Ardhanariswara Temple Tiruchengode God lives in the hearts of those who think of all human beings as equal. This world has many who treat fellow human beings cruelly and contemptuously. And yet such is the Lord’s love for us that He resides in this world in temples. Those in this world are here due to their karma. But they can be freed from the effects of their karma, if they worship Lord Siva, who is seen in the form of linga in temples, said K. Sambandan. Although this earth is a place where there is sorrow, even Brahma wanted to be born on this earth, because Siva is seen in many temples. The devas are sorry not to have been born on this earth. God does not discriminate against anyone. What we see as His partiality is not in fact so. He only assigns experiences to us, on the basis of our karma. To Him the have and the have-not are alike. The Lord wants us to share our God-love with others. This is not easy. If we plan to go to a religious lecture and meet a friend on the way, it is our duty to inform him of where we are going and invite him to come along with us. But the friend might say he is busy and might just slip away. So while a person must take others along with him, when he goes to worship, those invited must also realise the importance of listening to Vedic truths being explained and must attend discourses. Those who seek the mercy of Lord Siva must seek the mercy of Goddess Parvati too. Goddess Parvati is even more merciful than He is. Whenever Siva goes to slay someone, He goes alone. When he offers refuge, He is with Parvati, for Parvati forgives more easily, and therefore might pardon an asura, who needs to be destroyed by Siva. So He leaves Her behind, when He has to destroy anyone. Lord Siva has given one half of His body to Parvati and bears the name Ardhanariswara. Therefore, He will not be pleased if a person worships Him, without worshipping Parvati. In most temples, there is a separate shrine for Goddess Parvati too. When we visit temples, we must not just worship Lord Siva and come away. We must worship the Goddess too.
Vedantic cricket Lets all have some Vedantic Cricket Now Kapila enunciates the 25 tattvas of the Sankhya Yoga. These 25 tattvas can be understood in terms of the game of cricket, said Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma. Cricket has been defined as a game of glorious uncertainty. Life too is a game of glorious uncertainty. Life therefore can be analysed using cricketing terminology. The prapancham, that is the world, is the ground in the game of Vedantic cricket. The running between two sets of stumps is akin to the constant preoccupation of a samsarin, with the day-to-day aspects of life. The three stumps signify the qualities of sattva, rajo, tamas. The 10 fielders just waiting to get the batsman out, may be compared to the five gnanendriyas and the five karmendriyas. The bowler is the Kala Purushan — Time. He keeps track of our karmas in previous births. But in cricket there are two batsmen. While one bats, the other is idle at the other end. How can there be an equivalent to this in real life, when we are talking of a samsarin? The answer is that, when a person is born and lives in this world, he constantly has an impact or an influence on another person’s life. This is inevitable. When a child is born, for example, it gives a woman the status of mother. Just as the bowler tries in various ways to get us out, so do the many factors that tempt us and cause us to stray from the right path in life too. But the batsman, however careful he is, does get out one way or the other. He may be clean bowled — die a natural death. He may be run out — have an accident. He may get out if he himself accidentally knocks down the stumps — suicide. He may be declared lbw — he puts his bodily concerns above his spiritual concerns. He may be caught out — trapped by one of his indriyams. The scorer is like Chitragupta, keeping a tally of our score. There are three umpires in life too. Lord Krishna Himself says, “We are three. I, together with the Vedas and those who know the Vedas, hand out retribution or reward.” If the batsman scores four runs in one shot, he is applauded. If a man lives in accordance with the four Purusharthas of dharma, artha, kama and moksha, he deserves to be applauded too.
