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I N TE ~ NATIONAL
Russia: Tough Religion Bill Vetoed 17
Cover Story: What a River! Pure and Pu-
trid, L ifeline for 1Il0th of Humanity 22
Youth: America's Hindu EJollege Students
Take Their Destiny in Hand 28
Interview: L.K. Advani Speaks on India 31
Goa: Struggling Bravely to Overcome
400 Years of Portuguese Rule 48
LIFESTYLE,....-
Insight: 'I}J.e Yamas and Niyamas, 1\venty
• Laws for Living a Good Life 3t
Astrology: Predicting the Stock Market 40
Mehndi: Hindu Body Painting is
Suddenly
,
.OPINION
a Hot American Craze 46
..
t Pub}lsher's Desk: Keeping Secrets, the
First Step in Leaving Home 6
Editorial: It Can be fIard to be a Hindu
Youth These Day~ 8
My Turn: Call Us "Hindu Americans" 9
Letters 14
Healing: Helping Prostrate ~roblems 44
Minister's Message: Invitation to Dialogue 52
DI C ES U' S
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PUBLISHER'S DESK
Keepi.ng Secrets: the First
Step in Leaving Home
Hindu Dharma values family togetherness as a central
virtue. By growing together, we avoid drifting apart.
BY SATGURU SIVAYA SUBRAMUNIYASWAMI
TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY
ties is a very important ques-
tion these days. It is said that
Jawaharlal Nehru was instru-
mental in breaking up the
extended family structure in his at-.
tempt to industrialize India. After
that, once-tightly-knit families really
suffered as age-old family ties be-
came loosened. The wealth of ex-
tended families dispersed in many
directions as nuclear families formed
and money was unnecessarily spent
to maintain the ever-increasing needs
of a multiplicity of households.
Let us explore what a family actually is. People seem to have
forgotten. In America before the First World War there were won-
derful, well-established, large joint families, with twenty, thirty or
more people all living in one home. Everyone had chores. And
they all knew their place within the family structure. They loved
and cared for each other, and mother was always in the home. We
may be a long time in rebuilding family togetherness to the point
when the extended family is back in vogue, but meanwhile we are
still faced with maintaining family lffiity. The Hindu Students'
C0uncil, whom we feature in this issue, are working hard to redis-
cover their roots and strengthen family values. Our staff had many
inspiFing interviews with bright young Hindus in America who are
working in their communities to make a difference and reestablish
the old culture of caring for one another. We congratulate and
welcome their efforts, for they are the leade s of the tomorrow:
I tell parents who seek my advice that one way to keep a family
together is to show all members that you want to be with them,
that you need them in your life. Not, "Get out of my life, you are
bothering me. I have other thipgs to do. I have goals in life that
don't include you." This hurtful attitude is based on the belief that
when children reach age 18 they~hould leave home and support
themselves. This pattern is the result of two world wars, when
every able-bodied young man left home to join the army. This
callousness on the part of parents leads to alienation from their
children, who then begin leading independent lives. That leads to
the fIrst step in leaving home: keeping secrets from the parents.
With each secret kept, a small distance is created. A large dis-
tance is created when fIve or ten secrets accumulate and deception
becomes a habit. When too many secrets mount up, parents and
their children don't talk to each other much anymore. Why do
secrets create a distance? Because every secret must be protected.
6 HINDUISM TODAY. OCTOBER, 1997
This requires cleverness,
sneaking around to keep the
matter hidden, even lying.
Secrets give rise to angry
outbursts to keep others away,
such as 'Tm insulted that you
would even suspect me of
that!" Arguments erupt that
go unresolved, and an impen-
etrable barrier is established.
Mom and Dad are heard
saying to one another,
"They're so different now: I
can't reach them anymore."
Of course, the children have
been taught to be cautious, in a sense
forced into keeping secrets, lest unloving
parents curse them or beat them with-
out mercy for transgressions large and
small. Many are afraid of the wrath of
mothers and fathers who rule their fam-
ily by fear. In today's world it is so easy
to leave home. It is so easy for the family
to break up. It's even expected.
Husbands' and wives' keeping secrets
from each other creates a similar dis-
tance. The fInal divorce decree started
with the fIrst secret.
In an ideal family, children should be
able to tell .their mother and father any"
thing and everything. The parents
should want to understand and realize
that if they don't understand but misun-
derstand, they participate in the break-
up o( their own family. Of course, it
might be hard for them to deal with
certain experiences their children are
having, but all they have to do is look back in their own life, ac- I
tions and private thoughts to know that their children are living
out the same fantasies. The children repeat the still-active karmas
of their parents. Children are born into families with karmic pat-
terns that are compatible with their own. I can predict what young
people are going to do in their future, and the temptations that will
come up, if I know the karmic patterns of their parents. With this
knowledge, it is easy to guide them through life, helping them
avoid temptations and experiences that their parents lived through.
All of these experiences are set into motion by the individual
himself, by his own past actions. Every experience, no matter how
diffIcult or embarrassing, is a g06d experience, providing the les-
son to be learned is extracted from it. Experiences that are unre-
solvetl and repressed can be very burdensome for the individual.
Living Hindu Dharma makes us our own psychologist, psychia-
trist, counselor and problem-solver. This is because one slow!;' be-
comes the watcher of his mind thinking, the watcher of his
emotions feeling, acting and reacting.
r
Caught in the act: Father discovers son hiding a book on sex, an
area 17Wst families don't talk about. Adolescents often resort to se-
crecy, deception and cunning. If this father is wise, he will discuss
the situation calmly, without callous w ords or condemnation.
. . . . ' .... ·ft .... " . , · · · •• U.'tllt . . t ••• U . . . . " , •••• ,UUt ••" •• , . . . . . .......
Holding the ~family together can be summed up in one word:
love. Love is understanding. Love is acceptance. Love is making
,tt,.,tt............ ,u.uu ••••• nfUt •• ' . . . . ' n . . "t.
somebody feel good about his experience, whether the experience
is a good one or not. Love is giving the assurance that there is no
need to keep secrets, no matter what has happ'ened. Love is want-
ing to be with members of the family. A father who wants to hold
his family together rushes home from work. He doesn't think to
himself, "Why should I go home to all their problems when I can
continue working at the clinic for awhile longer." Loving parents,
father or mother, want to be with their children, and they let them
know this in so many ways. They face up to problems with love,
trust and understanding. They know that problems are only prob-
lems because of lack of understanding. They also know, through
living Hindu Dharma, that love and trust bring understanding and
acceptance of the lessons of the experiences, which are natural
manifestations of individual birth karmas and collective family
karmas. This approach keeps the family strong and cohesive. In a
home where Hindu Dharma is lived, no one has a private life. No
one has a secret life.
When harmony y>ersists in the home, harmony is in the commu-
nity, and harmony is in the country. When love and trust is in the
family, love and trust extend to the local community, and the coun-
try becomes stronger and more secure. Making strong distinctions
between good and bad does not help youths understand their de-
sires and temptations. The only path through their lives is one
experience after another. They evolve into better people through
understanding their experiences.
Children and young adults who have been holding secrets and
now feel that it is time to become close to their family again should
tell their parents they want to be completely open and disclose
what they have been hiding. Then give parents a few days to ad-
just and prepare to listen. Once reconciliation takes place, hugging
and talking will begin again, and the warm, loving feeling of fami-
ly will take over the home. Something magical happens when se-
crets are brought out in the open among loved ones. Many youths
have told me their parents were surprisingly understanding. Se-
crets are psychic burdens, and releasing them, youths tell me, gives
a great sense'of upliftment, like a balloon dropping its counter-
weight and soaring skyward. They feel instantly closer to their
parents, free of guilt, happier, less stressful, no longer defensive
and more interested in helping others.
One of the biggest areas of secrecy is sex. It is important that
parents give their children an education in sexual behavior early
on. This will also bring and keep the family togetherness. Many
parents fmd it diffIcult to talk about sex, drugs and the various
kinds of temptations that the world offers today. If this is the case,
it is best to seek community or professional help. Not talking
leaves children unprepared. Parents force their children into secre-
cy by s~owing these are areas that caimot or will not be faced in
the light of dgy. The home then becomes like an empty house. All
begin wishing that conditions will improve, but they never do.
We can now see that the fIrst secret is the issue, for it leads to
many, many more, be it on the part of the children keeping secrets
from their parents, wives from husbands, husbands from wives,
student from guru, and on 1md on. The solution is to follow the
yamas and niyamas (see page 32-35), the do's and do not's of Hin-
du Dharma. These are the natural laws of Sanatana Dharma.
These are the human ethics that hold families together, marriages
together, communities together, countries together. These eternal
Vedic precepts are for everyone, no matter who they are.
OCTOBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 7
.
";" ~. ' l ••• ' " . " . " •• ' l \ . " " ~"."'"
xx ~~ x~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~~
EDITORIAL
MakiDg it Relevant
For Smart Young Souls
Lessons on how not to teach and promulgate
our fait~, including blunders we still commit
BY THE EDITOR
EADERS OF THIS' MONTH'S ARTICLE ON THE HINDU
students' council (HSC) will encounter a dynamic move-
ment involving thousands of modern Hindu youth who
just happen to be mostly American-born. There are other
such institutions. A 6,000-member UK clone, the National
Hindu Students' Forum, is a potent.parallel. The college-age team
at the University of Durban-Westville in South Africa is another.
These groups are uplifting. But they ar.e also rare. More and more,
the youth of the world are leaving their family's traditions behind.
That goes for q hristians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists, too.
Religions need a fresh approach if they harbor any hope of
capturing the minds and h.earts of todays young ones. In most so-
cieties-certainly rural India-kids no longer are protected from
competing ideas or spiritual choices. They attend schools where
they may be in the minority. They watch TV,
with its undigestible buffet of values and
visions. They hang out on streets or the
Internet, where options are infinite and seldom
high-minded. We shouldn't be surprised that
kids drift from the culture. But we should be
vigilant, and we must be creative in how we re-
spond to their drifting. How are we failing?
What are the problehls we have in conveying
our heritage to children? I asked the experts,
ki<ils, and assembled their perceptions. See if
they coincide with your own:
1. Gultural.differences. When a child is going
to school in a non-Hindu nation, her family reli-
gious ways are viewed as odd. They compare
mom's Hindu ways with friends' moms' Christ-
ian or Muslim ways. The strong will survive the
test, others will succumb to a force slightly
greater than gravity near a neutron star-peer
pressure. A child's need to fit i"nto her surround-
figs, to be like and liked by her friends, should
never be underestimated. Peers "an ask tough
questions, some sincere, others intended to
challenge or even insult-«Do you worship cows?" «Is it true you
don't use toilet paper?" Solution: Teach kids at home, or in schools
that honor your family's tradition. At the very least, be sure they
are surrounded by understanding friends. Otherwise, there is little
one can do all day when they are out there in the Big Wide World,
struggling with their identity.
2. Parents' lack of knowledge. Kids sense instantly if we know
what we are talking about. If we don't understand our pat'h, they
will turn off the minute we talk about it. When they ask tough
8 HINDUISM TODAY OC OBER, 1997
l'" l"""""'" I ' lll. l ' . , l"""~ l'" ,'"
questions, we need to give honest answers.
They may fmd some parts of Hinduism
hard to believe. No probl~m. Let them ex-
plore various beliefs, trusting they will
come to the right conclusions. Solution:
Study Sanatana Dharma yourself, then pass
it along.
3. Lack of practice in the home. We of-
ten want kids to have the best of the Hindu
heritage without liVIng it ourselves. Kids
won't learn from this. They learn from ex-
ample in the home. «Do as I say, not as I
do" never works. If you are deeply
immersed, they will absorb it (not right
away, but ultimately). If your home puja is
half-hearted, don't expect the chil<ken to
be interested. If your temple visits are per-
functory and not truly devotional or mean-
ingful to you, they will seem shallow and
needless to your kids. Solution: Work on yourself Be a good prac-
ticing Hindu. Preach less, do more.
4. Heros are too few. Kids love heros, someone they can look up
to. In many nations there are just no good Hindu heros, so they
turn to local athletes, musicians or movie stars. Solution: Tell them
about the great Hindu women and men, how they lived, thought
and acted. Read them stories. Better yet, bring them into contact
with living Hindus who have made a difference. Invite Madhu
Kishwar to your community or get your daughter to w.rite to Kirin
Bede. Let them meet with inspired examples. Keep HINDUISM
TODAY on the family coffee table and point out articles that show-
case leaders who exemplify qualities your child should develop.
5. Parents need to be aware that their strictness, loving though it
is and intended to guide and protect, can seem overbearing to a
child, especially after 12 or so. One I5-year-old
boy confided to me, «Kids have problems with
parents who enfQrce things too much. If they
dictate, then you want to rebel." This is related
to trust. If parents show they don't trust their
offspring, if they hold the ryins too tight, they
can create an unintended reaction, driving a
child away, into the arms of the wOFld. Any dis-
trust or disrespect we give kids just comes back
at us. They know you value Hinduism. If they
become alienated, they will dump dh!ll"ma just
to strike back. Expressing your trust often and
giving them a little freedom to walk on their
own feet and discover the world for themselves
can prevent this.
6. Befriend your children. Do things togetp.er,
from ap. early age. Inspire them to do well, but
also accept them as they are, not as you think
they should be. Don't rule them, harass them or
underestimate them. If you wait until the'y turn
adolescent to do all this, it's too late. Kids tell
me, «Parents think we're dumb, and we're not!"
By treating kids maturely, you encourage com-
munication with them. Otherwise, distance is made, as seen in one'
teen's complaint to me, «Parents pretty much don't know their kids,
and kids don't want them to."
I
7. FUn. At a certain point in life, the number one priority is not
survival, but having fun. Teens may want to be with friends or go
surfing instead of to the temple. Make it possible to do both. Hin-
duism needs to have an element of fun in it. In India this works
because of the festivals and greater social order. Elsewhere it can
mean being different, strange, an outsider. Solution: Find ways to
, , •, , , , , l •l l , " , , , •, , , •, l \ •l , ,•
~~ ~~ ~~~~~~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~~~ x ~~
make Hinduism more enjoyable.- Summer
camps in America are a good example of
this, as is the HSC for college-age HiI).dus.
Such social encounters, intellectual friend-
$hips and entertainments make it a joy to
be a Idindu. .
Here are some sobering quotes ,from high
school age boys and girls in 4 ustralia. If we
listen to their voices, we may learn how to
connect to them again. We asked them sev-
eral questions. Here is a sampling:
How has Hinduism failed you? «There
are so many concepts that people can't
comprehend; neither can we." «It has not
provided all the answers, neither have I
looked for any answers in Hinduism." «Par-
ents do pujas blindly. They don't explain
what all the things mean. We're just sup-
posed tb shut-up and hold our hands in
prayer. I don't understand that." «My family
doesn't stress religion much. They tell me to
study, study, rather than pray, pray." ''All
those silly stories are, in my opinion, quite
unnecessary. They confuse the young
mind. Now, why do our Gods fight? Why
does Muruga have two wives?" «It's just not
being advertised. Compare the amount of
crosses yeu see to the number of aums.
Hindus are generally in the dark." «You say
Hinduism is the world's oldest religion.
Then it should have matured-by now. We
still worship icons. We play with fire and
do other things that people find weird."
Why don't you like or take an interest in
your culture and heritage? "There are
many things we ddn't understand. When-
ever we ask our parents, they dismiss the
question or don't know the answer. For ex-
ample, when I asked my mother how many
Gods in our religion, she said she doesn't
know because there are so many." «Why do
we go to temples? Why-do we waste time
chanting old Sanskrit words over a fire?
Why rdo we do pujas? How do we get bless-
ing from. giving food to an idol?" «Well, the
ideas or-karma, reincarnation and the wor-
ship of one God are interesting. But all the
rest I fmd quite boring and useless." «Why
should I? My parents don't care. We have a
shrine room and all, but we just hold our
palms together and sing. I don't find that
interesting." «Hindus are always fighting
among themselves. They are toleIflllt to-
ward others, but not among themselves."
"What use is an old religion in the * w-
modern, high tech-world? Can it help me
get a job? We have to progress along with
the rest of society."
All of that is Kid Reality, for which we
need better responses. The words of Swami
VivelCananda are no less compelling today,
100 years later, 'J\s long as the Hindu race
does not forget th'e great inheritance of
their forefathers, there is no power on
Earth to destroy them."
