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. DECEMBER, 1997
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INTERNATIONAL
Trinidad: l!.egal Equality for Hindus 17
Cover Story: Eleven-day Rites
Bring Vedic Priests to US 22
Nepal: Girl Temple SerVarlts Suffer 27
Tribute: Yogi arld Peacemaker:
Sri Chinmoy is Honored 34

LIFESTYLE
Insight: Evaluating Adi Sharlkara's
Virtuosity in Vedi.~ Verse 30
Child Rearing: How Spanking Makes
• Childr.en Behave Even Worse 40
Devotion: A CD for the Goddess 41.
Interview:' Painter Indra Sharma 48
Serviae: krishna's Lifeguard 50

OPINION •
Publisher'S Desk: Garlesha Carl Cure
Your Kids' Christmastime Blues 6
Editorial: Xmas: Fact or Fairytale? 8
My Turn: Saving the iHindu Priesthood 9
Letters 14
Astrology: Princess Diarla's Chart 36
Healing: Helping Hyperactive Kids 44
Minister's Message: You Must..control Your
Egotistical Desires arld Your Anger 52
71

DIGESTS
Quotes &Quips 10 Evolutions 44
~ Dlaspora 11 Digital Dharma 54
Briefly 20

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Canada ..... . .C$3.95 Malaysia ..... .. .RM5 Singapore .... . ... S$4 Trinidad . .... TD18.00
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'COVER: India's incomparable philosopher, Sri Adi Shankara [788-820 GE], is
a 74470 12134 Europe ...... US$3.50 Mauritius . ...... Rs.30 South Africa . US$2.95 UK . . . . . . . . £2.00
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surrounded by the sil Dieties whose worship he consolidated as the Shanmata Stlia-
Nepal ... .. NRs.175 Sri Lanka . . . . Rs.80 AUstralia .... AUS$5.50
pana: (clockwise fron left) Siva, Shakti,Vishnu, Kumara, Surya and Ganesha. . J
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PUBLISHER'S DESK
Oaddy, 'Do We,Get
Toys fbr Christmas, too?
Yuletide is not a Hindu holiday, but we have our own
Decemqer ~ft-giving festival called Pancha Ganapati
. .
BY SATGURU SIVAYA SUBRAMUNIYASWAMI
ADDY, WHY DON'T WE
have Christmas? What
do we do? Don't we get
presents, too?" That ques-
tion was heard in so many
Hindu homes some 15 ye8!s ago
that it inspired us to create a new
holiday based on time-honored
traditions. In cooperation with
swamis, scholars and elders, an
alternative for Christmas was con-
ceived and put into action: Pancha
Ganapati, a five-day, festiVal cele-
brated from December 21
through 25, has since become a
favorite in homes all over the world. The winter solstice has always
been a festive time of year in all countries, religions and among
Hindus especially, for it is a traditional season for the worship of
Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed lord of culture lmd the arts.
In the Sri Lankan tradition, for example, thirty days are dedicat-
ed to Ganesha worship during December-January in the festival
called Markali Pillaiy.ar. In Vedic astrology this time of. year marks
the end of the sun's ~outhward movement and the beginning of its
movement north. Since most Hindus do not celebrate Christmas,
they often fmd it difficult to relate in a meaningful way to those
who do. Their children are often embarrassed when asked '{Vhy
they-don't receive gifts like their friends. Adults feel the need to
give gifts and mail greeting cards as well as accept them from J;ela-
tives, neighbors, friends and business associates. The five days of
Pancha Ganapa~i offer a Hindu expression ot this natural season of
worship, gift-giving and celebration.
During each of the five days, a special sadhana, spiritual disci-
pline, is focused upon by the entire family. Because of the festivals
importance as a new beginning and mending of all past mistakes,
a festive shrine is created in the main living room of the home. At
the center is placed a large woo~n or bronze five-faced statue of
Lord Pancha Ganapati. If this is not available, any large picture or
statue of Lord Ganesha will do. Each morning the children dress "
or decorate Ganesha anew in a different colar: golden yellow on
December 21, then royal blue: ruby red, emerald green and finally
brilliant orange. These are the colors of His five powers, or shaktis.
Each day a tray of sweets, fruIts and incense is offered to Lord
Ganapati, often prepared and presented by the children. Chants,
songs and bhajcJns are sung in His praise. After puja, the abundant,
diverse sweets are shared by one and all as prasada. Each day gifts
are given to the children, who place them before Pancha Ganapati
6 HINDUISM TODAY DEC~ MBER , 1997
to open only on the futh day.
Gifts need not be extravagent
or expensive; they should be
within the means of each
family. Handmade presents
are by far the most precious.
Ganesha does not want gift-
giving to promote Western
commercialism but to further
the great Hindu culture.
Clearly, killer games should
never be given. Greeting
cards, ideally made by the
children, offer Hindu art and
wisdom, such as verses from
the Vedas. Now let me explain how the
five-Clay cefubration is observed. •
December 21, yellow: The family sad-
hana for the first day 'of Pancha Ganap-
ati is to create a vibration of love and
harmony among immediate family
members. The day begins early, and the
entire family works together to design
and decorate the shrine with traditional
symbols, m~oli, lamps and more. Then
a grand puja is performed invoking the
spirit of Pancha Ganapati in the home.
The sadhana of the day now begins.
The family sits togetheF for the purpose .
of easing any strained relationships that
have arisen during the ye.ar. They make
amends one with' another for misdeeds
performed, insults given, mental pain
and injuries caused and suffered. When
forgiveness is offered to all by one iilld
all, they sReak of each others good qual- <L1lm~~~~~~~.~;;;; :;;~=;;
ities and resolve that in the days ahead
they will remember the futility of trying to change others and the '
practicality of changing one's self to be the silent example for all to sought, apologies maQ.e and tensions released. Gifts received are
witness. Gifts are then exchanged and placed unopened before
Pancha Ganapati. As fainily harmony is important to all Hindus,
this sadhana must be taken very, very seriously.
December 22, blue: Daytwo is devoted to creating a vibration of
love and harmony among neighbors, relatives and close friends and
p resenting'them with heartfelt. The sadhana of the day is to offer
apologies and clear up any misunderstandings that exist. Relatives
J
Ahappy holiday: The children are celebrating Pancha Ganapati in
gala fashion with a real, live five-faced Ganesha, Lord of culture
and apliftment. The five-segmented sky, each with its own sun and
distinct color, represents His five powers. (Photo left) Guru.deva
blesses the Sidqhi Vinayaga Temple in Ula Behmng, Malaysia .
• ..................................." .................................... . "' ........... • ...... • ........ • ........ • .. • ........................... " ... 'u ,............... ..
unopened before the Deity.
December 24, green: The s.adhana of day four is to draw forth
the vibration of joy and harmony that comes from music, art, dra-
ma and the dance. Family, relatives and friencB gather for satsang
to share and enjoy their artistic gifts. Then all sit together before
Ganesha, Patron of Arts and Guardian of Culture, discussing Hin-
du DharIIll\ and making plans to bring more cultural refinements
into the home. More gifts are placed before Pancha Ganapati.
December 25, orange: The family sadhana for the fmal day is to
bring forth love and harmony within all three worlds. Because of
sadhanas well performed during the first four days, the family is
now more open and aware of Ganesha's grace, and their love for
Him is now overflowing. On this day the entire family experiences
an outpouring of love and tranquility from the great God Himself
His blessings fill the home and the hearts of everyone within· it,
inspiring them anew for the coming year. /
Quite honestly, however, many Hindus do celebrate Christmas
and would ask, "What's wrong with that?" My answer is that it
dilutes and weakens our noble tradition and leads children astray.
Each religion educates its young in a sectarian way, for religionists
believe that to learn one specific path is sufficient and necessary.
Therefore, education should not be diluted by taking in all reli-
gions under one banner.
Religions are one in their movement toward God, some offering
knowledge, others service, others love, attainment and direct expe-
rience. At the same time, they are different in their practices and
attainments, and most assuredly distinct in their beliefs, the foun-.
dation of the attitudes of their members. It is good to love. and
respect all religions; that is a necessary condition of individual
spiritual unfoldment. Following the path given by our religion
leads one onward through religious practices and sadhana into
Divine Realization.
The success of any person on the spiritual path) s reliant upon
the depth and strength of his religious roots. A great tree with
roots well wrapped around boulders and sunk deep into the Earth
can withstand any storm. High winds are nothing more to it than
the cleansing' of its branches. The individual on the path must be
just as fIrm in his religious foundation in order to withstand raging
emotions, depression and elation, confusion and despair. To'him,
such disturbances will be nothing more than a cleansing of false
concepts as he dives deeper into his religion and philosophy.
We can clearly see that religion and tradition are interlocked in
the annals of time back many thousands of years and how tradi- I
tion moves forward from on~ generation to the next, setting the
patterns for humanity. Every time-honored tradition loyally serves
mankind, and by following it through the context of one of the
great religions of the world, one cannot go astray. Jai Ganapati! .-
May He)ead us always along the righ( path.
and friends in far-off places are written to or called, forgiveness is The Mini-Mela Gift Shop ,
placed unopened before Pancha Ganapati. Pancha Ganapatl Posters of this page's art in three sizes are
Decembllr 23, red: The sadhana far the third day is to create a available: 8.5" x 11" is $5; 11" x 17" is $11; large format (photogloss
vibrabon of love and harmony among business associates, the ca- poster paper) 36" x 46" is $101 ($51 to orphanages and charity
homes for the aged).
sual merchant and the public at large. This is the day for present-
ing gifts to fellow 'workers and customers and to honor employers Loving Ganesha: 800-page illustrated resource. See ad, page 10.
and employees with gifts and appreciation. The sadhana today is Aums CD: a collection of computer graphics. See ad, page 45.
the settling of all debts and disputes. Gifts received are placed
DECEMBER, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 'I
..
~
I TOR I A L
~ ~ ~~ .8~.U~.~ ~~~~~ "~.8~.~ ~F~.
Ass~g Christmas as a pagan festival
,
ED
, - ·
t ' t - -' with a Christian veneer, New England Pu-
ritans were trying desplrately to suppress
MY TURN

Its C h. rls' mas Ime

A8L""l n In
the annual rowdiness that had evolved
~a:~e~~:~~~f:~:~v:~~:;~;!dobser- . Rescu,n8 Our
·hrL""l m
' drinking, mocking of authority, audacious

th e A S a
a vasions of the homes of the wealthy.
.;
' - -_ _ _--:-_ _ _-:!:=;....
'Tis the season to remember that Hindus honor
all religi?ns-we don't practice all religions
BY . THE EDITOR
o HO! THE TREE IS BRIGHT WITH TINSEL AND
H , lights, a little wooden angel hovering at its top. The
et of pine wafts through the room and arouna
~e children as they play amid the many brightly wrapped
. ~ d among soft, white cotton beneath the tree. You would
gI~ts:~iS~S a Christian h?z:ne, but wait. Aren't those ladies wear-
~m . and what's that SPICY scent of roasting turmeric and gin-
mg sarafIs: g from the kitchen? Vma music fills the air, and
ger W tmanswers the pone h .
saymg, "Namaste. "1' t s Christmas m .
someone hram. WhiIe 1't may surpnse . those m . 0 ther natIOns,
. C hr'ISt-
the ~ WI'dely_observed annual holiday in American yoga schools ,
mas H" IS a d cultural centers.
and m ue in A1Jlerrica· has to cope with the indisputable reality of
Everyon
. It's the most toute d , most ad vertIsed, '
most expensIve,
Chns~~ratory, most exhausting holiday in the nation. Nothing
most ce e s close It's the quintessential family ritual a-dramatic
eve:t::tcuItUr~ extravagance and a child's first id~a of what
SOCI must be like and that being good pays off
h~ave~ 'n perhaps surprise readers to hear that it may be time .
S~ I following Indian spiritual traditions to stop celebrating
fO~is:as. It's high t,ime we t~e .some stands, not just pliantly fit
?0 Western ways. I $.I sa.y .ChristIan ways, but Christmas, it turns
mt . 't a Christian"traditIOn at all, at least not a very old one. It
out, I~t~ vented in Rome or Jerusal~, but in the good' 01 USA!
wasnm . as Amencan ' original classification of 1,131 recensions of Sringeri Peetham.
, . ht Christmas IS as appIe pie. It was concoct-
Th~s~erica, and it originally had nothing to do with baby Jesus
~d a manger. NoW, before you reach for your keyboard to send a
u: ling e-mail about how ~s can't be so, let me explain.
slz~e real myth is that ChriStmaS began at the birth of
. d it was thereafter observed as a sacred family
Cro:IS~, anuntil the greedy '01 merchants of the 20th cen-
festiVIty ed the Yuletide into a hollow hallowing, a ped-
turY, turn ant. '!bose who believe this are living a fairy-
dIers pag~g to University of Massachusetts
t~e, accorofessor Steven Nissenbaums dense, fact-
hlstodrYb P k The Battle for Christ..,inas (381 pages,
fille f 00, l ly 0 Id Santa C Iaus is
$30). In his. ana1'SIs,
l " JO
Knop'f central figure in Christmas that Christ. He
more a
. 0. "There .
never was a tlIDe w hen C hr'Istmas ex-
wntes. d t'IC• 1'dYII, Immune
. Historically, such services (ya~nas) were hope and support fmancially, spiritually and
. d unsulliedomes to the
Iste afs anmmercialism." From its outset he declares
. totwas co has been "commerciaL .... at its very
" core."
ta:o
C ~ ghout !Dost of Christian history, there was no
. ou s at all When it did surface it was met with
Chrlstma . ,
:UUal itan disdain. Its very observation was declared a
offense by the Massachusetts General Court in 1659.
V(~dic Pundits
I- b.e~ging on the streets and unrestrained in-
.
Nissenbaum tells th"e tale of how this De-
cember "Mardi Gras" turned into gang vio-
lence and public riots in the early 19th
century. He writes that "the Yule log, the Why we organized the iargest Vedic.
candles, the holly, the mistletoe, even the
Christmas tree [are] pagan traditi0ns all."
Enter a group of ~w York entre-
rituaJ ce~~mony in American history
•preneurs and leaders. Seeking to get revel- , '
ers off the streets, Nissenbaum chronicles, BY DR. S . YEGNASUBRAMANIAN
they led a movement to take all that wild
energy ~d transmute it into a family-centered celebration, with
special emphasis on children and presents. Charles Dickens joined OW THAT THE AT! RUDRA help our younger generations to
Maha Yajna at the Sringeri Loving Ganesa, at once simple.
the cabal, writing his classic tale A Christmas Carol, one of several have the feel and appreciation
Sadhana Center in Strouds- for an authentic Vedic rite and
fictions that fueled the movement and set the homey tone for the
deep and practical. teaches ever so
f
burg, Pennsylvania, is ac- will ~mpress upon them that
new holiday. Soon families started gathering at their secure hearths
complished [see page 22], I revisit
to share gifts, all as a counterbalance to the ruffians outside. By
my initial motivation to undertake
events of such magnitude are
1822 Santa Claus was invented, at first in a poem by Clement possible to conduct these days! many ways that Ganesas grace
Clarke Moore, son of an Episcopal bishop. Saint Nick slowly mor- this ....sadhana. I have always felt It will also serve to rejuvenate
phed from a beardless sprite to become the jolly, plump patron
proua of the affluence of the Hin- the Hindu community with the can be attained by sincere devo-
du community abroad, specifical- reassurance that we are all to-
saint of commercialism. Indeed, the immense income that stores
ly, the community's efforts and de- gether in performing such wor-
and publishers enjoyed drove Christmas' popularity, then as now. tion. song. prayer and meditation
sire to encourage' and lionor our ship for the benefit of all.
So why are ashrams and Hindu cultural halls observing an
American holiday that has at its core commercial success and civic ?n e artists, musicians and sculptors by invit- To conduct a yajna on this scale for the
.
restraint? Perhaps we're trying to fit in, trying to assure non-Hin- mg them to various parts of the world. I first time outside India was a monumental to bring greater harmony.
wondered what the Hindu community task! Meticulous planning of all legal, safety,
dus that "We're not so different. We are tolerant and all-
embracing." Are we so unself-assured that we have to follow others' could do to similarly acknowledge the merits food, transportation, housing, medical and contentment and spirituality into
cultUre to prove who we are? I hoPIt not. We should not be doing of the Vedic pundits. Their dedication is the other opemtional logistics, in addition to
this. And the fact is we have better options. Hindus could take key ~omponent in 'the protection and prop- taking care of so many priests' from India
. ones daily life. An BOO-page illus-
their example from other courageous and creative peoples who agation of our scriptures, which is the basis (who are totally ·new to plane travel), stay
of Hindu tradition and dharma.
have had to confront the present-day reality. J~wish families in the abroad ·etc., for a duration of nearly three
But the self-esteem of these pundits is weeks, was a challenge! All these were ac- trated resource by Satguru
West turn all that energy toward Chanukah, an 8-day festival
very disturbed at the moment, as is evident complished within a span of just eight
about the same time of year. Most submit to the secular gift-giving
from the very poor enro.llment in the patha- months, only because of the strength of the Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. $ 19.95
part. Creative African-Americans have created their own holiday
called Kwanzaa. Like Chrisfinas itself, Kwanzaa was invented in ' salas, the priest trainiitg schools. From the blessings of His Holiness, the Jagad~ of
America, and is now the only nationally celebrated, non-heroic plus shipping (US $2.
Black holiday in the US. It was begun in 1966 by M. Ro:d Karenga all the four Vedas, only an ineomplete ten The support for this massive effort came
seem to ,be available today. At this rate, this from contribut,ions from several phllan-
to distance Blacks from the holidays alienation and crass commer-
• cialism. He established December 26 to January 1 to allow Black ~umbel'~ill further dwindle to very alarm- thropists and the selfless dedication of many
mg magrutudes. To prevent further deterio- volunteers who devpted their time and labor
Foreign $4). Also in bookstores.
shoppers a chance to shop economically during after-Christ-
mas sales. Millions today observe Kwaazaa and thus , r~tio~, the encouragement of the Vedic'pun- for a very worthy community cause. I was I-S00~S90-1 OOS
strengthen their. culture. Hindus, too, have invented a hol- dits IS a must. What event could raise the x.ery emotionally touched to see so. many
iday, called Pancha Ganapati, which we celebrate at our • pundits' self-esteem and sensitize the com- devotees attending an eleven-day vaidika rit- I-S0S-S22-3152
Hawaiian ashram. I propose that all ashrams, yoga, munity to this issue? What doable event in ual in the remote Pocono location. All the~
http://www.HinduismToday.
schools, temples, dharma-centered societies and Hindu America would involve the participation of a priests who participated went back with ex-
. homes ditch th~ play-pretend Santa Claus and . number of these pundits and m~e an im- tremely emotional sentiments and very kauai. hi. us/ashram
pacf in our midst? . proud of their paiticipation. AhPost a once-
put the all-giving Lord Ganesha at the center
The Hindu tradition has brought us the in-a-lifetime event, this yajna undQJjbtedly
of this seasonal holiday. Loved ones can still
power of prayer and service for the welfare brought all our communities together in a
gather. Gifts can still be shared. Kids can still '
delight in the feasting and fun, and we can all still be of all communities as the highest of ideals. serene and peaceful setting. There is definite LOVING
proud Hindus when its all over.
As the season draws near, remember: we honor all
religions, we don't practice all religions. Let's stop
conducted by emperors for the welfare of physically if the sankalpam has merit and
their subjects. What yajna can be d0ne here the anugraha (grace) of the Acharya em-
GANESA
observing other faiths and follow the rich, celebra- todaj'to accomplish this objective? All these powers that sankalpam of the devotee.
tory heritage of India. Parents and ashram considerations resulted in conception of the HIMAlAYAN ACADEMY PUBUCATIONS
managers will fmd day-to-day instructions on how Ati Rudra Maha 'Yajna which I personally DR. S. YEGNASUBRAMANIAN, 48, a materia~ 107 KAHOlALELE ROAD
•
to make this happen on the previous page. consider as a divine sankalpam (conception, scientist with'Lucent TechnologieS, was gen- KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA

