Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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05
08-09
10-13
Published by:
Nithyananda Peetham, Bengaluru Adheenam
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Ramanagaram - 562109
Phone: +91 80 2727 9999
14-15
Website: www.hinduismnow.org
16-17
20-22
23-25
Editorial Board
Arti Agarwal
Sri Medhananda
Sri Mokshapriyan
Sri Mukthananda
26-27
28-29
34-35
36-37
38
40-42
Vyas Muni
44-45
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Swami Vivekananda
50-51
52-53
54-56
Yatras Srirangam-Tiruchirapalli
58-59
Chettinad Architecture
60-61
64-65
68-69
Offshoots of Hinduism
70-71
Editor
Usha K Kent
Featured Writers
Rajiv Malhotra
Stephen Knapp
Writers
Sri Mukthananda
Ma Nithya Swaroopapriyananda
Ma Nithya Mahayogananda
Sri Mokshapriyan
Kavea Panneerselvam
Prajna Dusaija
Dr. Vinay Kamat
Dr. Shubhamangala Acharya
Sathish Selvakumar
Kanaka N Sabapathy
Ma Nithya Kavyaroopini
Poornima Venigalla
Moloy Gorai
Chauryan Srikumaran
Ma Nithya Devananda
Avinash Narrikkadan
Barbara Lippman
Shubhangi Deshpande
Varsha Singh
Evan Kamat
Ma Nithya Jayananda
Ma Nithya Vijayananda
Designers
Manikandan S & Usha K Kent
Disclaimer
The techniques described herein is not intended to be a substitute for profes-
they may be pregnant are advised to seek professional medical advice before
72-73
74
practicing this technique. Viewers who are not on two-way video conferencing
are cautioned that they are practicing these techniques at their own risk.
2016 Nithyananda Publications
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission
of the publisher. In the event that you use any of the information in this book
for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for our
Lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi. Lord Shiva shared the knowledge of
actions.
Sri Mukthananda
While the rest of the world is turning towards Hinduism, Hindus abroad (and in India) are
turning away.
Recently I was in a Q&A session about Hinduism at a very popular new age church in California, formed
with what they believed were best ideas from various religions around the world. The host was asking
me a series of questions about Hindu beliefs e.g. who created the world (Hinduism says we create our
own world), whether Hinduism believes in heaven or hell (Hinduism doesnt believe in heaven or hell
after death it is what you experience now in this moment based on your thought current), etc. After
about five such questions and answers, she turned to the audience and said aloud We too believe in
exactly these things - I wonder if we are a Hindu church!
Much like this church, most Americans believe in choosing their own path to happiness, picking whatever works in their life. And much like this church,
when choosing the best ideas that work, they frequently turn to Hindu ideas.
In 2009, Newsweek, a popular US magazine, published an article stating US Views on God and Life
Are Turning Hindu.1 Lisa Miller, the author of the
article said that Americans increasingly believe in
reincarnation, cremation, karma and other spiritual concepts that are singularly Vedic in origin.
The Yoga Journal, in 2012, found that over 20 million Americans practice yoga, and 44.4% of the
non-practitioners are aspirational yogis people
88
Newsweek, http://www.newsweek.com/us-views-god-and-life-are-turning-hindu-79073
2.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/01/yoga-healthfitness-trends/23881391/
3.
study-finds-20-million-yogis-u-s/
4.
pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/
Main Feature
Namah Shivaya
Likewise, another popular practice of the day,
chanting the Panchakshari (five syllable)
mantra Namah Shivaya,
(meaning, I surrender myself to Shiva,) is not
just paying lip service to the divine; its an act of
surrender given to Shiva Himself. Sacred Sanskrit
letters and their corresponding sounds are literally alive and infused with the energy that fulfill
what we declare by their verbalization. Mahadeva
revealed this great truth in the Shiva Sutras second
book, seventh verse:
Mahadeva calls each letter a Matrika, a little mother, and explains the shakti, or power, we awaken
by speaking these. Whatever we say aloud in Sanskrit manifests not just through the power of our
10
Main Feature
Rare living incarnation, Paramahamsa Nithyananda, throws a grand celebration on Maha Shivaratri
every year. On the sacred occasion in 2014, His discourse was all about becoming a part of Shiva and
joining His team. Here is an excerpt from his talk
on that occasion:
I welcome you all with my love and respects.
Maha Shivaratri is the day Mahadeva assumed
form from his formless space. Mahadeva existed
eternally, he exists eternally, but on this day he entered into the space of form from formlessness. He
created Brahma and Vishnu, empowered Brahma
to create, Vishnu to maintain; he continued to remain in the formless space, but when there was a
conflict between these two he had to resolve the
conflict. So, to resolve the conflict, on this very day,
Mahadeva assumed the form which can be perceived by Brahma and Vishnu.
Actually, you cant worship Mahadeva! Worshiping Mahadeva is impossible! Please understand,
he is beyond all the concept of time, space, form,
formless, everything! Hes beyond! He is not an
outlaw. Some people are trying to project him as
an outlaw. He is beyond law, outlaw. He is the
source of the laws, but can never be bound by any
law. He is beyond the laws, understandings, principles. You can never worship him. You can only
join his team by realizing him in you. Understand,
you can only join his team. Based on the various
levels of understanding, you can become a Shiva
Gana, Shiva Bhoota. When Shiva Ganas, Shiva
Bhootas celebrate the existence of Mahadeva, outsiders think Shiva Ganas and Shiva Bhootas are
worshiping Mahadeva. Please understand, you
can never worship Mahadeva; you can only join
his team and celebrate his existence.
Only a devotee of Mahadeva can declare Shivoham! (I am Shiva!) There is no tradition where
you declare I am Narayana. No! Narayanoham
mantra does not exist! In the other religions, if you
tell you are God, you will be killed. In other religions, you will be just killed if you say you are God.
But in Shaiva Tradition, in Shaivism, your initiation starts with the great truth: Shivoham.
Reference:
1. Original video - Lets Celebrate Shiva on the YouTube
channel called Nithyananda
2. Shiva Sutra, Chapter 2, Verse 11, Chetanandas translation
3. Kamikagama, Volume 2, Chapter 11, Verse 3
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Main Feature
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Main Feature
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Featured Writer
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Featured Writer
assured that if the charges had been true, these
educated, confident women would not remain so
loyal and supportive to their guru. Also, I examined some of the legal evidence with the help of
lawyers, just for my own curiosity. I found that the
legal due process against him seemed politically
motivated and lacked transparency. In fact, one
independent legal expert with an excellent reputation has told me that this case was mishandled as
a hatchet job just to try and nail him on spurious grounds. Unfortunately, even when legal cases
lack merit, they often linger on for years in order to
create a smear image campaign. I feel there ought
to be a time limit to prove guilt after a criminal
case starts; if the system is unable to prove guilt in
that time limit, the accused should be set free and
the case dismissed. After all, the authorities simply should not be able to destroy a persons life on
unproven charges and linger on for more than a
decade or even longer.
Most important of all, Hindus must stop being internally divisive. There is too much emphasis on
trying to falsify another gurus philosophy, rituals and practices. We face existential risks and
we cannot afford this intellectual sport to argue
with each other on issues that are not as serious.
I am disappointed at the lack of unity to stand up
for one another in such dire situations. Most Hindu leaders run for cover in order to protect themselves selfishly, rather than being able to close
ranks and take a principled stand against these
breaking India forces.
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Featured Writer
16
Featured Writer
and Indian heroes have already shown this example. There is nothing wrong with simply sharing the profound and spiritual nature of the Vedic
teachings, knowing that they have already benefited millions of people throughout history, and can
continue to benefit all of society and lead it in the
right direction. If we can present this in an intelligent manner, or simply share the basics of it from
one person to another, then it will naturally be attractive, and people will want to know more about
it. Everyone can use some aspect of it to reach their
higher potential.
It is not the Vedic style to make unwilling converts,
but the universal spiritual truths within can be
useful for anyone, regardless of a persons background, culture, or religion. Thus, everyone can
participate to whatever degree is right for them.
That is the liberality, flexibility, and beauty of the
Vedic system.