~ •••• , •• , l , l l , , l l , ••• , , • , , , I , , , l • l , • l l • l , , , ,
MY TURN
Let Us Call Ourselves
"'Hindu Americans"
It is only logical as linguistic and state
identities diminish over the generations
BY YASH PAL LAKRA
CCORDING TO THE LATEST
census estimates, there are
about one million people of
origin living in the
USA. Some estimate there are
more. The majority of these peo-
ple are Hindus. Every person and
group of persons has to have an
identity. Identity is not just a
name or appellation which other
people can attach to you. Identity
is based on who you are, what your beliefs
are and how you relate to the world and
other things around you. Indians, or some
times «East Indians," is the name or identi-
ty given to us or we choose to have. Of
course, amongst us, we identify' ourselves
with a language group or a state group,
such as Gujaratis, Punjabis, Telugu. Not
many people who are Hindus and are of
Indian origin identify themselves as Hin-
dus. This is not true of the Muslims of Indi-
an origin. Their Muslim identity to them is
more important than their Indian id~ntity.
The question to answer is: should we... the
Hindus living ~ this country, call ourselves
'Americans of Indian origin" or just «Indi-
ans" or «Hindu Americans'? My answer is
the latter. Most of us left India voluntarily
~thout compunction or by force. Many of
us have taken up American citizenship.
Our children, especially those who are
born in this country, are defmitely Ameri-
cans. Indians is a political term, that is a
citizen of India, or a racial term for a peo-
ple of South Asian origin. When we J.iave
adopted this country as ours, we cannot go
on saying we are Indians. Being Indians
and being Americans is not contradictory,
but it surely is confusing. To rationalize
this, many Indians have been demanding
rights to dual citizenship. This has many
MR. YASH PAL LAKRA is the current presi-
dent ofVHp, 'USA. He is a general surgeon
by profession and lives in Michigan, USA.
~ l •, , •I , ,
,
practical and logistical difficul-
ties. That is why, in spite of
genuine efforts, the govern- /
ment of India has not been
able to grant the request of
dual citizenship. Why «Hindu
Americans'? Because we are
Hindus and we are Americans.
As time passes, our linguistic
and state identity is going to
diminish.
I am not saying we should forget India or
not care about India. On the contrary, Hin-
dus living in any part of the world should
care about India. We should see that India
becomes strong and prosperous, because
India is the foup.tainhead or the source of
the philosophy, religion and the way of life
we call Hinduism or Hindutva. If India is
weak and poor, Hindus in,the rest of the
world will not get the respect they deserve.
If Hinduism dies in India, H;,.induism will
die in the rest of the world also.
Our children and their children may be
identified as «Indians" or 'Americans of
Indian origin." I'd rather we emphasize the
-Hindu identity. We should want to be con-
sidered Americans no less than any other
American, and also as Hindus. There are
Hindus in this country who migrated from,
countries other than India. Therefore, call-
ing ourselves Hindus will increase our
bond and fraternity with Hindus of non-
Indian origin. Being Hindus gives us an
outlook of the 'world which is holistic, uni-
versal, nondiscriminatory and more in tune
with the thinking of the founding fathers of
the American Republic. As Hindus, we
have much more to offer to this country.
Therefore, we, the Hindus living in the
USA, should call ourselves Hindu Ameri-
cans and live proudly by the Hindu ideals
of Ekam satya vipra bahudha vadanti
(Truth is one, sages called it in different
names), and Vasudhaivya kutumbhakam
(The whole world is a family ).
OCTOBER , 199 7 HINDUISM TOD AY 9
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THE VEDAS
God's Word,
Sages'Voices
Instill in us a wholesome,
happy mind, with goodwill
and understanding. Then
shall we ever dehght in
your friendship hke cows
who gladly rejoice in
meadows green. This is
my joyful message.
RIG VEDA 10.25.1.
All this universe is in the
glory of God, of Siva, the
God of love. The heads and faces of men are His own, and
He is in the hearts of all.
KRISHNA YA]UR VEDA, SVETASVATARA UPANISHAD 3.li
He is the God of forms infInite, in whose glory all things
are, smaller than the smallest atom, and yet the creator of
all, ever hYing in the mystery of His creation. In the vision
of this God of love there is everlasting peace.
KRlSHNA YAJUR VEDA, SVETASVATARA UPANISHAD 4.14
12 HINDUISM TODA'I' 0 G.,TOBER , 1997
God is, in truth, the whole universe: what was, what is and In this exceptional new book We offer a wide selection of
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KRISHNA YAJUR VEDA, SVETASVATARA UPAN1SHAD 3.lS- 16
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p

:LETTERS
A Dream Come True! how many of us cared to know the real oath to 'never forget' ...but the Nazis are dead
National Code of Conduct
an~ gone." My father narrowly escaped exe-
IN TODAY'S ATMOSPHERE WHERE PEOPI!.E
ar~ trading in the name of religion and
some are forced and bribed to de;: so, I foupd
your magazine very i.nteresting and encour-
cause of division of the joint family system.
R.L.SARIN
WATERWO, IOWA, USA
cution by a Nazi death squad in the Nether-
lands at the age of five. I can find no polite
~ay to express how HINDUISM TODAY'S trivi-
For the Citizens of India
aging to the new generation to preserve and Malicious Media alization of fascism makes me feel.
safeguard our culture, heritage and religion. I FEEL IT IS SO WRONG HOW THE MEDIA IS RYAN AMPTMEYES- 1. Patriotism: Our Motherland should be our first and highest consideration. Welfare of the nation is our own
It also motivates us to unite together to help blaming Eastern religions, especially Hin- MONTICELW, INDIANA, USA welfare. Therefore, let us willingly be ready to offer up even our own life for our country. Let us inculcate in
our poor and downtrodden Hintlu families duism, for the Heaven's Gate ml1"ss suicide our children and members of our family love for our country, the spirit of patriotism and service to our
aJ} over the world. Many people will defi- ["The Spaceship Suicide," CULT, July '97]. Jains Say Jai! country and our fellow citizens.
nitely subscribe and also extehd their help Hinduism is not to blame. The reason why THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WELL 2. Duty: Our first and foremost duty is to God and to Righteousness. Leading a righteous life is the best and
in achieving "our" goal. people turn to cults are myriad-the lack of done story on Swastika ["The Twist of Fate," most valuable service to our Nation.
HERMANT SHARMA love and compassion in our society, the MEDIA, August '97]. I faxed a copy of the ar-
HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA breakdown of the family, the loss of commu- ticle to Time, but so far I have not heard 3. Character: Character is the greatest wealth. A pure, incorruptible citizen is the greatest asset of our Nation.
.. nity, the alienation felt by people in a tech- from them. But the ·copy I sent to The This is vital and indispensable. Therefore, good character is to be given top priority value; upon this de-
Cultivating Cult Culture nological age devoid of a spiritual heart and :Toronto Star was republished. Also, there pends our nation's welfare and its future stability.
I WAS SO SAD TO HEAR THAT HINDUISM focus. It is an einbarrassment for me as an was an annual picnic of the Jain Society 4. Health: Health is the basis of success. Health is wealth. Next to character, it is the greatest national asset. As
TODAY'S cult status application has been so American woman to see media display igno- here and many Jains had gathered and this citizens, building up character and safeguarding health should be our primary duty to the Nation.
unjustly denied ["Cult Status Denied," EDI- rant and hurtful attitudes toward other faiths. article was well received. 5. Virtue: Let us join hands and eradicate the evils of gambling, liquor-drinking, drug-taking, tobacco-smok-
TORIAL, July '97]. I had such high hopes to The enemy is not some outside agericy. The PRAKASH MODY ing and betel-cheWing. Let us eradicate the evils of bribery, corruption, selfishness, immorality, dishonesty
see it listed way up among the top twenty enemy comes from within. It is our own in- NORTH YORK, ONTARIO, CANADA
and misconduct. Disloyalty to our Nation is a crime and an unpardonable sin.
".Prakash_ Mody@tvo.org
(just above the Vatican). Particularly upset- humanity toward each other. I believe our
ting was the fact that TM has yet made no nation can cure itself. But to do so takes 6. Public Property: 0 Citizen! We are custodians of public property. Let us not spoil, misuse, steal or destroy
claims of being Hindu, and that scholars awareness and emotional maturity. Blaming Kundalini: Let's Be Circumspect National property. Let us preserve it with love and care. Let us keep our country neat and clean. This is your
consider Osho as non-Hindu. This reminds Hinduism for our problems is maintaining FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, AN INCREASING sacred duty.
me of a recent debate in HINDUISM TODAY the same escapist mentality as those who number of people seem to be interested in 7. One Family: All our citizens are brethren. Let us feel this fraterriity. Let us all love each other and one another
regarding the "Beyond Hinduism" Sai Baba believed Mr. Applegate was the next savior. kundalini-a sacred and secret science of and be united because we are one family.
issue. What di<;l Rajneesh do to totally ex- .M'ENDy~SCHULJAN India. A casual browse through religious
8. Religion: We must have equal reverence for all religions, creeds and faiths . Let us love as our own brothers
clude himself that others have yet failed to CORAM, NEW YORK, USA sites on the World Wide Web yields a
the followers of other faiths. Let us treat others as we wish to be treated by them.
discover? Many neo-Hindu organizations morass of information which seems to be
disclaim from time to time being Hindu, as Casteing Blame growing exponentially. I believe in addition 9. Non-violence: At all costs avoid every type of violence and hatred, for this is a blot on the fair name of the
the need arises. Is it to avoid being lumped- I ENJOYED READING THE ARTICLE "50 to Hindus, the non-Hindus can also enrich Nation. It is soul-killing and causes great harm to our country's welfare and development. It is totally op-
in with everyone else's cult(ure)? Even HIN- Years of Freedom" (CELEBRATION, August their knowledge from such a database. On posed to our Nation's ideal.
DUISM TODAY displays rather subtle (at best '97). But I differ with you when you say, the other hand, it also has potential for bad 10. Economy: Let us adopt simple living and high thinking. Let us not be extravagant. Let us avoid waste. Let
of times) leanings to~ard Saivism over oth- "these communal problems are inherited . implications. I think people who document us practise frugality. Let us share what we have with our less fortunate fellow citizens. This is National
er "cults." from Britain's divide and rule policy." Good such literature should observe some kind of virtue that our India needs today.
, NISTULADASA BRAMA'CHARI excuse to blame everything on Britain. self-imposed restrictions. The information 11. Law: Let us respect the rule of law and uphold social justice. In this lies the guarantee of our welfare and
SRI PUNDARIK DRAM C6mmunal problems were created by the should be comprehensive enough to evoke
orderly progress towards a better India.
CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and its successive interest in the reader, but there must be
governments by giving special privileges to some threshold beyond which it may prove 12. Ahimsa: Non-injury is our highest virtue (Ahirnsa Paramo Dharmah). Compassion is a divine quality.
V We're glad you saw the wit in our editor's minorities and promoting casteism by label- to be counterproductive. If we keep on par- Protection of animals is our sacred duty. This is India's special teaching. Let us be compassionate towards
satire on cults. Other readers took the piece ing Hindus by schedule castes, backward roting kundalini over and over again, it will all creatures. Thus be a Indian. Try to become an embodiment of kindness, compassion and goodness in
seriously, believing the US government real- castes, forward castes, tribal castes, and the only tend to lose an aura of mysteriousness your everyday life.
ly does have a cult licensing office. They don't. latest one is mandai caste just to make sure at the end of the day. While writing books 13. Ecology: Man and Nature are inseparable. Man and his natural environment are inter-related and mutually
Our..editor promises never again to jest like that ).heir phony secularism rules Delhi by on kundalini, it would be logical to avoid interdependent. Everything in Nature contributes to our protection and nourishment. Let us, therefore, pro-
that. (No one here believes ~hat either.) appeasing them, and in result disintegrating specific details on its mechanism, which the tect our natural environment. Helping in maintaining the ecological balance is our duty. It is indispensable
Hindu society. Unfortunately, they are very ..reader should be encouraged to work out
. ,
Let's Find the Real Cause
su~cessful due to ignorance and illiteracy. With his guru. All autp.entic religious groups
should jointly agree to some kind 6f restric-
for our safe living and highest welfare. Polluting of public places and polluting of air and water of the coun-
try is a national crime. We must make amends for our past lapses.
KANTI B. PATEL
AN ARTICLE "LET JOINT FAMILIES FORGE A ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA, USA tion on what and how much to publish. 14. Unity: The more united the people of a country, the greater is their ability to withstand all obstacles and
Better FUture" was read with great astonish- I
PAWAN KUMAR DRAR
dangers. United we stand, divided we fall. This is particularly true about today's India. Therefore, let us live
ment [MY TURN, August '97]. Mr. Bharat J. Not a Trivial Matter ESSEN,GERMANY in close harmony and loving goodwill with all our countrymen. Love of our country means love of our
Gajjar has blamed and is trying to convict YOUR ARTICLE ABOUT KRISHNA'S BIRTH- ".pawan.kumar@uni-essen. countrymen. This is the most invaluable service a Citizen of India can offer to our Motherland.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru of breaking the place ~ the third or fourth article I've 15. Education: The process of education should incorporate within it the imparting of the basic knowledge of
joint family system in India by imposing seen describing an anti-Muslim hate group Letters with writers name, address and daytime India's great culture, its lofty ideals and noble values and principles of living. Our education has to be ori-
more taxes on joint famil{es and giving in- with tittle or no criticism thereof ["Sights phone number, should be sent to: ented for enriching and enhancing the quality of life of our youth and students.
centive to smaller families. <Nehru might on Krishna's Birthplace," INDIA, August '97]. Letters, HINDUISM TODAY
have made some mistakes, but we cannot What disturbed me even more deeply was 107 Kaholalele Road Thus, shine as a true citizen and serve your country best by the very manner of your life and conduct.

01 t/z,e" COal(tF?
forget the sacrifices he had made for the na- the last paragraph of your defenS'e of the KAPAA, HI, 96746-9304 USA
tion and the common good., If India was not Jain peoples' use of the swastika ["The
industrialized, we would not have been able Twist of Fate," MEDIA, August )97], where
or faxed to: (808) 822-4351
or e-mailed to:
letters@HinduismToday.ka\lai.hi.us
LOU-e"F~
to grow food ~d manufacture other things you claim that people in India "are not Letters may be edited for space and clarity and may Sponsored by the devotees of:
for the population we now have. I do agree aware of the potent emotional associations appear in electronic versions of HINDUISM TODAY.
The Divine Life Society of Maryland, 6606 Hardwood Lane, Keedys~ille, MD 21756, USA.
that united we grow and divided we fall, but of the swastika, nor of the Jews' collective " INDICATES LETTERS RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Web: http://www.rsl.ukans.edu/ -pkanagar / divine/ • Please copy and distribute this national code of conduct.
14 H'INDUISM TODAY OCTOBER , 1997 15
 Ayurveda Holistic Center
other foreign preachers speak dy-
Books by Swami Shankar Shri Anandi Ma-Master of namically and are translated into
Purushottam Tirtha: Kundalini Maha Yoga-will clear, modern Russian.
be offering public meditation Various nationalist groups back
Yoga Vani programs in: the Church even though they
Instructions for the attain- don't support Christianity-85 to
ment of Siddhayoga during • Surat, Gujarat, India 90% of all Ru'ssians are atheists or
sadhana. NovemberlDecember 1997 indifferent to religion. But they
postpaid: US$13.50 (USA) please contact: (0261)- view the foreign missionary activ-
$16.50 (Canada) 668276 for more details. ity as a threat to Russian identity,
Shaktipat initiation will be and-after the Aum Shinrikyo
Guru Bani offered at least one week- nerve-gas attack in Tokyo-a
100 ways to attain inner end during this time. threat to national security. Aum
peace. How to live a spiritual • USA programs will Shinrikyo had many Russian
life-for monks and families. commence again in members and a weekly prime-
postpaid: US$9.50 (USA) February 1998 time Moscow TV show. Locals
$12.50 (Canada) dislike, too, the Jehovah's Witness-
"With Shaktipat, the student is saturated with Divine Ener- es, who refuse to salute the flag.
• Two-year Ayurveda Certification Programs in person or gy. After Shaktipat, the Kundalini is permanently awakened The only group really opposed to
by correspondence (either by post or via e-mail) and, like a mother, constantly cares for and nourishes her the bill is the new class of Russian
infant. One may be of any religion, caste, or creed to benefit; businessmen (instrumental in fi-
Ayurvedic Products Distributors-wholesale or retail for all persons, the field of inner joy is the same. After Shak- nancing Yeltsin's election) who
Catalog: $1.00 (free via e-mail) • Consultations. ti-pat, the Shakti will take the student to the ultimate goal, would suffer from international
without doubt." sanctions.