-8 II IN I!UISM ToDAY . DECEtt BER, 1997

-,
resolve),! Performing such a yajna here will eral chairman otthe Ati Rudra Maha Yajna.
BOOKS YOU CAN TAKE. SERIOUSLY
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answer: "Then l~t the men go!" from Aesop and buy your-
self a "ClasSically-styled,
. Wearing orange robes, carrying a walking stick or water pot, talk- Icivilians at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in 1919. 379
NDIA 'ILL NEVER FORGET THE MASSACRE OF UNARMED
That incident
English-made, leather-free
Biker jacket" for a very
ing of Vedanta and arguing about it with everyone-these things has relIll'lined one of the most notorious in the history of the reasonable US$150. The
do not make one a swami/ Legendary siddha yogi Swami British E!mpire, and provided powerful impetus to Indias free- folks at Aesop want to
dom mo rement So when the itinerary for the QueenS trip to In- bring you products that
Nityananda (?-1961), satguru of Swami Muktananda. dia honoring 50 years of independence was found to include don't sacrifIce the rights of
AmritsaD many Indians demanded she apologize for the slaugh- animals, but do protect the
I am not enamoured of acquiring fame, knowledge, luxuries of life, ter whil there. Much political haggling has resulted, but there is environment. Anyone who
power, or heaven or moksha, but my desire is to have a rebirth in considemble sympathy in England for a royal apology. Authorita- has ever tried to fInd non-
Bha1"atha Bhumi [India], as a hum~ being or as a animal or as a tive sources report one has been approved by the government of leather shoes will be im-
Prime Minister Tony Blair. Editorial opinion in the UK favors an pressed 'with the wide se-
bird, or as an insect or at least as a stone! A Hindu's patriotic cry apology. .Present plans are for the Queen to lay a wreath at the lection-their main
on the occasion of India's 50th anniversary. site, but °thout making an apology then and there. product, actually-from Aesop's mascot urges human beings
comfy sandals to office "to wear their own skin",
When a boy, one is attached to sport; when a you,th, one is
attached to a young woman; when old, one is attached to anxiety;
to the sup~eme BralIman, no one, alas, is attached!
course in yoga-
the fIrst in Mauri-
TRENDS
. strengthen rather than weaken
national bonds." The Scottish
Adi Sankara,: Bhaja Govindam, verse 7 tius. They pro-
mote the Ackl?ar
Free Scotland situation might serve as model
for solving the so-far intractable
During my discourse in Banaras, an elephant became very uncon- Yoga Movement
trollable and began running berserk among the passers by. I, along as "the most an- •
cient science to
C approved a referendum on
ITIZENS OF SCOTLAND situation in Sri Lanka between
Tamils and Singhalese.
with my disciples,'were passing by that str,eet September 11 to form a paFlia-
'manage modern ment of their own with powers
"Ego" (c) f197 on our way to bathe in the Ganga. Seeing the disease," in an ef- of taxation and control over
i:/
>.

elephant running amuck, we had to run for
safety. One pandit who used to attend my
discourses daily, referring to this incident,
asked me the question: "0, great teacher. If as
you say, the world is maya [illuSion] and the I
soul is indestructible, why did you, a liberated
soul, run for safety seeing the maya elephant
rutming wildly?" I replied: "Well put, my
learned brother. The elephant was maya, as
you say, and so was my running!"
Adi Sankara during his famous debate with
Mandana Mishra.
fort to bring yoga
to Mauritians of
all races and
T Gujadhu:r with his young Mauritian yogis faiths. They hope
MAURITIUS their students
graduate into yoga's mental and
spiritual frontiers. The new six-
Diploma Yoga month Diploma in Yoga course
. en burdens on heavily encum-
started in November. In 1994,
Moves Ackbar the Gujadhurs organized an In-
;r-e rnational Yoga Therapy
'i\ CKBAR YOGA MOVEMENT IS Camp held in Mauritius. Trilo
r-:\the creation df Trilo and and Shiksha hope one dai' to
Shiksha Gujadhur, two yoga see yoga therapy at all the is-
therapists who teach a diploma land's hotels.
most domestic affairs. Accord-
ing to a report in the Deccan
Herald (Bangalore), "The devo-
lution w;ill be in tune with the
internationaI...trend of recogniz-
ing diverSity to ultimately light-
bered national centers while at
the same time encouraging the
growth with responsibility 'of
units on the political periph- .
ery." The paper editorializes,
'J\s devolutionists rightly argue,
measures which eventually lead
to people's empowerment Scotland gains new freedom

10 HINDUISM TODA"Y D 'ECEMBER , 1997 CLOCKWISE FROM T OP: EMBASSY OF BRITAIN,

ANDI J ONEs!AESOP, HINDUISM TODAY, ACKBAR YOGA
DECEMBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 11

President Clinton announcing new guidelines on August 14
USA
Religion in the Workplace
Ew FEDERAL GUIDELINES
Nnow allow employees 9f the
US government considerable
freedom of religious expression
in their workplace. Under the
rules announc~d Au~st 14 by
President Clinton, it is now
permissible for a federal em-
ployee only-this does not ap-
ply to the private sector-to
keep a Bible, Koran, Upan-
Help on Way
T PhDs ot the British Feder-
ation of Zoos thought they
'phant, but when Kamini,
ishads or other holy scripture
on his desk. He may wear reli-
gious clothes, put up religious
symbols in his work area and
observe the holidays of his
faith. It also allows proselytiz-
ing of fellow workers on the
job, but only as long as the per-
son being proselytized does not
ask that it stop or demonstrate
that it is unwelcom~.
HE VETERINARIANS AND
knew how to manage an ele-
Chandrika and Raja arrived
from north Bengal earlier this
year, they had mor:e than they
could handle. The three pachy-
derms become accustomed to
the day-and-night attentions of
their mahout and grew dis-
tressed without it. The-solu-
tion? The zoo imported ten
mahouts, post haste, reports In-
dia Today, "to teach their more
educated colleagues the wis-
dom of the ancients."
Also in elephant news is a
US$25-million bill introduced
in the US Congress to protect
the Asian elephant, particular-
ly those in India, Sri Lanka
and Nepal, from extinction.
The number of elephants in
the wild may be only 35,000,
existing in small fragmented
herds of less than a hundred.
The money will go to current
conservation programs.
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Palmers original floorplan, long
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12 HINDUISM TODA<Y DEG~MBER, 1997 NO CREDIT, PAINTING BY S. RAJAM