However, we need to realize that the Vedic culture
is often more respectful toward other spiritual
paths and the people who follow them than they
are in return. Thus, there is a need to defend the
Vedic tradition from those who, in their ignorance
and lack of understanding, may want to destroy
it. Dharma must be protected from adharma. We
cannot be such humble Hindus that we allow others to come in and destroy us. What good would
that do? We cannot humble ourselves out of our
own existence. We must be willing to stand strong
for Dharma. As has been said before, The world
is a dangerous place, not because of those who do
evil, but because of the people who dont do anything about it.
Hindus, Vedic Dharmists, prefer to live in peace.
They do not want to be aggressive toward others,
and are usually not, but they also do not want to
see people from other religions come to their country and try to make converts by falsely denigrating
the Vedic culture.
One of the best ways to counteract any campaign
to destroy our Vedic heritage is to develop a cultural revolution by which people in society become
united by a common identity, a common cause in
a fully cooperative effort that excludes no one, but
welcomes all. Nothing could provide such a vehicle
for this sort of unity more effectively than to focus
on the unifying and universal spiritual principles
of the Vedic tradition of India. Herewith, by spreading such knowledge freely and effectively, using
all avenues of promotion and distribution, a unifying spiritual revolution, gathering people from
all walks of
life and offering peaceful coexistence
with
one another,
along with
inner spiritual strength
and support
amongst all people, could be started. This could
offer the ultimate defense of any negative outside
force by merely rising above it, failing to give it any
recognition or acknowledgement, other than pushing it back and out of the way where it belongs.
The way we can best make a stand for Vedic Dharma is to spread an accurate understanding of Vedic
spiritual knowledge and encourage people to participate in it. That can help people comprehend,
maintain, and be convinced of the importance of
the Dharmic culture. This is what I mean when I
say that over the long term, a cultural revolution
is better than a militant revolution. This is actually
what has kept the Indian people dedicated to the
Vedic traditions for so long, and it can continue to
do so well into the future if we do our duty and
promote the Vedic spiritual knowledge and welcome anyone and everyone to participate. We can
all be Vedic Ambassadors in this way. As it is said,
many hands make for light work, and then it becomes easy and joyful for everyone.
We must become united. We must see beyond
ethnic, national, class or caste divisions, and see
ourselves as members of the Global Vedic Community, one family united in the universal spiritual
knowledge that the Vedic scriptures advocate. We
must see with this vision so our true spiritual potential is realized. This will create an air of positivity, which lends to an optimistic and constructive
future for ourselves and the whole world. It is not
enough to keep it to ourselves. But it is to our advantage when we work for the benefit of others
and provide the means so that they can learn and
participate in the Vedic traditions. This is Dharma,
our Dharma, and Dharma will protect those who
help protect it. That is one reason why it is Sanatana, or that which exists eternally. Now let each of
us do our part.
Dharma Rakshati Rakshitah
Stephen Knapp is the author of over 30 books on various aspects of Vedic philosophy and culture, and the president of the
Vedic Friends Association.
17
Upholders of Hinduism
Sri Narendragiri Maharaj with Paramahamsa Nithyananda at the Nasik Kumbh Mela - September 2015
As I entered the ashram, I saw a beautiful Shivling, very beautiful Shivling, magnificent Shivling. When I came up I saw such bright deities
of Ganeshji, Shankar bhagwan and Parvati devi.
Your disciples told me that all the deities have been
made in Swamijis (Paramahamsa Nithyananda)
ashram itself. See, every sannyasi has to be tested
once. I have no doubt in saying that Swamiji has
overcome, come forward and completed the test
successfully, and not just in the whole of India, but
all over the world.
In a rare interview with the Mahants of the Nithyananda Sanyas Order, during the Nashik Kumbh
Mela in September 2015, he opened up about what
Living Enlightened Master Paramahamsa Nithyanandas advent in our midst meant for Hinduism and the Hindu world today. Here are excerpts
from the interview.
One week ago, India news, IBN7 and many other news channels came and they asked me about
Paramahamsa Nithyananda. I said, Swamiji is the
backbone of Sanatana Hindu Dharma. Right now
Swamiji was saying, Whatever I do, I do in alignment to Vedic Sanatana tradition, and I dont do
anything opposite to that. Swamiji said that I am
the head of thirteen Akhadas. That one million
sadhus do what I tell them to do. I feel, what Swamiji is saying is right, but actually, I am Swamijis
servant.
18
Upholders of Hinduism
But when the power of tapas (spiritual penance)
is present, then people can do anything. So, the
power of tapas in Swamiji (Paramahamsa Nithyananda) is so much that he is able to teach us the
science of third eye powers. I requested Him, I will
also send eleven students to get initiated by him.
He said, Please do send them. I will teach them.
So I welcome Swamiji and express my gratitude
and praise him.
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Kshetra
20
Kshetra
planners and civil engineers. The city, also referred to as Kususthali, was divided into six sectors
- contained residential and commercial areas, wide
roads, plazas, palaces (700,000 that were made of
gold, silver and precious stones), as well as numerous public facilities, including beautiful gardens
and lakes. A hall called the sudharma sabha (Meeting of True Religion) was the place where public
meetings were held. As the city was surrounded by
water, it was connected to the mainland via bridges and a port.
21
Kshetra
An account in the Mahabharata mentions the submergence of Dwaraka thus: The sea surrounding Dwaraka, which had been beating against the
shores, suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed on it. The sea rushed and coursed through
the streets of the beautiful city. It covered up everything! Even as they all looked on in horror, Arjuna
saw the beautiful buildings becoming submerged
one by one. He took a last look at the mansion of
Krishna. It was soon covered by the sea. In a matter of a few moments it was all over. The sea had
now become as placid as a lake. There was no trace
of the beautiful city that had been the favourite
haunt of all the Pandavas. Dwaraka became just a
name; just a memory.
Conclusion
We sadly lost several years of advancement when
the rising sea swallowed Dwaraka. Words from
poet John Miltons poem Paradise Lost aptly fits
Krishnas Dwaraka - These are sweeter than all
the delicious fruits he could have grown in Paradise before he fell.
References:
1.
http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Dwaraka.htm
2.
http://creative.sulekha.com/ancient-indian-history-needs-rewriting-Dwaraka-is-the-oldest-city-on-earth_498610_blog : Ancient
Indian History Needs Rewriting: Dwaraka is the Oldest City on
Earth, V.S.Gopalakrishnan
3.
https://kalyan97.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/1057/. Notes on
Rama Setu and Dwaraka by S R Rao
4.
5.
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/sophisticated-vimanas-over-
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/Dwarakahome-krishna-gateway-heaven-and-underwater-city-004227 :
22
23
24
Conclusion
The people in the Saraswati River Civilization experienced all the benefits of a civilization. In addition, they had an existence based on spiritual
understanding, material comfort, and conflict-free
living. They were a people who had the technology and scientific knowledge that far surpassed
that of modern times. The fact that there was no
indication of warfare means peoples of the Saraswati River Civilization had a deep knowledge and
understanding of the human condition and had an
evolved concept of harmony and how to respect
their fellow human beings. This is an accomplishment that we in the 21st century are nowhere close
to even imagining, let alone achieving. By connecting the Mohenjo Daro seals to the Rig Veda, Dr.
Trivedi has clearly pushed the Saraswati River Civilization dates back by an astonishing 18,000 years.
In reality, we do know the Vedic Civilization is at
least 60,000 years old. Clearly, the theory of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Indus Valley being the oldest
civilizations needs re-examining. It must give way
to a more thorough research of Vedic times - beyond archeology, inscriptions, coins or even skeletal dental remains!
Reference
1.In Search of The Cradle of Civilization by George Feurstein
2.Did This Ancient Civilization Avoid War for 2,000 Years Amalee
Newitz
3.A New Type of Copper Plate from the Indus Valley by Visant Shinde
and Rick Willis
4.Gods, Sages and Kings by David Frawley
5. Vedic Genetics in the Indus Valley by C.P. Trivedi
6. Vedic Cell Biology with Life Energy and Rebirth by C.P. Trivedi
7. UPSC Times of India August 13, 2004
8. New York Times Science Section Man Was Enduring Dentists Drill
2,000 Years Ago by Kyle Jarrard
25
Mode of revelation
Paramahamsa Nithyanandas morning satsangs
are watched regularly by people in over 347 cities
spread across 47 countries. The morning satsangs
will be a mode by which the revelations of different powers and experiences will be delivered.
When one is prepared to receive the grace of Mahadeva, these powers will simply start expressing
through the person.