Ayurveda Holistic Center The bill (available in English
c/o Swami Narayan Tirtha Math For general information about Shri Anandi Ma, by email from keston.institute@
82A-H Bayville Ave. Bayville, NY 11709-1671 USA Kundalini Maha Yoga or Shaktipat, contact: keston.org) is a more reasonable
Tel/fax: 1-516-628-8200 • Ask for Swami Sada Shiva Tirtha Dhyanyoga Centers document than Western media
E-mail: mail@ayurvedahc.com PO Box 3194 summaries of it might lead one to
Web: http://ayurvedahc.com (Free interactive dosha self-test Antioch, CA 94531-3194 USA Pressured to veto: Russian President Boris Yeltsin talks to press in Finland in early July believe. Much of it does indeed
and articles) Tel: 510-757-9361 • http://www.dyc.org/ guarantee, as its title states,
RUSSIA "Freedom of Conscience and Re-
ligious Associations." Some provi-

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Yeltsin Axes Restrictive Act sions, such as restrictions on po-
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groups, are identical to US law. Its
most objected-to provision is the
Special Divali season offer: Specialists in English-language books focussing (more than
1,000 titles) on Hinduism, Indian civilization and culture.
But Russia's parliament, wary of foreign restriction on forming a legal re-
all our prices discounted ligious body.
10-30% thru Dec 31, '97. • Pictorial story books for children and beginners. missionaries, may press for a modified bill Article 14 spells out the in-
• Condensed and simplified books on Hinduism by saints fringements which could lead to
• For Divali: clay dipas, Lak- and sages of various sampradayas. dissolution of a religious organi-
shmi-Vishnu shank (conch • Translations of philosophical works aimed at practitioners. N FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND ON of the Czars. All others-Roman Catholic, zation (or nongranting of legal status in the
shell), silver coins, Divali
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• Ma, Who is a Hindu? By N.T. Nair. A nonacademic foun-
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• Yoga Philosophy by N.T. Nair. Insights into the philosophy,
practices and goal of Yoga: the unraveling of the mind's
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I Religious Association" was the Russ-
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by Christian and other religious groups in
the heartland of the former Soviet Union.
most Protestants, Moonies, Hindus, etc.-
could register as a "religious group" and be
allowed to meet, but not to hold property,
publish books or exist as a legal corporate en-
tity. Upon application and meeting of strict
first place). They include undermining the
social order, threatening the security of the
state, spreading propaganda of religious dis-
sension or hatred, forcing a family to disin-
tegrate, encouraging refusal of medical help,
and much more, including • The Worship of Lord Ayyappan by N.T. Nair. The Pilgrim- Under heavy international pressure, includ- standards, such religious groups could be- hindering receiving of compulsory educa-
age to Holy Sabrimala and the worship of Lord Ayyappan. ing a threat by the US Senate to cut off all come full-fledged "religious organizations"- tion and forcing members to turn their prop-
fresh mango leaves shipped Pooja • Journeys to The Lands of the Gods by R. Rajathurai. Induces
anywhere in USA or Canada US economic aid to Russia, President Yelstin but only after fifteen years. The legislation erty over to the organization. Russian critics
• religious statues in all sizes,
International in the reader a desire to evolve through pilgrimage. partially vetoed the bill on July 22. The would effectively put out of business most of the bill fear the creation of a government
inel. new arrival of very large • Understanding Hinduism by P.N. Unni and T.P. Paran. Russian Parliament originally passed the bill foreign Christian missionary activity in the office, a "Modern Inquisition," to continual-
ones • extensive variety of Narmada River Shiva Lingams, This book, rich in graphics, extracts the essence of Hin- • 337 to five. It can now either try to override country, as well as curtail the functioning of ly monitor all the groups for possible in-
all sizes (30% off) • large selection of religious books in Eng- duism from the vast body of speculative and rational litera- the veto completely, or to revise the bill and several small Hindu groups such as ISKCON, fringement.
lish, Sanskrit, Gujarati and Hindi-classics (Tulsidass or ture on the subject. accommodate Yeltsin's requested changes. the Brahma Kumaris and the Tantra Sangha. Russia is not alone in wanting to impose
Valmikis Ramayan, all Purans, etc.), puja books on all Gods, • The Worship of Shakti in Hinduism by N.T. Nair (release is Only specific "traditional religions" of Rus- The Russian Orthodox Church is the main some restraints on aggressive evangelists and
bhajan books and much more (most books, 25% off) • single- imminent) sia-the Russian Orthodox Church, Islam, force behind the bill. Their leaders were spiritual groups. Other nations feel the same
to 14-faced rudrakshas • sandalwood, tulsi and rudraksha • The Non-Resident Indian- From Non-Being to Being by Buddhism and Judaism-would enjoy full re- shocked a few years ago when American anguish over the loss of old cultures and are
malas • wedding poojas • sari blouses, sari falls and petti- Chandrashekhar Sastry. "A verbal panavision of the Indian ligious rights under the bill. Also recognized evangelist Billy Graham swept into Moscow rightfully struggling to prevent what is a new
coats, men's, children's kurta pajamas • lotus seed and all immigrant the world over. were "traditionally existing local beliefs" of and attracted hundreds of thousands of Rus- kind of invasion from afar. Alexander
types of Indian/Hindu artefacts and useful items various peoples which would appear to in- sians to his giant stadium rallies. They had Bulekov, a Russian Orthodox Church spokes-
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• M.Card, Visa, Am.Ex credit cards OK Tel: 65-744-2166 Fax: 65-746-0845. Pentacostals, Seventh Day Adventists and conducted in archaic Slovonik, incompre- mitted and "we expect the parliament will
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16 OCTOBER , 1997 HINDUI SM TODAY 17
 Gurani Anjali (Guruvi) South Asia Books Self-Realization Fellowship
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18

Pilgrimage to Lord Shiva's ice-lingam at
~arnath began in July with tne first 1,600
pilgrims outnumbered six to one by securi-
ty troops. They also had unprecedented
cooperation from the Jammu and Kashmir
government. Chief Minister Farooq Abdul-
lah stayed overnight at Pahalgam, base
c9ffiP for the 29-mile pilgrimage to the sa- lawsuit victory against vegefarians Dave
cred shrine. 242 pilgrims died last year in
severe weather. The government had hoped
to limit the pilgrims to 75,000, but 120,000 tributed pamphlets characterizing Mac-
were expected to make the trek.
, al capitalism. While Justice Roger Bell
The "Vijay Yatra" of the Shankaracharyas
of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham included a
warm reception by Sikh clergy at the Gold- cruel to animals, exploits children through .
en Temple in Amritsar. Sri Jayendra
Saraswati and Sri
Vijayendra Sara-
swathi began their
tour of North In-
dia in April, "to
spread Adi Shan-
kara's message of
the 'spiritual uni-
ty of all mankind,' Sikhs' Golden Temple
or the propaga-
tion of the tenets of Sanatana Dharma," re-
ported The Hindu.
Buddhism is burgeoning in France. The Na-
tional Catholic Register notes: 15% of
French people are inlerested in Buddhism,
and 2 million people list Buddhism as their
favorite religion. France now has 200 Bud-
dhist meditation centers. Europe's first
Buddhist university is now in Paris; and
Buddhist programming is even showing on
government-run television.
Transcendental Meditation will be re-
searched as a technique for preventing
he~t attacks and strokes among African-
Americans, under a $1.6 million dollar
grant from USA's National Heart, Blood and
Lung Institute. "It is the first time that
funding for clinical research has been
awarded to explore the unique technique as
a preventive intervention for people at high
risk for cardiovascular disease," said Robert
Schneider, Dean of Vedic Medicine at Ma-
harishi University of Management in Iowa.
Sotheby's, London's oldest auction house,
will move all of its regular sales of antiqui-
ties to New York, folloWing revelations it
sold artifacts smuggled into Britain. Occa-
sional sales will take place in London, but
only if the items are "from collections of
unquestionecfprovenance." The move fol-
lows increasing concern among archeolo-
20 H INDUISM TODAY OCTOBER, 1997
gists that the international market for antiq-
uities encourages looting and illicit excava-
tion of religious sites, particularly in India,
Russia, Egypt and Italy.
MacDonald's has prevailed in England's
longest-ever court trial, but its "McLibel"
Morris and Helen Steel was served with a
side of humiliation. The veggies had dis-
Donald's as the epitome of evil multination-
agreed the company had been defamed, he
also agreed that MacDonald's is sometimes
advertising and underpays its British work-
ers. The leafleting resumed, and thif vege-
tarians planned to appeal.
Corporal punishment is being expelled
from India's National Policy on Education.
To demonstrate dedication to education as
a "unique investment," a phased plan
known as "operation blackboard" says,
"Physical punishment may p'romote confor-
mity il} the short term, but research find-
ings suggest that it tends to increase the
probability of aggression and deviance."
Priceless pieces.of Angkor Wat continue to
be stolen and sold, but now the Internation-
al Council of Museums is responding to the
plunder of the world's largest religious mon- Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Kerala, India, has
ument. Both New York's Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, and Honolulu's Academy of
Arts recently decided
to return stolen Cam-
bodian sculptures.
But as recently as a
year ago a customer
could enter an an-
tique shop across the
border in Bangkok,
examine pictures of
the temples and or-
der pieces to be
sawed off, said He-
len Ibbitson Jessup, Head hunters
curator of the Na-
tional Gallery's
, exhibit.
The United Religions Initiative, a visionary
project to create daily dialogue among reli-
gions, is dedicated to peace among people
of all faiths-and acts of peace are always
acts of courage. Witness the apology of-
fered by Iftekhar Hai, interfaith coordina-
tor,of the United Muslims of Anierica, dur-
ing closing ceremonies at the Second
Annual URI Global Summit at Stanford
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: WORLD WIDE WEB , ANCIENT CAMBODIA, PERFECT HEALTH
Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Rath )'atra Celebrations
GRAND CHARIOT PROCESSION
Uhlversity in June. Acknowledging history,
he asked "forgiveness for any Muslim ag-
Sunday, October 19, 1997
wession ever done anywhere by any Mus-
lim," and pledged to go anywhere in the
world in support of healing by the URI. All
rose in ovation. Attended by 200 people
from dozens of faiths, including indigenous
traditions, the week's work toward a URI
charter for signing in the year 2000 result-
ed in 21 research and development task
groups in areas as varied as "Defending Re-
ligious Rights" and "Scientific Academic
Discourse." Contact: URI, 1055 Taylor •
Street, San Francisco, CA, 94108, USA.
Email: unitrelig@igc.org.
Smearing the reputation of Dr. Deepak
Chopra cost the Rupert Murdocli-owned
Weekly Standard a formal "correction and
an apology" as settlement of a $35 million
dollar libel suit. A '
1996 article made
false accusations
about the best-selling
author. "We regret
any harm that may
have been done....We
believe that Dr.
Chopra is sincere
and forthright in his Chopra still strong
teachings..." the
magazine said.
given HINDUISM TODAY publisher Satguru
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami its "Hindu Voice
of the Century" award. The award includes
a statue of Subramuniyawami and a cash
grant of Rs.5,00l, according to Kerala VHP
vice president Dr. Chandrababu.
Catholic nuns are aging into a health care
crisis. Of the sisters now in the USA, only Barsana Dham Program
569 are under age 30, just 3% under 40, 10:00 AM - 11 :30 AM Rath Yatra Hundreds of thou sa nds of flowers w ill
"while 70% are over age 60. Buildings that . Austin, Texas U.S.A. shower the proceSSi on as it follow s a bea ut iful pa th
once housed novices .we being converted through Barsana Dham
into nursing homes. Health care cOSts for se- Barsana Dham 11 :30 AM - Noon Devotional bhajans by Pandit T iwari, Trinidad.
niors are so high that orders are selling Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple
property, seeking government aid and merg- M eera Devi, Ranjana Devi, Priya Dasi , Brajeshwa ri Devi
400 Barsana Rd. ,
ing orders. Accounting firm Arthur Ander-
Austin, TX 78737 USA Noon -12:30 PM Speech and bleSSings of
sen Inc. found that religious orders last year
were US$7.9 billion short of the funds need- Ph: (512) 288-7180
H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati
I
ed to care for their 100,000 retired priests 12:30 PM -2:00 PM Lu nch prasad
and nuns. The nups serve long past the time
~ http://www.isdl.org
people usually retire, and they tend to live 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Magnificent Cultural Program
five years longer on average.
BRIEFLY is compiled from press, TV and
wire-service reports and edited by RAVI
PERUMAN, award-Winning radio journalist
at KGO in San Francisco.

Rampant, debilitating disease is already the result
of Ganga pollution. Unchecked, its human health toll
may reach catastrophic proportions in a few years.
UR CONSCIOUSNESS HAS GONE IN-
to a slumber. Our sensitivity has
slipped into a strange coma,"
l 'ruLUvU'" activist Rakesh Kumar
·t · · ·.· ·:" . . . of Kanpur, a city of one
400 kIn southeast of Del-
«Reople need to be awakened
to the problem of Ganga pollution." His Eco-
Friends organization is one of a handful try-
ing desperately to awaken India and the
world to the present pitiful plight of Ganga
Mata, Mother Ganges. She is polluted by
enormous quantities of human and industri-
al waste. Disease-causing organisms and poi-
sonous chemicals abound in Her ever-sacred
waters. Rampant illness, disability and early
death is the result, a tremendous drain upon
India's human resources. Payal Sampat is a
staff researcher at The Worldwatch Insti-
tute, a renowned social and environmental
think tank. This report is condensed from
her original analysis published in World
Watch magazine, July/August, 1996.
22 HINDUISM TODAY OCTOBER, 1997
SPECIAL REPORT By PAYAL SAMPAT
THE WORLDWATCH INSTITUTE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AccoJ ding to Hindu mythology, the Ganges
river 'of India-the Goddess Ganga-came
down to the Earth from the skies. As the riv-
er 'rushed down, God Siva stood waiting on
.;even after many years of storage.
the peaks of the Himalayas to catch it in His
matted locks. From His hair, it began its
journey across the Indian subcontinent.
Whatever one makes of this myth, the Gan-
ga does, in fact, carry extraordinary powers
of both &-eation and destruction in its long
descent from the Himalayas. At its source, it
springs as melted ice from an immense
glacia1 cave lined with icicles that do look
like long strands of hair. Today .the river
symbolizes purification to millions of Hin-
dus the world over, who believe that drink-
ing' or bathing in its waters willl~ad to rrwk-
sha, or salvation.
There may be a scientific as well as reli-
gious basis for the beliefs that this river can
bring purification. According to environ-
mental engineer D.S. Bhargava, the Ganga
decomposes organic waste 15 to 25 times
faster than other rivers. This fmding has
never been fully explained. The Ganga has
an extraordinarily high rate of reaeration
(the process by which it absorbs atmospher-
ic oxygen), and it can retain dissolved oxy-
gen much longer than water from other
rivers. This could explain why bottled water
from the Ganga reportedly does not putrefy
Today the Ganga jiupports a staggering
400 million people along its 2,510 'kilometer
(1,560 mile) course. If the delta it shares
with the mouth of the Brahmaputra River is
included, the number of people it supports
rises to half a billion, or nearly one-tenth of
all humanity, maki!lg it the most populous
river basin in the world.
Over 29 cities, ;70 towns and thousands of
villages extend along the Ganga's banks.
Nearly all of their sewage-over 1.3 billion
liters per day-goes directly into the river,
along with thousands of animal carcasses,
mainly cattle. Another 260 million liters of
industrial waste are added to this by hun-
dreds of factories along the river's banks.
The result is deeply ironic: this ancient
symbol of purity and cleansing has become,
over much of its length, a great open sewer.
The Itransformation began centuries ago,
when the basin's rich cropland and abundant
wildlife made it a perfect place for human
settlement. For a long time, the river seemed
impervious to damage; its enormous volume
of water diluted or decomposed waste very
rapidly, and the annual monsoons regularly
flushed 't out. With 20th century pressures
of burgeoning population and industrial
growth, the Ganga is teetering under' the
burden placed on its cleansing capacities.