Hello! What About Hindus?
IN THE YOUR OCTOBER '97 LETTERS, MR.
RJan Amptmeyer was upset at what he con-
siders trivialization of a horiendous his-
torical event of the holocaust of the Euro-
pean Jews. However; he doe; not grant the
same courtesy to the Hindus who lived
through a holocaust of much bigger propor-
tion and cruelty at the hands of tJ:ie invading
lllarauders and ruling Islamic kings and
despots. Mr. Amptmeyer very rightly wants
to perpetuate the memory of the Jewish
holocaust so that it never happens again.
Hindus who want to do the same and also
want some symholic retribution of that, he '"
terms as Muslim hate groups. I think he is
being very unfair. The temples at Mathura,
Kashi and Ayodhya, converted to mosques,
are the three most holy places for the Hin-
dus. These temples are a constant reminder
of the acts of barbarism perpetrated by con-
quering armies. It is-only just and right, for
- the sake of amity and goodwill, that these
three temples be returned to Hindus. This
demand is not an act of hate but a demand
for dignity and self-respect.
/ their husbands. Sanatana Dharma mandates
YASH PAL LAKRA
BL OP MF IELD HILL S, MICHIGAN, USA
" YLakra@aol.com
Womanly Protocol Issues
IF THE ARTICLE "CUES AND CLUES," [IN-
SIGHTS, September, 1997] were a summation
of antiquated traditions, I might begin to un-
derstand the riecessify or the intent of the
paragraph entitled "Womanly Protocol."
However, if, as the author states, "Tradition is
the best of the past that has been carried for-
ward for the future," I beg to disagree, as aD.
Indian woman, and on behalf of my female
family, to this section. I fmd the suggestions
to the Indian woman's exalted position at
best hopeful. The majority of Indian women
are very oppressed. If the opposite were
true there would be no need for a woman's
movement. Indian woman are and have been
encouraged to live under the rule of men,
whether their rules are beneficial or not.
How does it behoove a woman to eat after a
man? Walk behind a man? Be shy, self-effac-
ing and afraid to even walk outside on her
own? What do these things teach a woman,
but to devalue her own self in favor of any
masculine presence? These rules do not con-
tribute to a woman's drive to learn, invent,
achieve or succeed. I hope I am wrong in in-
terpreting your article. I pray that your pub-
lication will do anythin~ it can to support the
emancipation of Indian women.
" AMRITA RAMAN
....
THE TRADITIONAL HINDU EXPRESSIONS OF
respect, including the husband and wife
protocol, have protected the Indian couple
14
I
HI NDUISM TODA Y D E CEMBER , 1997
Sarilrswati Devi: A Remarkable CD
:bETTERS Enjoy 75 min, of Sanskrit and Conducted by Swami
and family from· the difficulties that are so tion that men are more deserving offree- Hindi songs composed and Tejomayananda
common in the West. However, I wonder if dopls, but that women are more capable 'Of performed in a North Indian
there are cases of Westerners who have living the higher ideal. THE EDITOR
classical style by Aditya Ver- Palm Springs Hilton Resort
adopted these rules, and how successful ma, a dynamic young artist Palm Springs, California
they have been in avoiding or solving mari- whose musical lineage draws December 23-28, 1997
tal issues. Such case stories would be most Thanks for the Honor from the greatest 'teachers and
useful to those spiritual seekers who have to I AM A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF. performers of Indian music, Palm Springs is warm and
face the hardships of misunderstanding in Texas at Austin. I am also ·the president of Pundit Ravi Shankar and sunny all the year, and an
their homes. Indian folks tempteti to go the the Hindu Students Council chapter here at Ustad ,Aashish Khan, ideal location for those wish-
Western way would also be encouraged to University (If Texas. I would like to thank you ing to escape winter. Though
cherish and preserve their traditional her- for profiling our organization in your beauti- A musical tribute to the only an hour's drive from
itage in the area of family customs. ful publication ["Searching for Our 'Roots," Goddess of inspiration and exciting Los Angeles, it is
YOUTH, October '97]. It was an honor to se:e beauty. Saraswati Devi worlds away and a place of
J.S . SA!JAI ,
GUADELOUPE, FRANCE oUr organization graced in the pages of your celebrates classical Indian tranquility-a perfect setting
" sharad@outremer.com exciting and informative magazine. music and the ancient tradi- for a spiritually exhilarating
tion of Mantra, "This album is an auspicious beginning for experience, Western and Indian vegetarian meals provided,
SIDHANTA SHARMA
I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE ARTICLE AUSTIN, TEXAS , USA
me," says Aditya Verma who sees his music as the means to Camp programs include:
"Womanly Protocol," which requires the " sid.sharma@mail.utexas.edu share Indian culture,
wife to walk' a step or two behind her hus- -Composer: Aditya Verma - Vocals: Kala Ramnath - Meditation - Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 13
band, always giving him the lead. This is in You have given the world a gift that cannot -Tabla: Narendra Verma -Narration: G.S, Birla - Upadesa Saara - Festive India programs
direct conflict with the claim made earlier be fl,llly comprehended or measured. Late- - Balavihar programs for children and Yuvakendra programs
that "women in Hindu society are held in ly, the PUBLISHER'S DESKS have been speak- US$15 CD & $10 Cassette, $4 shipping and handling, for youth and young adults
the highest regard, far more respected and ing straight to me. You aIr'are phenomenal. I Overseas, add an additional $4,
protected, in truth, than in the West." I don't cannot thank you en0u,gh. Other mantra recordings available, Ask for free catalogue: For more information, contact:
see anything respectful and protective about Galaxy Publications & Recordings - 351 Victoria Ave. Chinmaya Mission Southern California
SPENCER
compelling women to be subordinate to . ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO, USA
Westmount, Quebec H3Z 2Nl Canada Tel: Br, Someshwar 714-991-KASI
. " plantluY@juno.com Tel: 1-800-307-2292 or 514-484-8090 - Fax: 1-514-488-3822 P. Mahadev 562-402-8156 - P. Mehta 714-786-6295
us to treat everyone eqvally, including E-mail: mailbox@palmistry.com Website: //www.chinmaya.org/centers/la
women; for there is a spark- of divinity in Exposing Dharma www.palmistry.comlGalaxy.html
every being and every object. THANK YOU, HINDUISM TODAY, FOR YOUR
PRADEEP SRIVASTAVA assistance in helping us to provide our -local
DE TROIT, MICHIGAN, USA - newspaper, the Anchorage Daily News, with
" srivasta@dwsd.org the ,Hindu calendar of festivals and events.
Through your referral we were able to pro-
V The men-women protocols which we vide him with all the dates for ,1997 for pub-
surveyed are in many places ol.d-fashioned lishing in his newspaper. What a wonderful
and ignored, if nO.t totally disdained. I want boon it is to see our Hindu festivals listed.
td affirm, if you have not been reading our We pray thaLthis l~tter will inspire others to
magaZine for long, that we at HINDUISM contact local newspapers in their communi-
TODAY are 108% in support of Asian wo- ties and do the same in the name of Sanatana
men's issue~, and children's too. I agree Dharma.
with your assessment of today's terrible" in- SHYAMADEVA DAND~ANI
excusable conditions, and our team world- ANCHORAGE,ALASKA,USA
wide is committed to be a voice of change " shyamadeva@c orecom.net
in thj:se matters. We will never abandon
that vision or the work involved in-seeing it Corrections
come to pass. Still, the "Womanly Proto- .....In November's Briefly we incorrectly attrib-
cols" that we presented serve a purpose, re- uted the photo of the/ Pundit from Trinidad
minding us of :vays of life evolved over long to Anil Mahabir. The 'story and photo were
eras, ways of life that still are followed in submitted by Parasram Ramoutar.
many refined, traditional homel Quite the Our October article on the Hindu Student's
opposite, really. But, if men take it in ego-' Council gave an incorrect Web address. J he
. tistical or power games ways, yes, these are HSC may be found at www.hindunet.org
then bigoted rules, useless and belittling.
Women, it is felt liy many, are the bastions L~tters, with writers ~e, address and daytime
of our dharmic values, our refinements, our phone number, should be sent to:
cultural heritage. Their example does much Letters, HINDUISM TODAY
to soften the man's boorish ways, ay d to 107 Kaholalele Road
give style and purity' to society. Humility,
in our view, is not a lesser position in life,
KAPAA, HI, 96746-9304 USA
or faxed to: (808) 822-4351 GE~O Vision Software DOS, Windows and Macintosh
Only $185 incl. manual, atlas, and .{IiP,'~~,1
but:the spiritual maturity of eve~ soul,
or e-mailed to: P.O.Box 2152, Fairfield, IA 52556
man .or woman. To most Hindus, the pro-
letters@HlnduismToday.k~ual.hi.us technical support. Optional classiCal
tections (you may see them as limitations)
Letters Il!"y be edited for space and clarity and may
appear in electronic versions of HINDUISM TODAY, 1-800-4JYOTISH texts/ yogas module: $99'. Demo:
offered women are based not on some no- " INDICATES LEITERS RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
$ 14.50 Payment by check or credit
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BEGINNINGS 35-acre Pennsylvania property, LAW AND ORDER Hindu leaders want the law changed to re-
the Foundation has strength- quire warrants for temples and mosques, too.

Sringeri Takes Root in US ened the center's SUTIlIDer activ-

ities, its forte for many years.
Popular camps for children and
. I
Legal Inequity It is, however, Maharaj's demand to cease
using; 'amen" to end the prayer that opens
each meeting of parliament which has at-

Tr;~idads PM wcm.ts archaic laws changed that

youth with puja, meditation, tra~ted the most fire. He pointed out the
Sringeri Vidya Bharatl Foundation flowers as yoga, Sanskrit, Hindu deities and
their symbols, Hindu philosophy,
, parliament is a "national institution belong-
ing to everybody in the society." As such, he
the first Adi Shankara mission outside India dharma, the Bhagavad Gita, Ma- protect Christianity but not other religions feels that Hindus should not be compelled to
habharata and 'devotional songs end their parliamentary prayer with "amen."
have been held each year. In a re- He wants a universal closing.
UTSIDE THE HALLS OF , cent interview with HINDUISM ANIL MAHABIR, TRINIDAD Qontroversy erupted immedi-
academia and the homes of TODAY, former Foundation presi- -, ITH A HINDU PRIME ' ately over his request. Non-Hin-
far-flung devotees, the ven- dent T. R. Ramachandran ex- Minister and a Hindu dus labeled Maharaj as "racist"
erable tradition of Hin- plained why they are now devel- majority cabinet and and his demand "out of place." 4'
duism's monk-sage Sri Adi Shan- oping "family camps." He government, Trinidad & Maharaj retorted that "Amen is
karacharya [pages 30-33] has offered, "Just teaching the teen- Tobago is experiencing a fresh only part of the problem which
been largely confined to the sub- agers is not enough. If there is no breeze-some say a tornado-of exists in the society. The critics
continent of India. Its strict rules backing at home, nothing sticks. psychological, cultural, social have missed the point complete-
had .barred the travel of monks The whole family must be in- and legisllative . change. Hindu ly It is my Parliament. It is the
acros's the seas, while the less re- volved." groups have never been more national Parliament of Trinidad
stricted Saivite, Vaishnavite and The trustees are keeping the vocal, in their demands for and Tobago. Whatever transpires
Shakta Hindus built thousands center on a firm religious base. changes to the archaic colonial there affects me and the Hindu /
of institutions outside of India His Holiness Bharati Tirtha Ma- laws which foster uneqllal treat- community. Whenever a univer-
over the past century. Now, with haswamiji is dIrectly involved in ment of faiths. ' sal prayer is maCle, there is no
the founding of the Sringeri overseeing developments. Activ- BasdeoPanday himself set the ending. In the school system, for
Vidya Bharati Foundation, New ities are much focused on the tone for the Hindu resurgence ~ instance, a universal prayer is
Jersey, the monastic order of Adi preservation of the Sanskritic 1986 as Trinidad's first Hindu said and there is no ending. Fur-
Shankara's first cardinal monas- tradition-the well-spring and cabinet minister. He caused a ther, the Inter-Religious Organi-
tery has made its move to join strength of the Smarta Advaita two-hour delay j,n his own zation had a prayer framed for
the global march of Hindu mis- Vedanta. They have conducted swearing-in ceremony when he radio programs and there is no
sions. The fledgling organization, three Gayatri yajnas and three refused to take his oath of office ending in that prayer. I have no
with its center for Advaita annual Chandi homas in addition on a Christian Bible and de- problem with the Christians say-
Vedanta in the beautiful Pocono to this latest Ati Rudra Maha Ya- manded instead the Bhagavad ing 'amen: but if it is a national
mountains, shows signs of be- jna. The master plan for the fu- Gita.:....which had to be pur- prayer, it should reflect every-
coming a powerful new presence ture includes a magnificent chased in a local bookstore. Pre- one." Raji Ji, head of the Hindu
in the US. The Ati R~dra Maha Sharada temple in traditional vious Indian miillsters v in the Prachar Kendra, supported Ma-
Yajna ceremony [see page gopuram style. The trustees hope governmeJO.t had invariably con- haraj's efforts and said, "The is-
22-25] is its most recent accom- to make the center a unique verted to Christianity. In 1996, sue has to do with having laws
plishment. North / American spiritual Basdeo became the country\; which are reflective of a plural
The Foundation began in 1995 rendezvous and a world-class re- fIrst Hindu prime minister. The society." .
with the blessings of His Holi- Progenitor: The Center's exquisite shrine to Sri Adi Shankara search and propagation center once silent Hindu leaders are In a document titled "Reform
ness, Sri Bharati Tirtha Maha- for Adi Sankara's philosophy now clamoring for change. Sat ... of Media Law: Towards a Free
swamiji, Jagadguru Sankaracharya of the tus as a "church" under the regulations of Conference rooms, an auditorium, high- Maharaj, leader of the Sanatan 5 and Responsible Media" the gov-
Sringeri Sharada Peetham. A group who was the US Internal Revenue Service. This is tech audio and video facilities are planned Dharma Maha Sabha, has been . ~ ernment has signalled its inten-
then running the financially failing Sri Ra- equivalent to "official religion" status in most to support the study of Upanishads and Ad- in the forefront of the crusade '" tion to change certain laws that
jarajeshwari Peetham in Pennsylvania had countries, and requires meeting many more vaita Vedanta. To keep close to nature and designE~.d to have certain laws enforce inequality. The propos-
come to him in India for help. r - - - - - - -"--, qualifications than the common provide positive physical activities, there and practices changed to treat als are in the "Green Paper"
He instructed his devotees to "religious organization" exemp- .... will be facilities for swimming, tennis, na- all religions equally. . stage, meaning still open for --
purchase the center, lest it be tion held by nearly all US Hindu ture walks, boating and skiing. Condomini- There are eight such laws. comment and review before be-
lost. Now it was to be an official organizations. It was a strong be- ums will be built to provide quie( comfort- One is Blasphemous LibeL Ac- .... ing submitted' to parliamen t.
extension of the ancient Sri ginning, a crucial step in Hindu able accommodations. Costs for the plan, cording to the Attorney General of Trinidad was formulated, Christianity was the state Hindus count it imperative that laws re-
Sharada Peetham of the Sringeri history for the first fficially af- already blessed by Jagadguru, are estimated & Tobago, only Christianity is protected by religion, and an attack upon it was regarded flect the constitution of Trinidad & Tobago,
Matha, with His Holiness Bha- filiated Sankara branch of at US$5 million. An incredibly short comple- law from blasphemy. Blasphemy is specifi- as an attack upon the state. The government which guarantees freedom of religious ex-
rati Tirtha as spiritual head. He Sringeri to be established outside tion date of year 2001 has been mooted. cally defmed as "any contemptuous, revil- wants a new law that recognizes blasphe- pression and allows for the peaceful co-exis-
appointed Ravi Subramanian, of India. Its international board That's only four ye~s away! But if the suc- ing, scurrilous or ludicrous matter relating to . mous publications as those which revile, at- tence of all religions. This ideal is stated in
age 39, a New Jersey business- of trustees nominated by the Ja- cess of the Ati Rudra Maha Yajna is any in- God, Jesus Christ or the Bible, or the formu- tack and, wrongly criticize any religion in the country's national anthem, "Here every
man, as chairman. The Founda- gadguru is: T. R. Ramachandran dication of what ,this spiritual team can do, laries of the Church of Englati.d as by law es- , Trinidad and Tobago. creed and race fmds \an equal place." Hindus
tion was formed. The nearly de- Ravi Subramanian of Bombay, Arjun Daswani they may just make it happen-'by the tablished" [Chapter 27.I.C]. A 1991 attempt A second law cited as discriminatory in other countries, especially those with sys-
funct Rajarajeshwari center was (USA); v. R. Gowri Shankar and grace of our Gurudev," as they will always to extend it to the protectibn to Islam failed, makes it illegal for the armed forces} o in- tems based on English common law, such as
renovat~d and renamed Sringeri Sadhana V. Panchapakesan (India) ; G. VisWanathan be quick to tell you.
and the law is specifically "restricted to at- vade and search a Christian church without the former colonies, should research their
Center becoming the exec,utive arm of the and Ram Mahtani (Hong Kong) and S. Ra- , tacks on Christianity." This offense is de- a warrant. The same does not apply to Hin- laws and see if such discriminatory statutes
Foundation. makrishnan (Dubai). This grohp donated SRINGERI VIDYA BHARATI FOUNDATION fmed in English Common Law and appears du temples or Islamic mosques. The law still exist in their judicial system. :~,
Following lldvice from Hindu organiza- the entire U8$650,000 needed to acquire the SILVERLINE PLAZA, 53 KNIGHTSBRIDGE RD to remain in eff/c;t in England and possibly originates in the medieval European custom TO COMMENT WRITE: OF FICE OF THE ATTORNE Y GENERAL,
tions that preceded them, the Foundation center, and it remains debt free. PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY08854 USA other present and former Commonwealth of "sanctuary," wherein a criminal was im-
ATTORN EY GENERAL CHAMBERS, "COMMENT S PERTAINING
T O GOVERNMENT GRE E N PAPER: REFORM. OF MEDIA LAW,"
applied for and was granted tax-exempt sta- Within the short time since acquiring the PH: 908-457-0200; FAX: 908-457-8801 countries and colonies. At the time the law mune from arrest in a Christian church. The PORT OF SPAIN, T Rl NIDAD AND TOBAGO