The satsangs will act as a prism through which the
thought currents of the Upanishadic rishis will be
intercepted to reveal the sacred secrets embedded
in them. Only an incarnation such as Paramahamsa Nithyananda can make such treasures available
for human beings.
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Reference:
1.
https://www.youtube.com/atch?v=Y03QOH64-Fg
The Quintessential
Rudraksha
Rudraksha is a beautiful power-packed bead
which is full of energy. This sacred bead is a symbol of spirituality, fearlessness and a source of
power, health, peace and prosperity. In Sanskrit
Rudra means Lord Shiva and aksh means eyes.
The mere utterance of the sacred word Rudraksha
is said to create emotions and vibrations touching
the soul and bringing a person closer to God.
The benefits of Rudraksha can be felt at the level of
both body and mind. Physically it exhibits amazing curative properties for many diseases as well
as anti-aging properties. For ages it has been observed and reported that people suffering from
hypertension, diabetes, cardiac problems, stomach disorders, stress, arthritis and phobias get
beneficial results by wearing Rudraksha consistently. It has been proven that wearing Rudraksha
has positive effects on a persons blood pressure
and controls stress, anxiety, depression and palpitations. Mentally, it gives a tremendous amount of
tranquility, concentration power and helps in attaining calmness of mind with ease.
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Hindu Scriptures
Each Shivagama upholds a particular set of instructions, be it for priests who want to conduct homas
and pujas, or for people who want to live the lifestyle of Lord Shiva and who want to strengthen
the connection with Him. These Agamas are also
meant for those who strive for enlightenment, or
simply for those individuals who wish to follow
Lord Shivas dictums and live His very life. There
are per se ten Shiva Agamas or Shivagamas that
could be traced through the Himalayan Academy
(but there are eighteen more) and these are translated into English by Dr. S.P. Sabharathanam Shivacharyar.
The following are ten Shivagamas explained
briefly:
1. Kamika Agama Purva Pada (Part 1) - It is the
fundamental Shaiva Agama. This Agama constitutes the primary source for in-depth details on
personal and daily worship, food, lifestyle, temple construction, practice of rituals, observance of
auspicious times, examination of omens, etc.
2. Kamika Agama Uttara Pada (Part 2) - This book
or the second section of the Kamika Agama deals
with directions for the following: worship of Shivalinga that is west or south facing, performing and
celebrating daily and grand festivals, performance
of pujas, and performance of Samaya and Vishesha initiations, etc.
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Hindu Scriptures
5. Raurava Agama Vidya Pada - This book or section of Agama tackles subjects that include Shiva
tattvas, transmission of scriptures, metaphysical
path, significance of various kinds of initiation, departure and absorption of the soul, and different
set of directions for: holding palms and fingers in
different positions, performing the Nyasa of Shivakala Mantras (placing of the Shivakala mantras),
and Yoga practice of Dharana (single-pointed concentration and focus).
6. Pauskara Agama - With its roots firmly entrenched in philosophy, this book or section of the
Agama deals with the nature of Shiva, Maya (illusion), the Soul, or the Soul that has been bound,
Time or Kaala, the nature of Subtle and Gross Elements, the revelation of the Agamas, etc.
References:
1. https://www.himalayanacademy.com/site/search/title/
agama/tags/Agama
8. Matanga Agama Vidya Pada - This section of Agama expounds profoundly on the Nature of Shiva
and of liberation. It also covers, ruminations on
the nature of two tattvas- Laya and Bhoga, and the
29
2. Grimes, John A. (1996). A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English. State University
of New York Press. Pgs 16-17
30
historians carry this lie because it suits the worldview they want to project. This theory makes people not recognize the Hindu Holocaust as a clear
and terrible happening in the history of the world.
Traditionally, the story of the Hindu Holocaust begins with the invasions of Mahmud of Ghazni who
invaded India during the 11th century in order to
spread Islam. But the precursors to that started
right from the beginning of Islam. All the countries between Arabia and India had been practicing some form of Hinduism
and in the 400 years from
when Islam began, all of
them had been brutally conquered, ravaged and converted. Their stories are not
told, because no civilization
remains to remember them.
Mahmud of Gaznis campaigns across the Gangetic
plains are often cited for
their iconoclast plundering and destruction of
temples. Mahmuds court historian Al-Utbi viewed
Mahmuds expeditions as a jihad to propagate Islam and extirpate idolatry. Of his campaign on
Mathura, it is written:
Orders were given that all the temples should be
burnt with naphthala and fire and leveled with
the ground. The city was given up to plunder for
twenty days. Among the spoil are said to have been
five great idols of pure gold with eyes of rubies and
adornments of other precious stones, together with
a vast number of smaller silver images, which, when
broken up, formed a load for more than a hundred
camels. The loot from Mathura is estimated at 3 million rupees and over 5,000 slaves. His son sacked the
second Somnath Temple in 1026, looted it, and the
famous Shiva lingam of the temple was destroyed .
Alberuni, a historian who accompanied Mahmud
of Ghazni, described the conquests in North Western India by stating that Mahmud impoverished
the region and that the civilization of the scattered
Hindus declined and retreated from the North
West.
Thus, with blood, rape and wanton destruction, began the largest and longest running targeted abuse
that any civilization has faced in the history of the
world.
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Indias Vulnerability
Sanjeev Sanyal writes in The Indian Renaissance:
Indias Rise after a Thousand Years of Decline, that
the main factor that seems to have let down the
Indians is [...] growing technological naivet after
the 11th century. He goes on to quote Al Beruni
and Marco Polo and concludes that the reason
behind Indias decline was primitive technology.
What Mr. Sanyal fails to realize here is that the
Hindu civilization that inhabited India at the time
never had a reason to prepare for the egregious violence that they faced at the hands of the invaders.
They also refused to resort to the lowly practices of
the invaders in order to defeat them, even though
they had unparalleled technology. The Hindus fell
victim to the attacks by these Muslim warriors because of a nave world-view, not a lack of technology. They had always been protected geographically; they were self sufficient, and most importantly,
Mr. Sanyal also neglects the fact that the civilization was highly advanced and had the greatest gift
of technology. According to Brenda Buchanan in
her book Gunpowder, Explosives, and the State:
A Technological History, the Sukraniti talks about
the technology of making gunpowder. This technology was later used by the West in their wars. Indians had firearms and aviary warfare before the
Moguls even set foot on the subcontinent. Moreover, the Muslims used Hindu metallurgy and other
Brenda J Buchanan
32
Enlightenment Stories
Enlightenment - Satyakama
Enlightenment can happen now, at this moment. It is
only a matter of being receptive. The Master is a gateway to eternal consciousness. It is up to the seeker to
have the courage, determination and intelligence to
take the first step in the right direction. Thousands
of parables exist in the Vedic texts about the lives of
seekers and the paths they must travel to reach the
ultimate goal - that is, moksha or liberation. One such
story is that of Satyakama, from the Chandogya Upanishad.
Satyakama Seeks the Truth
Satyakama was a boy who
lived in the dense forests of
India with his mother Jabala.
He had an intense desire to
learn meditation and know
the nature of the brahman. His
search for a guru took him to
the sage Gautama. The sage
asked him, Of what family
are you, my boy? Satyakama
fearlessly
answered,
My
mother said that I should tell
you that her name is Jabala
and my name is Satyakama
and I know nothing more about my family. So I am
Satyakama Jabala. Appreciating his honesty and
courage to speak the truth, the sage accepted him as
a student.
The next day, sage Gautama initiated Satyakama into
a meditation to quieten his mind. This was the first
step to the knowledge of the Brahman, brahma vidya
- knowing the self. After teaching Satyakama to meditate, Gautama did something that was very unusual.
He took Satyakama to the pasture where hundreds
of cows were grazing. To Satyakamas surprise, Gautama separated out four hundred thin, weak cows.
He then told Satyakama that he was about to enter a
different type of journey. He instructed Satyakama to
take the cows to another part of the forest and to tend
to them carefully. He was to return after the cows
had multiplied to a thousand. Satyakama had many
doubts in his heart, but in deference to the guruvaak
(His Gurus words), he left the gurukul with the cows
for the deepest part of the forest.
What Happened in the Forest
Deep in the forest, Satyakama lost all sense of time.