From the mountains to the sea: It is at
Rishikesh that the defilement begins, as raw
sewage is dumped into the river along with
hydrochloric acid, acetone and other efflu-
ents from large pharmaceutical companies,
and heavy metals and chlorinated solvents
from electronics plants. From Rishikesh on,
the river is never able to rewn its balance
before the next onslaught of unsought offer-
ings eomes its way. Perhaps the worst as-
saults occur at the city of Kanpur, where the
hides of horses, goats and cattle are brought
to factories for tanning. Some 80 tanneries
operate here, ccihsuming and discharging
large quantities of water as skins_go through
an extensive chemieal treatment from the
time they are scoured with lime to when nous Ganga receives an additional load of
they are treated with chromium salts. The 150 million liters of se3'age each day.
chromium lends a greenish hue to the drink- About 150 kilqmeters east of Allahabad,
ing water the city draws from the river. Or~ the Ganga reaches Varanasi (Banaras), the
ganic wastes-hair, flesh and other animal place most associated with the river by its
remains-are thrown into the river, giving it devotees. Varanasi is one of India's oldest
a fetid stench. As they sink into the water, cities, and is considered to be its holiest. Its
they mingle with the effluents of some 70 sewer system was built by the British in
other industrial plants-mainly sugar facto- 1917, designed to serve one-tenth tJ:ie popu-
ries that disgorge a thick molasses-like sub- lation of the city today. This antiquated sys-
stance, and textile companies that throw in tem does little more than pipe raw sewage
various bleaches, dyes and acids. Kanpur int~ the river.
also contributes to the river about 400 mil- Multitudes of pilgrims come to Varanasi to
lion liters of sew~ge each day. bathe in the Ganga and ili-ink its watef, con-
Another dose of nitrates and phosphorus vinced of its purifying qualities-and undis-
comes straight from the Indian ~Farmers suaded by the fact that coliform bacteria
Fertilizer Cooperative, a group of fertilizer . levels here far exceed the limits considered
factories just before the city of Allahabad. safe. The World Health Organization stan-
Thus laden~with mud, raw sewage, heavy dards for drinking wa~r stipulate coliform
metals, fertilizers and pesticides-the river levels of no more than l{) per 100 milliliters
heads east toward its junction with another of water. In Varanasi. coliform counts are as
great river, the Yamuna. Unfortunately, what high as 100,000 per 100 ml. Elsewhere in
might have been a fresh infusion of water the river, they range from 4,500 upstream to
here is not to be. The Yamuna, it turns out, 120,000 downstream. Not surprisingly, wa-
has a sorry saga of its own. Flowing parallel ter-related ailments like amoebic dysentery,
to the ganga just a little to the west: the Ya- gastro-enteritis, tape-worm infestations, ty-
muna p'asses through New Dellii, picking up phoid, cholera and viral h~patitis are ex-
another massive quantity of sewage and oth- tremely common in the Gangetic region.
er pollutants. At Allahabad, the now volumi- One person in the region dies of diarrhea
OCTOBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 23
 "\

Purity to Pollution: Bhagirathi and Alaknand flow

together (jar left) at Devprayag to form Ganga.
Varanasi bathers (left) taking a serious risk to their
health. Thousands of turtles intended to consume
fiver waste w ere immediately poached by local fish-
ermen shortly after their release at Banaras (above).
,
every minute, and eight " of every 10 people a billion people in the next generation. This 40 million workdays and'tnillions of rupees ed in the planning. But as conditions have could knowingly put raw sewage into the er when I first came here 16 years ago.
in Calcutta suffer from amoebic dysentery would mean 2.5 billion liters of sewage, or in health services are lost each year due to worsened, the prospect of having their life- same water they bathe in or drink. Yet, what Something happened to me that was not
each year. double today's quantity, and 2 billion liters of diseases the river carries. With a collapse of support system incapacitated may spur con- has happened here is fundamentally no dif- comprehensible in normal'thinking."
The river moves on to Bihar's capital, Pat- industrial effluents discharged into the riv- basic freshwater services, those losses could cerned industrialists, farmers, public health ferent f~om the continued abuse of ecosys- Jaiswal of Eco-Friends is concentrated on
na, a major producer of agricultural chemi- er each day by the year 2020. explode. officials and ecologists to succeed where the tems allover the world. Whether it is the the Kanpur area. Jaiswal canvassed thou-
cals, where the water undergoes still further In any life process, whether that of an in- The link between the river's health and bureaucrats failed. The spiritual role of the contamination of groundwater by nuclear sands of saints and sadhus at the 1995 Ardra
alteration. Farther downstream, the large oil dividual organism or a large ecosystem, that of the region it sustains has been given river, too, could provide a powerful force for waste in fuIssia, the bioaccumulation of tox- Kumbha Mela at Allahabad, but found him-
refinery at Barauni is notorious for piping gradually increasing stress does not result short shrift by policymakers. In 1985, the change. Dr. V.B. Mishra, a Hindu priest and ic chemicals in fish, or the killing of thou- self in competition with other hot political
huge amounts of oily sludge into the river. simply in gradually increasing impairment; Indian government launched an Action Plan professor of hydraulic engineering who sands of lakes by acid rain in Scandinavia, issues such as Ramjanma Bhoomi and was
Ten years ago at this location, a two-kilome- at some point the whole process collapses- to clean the river, but it failed abjectly-due leads the Clean Ganga Campaign in Vara- the long-range risks are no less alarming. only modestly successful in explaining the
ter stretch of the river caught fire and as is now happening in the Ganga. If this to pervasive corruption, mismanagement nasi, tells adherents that the river's sacred- To the ancient peoples of Mesopotamia or rivers plight to a few religious leaders.
burned for 16 hours. continues much longer, the Ganga will be- and technological bungling-and was duly ness is reason enough to preserve it. the Ganga valley, there was possibly no What can you do? The pollution problems
When the Ganga ~nters West Bengal, it come incapable of serving its traditional abandoned. A fundamental reason for the To observers in"other parts of the world, greater crime than the desecration of a river. described in this article can be permanently
branches into the Hooghly, which turns waste-removal function, or of providing us- failure was that most of those who have a the case of the Ganga may seem uniquely Despite all we know about the conse- solved only by the government. It will take
south toward Calcutta. About 150 large in- able water for industries or homes. Already, stake in the river's ~ealth were never includ-
I
,
horrific; it may be hard to grasp how people quences of our polluting actions, we repudi- decades and billions of dollars. So what
dustrial pl!lJ1.ts are lined up on the ate tl1is respectful relationship with the re- should we do in the meantime ~ People in
banks of the Hooghly at Calcutta. • GANGOTRI sources on which we depend. It is -a Western countries have lived with seriously
Together, these plants contribute
30 percent of the total industrial A River of Purity and Poison MAJOR
ASHRAM A
relationship that neither India nor the world
can continue to ignore.
WORLDWATCH INSTITUTE, 1776 MASSACHUSETTS
..."
polluted waterways for centuries. They don't
swim in a river unless they know for certain
it is not dangerously polluted. No one in the
effluent reaching the mouths of
the Ganga. Of this, half comes
Nearly every imaginable hazardous by-product of human activity is
dumped in e Ganga from Rishikesh to the Bay of Bengal It MAJOR
TEMPLES
AVENUE , WASHINGTON , D C, 20036, USA

from pulp and paper industries
whic;h discharge a dark brown,
oxygen-craving slurry of bark and
wood fiber, mercury and other ~
heavy metals which accumulate
in fish tissues and chemical toxins
like bleaches and dyes, which
produce dioxin and other persis-
tent compounds. In the United
States, the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency has set a standard for
suspended solids at 100 particles G
per liter of water, but the ~ount in ~
the Hooghly is over 6,000. ~
Toward a bleak futurll: Despite ~
the long history of the river's des- ~
ecration, what has happened to ~
date may pale beside what awaits ~
this region i( current practices ~
OF ORGANIZATIONS ARE
KATHMANDU KUMBRA working to clean up the
Mm Dr. Veer Bhadra Mishra,
SITES M8tllalJ.q·1·," and his local Sankat
iHIJCiidlJ Foundation and interna-
tional support group, Friends of
Bay of the Ganges, concentrates on Banaras. Ac-
Bengal cording to Mahantji, an expensive sewage
system built under the Ganga Action Plan
does not function as planned and has result-
ed in sewage flooding into city streets. He
advocates a new, passive system which will
. shunt all sewage downstream below the city
Yamuna River into low~tech oxidation ponds. American
• PRAYAG (ALLAHABAD) Fran Peavey, president of Friends of the
~ i
\;;;;J Ganges, told HINDUISM TODAY, "If we [ an fix
pollution here in this holy city, it will be a
SEWAGE PHARMACEUTICAL FERTILIZERS TANNERIES CORPSES CARCASSES DISTILLERIES SHOE FACTORIES SHIPS model-for the rest of India." She is an exam-
L do , ple of how non-Indians can be inspired to
United States would drink directly from die
Mississippi, a river with half the water flow
of Ganga. No Western nation is attempting
to clean up a river or lake to the extent one
cOl1ld drink from it; rather the focus has .
been on supplying purif>.e d water by pipes.
This too might be a better goal for 1ndia's
cities than to completely depollute the rivers.
Because the rivers in India are cleaner at
some times of the year than others, festivals
and pilgrimages centered around the rivers
could be adjusted accor>iingly. Those bathing
at rivers where pollution is a significant haz-
ard should be systernp.tically warned and ad-
vised on how to protect themselves. The
many temples and ashrams along the Ganga
can take a role in this public education, and
all Hindus can help Mahantji, Jaiswal, Meh-
ta and others clean the Gan~es.
CONTACTS: SANKAT MOCHAN FOUNDATION, B Il45, VARANASI,

basinispr~ectedtoreachalmost ~ ~
/ 8
continue. The population of the ~ ______________________________________________________________________________-11--________ ..__..____ ________..J help. "You don't have to be an Indian to love
~~~ ~

Ganga," she said. "I fell in love with the riv-

2 2 1 005 . INDIA. F RIEND S OF THE GANGE S, 318 1 M I SS ION
STREET, #30 , SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94110, USA. ECO-
FRIEND S, POST BOX 287, KANPUR, 208 001, INOlA.

I
24 HINDUISM TODAY OCTOBER, 1997 OCTOBER, 1997 HfNDUISM TODAY 25
INTERVIEW · participation of the people is not there.
Marriage Rites and Rituals of Hindus Autobiography of a Yogi
Hindu Marriage Samskara by Paramahansa Yogananda's
World's Most Effective The saints must help I

Ganga is the holiest of holy rivers, and

every Hindu has a deep reverence for it
Dr. Prem Sahai.

This book is a guide and

acclaimed autobiography is at
once the riveting account of
an extraordinary life and a
Environmental Attorney and is ready to do his bit in a "Clean Gan-
ga" project-provided there are the right
kind of people wBo can inspire the people
practical manual for under-
standing, conducting and
recording the marriage
MARRIAGE RITES AND ruTUALS OF HINDUS
profound introduction to the
ancient science of Yoga.
With engaging candor, elo-
at large. Presently, religious organizations experience. Dr. Sahai gives quence and wit, the author
Indian law allows for a unique form of activism and spiritual people' are not working in an step-by-step procedure in a describes his experiences
organized manner. The saints and spiritual clear and organized but not with a number of India's
leaders who go and have a bath overly complicated manner. venerated saints and sages,
New Delhi attorney M.C. Mehta in Ganga must know that Gan- By studying this book, a providing a rare firsthand
hlUJ successfully argued before ga's water is totally unfit for couple can deeply appreciate glimpse into their lives.
India' Supreme Courtthatpollu- washing, bathing, drinking and the profound step they are Includes his meetings with
tion IUJ a hazarcho life is a viola- irrigation purposes. If we be- taking in their lives, and PREMSAHAI
Rabindranath Tagore,
tion of every Indians constitu- lieve that Ganga is our motheF, consciously embrace with joy Mahatma Gandhi, Ananda
tionally guaranteed "Right to how can we let our mother not the fullnes of this noble rite of passage. It is designed not Moyi Ma, and other luminaries of East and West.
Life."'l The court hm; consequent- be clean? It is nothing less than merely to inform, but also to become a lifelong part of the "Autobiography of a Yogi has been instrumental in intro-
ly intervened directly, issuing a sacrilege the way the Ganga family archives. ducing millions of Westerners to the spiritual wisdom that is
sweeping judgments closing in- is today. India's ancient heritage.... lt is a book that opens windows of
dustries and demanding others "Highly recommended. A must to go back to our ancient tra- the mind and spirit." (India Journal)
meet exacting standards. Mehta An all-India crisis ditions" - Hinduism Today. 150 pg. Hard bound. US$15.00 New! 50th Anniversary Deluxe Slipcased Edition,
talks about his plUJsion in inter- India is suffering from an envi- 616 pages, 100 photos, uS$39.00
views with the Multinational ronmental crisis. Now is the Available through Quality Paperback, 520 pages, 80 photos, $11.50
Monitor and HINDUISM -TODAY time to save the country. We Himalayan Academy Publications Paperback, 608 pages, 54 photos, $4.50 (Prices do not
Delhi correspondent, Rajiv Malik. should learn lessons from the 107 Kaholalele Road include shipping, or sales tax for orders to California)
Western countries, and not re- Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-9304 USA Self-Realization Fellowship
Why he got involved peat their mistakes. We should Phone: 1-800-890-1008 ext 238 - within USA VisalMC Orders (Dept.HTB),
In 1985, I learned that the Gan- control pollution at the source, Phone: 808-822-3152 ext 238 - for overseas fax: 800~80l-1952 (24-hour), or tel: 213-342-0247 (9-5 Pac)
ga caught fire near Haridwar, so that problems dont emerge Fax: 1-808-822-4351- 24 hours Visit us on the Web: http://www.yogananda-srforg
one of the ho~est pilgrim centers later on. Indian rivers and lakes
in India. The effluents from two are polluted, and groundwater
factories were so toxic that in sources in many places have
1984 somebody put a lit match become highly contaminated.
into the river by chance and a
whole one-kilometer stretch Beware the multinationals
caught fire. The fire went 20 feet The multinationals which are
high and could not be extin- now comin$ to this country are
guished for three hours. I behaving atrociously. When
learned that there )Vere many they are in the United States,
people who had become sick Germany or any other Western
from the water. I filed a petition country, they observe the laws.
in Ithe Supreme Court of India in But once they come over here,
1985 ,against these two polluting Award: Mehta (left) wOf! the 1996 Goldman Environment Prize they pollute and ignore all laws. The Power Vedic Softwar r a Free Brochure
factOFies. The scope of the case If these multinationals are pol- with all the readings, charts, yogas, learning
has now been broadened to include all the court and file a petition. Many parts of the luting in this country, the NGOs [non-gov- aids, Panchang. and everything else un-
industries and all the municipal towns in the Ganga river are totally dead; the water is so ernmental organizationsl-like Greenpeace der the Sun God. Don't ask, it has it.
river basin-from the beginning to the end , polluted that it is unfit for drinking, wash- and others-should pressure them in th~ir Our FREE brochure is 50 pages ! It's
of the Ganga. The court has directed more ing, bathing or irrigational purposes. Thir- hQme countries. That is the only way that modem & powerful- It's the one you
than 5,000 factories to install air and water ty percent of the Ganga pollution is being they wont pollute. Development should want! Now includes: Panchang. local-
pollution control devices. In the last few caused by industry. Seventy percent is take place. But development should not ized Calendar Printing. Muhurtha-
years, the Court has even ordrred factories caused by cities and towns which dis- take place at the cost of human suffering Finding Aids, Transit Readings for a
t6 close until they install pollution control charge domestic waste straiitht into the and human'life.
Date Range
devices and meet prescribed st1Uidards. Ganga. The municipal bodies say. that they
do not have money to treat the waste, and His Ganga Action Plan
The "Right to Life" provision you can't close down a city. Two groups should be formed to carryon ' 800-532-6528
In India, we are fortunate that Article 21 of the work, one at the international level and or 541-485-8453
the Indian Constitution gives the "Right to The Ganga Action Plan the other at the national level. These two fax: 541·343-0344
Life." The Supreme Court has broadened Soon after the filing of the case, the Gov- groups can be formed as nucleus groups 1 Crest Dr, Eugene OR
th~ scope of this Right to Life to include ernment of India initiated a Ganga Action comprising three to five people. But these 97405, U.s.A.
the right to live in a healthy environment. Plan to clean the Ganga river. The Plan has few people should be people of great in- goravani@aOl.com
If I am breathing unclean air, or drinking been a complete failure. It did not yield tegrity and commitment. If one model city
contaminated water, I cannot live a healthy any results. Rs.500 crore (US$I42 million) is created, others can follow suit. If I can be
life. Pollution is thus a threat to life. And if has gone down the drain. No program of of any help to anyone please contact me.
there is a threat to life, a citizen can go to cleaning Ganga can be successful if the M.C. MEHTA, 5, ANANDLOK, KHELGAON MARC ,
NEW DELHI, 110 049, INDIA. Software
26 HINDUISM TOD A.Y O ~ TOBER, 1997
YOUTH

Searchi~g fer \

University celebrates universality wherever the

Hindu Students' Council asks, «Who are we?"

HEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD, ly meetings on campus where students en-

American kids would gang up gage in a modern prasnottara satsang (ques-
at the bus stop, yelling, 'Gandhi tion and answer truth-seeking gatherings)
dot! Gandhi dot! ' to make fun of and svadyaya (self upliftment). Students
my bindi, and ask 'Why do peo- delve into Hindu subjects and sometimes
ple in India worship cows and bring in swamis and leaders to speak on
drink cow urine?' until I cried," remembers Hindu dharma and culture. Kanchan says,
Falguni Trivedi, a freshman in Houston, "The national HSC is sponsored by the VHP
Texas, now looking forward to her fIrst year right now, but we hope to establish our own
of Hindu Students' Council activities. "It's non-profIt organization this year. Each local
pretty tough for young Hindus stuck be- chapter is a self-governing, independent en-
tween two cultures. At HSC I can be with tity registered as a student organization un-
others, get support, learn to understand and der the rules of its university."
teach my culture, so that when we face Pride and Progress: Now a medical grad-
these things, we don't have to feel con- uate student, Mihir Meghani, 25, started the
demned. One day I will have to pass this on HSC chapter at the University of Michigan
to my own kids."
Miss Falguni is not alone. Ten
years ago the need for young
Hindus to frnd some way to ex-
plore their identity and articu- July '97 7th Annual HSC Camp: HSC memJjers
late their culture gnawed at from USA and abroad bond in New Hampshire
older students as well. Coordi- and celebrate India's freedom
nator and founding member,
Kanchan Banerjee, now 35 and
working, says, "In 1~90 Gokul 2000 conference in Washington, They were not able to pass -our tests. We their life.' How does a young person face can professors and colleagues. This rejection
Kunnath, Ajah Shah 'and I envi- D.C., in 1993. So many students asked, 'Who is Ganesha? Why is He a guy that? HSC is not about an organization. It's gets pretty bizarre, like purposely mispro-
sioned a student organization took that whole summer off We with an elephant head? Why do Indian about discovering, 'Who am I?' Its a growth nouncing their Indian names. They are fo-
whose goal was understanding brought together 2,000 youths women wear a bindi (forehead dot)? Why process. It's not about activities. It's the fo- cused on a career, of course, but otherwise
Hindu culture and heritage. I from allover ilie world." do we pray to weird Gods like Kali?' Nobody rum, the open discussion with people who lost. They waste time at parties, get involved
was at Boston University at that HSC is an remarkable flowering had answers! Parents don't know; they're are learning together, that is the key." in heavy drinking, shallow relationships,
time. We thought maybe the of the diaspora of Indians and Sri lost. Th~y don't know where to look. Kids are RashI9i Gupta, 25, a third-year medical dating two or three people at the same time,
Indian Club would work. But Lankans, whose children, born far really desperate to know who they are, the student in Ohio, shared the conflicts facing looking down on their parents as old-fash-
when they would not allow a from ancestral lands, strugglf; for meaning of their customs. This giant voip of Hindus on campus. "I have been with HSC ioned. But HSC members have friends with .
Deepavali puja because there religious identity. Many blame ignorance facing them is a great issue." for se\.en years, from the beginning. HSC similar commitments, ~ave kept more of
was a Muslim member, we got parents "who work for fame, po\'{- "The other issue is the one of identity," helps us understand and stand up for our their values, spend their time usefully, re-
the message. We contacted stu- er, prestige and money, while los- said Dheeraj, "Kids can't really call them- culture. I am an octo-Iacto vegetarian, and spect their families, have more direction
dents across many campuse;; Pick of the litter: A popular HSC service is Adopt a Highway ing our rishis' heritage!" So, these selves American. They look in the mirror just yesterday one of my professors/was lec- and some spiritual grounding. Without
and with the help of the Vish- fouth choose to slay the drageFl of and they realize they are not white. Some- turing on a case where the person was veg- HSC, I probably would have also just been
wa Hindu Parishad (VHP) he,!.d a small in 1991. As a national media coor4inator, he ignorance with their own hands. It's a dy- how they don't exactly fIt. Their names are etarian. He made remarks that ridiculed assimilated into mainstream Western mate-
camp of 35 in New Jersey and settled on the proudly recounted HSC achievements. "Be- namic national and international movement not like Mark, David, Joe or Marianne. vegetariani'sm, and some students joined in rialist culture." ,.
name 'Hindu Students' Council.' " sides our numerous chapters, among all reli- of brilliant young people busy reestablishing · Their culture, customs, religious festivals are to laugh at it. Now, if I were a young vege- Strengthened by Opposition: Universities
"The fIrst chapter was started at the Uni- gions we have the most active religious stu- their roots in Hindu dharma for themselves not exactly mainstream Am:ericana. They . tarian Hindu and heard this in class, it have typically been )lot beds of ideological
versity of Maryland, the second at North- dent group on campuses. Our Web site and their children. ask, 'Are we Indo-Americans? Are we Indi- would really bother me. But because of HSC struggles. As a religious campus group, HSC
eastern University in Boston and the third (rated in the top 1 percent by CNN), quar- , HINDUISM TODAY spoke with Dheeraj K. ans? Are we Hindu? These different labels, I am strong. I learned about ahimsa (nonin- faces Christian evangelists and cult-busters
in 1991 at the University of Micliigan," Kan- terly magazine and on-line forum have cre- Singhal, 22, in Washington, D.C. , where he what exactly are they?' How do you recon- juriousness). Through HSC I have a'n in- on one side and secular humanists on the
chan said. "In the second year we had seven ated a strong national network. We feel like works in congressional offIces during the cile all these different beliefs and the stereo- credible support group. Other Indian stu- other. They are also targets of the anti-Hin-
chapters. By 1996 we reached 50 chapters, we are a family. We have a summer camp summer. After heading up the California typical images we get of like, 'Hey, India, dents tend to reject everything Indian. For du forces present in India.
with over 1,400 signed, paid members and and a winfer conference. This year each of chapter at UCLA, he heads for law school that's the place Where all iliese poor people example, they might not want to attend a Mihir Meghani, who has seen it all, says,
over 7,000 participants in our programs." the 50 chapters celebrated India's freedom. this year. "Our parents just practiced what- live who worship cows and do things with puja, because it's not 'in: not 'cool: and they "We face two forces of resistance. One is
HSC's core activities are weekly or biweek- Another achievement was the Global Vision ever their parents had inculcated into them. cow dung that Amer·icans would never do in fear rejection by their white peers, Ameri- from within: Indians who are shy to identi-

28 HINDUISM TOD A<Y OCTOBER , 1997 OCTOBER, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 29


I I
Hanging out in Houston: The power of HSC lies in its open forum study meetings where members inveslJigate issues together
fy themselves as Hindu. They feel that Hin-
duism is backward with respect to modern
scientific thinking, or they denigrate Hindu
identity by associating it with some kind of
fundamentalism. Christian missionaries and
Islamic propagandists are working not only
on campus, but everywhere. It almost seems
that Hindus are always on the defensive in-
tellectually, because we don't counter with
the same kind of attack they throw at us. For
people who don't have a deep understanding
of-their own culture and beliefs, it affects
them a lot and throws them into inner con-
flict and opens them to conversion. But HSC
goes forward. Our social service has shown
that HSC members feel part of American
society. The greatest achievement really is
what is happening on the inside of us. At our
last Deepavali puja, over 250 people came to
worship. Fifty or sixty were non-Indians.
We sat there for two hours, pr~ying and un-
derstanding what was happening."
Jennifer Schulke is a white ~rican and
president of HSC at Florida University in
Miami. She had a struggle to make Hindus
an official part of campus ministries. She
told HINDUISM TODAY, "I feel 'I am a Hindu
at heart. I haven't changed my name yet
with a ceremony or anything, But I might
like to do that one day. Here on campus we
worked for eight months to get approval for
Hindus to be a part of campus ministries.
We faced obstacles all the way. Christians
didn't want pictures of Hindu Gods in the of-
30 HINDUISM TODA.Y OCTOBER , 1997
fice and resisted any kind of Hindu prayer.
But we won, and we can't get tagged as a
cult anymore. When new students arrive on
campus, campus ministries greets them as
Hindus, by Hindus, and this is very impor-
tant for them. Next we are tackling the anti-
cult groups who spread anti-Hindu literature
on campus, but ignore all Christian cults."
Kanchan Banerjee adds, 'i\nother unusu-
al force comes from leftist student groups.
Specifically MIT, Columbia and Stanford
have traditionally been centers for Indian
leftists who <;ame and stayed in the U S and
have their own organizations. From the day.
HSC started, then more so in 1991-92, they
have tried to see that HSC does not grow in
many ways. After the Ayodhya temple inci-
dent in India by Hindus, there was a mas-
sive attack on HSC. Now these leftists are
few, but they influence a lot of media."
Last year HSC reached out to a younger
group. Shanker Unnikrishnap., 18, born and
raised in the US, explained how ~e started
HSC's first high-school chapter in 1996. "My
school was Woodward Academy in Atlanta,
Georgia, a private, originally Christian mili-
tary schooL I asked the school president for
permission to start our chapter of HSC. I
told him, 'This is really important. We are
the defining generation here. Our Indian
parents gave us S0me background. But when
those of us who were born and raised in the
US have kids, our kids are going to be pret-
ty much lost!) think we all need to have the
opportunity to at least learn of our religion."
Though the school principal had misgivings
about ethnic clubs, Shanker told him, "It's
not like that~ We are just doing this for edu-
cation. Anyone can come. The president
gave the go-ahead. A year later many mem-
bers were non-Indian~ including a dozen
white Americans, several African Ameri-
cans and some Oriental Americans."
If the intense optimism of its members is
any measure, the HSC phenomenon has just
begun. Suddenly all the lights of their rich
heritage are on for Hindu youth worldwide,
and their path is, for the first time, clearly
visible. The future of Sanatana Dharma is
thus assured, as it always has been, by a new
generation that has embraced it as t~eir
own, not their parents', path. To experience
the potency of such spiritual self-discover~
one has only to attend the animated ses-
sions. Dheeraj Singhal says, "Other organi-
zations are 'social or have political age1ildas.
HSC is not like that. When people leave our
camps, they have hundreds of best friends
who share the same values, morals, princi-'
pIes. They have finally found other Hindus
who understand how they grew up. And
that is such a unique thing and really hard to
find. When you find that, it is one of the
greatest joys in the world."
CONTACT: NATIONAL HINDU STUDENTS COUNCIL
46 ~3 IRVIN G STREET,
BOSTON, MA 0 2 114. U SA
WWW.HINDUORG.NET
., 4" ~., ••••• " •• ,., ••• ,. ~.,."
X~Z~X~~~~~~~~~~~~~X~~
INTERVIEW
'The 21st Century Will
Be a Hindu Oentury'
Post-India tour rUIl}inations
On July 15, 70-year-old L.K Advhni, presi-
dent of India's Bharatiya Janata Party,
ended his grueling 15,000 kilometer, 59-day
tour of India. His purpose was to increase
the BJP's profile in anticipation of snap
parliamentary elections. The soft-spoken
politician (a strict vegetarian) said he will
retire fr:em the preSidency soon. Following
L.K. Advani: Meeting in Delhi with. HINDUISM TODAY publisher Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
are his Cjo mments on India, Hinduism and
Hindu students made in an exclusive inter-
view August 1 with HINDUISM TODAY'S.
New Delhi correspondent, Rajiv Malik.
Fifty Years of Independence
The people are not happy. It is distressing to
fInd that 50 years after Independence, near-
ly half the population is below the poverty
line. More that 200,000 villages are without
proper drinking water. Out of the total world
population of lepers, perhaps. one-third are
in India. Of the total number of people who
are blind, one-third are in India. We have
the largest number of illiterates in the world.
The entire people are at fault, but it is the
rulers who are more at fault. In the milne"0f
secularism we have tried to make people re-
gard religion as something wrong, and virtu-
ally to make the state an irreligious state,
~ "., .,., .,.,.,.,.,., ••• ,., I' """1""""
by L.K. Advani ,.
which was never the concept of our consti-
tution makers.
Cultural Nationalism
We subscribe to the view that this country
of India is one country, a one nation, whose
basis is not just political or geographical but
is essentially cultural. This is what we pro-
ject as "cultural nationalism," called Bhar-
tiyata, Indiarmess or Hindutva.
The trend of Indian consciousness
We are imbibing the worst features of West-
ern and Eastern society. In the last fifty
years of independence, we· have not been
able to acquire the energy and enthusiasm
and initiative of the Westerner. But we are
gradually 16sing the equanimity and the
calm and the moral strength of the average
Hindu. We are more and more avaricious,
more and more ambitious, more and more
inclined towards material goods.
On the BJP
The BJP have been telling citizens, 'Your re-
ligiosity is a help; it is not a disadvantage."
The Western-oriented secularists in India to-
day try to decry religion. But we respect the
OCTOBER, 1997
~ •• ,. ".,
religion of every individual. We believe that
India is a secular country because it is pre-
dominantly a Hindu country- secular in the
sense .that all religions should be respected,
and tliat all roads lead to God, which is a dis-
tinqt characteristic of Hinduism.
On government control of Hindu temples
There can come a stage when degeneration
of institutions makes it obligatory for the
government to step in. The actual experi-
ence of Vaishpo Devi Temple in Jammu
State is that government intervention at that
pilgrim spot has certainly helped the pil-
grims. There are places in the South which ,.
are very well maintained though the govern-
ment has nothing .to do with it. I am not>
however, of the view that whatever happens,
the government must keep its hands off
The peoples' religiosity
The average citizen draws his
morality and ethical values from
his religion. If you make him
scoff at religion, oy that process
itself you make him less and less
concerned abOllt ethical values.
On his own religious life
I ani a deeply religious person,
but I am not ritualistic. Since my
childhood, I have participated in
whatever ritual was there, be it
the RSS ritual or, in my own fam-
ily and residence, the Sikh ritu-
als. I do not practice any yoga,
meditation or sadhanas regularly.
Yes, we have a puja [shrine] room
in my house. We have Hindu
Gods and Goddesses there.
When I do visit the temple, I feel
elevated, humble and more com-
mitted to the cause that I have
undertaken.
The Hindu Students Council
Politically they do not belong to this country,
India, but it is the tie of culture between this
cOlrntry and them, that would really make
them a part of us. (I think HINDUISM TODAY
is making a wonderful c~ntribution to'wards
cementing these cultural bonds. A couple of
years back I had the opportunity to meet the
saintly persons who are behind this maga-
zine.) My message is that the biggest asset a
student in these growip g years can have is
character. A Hindu will not be untruthful. If
he has said somethipg, he will abide by it.
Let them try to imbibe high ethical values
from whOInsoever they come in contact. Let
them be proud that they are Hindus.
The future
This century belonged to Edrope while the
21st will belong to Asia, and it should be a
Hindu century.
HINDUISM TODAY 31
INSIGHT

In Hinduism's primary scripture we find the keys

for living Hindu Dharma in contemporary times

OW OFTEN DO YOU SEE A PROFESSIONAL TEAM OF PEOPLE

misbehave on the job? You're on a flight from San Francisco
to Singapore. Do the stewardesses bicker in the aisle? No way.
Practice noninjury, not harming others by Uphold the virtue of nonstealing, neither Exercise patience, restraining intolerance Practice compassion, conquering callous,
In Singapore you visit a classy publishing firm. Does the re- thought, word or deed, even in your dreams. thieving, coveting nor failing to repay debt. with people and impatience with circum- cruel and insensitive feelings toward all be-
ceptionist talk back to the sale representative? No. Are there Live a kindly life, revering all beings as ex- Control your desires and live within your stances. Be agreeable. Let others behave ac- ings. See God everywhere. Be kind to peo-
emotional undertones among the group you meet with? None. And you pressions of the One Divine energy. Let go means. Do not use borrowed resources for cording to their nature, without adjusting to ple, animals, plants and the Earth itself For-
of fear and insecurity, the sources of abuse. unintended purposes or keep them past you. Don't argue, dominate conversations or give those who apologize and show true
don't expect any. You know that people at this level of business have Knowing that harm caused to others unfail- due. Do not gamble or defraud others. Do interrupt others. Don't be in a hurry. Be pa- remorse. Foster sympathy for others' needs
control of their minds and emotions. If they didn't, they would soon be ingly returns to oneself, live peacefully with not renege on promises. Do not use others' tient with children and the elderly. Mini- and suffering. Honor and assist those who
replaced. When they are on the job, at least, they follow a code of con- God's creation. Never be a source of dread, name, words, resources or rights without mize stress by keeping worries at bay. Re- are weak, impoverished, aged or in pain.
pain or injury. Follow a vegetarian diet. permission and acknowledgement. main poised in good times and bad. Oppose family abuse and other cruelties.
duct spelled out in detail by the corporation. It's not unlike the moral
code of any religion, outlining sound ethics for respect and harmony
among humans. Those seeking to be successful in all avenues of life
strive to fulfill a moral code whether "on the job" or off Does Hin-
duism have such a code? Yes: twenty ethical guidelines called yaf/Ul.S
and niyaf/Ul.S, "restraints and observances." They are found in the
6,000 to 8,000-year-old Vedas, mankind's oldest body of scripture.

