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AUGUST, 1997 ~. .

,, :>" R' ,,-· f-J_~._ ' _'" . /,-C)~-=---~~

INTE~NATIONAL I Corruption: India's Common Citizens

Are Fed Up with Bribery 17 Cover Story: We Ponder Past, Present and

FUture at India's 50th Anniversary 22 Russia: A Hindu Catechism in Cyrillic 28 Malaysia: Murugan's Big New Home 34 Controversy: Jains Struggle to Wipe

'Away the Swastika's Nazi Taint 49

LIFESTYLE Insight: The How, where and Why

of Est<J.blishing a Home Shrine 30 Astrology: Can £Wcide Be Predicted? 40 Art:';'Gods, Kings and Tigers" 41" Books: Divakaruni's "Mistress of Spices" 50

OPINION Publisher's Desk: Reincarnation:- -

Coming Back Until You Getlt Right 6 Edi~orial: Loosening Bribery's Grip 8 My Turn: Favoring Joint Families 9 Letters 14 Healing: How to Ext~guish Heartburn 44 Minister's Message: Seek the Transcendent

Power of the True Self 52

DIGESTS Qulites " Quips

~ 'ri Dlaspora ;- ' Briefly

,,-10 Evolutions 44 11 Digital Dharma 54 20

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PUBLISHER'S DESK

Retur:rii,ng Again and Again Until You Get it Right · Its not necessary to ~ecall past lives, but it is reassuring to know YO"l:llived before and that death is not the e~d

BY, SAT G U R U S I V A Y A SUB RAM U N I Y A.8 W A M I

HE TWIN BE1.IEFS OF KARMA

and reincarnation are among Hinduism's many jewels of knowledge. Others include dhar­ma (our pattern of conduct),

worshipful communion wijh God -and Gods, tihe necessary guidance of a'satgum, and enlightenment through personal realization of our identity in and, with Qod. So the strong-shouldered and keen-minded rishis knew and stated in the Vedas.

And thes~ are not me're assumptions of probing, brilliant minds. They are laws of the cosmos. As God's force of gravi1y shapes cos­mic order, karma shapes experiential order. Our long s~quence of lives is a tapestry of creating and resolving karmas-p~sitive, nega­tive and an amalgam of the two. During the succession of a soul's li:.(,es-through the mysteries of our higher chakras and God's ·and guru's Grace-no karmic situation will arise that exceeds an indi­vidual's ability to resolve it in love and understanding.

Many people are curious about their past lives and expend great time, effort and money to explore them. Actually, this curious probing into past liv~s is unnecessary. Indeed, it is a natural protec­tion from reliving past trauma or becoming infatuated more with ou~ past lives than our present life that the inner recesses of the mulaghara memory chakra are not easily accessed. For as \ye exist nowis a sum. total of all our past lives. Our mind and body state in our present moment is the cumulative re~ult of the eLltire spec-/ trum of our past lives. So, no matter how great the intellectual knowing of thes~ two key principles, it is ho~ we currently live that positivel:y shapes karIl}a and unfolds us spiritually. Knowing the laws, we are responsible to resolve blossoming karmas from past lives and create karma that, projected into the future, will ad-vance, not hinder, us. , - The soul dwells as the inmost body of light and superconscious,

or universal mind within a serie( of nested bodies, each more re­fined than{'the next: physical, pranic, astral, mental. In our con­scio).ls,mind we tnink and feel ourselves to be a physical body witn some intangible spirit within it. Yet, right now our real identity is the soul that is sensing, through its multiple bodies, physical, emo­tional and mental' experience. Recognizing this as reality, We pow­erfully know that life doesn't end: with the death of the biological body. The soul continues to occupy the astral body, a subtle, lumi­nous duplicate' of the physical body. This subtle body is made of higher energy astral matter and dwells in a dimension ca1led the astral plane. If the soul body itself is highly evolved, it will occupy

6 HIN~UISM TODAY · AUG u,.ST, 1997

the astral/mental bodies on a ~ery refined plane of tne astral known as the Devaloka, "the world of light -shining beings." At death, the soul slowly be­comes totally aware in its as­tral/mental bodies, and it pre­dominantly lives through those bodies in the astral dimension.

The soul ,functions with complete continuity in its as­tral/mental bodies. It is with

these sensitive vehicles that we experi­ence dream or "astral" worlds during sleep every night. The astral world is as solid and beautiful, as varied and com­prehEmsive-as the earth dimension-;-if not much more so. Spiritual growth, psychic development, 'guidance in mat­ters of governance and commerce, artis­tic cultivation, inventions and discover­ies of medicine, science and technology all continue by astral people who are "in-betwe~n" earthly lives. Many of. the Vedic hymns· entreat the assistance of devas, advanced astral or mental people. Yet, also in the grey, lower regions of this vast, invisible dimension exist astral people whose present pursuits are base" selfish, even sadistic, Where the soul . goes in the astral plane at sleep or death is dependent upon his earthly pursuits and the quality of his mind.

Because certain seed karmas can only be resolved in earth consciou~ness and beca~e the soul's initial realizations < lL~~::~~5i of Absolute Reality are only achieved in a physical body, our soul joyously enters another biological body on' its journey toward liberation. At the right time, it is reborn into a flesh body that will best fulfill its karmic pattern. In this process, the current astral body-'-which is a duplicate of the last physical form-is sloughed off as a li.feless shell that in due course disinte­grates, and a new-astral b(i)a.y develops as the new physical body grows, This entering into another body is called reincartJ.ation, "re­occupying the flesh." In Sanskrit it is punarjanrne., "taking bil:th again and again." During our numerous Earth lives, a remarkable

variety of life patterns is experienced. We exist as male and fe­male, often switching back and forth from life to life as the nature becomes more harmonized into a person exhibiting both feminine nurturing and masc.uline intrepidness. We cbme to Earth as princesses and presidents, as paupers and pirates, as tribals and scientists, a~ murderers and healers, as atheists and, ultimately, God-realized sages. We take bodies of every race and live the many religions, faiths and philosophies as the soul gains more knowledge and evolutionary experience.

, From life to life: Each soul undergoes many lives on its path to liberation and perfect Oneness. Th'e ray of white light flOWing through each of the incarnations in the picture reprtsents the undying consciousness of a soul movingfrom birth to birth. n.u.u .. uu ...... u" ....... _ ............. ~u .... u ............... . ... ....... .. U . ... h ... " .............................................. un ••

Therefore, the Hindu knows that the belief in a single life on Earth, followed by eternal joy or pain is utterly wrong and causes great anxiety, confusion andJear. Hindus krfow that all souls rein­carnate, take one body and then another, evolving through experi­ence over long periods C9f time. Like the caterpillars metamorpho­sis into the butterfly, death doesn't end our existence but frees us to pursue an even greilter development.

underst~ding the laws of the death process, the Hindu is vigilant of his thoughts and mental loyalties. He knows that the contents of his mind at the point of death in large part dictate where he will function in the astral plane and tIre quality of tis next birth. Secret questioB-lngs and doubt of Hindu belief, and as­sociations with other belief systems will automatically place him among like-minded people whose beliefs are alien to Hinduism. A nominal Hindu on Earth could be a selfish materialist in the astral world. The Hindu also knows that death must come natura:Uy, in its own course, and that suicide only accelerates the intensity of one~ karma, placing one in a lengthy earth-bound limbo state in the astral plane, br'inging a series of immediate lesser births and re­quiring several lives for the soul to return to the exact evolutionary point that existed at the moment of suicide, at which time the still­extsting karmic entanglements must again be l aced and resolved.

Two other karmically sensitive processes are: artificially sustain­i~g life in a wholly incapacitated physical body through mechani­~cal devices, drugs or intravenous feeding; and euthanasia, "mercy killing." There is a critical timing in the death transition. The dy­ing process can involve long suffering or be peaceful or painfully sudden, all dependent on the karma involved. To keep a person on life support with the sole intent of continuing the bodys biological functions nullifies the natural timing of death. It also keeps the person's' astral body earthbound, tether;ed to a lower astral region rather than being released into higher astral/mental levels.

Moksha: Freedom from Rebirth: Life's real attainment is not money, not material luxury, not sexual or eating p!easure, not intel­lectual, business or political power, or any other of the human in­stinctive or intellectual needs. These are natural pursuits, to be sure, but our divine purpose on this Earth is to personally realize our identity in and with God. This is now called by many names: enlightenment, Self realization, God realization and ni1'l)ika~pa samadhi. After many lifetimes of wisely controlling the creation of karma and resolving past karmas when they return, the soul is ful­ly matured in the knowledge of these divine laws and the highest use of them. Through the practice of yoga, ,the Hindu bursts into God's superconscious mind, the experience of bliss, all-knowing- , ness, p~rfect silence. His int~llect is transmuted, and he soars into the Absolute Reality of God. He is a jnani, a knower of the Known. When the jnani is stable in repeating his realization of the Absolute, there is no longer a need for physical birth, for all Earth­ly lessoI!s have been learned, all karnfas fulfilled and Godness is his natural s~te. That individual soul is then liberated, freed from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth on this planet.

The belief in karma and reincarnation brings to each Hindu in­ner peace and self-assurance. The Hindu knows that the maturing of the soul takes many lives, and that if the soul is immature in the present birth, then there is' hope, for there will be many opportu­nities for learning and growing in future lives. These dual beliefs and the attitudes they produce eliminate anxiety, giving the serene perception that everything is all right as it is. And, there is 'also a keen insight into the human condition and appreciation for people in all stages of spiritual unfoldment.

AUGUST , 1997 HINDUISM T.ODAY?

, , EDITORIAL It is ~ damning intimation of how deeply

6ribery: 'the Poor Man's 'Extbrt,ion

institutionalized graft is in India that the government is considering a law to protect­politicians from criminal charges for kick­backs, fraud, nepotism and the like, essen­tially giving lawmakers a "do-as-you-please ticket." No wonder Indians are cynical. One leader humdrously offered that India should require bribery, making it a law, which then would tre dutifully broken by all and sundry, eliminating most payoffs.

Probing the petty monetary) muggings th;at are all-tao-common an experience -in India

The briber's weapons are access and de­lay Consider one Indian resident's recent travails, told to me personally. He wanted to install a phone and was assured'of a line "within 8 to 10 years 'time from the date of

BY THE EDITOR

RIBER"lf IS NOT INDIA'S PRIVATE PROVINCE, THOUGH

has taken its subtle arts to profound, almost philosopJ!­kal, depths, as our article on page 17 shows. In fact, many Indians will be startled to heaF that we are eclipsed by several nations in this field. A March 29 Reuters report by

Rene Pastor of Singapore placed Indonesia at the head of the class as the most corrupt country in all of Asia. In this, study, wherein 280 business executives assessed their ,experiences only in Asia, India came in a dubious second, followed by China, Vietnam and South Korea. f-1alaysi~ was ninth, after Taiwan. Had all nations been included, India would have'done much worse (or is that bet- ~ ter?). A 1995 survey in Berlin tagged Nigeria as the world's worst, followed by Pakistan and Kenya.

Don't despair. The survey was based on the extent that "politi­cally influential individuals werfl able to arrange matters to their own financial benefit." Had it focused instead on everyday transac­tions, India would surely have come in number one. Consider the tiGket seller at any bus or train station. You're tired, you need· a seat, and they're all sold out. That is until you pony up a pair of Rs.I00 notes that go into his back pocket as he deftly hands you a tick­et he knew was there,all along. You get on the night express. He ca11 buy a new CD for his family Everyone wins, right? I

Wrong. Everyone is diminished by this trivia] transaction, which, multiplied millions of times each day, erodes the trust and hon­esty secure nations and peoples depend on. Graft has a -roassive impact on an economy, for, we are told, distrust distorts free market ' mechanisms, depressing prices. Yesterday a Sri Lankan entrepreneur told me of his expe­rience running a telecom company in India. He had offered a bid contract,for a govern- oj

IiJ.ent project, but never got a respon~e. Only ~ later did he discover that the cle(k wh0 was :0

hired to type and submit it never did so, be- <'---'-'="'--'''"""''=­cause no incentive had been offered. Thus a Rs.lOO bribe not giv~ -en cost him a mu!ti-lakh project. The effect ·is not merely monetary, either. Such payoffs are a form of mugging, without knife or gun, yet engendering a similar sense of being assaulted an'd psychologically victimized.