UNIVERSAL TEACHINGS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA SEE GOD IN ALL This is the gist of all worship – to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Siva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Siva, and if he sees Siva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. He who has served and helped one poor man seeing Siva in him, without thinking of his cast, creed, or race, or anything, with him Siva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples. GOD IS WITHIN YOU It is impossible to find God outside of ourselves. Our own souls contribute all of the divinity that is outside of us. We are the greatest temple. The objectification is only a faint imitation of what we see within ourselves. PERSEVERE IN YOUR SEARCH FOR GOD To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. “I will drink the ocean,” says the persevering soul, “at my will mountains will crumble up.” Have that sort of energy, that sort of will, work hard, and you will reach the goal. TRUST COMPLETELY IN GOD Stand up for God; let the world go. LOVE OF GOD IS ESSENTIAL Giving up all other thoughts, with the whole mind day and night worship God. Thus being worshipped day and night, He reveals himself and makes His worshippers feel His presence. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’s QUOTES When I Asked God for Strength He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face When I Asked God for Brain & Brown He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve When I Asked God for Happiness He Showed Me Some Unhappy People When I Asked God for Wealth He Showed Me How to Work Hard When I Asked God for Favors He Showed Me Opportunities to Work Hard When I Asked God for Peace He Showed Me How to Help Others God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted He Gave Me Everything I Needed Swami Vivekananda THE 15 Laws of Life By Swami Vivekananda 1. Love is the Law of Life All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore, love for love”s sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live. 2. It is Your Outlook That Matters It is our own mental attitude, which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light. 3. Life is Beautiful First, believe in this world – that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves! 4. It is The Way You Feel Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God. 5. Set Yourself Free The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him – that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free. 6. Don”t Play the Blame Game Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way. 7. Help Others If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better. 8. Uphold Your Ideals Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth. 9. Listen to Your Soul You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. 10. Be Yourself The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves! 11. Nothing Is Impossible Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin – to say that you are weak, or others are weak. 12. You Have The Power All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark. 13. Learn Everyday The goal of mankind is knowledge… now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man “knows”, should, in strict psychological language, be what he “discovers” or “unveils”; what man “learns” is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge. 14. Be Truthful Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything. 15. Think Differently All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything. So! just go through them and live with it. May God Bless All with Good Health and Happiness & Ignite Divine Love in you.
Significance Of Christmas The Significance of Christmas is known to men, all over the world. Though it is true that Christmas is celebrated as the day of the Birth of Christ into this world, yet it also symbolizes a very deeply significant truth of the spiritual life. Jesus Christ is the very personification of Divinity. He was born at a time when ignorance, superstition, greed, hatred and hypocrisy prevailed upon the land. Purity was forgotten and morality was neglected. In the midst of these conditions, Christ was born and He worked a transformation in the lives of people. He gave a new and a spiritual turn to the lives of man. There came a change upon the land. People started upon a new way of life. Thus a new era dawned for the world. In that period the seeker has no thought of God or higher spiritual life. He lives a life of lust, anger, greed, deluded attachment, pride and jealousy. If the seeker must enter into a new life of spiritual aspiration, purity and devotion, then the Christ-spirit must take its birth within his heart. That is the real Christmas when the Divine element begins to express itself in the heart of the man. From then onward, light begins to shine where darkness was before. A very small, but very beautiful, point of deep significance is attached to Christmas. It is the time and the manner of the birth of the Lord upon the holy Christmas day. Jesus Christ was not born in a grand palace. He was not born to very wealthy or learned parents. Jesus Christ was born in a simple lowly place, a corner of a stable. He was born to humble and poor parents, who had nothing to boast about, except their own spotless character and holiness. The above point of deep significance tells that the spiritual awakening comes to the seeker, who is perfectly humble and “meek” and “poor in spirit.” The quality of true humility is one of the indispensable fundamentals. Then we find simplicity, holiness and the renunciation of all desire for worldly wealth and pride of learning. Thirdly, even as Christ was born unknown to the world and in the obscurity of darkness, even so, the advent of the Christ-spirit takes place in the inwardness of man when there is total self-effacement self-abnegation.