The twenty "do's" and "don'ts" are a
common-sense code recorded in the final
section of the Vedas, called Upanishads,
namely the Shandilya and the Varuha.
They are also found in the Hatha Yoga
Pradipika by Gorakshanatha, the Tiru-
mantiram of Tirumular and in the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali. The yamas and niya-
mas have been preserved through the
centuries as the foundation, the first and
second stage, of the eight-staged practice
of yoga. Yet, they are fundamental to all
beings, expected aims of everyone in so-
ciety, and assumed to be fully intact for
anyone seeking lifes highest aim in the
pursuit called yoga. Sage Patanjali (ca
200 BeE), raja yoga's foremost pro-
pounder, told us, "These yamas are not
limited by class, country, time (past, pre-
sent or future) or situation. Hence they
are called the universal great vows." Yog-
ic scholar Swami Brahmananda Saraswati
revealed the inner science of yama and
niyama. They are the means, he said, to
control the vitarkas, the cruel mental
waves or thoughts, that when acted upon
result in injury to others, untruthfulness,
hoarding, discontent, indolence or selfish-
ness. He stated, "For each vitarka you
have, you can create its opposite through
yama and niyama, and make your life
successful." The following paragraphs,
with accompanying illustrations by A.
Manivel of Chennai, especially prepared
in July in honor of the Hindu Student's
Council and all similar youth movements,
elucidate the yamas and niyamas. Pre-
sented first are the ten yamas, the do
nots, which harness the instinctive na-
ture, with its governing impulses of fear, Adhere to truthfulness, refraining from ly- Practice divine conduct, controlling lust by Foster steadfastness, overcoming nonperse- Maintain honesty, renouncing deception and
anger, jealousy, selfishness, greed and ing and betraying promises. Speak only that remaining celibate when single and faithful verance, fear, indecision and changeable- wrongdoing. Act honorably even in hard
lust. Second are illustrated the ten ni- which is true, kind, helpful and necessary. in marriage. Before marriage, use vital ener- ness. Achieve your goals with a prayer, pur- times. Obey the laws of your nation and lo-
yamas, the do's, the religious observances Knowing that deception creates distance, gies in study, and after marriage in creating pose, plan, persistence and push. Be firm in cale. Pay your taxes. Be straightforward in
that cultivate and bring forth the refined don't keep secrets from family or loved ones. family success. Don't waste the sacred force your decisions. Avoid sloth and procrastina- business. Do an honest day's work. Do not
soul qualities, lifting awareness into the Be fair, accurate and frank in discussions, a by promiscuity in thought, word or deed. Be tion. Develop willpower, courage and indus- bribe or accept bribes. Do not cheat, de-
consciousness of the higher chakras of stranger to deceit. Admit your failings. Do restrained with the opposite sex. Seek holy triousness. Overcome obstacles. Never carp ceive or circumvent to achieve an end. Be
love, compassion, selflessness, intelli- not engage in slander, gossip or backbiting. company. Dress and speak modestly. Shun or complain. Do not let opposition or fear of frank with yourself. Face and accept your
gence and bliss. Do not bear false witness against another. pornography, sexual humor and violence. failure result in changing strategies. faults without blaming them on others.

32 HINDUISM TODAY OCTOBER , 1997 OC"I:OBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 33

Be moderate in appetite, neither eating too
much nor consuming meat, fish, shellfish,
fowl or eggs. Enjoy fresh, wholesome vege-
tarian foods that vitalize the body. Avoid
junk food. Drink in moderation. Eat at reg-
ular times, only when hungry, at a moderate
pace, never between meals, in a disturbed
atmosphere or when upset. Follow a simple
diet, avoiding rich or fancy fare.
Uphold the ethic of purity, avoiding impuri-
ty in mind, body and speech. Maintain a
clean, healthy body. Keep a pure, unclut-
tered home and workplace. Act virtuously.
Keep good company, never mixing with
adulterers, thieves or other impure people.
Keep away from pornography and violence.
Never use harsh, angered or indecent lan-
guage. Worship devoutly. Meditate daily.
34 HINDUISM TODAY OCTOBER , 1997
Allow yourself the expression of remorse,
being modest and showing shame for mis-
deeds. Recognize your errors, confess and
make amends. Sincerely apologize to those
hurt by your words or deeds. Resolve all
contention before sleep. Seek out and cor-
rect your faults and bad habits. Welcome
correction as a means to bettering yourself
Do not boast. Shun pride and pretension.
Nurture contentment, seeking joy and ser-
enity in life. Be happy, smile and uplift oth-
ers. Live in constant gratitude for your
health, your friends and your belongings,
Don't complain about what you don't possess.
Identify with the eternal You, rather than
mind, body or emotions. Keep the moun-
taintop view that life is an opportunity for
spiritual progress. Live in the eternal now.
Be generous to a fault, giving liberally with-
out thought of reward. Tithe, offering one-
tenth of your gross income (dMhamamsha ),
as God's money, to temples, ashrams and
spiritual organizations. Approach the temple
with offerings. Visit guru with gifts in hand.
Donate religious literature. Feed and give to
those in need. Bestow your time and talents
without seeking praise. Treat guests as God.
Cultivate an unshakable faith. Believe firm-
ly in God, Gods, guru and your path to en-
lightenment. Trust in the words of the mas-
ters, the scriptures and traditions. Practice
devotion and sadhana to inspire experiences
that build advanced faith. Be loyal to your
lineage, one with your satguru. Shun those
who try to break your faith by argument
and accusation. Avoid doubt and despair.
Cultivate devotion through daily worship
and meditation. Set aside one room of your
home as Gods shrine. Offer fruit, flowers or
food daily. Learn a simple puja and the
chants. Meditate after each puja. Visit your
shrine before and after leaving the house.
Worship in heartfelt devotion, clearing the
inner channels to God, Gods and guru so
their grace flows toward you and loved ones.
Eagerly hear the scriptures, study the teach-
ings and listen to the wise of your lineage.
Choose a guru, follow his path and don't
waste time exploring other ways. Read,
study and, above all, listen to readings and
dissertations by which wisdom flows from
knower to seeker. Avoid secondary texts that
preach violence. Revere and study the re-
vealed scriptures, the VedM and Agamas.
Develop a spiritual will and intellect with
your satguru's guidance. Strive for knowl-
edge of God, to awaken the light within.
Discover the hidden lesson in each experi-
ence to develop a profound understanding of
life and yourself Through meditation, culti-
vate intuition by listening to the still, small
voice within, by understanding the subtle
sciences, inner worlds and mystical texts.
Embrace religious vows, rules and obser-
vances and never waver in fulfilling them.
Honor vows as spiritual contracts with your
soul, your community, with God, Gods and
guru. Take vows to harness the instinctive
nature. Fast periodically. Pilgrimage yearly.
Uphold your vows strictly, be they marriage,
monasticism, nonaddiction, tithing, loyalty
to a lineage, vegetarianism or nonsmoking.
OCTOBER , 1997
Chant your holy mantra daily, reciting the
sacred sound, word or phrase given by your
guru. Bathe first, quiet the mind and con-
centrate fully to let japa harmonize, purify
and uplift you. Heed your instructions and
chant the prescribed repetitions without
fail. Live free of anger so that japa strength-
ens your higher nature. Let japa quell emo-
tions and quiet the rivers of thought.
Practice austerity, serious disciplines, pen-
ance and sacrifice. Be ardent in worship,
meditation and pilgrimage. Atone for mis-
deeds through penance (prayashchitta) ,
such as 108 prostrations or fasting. Perform
self-denial, giving up cherished possessions,
money or time. FUlfill severe austerities at
special times, under a satguru's guidance, to
ignite the inner fires of self-transformation.
HINDUISM TODAY 35

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HHE.html
ENDOWMENTS
HINDU HERITAGE ENDOWMENT
I 07 KAHOlAlELE ROAD
KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF HINDUISM
The fifth
International
Symposium
ASTROLOGY
Vedic Astrology was developed by the ancient
sages of India over 5,000 years ago. Called Jyotisha,
the Science of Light, it Is renowned for its spiritual depth Andrew Foss William Levacy
and accuracy in predicting future events. Dr. David Frawley Ann Muldoon
Hank Friedman Alex Nagel
This Symposium wi ll Introduce Vedic Astrology Dennis M. Harness, PhD T.R. Raghunath, PhD
to the general public and provide a forum for:
* The education of the general public in the
principles of Vedic Astrology
Edith Hathaway
Richard Houck
Linda Johnsen
Barbara Roberts
George Roman
Dr. Dinesh Sharma
* The free exchange and discussion of ideas
and techniques in Vedic Astrology
James Kelleher
Sat Siri Kaur Khalsa
Prince Hirindra Singh
Atreya Smith
* The presentation of modern research findings
validating ancient astrological principles
Robert Koch
R.G. Krishnan
Dr. B. Sureshwara
Dr. Robert Svoboda
A surging market: U.S. stock exchange in 1997 swinging with Bahu to astronomical highs
* The promotion of professional standards in the Drew Lawrence Chakrapani Ullal
ASTROLOGY trainIng and practice of Vedic Astrology o Please register me for attendance at the International Symposium
on Vedic Astrology, October 2- 7 , 1997, at the Del Mar Hilton Hotel,
Substantial Savings for early registration! Del Mar, CA. Lndosed Is payment of $ _ _ for _ _ Registration fee(s)
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for main symposium:
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Please mall this reglstraHon form with
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o
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Send more Information on the Symposium and hotel accommodations
Optional pre-conference Introductory ciasses and post-conference
Intensives will also be offered.
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credit card to the Institute address
$245 after Sept. l5, 1997
Can astrology accurately predict world finance? ($25 Discount for ACVA Members)
below. Registrations paid by credit
card may also be faxed or phoned in.
Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ __
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INSTITUTE Of VEDIC ASTROLOGY
employment, high interest rates, etc. P.O. BOX 2149· SEDONA, AZ 86339
Telephone (day/night) _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
INCE THE LATE SEVE:t::TTIES 4-ND THE
early eighties,jyotisha has been recog- Many astrologers have observed, in partic- Phone (520) 282-6595 • FAX (520) 282-6097 VISA/MC' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ Exp.D.te--'_
nized as a viable tool that can offer ac- ular L. Mc Whitters earlier this century, that
,curate and reliable insight into the movements of Rahu, the moon's north node,
movements of the world's fmancial markets. through the zodiac have a repeatable and
Many notable professional astrologers, both conspicuous effect on the financial markets
in the East and the West, have taken to ad- of the world. When Rahu transits through
NORTH AMERICAN ISKCON TEMPLES
vising their clients in this domain. It has Leo, the markets will surge. Then from Leo
Alachua,FL- (904)462-2017
been recorded that many of these financial to Aquarius, markets gradually become Al1anta,GA- 1287 PoncedeleonAve.N.E. 404-378·9234
astrologers have outperformed their more bearish (drop)- the lowest being at Aquar- Baltimore,Mo- 200 Bloomsbul)',Catonsville 410-7444069
c6nventional counterparts in the finance ius. Once again fro~ Aquarius through Leo BerkeleY,CA- 2334 StuartS!. 510·644-1113
profession. , they become bullish (rise)-peaking at Leo. Boise,10-1615 MarthaSt. 208-344-4274
Boston,MA- 72 CommonwealthAve. 617-247-8611
We can know swings of the market years This particular effect has been more obvi- Chicago,IL-1716 WluntAve. 773·973·0900
in advance from calculating planetary move- ous in the UK market than any other. Rahu Cotumbus,OH- 379 WElghthAve. 614-421-1661
ment. For example, when there is a major entered Leo in July 1997 and will remain oallas,TX- 5430 Gur1eyAve. 214·827-6330
aspect between Jupiter and Saturn we have there until January 1999, thus promising a oenver,CO- 1400 CherrySt. 303-333-5461
oelroit,MI- 383lenoxAve. 313-824-6000
a depressed economy, and hence a de- growing economy and more upbeat market Hartlord,CT-1683 MainSt. 203·289-7252
pressed market as a whole. This occurs ap- in general during this period. There are oth- HlIIsborough,NC-1032 DimmocksMiII919-732-6492
proximately every sixty years. Mill(~r aspects er such indicative factors which contribute Honolulu,HI- 51 CoelhoWay 808-595-3947
between these two planets which occur ap- ...reliably and recurringly towards knowing Houston,TX-1320 W34thSt. 713·686-4482
LagunaBeach,CA- 285legionSt. 714-494-7029
pr~ximately every twenty years also have a the direction and m~vements of the world LosAngeles,CA- 3764 WatsekaAve. 310-836-2676
noticeable effect on the markets. Some ex- economy and market factors. It <¥ould not Miami,FL- 3220 VirginiaS!. 305-442-7218
amples of aspects: be exaggerating to say that jyotisha can be Mulberry,TN- (615)759·6888
1. Jupiter/Saturn opp0sition l in Gemini/ used as a definitive tool by economists to NewOrleans,LA- 2936 EsplanadeSt. 504-486·3583
NewYork,NY.- 305 SchermerhornSt. 718-855-6714
Sagittarius 1930/32. The Great Depression. better know market behavior, and much in Phiiadelphia,PA- 41 W.Allenslane 215-247-4600
2. Twenty years later, 1950/51, Jupiter/Sat- advance. PoriRoyal,PA· (717)927·4101
urn opPosition in Pisces/VIrgo. Post war dif- Jyotisha is equall]". beneficial in corporate SanDlego,CA-l030 GrandAve. 619-483-2500
Seatue,WA- 1420 228thAve.S.E. Issaquah 206-3913293
ficulties and their effect on the market. situations, answering many perplexing ques; SpanishFork,UT- 8628 SouthStateSt. 801-798-3559
3. Twenty years later we come to the ear- ti"Ons. It can show. a company what direction St.Louis,MO- 3926 lindeliBlvd. 314·535-8085
ly 70's, Jupiter/Saturn opposition in Scor- it is heading, whether it should expand, if a
piolTaurus. These. were also testing and merger proposition should be looked at fa-
Towaco,NJ- (201)299·0970
Tucson,AZ-711 E.BlackiidgeDr. 520-792·0630
Washlngton,o.C.- 103100aklynDr.,Potomac 301-2992100
challenging times for the world ecbnomy. vorably or adversely, if the management CANADA
4. Twenty years further down the road we structure should be altered, and more. IS Calgary,Alberla- 313 FourthSt.,N.E. 403·265-3302
arr--i.ve at the late eighties and ea}ly nineties. By DR. MAH~NDRA MISTRY, UK Edmonton,Alberla- 9353 35thAve. 403-439-9999
Monlreal,Quebec-1626 PlelXBWd. 514-521-1301
We 'had a repeat of the thirties opposition in ADDRESS: DR. MAHENDRA MISTRY,
OHawa,Onlario- 212 SomersetSt.E. 613-565-6544
Gemini/Sagittarius. This reminded us of the 14 SCRAPTOFT MEWS, OFF SCRAPTOFT LANE,
Regina,Saskalchewan· 1279 RetallackSt. 306-525-1640
LE5 21lH LEICESTER, UK, PHONE: 44-116-276-307il
Great Depression to some extent. High un- Toronlo,Onlario- 243 AvenueRd. 416-922-5415
Vancouver,B.C.- 5462 S.E.MarineDr.Burnaby 604-4339728
41
HEALING
, EVOLUTIONS

Cures For BH P, the MADE IN HEAVEN: and consecrated in

Kathmandu. Nepalese King Birendra's
only daughter, 20-year-old arts gradu-
ate Princess Shruti, wedded Mr.

Older Man's "Curse" Gorakh Shumshere Rana, a bank em-

ployee, at the royal palace in May, 1997.