16 HINDUISM TODAY DECEMB E R , 1997

DECEMBER, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 17
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MANTRAS ARE SPIRITUALLY POTENT, but can
they heal the body? Janak Shahf, chosen to
run the Mantra Heal-
ing Centre in New
Delhi, says yes,
mantras can cure
conditions from
rheumatoid arthritis
to cancer and muscu-
lar dystrophy. But
doctors with the Del-
hi Medical Associa-
tion say the clinic
"has no rational or
scientific basis" and Chant Om, get well?
that .government
support is unwarranted. Even ayurvedic
doctors object, saying, "in place of encour-
aging proven systems of medicine, the gov-
ernment is encouraging mantra recitation."
NEPAL'S REMOTE MANAKAMANA TEMPLE is be-
coming more accessible. By October, a new
1.5-mile cable car system, appropriately
named Manakamana Darshan, Ltd., will
ferry 600 pilgrims per hour to view the
Goddess. Visitors are expected to increase
from 400,000 per year to one million.
PILGRIMS TO AMARNATH have found a pious if
untidy use for those blue & white identifi-
cation cards the Jammu and Kashmir gov-
ernment now requires the faithful to carry.
They're being tied to the railing protecting
the ice Shiva Lingam, joining other types
of name tags, wedding announcements,
even a missing-person flyer, as calling
cards-invitations for God's blessings.
TEMPLE DESECRATION IN FIJI has sunk to a
new low. A Member of Parliament reports
that a land rental dispute actually resulted
in lq.cal villagers entering a Hindu temple
with a bundle of fish and cooking it in the
havana kunda, or sacred fire pit.
./
NORTH INDIAN HINDUS are being specifically
targeted by evangelicals. The goal of "OM
India" (Operation Mobilization) is 100 mil-
lion converts. The Partnership for North
India "has a goal of seeing a Christian
church within 'shouting distance' of every
village and urban area (one million church-
es)," reports the missionary publication
Pulse. By one estimate, "just nine Indian
and Western agencies have started nearly
5,700 Indian churches."
THE US .DEPARTM ENT OF STATE issued its first
report on religious rights around the world,
naming Saudi Arabia as the only nation
I Mrs. V. Sri Palan, tel/fax: (French or Tamil spoken) 45 9718 0192.
20 iU NDUISM TODAY DECEMBER, 1997
where freedom of religion is nonexistent.
But the report, commissioned by Congress,
focuses only on the worldwide persecution
of Christians. The National Council of
Churches urges "further dialogue among
America's various faith communities as to
how to respond to any religious p1;lrsecu-
tions ... " and prayerful conversations 'based
on the assumption that each is seeking the
best interests of all religious people around
the world."
" SPOUSAL ABUSE is not just a man-beat-
woman issue. "Of the 9,000-odd cases of
marital disturbances registered by the
Crimes Against Women unit during the
past year, lO' to 15 percent of the complaints
were of women harassing and beatir;g up
their husbands. And the numbers are grow-
ing... " reports The Gazette, Mont;eal. New
Delhi's All-India Front Against Atrocities
by 'yvives claims to have "a membership of
40,000 maltreated husbands across India."
FIVE YEARS AFTER AYODHYA erupted with vi-
olence between Hindus and, Musli.r:ns, 49
people.have been indicted on criminal
charges' for their
role in the de-
struction of Babri
mosque. The
charges include
conspiracy, creat-
ing hatred, defil-
ing a place of
worship, causing Mosque was destroyed
grievous hurt by " Bharati, installed August 15, has received
threatening and damaging the life and safe-
ty of others: Over 2,000 people died in the
subsequent DeceI?ber, 1992, riots.
NEW EXCAVATIONS at Dholavira, ill Gujarat,
have "given a well-stratified account of the
rise ~d fall of Harappan culture and re-
vealed an exquisite planning, monumental
~d aesthetic architecture, and water-har-
nessing and ~torm-water drainage systems,"
writes RS. BiSht, a senior director at the
Archeological Survey of India. Among the
unearthed marvels is a reservoir measuring
. 30 feet wide by 260 feet deep, cut into a
single ro'Gk.
GRAMrN SEVA SANGHA, dedicated t9 educat-
ing children and helping the needy of rural AIDS in 1990 equalled $3,274; for malaria
West Bengal, is facing needs in excess of re- it was $65.
sources, and is appealing to non-r~ident
Indians for help. Programs include several
nn>al schools and support of the 'destitute
and' c;lisabled. Contact: Baduria Village
School, 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: HINDUISM T <;DAY, HINDUSTANI TIMES, INDIA TODAY
"ORGANIC" MEANS MORE than simply "grown
;-vithout pesticides or chemical fertilizers"- .
it means money. Organic produce has
grown into a $3.5-billion dollar a year agri-
business in the USA with a four-fold in- ,
crease expected in the next: decade. A simi-
lar expansion is reported in Britain, where
Europe's d~mand for organic fruit and veg-
etables is rising 20% annually.
A PATENT ON TURMERIC has been revoked bY,
tile USA's Patent Office, a decision applaud-
ed as a crucial ];mt "small step" in stoppihg
bio-piracy. American law "permits patents Visit Vai.~na'Va holy piaGeSl through
to be filed on discoveries in the US, despite this magtrificent 800 page volume.
the fact that identical ones may already ex- 'Fills hand-made hard bound
ist' and be in use in other parts of the
world," reports The Hindu. "The 'uS needs
to revoke all patents based on indigenous
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of color photos will take you and
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" SEE OUR ELEVEN PAGE ADVERTISEMENT ON THE INTERNET
IS IT REVOLUTION OR REVIVAL? The Madhya
Kailash temple complex in Chennai now al-
lows devotees (not just priests) to perform
puja and arati, generally a North Indian tra-
dition. Temple trust secretary S. T. Swami
http://www.vedic.net
says that Saint Aandal offered her garland OR FAX INQUIRIES To: 310-837-0243 (USA)
to Lord Vishnu, and Saint Kannappan his
eyes to Lord Siva, and that personal wor-
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unique, too: chanting is to be done only in
Tamil; an "invented Deity" of half Lord
GanesB. and half Lord Hanuman has been l~y First Hindu Lessons
installed, and a pa1Jcha-loha (£ive metals) The Master Course, Level One By Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
image of Tamil nationalist poet Subramania
An illustrated children's course in seven books (first two books now avail-
regular worship ever since. Hmmm! able), teaching love and worship of God Siva. Based on the holy Vedas, and
presented in the wntext of traditional Hindu philosophy, culture, family
AIDS IS DEADLY, BUT MALARIA kills almost as lite and values. Excellent resource for parents and teachers. Subjects include
many people each year as AIDS.has in' 15 God and Gods, our soul, the world, right conduct, karma, dharma and
years. A full 40% of the world population is reincarnation, each presented in simple language. The course has been
now at risk from the parasites and viruses adopted by the Fiji school system, and it is used extensively in numerous
carried by the anopheles mosquito. Ironi- other countries-Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius among others. Each
,..,cally, the mosqui- book is presented in three or more languages. Prominent swamis, pundits,
to's resurgence as
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E-mail: books@HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us • Web: httpllwww.HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us/ashram/
Also available· English-Hindi-Tamil version: UK: Hinduism Today, tel: 017l 9379163, fax: 01714601819, e-mail:
BRIEFLY is compiled from press, TV and
easan1@aol.com. Fiji: Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam, Mr. N. K. Naidu: tel: 679 660199, fax: 679 660 761· English-
tlJire-service reports and edited by RAVI
Millay-Tamil version: Malaysia: Uma Publications, tel: 603 441 1617, fax: 603 4419395· Sanatana Dharma Publications,
PERUMAN, award-winning radio journalist
at KGG in San Francisco. tel: 033319242· Singapore: Sanatana Dharma Publications, tel: 957 66 012 • English-French-Tamil version:
M;ilUritius: Saiva Siddhanta Church, tel: 230 412-7682, fax: 230-412-7177 • Denmark: Abhirami Amman Temple clo
..'"
"c;
..,..
'"
i"
Sringeri Sadhana Center: Main building of
Sringeri Math'sJirst international branch

OR ELEyEN D~YS IN AUGUST, DIVINE

Vedic chants resounded through the
tranquil Poconos mountains of Penn-
sylvaI,lia. The Ati' Rudra Maha Yaj-
na,"very great worship of Lord Siva,"
was performed for the fIrst time on
American soil, and witnessed by 6,000 en-
chanted devotees. One-hundred-twenty-one
Vedic priests surrounded 11 fIre altars in a
huge yagasala (worship hall) set up for the
event at the Sringeri Sadh'ana Center in
Stroudsburg. Following a ritual formula set
thousands of years ago, priests chanted "Sri
Rudram," the most s1:tcred of Vedic chants to
Lord Siva, 11 times a day each day lor a to-
tal of 14,641 individual recitations.
Th~ ritual's offIcial purpose was to en-
hance America's prosperity, though pre-ex-
isting prosperity on the part of the organiz-
ers was required. The event cost US$600,000

~fferings:
(Rs 2.2 crore). Nearly half was used to bring
81 eminently quaIifIed priests from India for One:hundred twenty-one
the ceremony. Permanent improvements at P'rests, eleven each at eleven fire altars,
the Center consumed $100,000. The affair offer ghee libations to nourish the heavenly
proved as costly and as compl~x to organize, devas in tliis ritual intended to create pros-
calculated one devotee, as 11 kumbha- perity and offer release from rebirth
bhishekams (temple dedicatio~), usually
the biggesf spectacle sponsored by a temple.
The yajna was managed by the Indian-
American devotees of Jagadguru Shankara-
charya Sri Sri Bharathi Teertha Mahaswa-
miji of India's renowned Sringeri Math, who How for the first time in America 121 traditionally-
blessed and guided each detail Rom afar.
trained Vedic priests performed the ancient Ati