At first he felt lonely, but soon he sought companionship in his cows and the surrounding nature and forgot even the human language. His mind had become
33
completely silent and even the very goal of his journey was forgotten. He began enjoying his life in the
forest. He became one with the nature around him
and completely alive in the moment, lost in ecstasy
and joy. He carefully tended the cows. His cows ate
fresh grass and drank pure water from the streams
and soon became very healthy.
Satyakama stayed in the deep forest for many years,
living a peaceful and happy life, so much so that he
even forgot his goal of returning to his guru with a
thousand cows. Satyakama
never felt alone. Every living creature became a part
of his family. When the time
had come to return, a cow
approached Satyakama to inform him that they were now
a thousand in number, and
that they should return to the
Master.
Satyakama Returns
Satyakama traveled back to
the gurukul with the cows,
and upon seeing them all, the
Master exclaimed that now one thousand and one
cows had returned. In other words, Satyakama himself had lost all sense of his former identity, and had
simply become one of the cows. The Master simply
pronounced the Vedic declaration for enlightenment
- Tat Tvam Asi, or Thou art that. Satyakama was
so empty of identity, and in a state of such pure listening, that the Masters words just penetrated his
being and became a reality in him. In that moment,
Satyakama got enlightened.
Listen to the Masters Words
The Master has the power to create the right situation in which a disciple can flower. It is through the
guidance and instruction of an enlightened master
that a seeker can reach the state of the ultimate bliss.
Satyakama also had doubts, like any spiritual seeker,
but he had the intelligence to listen to his Masters
words and the courage to practice the Gurus instruction. In this way, Satyakama was able to transcend
the plane of the mundane and reach a higher level
of consciousness. The Master is a vessel for our own
transformation, but the disciple must take the first
step. Once that step is taken, then the possibility towards enlightenment, eternal bliss, becomes a reality.
Special Feature
Ma Nithya Swaroopapriyananda
In order to protect the very biased and limited
world view that chooses to see history in terms of
western development coming first, all true findings that prove the earliest civilizations were in
the East are thwarted and then ridiculed into irrelevance. One need look no further than the investigative works of those exposing forbidden archaeology to see how systematic and all encompassing
the suppressing of ancient artifacts and information has become.
Despite the incessant attempts made by anti-Hindu
forces to sully our vast wealth of consciousness, we
still remember the innate divinity inherent in our
temples, texts, traditions and celebrations; those of
us with the sincere intention to preserve and live
Dharma can see beyond the white-washing of our
glorious past.
34
Special Feature
I have travelled across the length and breadth of
India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in the
country, such high moral values, people of such
calibre, that I do not think we would conquer this
country, unless we break the very backbone of this
nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and therefore, I propose that we replace her
old and ancient education system, her culture, for
if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will
lose their self esteem, their native culture and they
will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.
This is the smoking
gun, the hand caught
red, the indisputable proof that our
current British-born
school system is not
actually an institution by which we become intelligent, but
an elaborate trap by
which our birthright
is stripped. 1833 was
only 183 years ago!
That means, in less
than two centuries,
the motherland of all
Hindus was reduced
from rich, and without sign of thieves or
beggars, to poor, with
many left homeless
due to the atrocities committed by invaders, and
a corrupt government following in the footsteps of
those who came here to force rule at any human
cost.
Of course, thats just physical; whats worse is what
we have lost spiritually. Veda Matas very life is on
the line, and those who attempted her murder continue beating her badly injured body while most
of her children go on with their lives, ignorant to
the fact that their inaction is making them accessories to the horrendous crime. In a court of law, the
charge of attempted murder is not taken lightly;
though the victim of this crime yet lives, the intention on which the defendant acted was an intent
to kill.
By conscientiously assessing the state of Bharat,
and discovering that her strength was in her education and traditions, then strategically attacking
35
36
37
Exerpt
The reading of the commentary is meant to help
every individual in daily life as well as in the endeavour to realize the ultimate Truth. It creates
the possibility to attain nithyananda, eternal bliss.
There are millions of scriptures on planet earth.
But Bhagavad Gita is incomparable. Unlike any
other, this book has penetrated human consciousness so deeply. Bhagavad Gita is the unabridged
dictionary and encyclopaedia of spirituality.
Gita is a direct expression of the Divine. As a consequence of the presence of Gita, the Mahabharata
itself is considered a sacred Hindu scripture. Gita
arose from the super-consciousness of Krishna, an
incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and is therefore considered a scripture.
The Uncommon
38
Vedic Women
After their marriage, Daksha decided to sever all relations with Devi Sati and Lord Shiva. He arranged
a Narayana Yagna (ritual) for which he invited all
gods, goddesses and relatives except Shiva and
Sati. On hearing this Devi Sati decided to go visit
her father. Shiva did not want her to go as he knew
what the result of Dakshas arrogance would be.
After seeing Devi Sati at the yagna (fire sacrifice),
Daksha repeatedly insulted her and Lord Shiva. It
was then that Sati, with all her rage, assumed the
form of Adi Shakti and declared who she was to
Daksha. She cursed Daksha and then cast her body
into the flames of the yagna. On hearing this, furious Lord Shiva created Virabhadra, his own dimension, to kill Daksha and end his arrogance.
The remaining parts of Satis body were buried to
form sacred pindas. Soon after, Lord Shiva went
into deep penance to restore the peace of the
world. Devi once again assumed the human body
as Himavat and Menakas daughter, Parvati. As
Parvati grew up, she became greatly devoted to
Mahadeva. She performed years of penance in
order to attain enlightenment. At the end of her
penance, Mahadeva appeared in front of her and
made her realize her incarnation-hood. With her
parents blessings, Lord Shiva and Parvati get married and move to Kailasha. Shiva and Parvati become parents to two powerful gods - Ganesha, the
god of supreme intelligence and auspiciousness
39
https://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1 >Rudra
Samhita - Satikhanda (Section 2)
2.
https://archive.org/stream/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart2/Siva%20
Purana%20-%20J.L.Shastri%20-%20Part%202#page/n1/
mode/2up >Rudra Samhita - Parvatikhanda (Section 3)
3.
There are three kinds of human beings; head oriented, heart oriented and being oriented. To fulfil everyone, our enlightened sages have created
three kinds of literature shastras, stotras and
sutras. Bhagavad Gita is the only book that is a
combination of all three literatures and something
more.
Within the Vedic literature, our masters have chosen three books and call them prasthanatrayathe ultimate authorities in spirituality. They are
the Brahma Sutra, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.
Ved Vyasa, an enlightened master, wrote the Brahma Sutra. Many enlightened masters revealed and
taught the Upanishads. However, Gita is directly
from God, from a purnavatar a perfect incarnation, Krishna.
Vedic Sciences
40
Vedic Sciences
me? why did I attract this disease? There are more
bad people! Why me? I am such a good person,
I never thought of or did any wrong to anybody.
Understand, its nothing to do with good or bad, because good or bad is certified by society. That certificate does not get accepted by cosmos! Whether
you are integrated or not, is only accepted by
cosmos. Understand, good or bad is not accepted
by cosmos. Somebody may be bad, but he is integrated! You may be good, but you are a disintegrated person who neither knows what he is attracting
nor knows why he is attracting or you can be clear
about the fact that integrity is absolute. Integrity
doesnt change with society. It is not social ethics,
but it is a spiritual principle. Till you are integrated, you will not know what and why you
are attracting certain situations in your life.
41
Vedic Sciences
what way you want to experience life.
Reference:
1.
42
Testimonial
43
44
Vyasas Motivation
The question, however, remains as to what Vyasas
motivation was in undertaking this monumental
task? Swami Chinmayananda sheds some light in
his tribute, Vyasa The Versatile Genius. According to him, Vyasas life was contemporaneous to
events that put Hinduism in direct threat of annihilation. The scriptures were fast fading away
even among those who were supposed to be the
custodians of sacred lore. The mantras of the Vedas
were slowly being forgotten by the people. In that
general forgetfulness of the generation, the entire
subjective science of the Vedas would have been
lost, had it not been for the great revolutionary reformer, the poet-philosopher known as Vyasa.
45
Creating Geniuses
The Nithyananda Gurukul Way
Dr. Vinay Kamat
Our first priority is to create Vedic Education Institutions. We need Universities creating Vedic
Scholars. I will create huge universities teaching
Vedic philosophies, creating Doctorates in different branches of Vedic philosophies for those who
have the passion for Hinduism. There will be online Vedic courses for distance education.