The traditional
vivaha sa111r
skara, Hindu
Potent herbs, antioxidants and continuIng Vedic marriage
ceremony, was
abdominal exercises can relieve this afflictioI). attended by
over 2,000
guests, royal
BY DEVANANDA TANDAVAN, M . D. family mem- The holy covenant
bers and
PH STANDS FOR BENIGN may be a dietary contribution celebrities from afar. Gorakh is a rela-
Prostatic Hyperplasia, or of low levels of zinc, vitamin C, tive of the Queen, who is of the Rana 11" x 14" volume with its 249 pages
enlargement of the E and other antioxidan s.
prostate, a small, w a l n u t - S e v e r a l suggested surgical
lineage that ruled before 1950. 1I• •!I!!!!~...\"'III~IiJo!I~~;'.a of color photos will take you and
your family on a wonder of discovery.
sized gland found ir1-men at the procedures should only be uti- EXPIRED: Ms. Pupul Jayakar, age 81, the
base of the bladder. Encircling lized if the disease process has "grand old lady of Indian culture," in
the urethra, it supplies the semi- become uncontrollable. Two Mumbai on March 28. Born in the for- SEE OUR ELEVEN PAGE ADVERTISEMENT ON THE INTERNET
nal fluid that transports sperm prescription medications also

http://www.vedic.net
mer United Provinces, she was chair-
from the testes to the outside. In available-but not suggested- person of the Indian National Trust for
most men 40-50 years of age ~. are Proscar and Hytrin. Both Art and Cultural Heritage, and person-
(sometimes be~nning as early as ""''-'--=-=-- ----'-------' may cause impotence, ejacula- al advisor to the prime minister on art
30) there is evidence of hyperplasia (en- tory dXSfunction or possible' birth defects and culture. "My mother lived a full
largement) of the gland's inner portion. The in male' offspring. They are not very effec- and happy life," said Ms. Radhika OR FAX INQUIRIES To: 310-837-0243 (USA)
urethra is then encroached upon, causing tive tn reducing the swelling. Herzberger.
difficulty with frequen9Y and urgency of Saw palmetto and pygeum are two effec-
urination, distension of the bladder and tive herbs with no side effects. Dr. Julian CELEBRATED: Sri Sri Jagatbandhu Sun-
discomfort such as backache due to the in- Whitaket says in his Sept., 1993, newsletter, dar, founder of the Mahanam Sampra-
creased intraurinary tract pressUre of the "The saw palmetto berry extract has been daya, by the Prabhu Jagatbandhu Ma-
retained urine. The major symptom is an shown by scientific studies to be about haprakash Math in Bangladesh
inability to properly empty the bladder, a three times more effective than the Merck February 19-22. Gita
f~eling that there is always some retained diug Proscar for alleviating symptoms of discussions and kir-
urine. The sphincter, a muscle controlling prostate enlargement, such as poor urin.ary tan highlighted
urinary retention, seems to be spastic and stream, urine retention and nighttime uri- events. After meditat-
does not relax enough to allow normal uri- nation." Pygeum has been used for cen- ing nonstop for seven- JAI UTTAL, WITH THE
nation. In the condition's early stages, sit- turies in Africa for all kinds of urinary tract teen years on behalf MI X ING MAGIC OF BILL LASWELL,
ting in a tub of hot water (Sit7; Bath) will problems in men. Combinations of saw pal- of world peace, Sri
relax the sphincter somewhat, and urina- metto, pygeum, zinc and other natural sub- Sundar addressed dis- PRESENTS H IS LATEST MASTER-
tion should be attempted while in the bath. stances are available and recommended for ciples in 1944 and left FUL BLEND OF EAST AND WEST;
One'"of the complications of this condition, prevEmtion of disease in general as well as his body the same Jagatbandhu CREATING A MUSICAL JOURNEY
when untreated, is a backing up of urine treatment of this condition. Taking the "" day. THAT STRETCHES FROM THE
into the kidney§, thus .f>reventing proper co'mbination starting at age 45 and continu-
urine production and possible deterioration ing in controlled doses past age 70 is advis- FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS TO
RELEASED: The first Hindi thesaurus,
of the kidney tissues. This leads to nonflow able. Dietary advice is to eat plenty of Sa17UUlntar Rosh, in Delhi this April, THE STREETS OF AMERICA. SHIVA
of urine and probable infection of the tract. tomatoes, tofu and other .soy pre ducts, nuts by Arvind Kumar and wife Kusum after STATION WI LL MOVE YOUR FEET
Much kidney damage may be the result of and grains, leafy green vegetables and yo- toiling at it for 20 years. "Hindi has { AND SATISFY YOUR SOUL, FEA-
this condition, which may necessitate gurt. A good exercise program to keep ab- many more synonyms than European
emergency surgery. Irreparable damage to dominaY'muscle integrity is essential. There TURING CHANTS SUCH AS
languages, so it made the task of devis-
the kidneys may lead to death. is no connection between this abnormality ing and compiling the thesaurus diffi- "NAMAH SHIVAYA," " SITA RAM ,"
Medical science is not entirely clear and malignant tumor of the prostate, the cult," said Kumar. "For example, there AND " JAYA JAGADAMBE"
about this condition's cause . Many believe most 'Common cancer in men. are 695 synonyms
it is due to a loss of testosterone level (and , in the thesaurus ~
subsequent increase in estrogen level) that DR. TANDAVAN, 77, retired nucleaf'physi- for Shiva, though ~
stimulates hyperplasia of the gland's central cian and hospital staff preSident, lives in actually there are ~
portion. Some also claim it may be due to Chicago, where he specializes in alternative as many as 2,317 g
sagging of the' abdominal organs due to in- heaZi[lg arts. Visit his home page at the names used," ~
activity of more mature mal~s. There also HINDUISM TODAY Website. added his wife. Presidential release
, )

44 HJ NDUISM TODAY OCTOBER , 1997

 l

BODY ART thousands from all walks of life got mehndi Five;" C.C.H. P; under of "ER" and Britany
done on them in the follOwing months. Rani Powell of "Pacific Palisades."

Temporarily'Tatt~oed
Patel has opened her own location, and American 'magazines and newspapers
Loretta Moore works out of a Moroccan love the trend. The classy magazine InStyle
store }lamed "Gates of Marakash." Accord- sports Gwen Stephani of the band "No
ing to Nishit Patel, Rani's husband;'mehndi Doubt" with a bindi between her brows and
is popular with Black Americans. mehndi designs on her forearms and wrists.
The mehndi trend spread fast~r tlian the Actress Liv Tyler displays full mehndi on
speed of gossip from New York, east to Eu- her hands and feet in the May Vanity Fair.
Mehndi body painting is the newest rage in New York and Los- Angeles rope and west to Los Angeles. Celebrities, Vogue, Teen and Seventeen all have carried
housewives, men and women of :ill ages, stories. Even Newsweek took note recently.
"Los Angeles magazine was the
By AR CHANA DONGRE, Los AN GELES first to pick up on the West coast
UP IN INDIA, THE MONTH OF the uniqueness of mehndi as a
Shravan, right in the robust heart of fashion and devoted nine pages to
the monsoon season, brought a spe- this ancient art," Fabius said. USA
cial treat we little girls were fond of. Today and the Los Angeles'Times
As soon as the half-day school on Saturday ran features, and then almost
was 'over, we would run to gather from the every newspaper and TV station
yards the fresh, tiny, emerald green leaves in Southern California. Surrounding Iraivan Temple is an ex-
from lush mehndi bushes (henna, lawsonia Melindi offers a painless and
inermis) that thrived in the monsoons, grind temporary alternative to tattooing. traordinary botanical garden
those leaves on the stone, add to it grandma's "Parents have brought in teenagers
special color enhancing ingredients, and by who wanted real tattoos, iIi hopes paradise, providing an area of
night we neighborhood girls would draw de- that a temporary mehndi design
signs on each other's palms with that pasty will satisfy their urge instead," contemplative, natural beauty.
mixture. The event could be dubbed a friend- Fabius said. "Thirty-five percent
ship project of little girls' bonding together. of our clientele are men, who usu- Pilgrims ertloy groves of plumeria,
As the mixture dried the next morning, we ally get.it done on arms and shoul-
looked forward to showipg off the decorated ders in designs like pragons and konrai, hibiscus, heliconia, native
hands to our peers at school on Monday. snakes or somebody's names," she
The whole ritual just felt good. The cool added. Her Galerie Lakaye has Hawaiian plant species and more.
touch of mehndi (pronounced ma-HEN-di) ten mehndi artists, and two or
felt good on palms and fmgers. Something in Rajasthan: A bride's hands decorated before wedding three are on hand at any given At the entrance to the 51-acre
that mehndi just soothed our psyche, over time. The prices start at $20 for a
and above making our hands pretty. Little simple palm or wrist design and sanctuary is a forest of healing
did we know at the time that mehndi has "We threw down some then go up according to complexity
mystical and spiritual powers, as well as a and extent of design. Designs cho- rudraksha trees. Send US$ 12 to
conditioning effect on the skin. Applied to pillows and thought a few sen are similar to traditional, from
the nerve centers of the palms and feet, it the Galerie file of graphic arts, floral purchase a single-bead necklace of
has a soothing effect on the nervous system. people would have mehndi and animal designs or Mexican and
Who ever knew at the time that the cen- Haitian tribal art. Palms, arms and a sacred rudraksha, receive as our
turies-old Indian household art of mehndi, done, but there were 300 wrists are more common locations,
sotimbued with mysticism and spirituality, but ladies have also done it around gift another bead to plant and sup-
and a, time-tested custom for weddings and the first day." the navel or on their backs.
special occasions, would one day decorate The business sense that prompt- port the Iraivan Temple project.
the arms and shoulders of motorcycle-riding -GALLERY.... CURATOR LoRETTA ROOME ~d Fabius to open her studio at Ga-
machos, TV and movie stars and become lerie Lakaye propels her next pro-
the darling of Western tattoo lovers? races and hues are flocking to the mehndi ject <?urrently in the works. She and a , -808-639-8886
The trend is hottest today in Los Angeles, parlors. Some of the more than 100 tattoo chemist are developing a henna formula http://www. HinduismToday.
where epidermis accessorizing is a cultured parlors in Los Angeles are thinking of aug- with a longer shelf life. Henna paste has to
menting their income with mehndi. Kauai. hi.us/ashram/fraivan. htmf
(and profitable) art form, but began in New be fresh to be effective. The new product
York City. Last year, the Bridges and Bodell Carrine Fabius, 40, an artist from Haiti will be sold under the label of "Eaith Hen-
Ghllery in New York's East Village orga- and owner of Galerie Lakaye in Los Ange- na" from September 1997. "The possibilities
nized an exhibit of photograph of mehndi les, became fascinated with mehndi when are limitless. Many parlors in Europe are
art. With the exhibit, the gallery offered she saw it in New York last year. "The mehn- asking for ....the paste. In Asia, Japanese
mehndi designs to visitors willing to give it
a try. "We thought we'd throw a couple of
di designs seemed so close to my heart be- women have taken the trend seriously.
cause we have a women's S-piritual, body There are inquiries for franchise-like opera- RUDRAKSHA
cushions on the floor and maybe a few peo- decorating art like that in our native Haitian tions from all over. We can sell the paste
ple would have it done. But there were 300 Voodoo religion where I grew up." A black commercially and train the artists as well, or FOREST
people the first day," said meb.ndi artist woman, she owns the studio along with her sell to individuals who want to do it them-
Loretta Roome, curator of the show. She artist husband Pascal Giacomini, a French- selves at home," Fabius said. Who knows
learned the art of drawing mehndi designs man. Her studio's celebrity client list in- where"l:his henna mania will go? -..1 SAN MARGA IRAIVAN TEMPLE
from Rani Patel, who also developed a suc- cludes actress Allgela Bassett, star of the GALERIE LAXAYE, 1550 NORTH CURS ON AVENUE , LOS 107 KAHOlALELE ROAD
ANGELES, CALIFORNIA , 90046, USA;
cessful, secret recipe of mehndi mixture. film "What's Love Got To Do with It;" tele- TEMPTU , 26 WEST 17TH ST REET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK,
KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA
The art so caught on with New Yorkers that vision stars Neve Campbell from "Party of 100 11 , USA (F OR A MEHNDHI-LIKE HOME- APPLIE D PRODUCT)

A TEMP L E B U ILT TO LAS T 1.000 YEA RS

46 HINDUISM TODA.Y OCTOBER , 1997


By MARIO CABRAL E SA, GOA
N 1567 THE CAPTAIN OF RACHaL
Fort in South Goa bragged to his Por-
tuguese king back home, "For nights
and nights went on the demolishing,
demolishing, demolishil1g of 280 Hin-
du temples. Not one remained in the
happy lands of our division." Jes1lJ.t historian
Francisco de Souza jubilantly praised the
feat, "It is incredible-the sentiment that the
gentile were seized of when they saw their
respective temple burning." The astonishing
but true fact is that every temp-Ie was soon
relocated and rebuilt by my countrymen;
the murtis, and in some cases the sacred fire,
were heroically rescued and reinstalled.
Chandrakant Keni, a leading Goan poet, says
that ,although Goa's Hindus were put to se-
vere tests as conquerors marched over their
48 HINDUISM TODA.Y OCTOBER, 1997
I /Mario De Miranda confirms his
lands, they had the resilience to convert "tem-
porary setbacks into permanent victories,"
Goa is located on the southwest coast of
India between Karnataka and Maharashtra
states. It remained a Portuguese colony un-
til forcibly taken by India in 1961. The
"Christian presence in Goa"-;-an expression
very much in vogue during the ~angelistic
fury of the Portuguese rulers and padres
(priests), particularly in the 16th and 17th
centuries-is more visible than vital today, 35
years after liberation. For example, Rodale's
Guide to Places of the World describes Goa
as "predominantly Catholic," when in reality
Hindus, 66% of the 1.2 million populace, far
outnumber Christians of all denominations.
The first missIonaries realized early on
that despite backing of the state ("conver-
sions were made," wrote contemporary Por-
tuguese chroniclers, with "the cross in
one hand, the sword in the other"), it I
was difficult to wean Goans from their
primal Hindu beliefs and traditions. I
will share a traumatic and rancorous
twist of this Hindu stalwartness that
involved the splitting up of my ances- "
tral family. They took a calculated
risk: half the family would convert,
and the other would escape to
Karnataka where other Goan Hin-
dus had settled and been wel-
comed by the Ikkeri king. The half
that remained would safeguard the
estate and assets of the migrating
half. The calculation was that the
Portuguese wouldn't stay in Goa for
long-just trade, make money and go,
That didn't happen. By the 1800s it was
Unique blend: A mixture of Porruguese and Hindu architecture, the ShantaDurga temple
in Kavale, Ponda-Taluka, is properly maintained and frequented by world
"When all are baptized, I order all temples of
their false gods destroyed and idols broken into
pieces. I can give you no idea of the joy I feel see-
ing this done." Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552)
clear the Portuguese would remain. By
then, too, the converted half of my family
was forced to eat beef and pork and felt
they could not return to their primal Hindu
faith. They had by then appropriated the
estate and assets of the migrated half, rather
than lose it to the Inquisition, as the law
then stipulated properties belonging to the
"heathen" be confiscated.
Noted India cartoonist/illustrator
family's fidelity, "I am a Saraswati
Brahmin, originally named Sardes-
sai. My (IDcestors were forcibly con-
verted to Christianity around 1600
and renamed Miranda. We still be-
long to the Shanta Durga temple and
yearly present prasad-oil and a bag
of 11.ce-a tradition in my family all
these years."
• Early European travellers, like
Venetian epicure Pietro Della Valle
who visited Goa in the 1700s, de-
nounced in their travelogues "un-
~ Christian" practices in ~atholic
df
o·
o Facade: Though media show-
;; cases Goa's Christianity, Hin-
<
duism reigns behind the scenes
--------------------------~~
OCTOBER , 1997
I,
,
, tourists
churches and shrines in Goa. Rather than
create for themselves insurmountable trou-
ble, the padres, particularly the Jesuits, re-
luctantly rewrote Christian liturgy. For in-
stance, they enthusiastically adopted the
Hindu tradition of yatra-in the Goan
sense of "procession." Neophytes, according
to chroniclers, paraded to their new
Catholic shrines, singing as they moved and
showering their paths with leaves and flow-
ers, just as they had done only a while earli-
er.as Hindus. To this day kumbhas are used .
for Catholic processions:,.At one stage, even
the Vatican tersely censured those "{entilic
practices" and proliferation of icons in
churches. No where, lamented Della Valle,
had he seen as much idolatry as in Goan
churches. But evangelists, many of them for-
eigners-the most sq.ccessful was Saint
Francis Xavier-convincingly argued that
without ethnic accopunodations they were
doomed to failure.