To be honest; it is hard to live honestly in India, abstaining from bribes. There are only two ways to get things efficiently done there: through high-level influence or by resorting to payOffs. With.out these, progress comes only to the patient and persistent. '

8 HINDUISM TODAy .AUGUJi,T, 1997

'your application." For an extra (legal) fee­of Rs 15 ,000 he was able to get a line in five months. "F1nally, one day the lineman '

came and installed the phone. My happiness lasted a few minutes only. As soon as it was working, the lineman-demanded ·money. 1 asked why, and he told me that this is normal protocol. I gave him Rs 50. To my surprise, he told me, 'F1fty rupees is not enough.' I grew mad and chased him away. Hours later the line went down. I complained to atfriend who asked whether I had 'taken care' of the 1unior Engineer at the Exchange. I asked why I should take care of him. My friend said this is the way it workS here. I went to the

- general'manager of telecommunications and scolded him. He im­mediately called up tpe JE, and the line was connected. But after four days, it was dow.n again." The lineman kept up his harrass­ment, essentially exacting his own phone f~es. He only desisted when a formal complaint was lodged. Similar robberies occur with electricity, gas, custqms duty, almost anything. An agricultural4n­spector refused to open a box of plants for this same man pending a personal contribution of Rs.200, and then assessed another Rs.200 to dose it (noting that by law only he can do these tasks).

Need more? A large family arriving in Chennai last year from the US was told by a customs inspector that for Rs. 3,500 he would)et their 20 bags through unchecked. Without it, he threat­ened to take three hours to examine (and collect duty on) every single item they car­ried. In a hurry, they paid, se)1sing the punishment that awaited them i~ they de­clined. Horror stories abound: people forced to wait in empty offioes for hours and then sent home unserved at day's end.

'Others having bllsiness papers, even mail, "lost" until- money ma~es them reappear. . Both the demander and the giver of

graft are guilty, and equally. We ratify the.: iniquity whenever we accept a bribEjr's bid. It is not elll'mgh to complain and then ante­up the reqUisite fee. Every time we partici­pate, even reluctantly, in the smallest bribe, we give new hope to unscrupulous fellows,

nurture their petty plunders and invite them to keep up the villainy. We also place ourselves in the same category as corrupt officialS-just because the transaction is smaller does not make it less venal. There is a solution. Surrender the excuses: a. ) Everyone does it, why not me? b.) It's just part of the culture and c.) My ac­tions aren't going-to change things. Stand strong for dharma and stop paying. Endure the delays and nuisances, then complain to 'the briber's boss. Send a new message. If we all did so, bribers would soon lose their clciut and their craft would disappear.

I I

, , MY)TURN

.l~t)o~rif Families Forge ~ Better Future Fifty years spent encouraging nuclear families has only hindered Indias progress . -, BY BHARAT J. ' GAJJAR

IGHT AFTER 'I:HE INDEPEN­

' _ "U<:::JllCe of India, in 1947, mY' put four names out­

our house. At that time we lived as a joint family Both my father and my uncles' families

. . lived in a big bungalow. I asked my father why he had put our names outside the home. He told me that legally we were no longer a joint family He added t hat Jawaharlal Nehrus government wanted to give a tax inceutive to smaller families. If we kept a joint tamily, we would have to pay more taxes. r asked him why a.joint family was not preferred. Wasn't it the Hindu way of living? He said Prir;ne Minis­ter 1'\ehru was a Westernized man who believed that India was woor and nonindus­trial because the Hindus have if joint family system. He wanted to break up this system in order to qJ.ake material progress in India.

I did not understand what my fathev was talking about then. After li¥ing many years in the Vl{est, I came to know what he really meant. in the West, family means a father, mother and children, and children leave the family when they become 18. In the East, family means parents, children, , cousins, aunts and uncles. All the children live with tile parents. The Cnristian way of

~ living is to have individual small families, . and their attitude comes from th\3 Bible.

. JesuS\says, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I have not ~ome to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her .mother, and a daugh­ter-in-Iaw against her mother-in-law. A man's foes will be those of his own house­hold.-:-He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. He who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake~will find it."-Luke 12:51:53

This passage means some­thing in spirituality, but it is I

interpreted differently, in a mundane way. It leads one to live a free and more individu­alized life. A good example of this is in t1)e state of Kerala,

India, where Hindus are converted to Christianity. Churches have become strong, but families have become weaker, resulting in a higher divorce rate.

What happens when families in the USA break up? The family suffers, out the'mate­rial world gains. lnstead of one peaceful family, now we have two miserable, broken families. They need two apartments and sell their home. The lawyers are busy, the counselors-and doctors are busy, fast food places are busy, dating services and restau­rants are busy. And on and on it goes.

When a person feels lousy and miserable, he embraces thy material world to get ftap­piness. A loving person with a loving fami­ly will not and will, be less motivatea to fight. Sadly, this is only partially true. Look at some of the Indian people in the West. They have strong, loving fammes with well educated children and are successfuL But they tend to dote on the material world. The ,Japanese have maintained a joint fami­ly system, and they are very suc;cessfuL After 50 years of independence, Incl.ta has made poor progress, in spite of Nehru's policies to divide families and push social­ism. If India wants to make progress, she should keep the joint family system and enjoy an even more free and true enter­prise. United we grow, divided we lose.

. ' BHARAT GAJJAR, a disciple of Swami Vishnu­Devananda, 'has been giving seminars on yoga for the past,3D years in Delaware, USA.

Loving Ganesa, at once simple,

deep and practical, teaches ever so

many ways that Ganesas grace

can be attained by sincere devo-

tion, song, prayer and meditation

to bring greater harmony,

contentment and spirituality into

ones daily life. An aOO-page illus-

trated resource by Satguru

Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. $) 9.95

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I am ,never a, stranger, anywhere with anypne." Sri Pramukl1 Swami, Maharaj when asked, 'Where is your home?»

A d' . I h d his guru and said, "Guruji, my six brothers 1SC1P e approac e are all asleep, and I alone have remained awake to worship God.»

Hi d d "Yiou too had better be asleep if your worship sgururespon e , , ' . " of God consists .of accusations agamst your brothers.

Trou,ble itself they send aWay troubled who do not trouble them­

selv~s at the sight of it. Tirukural, Vel'se 623

"I look my age. It is everyone else who looks older than they are. But what can you expect from people who eat corpses." Geor~e Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) when asked at age 84 how he mam-

t · d h th·!:..l appearance. He was a vegetarian. ame suc ayou :..~_"' ...:...::_-------:,

A, t''''''l ttended the corbnation of Queen Elizabeth cer am ~am1 man a in the' UK. He wore kurta, veshti, sash, vibhuti, kumkuma and all

th t - t f '~ fine Saivite devotee. At the dinner party e acou ermen s 0 a

10 HI~DUISM TODA'Y A19; GUST , 1 997

those around him made silent fun of him as he ate with his fin­gers. vv.hen finish~d, he threw his plate outside. Addressing the aghast crowd he said, "Where I came from we only eat once from a plate." Not realizing he was speaking of the.:practice of ising a banana leaf for a plate" whispers passed among the astonished guests-'l\h, he must be a very rich man."

"Do not criticize unless you know how to remedy the error you criticize." No lini Kant a Gupta, disCiple of Sri Aurobindo

LHASA, TIBET: Employing the brash style that first brought him to prominence, Sri Dhananjai Bikram won the fifth annual Inter­national Yogi Competition yesterday with a world-record point total of 873.6. "I am the serenest!» Bikram shouted to the estimated crowd of 20,000 yoga fans, vigorously pumping his fists. "No one is serener than Dhananjai Bikram-I am the greatest monk of all time!" Bikram averaged 1,89 breaths a minute during the two-hour competition, nearly .3 fewer than his nearest competitor, second­place finisher and two-time champion Sri Salil "The Hammer" Gupt~. The heavily favored Gupta was upset after the loss. "I should be able to beat that guy with one lung tied," Gupta said. "I'm beside myself right now, and I'don't mean trans-bodily" Bikram enjoyed a fast start at the Lhasa meet, which like most major competitions, is a six-event affair. In the first event he at­tained total consciousness (TC) in just 2 minutes" 34 seconds, and set the tone for the rest of the meet by repeatedly shouting, "I'm blissful! You blissful? I'm blissful!" to the other yogis. From a purely fictio~al report circulating on the Internet

HOT SPOTS

. Muslims Defer Buddha's Blast THE BUDDHIST WORLD WAS

I outraged by a recent threat by a commander of Taleban, the extremist Islamic militia, to blow up Afghanistan's 1,600-year-old statue of the Buddha, the world's tallest at 180ft. He said he would destroy it "be- ' cause I~am forbids statues." In-

ternational pressure led the Taleban to retract the threat, who relented because it is not "actively worshiped." ,

FESTIVALS

Mega Mela

FROM FEBRUARY 1 TO APRIL 24, 1998, the 20th century's

last Kumbha Mela will take place in Haridwar, India. An es­timated five-million souls will come to bathe in the Ganga. Crowds taking sacred dips will peak en February 25, Mahasi-

Strong-willed Sri Chinmoy drew one million bi.rds in 5.5 days!

MODERN SAGES

Seven Million Birds of Peace

MARCH 29TH INDIAN-BORN SPIRITUAL L E ADE R AND creative giant, Sri Chinmoy, reached his monumental goal of drawing and painting seven million birds of

peace. Beginning in December, 1991, in Malta, Sri Chinmoy av­eraged 1.33 million birds a year for over five years, while main­taining a rigorous schedule of travel, athletics and spiritual mis­sion work. He says, 'i\merica's message to the four corners of the globe is freedom. Real freedom has to be founded upon in­ner peace. Without inner peace, there can be no freedom-in­ner or outer. Birds fly in the firmament of freedom. They bring us the special message of freedom, which can be found only in the peaceful heart-home of humanity Birds flying remind us of our souls infinite freedom. My soul, your soul and everybodys soul has come from heaven. When we think of these birds, we feel a yearning to go back to our source." He drew his final mil­lion peace birds in a creative marathon of five and a half days.

Tou,ringJewels TWO YOUNG DANCE I artistes, Garani (15) and Di­

vani (14) Nadaraja from Califor­nia, will begin a world tour in June to help fund raising for the lraivan Siva temple of Hawaii. The girls completed their ' Arangetram ,(,graduation perfor­mance) last August, and also re­ceived the title Nritya Mani (Dance Jewels) from their teacher, famed Mythili Kumar. The duo has already performed profeSSionally for the Abhinaya

dance company Interna­tional audiences from UK

to Australia, can ex-. pect a

class act.

varatri; the new moon day, . March 28; and the final day, April 24, when the Sun moves , into Aries. The festival, put on by the government of India, is known as "the worlds largest act of faith." Many fear disaster. Rapid transfer of experienced officers has vaporized the ex­pertise needed to manage the ~normous conclave. With only months left, the nearly US$30-

Kids play monkeys in a profeSSional pldy

In the theaters /first in­tegration of a Hindu theme, acclaimed bharata natyam dan~r Ramaa Bha­radvaj played Hanu­man in a harmonious face-to-face with Kung FU master Andy Lowe as the Chinese Bud­dhist Monkey King. It

million lies unspent that was allocated for building roads, 'bridges, sanitation, etc., to facilitate the event, and pilgrims may face unsafe conditions.