- Paramahamsa Nithyananda
The Background
Gurukuls are not teacher-centric but rather education-centric. They are conceived to allow students
to develop, discover and invent autonomously.
Students are also given the freedom to explore
their highest creativity. The Guru is the Divine
guide and he supports their explorations; he is the
light in the dark and the hand that raises them if
they fall.
46
The Training
In addition to standard academics, students learn
through training of Nithya Yoga, mallakhamba
(pole yoga), rope yoga, dhanur vidya (archery), dhyana (meditation), akhada (traditional gym),veda
parayana (Vedic chanting), natya-nataka-sangeetashilpa- chitrakala (all forms of traditional performing arts and fine arts), vakyartha sadas (spiritual
discussions for life solutions), puja vidhi (worship
and rituals) and lifestyle as per the Agama Shastra.
The Outcome
Gurukul encourages whole brain learning, a stressfree environment, it has zero teen violence and aggression. The system currently boasts the following accomplishments: 50% of children are at 1 to
3 years ahead of their grades, giving their Class X
Board Exams before 15 years while 35% children
The Spread
Gurukuls have been established in Bidadi, Tiruvannamalai and Chennai. These institutions currently serve 250 children. Thousands of more
children are taught through Nithyananda Weekend Gurukuls worldwide. Third Eye Awakening at
gurukul has resulted in many children and adults,
expressing powers deemed superhuman. Powers
included high creativity, significantly faster learning of new subjects, and amazing intuition.
Students have seen health improvements with
stronger immunological responses. Additionally,
the ability to see and read without the need for two
physical eyes. Since new dimensions of the brain
are awakened, the possibilities for human health
and growth are enormous. For example: helping
the visually challenged to see using the third eye.
Another example includes, scanning the human
bodies via the third-eye to diagnose patients without x-rays or invasive techniques.
The Goal
The Mystical Powers
The students enjoy other powers including Quantum memory activation to recall verbatim after a
single listening (called ekashantagrahi in the Vedic
age). Awakening yogic powers such as communing
with and commanding nature to cause rain and
rose plants to drop their thorns. All children are
initiated into Third Eye Awakening, showing high
intelligence, intuition, blind folded reading, X-ray
vision, and clairvoyance. Children have taken the
47
Vedic Balasanth
48
Vedic Balasanth
Even heaven cannot tempt Nachiketa because he
realizes that it is nothing more than a multiplication of the pleasures of earth. He finds it insignificant to rejoice in the pleasures of life after staring
death in the face and he only wishes to know the
secret of death. He wishes to gain the ultimate.
This maturity seen in Nachiketa far surpasses the
maturity of Vajashravas, and in this moment he
becomes the ideal child hero. Yama then imparts
upon Nachiketa the secrets of life and death.
By studying the story of Nachiketa and the Katha
Upanishad, one gains tremendous understanding
of the power of innocence. Nachiketas innocence
and lack of arrogance enabled him to boldly face
death and question the very purpose of existence.
In surrendering to death, he does not become
powerless, but instead gains immortality himself.
Swami Vivekananda says about Nachiketa, Have
faith, as Nachiketa.
At the time of his fathers sacrifice, faith came unto
Nachiketa; I wish that faith would come to each of
you; and everyone of you would stand up a giant, a
world-mover with a gigantic intellect an infinite
God in every respect. That is what I want you to become. This is the strength that you get from the Upanishads, this is the faith that you get from there.
He declares that faith makes each of us into God.
He declares that we should all aim to be as authentic as Nachiketa. So Nachiketa stands as the ideal
and as a true example for what everyone should
seek to achieve.
49
His realization and proclamation of the fundamental unity of all religions is a message relevant
to our contemporary world, torn by religious conflicts and dissensions, and separated by high walls
of sectarian dogmas.
One of the important contributions of Sri Ramakrishna is the reestablishment of the ideal of
God realization in the modern world. In a world
in which peoples faith in traditional religions has
been considerably reduced by the relentless attack
of the forces of atheism, materialism and scientific
thinking, Sri Ramakrishna established the possibility of having direct experience of transcendent
Reality.
His life has enabled thousands of people to regain
faith in God.
The story of Sri Ramakrishna is the story of religion in practice. His life is the epitome of Bhakti
and literally enables us to see God face to face.
Sri Ramakrishna is today regarded as an incarnation of God of the Modern Age. His whole life
was an uninterrupted contemplation of God. He
reached a depth of God-consciousness that transcends all time and place and has a universal appeal.
Seekers of God of all religions feel irresistibly
drawn to his life and teachings. Sri Ramakrishna,
as a silent force, influences the spiritual thought
currents of our time.
Through his God-intoxicated life Sri Ramakrishna
proved that the revelation of God takes place at all
times and that God-realization is not the monopoly
of any particular age, country, or people.
He was unique in the way he practised the spiritual disciplines of all the sects of Hinduism, and of
Christianity and Islam, and attained God-realization in each one. At the end of it all, he proclaimed
to the world: As many faiths, so many paths.
50
Drawn by the magnetism of Sri Ramakrishnas divine personality, people flocked to him from far
and near men and women, young and old, philosophers and theologians, philanthropists and humanists, atheists and agnostics, Hindus and Brahmos, Christians and Muslims, seekers of truth of
all races, creeds and castes. His small room in the
Dakshineswar temple garden on the outskirts of
the city of Kolkata became a veritable parliament
of religions. Everyone who came to him felt uplifted by his profound God-consciousness, boundless
love, and universal outlook.
Here is an incarnation whose life has harmonized
all the apparently contradictory religious ideals,
and the various national and social ideals of different races and countries thus uniting humanity
by the ties of love and toleration.
Reference:
1.
2.
Ma Kavyaroopini
51
istic teachings of the Vedanta philosophy. In America he became Indias spiritual ambassador and
created better understanding between India and
the World in order to create a healthy synthesis of
East and West, of religion and science.
Back home, Vivekananda is regarded as the patriot
saint of modern India and an inspirer of her dormant national consciousness, To the Hindus he is
the reviver of Hinduism giving strength to it. Service to man as the visible manifestation of the Godhead was the special
form of worship he
advocated for the Indians.
Swami Vivekananda
was a lover of mankind, he strove to promote peace and human brotherhood on
the foundation of the
Vedantic Oneness of
existence, the space
of Advaita. A mystic
of the highest order,
Vivekananda had a
direct and intuitive
experience of Reality.
(Contd. from page 50)
Vedic Medicine
The meaning of this quote is, Whatever is contained in Mahabharata may be found in other
places but there is nothing elsewhere in the world,
which is not in Mahabharata. This quote applies
to the Vedas too.
Vedas are ancient doctrines of great knowledge.
They reflect the living habits of ancient people (our
ancestors), their thoughts, customs etc. Vedas also
contain the methods and measures adopted for
health care and treatment. Each Veda has contributed greatly to the well being of the Vedic society.
Ayurveda is based on the Atharvana Veda, which
is the most recent among the four Vedas. This text
completely deals with the well being of a person. It
is the oldest science to describe health and disease
factors.
In Vedic times there were great scholars who dealt
with the health aspect of humans, animals and
plants. They were well versed in the anatomy and
physiology of humans and animals like horse, goat,
and elephants (Hasti ayurveda, Vrukshayurveda,
and so on). They included astrology while treating
the diseased person.
Schools of Vaidyas
There were two main schools of vaidyas (doctors); one was the school of Patanjali where general medicine was followed. Acharya Charaka was
considered as the best among them. The second
school concentrated on surgery and was called
Dhanvantari school, in which Acharya Sushruta
Modes of Healing
In the Vedic period, mainly herbs were used for
treatment, along with some purified metals like
mercury, gold, silver and mica and also select animal products. During the period of early Vedas like
Rig Veda, health aspects were mixed up with generic topics of living. But, in due course, Ayurveda
acharyas started maintaining separate documentation on health science. This literature came to be
called Samhitas.
Branches of Ayurveda
Ayurveda has eight branches or Ashtanga Ayurveda. They were general medicine, pediatrics,
psychiatry, ENT, surgery, toxicology, geriatrics, eugenics and aphrodisiacs. The main doctrines written in Ayurveda were Charaka Samhita, Sushruta
Samhita and Ashtanga Hrudaya.
