Si

But the true source of the Ganga is Gomukhi, 18 miles to the North

Gangotri. Gomukhi is a long and lovely heap of perpetual snow amo

the silvery peaks of the Himalayas. the melting snow forms small r

seen and unseen, which join together into a single stream. This is t

origin of the Ganga.

As there is no route leading beyond Gangotri, travelers seldoreach the real source of the river. Yet, in certain seasons, people w

great powers of endurance and spirit of adventure do reach Gomuk

defying all the physical discomforts on the way. If there be one amo

them who does not know that the peaks of the Himalayas are ever capp

with bright shining snow, on looking towards the east, he is bound

exclaim, "Lo! the Ganga originates among these silvery mountains."

From November to April, Gangotri is covered with snow on all side

During that period it is almost inaccessible. Even the bear, native to thregion, finds it impossible to stir out of his den to hunt prey. But in Ju

devotees trickle into Gangotri. I believe that if a person is able, for onc

to immerse in the holy waters of the Ganga at Gangotri and medita

upon the Holy Mother on her banks, even if it be only for five or ten minute

he must be deemed to have fulfilled his life's purpose. Only the bless

ones come by such good fortune.

The Ganga is not mere water, like lakes or seas. It is Brahma hims

in liquid form. He has incarnated Himself as the holiest water to waaway the sins of the wicked. But what is the proof? Faith-nothing else.

spiritual matters(all great religions and all great teachers of religion agr

on this point) it is faith that matters, not intelligence. With mere intelligen

no man has ever attained the highest spiritual experience. Apart fro

faith, what is there to prove that Rama and Rameshwar are divine? Th

is why scholars have given up their logical methods and resorted to fa

whenever they are prompted by spiritual aspirations.

- 13 -



Adhyatmic

Teachings

of

Guru

Vasishtha

to

Sri Ramji

by

SwaminiVidyananda

What is the source of Vasishtha's wisdom? Is it his own creation after

nights of long meditations? Vasishtha is rishi, one who knows, or sees. He s

what is, the things which others usually don't see. At the same time, he sees

same truth which was seen by his teacher, who taught him the timeless wisd

and Vasishtha passes the knowledge so Rama can see exactly the same tr

limitless undivided foundation of everything, pure shining Consciousness, "ey

the eye" and "mind of the mind". This truth cannot be described in words, it ca

only pointed at by the pointers of the wise teachers and scriptures. Truth b

always the same, the pointers, helping one to see it, comes down from genera

to generation through the lineage of teachers and students, leading on e

step to the same truth of the limitless Brahman. So, Vasishtha is not the autho

the vision he teaches, it is the same vision which was passed to him by his teacher and the same vision which is being passed on to their disciples by

masters of truth now and at the times of past. It goes from teacher to disciple,

in turn becomes teacher and passes it to his disciple, who becomes teacher

Who was the first teacher? Does the truth have the author? It is the s

as to ask who the first father was. Existence of the son indicates the existenc

his father, and existence of the father means he also was a son and had a fat

and it does not matter, if the father of his forefather was a monkey. It is meaning

to try to find the first father. Same way, it is impossible to find the first teacher.

origin of the teaching goes an endless way back, and it is so refined and per

and hard to imagine as a human creation, so the origin of the teaching is thou

to be the Lord himself. The universe and the teaching have the same origin,

were created by the same great power. And it cannot be any other way - crea

and its truth cannot be separated. Particular ways of pointing to the Truth

change with time, but the Truth itself is something which cannot be chang

which stays the same everywhere and always.

To illustrate the divine source of the teaching, sage Vasishtha tells the s

about how the very first teaching was received by him from the Diving Father

Creator Brahma himself. It is also the story of the sage Vasishtha birth. S

Vasishtha was the son of Brahma, and also his very first disciple. The story g

like this:

Having created the world, Brahma thought of a way to help the soul

cross the ocean of the world-process. He planned to create the scripture of wisd

18

Vedanta Sandesh



B r a h m a n - G

y a n a i s A p a u r u s h e y a

By his mental will, Brahma projected a boy after his own image, and this

Vasishtha himself. After creation, he recognized the Creator as his Divine Fat

Right after his birth, Vasishtha was naturally blessed with knowledge, as is

father. This is an important indication. The state of knowledge is natural to everyo

it is divine creation. Everyone is naturally blissful and conscious. The erro

ignorance is temporal, not natural, and only because of this it can be removed

order the boy Vasishtha can appreciate the greatness of this natural knowle

and to help mortal beings, the Divine Father just for a moment put a veil of ignoraover him. With great love and compassion he said: "Oh son, just as a cloud cros

the full moon, a taint of ignorance will enter into your mind for a little while, so

I may enlighten you with the knowledge of the scriptures. The teaching that I

give you will become a powerful boat for human beings to cross the ocean of

world-process".