as,
Why go to all this time and expense? For
no less a goal, stated the event's general
chairman, S. Yegnasubramanian [see "My Rudra Maha Yajna over eleven days in the tranquil
Turn," page ten], than to rescue the Hindu
priesthood from social and economic extinc-
Poconos mountains of eastern Pennsylvania
22 HINDUISM TODAY DE~EMBER. 1997 DECEMBER, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 23
tion. "We bring musicians and dancers from
India to the West," he told HINDUISM TODAY.
"We bring temple architects and ~culptors.
They all make money and receive respect.
As a result, these exponents of the fine arts,
which are the offshoot~ of the Vedas, get so
much encouragement. But what are we do-
ing to encourage the Veqic pundits, those
who know the Vedas, without whom this
dharma will die?"
In India, fewer and fewer brahmin fami-
lies are sending their children to the patha-
sala training schools as has been done for
thousands of years, bemoaned Yegnasubra-
manian. Fearing a life of penury for their
children, they educate them as doctors, en-
gineers and scientists. India's temples still
have .priests, but they are a' depressed, even
desp-erate class. "Go into any village in In-
dia," says T.S. Shanmuga Sivacharya of
Chennai, son of eminent Saiva priest Sam-
bamurthi Sivacharya, "and the poorest, most
broken-down house will be that of the
priest. There are very few full-time priests,
because of poor economic conditi0ns." Re-
s~ ect is waning. "When a politician comes
in," Shanmuga complained, "we are expect-
ed to stand up. At least Sri Lankans still re-
spect the priests, and among them the
politicians stand when the priest enters."
Shanmuga laments, "Fifty years ago
priests were looked -upon as representatives
of God. They had patrons. They had a re-
spectable position in society. Today the
priesthood suffers from low pay and disre-
spect. It is undergoing extinction. This trend
Ill!Ist be taken very seriously." One can cite
numerous reasons for the situation in In-
dia-colonization, secularism, Marxism,
Westernization-but the fact is that the
same plight is faced in growing measure by
all the world's religions. In America, for ex-
ample, so few Catholics are entering the
seminary that the church must import cler-
gy from abroad (including India) to meet its
obligations to parishioners, and the average
age of Catholic nuns is an astounding 65.
Yegnasubramanian and several associates
are themselves a product of this trend. Their ,
ancestors were priests who, in one or two
generations, educated their children to be-
come doctors, businessmen and engineers.
Recent visits to India have , left Sringeri
d~votees painfully cognizant that the-Hindu
priesthood in India may indeed h.e slated for
the endangered species list. Ironically, they
noted, the opposite is true in the West. The
clergy in America are an esteemed class,
roughly the professional pee/ s of attorneys
or doctors. As Yegnasubramanian had seEm,
other exponents of the Vedic arts have been
honored in the West, and this has translated
into renewed regard back in India.
"I told my colleagues," he reminisced,
'''Let's make an international Maha Yajna
(great sacrificial offering) and bring a large
24 HI. NDUISM TODAY DE ~ EMBER , 199 7
consignment of priests from India. We can
make so much noise about it that the priests
thnlUghout India will realize that there are
prospects for them over here. It will moti-
vate them to send their children for priest
training. It will increase their self-esteem. ",
A December of 1996 visit to the Sringeri
ponti~f near Bangalore earned the guru's
blessings upon the plan. Then, with the help
of Srin~ri administrator v.R. Gowrishan-
kar, the team set out to organize, in just eight
months, the largest Vedic ritual ever held i,n
America. They succeeded for two reasons.
First and foremost, as devotees of a single
guru, they proceeded in harmonious coop-
eration to fulfill his intent. Second, each is a
highly accomplished individual. Yegnasub-
ramanian is an eminent research scientist.
Ravi Subramanian, who provided logistical
support, initial fmancial backing and exper-
tise, runs a top-notch software company.
Likewise, trustees T.R. Ramachandran, S.
Ramakrishnan (Dubai), V. Panchapekesan I
(India), G. Viswanathan (Hong Kong), Aju
Daswani, Ram Mehtani (Hong Kong) ,and
many others who helped, such as Sharad
Trivedi, are all experts in their fields.
Two years earlier the group had come to-
gether to create the Sringeri Sadhana Cen-
ter in Stroudsburg, pennsylvania, 200 miles prostrated as the Vedic liturgists passed by. Young people t here were few. their noble aims? As for prosperity
west of New York City. The property was The priests returned to the Poconos that Many spent the Labor Day weekend in America, the Standard & Poor
previously the Rajarajeswari Peetham, evening to continue the yajna. getting ready to head for college. index (mirroring 70% of US stock,
which after a series of staffmg changes, was Invited by the organizers, HINDUISM-To- One parent thought children were valued at $6 trillion) was 907 on
unable to sustain itself financially. The new DAY'S managing editor, Tyagi Arumuga- not allowed. Jehi Jayaraman, age 8, August 21, a day before the sacri-
center is an official branch of Sringeri Math, swami and production/distribution manager, did come and enjoyed it, "Because I fice, and hit 945 on September 26.
the first outside India. Their intentl s to cre- Tyagi Kath.irswami, attended as repre- . can chant along, I think it's fun." That's ~ jump of 4.2%, a whopping
ate and implement guidelines for modern sentatives of publisher Satguru Sivaya Sub- Others did not, like the clueless 16- increase in overall value of $252 bil-
life based on the philosophy of Adi Shan- ramuniyaswami. We arrived on the eighth year-old who said, "I don't know lion, or about $1,000 for every man,
kara [see page 30 l, even develop the site as day to encounter a palpable spiritual force. what's going on. They should have woman and child, in the country!
a learning center rivaling Harvard or Yale. In lilting Sanskrit and practiced unity the had workshops on why they are do- Not a bad five-week return for
Presently the center conducts retreats for priests hastened through the day's first ten ing it on such a grand scple." $600,000 invested in ·the Maha Yaj-
children, and next year plans training camps recitations; then slowly and deliberately in- Yajna is an esoteric practice com- na! Then, too, each priest returned
for entire families. ' toned the eleventh while offering ghee to bining the science of mantras, sa- to India $1,000 richer-their hono-
Organizers say a minor miracle occurred the sacred fire. Pandit Chandra Sekhara cred sourlds, with the use of fire to rarium. Devotees were spiJitually
prior to the ¥aha Yajna-the US Consulate Sharma presided as chief priest. Swami transmit.offerings to a higher plane, enriched. The spectacle's sheer scale
in Chennai granted the 81 Indian priests vis- Narayananda Bharati performed exquisite to "nourish" the .devas. But none of focused needed light on the be-
itor's visas with ,no personal interviews and devotional songs throughout. Each after- the youth and few of the adults darkened prospects of todays priest-
no rejections. Immigration attorney Michael noon, a variety of rare Vedic rites took place. could explain just how that works. hood. Surely, Vedic rishis would
Phulwani attributes the success to proper Vedic ceremonies differ outwardly anq in- Dr. Sankat!' Sastri had a plausible an- have wanted theil\ sacred ways thu~
presentation and a knowledgeable US Con- wprdly from the Agamic tradition of elabo- swer: "We are told by great seer s practiced and perpetuated.
sulate. A century ago, priests would have rate temple ritual in which offerings of flo\(- that the performance of austerities What can those who were not
been subject to rigorous prayaschitta ers, water, lights, etc., pour fortI} deep and yajnas is what keeps the heav- there do? At the local level, e~ery
(penance), even loss of caste, for "crossing religious feelings toward the Deity. Vedic rit- enly deVllS prosperous. And wh~n Hindu should look into the priests'
the ocean." With today's air travel, however, uals bypass' the devotional element and pro- they 'p rosper, the whole universe situatibn and work to see they are
most priests deem that a simple Renance is pel one immediately into a meditative state. prospers." T.R. Ramachandran, edi- - better paid, properly treated and
sufficient to efface any demerit or impurity. Sarala, a Chennai devotee of Sringeri who tor of Sringeti's Tattvaloka maga- reinspired to guide their children in
To fill out the yajna's 121 seats, 40 qualified chanted along with the priests with others,' zine, concurred, "It is called in San- the sacred profession. This problem I'
priests were recruited from within the US, said, "Often I stopped because the sounds skrit drishta and adrishta, which should be discussed at all interna-
some of whom preside at temples here. induce meditation so beautifully." are seen lmd unseen effects. when tional Hindu conferences, and glob-
Unexpectedly, the priests were invited to • Belur Krishnaswami Sridhar, 38, a priest we work in the material world, it is · al strategies formulated to solve it. If
join the India Independence Day parade. from Bangalore, was delighted with the towara seen results. But these man- . more priests perform such empow-
They marched en masse in ochre-coloFed event. "Too good," he called it. "Most sur- tras, chanted in the right rhythm, ering rituals with such mindful pro-
robes through the streets of Manhattan on prising," he said, "is that we have seen a lot create an unseen' effect which al- ficiency, all mankind may prosper
August 17: thrilledto see New York up close of English people, Amer-icans, who could lows things to be achieved in the in the worlds seen and unseen. __
as they chanted the Vedas. Some among the meditate and chant the mantras. This material world." SRINGERI SADHANA CENT ER, RD 8, BOX BuB,
50,000 onloClkers were so delighted they amazed us priests." Did these rare rites succeed in STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 18360 USA
DECEMBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 25
irresistible-offer a young girl to the temple, to marry a Deuki, as they have already been cities like Bombay and Delhi in India for
and the throes of life will cease. "married" to the temple. They cannot share prostitution. This has raised serious concern
Parents began giving away their ow.n off- in their parental property, as they are con- over the introduction and spread of diseases
spring as payoff for petitions to the Gods that sidered no longer to have a fanillj. In a seem- like syphilis, gonorrhea and AIDS in Nepal.
had been fulfilled. As subsequent monarchs ing contradiction, society regards the Deuki Less hope: A prevalent misconception is
failed to rectify the injustice, the practice per- highly-a remnant of an earlier cnaste sys- that the Deuki system is none other than In-
verted as it spread through the surrounding tem a,nd the fact of their dedication to the dia's devadasi system migrated and adapted
districts. In a tragic twist,.jt is now common temple. However, it is this esteem that bars to. Nepal. But the' history and original prac-
practice in western Nepal for feudal families them trom earning wages to meet their basic tice of the two systems prove this wrong. The
to buy ,girls from poor families like the needs. People are afraid of insulting or of- devadasi system star1ed long before the Deu-
Nayak, Bist and Negi. The girls are then trad- fending them, but at the same time no one ki. In the untainted devadasi system, the girls
ed to the temple like a commodity in the offers them support. So the Deuki end ~p were highly trained in India's complex dance
hopes of a boon from the Gods. trapped, fIrst victimized. by the whim of a arts. They offered dance to the Deities daily
Girls thus offered are called Deuki, mean- wealthy devotee, then crushed by the rules as a part of the temples routine worship.
ing "girl offered to God." They are expected handed them by society. They were considered.an integral Rart of the
to engage themselves in the worship of the Offered
, to the temples between ages fIve ceremonies. By comparison, the Deuki are
Gods and Goddesses. They also untrained and are not consia-
clean the temple utensils, collect ered integral to, nor do they per-
wootl and prepare food for ritual form any part of the worship of •
offerings. They are not consid- the temple. They are essentially a
ered to be ordinary servants, as class of assistant priests. The only
their main job is to assist the commonalities are that neIther
priests. During festival periods, system is practiced in its original
the Deuki and priests have much purity (the devadasis of today
to do in performing the rituals also must resort to prostitution).
and tending to devotees. But on It is felt that assistance should
most days of the year, there is lit- focus on education, vocational
tle for ·a Deuki to do. And with no training and annulling the su-
means to support themselves, the ~ perstitions that prohibit the
majority resort to prostitution. ~ Deuki from working and marry-
The name Deuki has become vir- ..; ing. While there are thousands
tually synonymous with harlot. of Non-Governmental Organi-
If you ask at a temple to see the zations and several International
Deuki, you will be told the prac- groups working in. Nepal, few
tice has been abolished. The mu- o ~~~am~~~ have taken the problems of the
luki ain, civil code of Nepal, Uphill battle: Krishna Kumari Poon (right) initiated the Snehi peuki seriously. The Snehi
st~"ictly prohibits the sale and W01'IWn's Awareness Center to fight exploitation of women in Nepal Women's Awareness Center
purchase of girls for any purpose, (SWAC) in Baitadi is an excep-
with a stiff punishment of years of impris- and nine years, Deuki are expected to main- tion. Established by ~ishna Kumari Poon,
onment. Nevertheless, a clandestine Deuki tain celibacy for life. It is through the offer- the Center aims to create awareness among
trade manages to thrive, and the Deuki can ings made to the temples that they try to the "socially deprived and exploited women"
be found in several districts in western scratch out their living. But such offerings of western Nepal. Poon appears petite and
Nepal, including Baitadi, Darchula,.Dadeld- are meager. Therefore, when stilt children, unassuming, but she has a core of steel and a
hura and Doti. The going rate for Nepalese many vainly search for livelihood as a ser- will that won't quit. She is a rarity;
girls these days ranges from US$400 to $500. vant. As sooI} as they reach menarclle, they The Child Protection Center ~ set up in
Prominent temples where girls are offered ax:e compelled to sell their body. Baitadi district in 1993 with the objectives of
in Baitadi district are Melauli Bhagwati, Ni- Many feudals ,consider the Deuki an ex- providing shelter and protecting the daugh-
glasaini Bhagwati, Tripurasundari Bhag- clusive source of physical entertainment and ters of the Deuki from becoming temple girls
wati, Jagannath and Bhageshwor Mahadev. lure them to indulge their desires. They themselves. The tendency is for the da~gh­
Baitadi claims the largest concentration of claim this as their right earned through pur- ters of a Deuki to follow their mother, thus
Deuki, with approximately 250. A Kath- chasing and offering the girL Thus, their ul- perpetuating the tradition. According tJ?
mandu UNICEF agent estimated the total terior motive for giving the girl to the temple Bhatta, Executive Secretary of the CrC, 30
number of Deuki in Nepal to pe 1,000. is revealed, as most of the Deuki directly or girls have been admitted to the Center.
No way out: King Nagi Malla had the ca- indirectly fall in this trap. Spme Deuki are There, they receive primary education ~d
pacity to provide for his daugltter and to even consigned to live in certain {llmi.lies as learn certain income-generating activities
make her 'life with the Deity comfortable concubines. In such cases they do not share like making textile products and cotton gar-
and spiritually fulfilling. She had no wants beds with general clients but remain as pri- ments. UNICEF of Nepal supports the CPO
and enjoyed a life of religious service and vate concubines. The cases where a Deuki and the SWAC, and together they work to
worship. But today's parents db not have the remains celibate are rare. create public opirlion opposing the Deuki
means to provide for their daughter, and Of late, there has developed a trend for system. Their commonly held hope is that
th'hse who illegally trade girls fe~ no obliga- Deuki girls to travel outside their district in this age-old custom will be eliminated by the
tion to meet her needs once she's at the tem- search of clients. According to a report frem year 2005. But with no signiflcant involve-
ple. The young Deuki are thus abandoned. D.N. Bhatta of the Child Protection Centre ment yet on behalf of the current govern-
They are also discriminated against. It is (CPC) in Baitadi, such girls commonly go to ment, their confidence is tenuous. _
considered inauspicious to have a Deuki urban centers like Dhangadi and Mahen- CONTACT: DR. HARI BANSH JRA, POST OF FICE
serve in your household. It is deemed unwise dranagar in }qepal and to the metropolitan BOX 3174, KATHMANDU. NEPAL

28 HINDUISM TOD A,.Y D ~ CEMBER , 1997

 is prior to the stream of consciousness, prior to truth and falsehood,
prior to reality and illusion, good and evil. '~means of knowledge ex-
ists only as: dependent on self-experience, and since such experience
is its own proof, there is no necessity for proving the existence of
Self.. . The very existence of understanding and its functions presup-
poses an intelligence known as the Self, which is different from them,
which is self-established and which they subserve." Atman cannot be
doubted, "for it is the essential nature of him who denies it."
For Shankara, philosophy is an exposition of the eternal nature of
reality, or !the innermost essence of the world. He presents to us the
true ideal of philosophy, which is not so much knowledge as wisdom,
not so much logical learning as spiritual freedom. For Shankara, as
for some of the greatest thinkers of the world, Plato and Plotinus,
Spinoza and Hegel, philosophy is the austere vision of eternal truth,
majestic in its freedom from the petty cares of man's paltry life.
Through the massive and at the same time subtle dialectic of
Shankara there shows forth a vivid, emotional temperament, with-
out which philosophy tends to become a mere game of logic. A mas-
ter of the strictest logic, he is also master of a noble and animated
poetry which belongs to another order. The rays of his genius have
illunrined the dark places of thought and soothed the sorrows of the
most forlorn heart. While his philosophy fortifies and consoles many,
there are, of course, those to whom it seems to be an abyss of con-
tradiction and darkness. But whether we agree or differ, the pene-
trating light of his mind never leaves us where we were.
FROM INDIAN PHILOSOPHY, VOL. 2 : 1991, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD.

Thirty-Two Years
N 788 IN KALADI, KERALA, A BRAHMIN

I couples prayers to Siva for a child were

answered with the birth of Adi Shan-
kara.1 His prodigious intellect shone ear-
ly, and he entered a gurukula at the age of
five. By eiight, he excelled in Vedic knowl- /
edge, counseled scholars and even hosted
Kerala's King Rajasekhara. 2 Some of his most
famous devotional hymns were composed in
those early years, and his name and fame be-
Conclave: Sri Adi Shankara with his four disciples (left to right): Padmapada, Totaka, Hastamalaka and Sureshwara gan to spread. But his deepest longing was to
know the Itruth not found in books.
. With his mother's reluctant blessings,3

Seeking What's Raal

A tribute to Adi Shankara, the precocious ninth-century Indian philosopher
ADI SHANKARA IS IRREFUTABLY ONE OF THE MOST SIG-
nificant historical figures of India. His life story, writings and
sayings were diligently documented, and tales of miracles and
. tarltmmcfeats fill his biographies. With devotion, a trenchant
intellect and an unyielding wiU, he led and gave lasting direction
to an India-wide Hindu renaissance that countered the prevailing
Buddhist influences of the day. He reformed Hindu lineages that he
deemed errant and unified splintered ones by revitalizing and reaf-
firming the message of the Vedas . He was an ardent Hindu mission-
ary, an exemplary ascetic and a formidable opponent to all who chal-
lenged his thinking. He had accomplished more by age sixteen than
most achieve in a lifetime, including his most Significant works-1ofty
commentaries on major Hinoo scriptures. These commentaries and
his expository writings are so highly regarded that every philosopher
since him has felt compelled to counterpoint their credo with his.
Shankara's persistent logic and stunning insights were fortified by an
overwhelming compassion for every human soul's plight. His words
and deeds instantly reveal him as one who knew the pinnacle, source
and cause of aU circumstance. This Self-knowledge endowed him with
the authority to lead and to effect changes. His reach was perhaps the
greatest of any swami in Indian history, spanning the entire sub-con-
tinent and every strata of Hinoo society. Tomes have been written
about him. We offer, by way of introooction, Dr. s. Radhakrishnan's
tribute from his book, Indian Philosophy. Hear now, how even today,
Shankara changes lives and leads minds toward the Absolute.
It is impossible to read Shankaras writings, packed as they are
with serious and subtle thinking, without being conscious that one is
in contact with a mind of a very fine penetration and profound spir-
ituality. With his acute feeling of the immeasurable world, his stir-
ring gaze into the abysmal mysteries of spirit, his unswerving resolve
to say neither more nor less than what could be proved, Shankara
stands out as a heroic figure of the first rank in the somewhat mot-
ley crowd of the religious thinkers of mediaeval India. His philoso-
phy stands forth complete, needing neither a before nor an after. It
has a self-justifying wholeness characteristic of works of art. It ex-
pounds its own presuppositions, is ruled by its own end and holds all
its elements in a stable, reasoned equipoise. The list of qualifications
which Shankara lays down for a student of philosophy brings out
how, for him, philosophy is not an intelleetual pursuit but a dedicat-
ed life. The first, "discrimination between things eternal and non-
eternal," demands of the student the power of thought, which helps
him to distinguish between the unchanging reality and the changing
world. "Renunciation of the enjoyment of the reward here and in the
other world" is the second requirement. The seeker after truth must
refuse to abase himself before things as they are and develop an aus-
tere detachment characteristic of the superior mind. Moral prepara-
tion is insisted on as the third requisite and, lastly, longing for liber-
ation is mentioned.
Shankara finds the basis of truth in the immediate self certainty
which is untouched by any of the doubts cast on other things. The Self
eight-year-old Shankara sought out his guru,
Govindap:ada, disciple of Gaudapada, and
renounced4 the world. After training the
youth in Omkarnath for three years, Govin-
dapada sent Shankara to Banaras to write
commentaries on the scriptures. Miraculous
tales trailed him as he traveled, such as his
saving a village from a swollen river by
catching the flood-waters in his water-pot. 5
He compfj)sed Sanskrit hymns at every oc-
casion. A chance encounter with a chandala
(outcaste) on a Banaras street6 revealed his
own residual caste bias and inspired the fa-
mous Man-isha Panchaka, wherein he vowed
to see the Self in everyone. By age 16 he had
completedl his world-famous commentaries
on the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and
the Bhagavad Gita, and he began his trav-
els throughout India.
Shankara met with students, scholars and
leaders of the prevailing philosophical and
devotional sects. By debating and promulgat-
ing his pure monistic vision, he unified di-
vergent factions. It was he who revived and
empowered the Smarta Sampradaya, one of
the four most prominent denominations of
Hinduism. With his renunciate initiates,
Padmapadla, Totaka, Hastamalaka and Sure-
shwara, he established the lineage's cardinal
monastaries at Sringeri (where he witnessed
a cobra giving shade to a frog),1 Badri, Dwar-
ka and Puri. At 32, his work done, the re-
markable renunciate disappeared into the
Himalayan hills at Kedarnath. 8 His life enno-
bled Hinduism in deep and enduring ways.