The name Ayurveda itself means that it is a the
science of life. Ayu means longevity or lifespan
and Veda means science. Definition of Ayurveda
according to Acharya Charaka is:
Hitaahitam sukham dukham aayustasya hitaahitam
Maanamch tattcha yatroktam aayurvedaha sa uchyate
52
Vedic Medicine
The science which changes Ahitaayu (unhealthy
life) to Hitaayu (healthy life) from Dukhaayu (miserable life) to Sukhayu (pleasant life) is Ayurveda.
Principles of Ayurveda
Definition of health according to Ayurveda:
Sama dosha samaagnishcha sama dhaatumalakriya
Prasanna aatmendriya manaha swastaityabhidiyate
53
54
Yogic Scriptures
There is authentic yogic literature thousands of
years old such as Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, Pranayama Paddhati, Laya Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Sutra,
Yoga Shaastra Tattwa Kaumudi, Hatha Yoga Kaumudi and Gheranda Samhita.
These original texts and the authentic translations
are available to the world. Only teachers who can
quote the original reference in the Sanskrit language should teach yoga.
Yoga Asana
55
Nithya Kriyas
What is a kriya?
Nithya kriyas are a series of yogic healing processes revealed by Paramahamsa Nithyananda.
They are unique in that, while the knowledge and
techniques are drawn from the most authentic and
sacred yogic scriptures of india, the specific combinations are expressed from the personal experiences, research and development of Paramahamsa
Nithyananda, with the objective of curing various
ailments.
Care for diabetes
Steps to be followed:
1. Anila Asana
2. Uddeeyaana Bandha
3. Bhastrikaa Kumbhaka
4. Moorcchaa Kumbhaka
5. Bhraamaree Kumbhaka
1. Anila Asana
Joga Pradeepikaa,
verses 346-347
Technique
1. Come to a full
squat posture
2. Place the hands
below the feet,
palms facing down
3. Keep the arms
straight, elbows
joined together at the navel (option: if you cannot
hold the squat position, you can sit on the ground)
4. Fix the gaze at the nose.
5. Remain in this pose 30 seconds
In Anila Asana,
Next2. Uddeeyaana Bandha
Gerhanda Samhita, Upadesha 3, verse 10
Technique
1. Sit in same asana and keep the spine straight.
Head should be up and eyes open
2. Take a deep breath in and exhale completely,
but do not be forceful
3. After exhaling, perform Jaalandhara Bandha by
moving the chin down to the chest and raising the
shoulders
4. Pull the abdominal muscles inward so that the
organs of the abdomen touch the back muscles
5. Hold for as long as you can
6. When you cant hold anymore, before inhaling,
relax the stomach and abdomen, release Jaalandhara Bandha by raising the head
56
http://nithyananda.org/nithya-kriyas
The fruits have proved to have strong antibacterial and cardiotonic properties. They prevent the
growth of many harmful intestinal bacteria.
These fruits are beneficial for the five senses as
they improve their receiving powers.
A half tsp. of fruit pulp powder when ingested
every night followed by a little warm water
is used for healing ulcers (of both mouth and
stomach) and wounds.
It is used as an eyewash, for relief from various
eye-infections.
Gargling with a decoction made from the fruits
is very good for fighting oral ulcers, stomatitis
and sore throat.
Haritaki fruit, mixed with dry ginger powder
and hot water, is used for treating asthma and
hiccups.
This fruit is used for fighting many diseases including leprosy, chronic as well as intermittent
fever, narcosis, diarrhea and anorexia
It is a good nervine. It is used in nervous weakness, nervous irritability. Its fruit pulp increases the oxygen levels of the blood, thereby promoting longevity of tissues.
These fruits are used for fighting many digestive disorders such as flatulence, distention
and parasitic infections.
A decoction of this fruit is used to fight against
hepatitis and obesity.
Reference:
1.
57
http://nithyanandatimes.org/haritaki-the-wonder-fruit/
Yatras
Srirangam-Tiruchirapalli
Usha K Kent
The greatest pilgrimage center for Sri Vaishnavites
(followers of Lord Vishnu) is the island temple
town of Srirangam (Thiruvarangam in Tamil) in
the city of Tiruchirappalli in South India. Vishnu
is one of the triumvirates or Trimurti in Hinduism,
namely Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Srirangam is
bound by river Cauvery on one side, and the Cauvery tributary Kollidam or Coleroon on the other.
Srirangams most famous landmark is the Sri
Ranganathaswamy Temple where Vishnu is wellknown in the reclining form. It is the largest
functioning ancient Hindu temple in the world,
covering an area of about 631,000 square metres
(6,790,000 sq ft) with a perimeter of 4 km (10,710
ft). It is among a few self-manifested shrines
(Swayam Vyakta Kshetras) of Lord Vishnu.
Gloriously Ancient
The temple is mentioned in the famous Tamil
works of literature of the Sangam Era (3rd century BC to 4th century CE) including in the well
known epic Silappadikaram (book 11, lines 3540).
It is glorified in the early medieval Tamil canon
Thiviya Pirabancham of the Alvar saints dated to
the 6th to the 9th centuries CE. The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is counted among the 108 Divya
Desams or premium places of worship dedicated
to Vishnu. The temple follows the Thenkalai tradition of worship. Thenkalai are a sub-sect of the Sri
Vaishnava Iyengar community who are followers
of Ramanuja, Manavala Mamuni and Lokacharya.
aradhanam or pooja to this reclining idol of Vishnu. As a symbol of love he gifted the idol to Vibhishana the brother of Ravana, to take back with him
to Lanka. Rama put forth a condition that the idol
should not be set on the ground, failing which the
deity would seat Himself permanently there. Vibhishana took this idol and while traveling towards
Sri Lanka, came upon the banks of the Cauvery
where an utsavam or festival was in progress. Vibhishana placed the idol on the ground to watch the
utsavam. When the utsavam was over, Lord Vishnu refused to move as he came to love the place
(Srirangam) so much. When Vibhishana requested
Vishnu to come with him, He refused but promised to bless Vibhishana by always facing south, in
the direction of Sri Lanka. Hence the magnificent
reclining Ranganathaswamy is seen facing south
within this temple. The Chola kings Dharmavarlochan and Kilivalavan developed the shrine into
the big temple it is now.
Temple Complex
The temple complex is 156 acres (0.63 square kilometer) in extent. It has seven concentric walled
sections or prakaras which run round the sanctum. There are 21 magnificent towers or gopurams
in all, the tallest of which, Rajagopuram, over the
sanctum is 236 feet (72 m) tall, and is the tallest in
Asia. In ancient historic times the people of the city
lived within the walls of this temple, which was
quite typical of temples of the times.
Due to the famous temple, Srirangam has a thriving economy based on tourism. The number of
devotees to the town increases greatly during the
festival of Vaikuntha Ekadashi which falls in the
Tamil month of Margazhi (Margashirsha).
The Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple or Antya Ranga, is one of the three temples of the God
Ranganatha that are situated in the natural islands
formed in the Cauvery river. The others are the
Adi Ranga or the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatnam and Madhya Ranga or the Ranganathaswamy temple at Shivanasamudra.
In the epic of Ramayana, Lord Rama performed a
58
There are many other famous temples near Srirangam. They include the Rockfort temple, Samayapura Mariamman temple, Thiruvanaikoil, Vayalur
Murugan temple, Uraiyur Kekkali Amman temple,
etc. There are more temples around Srirangam
and Tiruchirapalli, along the banks of the Cauvery,
most showing Lord Vishnu in the reclining form.
These include the Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi Perumal temple whose deity is known as Appala Ranganathar at Koviladi. Another is Azhagiya Nambi
Temple at Woraiyur in Tiruchirappalli which is
part of the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam.
Yatras
References:
1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Srirangam
2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Ranganathaswamy_Temple,_Srirangam
3.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Sangam_period
4.
https://www.google.co.in/
webhp?sourceid=chromestant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF8#q=thenkalai
5.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Malik_Kafur
59
Vedic Architecture
Chettinad Architecture
A standout feature of the Nithyananda Peetham,
Bengaluru Aadheenam is the warmth, openness,
airiness and vastness of the space of the various
buildings and temples housed here. Adheenavasis, volunteers, support staff and visitors move in
and out of this space seamlessly, and go about their
work with no sense of demarcation, hierarchy or
austerity whatsoever. All buildings here have
been consciously built adopting the now world-renowned Chettinad architectural style of construction.