Immediately, the boy was affected by ignorance. He became sad

miserable and afflicted with grief. He could not understand, how this evil of

world-process appeared in his mind, and, being pained with afflictions, he c

not perform his right duties. Seeing him in such misery, the Creator Brahma as

"Oh son, why are you miserable? Tell me the cause, and I will show you the wa

end your grief." The boy Vasishtha asked, "I cannot understand, how this w

arose in the consciousness of the soul, and how it can be removed." Then

divine Brahma gave him this great immortal teaching, and with the help of th

teachings, Vasishtha discovered his real true nature and enjoyed supreme B

Concluding his teachings, Brahma said, "Oh Vasishtha, I inflicted you ignorance for the purpose of creating this scripture of wisdom. Now you mus

to the plane of the earth and become the preceptor of wisdom for the aspi

mortals". Since then, thus commanded by Brahma, Vasishtha was guiding

spiritual aspirants on the path of liberation. He had nothing to gain from the wo

and he was never tainted with ignorance or egoistic motives.

So, the great wisdom comes directly from the Divine Self. It is not the re

of human logic or insight. It does not depend on human mind, and the stat

wisdom is the most simple, pure and effortless state. The ignorance lasts on

moment, but during this moment it may appear to last countless births after bi

One who finds himself in ignorance has to spend many efforts in eradicatio

this ignorance. The result is the returning to that which was always my and y

own nature, blissful limitless existence, the light of Consciousness, which is

substratum of everything which ever was, is and will be, from which the wh

universe appears, in which it is sustained and to which it returns.

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5. Ishwar Pranidhana

Ishwar-Pranidhana means belief, devotion and surrender

to God. It is worth remembering that Yoga shastra follows Sankhya

darshan to a large extent, but this is one of the points where itclearly differs from Sankhya philosophy, which is basically atheist.

One should clear believe and appreciate the existence of that

omniscient & omnipotent intelligent creator of the creation. If there

is an effect there has to be a cause. To believe that there can be

an effect without a cause is baseless & even unscientific. So there

is a pattern, a logic, a reason behind all that which is. One needs

to see that even our existence is part of the total plan. Belief in

god helps us to discover our role in the scheme of things. It helps

us to concentrate on that which is discerned to be our role &

responsibility. A believer of god is not only free of so many burdens

of life, but can see & appreciate the beauty of all that which is.

There is profound blessedness in being blessed with such a

beautiful life. All problems are seen as our errors by not

appreciating the truth of the our self or the world, so that alone

becomes the focus of our efforts & sadhana's. Ishwar is not only

the creator & sustainer etc of the universe but also represents our

goal, so a profound belief and devotion unto him is of profound

importance.

The Five Niyamas



O n c e u p

o n

a t i m e

...

Story

Section

There was a sage named Shilada. He once saw that his ancestors w

being tortured in hell. When he tried to find out why this was so, he was told

this was because Shilada did not yet have a son. To obtain a son, Shilada beto pray to Shiva. He prayed for a thousand years. At the end of the tapas

Shiva appeared and offered to grant Shilada a boon. Shilada wanted the b

that he might have a virtuous son. A few days later, when Shilada was plough

the land, he discovered a baby boy on the blade of the plough. The boy was

bright as the sun and the fire. Shilada was frightened and started to run aw

But the boy called after him, Father, stop. Father, stop, A voice was then he

from the sky. This voice told Shilada that this was the son he had wanted. Si

this son would make everyone happy, he was to be named Nandi. Shilada brou

Nandi home to his hermitage. He taught his son the Vedas, the arts of the medi

and fighting, dancing and singing and several other sacred texts. All this Na

mastered within fifteen days. When nandi was seven years old, two powe

sages arrived in Shilada’s hermitage. Their names were Mitra and Varuna. Shi

worshipped them and presented Nandi before them. The sages blessed Na

with the words, Be learned, be faithful to your teacher. Shilada said, Sages, w

didn’t you bless my son with a long life? We couldn’t, replied the sages. Your

is going to die when he is eight years old. That is written in his stars. Shilada

crestfallen to hear this, but Nandi consoled his father. He promised his fathat he would do something so that this fate would have to be rewritten. He wo

pray to Shiva. And when he met Shiva, he would ask of him a boon. Mee

Shiva, exclaimed Shilada. I had to meditate for a thousand years before I co

get to meet Shiva. How do you expect to meet Shiva in the one year that is le

you?’ Wait and see, father, replied Nandi. Shiva is difficult to meet if you o

perform tapasya or thirst for knowledge.