ARTWORK: TATTVALOKA
30 HINDUISM TODAY DECEMBER, 1997
DECEMBER, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 31
 VER 300 LITERARY WORKS ARE ASCRIBED
Shankara. Some are poetic hymns, oth-
ers are instructive and the rest are scrip-
tural analysis, all written in Sanskrit. Most
renowned are his critical commentaries on the
Brahrrw Sutras, the twelve Upanishads, the
Bhagavad Gita and the Sanat Sujatiyam. While
his devotional outpourings are among the most
oft-recited of Hindu chants, he is associated
more with his austere philosophical theses. Here
is offered a sparse sampling of both worlds.
TO GANESHA MARA GANESHA PANCHARATNA STOTRA, 1; 5
I bow to Vrnayaka, who with glee holds a half-eaten modakam, who
is the ever-present means of liberation, who has the moon as an ear or-
nament, who protects all.the worlds, who is the single leader for those
who have been left leaderless, who destroyed the elephant demon
and who swiftly removes the blemishes of those who bow to Him.
TO LORD VISHNU VISHNU BHUJANGAM, 1
I salute the immaculate, auspicious, tranquil, without beginning or
end, life of the universe, unbounded by time, space or objectivity,
who is known through the Vedas, whose effulgence pales the light of
millions of suns and moons risen together, who is invisible, who is
neither heat nor cold, who is pure knowledge.
TO LORD HANUMAN SRI HANUMAT BHUJANGAM 14-15
Disease, decay and other troubles weigh me down and give me sor-
row. You are of indomitable valor, 0 compassionate one, grant me
devotion to thy feet and love towards you. I salute Him who is gen-
erous, who is ever devoted to Sri Rama, whose deeds are great, who
appears with a mace to his enemies, who is ever serene in attitude,
the destroyer of darkness whose body is mighty.
TO GODDESS GANGA SRI GANGASHTAKAM, 7
You have paths as many as the eyes can see; and when your waves
come to sight, how can the waves of samsara remain? You are yel-
lowish, having been to the dwelling place of Vishnu who wears yel-
low silk. 0 Mother Ganga, if my slender body falls on your lap, then
even attainment of the status of Indra appears small in comparison.
TO GODDESS ANNAPURNA ANNAPURNASHTAKAM 11-12
Beloved Shakti of Siva, fullness everlasting and fully manifest as this
food; 0 , Mother of the universe, nourish us with this gift of food so
that we may attain knowledge, dispassion and spiritual perfection.
Goddess Parvati is my mother. God Mahesvara is my father. All
devotees of Siva are my family. All three worlds are my home.
COUNSEL TO SEEKERS SADHANA PANCHAKAM, 2; 5
Seek the company of the pious. Develop strong faith in God. Ac-
quire with determination peace and divine qualities. Approach a pi-
ous one learned in the scriptures. Worship at his sandals daily. Con-
centrate upon the highest Brahman. Perceive everywhere the
all-pervading Self See this world as falsified by It. Identify the Self
in you with Parabrahman and stay in the state of experience divine.
TO THE SELF BEYOND DASA SLOKI, SIVA KEVALOHAM 9
I am indivisible, one by nature, all-pervading like space. All this uni-
verse, being other than the Self, is unreal; for the Self alone is all-in-
clusive, constitutes the ultimate goal, is self-established and self-de-
pendent. I am that One, auspicious and pure, that alone remains.
\P ~;;i'iUT (je:I'iUT ~£i,(YIOicU1it I'
"5j1~~,(I~~~~if fiiart ~ T.f 41cfdl II
l1Rtr T.f 41cfct} ~ fqm ~ ~~: I
~~I ~~
~: 1~lq ~(=rH~ ~ ~ '3C1~Sl£lL( II
I I
Food-blessing: Slumkara's verses to Annapuma (11-12, in Devana-
gari) are chanted daily by millions to bless food before each meal
ANKARA'S TWO PRIMARY PHILOSOPHICAL DISSERTATIONS
are the Upadesasahasra and the Viveka Chudamani. The lat-
ter, the Crest-Jewel of Discrimination, is considered by many
his magnum opus. In it Shankara elaborates the very nature of
Reality as he dissects and reveals the subtle essence of the world,
body, mind and soul. It is a profound and lengthy treatise. The ex-
cerpt below offers a glimpse of his teachings on the soul.
THE ATMAN CREST JEWEL OF DISCRIMINATION
There is a self-existent Reality, which is the basis of our conscious-
ness of ego. That Reality is the witness of the three states of our con-
sciousness, and is distinct from the five bodily coverings. That Re-
ality is the knower in all states of consciousness-waking, dreaming
and dreamless sleep. It is aware of the presence or absence of the
mind and its functions. It is the Atman. That Reality sees everything
by its own light. No one sees it. It gives intelligence to the mind and
the intellect, but no one gives it light. That Reality pervades the uni-
verse, but no one penetrates it. It alone shines. The universe shines
with its reflected light.
Because of its presence, the body, senses, mind and intellect ap-
ply themselves to their respective functions, as though obeying its
command. Its nature is eternal consciousness. It knows all things,
from the sense of ego to the body itself. It is the knower of pleasure
and pain and of the sense objects. It knows everything objectively,
just as a man knows the objective existence of a jar.
This is the Atman, the Supreme Being, the ancient. It never ceas-
es to experience the infinite joy. It is always the same. It is con-
sciousness itself The organs and vital energies function under its
command. Here, within this body, in the pure mind, in the secret
chamber of intelligence, in the infinite universe within the heart,
the Atman shines in its captivating splendor like a noonday sun. By
its light, the universe is revealed. It is the knower of the activities of
the mind and of the individual man. It is the witness of all the ac-
tions of the body, the sense organs and the vital energy. It seems to
be identified with all these, just as fire appears identified with an
iron ball, but it neither acts nor is subject to the slightest change. The
Atman is birthless and deathless. It neither grows nor decays. It is
unchangeable, eternal. It does not dissolve when the body dissolves.
Does the ether cease to exist when the jar that enclosed it is broken?
The Atman is distinct from Maya, the primal cause, and from Her
effect, the universe. The nature of the Atman is pure consciousness.
The Atman reveals this entire universe of mind and matter. It cannot
be defined. In and through the various states of consciousness-
waking, dreaming and sleeping-it maintains our unbroken aware-
ness of identity. It manifests itself as the witness of the intelligence.
With a controlled mind and an intellect which is made pure and
tranquil, you must realize the Atman directly, within yourself. Know
the Atman as the real ''1.'' Thus you cross the shoreless ocean of
worldliness, whose waves are birth and death. Live always in the
knowledge of identity with Brahman and be blessed.
CHANTS ARE DRAWN FROM SH...U«ARA. THE MISSIONARY: 1978. CENTRAL CHIN MAYA MISSION
TRUST, MUMBAl . THE ATM ANIS F ROM VIVEli CHUDAMANI: T RANSLATED BY SWAMI
PRABHAVANANDA AND CH R ISTOPHER ISHERWOOD, 1947. VEDANTA PRESS, HOLLYWOOD.
DECEMBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 33
 ----------------;;---------------------~--- -----.-----

TRIBUTE
. ly traditional and progressively modern, dy- Concerts, Intefnational Peace Run and as they are [see box below]' The marrow of
I

namically Hindu and decidedly universal. It meditations he leads at the United Nations. his path is mystic communion with the Ab-

Hindu"of the ·Year

is a synthesis of devotion, intuitive knowl- Guru, as he is affectionately known, spends solute within through prayer and meditation,
edge and dedicated action, with a distinc- most of his time looking after a few thousand approached with an ingenuous purity, . I

I •
.-------------------------
Sri Chinmoy clinches 1997 "Hindu Renaissance Award"
LEARNING HE HAD RECEIVED
1997 Hindu Renaissance Award
at his 66th birthday celebration in
New York, Sri Chinmoy modestly
IiH)rO(~J.almeQ to 1,300 followers who
come from aroUnd the world for
his Jayanthi, "To be a true Hindu is to be-
come the beauty of Hinduism's Heart and
the fragrance of Hinduism's Soul, and also to
be a sleeplessly self-giving life to the world
community. I am praying to my Lord Ab-
solute Supreme to make me a perfect Hindu.
It is a great honor." And a prayer for us all.
Starting in 1990 HINDUISM TODAY has hon:
ored one saint each year who has most im-
pactea the faith and spread its vastness,
compassion and profundity across the globe.
Past renaissance winners are: Swami Para-
mananda Bharati (,90), Swami Chidananda
Saraswati (',91), Swami Chinmayananaa
(,92), Mata Amritanandamayi ('93), Swami
Satchidananda (,94), Pramukhswami Ma-
haraj ('95) and Sri Satya Sai Baba ('96). Sri
Chinmoy was an easy choice for 1997.
ince his arrival in America in 1964 "on
inner orders," the Bengali yogi has quietly
emerged as one of the most dynamic and in-
novative spiritual leaders on the world
scene. The yoga he t~aches is at once strict-
tive e)I1phasis on effective living through the far-flung followers with whom he maintains a
surpassing IOf self-imposed limits. Sri Chin- , close, personal relationship and of whom he
moy lives this teaching himself, as demon- requires responsiveness and tangible spiritual
strated by his herculean achi~vements­
some without precedent-in the areas of
flrogress. Followers work in the world in nor-
mal careers, meeting weekly without fail for
music, writing, art and athletics. He may be darshan and satsang. Gurus headquarters is
peace's greatest evangelist, through 11\s Peace no big ashram on a hill. Instead of ~ongre-
J gating in a single facility, followers
have homesteaded one square mile
in Jamaica Hills on New York's
Where Nearly a Billion Hindus Live Long Island. Outwardly there is lit-
Hindus are onc-sixth of the human family. While India is home 10 H 9tI of the world',
951 m illioD Hindus. nearly 60 million are sattered widely acr'O"the globe. tle to distinguish the area as the hub
of 350 Sri Chinmoy Centers on five
continents. Only a handful of stores,
such as Guru Health Foods, and
Garland of Divinity's Love florist
shop, offer evidence of their J?res-
ence. But this is where Sri Chinmoy
has lived since 1968, and this is
where his followers have put down
their roots to be near him. In a
modest dwelling on a quiet street,
HINDlJRENAISSANCEAWARD FOR 1997 ~ he has composed thousands of po-
Pusml~ to His Holiness Sri OUnmoy ~ ems and songs, sketched millions of
of his bring honored as Hindu of the Year
bv H"'mn<.~ T".,..y Ifo, his lifetime of extraordinary service
; paintings and weight-lifted a kazil-
to ".,,.tanll Vb"nna, to ...,c. .mlto mankind's lpirituaJ awakening ~ lion pounds. . serve God?" He replied, "You are destined
~ .Devotees are not hard to spot on
iil the street, however. They are the
• ones radiating a brightness born
"God-Realizatio~ says there· of the celibacy most follow strict-
1y. Most are single, and many are
is no such.thing as bondage in superb physical shape, able to
complete, and even win, the gru-
and freedom. What actually eling ultra-marathons-races
above 100 miles and up to 3,000!
Sri Chinmoy: Upon his 66th birthday. (right) The Hindu Renaissance Award bronze plaque.
.-eXIsts is consciousness." I
Sri Chinmoy's spiritual achieve-
ments eclipse his outer feats, vast
tinged, like his kaleidoscopic wardrobe, with
an ~nchanting other-worldliness. According
to disciples, before age 13 he had a spiritual
experience during which he recalled the
past-life attainment of the ultimate state of \
God Realization, simultaneously reexperi-
encing that illumination in this life. In his
consciousness-[ aising book, The Summits of
God-Life: Samadhi and Siddhi, Guru
writes, "God-realization, or siddhi, means
Self-discovery in the highest sense of the '
term. One consciously realizes his oneness
with God. As long.as the seeker remains iIi
ignorance, he will feel that God is somebody
else who has infInite Power, while he, the
-seeker, is the feeblest person on Earth. But
the moment he realizes God, he comes to
know that he and God are absolutely one in
both the inner and outer life. He sees God I
both in the fInite and in the infInite; he sees
God as both personal and inipersonal. And
in his case, this is not mental hallucination
or imagination; it is direct 'reality."
In a 1994 interview with HINDUISM TODAY,
Sri Chinmoy was asked, "How should we
to serve God the creation. If I know my Fa-
ther is all for me, can I not have faith in Him
that whatever I need He will give me? Be
like a child. The child knows only how to
cry. The mother comes running to give milk
to the child. The child is not using the term,
'milk, milk,' or something else. His only job
is to cry. Similarly, I'm crying to God only to
make me a good instrument of His use. -w.;
CONTACT: SRI CHINMOY CENTRES INTERNATIONAL,
84- 43 164TH STREET, JAMAICA, NEW YORK 11432- USA

One Yogi's Odyssey universities.