Usha K Kent
where the occupation of the people determined
the spaces created and their uses. The Chettinad
settlements were built in harmony with Tamil
Vedic traditions.
A feature of Chettinad architecture were long pillared verandahs called thinnais and courtyards
which served formal functionaries of business as
well as of home, religious and family rituals. Each
space in the mansion was planned both for receiving daily functionaries as well as hosting life cycle
rituals.
60
Given the hot and semi arid region of their settlement, the Chettiars took the climate into consideration to plan their settlement, design the mansions and in choosing the materials to build the
structures. An important feature of the architecture was sloping roofs for the buildings to enable
rainwater harvesting, which was essential for the
semi-arid Chettinad region. Water management
too was done as per traditional Vedic techniques.
Material from World Over
To construct and decorate their mansions, the
Chettiars imported materials and expertise from
all over the world, which added to the cultural glory of Chettinad. For example teak wood from Myanmar, satin wood from Sri Lanka, marble from
Italy and Belgium, cast iron and steel from UK and
India, tiles from Bombay, Japan, Germany, and
so on. Similarly, the best artisans and skills were
brought from different regions of India for tiling,
wood carving, frescoes, egg-plastering, etc.
Architectural Style Reflects Life Cycle Rituals
Chettinad architecture is closely linked to the life
cycle rituals of the Chettiar community. The mansions were conceived and planned by master masons or sthapathis, following traditional Tamil
space organization, to perform different functions,
rituals and family celebrations during the course
of life, from birth to death. The main courtyard
was the centre part of the mansion where the rituals took place. It served as a temple sanctuary
where the chief priest of the clan would perform
these rituals during various events.
References:
1.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5920/
2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chettinad
3.
Vedic Architecture
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Vedic Architecture
62
Vedic Architecture
Reference:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=HbBPa1lBPWA
7.
The Success Symbol of Living Advaita Bhagwan Sri Paramahamsa Nithyananda Swami
8.
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=BIoEKcQlOmo
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Deity worship provides the most effective technique to bridge the connection with the Cosmic
consciousness at the early stages of seeking. The
deities, along with a concrete persona identified
by the idol, also represent higher ideals or powers. For example, one of the ideals of Lord Ganapathi is auspicious beginnings and perseverance
to the goal during hardships, and Goddess Laxmi
represents abundance in all facets of life. The Hindus have the freedom to choose their ishta devata
(favourite deity) based on the life affirmative ideals that they hold highest. As the seeker matures
in his/her spiritual seeking, the ideals may change
to more subtler forms and he/she has the freedom
to change the ishta devata. This allows a beautiful
pathway for Hindus to self-realization of the cosmic consciousness.
The subjective reality that the seeker believes in
during his/her rise in spiritual pursuits to a more
matured cognition is respected in Hinduism. This
provides a compassionate environment in which
the spiritual seeker flowers into full realization.
This accommodative spirit can be called Vedic secularism. There are numerous examples of spiritual
seekers who realized bhava and savikalpa samadhi (spiritual communion) with their ishta devata
through deity worship. The path of deity worship
is a celebration of life-infusing bliss into the devotees. One should visit any traditional Hindu temple
to experience this directly.
All journeys start from where we are now. In the
journey of spiritual realization, we begin at the
stage where we need a form and name to cognize
and relate. Deity worship is not only necessary but
the inevitable bridge that will guide us in the purpose of our life through the journey of realizing
the ultimate, which is the cosmic consciousness.
References1) The Teachings of Paramahamsa Nithyananda on Isa Upanishad
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(www.Nithyananda.org).
2) Talks by Dr. N Gopalakrishnan on Idol worship (www.IISH.org).
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Vedic Festivals
Panguni Uthiram
Kavea Panneerselvam
Panguni Uthiram is an important day for Tamil
Hindus. In the year of 2016, Panguni Uthiram falls
on the 22nd day of March. It is a special day because the Poornima (full moon) is on the asterism
of Uthira on the Tamil month of Panguni, the last
month of the year. According to the Brahmanda
Purana chapter 13, verse 11, there are six seasons
in the year and the month of Panguni is one of two
months that makes up the winter season. This day
marks the end of winter and the beginning of summer.
Celebrating Kamadeva
Kaman pandigai is also observed on this day. In
the Kandapuranam, the story of Kamadeva (cupid)
is described. Love and procreation had ceased to
exist in the universe because Shakti had left Shiva
to do penance in Kanchipuram. The devas became
worried and sent Kamadeva, also known as Manmatha, to aim his love arrows at Shiva. Shiva, angry with Kamadeva for disrupting His meditation,
burned him with His third eye. After Rati Devi,
Kamadevas wife pleaded with Lord Shiva, He allowed Kamadeva to live and do his work on earth.
In his book Festivals of Tamil Nadu, M. Arunachalam details the celebrations that happen in
Tamil Nadu for Kaman Pandigai. People gather in
villages and celebrate for three days. On the third
day, Kama is burnt. The people then debate and
sing elaborate ballads about whether or not Kama
should have been burnt. It is a day of excitement,
festivities, and was a major form of entertainment
for the village people.
Panguni Uthiram is a day that is less known to the
west. Its better-known counterpart in northern
India is Holi, the celebration of spring. Panguni
Uthiram is day of importance for many people.
The entire state of Tamil Nadu can be seen abuzz
with festivities during this day and the ten days
leading up to it.
Historical importance
The day of Panguni Uthiram is said to be the day
on which many celestial weddings took place. In
Valmikis Ramayan, Rama and Sitas wedding took
place on this very auspicious day (chapter 71 verse
24). In the Shiva Purana, it is noted that Shiva and
Parvatis wedding took place on this day, as did
Sundareswarar and Meenakshis wedding. Muruga also married Deivanai on this day.
Reference:
1. Kandapuranam
2. Festivals of Tamil Nadu by M. Arunachalam
3. Ramayan by Valmiki translated by Prasad Shastri
4. Bahmanda Purana translated by Dr. G. V. Tagare
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Conquering Death
Maha Mrityunjay Mantra is the great death conquering mantra a moksha mantra which bestows
longevity and immortality. The Maha Mrityunjaya
Mantra is a prayer to Lord Shiva, the lord of destruction and rejuvenation, penance and meditation death. Also known as the Tryambakam
Mantra, a verse from the Rig Veda. It is addressed
to Tryambaka, the three eyed one - an epithet of
the Rudra Mantra, referring to Lord Shiva because
his third eye is opened. When we pray to Lord
Shiva, we are in essence asking for his blessings
and assistance in opening our third eye, the seat of
spiritual knowledge.
A Moksha Mantra
On worshipping Mrityunjay one can escape from
the miseries and troubles of this materialistic
world as well as the problems related to the inner
soul. Maha Mrityunjay japa (meditative repetition
of a mantra or a divine name) banishes the fear of
death forever from ones life. The Maha Mrityunjay Mantra is hailed by the rishis as the heart of
the Veda.
The natural consequence of this awakening is that
we will be led towards moksha or spirit ual liberation and attain freedom from the cycles of death
and rebirth. The goal of chanting this mantra is
to spiritually ripen so that Lord Shiva can free us
from our bondage to all the material things that
bind us. In Sanskrit Maha means great, Mrityun
means death, and Jaya means victory, which in
turns means conquest or victory over death.
The Mantra
Meaning:
OM. We worship the Three-eyed Lord Who is fragrant and Who nourishes and nurtures all beings.
As the ripened cucumber (with the intervention
of the gardener) is freed from its bondage (to the
creeper), may He liberate us from death for the
sake of immortality.
The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is attributed to Rishi Markandeya, a great devotee of Lord Shiva. It
was a secret mantra, and Rishi Markandeya was
the only one who knew this mantra.
References
1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantra
2.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/JM-SUC-lord-shivas-mahamrityunjaya-mantra-significance-benefits-and-more-4929302-PHO.html
3.
http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/index-mantras.php
4.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahamrityunjaya_Mantra
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the distance between Earth and Moon as 108 diameters of Moon and Earth and Sun as 108 diameters
of Sun. This was followed by Surya Prajnapati, a
treatise by Jain astronomers in 200 BC. It contributed significantly to astronomical concepts such
as celestial latitude, measurement of celestial distances, length and arc division, motions of declination, obliquity of ellipse, systems of unit of time,
use of shadow lengths to determine time of day
etc. Thousands of years ago the ancient rishis also
identified two tiny spots in the sky as a twin star
system which rotates in synchrony. They named it
Arundhati (Mizar)-Vasistha (Alcor). In some Hindu
communities, priests conducting a wedding ceremony allude to or point out the constellation as a
symbol of the closeness marriage brings to a couple.