Bathing in God's gz:ace

ARTS/TWEATER

US Kids Meet Hanuman

SAN DIEGO'S ASIA.N STORY

Theater presented the play Hanuman and the Monkey King to 10,000 Californians in April.

was a innovative cress-cultural strategem for dharma by founder/director, Kent Brisby, who takes "seriously the issues facing today's children, such as the rising outbreak of gangs . .. to bring the kids a message, not only about peaceful coexistence, but developing a .real under­standing for another culture."

CL OCKWISE F ROM T OP: SRI CHINMOY CENTRES INTERNATION­AL, JuDY HOUSTON, SADHUNAl'HAN NADESAN, JACK HEBNER AUGUST , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 1~

I

VEGETARIANISM

Pure Chelsea , "7\;r PRESIDENT CLINTON'S

.r-\50th birthday party last September, gymnast Kerri Shrug sat next to the presi­dent's daughter, 16-year-old Chelsea Clinton, and learned she is a vegetarian.

When People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) heard the story, they created

The Shahi Idgah mosque (center) and the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple (right) at Krishna's birthplace

an advertise­ment with the young White House face on the top, say­ing: "This Clinton's health care plan really works." The ever-bold activist

INDIA

Sights on Krishna's Birthplace

MATIllJRA, ON TIIE BANKS OF

the river Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh, is one of Indias holiest towns. Inhabited for millenia, it was pillaged by Mahmud of Ghazna, in 1017 and sacked four more times between 1500 and 1757. Around 1656 a . mosque was built right on the site of the Kesavadeva temple, the birthspot of Lord Krishna.

In 1964 the Krishna Janrnab­hoomi temple was built next to it. In 1992 Hi~dus destroyed a similar mosque built at the birthplace of Rama in Ayodhya. The subsequent bloodbath of

I riots cast a pall over the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's agenda to '1ib­erate" Hindu holy sites. In 1995 they conducted a yatra [pil­grimage/march] on ,Mathura.

THE VEDAS

God's Word, Sages'Voices

Let him approach with humility a guru who is learned in the scriptures and established in Brah­man. To such a seeker, whose mind is tranquil and senses controlled, and who has approached him in the proper manner, let the learned guru impart the science of Brahman,

through which the true, Imperishable Being is realized. ATHARVA VEDA. MANDUKYA UPANISHAD L2.12-13

Yes, may the man who within his home pleases you all his days with songs and with offerings receive a rich reward, be loaded with your giftsl To him be happiness! This is our prayer.

RIG VEDA 4.4.7

12 HINDUISM TODA¥ A tI"GUST, 1997

The government, fearing riots, barricaded the temple-mosque complex and put it under secu­rity forces. The demonstration concluded without mishap. Then on March /12, 1997, the VHP staged another march on Mathura "to create awareness for the removal of barricades and withdrawal of forces from the Sri KrishIila Janmasthan." Again public reaction was one of alarm. The protest, which was joined by 200 of Mathura's monks, ended peacefully.

PETA de- Chelsea Clinton: buted the ad first-family veggie in flyers dis-tributed at the World Beef Expo. The White House would not officially affirm Chelsea's choice, but insiders confiLmed that indeed, she is a veggie.

The ten abstinences are nonviolence, truth, nonstealing, chastity, kindness, rectitude, forgiveness, endurance, tem­perance in food and purity.

SHUKLA YAJUR VEDA. TRlSHIKHI BRAHMANA UPANISHAD 32-33

They say of a man who speaks the truth, "He speaks the dharma," or of a man who speaks the dharma, "he speaks the truth." Verily, both these are the same Hung.

SHUKLA YAJUR VEDA. BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD 14.14

The hands are alike but in their work they differ. So also, two cows, offspring of a single mother, may yet give differ­ing yields of milk. Even twins are not the same in strength, or kinsmen in bounty.

RIG VEDA 10.117.9.

In vain the foolish man accumulates food. I tell you, truly, it will be his downfall! He gathers to himself neither friend nor comrade. Alone he eats; alone he sits in sin. The plough­share cleaving the soil helps satisfy hunger. The traveler, using his legs, achieves his goal. The p~iest who speaJ<:; surpasses the one who is silent. The friend who gIves IS

better than the miser. RIG VEDo\ 10.117.6-7

Verses are drawn from various sources. Those taken from The Vedic &perlence by Prof Raimon Panikkar are available at www. Hinduism1bday.kauaibiuslashramlDir-New.html#~.html

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: NO f\REDIl' PI:.-rA, PAINTJNG BY S. RAJAM

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seed • Mens, children's kurta, pajamas, sari blouses, sari falls and petticoats, children's clothes • Jaintri and Panchang • 1997 shipment from India just arrived. Ask for list of items. • Prompt delivery • M.Card, Visa, Am.Ex credit cards OK.

Moneesh Gifts and Books • Religious Books: Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism,

Judaism, Islam, Christianity and other modern faiths. • Religious Statues: wood, stone, metal, crystal-l in. to 5 ft. • Pooja Items: incense, dhoop, floral oils, beads and malas. • Clothing: kurta pyjama sets, silk saris and punjabi sets, pooja

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Free Catalog: Moneesh • 467 Brickman Rd. , Hurleyville, NY 12747 USA • Tel: 914-434-8990 • Fax 914-436-5878.

We offer a wide selection of Sri Chinmoy's inspirational and instructional written works, including essays, poetry, plays and extensive answers to questions asked by seekers.

Music includes soul-stirring audio and video perform­ances by Sri Chinmoy and his students on instruments from allover the world.

Just published-Sri Chinmoy's long-awaited trilogy, Commentaries on the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita: The Three Branches of India's Life-Tree and a 4-CD set of selections from Sri Chinmoy's fifty Peace Concerts offered in honor of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.

Call or write for our free catalog!

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Tel: 800-739-2885 or 1-206-527-2099 Fax: 1-206-527-2099

Deities Gilded in 24 K. Gold Ganapati sitting (or dancing), Ram Darbar, Lakshmi, Shiva-Parvati, Durga, Shirdi Sai Baba, Hanuman, Santoshi Ma, Tirupati Balaji, Vishnu, Shiva Nataraj, Krishna, Krishna with Cow. 3 to 5" (7 to 12 cm) high. $19.95 to $39.95. $3.50 shipping. Catalog. Discounts for retailers and temples. Nirvana Collection 289 Route 416, RR3, Campbell Hall, NY 10916 USA • Tel: 1-800-374-2304 or 1-914-294-1498 • Fax 914-294-3870.

Meditation and Life By Swami Chinmayananda. "Offers a logical reason for medita­tion, the process of meditation, hints for taming the mind and achieving physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual harmony."-India W est $12.00 plus $3.75 postage. (888)-CMW-READ or (215)-396-0390 http://www.chinmaya.org/publications Chinmaya Publications, 560 Bridgetown Pike Langhorne, PA 19053-7201 USA

Roy Eugene Davis, a widely-traveled teacher, author and direct diSCiple of Paramahansa Yogananda, has taught in the kriya yoga tradition for more than four decades.

Request information about his books and classes in the USA, India, Europe and other countries.

Center for Spiritual Awareness P.O. Box 7-H Lakemont, Georgia 30552-0007 USA

Tel: 706-782-4723 • Fax 706-782-4560 http://www.csa-davis.org • E-mail csainc@stc.net

In India: A Master Guide to Meditation (Rs. 55) The Book of Life (Rs. 65) by Mr. Davis. Motilal Banarsidass 41 U.A., Bungalow Road Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110 007 • Offices and stores also in Patna, Bangalore, Madras, Varanasi, Calcutta and Pune. If by mail, add Rs. 15 each book for postage.

Waxing Trend. Waning Traditions THE ARTICLE ABOUT KERALA AND THE JOINT fap:1ilies ("Joint families, a Vene;:,able Tradi­tion in Jeopardy," SPECIAL REPORT, January '97) made me feel sorry, and I felt anguish for the traditions that are 'disappearing. Many beautiful traditions have vanished, and some are in the process. Many of the traditions are being heckled by the younger g~neration as unnecessary fuss or supersti­tion. The Europeans destroyed beautiful cultures in the world wherever they went. They thought, even honestly believed, that they were doing a great service to the bar­barians by civilizing them. The worst thing the Europeans brought to India is the con­sumer culture-making people want more and "more, giving them worthless paper money, thus raising the rate of inflation. Omsumer culture has brought so much dis­content to India. British civilization caused Indians to become ,greedy. They have be­come black marketers. India is a lovely country which needs simple clothes. The climate is conducive to wearing cottons. Peo­ple were content with what they possessed in those days. But now, Indians want to buy suits from Hong Kong, get gadgets from Japan, etc. We are breeding an elite, enter­tainment-loving, lawless generation. I hope and pray that this trend will change in the next fifty years.

Shhh ...

ANANDID RAMACHANDRAN CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

MY GOD, WHAT A MASTERPIECE HINDUISM TODAY has become. My vigil period today was "Silence is Golden." I never want to say another word! Actually, I am going to begin a regular silence sadhana on Mondays until sunset. I became painfully aware that I need to be more direct in my appreciation for your wonderful magazine, and I will.

DEVA SEYON KAUAI, HAWAII, USA

. "deva@aloha.net

SILENCE IS GOLDEN ... (INSIGHT, June '97) is a gem of an article! It confirms my beliefs, gives invaluable suggestions, and insightfully answers many questions. I sincerely hope that the readers will use the enlightening in­formation in this article to better their lives.

UncloneableMind '

lRENERuDRA 'MARION, INDIANA, USA

I MUST SAY THAT OF ALL THE PUBLICA­tions I had read, HINDUISM TODAY dealt with the issue of cloning best (Playing God?, MEDICAL ETHfcs, June '97). Maybe this is be­cause cloning does not challenge the very existence of Himl.u religion as it does some

14 HINDUISM TODAY AUGUST , 1997

LETTERS others. I would like to pose a question to all the religious leaders of this faith. Is not the birth of Kauravas an example of cloning? The "experience" at that time, when Maha­bharata was written, appears to be that cloning only produces phYSically identical people and not mentally identical. Seen in that light, many arguments against cloning will just disappear. ,,-

NANDAKUMAR PARUVAKAT GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN, USA

"NParuvakat@ao!'com

Jai Viswanathan! I WAS DEEPLY TOUCHED BY THE LETTER of 18-year-old student from South Africa, Mr. Vivekananda Moodley, who carmot af­ford to subscribe to your magazine (Some~ thing is Missing, LETTERS, June '~7). We Hindus should help students like him. I know that you have no way of reducing your subscription price; almost everything in the world, including the printing, ink and paper, has gone up. At the same time, I hate to see an Indian student who is really interested in Hinduism complaining that he carmot af­ford your wonderful, thought-provoking magazine. I wish to pay for one-}iear sub­scription for Mr. Moodley.

ED VISWANATHAN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA

Yoga Is Always an Aid

dom provided in the federal constitution of M~laysia. Unfortunately, there is no law for Hindus to be protected from Christian mis­~ionary groups which are going from house to house or in the pretext of giving free tu­ition, medical, food and money. It is high time for the Malaysian Consultative Council of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Sikhism to be reorganized or break away to protect HilJdus, Buddhists and Sikhs from this evil missionary program.

Will Anyone Help?