In 1970, at the invita-
tion of then UN Secre-
(including one song hon-
oring HINDUISM TODAY).
He completed and ex-
lowed in several
countries. His
1995 Prague Con-
President Gorbachev.
Sri Chinmoy began
weightlifting in 1985 and
astonishing seven
million bird draw-
ings. To celebrate
RI CHINMOY KUMAR children. Upon the piring seekers in the tary-General U Thant, hibited tens of thousands cert drew 15,000 achieved several world India's 50th year of

S Ghose was born on

August 27, 1931, in
Shakpura, a small
village in East Bengal,
India, which is now part
death of both his parents
in 1944, at the age of 13,
he entered the Sri Aura-
bindo Ashram in
Pondicherry. There he
West. He initially held
an administrative post at
the Indian consulate but
left after three years to
devote himself fully to
Sri Chinmoy began lead-
ing twice-weekly peace
meditations at the UN
for delegates and staff.
These have continued
of paintings during this
prolifIc decade.
His interest in sports
intensilled, not for com-
petition, but as a means
seekers. He com-
pleted his 500th
Peace Concert in
1997 with a per-
formance at Lon-
records. In 1987 he lifted
an unprecedented 7,063-
pound weight with one
arm (left). The next year
he began his ''Lifting Up
independence in
1997, he held 50
peace concerts,
performing on 50
different instru-
of Bangladesh. He was lived for 20 years, im- spiritual pursuits. The uninterrupted to the of overcoming self-im- Team was founded in don's Royal Albert Hall. the World with a One- cities, mountains, lakes ments in the last. He has
the youngest of seven mersing himself in in- fIrst Sri Chinmoy Centre present day. posed limits. The Sr~ 1977. Today it sponsors His efforts toward world ness-Heart" program, and other natural won- received numerous
tense prayer and medita- was irJaugurated in His literary output in- Chinmoy Marathon more than 1500 track and peace have resulted in honoring luminaries ders or historical sites awards and honorary de-
field events and a 3,100- meetings with dozens of (now more than 2,000) (over 1,000) to the cause
.....
tion (14 hours on some Puerto Rico in 1966. His creased immensely grees, including Bha-
days), writing poems fIrst lecture tour in 1968 in the 1970s when mile foot race-the international leaders, in- from various walks of of peace in Sri Chin- ratiya Vidya Bhavan's
.z and songs, practicing took him to eight major he commenced worlds longest-and en- cluding the King of life by lifting them over- moy'sname. Gandhi Peace Award.
.
o
o
sports and becom-
ing ashram de-
work on what
would become
joys the support of
Olympic athletes such as
Nepal, the Prime Minis-
ter of Britain and Soviet
head on a special plat-
form.
In 1991 Sri Chin-
moy began his
::Ii
z cathlon champion. tens of thousands Carl Lewis (left). Inspired by his "Dream-Freedom-
iilo
In response to of poems, hun- The fIrst Peace Con- various activities Peace Birds," depic-
~ an inner com- dreds of books and cert dedicated to world for peace, gov- tions of the human
mand, he came to thousands of spiri- peace was I~erformed in ernment officials soul in the form of
.
~

o
New York City in tual s(mgs in Ben- Cologne, Germany, in around the world birds. By 1997 he
~~--~~~~~--~ 1964 to serve as- gali and English 1984. Other concerts fol- began dedicating completed (right) an

34 HINDUISM TODAY DECEMBER, 1997 DECEMBER , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 35

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Why Did She Have to Die? indications that gave her a rebellious and
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• OVer Ten Faculty, Including:
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Chnstlna Collins-Hili, Dennis Flaherty, James Kelleher, Ravlnder Angrlsh,
Edith Hathaway:, WlJllam levacy, and Acharya Ceyonswaml
• Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Classes
• Registration Fees: (for MaIn Symposium 1;/27-3/1)
$195 by Nov. 30, 1991
$245 after Nov. ,1997
. ($25 DISCOUNT fOR ACYA MEMBEiIs)
Speclal Reduced Hotel and Car Rental Rates
o Please register me ror attendance at the Vedic Astrology in Paradise.
FebruaJ)' 27-March 2, 1998, at the Keauhou Beach Hotel, Kona, HI
Endosed is pa)ll1lent of $_ _ ror _ _ Registratlon fee(s)
P.O. Box 2 f49, Sedona, A:rIzona 86339 o Please send more information about the conference and hotel.
(520) 28~6S95 * Opttonal pre-conference introductory classes and post-conference
Intensives will also be offered.
To register. wlffi Visa or Mastercard
call:..800-900-6595
City, State, zlp _ _ _....':..!~_ _~~_=~~~~~IfC>'.I~~~
 P A-R E N TIN G
Superlative Tours to India-1998
~hildrenin three age groups (3-5, 6-9, 10
and over), in the National Longitudinal Surrounded by
• Tour 1: March 7-22, '98

Spanking. Hurts Forever

, .
Study of Youth from 1986 to 1990. By so-
phjsticated statistical analysis, the study at-
tempted to remove the effects of family so-
green meadows,
wild flowers and
rose gardens, beau-
tiful Radha Kund
Celebrating Phagwa (Holi)
in India.
• Tour 2: April 10-24, '98
~ioeconomic status, sex of the child, and the
, and Matharas man-
Kumbha Mela at Haridwar
Children subjected to physical punishment often extent to which the home provided emo-
tional support and cognitive stimulation, dal is the jewel of
and other inspiring destinations.

end up bigger troublemakers than before and focus only on the relationship between. Shree Haseshwari
Radha Rani Temple
For more information, contact:
spanking and behavior. Kali Travel Ltd. • 169-12 Hillside Ave
In 1986, at the beginning of the which enlightens
Jamaica, NY 11432-4498 USA
ORPORAL PUNISHMENT of study, 44% of the mothers report- the world with its
Tel: 718-291-9292
ed spanking, during the previous radiance of Divine
'. . children does not improve Fax: 718-262-0928
' behavior, concludes a week, averaging 2.1 times. ~ When Love. Barsana Dham is the main US center of the International
(
newly published study by using the word spanking, paren(:; Society of Divine Love. It provides the experience of the true
Professor Murray A. Straus of usually refer to several forms of devotional environment that prevailed in the ashrams of the
New Hampshire University's physical punishment, such as slap- historic saints of Vrindaban (India) 500 years ago. Guests
Family Research Laboratory. In ping, caning or paddling.) Some enjoy comfortable guest rooms and fresh vegetarian meals, God,God,God
fact, far from achieving that mothers even spanked their chil- take part in the ashram's devotional programs, darshan and
satsang with H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati. A rare opportunity offered to my brothers and sisters all over
goal~the more parents physical- dren during the interview itself
the world,
ly punish a child, the more that Ten percent of the 6 to 9-year-old
child is going to misbehave, the children were spanketf three or "Barsana Dham is pure Divine Grace. My pranams to Shree
Swamiji for showering us with kindness and true knowledge "What right has a man to say he has a soul if he does not feel
study strongly indicates. This more times. (Millions of children
"
of the Divine." -a visitor from Northern California. it, or that there is a God if he does not see Him?"
conclusion contradicts the folk they represent would have the
Anyone with a burning desire to truly and honestly see, feel,
wisdom of nearly all cultures greatest probability of improved
International Society of Divine Love, Barsana Dham 400 hear and talk to God, contact:
that "sparing the rod spoils the behavior if their parents stopped
child." But Straus has insightful hitting them.) An anti-social be- Barsana Rd., Austin, TX 78737-9075 USA.
Tel: 1-512-288-7180. Fax: 512-288-0447. www.isdl.org Dr. Aruna • 183 Jalan Besar, Bukit Tengah
research to back it up: havior scale had been developed,
154000 Bukit Mertajam
-IConsider the following true based on six items. Mothers were
Upcoming 1998 events at Barsana Dham: Penang, West Malaysia
story from a r~lated study by_ aSked the extent to which each of
Philip 1!'isher, Ph.D., a research these items described their child Maha Shivratri, Feb 28 • Holi, Mar. 14 • Ram Navmi, Apr 5
scientist and clinical psycholo- ' during the prece'ding three
gist at the Oregon Social Learn- months: "cheats or tells lies," ~'bul­
ing Center: ' "Jeffs life was lies or is cruel/mean to others,"
rough. His parents fought often. "does not feel sorry after misDe-
Mother used corporal punish- having," "breaks things deliber-
ment frequently to ~top Jeff's ately and is disobedient at
misbehavior. But simultaneous- school," ''has trouble getting along
ly she mil-de her deep love for with teachers." Two years later all
J~ff very clear, showering him the motbers were interviewed
with affection. At school he was '<" again. As Straus had predicted,
aggressive towards kids, using O~ch! The principal wlw hit and bruised a student with this large the more spanking, the higher the
similar methods that his mother paddle was charged wit1J, assault. Tlwugh still legal in many US level of anti-social behavior re- Journal Of Astrology is a Quarterly devoted to High Quality Research articles in Hindu (Vedic) Astrology. The Journal
used to punish him. He was sclwols, spanking does not improve behavior, says Straus's study. ported. Findings were parallel for Caters to needs of new students, advanced students, professional astrologers and readers with academic interest in Hindu
placed in special programs. Ex- all ages. Girls had a lower level of astrology and culture, Horary, Mundane, Prashna astrology articles in each issue,
celling in athletics, everyone thought he was search one step further, to determine what anti-social behavior, which Straus attributes Each Issue contains:
impj;oving. Then he started to as~ociate with sociologists call the "causal direction," that . to their being generally better behaved than \ REPLICABLE RESEARCH CASE STUDIES
gangs, and one day when a rival youth ap- is, c!id the parents spank more because the boys, regardless of what parents do. High Quality replicable researches produced by established Experienced astrologer's present case stuciies
proached him, Jeff shot him with ,a gun. child's behavior got naturally worse as he got '" Professor Straus concludes his study, ·"1 astrollogers with complete data, of their successful predictions in an easy lucid style,
Now he is incarcerate8l." ' older, or did the spanking actually cause the believe in years aheag, corporal punishment IN-DEPTH ASTROLOGICAL STUDY: Excellent study material for students to
Research up to 1985, says Straus's study, childs increa?ed misbehavior? as a cause of anti-social behavior Will receive Horoscopes from real life, which can be developed into enhance their predictive skills.
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poral punishment-mainly spanking-on the c~ds anti-social behavior le(,el one year, as a cause of lung cancer is now receiving. PROFESSIONAL PATTERNS Hindu scriptures are full of references to
toddlers and over half continued into teen then again two years later and measure the Because most US children experience 9r- Astrological study of professional and educational patterns, Astrology, Occult Sciences and Omens, Quality
years. Even this is a decrease from -99% in . difference. Does spanking make the child a poral punishment, our findings suggest that
researched articles by Sanskrit scholors ' ;,
the 1950s and 97% in 1975. There have been nonvioleNt person in the long run? Well, it's nearly all AmeriCa!) children could benefit
further decrea~es since 1985, but nearly all been argued for years that, no, ironically, it from ~ reduction or 'elimination of corporal Annual Subscription (US)$39.95
American ·children still get spanked. has the op,posite effect. It tends to make the pimishment. MOl;eover, taking into account Stellalr Technology Group
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of the child to misbehave. However, the de- road two or three years. They only ~e what's other crimes as an adult, society as a whole,
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searchers to conclude that spanking causes pmt;ishment (i.e., the misbehavior stops). t!J.e system of violent child rearing that goes New ltitles -Learn Hindu Astrology Easily, Karma anfl Rebirth in Hindu Astrology, Successful Predictive Techniques
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era~, it fails to reduce it-a startling con- His analysis used data from interviews
clusion in itself. 'Straus wanted to take the re- with a nati~ral sample of 807 mothers of AUTI-IORISEI) ()JSTRIBUTORS OF KN RAO'S BOOKS & .JOURNAL FOR NORTII Ai\lERICA
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Provenance: Born into a family
of Vedic astrologers, Birla was in-
spired early in life by his grandfa-
ther, Sri Net Ram Singh Birla,
who had deep insight into the an-
cient science of the heavens. Bir-
la recalls how the memories of his
spirit-filled youth created a long-
ing which eventually manifested \
the Saraswati CD. 'J\s a young
man growing up in India, part of
my .education was in the Daya-
nanda Mahavidyalaya gurukula., a
spiritual academy where every
morning before breakfast, stu- ",
dents would assemble to chant
mantras.- It was there that I first
learned about the Goddess Saras-
wati and the mantra recited to in-
voke Her presence. Years later, it
seemed as if Saraswati Herself
Two in tune: Narendra Verma (left) and his son Aditya in an impromptu concert for Ganesha (center) whispered to me. After working
as a personal growth consultant / i
MANTRA MPSIC in Canada for over twenty-five years, I was
struck by a powerful feeling/of nostalgia for
To IJoddess, with Love those days at the guru kula.. As I reflected
upon the countless hours spent in prayer
and meditation trying to understand the in-
effable, I was suddenly overcome with the
A Canadian trio solemnize Saraswati joy of creative inspiration and found myself
writing lyrics to celebrate the beauty and
on a C~D
of musical and poetic -genius wisdom of Saraswati. I hoped that; with the
right music, these lyrics could become songs
to inspire others in their own personal
By RADHIKA SRINIVASAN , NEW JERSEY and the recording sparkles. The truly heav- growth. For the next two years, circum-
OR GHANSHYAM SINGH BIRLA, THERE enly voice of Ramnath is nectar for the ears. stances prevented any progress beyond the
is nothing more powerfully healing By all counts, Saraswati is a one-of-a-kind original lyrics. Then I met Narendra Verma
than mantra, music and meditation. audio venture and an all-out success. and his son Aditya, two highly regarded mu-
«If done with faith," the multi-faceted Birla's narration, w.ith soft celestial back- sicians who have studied under and per-
body can be aroused through chantmg, a be commended for his excellent presentation accomplished artists of Indian cl&sical mu-
powerful medium to soothe the nervous sys- of the Hindu teachings. For example, he not sic. On that blessed day, the Saraswati Devi
tem and attract positive influences into our only avoids the shallow explanations of the project was born! The album was recorded
lives." This Vedic scholar turned philoso- Gods and Goddesses commonly put forward, in Montreal from August to November 1995.
pher and poet is the founder and director of but he offers his own eloquent phrasing. His We hope that Saraswati brings you ,as mucb
the National Research Institute for Self Un- description of the Hindu trinity is poetic. He joy as she has brought to us." ..
derstruy:ling, a center of ancient Indian narrate?- "The single omnipotent and om- GALAXY PUBLICATIONS AND BBCORDINGS. 3 15 VICTORIA
AVENUE, WESTMOUNT QUEBEC H3Z 2.Nl CANADA.
palmistry :md astrology based in Montreal, nipresent Godhead is primarily divided into
Canada. He aspires to introduce mantra.into the trptity of Lords Brahrna, Vish-
TEL, 5'4-484-8090; WWW.PALMISTRY.COMiGALAXY.HTML
the mainstream and to promote meditation nu and Siva. Each is responsible
and healing through"Spiritual music. for a specific tasl<. Lord Brahrna is
Saraswati Devi, the latest CD of Galaxy the creator of the universe.
Publications and Recordings, an arm of the Through His supreme wiD, He I~
NRISU, features Birla's original poems set to lights the spark that ignites the !:
music, traditional Sanskrit slokas and Birla's uriiverse. Lord Vishnu is the sus- ~
sublimely spoken words explaining the tainer, who "fIpholcb the balance of
«majesty of Saraswati Devi" and the «power all things within the universe.
of the Saraswati mantra." Saf.aswati is a de- . Lord Siva is the destroyer who,
votional tribute to the «Goddess 'of inspira- through His fiery dance called the
. tion and beauty" deliveretl with delightful tandava, breaks down old patterns
talent and taste by Kala Ramnath on vocal, of consciousness, allowing them to
Narendra Verma on tabla and Aditya Verma be recreated anew. Together these
on sarod. At the same time, it is an offering three .-jJ}ustrious forces regulate
of profound and practical Hindu wisdom, the unending cycles of creation,
both introductory and advanced. The musi- preservation and transformation
cians unite brilliantly in their performances, of the cosmos." Mata ki Jail The Vermas relax with Birla. in his office
DECEMBER, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 47
 ...

••~.g~"A~~~"~"~"~_l
\~--~~,
INTERVIEW

R
A:JASTHAN-BORN SRI INDRA SHARMA,
age 74, has been depicting Gods, God-

Pio,-.s· Portraya~s
I I desses, saints and epic heroes in oil
and watercolor as one of India's pre-
emin~t religious artists for over 60)fears. It
is likely that your faVOrite sacred poster was ,
done by Indraji. He learned t,he Vallab-
, . ha.charya style of infuSing a painting with
Godliness, thereby rendering it a holy piece
of art. Based in Mumbai, Sharma lives part-
time at his son-in-laws home orr Kauai,
HaU2?ii, where he spoke with HINDUISM
TODAY about the painter's world.'He indeed
is an international treasure.