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Ancient Hindus were first to suggest a heliocentric3 solar system. Speed of light4 was calculated as
1,85,016 miles per second. Sage Yajnavalkya in his
book Shatapatha Brahmana had even calculated
The famous Hindu mathematician and astronomer, Bhaskaracharya, in his treatise Surya Siddhanta dated 400-500 AD, not only calculated the
time taken for the earth to orbit the sun to nine
decimal places (365.258756484 days) but for Jupiter 12 years and Saturn 30 years precisely. Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the
earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before
the astronomer Smart. His calculations was Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century)
365.258756484 days. Todays accepted measurement is 365.2564 days. Therefore, assuming that
todays figures are correct, it means that Bhaskaracharya was off by only 0.0002%. In Surya Siddhanta he also wrote Objects fall on the earth due
to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the
earth, planets, constellations, moon and sun are
held in orbit due to this attraction. It was not until
69
sity
- http://www.hinduhistory.info/speed-of-light-discovery-by-Vedicscholar-sayana/
5. ryabhaya and the Arya-siddhanta (499 CE)
6. http://global.britannica.com/biography/al-Khwarizmi
7. The science of Vedic astrology -Paramahamsa Nithyananda.
- (http://articles.nithyananda.org/2012/08/the-science-of-Vedicastrology/)
- https://youtu.be/7UYBkX4N2UE
Offshoots of Hinduism
Buddhism
The Roots
The word odhi is used to refer to the idea of spiritual
awakening, realizing the
true nature of reality. sattva, a Sanskrit term, is used
to mean purity as in the
three gunas or qualities: rajas, tamas and sattva or to
denote essence or reality. Putting these two words
together, a bodhisattva can
mean someone who has
awakened to the true reality.
Bodhisattva State
Buddhism and Hinduism
have the belief that the
physical reality (maya or illusion) we experience is not
the true reality, as it is established in change. However, a
bodhisattva is one who is truly committed to true
realization of his Buddha nature, one who is all
knowing, he who has reached enlightenment. A
bodhisattva is generally on their last birth before
realizing this state.
Bodhisattva Path
The bodhisattva path is unlike the stereotypical
Buddhist path. bodhisattva live to help all others
reach enlightenment, dedicating their life to the
truth and spreading it so that everyone can be liberated from suffering. They are like the Hindu sannyasis in a sense, although they have not reached
enlightenment and released themselves from the
bondage of the material world - their intense compassion has made it clear to them that the path of
service and selflessness is theirs.
Their Vows
A bodhisattva takes 10 vows, which are essential
to aligning him/her to their truth. These vows are
the following:
70
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Three_Jewels
2.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Bodhisattva
3.
http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/bodhisattvas
Offshoots of Hinduism
Jainism
what type of food or liquid is allowed to be consumed, at what times during the day, quantity that
is allowed and the duration of the fast.
Fasting also acts as community building exercise.
During festivals whole families and extended families take up fasting. This encourages children even
as young as nine or ten to participate in extended
fasts.
Intending to follow the footsteps of Mahavira,
some Jain monks fast for months at a time. Hira
Ratan Manek is said to have fasted for over six
months. Sri Sahaj Muni Maharaj completed his the
then record-breaking 365-day fast on May 1, 1998.
In recent times, another Jain monk completed a
fasting penance of an astounding 423 days.
71
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/jainism/customs/fasting_1.shtml
2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting_in_Jainism
3.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/jainism/customs/fasting_1.shtml
4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/jainism/customs/fasting_1.shtml
5.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting_in_Jainism
6.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-jains-observe-wateronly-fast-for-44-days-1429765
7.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTSX4QFS-S8
Mahadevas Kitchen
About early 2015, the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam Bengaluru Adheenam, in South India, made
a surprising discovery the existence of a Vedic
age cookbook, revealed by Mahadeva himself the
Bhaga Shastra, or textbook for cooking.
Mahadeva revealed the secrets of the Bhaga Shastra to his consort Parvati, who in turn revealed it to
Nala, the king of Vidarbha. Nala, an expert charioteer and well-known culinary expert, is the main
protagonist in the ancient romantic tale of NalaDamayanti.
The Bhaga Shastra may have been written 2000
years ago but its wisdom and culinary secrets date
back nearly 60,000 years! The only available copy
of this book was printed in the year 1851 in Madras
(current day Chennai) in South India. This book,
in the Tamil language, is now with Nithyananda
Gnanalaya (library), Bengaluru Adheenam.
An Astounding Discovery
What makes the Bhaga Shastra so remarkable is
that every sphere of cooking is explained in minute
and meticulous detail. One daresay, no cookbook
exists today that can match the depth and breadth
of wisdom on the science of cooking in this text,
directly from God.
No facet of cooking is overlooked. Here are some
samples:
Detailed properties of grains, vegetables, fruits,
herbs, spices, their qualities and impact on
health
The shape and size of utensils for cooking and
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Six types of tastes are described in the Bhaga Shastra salt, sweet, sour, hot,
bitter and pungent. It states
that every meal should include all these tastes, so
that the appetite is satisfied and the tongue is neutralized by all the tastes being together. As per the
instructions in Bhaga Shastra, in order for all parts
of the body, mind and brain to function properly, a
balanced diet of all these tastes is a must.
Further, the purpose of having all six tastes is to
balance the tridoshas in the body, namely vaata
(acidic), pitta (alkaline) and kapha (phlegm). Every
ingredient used in Hindu cooking is classified as
per their dosha properties. For e.g. too much of
vata foods such as flat beans, corn, jackfruit, Bengal grams, will lead to belching, itchiness or prickliness on the skin. Excess of pitta foods results in
giddiness, acidity and imbalance in the brain and
mood disorders. Excess kapha food leads to chills
and cold.
Mahadevas Kitchen
Benefits of Satvik Food
Bhaga Shastra further classifies foods into rajasik, tamasik and satvik types. Rajasik food makes
one feel agitated, aggressive, lustful and egoistic.
Tamasik food makes a person lazy, sleepy and depressed. Satvik food gives clarity to the person and
brings him peace of mind leading to bhakti (devotion), tripti (fulfillment)
and ananda (bliss).
Bhaga Shastra insists
on hand pounding and
hand grinding to retain
the subtleness, aroma
and qualities of the ingredients used in the
recipes. Many of the
recipes and method of
cooking have survived
in rural kitchens of Hindu homes and temples.
A well-known example
of traditional cooking
is the Udupi Sri Krishna
Temple, Dakshina Kannada District, in South
India, which has also
been documented by
the National Geographic
Channel. Closer home,
the Bhaga Shastra is followed to its minutest
detail in the kitchens of
the Nithyananda Sangha. Along with the cooking methods, traditional
utensils of cooking, cleaning, grinding and storage
are also being revived here.
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[Based on interview with Ma Sheela Rani, translator of the Bhaga Shastra from Tamil to English language, Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, Bengaluru,
South India]
Reference:
Bhaga Shastra
Life is Bliss
Blissful Sisters
When we sat down to write this article, the main difficulty we faced was to actually remember how we
were before meeting Paramahamsa Nithyananda how did we think, how did we act, how did we respond, how we took decisions - in fact our WHOLE
lifestyle. Because it feels like a rebirth, we seem to
have forgotten how we were before meeting Him.
A Personal Relationship
Now, in every action, we are operating purely from
the space of soham asmi I AM HIM and Nithyanandoham, I am Nithyananda. With this powerful space.
Anything that we want, is like an order placed to Mahadeva, and he always delivers it immediately. Life
has become a personal conversation with Mahadeva.
The other day Jaya told Mahadeva, Mahadeva you
should cancel my school on Saturday though I have
my math test as I have to attend LSP with Paramahamsa Nithyananda. Thats all, that evening we got
a mail that her school declared a holiday and postponed the test.
Life has become very EASY, JOYFUL, BLISSFUL with
Paramahamsa Nithyananda. There are no misunderstandings, complications over small issues. Because
we know very clearly, Mahadeva is there for us.
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