PALPANATHAN PODUVAL PULAU PINANG, MALAYStA

IN A RECENT ViSIT TO NEPAL, A NEPALI Christian told me that one cannot separate the Hindu religion from the Nepali culture, so Hinduism must be abandoned to escape from the evils of the caste system. This sounds like a misinterpretation of the basic caste system concept. It is indicative, though, of the propaganda some Christians are spreading in Nepal. We would like to see some Hindu aid go towards scholarships to counter this active effort to undermine the religious and cultural traditions of the coun­try. There are certainly many Hindu organi­zations in Nepal, but few can match the funds of the much wealthier European and American Christian missionary orgaRiza­tions. If I were to get in touch with Hindu organizations in Nepal, would there be any possibility of providing scholarships to poor Nepali students?

LAYTON MONTGOMERY

I. UKRAINE "montgomery@kis.freenet.kiev.ua

I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THE LETTER "The Yogic Life" (LETTERS, May '97). Some, definitely not all, yoga classes in the West may appear to be taught as physical exercise se'ssions. This is an approach that can en­courage many Westerners to take up yoga, as physical exercise is popular in the West. Corrections

The truth that yoga is a spiritual disci- V In our December 1996 issue we erro­pline is inherent in every asana. The student neously reported a "coup attempt" against may think he or she is only exercising the the government of Trinidad in August, 1996. body, but in reality one is expanding one's There was no such attempt. Our Trinidad awar~ness of self. Firstly, by becoming more correspondent, Parasaram Ramoutar, was aware of the physical body, then comes an not responSible for this mistake. a~areness of the flow of subtle energy, ,,-which follows naturally and instinctively. V The publisher'S adflress of the children's These carmot really be taught to one by an- book The Adventure of Yoga was i ncorrect other. The practice of yoga asanas, whatever (Yoga for Kids, CULTURE, May '97). Please approach is taken, will always bring benefits direct all the inquires to Don & Moo Brid­both of physical fitness, health and spiritual dell, 8002-A Dollyhyde Road, Mt. Airy, MD growth. 21771-9408.

;'

SUSAN JAMES CATFORD, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Time to Guard Malaysias official religioR is Islam, Jmt Mus­lim's missionaries never go to houses con­verting and preaching to people unless you are"a Muslim or you ask for it. Muslims are welf protected by the Muslim laws from the Christian missionary group which broke up many families in the name of religious free-

Letters, with writers name, address and daytime phone number, should be sent to:

Letters, HINDUISM TDDAY 107 Kaholalele Road KAPAA, HI, 96746-9304 USA or faxed to: (808) 822-4351 or e-mailed to: letters@HlndulsmToday.kauai.hl.us

Letters may be edited for space and clarity and may appear in electronic versions of HINDUISM TODAY.

" INDICATES LETTERS RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL

Ayurveda Holistic Center

Books by Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha:

Yoga Vani Instructions for the attain­ment of Siddhayoga during sadhana. postpaid: US$13.50 (USA) $16.50 (Canada)

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GURU BAN'

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Ayurveda Holistic Center c/o Swami Narayan Tirtha Math 82A-H Bayville Ave • Bayville, NY 11709-1671 USA Tel/fax: 1-516-628-8200 • Ask for Swami Sada Shiva Tirtha E-mail: mail@ayurvedahc.com

Web: httpllwww.ayurvedahc.com (Free interactive dosha self-test and articles)

The Enlightenment Process How it deepens your sense of Self, Body and Community By Judith Blackstone

Blackstone clarifies common misconceptions about enlight­enment. Many people who are on the spiritual path believe that they must lose their sense of self in order to achieve enlightenment. Here, the author shows us how to combine our unique sense of self and our sense of universal connection through simple meditations and exercises. A remarkable work offering guidance to those seeking spiritual wisdom.

• Clarifies confusing concepts of spiritual selflessness • Spiritual realization • Meditation and physical exercises

US$12.95. ISBN 1-86204-059-1 To order: Penguin Putnam, Inc . • Po.B. 999, Dept 17109 Bergenfield, NJ 07621-0903 USA • Tel: 1-800-253-6476 Please include $2.00 per order for shipping.

Distributed by Penguin Worldwide. Also available at your local bookseller.

Self-Realization Fellowship

Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings offer instruction in Kriya Yoga, guidance on seeking God and much more to help you realize your true soul nature. Send for a free booklet: Undreamed-of Possibilities

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Custom Tours to India

Kali Travel is uniquely qualified to organize custom-made tours to satis­fy the needs of any type of group, organization or individual and to structure an itinerary appropriate to their specific needs and interests.

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Autobiography of a Yogi-Audiobook The complete, unabridged edition of Paramahansa Yoganandas extraordinary life story is available now for the first time in the immediacy of the spoken word.

Yoganandaji was a master storyteller, and his profound and eloquent autobiography readily lends itself to an audio presentation. The remarkable saints and sages he intro­duces .. . the colorful scenes and rich spiritual heritage of India ... his unforgettable

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'"

Recipient of 13 Awards For Excellence in Journalism And Community Service.

Published in three separate sections each week Publisher: Ramesh Murarka e Editor: Bina Murarka e Advertising Manager: Prem Dutt

• INDIA WF55T is the second oldest and second largest publication in North America catering to Americans of Indian origin.

• more column-inches of news and advertisements than any other Indian newspaper in North America

• extensively researched in-depth articles on sensitive issues

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Since 19;7;5

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714-739-5309

Bombay, India Tel: 91-22-205-1592/2724

Bread, not bribery: Irate Delhi residents protest the "Telecom Scam," 11Wney and flat bread

, SOCIETY

Briber.y in India What price do we pay for letting it happen?

HEN PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GAN­

dhi said "CoNuption is a worldwide phenomenon," she had in a way jus­

tified the graft prevailing during her regime. Her comments were then widely used by corrupt politicians and government officials to justify their wrongdoings. Later, her son Rajiv Gandhi commented, "Only fIf­teen percent of what the government spends actually reaches the common man."

Today nobody disputes that corruption is there. It is in the newspapers every day. By one survey, India is the ninth most corrupt country in the world; another places it fifth. Today's kids and teenagers learning contem­porary Indian political history, instead of re­lying on books glorifying the' past, are bound to know a compendiUIIlJof scams: the Bofors Scam, the Sugar Scam, the Fodder Scam, the Fodder Machine Scam, the Land Scam, the Wheat Scam, the Urea Scam, the Securities Scam. Bribe, kickback and commission are media buzzwords heard day in and day out.

Allover the country, chai pani in the local language means "bribe." Literally, chai means "tea" and pani m:eans "water" or· "cold drink"-originally refreshments pur­chased for petty officiais. Arrange for chai pani, and you can get small things done without a problem. The breeding ground for corruption is wherever minor discretion can be exercised Of a small deviation overlooked. In fact, the rules and procedures are so com­plicated that nobody can follow all of them.

Th~ situation has reached a point in India where, for all major contracts with the gov­ernment, the percentage is an accepted norm known by both the giver and the re­cipient. Corruption has now come to mean a demand beyond this understood, fixed percentage. Businessmen and contractors dealing with the government do not com­plain, because what they pay to bribe gov­ernment officials is charged right back to the government. But a man on the street cries because to get even small things done he has to pay from his own pocket. Common people are very insecure when they are

Pillagers' Price List There are stanqard bribe costs in every trans­action. Here is a sampling from Delhi.

SERVICE BRIBE (IN RUPEES-)

'Caught jumping a red light 50-200 Immedia'fe railway seat 30-300 Driver's license in a hurry 100-1000 Upper~floor mail delivery (monthly) 10-40 Gas line connection out of turn 2000-4000 Gas cylinder during.scarcity 50- 200 Choked sewage lines cleaned 00-400 Pay to peon to see his boss 10-50 For.a, clerk to move a file 50-500 To purchase a cinema ticket 20-70 To have your phone repaired 50-100 New phone connection quickly 200-1000

dealing with the government. After the coming to light of a number of

scams, those who are corrupt-especially those indulging in petty corruption-are of­ten seen saying, "See, even the prime minis­ter and other ministers get briefcases full of money. I am, after all, a poor person. The inflation rate is so high, I have my family to look after. I have marriageable sons and daughters. What does it matterifI also ac­cept some money?" People are more inter­ested in tackling the corruption that grips their day-to-day life than in combating the multi-crore scams which do not directly af­fect them.

No one in India has a clear plan to solve the problem. Singapore did it by draconian laws rigorously enforced. Mexico City made honest its police force by simultaneously im­posing stiff penalties for bribe-taking and increasing police wages and benefits to off­set the loss of bribe money.

The national cynicism that has developed in India with regard to corruption is reflect­ed in the following anecdote now making the rounds: An income tax commissioner was handling the tax returns of an industri­alist who happened to,be his friend. He was amazed to fmd 100,000 rupees sp{nt under the heading "dog account." The commis­sioner, who had visited the farmhouse of the industrialist, asked how he spent such a phe­nomenal sum on three or four dogs which he owned. His fri~d said, "Oh, besides those four dogs, I have to feed at least fifty dogs in connectiQn with my business. My dear friend, how do I account for the mon­ey that I pay to various government officials as bribe? My simple solution is that I put all the bribes paid by my company in the 'dog account. '" :~,

Excerpted from The Week, May 25, 1997, "Grease To Go Around" by VIJAYA PUSHKARNA

with contributions from RAJIV MALIK, Delhi

AUGUST, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 17

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'" DISTANCE CAN'T DAMPEN DEVOTION. Devotees of Lord Ayyappa recently recreated the final part of the arduous annual Sabari­malai pilgrimage by climbing 'a replica of the famous Kerala shrine's 18 steps, lovingly erected at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Malibu, California. The celebratQry puja lli,ld feast was sponsored by the Organiza-tion of Hindu Malayalees. \

A TEARY-EYED NELSON MANDELA described the gathering of 40,000 cnildren at the Hare Krishna's Food for Life "Festival for the Children of the Rainbow Nation" as "the happiest day of my life." South Africa's President told the huge crowd at Kings Park soccer stadi­um in Durban that his "batter­ies" had been re­newed by their energy. Krishna's devotees proudly boast they are providing a mil­lion meals a yew Mandela's happy day to the hungry of NataL The event included youth perfor­mances and bharata natyam dancing.

THIEVES HAVE STOLEN an historic 200-year­old Sivalingam from a family temple in the village of Mulrupattan, in Bangladesh's Bho­la district. Originally installed by the Zaminder of Daulakhan, and a regional favorite for Sivaratri worship, the nearly 250-pound lingam was recently moved to a new shrine. The midnight raid is believed to be the work of international smugglers suspected in thousands of similar thefts.

DEVOTION DISSOLVES EVEN THE ICE between nati9ns. "More than 450 Hindu pilgrims from Pakistan visited the Laxmi Narayan Temple-better known as Birla Mandir ... on a month's tour of holy places," reports The Hindu, covering a cultural exchange pilgrimage "organized only for religious purposes" by the Shadani Darbar and al­lowed under a 1983 Indo-Pakistani agree­ment. The Samjhauta Express now brings "Hindu pilgrims from Pakistan in April and takes the Hindu pilgrims from India to Pakistan in October." Pilgrims report appli­cation and visa formalities being cleared by the Indian Consulate "m a record time."

NEPAL'S "HINDU RELIGION, Culture Preserva­tion Committee" comprising 17 members, has been esta'blished by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati "with

an objective of publicizing, preserving and promoting Hindu religion in Nepal," reports the RSS. The Committee will assist in de­veloping education and health programs.