Angkorwat- Introduction Angkorwat is a wonder on earth showing the caliber of supremacy of Hindu knowledge in terms of architectural science combining together with cosmology ,astrology ,numerology and historical events of Indian religion. If there is any place in world to see-its angkorwat. Everyone must see this at least for once in life. An extremely spectacular and stunning showcase of ancient knowledge challenging the latest technology today to solve its mysteries. Located in Northwestern Cambodia , Angkor, the Capital of the Ancient Khmer Empire was possibly founded around the Ninth Century AD by King Jayavarman II. However, the city reached its peak glory in the 12th Century under Kings Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII . The most beautiful and most famous monument in the city, Angkor Wat, lies about one kilometer south of the Royal town of Angkor Thom which was founded by Jayavarman VII. The Temple of Angkor Wat was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between AD 1131 and 1150. The Temple was constructed over a period of 30 years, and illustrates some of the most beautiful examples of Khmer and Hindu art. Covering an area of about 81 hectares, the complex consists of five towers, which are presently shown on the Cambodian national flag. These towers are believed to represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, the Home of Gods and Center of the Hindu Universe. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls, narrating stories from Hindu Mythology. With the decline of the Ancient Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat was turned into a Buddhist Temple and was continuously maintained, which helped its preservation. In 1992, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee declared the monument, and the whole city of Angkor, a World Heritage Site . See the enlarged image of the temple by clicking on the picture above.
KARTIK POORNIMA The full moon of today is a joyful occasion that takes us all to the days of our ancient rishis. Popularly known as “Kartik snan”, this day is observed as the day for beginning the life of a mendicant. During the rainy days, which normally extend up to 4 months, the monks of all orders do not move but settle down in one place and observe a special rite as “Chathurmas vrata”. Actually the previous Ekadashi day is known as “Prabodhini Ekadasi” which is believed to be the day on which the resting period comes to a close and all the ascetics start to move around to different places of pilgrimage. Since all the hermits start to move out, the householders also take bath in Ganges or in any other nearby river and feel a sense of purging of all their misdeeds done during the course of the year. In north India, especially in Bihar and U P people throng to the rivers for a dip on this day. Incidentally, it was on this day, the famous Ras Lila of Lord Krishna has also taken place. The sportive play of the individual soul with cosmic soul is depicted in this sport between Krishna and Radha. It is also the birth day of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Guru Nanak’s contribution to the world deserves a greater degree of appreciation and gratefulness from humanity. He rejected idolatry and propounded instead a simple monotheism. His spirituality was based on work ethics. Working hard, sharing with the others whatever we have and reciting the name of the Lord are some of his unique teachings. It was thus the “guru-ka-langar” has got its birth. The Langar is a community-kitchen, where all were welcomed with open arms. The event of “tera” in his life, is on eye-opener to every one. When he was working as a shopkeeper, while weighing the objects, on reaching the number 13( tera, a word that denotes the numerals as well as meaning ‘yours’). He would often slip into trance and repeatedly chant: “Teara, tera, tera- – -everything is yours, everything is yours, God. When he received invitation to stay with the rich mallick, Bhago, he would say,”The bread served by carpenter Lalo, though earned by the sweat of his brow, is like sweet milk but what you offer me is the blood of the poor.” Guru Nanak Jayanthi reassures the way to salvation to men in the world but mind given to the Almighty. Swami Nishthatmananda Muzaffarpur
Redefining Bhakti By Swami Omkara Nanda The greatness of the Vedas lies in the fact that they provide guidance for living for the entire range of human needs — from the most materialistic to the most detached and spiritual. Cutting across time, people and places, the authenticity, versatility and relevance of the Vedas have been acknowledged. The Bhagavad Gita redefines the Bhakti Bhava and establishes its crucial role in the Jivatma’s salvation by providing a direct link with the divine. Bhakti Bhava is a unique emotional experience and its flowering in an individual is directly proportional to the spiritual maturity that one attains gradually. This implies that the individual has faith in the message of the scriptures and in the teachings of the Lord, preceptors and the devout saints who have directly experienced God and remain devoted to Him. Lord Krishna reiterates that faith in scriptures is what differentiates a believer from a non-believer and that lack of knowledge of the Supreme Lord is the cause of all misery in this world. While it is easy to deny God, one needs faith to know Him. While the world, environment and people remain the same, there is an inner transformation bringing about an attitudinal change in us as love and devotion to Him begin to take root in our consciousness. Our outlook on things changes and our ability to deal with the problems of life is strengthened. Arjuna, who always thought of Lord Krishna to be a friend, is made to realise that He is none other than the Supreme Brahman incarnate. There is nothing further to be known than the ultimate knowledge of the Supreme Brahman. Unless one is able to cross the barriers of desire, greed and delusion, it will not be possible to know God. Among thousands of men, one maybe, struggles for perfection. Among those who thus struggle, perhaps one attains perfection. Amongst those who are perfect maybe only one may know the Lord. The Lord explains that He is manifest as the universe comprising earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and egoism. He is also the sustaining force of the entire universe.