The secret lies in faith and devotion. I will manage. There is a river nam

Bhuvana. Nandi entered this river and began underwater prayers to Shiva .

efforts pleased Shiva so much that Shiva appeared before him. What boon

you want?” asked Shiva. Please grant me the boon that I may be devoted to y

replied Nandi. I don’t want to be born become old and die. Shiva granted Na

the boon that he and his father would get to live in Shiva’s residence in Shivalo

Shiva’s companions are known as ganas. Shiva made Nandi ganapati, the c

of the ganas and retained him as a perpetu, companion. Shiva also gave Na

a wonderful garland to wear. As soon as he put this garland on, Nandi beca

resplendent with three eyes and ten hands.

- 17 -

Nandi



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Vedanta Sandesh



Hvsv Qppsojnb Dfmfcsbujpot- Joepsf ;This year Guru Poornima Festival was on the 12th of July 2014. This festival is

always celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion at Vedanta Ashram. Lots of devotees

from Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Secunderabad and Canada had come to the

Ashram to pay their respects to their Poojya Gurudev.

The day started with Poojya Guruji doing the puja of Bhagwan Sankaracharya, who

presides in the Ashram Satsang Hall, thereafter he did puja of his Poojya Gurudev and all

the teachers of his tradition. Thereafter Smt Shukla Magow from Delhi did the Pada-Pooja

of Poojya Guruji. After the puja Poojya Guruji addressed & blessed all the devotees on the

occasion with an inspiring message. Everyone got a chance to pay their personal respects

to Poojya Guruji. Later there was an open Samashti Bhandara.

Later in the evening a Birthday Aashirwad Program was organized in the

Sankaracharya Sabhagruh on the second floor. Birthdays of three devotees were celebrated.

Shukla Magow (Delhi), Tanmay Patel (Ahmedabad), and Kumud Tewary (Secunderabad).

It was a fun filled evening.

Hvsv Qppsojnb Dvmuvsbm Qsphsbn- Joepsf ;On 13th July evening a special Guru Poornima Cultural Program was organized in

the big Sankaracharya Sabhagruh. The program was sponsored by one of the local Indore

devotee Sh Subhash Kusumakar. In this program there was an hour long Flute Recital

Program by Sh Salil Date, followed by some lovely Bhajans by the well-known artist Sh

Govindji. Lovely dinner followed.

Jtib . uif Cfmpwfe Btisbn Qfu Fyqjsft ;On the morning of 26th July 2014, the beloved Ashram pet ‘Isha’ expired after a

brief illness. She was well-known to all Ashram visitors too, because she always use to sitsilently at the feet of Poojya Guruji in all Pravachans. She was cremated with lot of love &

respect by all the Ashram Mahatmas & devotees opposite Pipliapala Regional Park.

Ibovnbo Dibmjtb Tbutboh- Joepsf ;The July edition of the monthly Hanuman Chalisa Satsang was organized at the

Sankaracharya Sabhagruh of the Vedanta Ashram, Indore on 27th July evening.

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Vedanta (Janmashtami) Camp, Indore :

A six days Vedanta Camp will be organized at Vedanta Ashram, Indore from 12th to

16th Aug. In this camp Poojya Guruji will conduct discourses on Amrutabindu Upanishad,

and P. Swamini Amitanandaji will conduct discourses on 'Gita me Dharma'.

Janmashtami Celebrations, Indore :

Sri Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated at Vedanta Ashram on the 17th Aug

2014. From 9.00 AM will start the Concluding Program of the Vedanta Camp. Evening

there will be some Cultural Programs and in the night a Vishnu Sahsranama Archana and

finally the Krishna Janma at 12 in the night.

Hanuman Chalisa Satsang - Aug :

The Hanuman Chalisa Satsang of the month of Aug 2014, will be organized on

31st Aug at the Vedanta Ashram from 6.30 PM onwards. As usual there will be Bhajans

followed by an hour-long pravachan by Poojya Guruji on Hanuman Chalisa.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Lucknow :

A week-long Gita Gyana Yagna will be organized at Hari om Mandir, Lucknow, from

17th to 23rd Sept. In this discourse series Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji will conduct

discourses on Upadesha Saram and Gita Chapter 7.

Gita Gyana Yagna, Lucknow :

A week long Gita Gyana Yagna will be organized at Hanuman Setu Mandir Complex

by Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji from 2nd to 8th Nov. The subject matter of the discourse

series will be Gita Chapter-5 and Atma-Bodha.



International Vedanta Missionhttp://www.vmission.org.in/

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

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

Om Tat Sat

vedanta sandesh - aug 2014

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