ECO-FRIENDLY~ GREETING CARDS really are. Designed to save trees and creatE(jobs in India, the cards are producea from 100% cotton waste-no trees. Stated on each card's backside is how 100,000 Eco-Friend­Iy greeting cards "can save 696 Bamboos or 415 Eucalyptus trees!" And by quantifying

": what a tree living 50 years generates in oxygen, or provides in erosion, soil and air pollution control, while providing bird and animal shelter and producing flowers, fruit · and timber, the card concludes "so when one tree falls or is felled, the country. loses something worth more than US$89,000." ,

"HAPPY ·BIRTHDAY, UNIVERSE," reads an item in The Indian Express . "Another year has passed in the life of the universe as it turns 1,955,885,098 years old on Tuesday (last April 8th), according to the Vedic calender. Humanity has endured 5,09,.7 year~ of the much maligned Kali Yuga, which is sup­posed to run for 432,000 years." Whew, only.426,903 years to go.

WE HEAR IRAQ'S SADDAM Hussain wants to clone himself, and that he's setting up a lab now to do it. It seems hes not alone. "In­deed, in less than two weeks from the date of the Roslin Institute's announcement in N1:Lture (about cloning Dolly the sheep), Valiant Ventures in the Bahamas an- " nounced that it will build a laboratory to clone people willing to pay," reports Scien­tifiC A.merican.

SEEMS DEVOTION SUSTAINS both spirit and bod~ Jain sadhvi Mohan Mala, 57, rep.ort­edly fasted from June 20, 1996, to Apnl 6, 19~1J - a world record 291 days. The fast for "self-purification" baffled physicians who examined th~ nun. "This is completely un­heard of in medical history," said Dr. S.K. Wangnoo of New

. Delhi. Taking only cups of hot water, the nun lost over 60 pounds. Devotees also report miracles amid her meditations such as rose petals . and saffron powder No food for 291 days arr.anging them-selves into a swastika pattern during the nine-month fast. '

REGONVERSION OF TRIBAL Christians back to fIinduism continues in Madhya Pradesh. The Deccan Herald reports a "much-trum­peted 'Ghar Vapsi' (homecoming) cam­paign ... could attract barely 200 converts." , Its organizer, Raja Sabha member Dilip Singh Judeo, retorted to HINDUISM TODAY, "These pr~s people are quite biased-1,200 people were converted back to Hin­duism. The BJP and VHP has collected so much money for the building of the Ayod-.... hra Rama temple, but nothing has hap­pened. Here we are converting people \ ,back, and still people are finding fault."

TELEVISION ATTRACTS huge audiences, and Indias Doordarshan is planning to capital-ize on divine popu- .-__ -:-' -;-__ -, larity. Successful high-budget produc­tions have already included serials on the Mahabharata, Hanuman, Buddha and the Bible. In production are "Om Namah Shivaya," "Shri Ganesha," Shi­va Puranam, The Vedas, Geeta Rashaya.

AMRITSAR'S GOLDEN TEMPLE of Sikhism is becoming even more golden-just in time for its 300th anniversary in 1999. First or­namented with 12-1ayer gold-plated copper sheets in 1830, the temple's top domes are now receiving 24-layer leaves, adding up to an estimated IS-quintals of gold-52,800-ounces, worth around $18 million. The new gold leaf is expected to last another 300 years. .

BILLIONS ARE POURING into US Christian cof­...rers-especially from outside the US. Inter-national Bulletin of ~issionary Research reports "income of global foreign missions" at $10.9 billion. It also counts nearly 300 million Christians now in Asia, and expects a nearly 74% increase by 2025. Yet in the USA itself, weekly attendance at churches, synagogues and "otper places of worship" is at 38%-the lowest US level in 60 years, . according to the princeton Religion Re­search Center.

BRIEFLY is compiled from press, TV and wire-service reports and, edited by RAVI PERUMAN, award-winning radio journalist at KGO in San Francisco.