AKSHAYA PATRA RAISES $750,000 AT ANNUAL BENEFIT GALA Boston– The Akshaya Patra Foundation hosted a successful benefit gala on Sunday, September 21 at the Westin Hotel in Waltham. The sold out event attracted over 400 community leaders from diverse professions. For some it was their first introduction to Akshaya Patra. The gala featured speeches from the Guest of Honor, Narayana Murthy, Chairman, Infosys and Congressman Jim McGovern, D-MA, Co-chair, Congressional Hunger Center and an honorary member of the Akshaya Patra Advisory Board. Akshaya Patra raised $750,000 that will help provide mid day meals to underprivileged school children in India. The pledges made during the evening were matched dollar for dollar by Jaishree and Desh Deshpande and two dollars for every dollar pledged by Sudha and Narayana Murthy. Akshaya Patra USA’s board chair, Desh Deshpande, in his opening remarks outlined the twin purpose of the gala, to celebrate the successes of Akshaya Patra and to honor the guest of honor Narayana Murthy, recipient of Padma Vibhushan and an icon in the Indian community. Congressman McGovern, an authority on international midday meal programs lauded Akshaya Patra as a global model of efficiency and sustainability. He said Akshaya Patra Foundation provides a model for the rest of the world to follow. Gene White, President, Global Child Nutrition Foundation, congratulated Akshaya Patra and shared Congressman McGovern’s sentiment, “We look to the future when hunger will no longer be a barrier to the health and education of the world’s children, and we are confident that Akshaya Patra will lead the way to achieve this.” Murthy in his keynote address shared some chilling statistics on hunger and poverty and set the stage for why it is important to support Akshaya Patra with a proven track record and demonstrated impact. He discussed how far India has come over the last 50 years, but how far it has yet to go and how Akshaya Patra is addressing two critical challenges facing India – poverty and educational issues facing India today. His inspiring and energizing remarks were followed by a short movie that highlighted the Akshaya Patra’s centralized kitchens, hallmark of the program that beckons imagination. “The event was an opportunity to honor Murthy who has given the global world a blueprint for leadership and for never shrinking from giving back to the society,” said MadhuSridha, President r of Akshaya Patra. “The evening brought together those committed to Akshaya Patra and those just being introduced to the cause. There was contagious enthusiasm, positive energy and strong commitment to address the challenge facing the next generation. “ The Akshaya Patra Foundation is the world’s largest NGO run midday meal program that feeds over 960,000 underprivileged children daily in over 5,700 schools in six states in India. Akshaya Patra is a public-private partnership that combines good management, innovative technology and smart engineering to deliver school lunch at a fraction of the cost of similar programs in other parts of the world. It costs $28 to feed a child daily for the entire year. For many of the children this is their only complete meal for the day. This gives them an incentive to come to school, stay in school and provides them with the necessary nutrients they need to develop their cognitive abilities to focus on learning. Through kitchens specially designed by engineers to leverage technology and sourcing its food stocks from local markets, Akshaya Patra is able to reduce costs associated with transportation and food spoilage while supporting the local economy. In a short time, the foundation has grown to become the largest, and certainly most innovative, school lunch program in the world. Akshaya Patra is a great example of what a non-profit organization can achieve– a cost effective, scalable solution with high quality service delivery. The above article which appeared as news release on 10/07/2008, the same is dedicated to Sri Narayanamurthy.