On paintin~: as a sadhana
It is a meditation, acontact to God. I paint
every day- from 6 to 7 hours-after a I-hour
puja. Sometimes I paint in the late evening
because-a thought comes to me and I need
to express :it before forgetting. Early morn-
ing is,also wonderful. No noise, no thinking.
,
On his early, village trlijning
/
In Nathadwar village is' Chitrakaroki Gali,
«street of p ainters." All the houses in this
district belong to painters. This, is the com-
munity where I learned traditional tech-
niques from my uncle, Gopilalji, beginning
at age 13. So many techniques are learned
only throup-,h the village structure, not in for-
mal schools.

On squirrel hair for paint brushes

Part of our Rajasthani training was to make Artiste at easel: Sri Indra Sharma at his son-in-law's home. His inner concentration and
our own br ushes. We went to a garden and devotion yield results that cause viewers to say «I feel that God is IN your painting!"
trapped squirrels' under' baskets. dne stu-
dent held· the squirrel, while another person On his prime years of production ern art because traditional styles take longer
soaked its tail in water and arranged the I typically produced 30 or 40 per year. The to perfect and longer to create. Now every-
hair." With scissors, we cut the hair on both large t ever was 15 by 20 feet for the Brah- body wants to become famous quickly and
sides of the tail. After that we 1et the squirrel rna Ki..unaris at Mt. Abu. It was a meeting in not spend much time learning, so they go
go. We performed this ritual only in the heaven, an all-Gods «conference." into modern art, in big cities like Mumbai.
summer, because in the winter squirrels India's painters right now are about 75% tra-
needed their tails full of hair to keep warm! On family involvement, training successors ditional and 25% modern. Some of the mod-
The whole family supports my work. I am ern art [he says with a laugh], if yOl} hang it
On his British college years teaching my style to ten students in Mumbai. upside down or right side up, it won't matter.
In 1946) entered Mumbai's Sir J.J. School of They are doing well, not at a deep level yet,
Art to also absorb Western styles. Here I because' painting is a meditation. It takes On financial realities for Indian artists
learned about sitting portraits: life size and time to develop. My brother's son, Parsot- Traditional artists are still more affluent •
landscape paintings. By God's grace I was tam, has studied with me for many years than modern artists, bes;ause their work is
fIrst in the class. The best quality of West- and is now a good artist, following my style. popular among foreign ,buyers. In 'India,
ern style is in depicting scenes realistically. many families have their own museums and
On Hussain's nude painting of Saraswati collect only Indian traditional paintings.
On some biig name commissions I was so angry I could not sleep for two
I did 12 paintings a year for the Graphite In- nights. I told newspapers, «This person is no On what infuses a painting with power
dia Ltd. calendar, each one 22 by 30 inches. artist." ThiS'is an insult to Hinduism. Nude I paint with my heart ,!!lld through medita-
This lasted for 20 years. They gave themes, paintings are okay, but not of Goddesses. On tion, imagination on the' subject and through
such as Nlahabharata or ~at saints. For . the other' hand, many Muslims in India cre- devotion, bhakti. I ~tudy scriptures to un-

/
On his mO!it expensive order
.
Birla, the industrialist, I created 21ii paintings. ate wonderful Hindu religious paintings. Be-
cause when the artist is at work, he forgets
about H:indu or Muslim. He only fhinks
derstand the nature of the characters I
paint. It is difficult to convey how all this
works, but I basically carry the feeling of
It was for the Singapore mus.eum, at Rs.3 «God wants to be painted." Godliness. The main magic is to put soul
lakhs (US$10,000), 8 by 10 feet. The scene was into the painting, so it has life in it. I have
of a Moghul King and his court. I put real On trends in Indian art production given all my life to this work ..
gold and jewels in the painting, Tanjore style. Most traditional artists remain in villages. INDRA SHARMA, 18 EVEREST, 3RD FLOOR, PEDDER ROAD,
Some artists are indulging in Western mod- 1I.ruMBAI, 400 026 , INDIA.

I
48 H IND U ISM TOD A·Y D E\CE MBER , 19 97 DE CEM BER , 1 9 97 H INDUISM TODAY 49
 years back. He was my God and
guru. He always told us Rama-
yana and M6habharata stories The Largest Hindu Youth Organization
before going to bed. He dinned
into us the importance of honesty
in North America - over 50 chapters
and fairness."
As for Tamil Nadu's atheistic
politicians, Narayanan feels, "Who
HSC a Teaching and
cares? It is their philosophy. We
aren't coru:erned with it. Without
God there is nothing here for us.
Learning Experience
We fishermen folk firmly trust in
the Almighty. We feel His hands Projects a Adivities:
in the deep sea, calm or storm.
It is not peculiar to my family I Global Hindu Electronic
alone. My sister-in-law, Jothy,
says: 'We all pray to Om Sakthi. Network (GHEN)
She is there, constantly in the
back of our minds even as we are I Global Hindu Youth Activities
engaged in domestic chores. And
Narayanan: This home based, self-inspired missionary is a God-informed, down-ta-earth reformer we pray to her at the' end of the Network (GHYAN)
day before turning in.' Every Sat-
PROFILE urday evening we sing bhajans in I Samskar: Quarterly Newsletter
front of icons we recovered from

Guarding·Lives, Dharma
YoUng Tamil lifeguard serves Lord Krishna with vigor
By GOWRI SHAN~R, CHENNAI
HIRTY KILOMETERS SOUTH OF CHENN-
I
the sea and installed near our
home. In 1965, when there was a
big sea erosion. A huge statue of
I Leadership training and
workshops
Perumal [Lord Vishnu] was dis-
covered. With the help of a white I Roots: Guided education tour
gentleman from Singapore we
built a small temple over it and and pilgrimage to Bharat
children and named it after Vivekananda. other icons later discovered in the sea while
He was as brave as he was compassionate to swimming. The sea here harbors many I Celebration of festivals

1 nai, Narayanan, a 28-year-old lifeguard the downtrodden. I teach swimming, run- more icons. Only a few have surfaced."
at the five-star F1shermen's Cove beach ning and yoga postures. We begin with Asked how he stays cool, undazzled by the
resort near Mahabalipuram, says, "I omkara dhyanam [meditation while chanti- elegant, afflvent tourists, their language, pol-
have saved more than 100 people from ng Om] and then repeat aloud 'I am good ish, etc., the young lifeguard asserts, "Easy.
drowning to date-some prominent persons, because, Kannan, You occupy my heart. I You hold on to your Kannan. He is the eter-
I Temple trips, picniCS, sports
I Kashmir education campaign
too. One was a Russian consul, another a am prepared to spend my life in the service nal truth. How can yO}! be blown off your
German diplomat. They tip me. However, I of my motherland, upliftment of my village feet when He fills you?"
As for his challenges, hI( bemoans, "There
I Address Hindu defamation
see only Kannan [the Tamil name for Lord and my-home. All are equals, for Kannan is
Krishna] behind them. I use such rewards in each one of us. I shall treat ever.}' one with is this massive pull that these cinema hous-
Issues
on public weal. Even yesterday we spent love and kindness. I shall acquire the neces- es exert on our youth. F1ghting it is not easy.
200 rupees on brooms. I took 35 men and sary skill and fight in the sports fields to win When they hear me talk of Kannan, they I Disaster relief
ano~er 65 came from other parts of the laurels for my country. I will keep my head seem impressed. They come. Blit they are
city. We set. to work and spruced up the high and never, never give up.' Some tourist& far from regular. They fmd the films and se- I Service to the homeless
main railway station in Chennai." help us after le~ning about these potential ductions of the cable TV network irre-
Narayanan is a magnificent amalgam of champions. One Englishman got them T- sistible. That is why I start with the young in
social worker, athletic coach, yoga teacher, shirts, cricket bats and balls." my yoga schoolf I fare far better with th,em.
bhajan singer imd exemplar of Krishna's Asked if he was gaining any notoriety for Eyen if a dozen out of 45 should live out the
ideal of service. Born in the poor fishing vil- his activity, Narayanan, an active abolition- values that are imparted here, they ~
lage of Kovalam, he was cut off from higher ist, says, "Without meaning to sound im- bound to make a mark as good, respgnsible,
education, but never gave up higher pur- modest, I succeeded in routing country God-fearing citizens.
suits. '~t 22, I ran 1,500 meters ill' three liquor shops in my village. Jt is a feat, be- Asked if'he had any regrets, Narayanan
minutes and forty-five seconds 'just three cause for decades attempts by IllJ!ch better laments, "I am unhappy that compliments
seconds behind the Indian national record," placed persons, even police, have failed. We gladden me yet. I still care for appreciation.
recalls this Tamil rather wistfully. The banded women together under the title Sak- For, has not Kannan told us to do our duty'
would-be-famous long distance runner then thi Exnora, mounted a campaign, and the unmindful of any reward? That craving,
adds, 'M a boy, I used to visit Ramakrishna outraged females smashed some 20 liquor though mild, for acceptance, has not been
Mutt and the Vivekananda Kendra in Trip- shops. Smashed they remain. It was hot stamped out yet. That is my only regret.
licane, Chennai. Vivekananda's ciill to India's news and Tamil dailies splashed it." "But I don't mind having never become a
youth, 'For Brave Youths: left an abiding im- Narayanan's day begins at 5 AM with "Kan- famous athlete. There are many Narayanans
pression on me. I learned yoga at the Tripli- nan, help me do my duty well,"on his lips. in my care waiting in the wings to sprint,
cane Kendra and got further training at Asked about the source of his devotion and hop and swim their way t0 gold. An individ-
Vivekananda Kendra at Kanyakumari. I passion for social' service, he replied, "I owe ual is something. A country is great. But
have started a sports club attended by 45 it all to my father who passed away two Kannan is forever." -.f
50 HINDUISM TODA-Y DECEMBER , 1997

\~_ ••
MINISTER'S MESSAGE
R"~~'''A_~~_~''I
Dest(~y Egocentrfc
Desi(~ and ·'-/Jnge(
Lasting joy comes when the mind is purified
enough to surrender to devotion and dharma
BY JAGADGURU SHANKARACHARYA SRI BHARATI TIRTHA i-emoved
DI SHANKARACHARYA SAYS, "AGAIN BIRTH, AGAIN
death and again lying'in the mothers womb. This
world-jugglery is very difficult to cross over. a Lord!
Please save me and take me ashore." . called devotion. On attaining such a concen-
Spiritual strength alone bestows joy in one's life.
People devoid of this are qften caught in the maddening
:r:hythm of a helpless delusion. Having been ca~t thus, they
e\'en bring in disintegration, disasters, disturbances and
disharmony around them for others to suffer. The knowledge
of the objectiv~ worlel" however exhaustive it may appear to
be, cannot give us any durable satisfaction. This is evidenced
by the present-day testimeny that there is an increase in ten-
sions amidst increases iIimaterial comforts.
Though the common direction of all human endeavor and the
instinct of all the human mind is to run away from soIT9w and seek
only peace or joy, few alone achieve this. This joy which a human
being seeks outside in this phenomenal world is never experienced
by him in its truest sense. Instead, illusion takes possession of-him,
and he mistakenly thinks that illusion is joy. Continuous egocentric
desires and anger are the breeding ground for the spread of illusion
around us. Because of this illusion, one is not able to correctly dis-
criminate between right and wrong, and the situation eeteriorates
from bad to worse.
Before the dawn of peace or righ1i knowledge, this illusion, being
spread out by the "desire/anger" syndrome, seems to affect tIre
major ity of the universe, and this syndrome is shared by all y,'ho
are engulfed.by it. Unlike a small dream which lasts for a few hours
during deep sleep, this dream of life's journey is an elongated illJ.l- learned men, are all your well-wishers only. They have nothing
sioFl. generated by the continuous nonrealization of one's peaceful
nature and seq~ences of wrong outbursts of 4 esire and anger. And,
naturally, as long as this illusion lasts, one has to live in accordance
with the effects of that illusion.
Anger harms the one who gives room to it in more ways than one. your impetuosity.
It is, as declared by the Lord Wmself, a gateway to hell. Hence, it is
iiI the interest of everyone to give no.quarter to anger.
Desire, anger and greed are ~ pitfalls that one should avoid to
lead a peaceful life. What is the way out? Shastras [religious scrip-
tures],promise the way to achieve permanent peace by a perma-
nent cessation of sorrow. To achieve this peace, one has to
disengage oneself from the cobweb of illusion. This disentangle-
ment is called chitta shuddhi [consciousne ss purification]. To attain
tllls chitta shuddhi one has to remove all dirt from the mind. And
what are the ditts of the mind? One is egocentric desire, and the
other is anger:'
If we reflect on the nature of desire, we will arrive at the conclu- 'Math in Karnataka, is the 36th descendent in an unbroken line of
sion.that almost all desires have failed to yield any permanent satis-
52 HI )'I DUIS'M TOD AlY I\EC EMBER , 199 7
-
__
faction or peace. By attempts at fulNllment,
both the ego as well as t:l)e objects of desire
l
get expanded. And expanded growth of
such vices in the world has been the cause
of ruin. Anger, being the effect of an unful-
filled desire, is yet another enemy to
mankind. In thousands of years people have
fought hundreds Of wars-all prompted by
egocentric desire and by destructive anger.
Sruti [the revealea scriptures of
Hinduism] advises us to intelligently evapo-
rate the unending egocentric desires for
acquisition of trivial and unworthy things of
this world by repeatedly pointing out the
faults both in the ego as well as in the object
of egocentric desires. 'Ibese two dirts are
by performing the svadharma [the
individuals unique duty according to his or
her station in life] as prescribed in the shas- I
tras in the spirit of sacrifice and self-surren-
der to the Lord. Actien performed with this
surrender generated in the mental mood is
tration of devotion, the mind gets clearer
because the ego and egocentric desires ob-
structing that claritr are removed by the
"therapy" of self surrender to the Lord. And
this enhances chitta shuddhi. Desire and
anger distract the mental moon like an
eclipse, and are removed by the treatment
of devotion. The mind then becomes fit in
the trans-mental stage to receive the
tattvapadesha [discourses on the nature of reality] from the Lord
Himself, incarnated as the supreme Guru. This removes all the
illusions ofjiva [individual soul] andjagat [the phenomenal world]
and inakes one dwell in pristine glory and unending bliss. By es-
chewing adharma [wrong actions] and clj.scharging one's duties in a
spirit of dedication to' the Lord, one attains great purity of the
mind. Flill. of dispassion, he turns away from tl}e world and, seeking
refuge in Guru, strives to attain liberation from transmigratory exis-
tence, the cycle of reincarnation. ...
Dear dEtvotees! Learn to respect the teachings of wise and elderly
persons. Do not be puffed up with pride as though you are the
master of yom life, as though you have nothing more to lyarn. Such
a misunderstanding has been the downfall and misery of many. Be
humble, subdue your arrogance. Understand that elders, wise and'
personal to gain by showing you the path of peace. A happy world
is our motto. ,
Never make the mis~e of acting in haste, without considering
the consequences of your actions. You will have to pay dearly for
May God give all the wisdom to practice dharma.
.
Ml}y all become better persons and lead a happy life.
SHANKARACHARYA SRI BHARATI TIR'DHA, 46, head of the Sringeri
spiritual preceptors beginning with the great Adi Sankaracharya.
v
 »lfinAl D,.._~~
"
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