20 HIN DUISM TODAY AUGUST, 1997 CLOCKWISE FROM 'TOP: HARE KRISHNA FOOD FOR LIFE, INDIA ABROAD, THE SATURDAY STATESMAN

,

ArnongVidyas, \'edasaresupreme, Om Sri Curubhyo Nafnaha In \\rlas, Rudram is supreme. In Rudram, the Panchakshari Sringeri Wdya Bharati Foundation Inc. USA • Sringeri Sadhana Center invites you to the "Nam~ivaya" is supreme.

~~~~~~:~labl(S Athi RudTa Maha Yagnam

Sponsorship Schedule Items 1-4 are both Individual and ColJlOrate Sponsorships

U.S,$ Indian Rupees Grand Patron ... . ................ 50,001 IS lakhs Patron: Entire Yagnam & Associated Events ....... 10,001 3.01akhs Grand Sponsor: 11 day Rudra]apam, Abhishekam & Homams . ..... .. . .. , 5,001 1.5 lakhs Sponsor: One Priest from India . ................................... 3,001 1.0 lakhs Final Day Rudra]apam, Abhishekam & Homam ........ 1,001 30,001 Veda Parayanam (iill4 Vedas) & other Parayanams 501 10,001 Rudra Homam . ......... ......... 251 7,001 Swama (gold) Sambhavana to One Priest ..... ... ... lSI 5,001 Vastram, Ganapati Homam, Navagraha Homam, Avahanti Homam, Mrityunjaya Homam, Lalita Homam, Sri Sukta Homam ............. , 51 1,001

Contributions to SVBF are tax·dedtlctible in the US4,

Prasadam will be mailed within two weeks after the conclusion of the yagnam for

sponsors who cannot attend the yagnam.

Conducted for the first time outside India

mgust ~~-Septemher [~ I IIWO~ ___ _

Sringeri Sadhana Center RD 8, Box 8116, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 USA · Tel: 717-629-7881, 1-800-45HINDU

Dr. s. Yegna Subramanian 609-530-0299, or Dr. S. S. Iyer 908-238-1119

Contributions in US dolla.rs may be made payable to SVBF - Athi Rudram Account. Please mail checks to our registered office: Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation Silverline Corp. Plaza, 53 Knightsbridge Rd. Piscataway, N] 08854, USA

DOMtions in Indian rupees will be accepted and used fOI'Pl'iest expenses and sa.mbbavanas and the purcbase of pUja items from India. Please mail your cbecks or bank drafts, payable to: Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri Sri V. R. Gowrishanka~ Administrator, Sringeri Sharada Peetham Sringeri - 577 139, Karnataka, INDIA

125th Jayanti Celebrations

71Jis Yagnam is the highest /o,.,n 0/ Rudra Yagnam with 14641 "ecila/ions o/Sri Rudram & 1331 Rudra Homams.

and World Tour of the Panchaloka Murtl of His Holiness

Sri Sri Siva Yogaswaml Canada-1997

Toronto August 7-14

Cornwall August 15

Ottawa August 16

Montreal August 16-17

International Seminar on Saiva Siddhanta, attended by scholars from India, Sri Lanka and the world . Children 's competitions in speech, essay, hymns, etc.

Publication of a souvenir on Saiva Siddhanta Exhibition of works of HIs Holiness Sri Siva Yogaswami and more .

Wortd Tour of the Murt1 In celebration of the 125th anniversary year of his birth, a small gold-plated, five­metal statue of Sri Lanka's great spiritual leader, Satguru Yogaswami, begins a world tour to join devotees at the many Siva­thondan Nilayams and more than 35 Tamil temples and communities. As he travels, celebrations and satsangs will be held in Canada, USA, Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Seychelles and finally Jaffna, Sri Lanka, where the statue will be permanently installed.

Anyone wishing to attend, contribute scholarly material or lend support in any way, please contact:

SRI SRI SIVA YOGASWAMY'S SIVATHONDAN CENTRE, CANADA PO Box 73008, Westford Plaza RPO, 2131 Lawrence Ave East, Scarborough, Ontario M 1 R-5G5 TORONTO: Sivanesan, 416-293-4697 . Thirunadarajah, 416-266-435, fax: 416-499-9382 . Satkunendran, 416-422-5069 . MONTRtAL: Murugan Temple, 514-683-8044 OrrAWA: P.A. Moorthy: 613-737-9809

Co-sponsored by the Hindu Temples &. Hindu Religious Societies of Canada

On August 15, 1947, the British quieVy walked out of India. Five decades later, Bharat enthusia~tically celebrates and soberly reflects upon her condi tion after that hard-won freedom.

22 HINDUISM TODA.Y A\JGUST , 1997

VERYONE KNOWS HOW TO CELE­

brate; only a time and date are re­quired to set in motion this inborn human behavior. So when some­thing as big as Indi~'s 50th year of independence from BQtish rule

(not to mention 1,200 years of foreign domi­nation) comes along, 936 million lndians need be told no more than "Party on, peo­ple." The government of Bharat efficially kicks off the year-long celebrations in Au­gust. But in the West, many organizations and institutions have already begun.

The Parliament of India will hold a spe­cial session from August 6 to 14-in part to ratify the celebration plans, but more sub­stantively to reflect upon all that India has

/

e4perienced and done in the last fifty years. Then, on August 15, following a formal flag raising in every village of India, the prime minister will address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, just as Jaw~arlal Nehru did at free India's first dawn.

An entire government secretariat has been set up to coordinate the year of obser.! vances in India. The official intent is to "rekindle the spirit of idealism and the cul­fure of sacrifice that gave birth to modern India." "It is a moment," the government hopes, "for Indians to rededicate themselves to the noble task of nation building in pursuit of the great vision that had guided the free­dom struggle." The wording of these goals is significant, for few in India today seem alto-

Whither India's future? One sure cO"lponent of India's second half century toilllikely be a resurgent Hinduism. The unexpected popu­larity of the BJp, shown here meeting in Jaipur, is one sign.

India today is the state of what citizens call. "communal relations," whether it is between Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christi~s, be­tween high caste, low caste and no caste or between the various linguistic groups. These commu­nal problems, inherited from Britain's divide-and-rule pelicy, have not been solved. In fact, they are growing worse. The Indian economy still leaves too many in poverty. Another burden is over­popuTation (theoretically an un­believable 4.6 billion by ~150, nearly the present world popu­lation), illiteracy, polluti~n, de­forestation and the rest of the modern world's woes. There is Westernization, regarded as both curse and cure. Last and most de­pressing to the common man is corruption, where eyen t4e top f'oliticians are regularly caught lining their pockets with phenom­enal sums of bribe money [see story page 17]. Indians lament the widespread cynicism which has resulted. Some still fume over the partition of India and talk as if it is something which could be un­done-a task achievable by noth­ing short of full-scale war.

Bharat was not like this in the past. In earlier centuries, it en­joyeg. remarkable harmony among communities. It had a prosperous economy that the world envied and, unfortunately, coveted. It had clean water, abundant trees, tigers

'---' __ ----II'< . and elephants, great musicians,

gether satisfied with the Fesults of 50 years of freedom. Yes, the British are gone. And never before in history had a nation won freedom by the power of dharma, right­eousness' instead of the might of arms. For many years India was regarded by the world with respect and even awe for this accom- -plishment. But something happened along the way duriFlg these five de( ades, and now even this government committee must con­sider now to regain the "great vision" which earlier prevailed. In the second half of this article, distinguished observers of India­Ram Swarup, M~k Tully and Rashmi Ma­yur-offer their evaluations of India's past, present and future, Fespectively._

On top of most .lists of complaints about

artists and dancers, and even hon­est p~liticians. If there is one thing to be ac­complished by this year of celebration, it is to bring this past back into Indian and world consciousness so that it may be rect-eated in the prese~t. It is not necessary to create a completely new India, many believe, but only to rediScover from india's past.

International observances: The celebra­. tions in tndia itself are, naturally, the most extensive, and at US$15 million, the most ex­pensive. They include. a year of teleJ ision and radio programs in eleven languages on the independence struggle and India's fifty years ~f freedom, events honoring freedom fighters,. programs focused on socio-eco­nomic progress, women's issues, minorities, children, science, law, farmers and trade

unions and, of course, commemorative stamps and coins.

Nearly every nongovernmental organiza­tion ~ll mark the armiversary in some way. The Divine Life Society, for example, plans to ,distribute hundreds of thousands of copies of a "National Code of Conduct for India"-a virtual manifesto of patriotism, duty, character, honesty, nonviolence and ecology.

The NGO "Pakistan-India People's Fo­rum" was just established with the ambi­tious goal of creating a "new era of peace and harmony between India and Pakistan." Organizer Shrikumar Poddar scheduled its .; first conference of 200 delegates from India and Pakistan for May in Mumbai. '

The United Kingdom is celebrating, most notably with a visit by the Queen to India -and Pakistan in October. A web site at bricoun.orglvisitingartslindpakl997 gives a long, month-by-month list of events in the UK to honor India's independence. There will be art shows, cultural events (one called "making laddus"-even though creation of the delectable sweets doesn't seem to be on the agenda), theatre and banquets (includ­iI).g some at Buckingham Palace). Said Lord Robert Cranborne, leader of the upper House of Lords: "We have been friends with the peoples of the subcontinent for cen­turies. Our present relations have never been better or more productive. They we based on a shared history and shared tradi­tions: parliamentary government, the rule of law, cricket." It is an irony of the 50th an­niversary that these very shared traditions (with the possible exception of cricket) are now questioned as to pow much good they have really done for India. In .one sense, Britain still rules India through the institu­tions they left behind, which are so different than the traditional government of India.

Many Indian organizations in America, such as the Hindu Students COUIlcil (see: freeindia.org), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Federation of Indian Associations and dozens of others are engineering programs. At.-]east one organization, the Federation of . Hindu Associations, refqses to celebrate the day unless it is also "remembered as a Memorial Day for the massacre of millions of Hindus" upon partition, according to their president, Prithvi Raj Singh.

Umpteen art shows are in the offing, in­cluding two mentionegAn this issue of HIN­DUISM TODAy-the book and exhibition "In­dia, "A Celebration Qf Independence 1947-1997," and. "Gods, Kings and Tigers: the Art of Kotah." The Sackler Gallery at the Smith­sonian Institute in Washington DC, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Asian Art Museum in San Francis­co all have scheduled show~ on India. The latter exhibit includes items on Hindu home ritual, the sari and Siva Nataraja. National

AUGUST , 1997 Hl'NDUISM TODAY 23

/

, I

--------------------------~~~--------------------------------~--~------~~----------------------------------------------------------------------------~

o ;;; < ~L_~~~~u.~ __ ~~urn

Best of the old, best of the new: India's past and present live side by side, unlike in other countries which have left their past behind

GeographiC magazine's ~aleidoscopic Au­lWst cover story on India's 50th features the dazzling photography of Steve McOurry. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New York has produced an e!.'hibit ~f national heroes and freedom fighters of India. The Music Festi­val of India will present India's greatest ex­ponents of ctassical ,dance and

Pietermartizburg station that Gandhi twas to~sed out of a first -class train seat on racial grounds, prompting his campaign against discrimination-training ground for India.

hands. If the collective will which withstood the bullets, lathi blows and jails of the British can be rekindled, the current raft of problems can be solved by determined ap­plication of the one resource never plun­dered by any invader: 5,000 years of accu­mulated wisdom. " -./

music in September at New

Whatever the progJ:ess or lack of progress over the last fifty ye,ars, one important fact remains-the destiny of Bharat is in her own

York's Carnegie Hall. It is safe . to say tRat most Americans will know India is celebrating some;­thing in 1997.

Pictures Tell Her Story Dr. Gujja Magesan of tlie

VHP in New Zealand repor(s a series of events being planned for August 15. In the Nether­lands, seminars, art'exhibits, a Sri Chinmoy Peace Conference, cultural events and a mela in the ~ague are all on the docket for later this year. The India Canada Association of Montre­al, the Bharat Bhawan Founda­tion and the Global Organiza­tion of People Q! Indian Origin are collaborating in Canada to commemorate the event.

Countries where Indians mi­grated before independence, such as Fiji, South Africa, Trinidad, Guyana and Mauri­tius, in general are not taking much 'note of the pccasion. But one significant gesture was made April 26 in South Africa, where President Nelson Man­dela posthumously awarded the Freedom of Pietermartizburg award to Mahatma Gandhi. He called the award "a message of dignity restored." It was in

INDIA, A CELEBRATION

of Independence 1947 to 1997 is the book version of a major exhibition of

photographs now simultane­ously touring the USA, UK and Bharat. Sunil Janah, Raghu Rai, Henri Cartier­Bresson and Sebastiao Salga­do plus youngsters Dayanita Singh, Sanjeev Saith and Pamela Singh are among the 21 photographers who con­tributed to the large-format book. Like the recently pub­lished 24 Hours in India, it attempts to portray a cross­section of Indian life today. Courageously, it records many classic black-and-white pho­tographs from the years of In­dia's independence struggle.

The book is more success­ful than 24 Hours in present­ing India's upcoming middle class, rather than focusing almost exclusively on "poor

24 HINDUISM TODA.Y Al{ GUST, 1997

India." Still, no exhibition. or book on India published in the West seems to consider itself complete without in­cluding the requisite conces­sion to "strange and exotic India," such as, in this case, eunuchs in Delhi or transves­tites in South india.

The book opens with "The

Sacred and the Sec­ular," a powerful personal essay by Kerala-bom Victor Anant on his life from his boyhood, when the indepen­dence struggle came into full swing, to the present. In a way that transcends photographs, Anant lyrically traces the slow changes to his life on a personal level over the last half century.

The book was produced as a collaborative effort of the publisher, Aperture, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Ford Motor Company, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and Eastman Kodak Company.

Apenwre, 20 East 23rd Street , New York, New York, 10010-4463, USA. U5$50.00

both 0ur exploiter and also our teacher. Its products and creations were everywhere; its '" power and presence . was felt in everythin,g. It could not but impress our best people.

Sri Ram Swarup: The noted author activelyrparticipated in ' independence. His writings cover politics, economics, phi­losophy and religion.

An Unfinished Past"

But a self-conscious imperialism was not sat­isfied -With making merely a psychological impression. It waged a regular ideological of­fensive, an offensive in which missionary Christianity was already engaged. The white , man's burden of civiliz­ing the world ana the Biblical command to go out and rhake converts became one single task-& task both prof­itable and meritorious. A new colonial-mission­ary view came into be-

questionable politics. The same old forces worked under new labels. Separatism, Balka­nization of the G:o{intry and casteism became progressive politics. Under their influence, many parties adopted Leftist slogans to improve their im­age~at least they thought so.

Oharma inspired us in the early days