Full moon Sawan month or Shravan maas is the fifth Hindu month. As per the Hindu scriptures and Vedas, Shravan maas is considered as highly auspicious month. In Vedas, Sawan month is described as ‘Nabhas’. Shravan Purnima (the full moon day in Shravana masam) coincides with with the Nakshatra (birth star) of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu, Shravana nakshatra, hence the whole month is called as Shravana masam . This is the main reason why Sravan month is considered as important, significant and auspicious. Sharavan Mangalvar, Shravan Shukravar and Sawan Sanivar – Three Most Auspicious days in Sravan Month: Among the seven days in a week, Somvar (Monday) is auspicious in Kartik month; Guruvar (Thursday) is auspicious in Margashirh month and Sunday in Magh maas. But in Shravan month three days in a week are most auspicious – Shravana Mangalvar (Tuesdays in Shravan month), Shravana Shukravar (Fridays in Shravan month) and Shravana Shanivar (Saturdays in Shravan month). On Tuesdays in Shravan month , newly married brides observe Mangala Gauri Vrata which is performed to get rid of bad omens. On Fridays in Shravan month, married women observe Shravana Shukravar Vrat (Varalakshmi Vratam). On Saturdays in Shravan month, devotees worship Lord Sri Maha Vishnu, particularly Lord Venkatesha (Lord Balaji). Sawan maas is highly fruitful for good deeds. According to Puranas, performing Grihpravesh in this month is very significant and greatly forecasted. Hindu Astrology tells that the natives who born in Shravan maas are highly honored by the world. Hence Lord Jagannath, Sri Krishna, who was born in Sawan maas , is worshipped and honored by the world. Not only Sri Krishna, but Lord Hayagriva, who was born on Shravan Poornima, and Vaikhanasa Aagama Pravaktha, Vaikhanas Maharshi are also greatly worshipped. Purnima (full moon day) in this month (Shravan Pournami) is very significant and important. Sharavan Purnima is celebrated as Jandhyala Pournami. On this day, dwijas (who can able to observe Upanayana punaskar) perform Upakarma. Vedas described that this Upakarma helps them in maintaining their spiritual, psychological and physical health. Sawan Purnima is also celebrated as Raksha bandhan (Rakhi festival). Rakhi festival is a great tradition of healthy relationship between brother and sister. In Sawan month , Vishnu and Lakshmi aradhana (worshipping Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi) is highly meritorious.
Nara-Narayana- Swamy Narayan Mandir Tools to know Truth By Sri,K.B.Devarajan Courtesy: The Hindu Lord Narayana’s foremost devotee is Adisesha, the serpent. Adisesha came along with the Lord, as He took avatars to save mankind. In the Rama avatar, Adisesha came as the Lord’s younger brother Lakshmana. In the Krishna avatar, he was the Lord’s elder brother Balarama. In the Kali Yuga, Adisesha appeared as the great Vaishnavite Acharya Ramanuja, who was born in Sriperumbudur. Why did Ramanuja take birth in this world? It was to show us that we can know happiness only if we know the Truth and that we can attain moksha only if we know the Truth. Now how does one know this Truth or Ultimate Reality? Only through ‘tattva gnana’ can we know the ultimate reality, We should know the ultimate reality to be saved from further births. All the Acharyas are agreed on this, whether it is Sankara, Ramanuja or Madhva. How does one reach this Truth? One must understand the Truth in the context of the Vedas. The religions that accept the primacy of the Vedas are known as the Vaidika mathas. Why do we need the Vedas to understand the Truth? Just as we need the microscope and telescope for scientific study, so also we need tools to understand the ultimate reality, and the tools that help here are the Vedas. We use our senses to make sense of the world. But when something is beyond our senses, how does one comprehend it? We need the help of the Vedas to understand that which is ‘ateendriyam’ – not comprehensible through our senses. So to understand God, we need someone to tell us about Him. Those who have seen Him do not talk to us about Him. Those who talk about Him are the ones who have not seen Him, says Thirumazhisai Azhvar in a verse. So the only way to know the ultimate reality is to see what the Vedas say in this regard, because the Vedas speak only the truth. Suppose you have not seen the Niagara Falls yourself, but you have a honest friend who has seen it. If he were to describe the Falls to you, you would believe him because he is trustworthy. Likewise, the Vedas that show us the Truth are to be trusted, and will help us know the ultimate reality.