Other concessions included retainment of
social structures. In 1623 Pope Gregory gave
sanction for converted Brahmins to continue
wearing their sacred thread and caste
marks, and Catholics to this day maintain
the Hindu caste system. Till recently, inter-
caste marriages among Catholics were
HINDUISM TODAY 49
frowned upon both by families Hindus are culturally strong,
and the religious establishment, In honour & memory of M. Murlitharan, 16 years, who walt beyond on 5th OctobQo, 1996. He was Malaysia's talented and
but understandably influenced
and though love marriages are by Christianity. Goans of both promising hockey pla~ But above all, his essence was his love & kindness fur all Truly, a spiritual soul.
increasing, arranged marriage is communities celebrate together
stU! preferred. Only Catholics.- socially at festivals like Divali aOur Godgil1cs wisdom to the simple. » 'The Gods came to bow to thee, I saw your faith and courage
descending from brahmin fam- and Christmas, though essential -lUgVedR. For love calls fur Love, Rise a pillar of light,
ilies were admitted to seminar- religious rituals are attended Love longs fur Love, For those of us, left behind in Earth's
ies until the 17th century. • separately. Hindus do not attend When I first saw thee Love binds Love. perpetual Night
Hindu influence is also evi- Christian churches, though,. I wondered who you may be:
I stood in awe ofyour sacrifice.
dent in Goa's Christian art. Icons quite a few, particularly of lower I fi:lt the pulse ofyour spirituality Murli, the radiance of thy soul,
of Christ have the angular and ' castes, in a crisis or in gratitude And heard the sound of "OM" in eternity. lights the alter of my heart.
emaciated features of a Himala- ~ for favors perceived as granted, Blessed are the p:m:nts <<In the gloom ofjulr, his si»fold flue
yan sadhu, and statues of Maty ~ propitiate Catholic "miraculous Who brought furth a child of <<In perils unbound, His lllna betokens gleams.'"
contain the features of Parvati, ~ saints." Influence also occurs thy loveliness. Pe/lrNut'~
Lakshmi or other Hindu dei- ..I educationally. The majority of
. z
tIes. Many angels and cherubs ~ colleges are Catholic and in You did not me of your filme: You heard the pounding
sculpted on altars and pulpits of ::; them Hindu students outnum- And when I saw you next
Captain, captain ofPerak's under Ofyour mother's heart longing fur you,
Christian shrines resemble ap- ~ ber Catholic students. Unfortu-
fifteen. hockey team; You made your body my reading text: And sawyour fiuher in wilderness;
saras and gopikas. nately, Hindus attending these
The stadium roared your name, I sobbed like an Olphaned disciple. Witnessed your mends' prayers, laments
At-times, the zeal lead to hu- schools are often subtly weak-
morous situations. At village ened in their beliefs. As you scored the goals with dare and flair In thy silence thou declared: and tears,
Meira, in north Goa, a Siva tem- Having failed to change the And led your team to victory. "Know that the body is but an
hour glass." And from your flames, your wisdom
ple was destroyed and replaced Goan psyche, the Portuguese de- soared:
by a church dedicate.d to the Im- veloped a paranoia for appear- Silence is your inner glory.
' ... Separation from the infinite God.,
maculate Conception of Mary. ance. In the 1100s Captain Alex-
Apparently, the builder had ander Hamilton counted eighty Lilce one of the holy seers is the cause of all sorrow and sufICing,
found the tripartite Sivalinga of churches in'the capital alone, and Your 1<M: fur God Fill your emptiness with God.
the original temple and not 30,000 priests. "Each churchs became legend in your tender years. And awaken in Him to find me..."
knowing its symbolism but real- bells," he wrote, "continually To be with you was joy,
izing its artistic value, used it as fang with a peculiar power to But to be with you in the Aminan
a pedestal for the holy water drive away all evil spirits except was bliss:
basin. And there it was, from poverty in the laity and pride in
1636 to 1946, when German in- the clergy." Today, there are
dologist Gritle V Mitterwallner 6-700 priests, many churches
noticed it during a monument are closed except for festivals,
survey. He decided to move the and old chapels are in disuse.
Sivalinga to the Museum of the
Archaelogical Survey of India in
In contrast, Hindu temples
are flourishing. The Bhahujan
My First Hindu Lessons
Old Goa, and paid for a masonry Samaj, disadvantaged until 1962,
pedestal for the basin.
Obsessed with quick results,
is socially and politically power-
ful. They have established a
The Master Course, Level One By Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
An illustrated children's course in seven books (first two books now avail- 5aivite Hinau (1{eligion
-lPaI mowoO ~fR:'*
1
Portuguese evangelists brain- ~ non-brahmin prelate at the able), teaching love and worship of God Siva. Based on the holy Vedas, and
washed with a singular lack of Haturli Mutt (monastery), and presented in the context of traditional Hindu philosophy, culture, family
concern for substance and al- the temple under construction life and values. Excellent resource for parents and teachers. Subjects include
most psychotic emphasis on there may be worth Rs. ten mil- God and Gods, our soul, the world, right conduct, karma, dharma and
form. Numbers mattered, not lion (US$290,000) by completion. reincarnation, each presented in simple language. The course has been
qualjty. They force-fed Goan Other thriving mutts are Parta- adopted by the Fiji school system, and it is used extensively in numerous
converts beef and pork declar- .. gal and Kavalem. Modern Hin- other countries-Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius among others. Each
ing- incorrectly-that the neo- Goan Hindu cutture: (top) Brahmin boys are trained in the--Vedas. dus feel duty-bound to restore book is presented in three or more languages. Prominent swamis, pundits,
phytes could never return to (above) Traditional lamp dance illumines temple festivals. their herJtage, exemplified by scholars and lay persons of all sects have given enthusiastic endorsements.
Hinduism. They also forced Damodar Narcinva Naik who
converts to change their lifestyles, but never since Goa's liberation, of Catholics' reverting owns Goa's largest car dealership. Besides Paperback, beautifully illustrated, 8Y2" x 5%': Each book, approx. 150 pg. AaiIlw&r-.tctr.ll*m... _ . . . . . 1hl1llw1lllld:
really thought of teaching the natives basic to Hindu practices, seen in several arenas. starting a movement to popularize Sanskrit, English-Hindi-Tamil version: US$15 (USA or Canada), $20 (world) ship- woaWpelGod~..
HWo~ __*c:.tataE~
_ . . - ,...

Christianity. So much so, in the early 1990s Many offer prasad at Hindu temples like Fa- he had the Veling temple and Partagal)Jutt ping included. Available from:
Goa Catholic leaders admitted that funda- tarpa. Fisherfolk celebrate Nariel Purnima rebuilt according to old Hindu architectural
mentalist Christian sects like the "Believers" to begiIi. the fishing season and propitiate norms. And Dattar)lj Salgaonkar, a young Himalayan Academy Publications
(akin to Liberation theologians), then on the Samudra Gods with coconut offerings. New entrepreneur who recently helped restore 107 Kaholalele Rd· Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-9304 USA
upswing, were infiltrating the mainstream babies are given Hindu names, and some the Margao Mutt. in South Goa says, "This Tel: 1-800-890-1008, ext. 238Fax: 1-808-822-4351
Catholic community precisely because the adults are now shedding their Catholic mutt was demolished by invaders in order to E-mail: books@HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us· Web: httpllwww.HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us/ashraml
community lacked adequate religious foun- names to adopt Hindus ones. Some Catholics exterminate the Saraswat community and
dation. It was realized that only a few had observe the 12th day samskara after birth eliminate its influence over many followers." Also available' English-Hindi-Tamil version: UK: Hinduism Today, tel: 0171 9379163, fax: 01714601819, e-mail:
actually ever read or studied the Bible. In and death. Many women now wear the man- Curiously, when Goans part company easanl@aol.com. Fiji: Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam, Mr. N. K. Naidu: tel: 679 660199, fax: 679 660 761' English-
fact, the Old Testament had never been ga~tra and forehead bindis, and. use mehn- with friends or relatives we say "Yetam," Malay-Tamil version: Malaysia: Uma Publications, tel: 603 4411617, fax: 603 4419395' Sanatana Dharma Publications,
translated intO" Konkani, the mother tongue di to embellish palms and soles. Indian dress which means ''I'll come back," not as else-
tel: 033319242' Singapore: Sanatana Dharma Publications, tel: 957 66 012 • English-French-Tamil version:
of Goans and spoken by over 90% of them. is more fashionable (kurtas, saris, etc.) and where, "Vetam," "I'm going." It's our way of
Perhaps this accounts for a current trend, rotis (flatbread) are a Catholic staple. expressing hope and optimism. ..,.,' Mauritius: Saiva Siddhanta Church, tel: 230 412-7682, fax: 230-412-7177 • Denmark: Abhirami Amman Temple c/o
Mrs. V Sri Palan, tel/fax: (French or Tamil spoken) 45 9718 0192. '
50 HINDUISM TODAY OCTOBER, 1997
51
"I"~I'IIII""""""I\ll"I~jjl"jl'III"'I"j""."'j'II"'ll'II ••• ,.~ •• I ' j / l '
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MINISTER'S MESSAGE
Let Not the Conflict I
of Identity Haunt Us
Hindu youths' travail toward self-identity must
be bolstered by understanding and dialogue
BY SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI
EING A TRADITION, NOT AN ORGANIZED RELIGION
Hindu Dharma is imbibed by one as one grows in
where that tradition is alive at home and in
community. Through the various forms of culture
which are not alienated from religion, one can gain a
degree of appreciation of pne's religion. The religion itself is
based upon its vision of human destiny, of the world and of
God. Whatever one imbibes from parents and ones commu-
nity f0rms a part of the core person. The absence of alterna-
tive forms, which challenge one's own cultural and religious
commitment, lends stability to this core person. The core
person being stable, the adult can explore further and learn,
in time, the meaning of every form in all its profundity. Even
if one does not have the desire or opportunity to learn, yet one can body-mind-sense complex, is God, according to the Veda, then
command a degree of trust in oneself, the world and God. The
core person being stable, the adult can continue with 'the religious
beliefs and fonns of practice, with a sense of doing the right thing.
The child growing in an Indian home in America is not in the
same situation. The home of the first-generation irrimigrants is
more or less like one in India in terms of culture, religion, attitudes though God is everything. While any form of prayer is acceptable
and values. But when this child is sent to a day-care center and
then to kindergarten, it is bound to be confused by the inconsis-
tency between the !'tome and outside. Of these two, which will be
more real and acceptable to the child? With television programs
contributing their might through cultural forms of language, dress,
food" music and so on, what is outside the home will gain b~tter
credibility. But the parents, on the other hand, are never dispens-
able, for they are Gods for the child, and their language, food,
dress, customs and manners cannot be wrong. It is logical that the
core person now faces issues of self-identity. if these issues of self- always enoouraged, so that the understanding and assimilation pf
identity are not addressed, they will haunt the person not only as a the .subject matter will take place. Even an unverifiable belief is to
young adult, but until he or she is 90 years old. Without addressing be understood as' such. The realities cannot be a matter of belief
them, unfortunately some turn away from this problem of identity
confusion to totally conform tp the thinking and life-style of the
majority. This will not help. The confusion of the core person still
being there; it will control one's life. The meaning of life is bound
to be found missing. Living becomes miserable. Psychotherapy is
inevitable. While therapy can help one understand the core prob<
lem, the conflict of self-identity remains to be addressed. This
amounts to one's conscious attempt to understand the parents' cul-
we, religion and the whole background. How?
:-\ program of study under the guidance of someone who is well
informed would be an obvious course to gain a firm grasp of the
Hindu dharma in general. In the absence of such guidance. a
group study of certain selected books authored by recogclzed
scholars of this vast dharma would be an ideal alternative. 'Fhe
52 HIF'DUISM TOD .... Y OCTOBER , 1997
~ z-s: ~-~i~' ~ g g g g =i~:=-" ~
groups «an also invite scholars to discuss
various topics in their gr9up meetings. HIN-
DUISM TODAY can recommend, after care-
ful examination, a set of books for study.
The Vaidika Dharma allows different
forms of prayer and worship. The altar of
worship is also personal. This freedom
comes from the Vedic vision that all that is
here is nonseparate from God. God is
looked upon as botli the maker and the
material for the creation of this world. Any
created form cannot be separate from its
material cause like the shirt is nonseparate
from the fabric of which it is made. While
God can be independent of the wQ.rld, the
world, on the other hand, cannot be inde-
pendent of God. So every phenomenon in-
the world is the manifestation of God.
For a Hindu, even space can be an altar
of worship. In the temple of Chidambaram,
space is worshiped as the Lord-so too,
time and everything else that is in time and
space. Therefore, any altar, as well as any
form of worship, is valid for a Hindu. In the
light of this vision of God, the question of
many Gods does not arise, nor is God a
matter of belief When all that is here is
God, one has to understand God. I don't
believe in the existence of the world. I know
that I face, encounter a world. I am within
this world. I don't believe, but know that
there is a world. If that world, including my
there is a challenge for me to understand how that can be.
When we say that all forms and altars of prayer are valid, we do
not mean that all religions lead to tl;te same goal. Each world reli-
gion has its own goal. Most of them promise a heaven. By one's
own thinking, one can be away from the reality of God, even
and valid, that itself is not the goal of a religious pursuit. It is a
laudable quality to grant others the freedom to Rursue their own
religion, qut it is important that we examine the ultimate end pro-
fessed by given religions. They are definitely different. The section
of the Vedas -dealing with realities of living is always in ~he form of
a dialogue. Even an epic like the Mahabharata is a dialogue, in-
cluding the Bhagavad Gita therein. This is so because the subject
matter unfolded in these dialogues is one to be understood and
assimilated and lived, not to be blindly believed. Questions are
What is believed can be false. Reality is always to be under&tood,
even though one may believe it to be true pending understanding.
When this is the Hindu tradition, how can one resist its invitation
to a dialogue? •
,
SWAMI DAYANANDA, 67, a sannyasi of the Adi Shankara and Veda
Vyasa tradition,founder of Arsha Vidya centers in India, Canada
and Au.stralia, has tau.ght throughout the world for over 30 years.
b
 ~ . ., "'~ ~ . \' " " . " .. , \ ,0.... " _,

RATINGS gument with a meat CENSURESHIP

eater, read text that did
O urVery not make it into the
printed version of HIN-
Own DUISM TODAY, study a
massive anthology of the
\ V IE CANNOT CON- Vedas, a complete trans-
W tain ourselves any
longer. H INDUISM To-
lation of the mystical
Tirumantiram, and oth-
DAY feels compelled er publications, and
(blush) to acquaint read- learn more about our
ers with its popular publisher and his lin-
"Electronic Ashram" on eage. Or, for the truly
the Web (Hinduism earnest, you can "Click
Today.kauai.hi. usl- Here to Become a Hin-
ashrarn/). Whether du," and examine the
you're after snazzy tra- step-by-step process of
ditional graphics or conversion. HT's own in-
loads of practical wis- dex of past issues (ex-
dom, entering our tending four years) is
the most popu-
lar destination,
,.
.
:Ii
ActJudged
Indecent
N JUNE 25, 1997,
O the U.S. Supreme
Court struck down the
Communications De-
cency Act, concluding it
endangers the FITst
Amendment of free
speech. The act went
beyond its original aim
"Inner Hinduism" zone of The Eternal Religion CD of curbing Internet ac-
EDUTAINMENT cess of minors to porno-
graphy to outlaw forms
Eternally Encoded of legitimate communi-
cation between adults,
such as the sharing of in-
E ETERNAL RELIGION -HINDUISM BY formation on AIDS.

'<"
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z
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judged among
the top twenty
visited religious
websites by the
folks at Web-
U Visonosoft of Chennai, India, is the first
CD we have seen focused exclusively on
Hinduism. Vivid illustrations and photos,
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Website-blocking soft-
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Hindu wisdom suggests
parents give children a
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j side Story (see Cultural Hinduism. The CD is at secondary school on the traditional laws of
<
:! HT July issue, level, though everyone will delight in the 32 brahmacharya. Lovingly
III
~--------------------~ pg. 54). To video clips that propel you into Hindu life-e.g., encourage your kids to
j oin the band of global devotees! reach the links watch a towering crane plunge a huge festival ask questions, especially
most commonly Ganesha icon into the ocean. Hundreds of San- in their teen years, and
ethereal realm is going surfed on a recent July, skrit words are defined and pronounced. This to keep everything in
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learn how to win an ar- ashram.
UNEARTHLY Pathfinder Mission. A
call to Mission Control
Yogi on Mars revealed the large-bot-
tomed rock was named
.
creativeJolks@visono.wiprobt.ems.vsnl.netin and likely choose to
avoid indecent material.
quips such as, "You can 'til its over." A childhood -
observe a lot by watch- friend nicknamed Berra
ing," and "It ain't over after a movies Hindu
If\1\
/ \ '
snake charmer. Since ~ ) 1.-
~
{ I, \\
I ;

INDUS WERE DE- after the 1950s cartoon snake charmers belong
H lighted to hear that
"Yogi" was the second
character "Yogi the to the Natha lineage, our I
J~
Bear," potentially eras- Mars friend must be a
rock-after "Barnacle ing the Hindu connec- Natha Yogi! Yogi Berra's ~
Bill"-visited in July by tion. Ah, but Yogi Bear advice to the Path- ~
Sojourner, a 22-pound, was named after base- finder's robot? "When ~
C-OMMUNIPATlONS <{~
six-wheeled vehicle ball player Yogi Berra, you come to a fork in the ~ DECENCY ACT .. _:,.~ ..
landed on Mars by the famous for his wacky road, ... take it." Court rules for free speech

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