By RAM SWARUP, DELfII HE EARLY INDEPEN­

dence struggle had .no teeth and had yet to learn to make any worthwhile

demands. The approach was petitioI'lary. Perhaps it had to be that way at the time; it pro­vided a necessary protective cover. But something was hap­pening at a deeper level. An ancient people were waking up from a deep slumber and long self-forgetfulness. A Hindu re­naissance was taking place. SwaII}i. DayanaRda, Swami Vi­vekananda, Sri Aurobindo and later on Mahatma Gandhi pro­vided its leadership. Some Eu­ropean friends of India, like Madame Blavatsky, Annie Be­sant and Sister Nivedita, played a noble role in this awakening.

As we can easily see, these pioneers 'were not politici'ans as we understand the word to­day. They were philosoph~s, sadhakas (spiritual seekers) ancl-'cultural thinkers. They spoke of Gods, humanity, larg­er life, truth and justice. Th~y spoke of Sanafiana Dharma, of a golden Vedic Age, of Rama­rajya. The pregnant words

I , ,

" were spoken, and it took care of the rest. The nation was galvanized. Hindu awakening had begun. Later on, it passed through many phases and ups and downs, but things were never the same again. This in­put w:as to play an important part in the struggle, much of which still lay ahead. These pioneers taught us to look at India and her struggle in a particular way. India was to them more than a geogra,phic entity ; it was a spiritual idea and power, a sacred trust, even a Deity. India' was to rise for the truth it represented, for recoveh ng its so~l and sva­bhava, innate nature. Howev­er, the forces of Hindu aw~k­ening were not the only ones in the field. There were also powerful, opposed currents. One of them was the aid, un­solved Muslim problem-more correctly the problem of Islam or Islamic ideology, though even now we do not wantto see it that way.

The next most immediate ahd important influences were those unleashed by Europe. A new triumphant Europe was

ing which taught tpe S\!l­

periority of Europe and Ghristia,ni ty over all.

With some modifica­tions here and there, this view became specially attractive in its Marxist garb. Marx said about the same things, though he put it in radical and even in anti-colonial and anti-religious language. Marxism attracted many intellectuals, for it seemed to explain every nook and corner of the V'(orld, every notch and fold of history. It at­tracted many young men be­cause they could now be radi-

, cal without taking a part in the great national struggle of the day and even by opposing it. It was attractive to the self-alien­ated section, which was quite extensive, for it helped to justi­fy their alienation from their country, people and religion.

These wi re the forces at work when India became free, the forces apathetic and an­tipathetic to Hindu awakening being very powerful and even more so after Independence:

Although Marxist parties . were not important electorally, their ideas dominated and shaped India politics. Their one important function con­sisted in providing progressive labels to all reactionary and

Most political parties passed though this evolution, but the BJP was regarded as different. It was shunned by them even when it did its best to court them. It was the great un­touchable of India politics. In its origin and development it had a different orientation; there(ore, rriany expected it to be different politically; too. But it could not live up to this ex­pectation. It, too, failed to withstand the pressure of the prevailing slogans. Thoughjt still found it useful to play' the Hindu card, it did it without conviction or commitment.

What India needs is not an­other party u!.!der the same prevailing ideological inflti-: ences but Hindus opened to the message of ancient teach­ers, Hindus who are also sadhakas. India's Indepen­dence struggle was rooted in a Hindu renaissance and it could properly be nourished also by the same souroe. It would also be meanIngful to the world on that condition. Hinduism is the principle of India's self-renewal, its capaci­ty to play its great civilization role and to serve humanity.

AUG UST , 1 997 H l'N DUISM TOD A Y 25

/

, i I

part deeply religious. India has to have some accommodation With religion which is mOFe meaningful to people than merely saying, "Keep it out of p6litics, it's all rather suspicious and dirty and grubby." India has to have some way of

iII expressing its respect ~ lor its own civilization. , :" ~ Now the extraordi- g

rrwt1Wr and daughter, Delhi

~ nary thing is that as "' ':-:--~~~:-:::--"-=-:---,,;:-:-_-' ___________ ~ ~ soon as you talk about Mark Tully: The Calcutta-born

Hinduism in Bharat, journalist earned the respect of-

Pride in ,the Present you are immediately- Bharat during his years as the and I have had this BBC's India correspondent

A Hindu cure for the «colonial hangover"

said to me many times-told that you are BJP, RSS or some­thing like that. In my view the BJP is a legit­imate pl'llitical party,

not, in my view, of great im-_ portance to tradition and right and proper Hindu thinking. So I believe very strongly that it is a mistake to become con­frohtational. MARK 'fuLLY, DELHI-

-\ HE END OF INDIA'S FREE-

-dom struggle fifty years ago was only the end of

, one stage of India's strug­,gle. India deserves by size and its ancient civilization a place at the top table of the nations of the world. But it does not. We have to see why it does not enjoy that position, where

_ freedom has not worked in In­dia, and where the next stages of the struggle have to go. '1 think there has been-and In­dia is not unique iI). this-a fundamental problem in achieving real freedom: a colo­nial hangover which still exists in the minds of some leaders aJ:J:d in the .political and insti­tutional arrangements. Cor­ruption iB the administrative services and courts, inefficien­cy in the government and mis­directed economic liberaliza­tion are all results of this hangover. t

One aspect of this colonial hangover is the vexed and eontroversial question of secu­larism. I think there is no doubt that the concept of sec­ularism was inherited by • Nehru from the West. It :Comes from a debased form 01 Enlightenment thinking which thought science and modern development had killed reli­gion. Nehru's secularism was

based to a 11l{ge extent on the Western lack of concern, if I can put it like that, for .reli­gion. This secularism devel­oped in India in such a way that they would say, "If you are a Christian and you go to church, you arEl' communal. If you are a Hindu 119d you go to the temple, you are communal. If you are a Muslim and you say namaaz, you are commu­nal." But if you 'look at the arrangements in Britain, you find the Queen is still the head of the Church of Eng­land-so you could say Britain

, is in theory a communally Christian country. India is unique in its variety of ,reli­gions-every historic religion in the world has a home in, In­dia, and everyone is free to worship in their own way.

I remember once at an exhi­bition of advertisements en­couraging communal harmony in India run by the Times of India there was one which had a picture of a Christian priest, a Hindu priest and a Muslim cleric. The subtitle . was, "Would you trust one of these?" Now this is a disgrace­ful thing, in my view, to put out, but it demonstrates the sort of way in which secular people have been ta~ght to think of religion.

Indians are still for the most

26 HINDUISM TOD A.Y A1\GUST, 1997

but I do not share their ideolo­.gy-I know from the slogans I've heard BJP supporters shouting that their id~ology can lead to hatred of Muslims. But I do profoundly believe that India needs to be able to say with pride, "Yes, our civi­lization has a Hindu base to it." The genius of Hinduism, the very re"ason it has survived so long, is that it does not stand up and fight. It changes and adapts and modernizes and absorbs-that is the scien­tific and proper way of going about it.

Why is Christianity in so much trouble at the moment? Because it is so difficult for it to adapt, to face up to the sci­entific inventions of our times and the findings of history. It is also difficult for Christians to say that the most important thing about a reli'gion is the myth that underlies it. That is the power. Anyone who thinks myth. equals lie, as some peo­ple appe~ to do, is totally mis­led. Hinduism has this great strength. It is based on myth unashamedly. You do not have to run around trying to find historical evidence to say that Krishna was born in Mathura to understand the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Whether "Krishna or Arjun ever stood in a chariot .together or not is

What" is needed is the prop­er teaching of Hinduism and the study of ways in which Hindus should adapt to the lat­est circumstances. I believe that Hinduism may actually prove to be the religion of the next millennium, because it can adapt itself to change. It is npt stuck in history. That is the pr9blem of the Semitic re­ligions. A Roman Catholic car­dinal said hEt thought that an Eastern religion-Buddhism­would be the !5[eatest chal­lenge to the Church in the next millennium, not material­ism, as so many peoplE1 think.

So you have the resources in Hinduism, you have the teach­ings, you have the history that shows,You can do it. You can revive your religion in such a, way that it does not become confrontational (which is a common practice) but do~s something unique by becom­{ng adaptive and adapting itself to the needs of the time. India must be able to be proud of Hinduism. At the same time, it should be proud that Indian Muslims can do na­maaz whenever they like, and proud of Indian Christians flooding their churches. I believe Bharat has an enor­mous amount to teach the rest of the world.

Self-Creation: Carving our own future through present karmas

Is There 8 Futu're? Tow~d a new relationship with Earth

RASHMI MAYUR, MUMBAI LMOST HALF A CENTU­

ry, we are told, has elapsed into history since India became

"independent" from the colo­nial British. Much of what has happ~ed during this period is a memory, a great deal of which is already effaced. ThIS is a stark reality confronting 955 million people now occu­pying the soil where Hin­duism originated more than 4,000 years ago. The world has undergone profound changes since therl. India had no boundary ever, and today only globalized Earth exists. Wllat will happen to the people in­habiting this nation, thei'r land, their philosophical system, their life, as humanity pre­pares itself to enter the third millennium is only a mystery wrapped in the unknown of

the future. it is to search for the un­

known that we turn to Hin­duism. As I understand it, Hinduism is philosophy, it is a way of life, it is a search for liberation, it is an exploration of the unknown, itj s an ad­venture of finding a path in the .darkness.

Today, howeve~, darkness pervades the Earth. In Nov~m­ber, 1992, i,600 eminent scien­tists, including 105 Nobel Prize winners, gave a warning to the world that it is in trouble, and if the present human driVen de­struction of the Earth contin­ues, the eoological and environ­mental systems in about two decades will collapse, bringing an end to civilized living everywhere. This was not a sil­ly warning of gua~ks forecast­ing on an April Foo]\; day. The warning was based on the vast

research, analysis and under­standing of the ravaged state of the natural and human sys­tems in the globalized world . ., Such pralayas or catastrophes' were not unknown to the • great Indian philosophers of the past or to the thinkers in other religions. In fact, from time immemorial Hinduism attempted to/address the trag­ic problems of human life and attempted to search for a life liberated from material dis­tresses and bondages.

A casual account of the world we are living in presents a grotesque scenario of mate­rialism gone berserk, convert­ing great treasures of the beautiful Earth into carcasses. The Earth is littered with dead trees, foul air, poisoned seas, wasted lands, thirsty rivers, mountains of garbage along with miseries, emascu­lating hunger, dreadful dis­eases like AIDS and canger, perennial wars-the list is endless., The Earth is suffer­ing. It is bleeding. It is dying as if a Shakespearean tragedy is being enacted everywhere, as if God Siva is performing his Tandava dance. Hinduism as a way of life venerated all forces of Nature. Today Indi­ans like all other earthlings are pursuing illusion-mayo,.

It is here that a true Hin­duism, like any other great re­ligion, offers direction, hope and a challenge for creating a vibrant life in harmony with Nature.

There is a deep philosophi­cal statement in the Upan­ishads, which reveals the truth about our relations with nat ture. It says: "The essence of things here is the Earth. The essence of Earth is water. The essence of <Vater is plants. The essence of plants is a person."

The armihilating material­ism of the industrial civiliza­tion, which has emerged dur­ing the last 300 years, is rooted in the arrogance of hu­

. mans whose sole pursuit is ex-ploitation, con~mption and greed. Indians have become renegades against their sacred philosophy. That is the tragedy of India. That is the malady of

;,; ~

::; '" ~ iII

Dr. Rashml Mayur: The Mum-bai-based futurist is one of the world's rrwst influential envi­ronmen-balleaders

the Earth. It is here that Hinduism as a

way of life provides a chal­lenge to humanity by offering the revelations of the ages as a path to salvation for the fu­ture. The essence 'Of revelation is that we did n0t create the Earth, but we have come from the Earth. If we understand the deep meaning of our rela­tionship with all-pervasive na­ture, then our approach to everything will be based on reverence and not exploitation, on love and not hated, on con­servation and not destruction. Sivadasa expresses it more elo­quently, "The gift beyond all gifts, as it is said, is in this world the gift of sanctuary."

As we grope in the qarkness of tomorrow, as the Earth shrinks, as time abridges, the ancient message of Indian phi­losophy becomes more rele­vant. Its idealism, its message of renunciation, its tenet of simplicity, its doctrine of pur­shling higher purposes of truth, love and beauty, if brought to ailing humanity, will take them and everyone to the mornirtg of the raising Sun. Hinduism, with this grand but practical message, will liberate us from the tyrarmy of the present, and take us to th~ eternal possibili­ties of the future.

And as ~volution unfolds be­yond the next millennium, our spirits will harmonize with the flowers and birds, rising above the clouds and suns and galaxies, beyond tim~ and space and unite ~ith the Ulti­mate-Brahma.

A UGUST , 1997 HI'NDUISM TODAY 27

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RUSSIA

A Cyrillic Catechism Most comprehensive Hindu book yet is published in the Russian language

OUR YEARS OF ON-AGAIN, OFF­again effort came to fruition for Swami Sadashivacharya on April 27 at Moscow's \Moskva conference

halL On that brisk spring day the Russian language version of Dancing

witn Siva was released. Russian books on Hinduism are few; so this encyclopedic tome-1,008 pages in tne original English­fills a wide gap at a critical time in the evo­lution of the nation's spiritual consciousness.

By timely and judicious compromises, the Russian Orthodox Church survivedBO years of communist rule. But the institution that limped into freedom's dawn was a mere shadow of the mighty mentor of all things Russian it had once been. The old folks had clung to their faith o~er the years, but the new generation was educated on communist doctrines which dismissed religion's necessi­ty. Now, with communism itself relegated to the netherworld of failed social experi­ments, religion is an appealing, untested op­tion for Russiah youth. And just as India ORce looked to the Soviets for inspiration and guidance in forming a socialist country, seekers of the disbanded Union now look to India as the world's 'Primeval fountain of wisdom and knowleclge.

It was such a qu~st that took the young Swami Sadashivacharya to India years ago. He and other seekers formed Moscow's Tan­tra S~gha in 1992, with the intent of pro­motiBg Hindu Tantric philosophy and wor­ship. When he met HINDUISM TODAY publisher Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in Berlin in 1993, he was presented a copy of Dancing with Siva. <1\t the very first moment of getting it, I was deeply impressed and wished to do everything possible to make a Russian version," recalls Swami. «I asked Gu­ru'deva for his blessing to translate the book, and immediately, without any w'ltds, he put his hands upon my head and gave his bless­ings." Swami knew the book would fill the great void in Rus~ian-Ianguage publications for comprehensive books on In'dian spiritual-ity. «There are several hundred books 'on - - . - . Hinduism in Russia," Swami said, <but most ~ '-:::-:A r~oseited !tol¢_S~iv.aGha~a..!!-nd rlir~~~"J~:Bgdhj~irtna-infron! of .. of them are very simple, thin and unillustrat- ~ --, .--. tJie eight:~~ l~#t1+r!fS; ~ls Cjthe9ra1-thtitdojn~nat~ Mos~'S' &d ed." Dancing With Siva covers every aspect ~ . .; -Sqtulre; 'th.e Russian eH;ho~ chufOh ~jnat:ed t.oc4lfe~tgious life. _ of Hinduism in question/answer format, and 5 -- --: . . ~ _.-_ ;:".- -:._ ,_ ,- , _ -,.;.- :,. _ -:, ___ ,,-;' < ,. ~-::.. " -.~ includes extensive references on major Hin- ~ -:::;:.- .... - _~ _ -:-.- .-:::. .". -- ",,"" "". - . J" •

du denominations, hundreds of carefully de- :;: L:::~~'--..;!:... __ ::":"-='::=:=--__ I!:-~=--_---::-,--=-_.....c..-=-__ --"....,.:: __ -,,-~,--__ ~~ I

28 HINDUISM TODA'Y At/GUST, 1997

fined Sanskrit terms, a timeline of Hindu history, material for parents and children, a synopsis of each of the world's major reli­gions and abundant illustrations.

Le9- Ozolin began the massive translation task immediately upon Swami's return to Russia in 1993, but soon stopped for lack of funds. In 1996, Sophia Publishing company took an interest in adding the Catechism to their titles on yoga, New Age, healing, med­itation and transpersonal psychology. Two

Russia: Not so far. from India

professional trahslators, Peter Aleinikov of Moscow and Andrey Kostenko of Dneprope­trovsk, Ukraille, were hired to complete the text. They divided the book between them, and reported easy going with the translation, though they admitted, "The Sanskrit terms were hard." Aleinikov, who spent a full year en the project, believes it is a useful work as «Russian people are very interested in Hindu philosophy." Kostenko was inspired by «the divinity, integrity and ease-of-undersfanding

Connections ancient and modern: Paramacharya Bodhinatha (above left) with Tantra Sangha leader Swami Sadashivachar­ya (center) and translator Peter Aleinikov at April book re­lease in Moscow. The Ukraine ten-kopek coin (right) carries the country's national symboL: the trident. The Ukraine is lo­cated just north of the Black Sea (map). Recent archeological investigations uncovered strong links to ancient India. Page (below right') from the Russian version of Dancing with Siva. Slo­ka 56 answers the query, 'What is dharma? What are its forms?"

l..fTO TaKOe A x apMa? KaKOBbl ee ¢>QPMbl?

mnOKA 56

167

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brought to the complex subject of Hin­duism." He served as proofreader and pro­duction motivator while Swami Sadashiv­achar~a provided editing and organizational input. -The high-quality, hardbound text is now available for US$12 to $15 in Russian stor~s-a moderate price within reach of even a students budget. The reception is «very warm and excellent," Swami reports.

Paramacharya Bodhinatha ·Veylanswami of Himalayan Academy Publications-pub­lishers of Danf ing with Siva and, we need disclose, HINDUISM TODAy-flew to Russia for the book release. He reports a successful event with a number of distinguished speak- " ers enthusiastically endorsing the book, in­cluding the publisher, scholars and leaders of several spiritual groups, notably Vladimir B. Avdeyev, chairman of the Russian Pagan -community and Sri Vaidyanath das, presi­dent of the Russian branch of ISKCON.

The most unexpected revelations came from speaker Yuri P Shilov, an archeologist of Ukraine. He explained how his life had been transformed when hIs archeological research into Ukraines history revealed that the region's early culture' was Vedic. As a Marxist at the time, this came as a great shock. Mainstream scholars had not suspect­ed such a strorig Ukraine-India connection. But other evidence was already at hand, in­cluding the ten-kopek Ukraine coin bearing the country's national symbol-the Hindu trident! Shilov plans to join new digs in In­dia, and to team up with visiting Indian archeologists in his own land.

Kim I. Shilin, a scholar in the «Laborato­ry of East Culture's Ecology," Institute of Asian-African Studies, Moscow University, praised the Indian approach, which «treats life as a whole and seeks revival ot the initial harmony," an outlook he hopes will counter­balance the impact of the West's aggressive, materialistic philosophy.

There is no permanent Indian pr~sence in Russia. Indians come from Bharat for a few years, but then return. This differs from the Western paradigm, where resident Indian Hindu populations have built temples, es- . tablished their teachings,;md given strength to inspired Westerners. Russia's seekers with Hindu leanings are on their own (though in­dia is not that far away). Thus, they are en­couraged by the section in Dancing with Siva on how people not born into the faith can enter Hinduism 1!jlrough study, sever­ance and traditional rites. Meanwhile, oth­ers in the former U$SR are turning to Pa­ganism, the land's pre-Christ.ian faith, sparking a grassroots revival, as is also hap­pening in Europe. Pagans in both communi­ties are discovering, too, that their ancient heritage is closely akin to Hinduism. --'

The Russian version of Dcfu.cing with Siva is available from the Tantra Sangha, po. Box 70, Moscow 103055, Russia.

AUGUST, 1997 HI'NDUISM TODAY 29

I'

INSIGHT

Hama Sanctuary The most important space in the Hindu home is the shrine room, strictly reserved for worship and meditation. This Insight explores the how, where and why of establishing a home shrine, focusing on the four major sects.

HAT IS THE CENTER OF YOUR HOME? THE KITCHEN,

the workshop, the living room or den? The ancients des­ignated a crucial part of the home as a sacred sanctuary,

a f@rtress of purity to which dwellers could retreat before dawn each day, to commune with their higher nature and

with God and the Gods. This center of spiritual force is called devatarchanam, the "place for honoring Divinity."

Sacred architecture places it in the northeast corner, the realm of Isana, where its potency naturally flourishes. Scriptures speak but little of this tradition, perhaps because its necessity is taken for granted. Nevertheless, the custom has lived on, and every prominent devout Hindu home has a holy shrine room, often opulent, some­times austere, the domiciles' most auspicious quadrant, reserved for religious pursuits, and like a miniature temple, radiating blessings constantly through the abode and out to the community.

Love and joy come to Hindu families who worship God in their home through the traditional ceremony known as puja, meaning adoration 0r worship. ThIough such rites and the divine energies in­voked, each family makes the house a sanctuary, a refuge from the concerns and worries of the world. The center of that sanctuary, the site of puja, is the shrine, mystically tied to the temple to which they pilgrimage weekly. Puja is performed daily-usually in the early morning, but also in the afternoon or evening-generally by the head of the house. All members of the family attend. Rites can be as sim-

Salvite shrine: Husband offers arati (flame), wife rings the bell and son blows (]I conch before their altar to Siva Nataraja, Ardha­narishvara, Sivalinga, Ganesha and Muroga.

pIe as lighting a lamp and offering a flower at the Lord's holy feet, or they can be most elaborate and detailed, with myriad Sanskrit chants and offerings. The essential and indispensable part of any puja is devotion. Without love and reverence in the heart, outer per­formance is of little value. But with true devotion even simple ges­tures become sacred ritual.

As in a temple, the images OF icons of God and Gods are the fo­cus of the shrine room. These are called murti in Sanskrit, wor­shiped and cared for as the physical body of the the Divine. Hindus do not worship these "idols" per se. They worship God and the Gods who by their infinite powers spiritual hover over and indwell the im­age. Murtis of the Gods are sanctified forms through which their love, power and blessings flood forth to bless the family. The God's vibration and presence can be felt in the image, and the Divinity can use the images as a temporary physical place body or channel. Hin­dus believe and expect that the God is actually present and con­scious in the mum during puja, aware of thoughts and feelings and even sensing the worshiper's gentle touch on the metal or stone. The great Adi Shankaracharya, while espousing a strict monism, wrote, 'f\lthough Parabrahman is all pervading, to attain Him one should accept that He is 'more' present in one particular place, just as we see Vishnu in the Shaligrama, a small round stone." The Vaishnava saint Ramanuja similarly stated, 'f\lthough the Lord is all pervading, using His omnipotent powers He appears before devotees to accept

their devotion through an image." The Science of Ritual: Puja is a ceremony in which the ringing of

bells, passing of flames, presenting of offerings and chanting of mantras invoke the devas and Gods, who then come to bless and help the devotees. Puja is holy communion, full of wonder and tender af­fections. Thus the home shrine is a place of tremendous importance, made more and more sacred by the culmulative p@wer of prayer. Daily puja is the axis of religious life, and the puja room is the heart of the home. Chanting the Vedas is the magic enlivener. In the words of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, "The Veda mantras liJeing the root cause of creation, the meI:e ohanting of Veda mantras would, by their vibrations, make the Devas appear in person."

The home shrine is also the locus for private and groVP medita­tion, prayer, mantra recitation and devotional singing. Its sanctity is protected by never using it for other purposes. This space is metic­ulously cared for, Kept immaculate and elaborately decorated to look like a small temple. It should be well-lit and free from drafts and household disturbanees. The altar is generally close to the floor, since most of the puja is performed while seated. But when there are

small children in the home it is ef­ten higher, as to be out of their reaeh. Pictured in this Insight are "typical" altars (slightly larger than life) of the four major Hindu

Do Hindus Worship Idols? worship is also frowned on by some professing Hindus.

ROM THE MOMENT THE VEDIC RITES

are completed and a statue or paint­, ing of the Deity is consecrated, the Lord through the image manifests all

His glory and grace. He accepts various devotions. He listens to prayers and woes. He is at once a confidante and giver of blessings. Thus, an image cannot be said to be merely a beautiful statue or doll, nor an excellent painting. The image is God.

Said Swami Vivekananda, "It has be­come a trite saying that idolatry is bad, and everyone swallows it at the present time without questioning. lance thought so, and to pay the penalty of that, I had to learn my lessons sitting at the feet of a man who realized everything from idols. I allude to Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Yet, idolatry is condemned. Why? Some hun­dreds of years ago, some man of JeWish blood happened to condemn it. He hap­pened to condemn everybody elses idols except his own. If God is represented in

Sakta shrine: In a large jOint-family home, womenfolk clean and decorate the shrine room and prepare offerings to Kali Ma, the fierce image of the Goddess. Flower garlands are hung to create the feeling of a small temple.

any beautiful form or any sy.mbolic .; form, said the Jew, it ~ is awfully bad; it is ~ sin. But if He is rep- ~ resented in the 0 t.....L_--"-~-'----"''--Ik...l... _ _ ---'

The question of image wor­ship will be debated for years to come. Here it suffices to say that with the ancient Hindus image worship was not left to be treated as an ignorant and useless practice fit only for the ignorant and spiritually imma­ture; even the greatest visited mandirs and worshiped im­

form of a chest So lifelike: Iron of Santoshi with two angels sit- Ma, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa ting on either side, it is the holiest of holies. If God comes in the form of a dove, it is holy. But if He comes in the form of a cow, it is heathen superstition, condemn it . .. "

Over the centuries, in their conde­scending haste and missionary fervor to convert the rest of the world to the "One and only correct faith, and to commit the souls of the otherwise damned to God," various religions have condemned image worship with fanatic zeal. This has led to a shallow refutal of image worship and a misinterpretation of the Hindu image worshiped. To complicate the issue, image

ages, and these thinkers did not do so blindly or unconsciously. A human neces­sity was recognized, the nature of the ne­cessity was understood, its psychology systematically analyzed, the various phas­es of image worship, mental and material, were defined. The modern Hindu follows in footsteps of his forebearers. Through the image, the eye is taught to see God, and not to seek God. The first lesson re­ceived at the sanctum is to be applied everywhere: see God in everything!

By SADHU SHANTIPRIYADAS,

Swaminarayana Fellowship

denominations: Saivism, Vaishnavism, Saktism and Smartism. In truth, Hinduism consists of ten thousand lineages and more, each with its unique traditions, and as many variations in home altars as well. Yet, there are many similarities.

At a Ganesha shdne, for example, an icon, or murti, of the ele­phant-headed God is placed at the center of the altar. A metal or stone image is considered best, but if not available there are two tra­ditional alternatives: 1) a framed picture, preferably with a sheet of copper on the back, or 2) A kwmbha, which is a symbol of Ganesha made by placing a coconut on a brass pot of water with five mango leaves inserted between the coconut and the pot. The coconut is husked but the tuft of fibers at the top is not removed. Most shrines

also honor a picture of the guru of the family lineage, either on the altar or adorning the walls.

Bathing the Gods image is often a central part of puja. For this, special arrangements are established at the altar to catch the sacred water or milk as it pours off the icon. Most simply, the murt~ may be fllaced in a deep tray to catch the water. After the bath, the tray is re­moved and the mwrti dried off, then dressed and decorated. More elaborately, a drain is set up so the water flows into a pot at the side of the altar. If devotees are in attendance, this blessed water is later served by the pujari (the person performing the ritual)

A Hindu Home Is More than a House N INDIAN ARCHITECTURE, THE DWELLING is itself a shrine. A home is called 'I1Wnushya­laya, literally, "human temple." It is not mere­ly a shelter for human beings

pied by the central 3x3=9 squares is called Brahmasthanam, meaning the "nuclear energy field." It should be kept unbuilt and open to the

sky so as to have contact with the outer space (akasha). This central courtyard is likened to the lungs of the human body. It is not for living purposes. Reli­gious and cultural events can be held here-such as yajna (fire ritual), music and dance perfor­mances and marriage.

in which to rest and eat. The concept behind house design is the same as for temple design, so sacred and spiritual are the two spaces. The "open court­yard" system of house design was the national pattern in In­dia before Westem models were introduced. The order intro­duced into the "built space" ac­counts for the creation of spiri­tual ambience required for the indweller to enjoy spiritual House grid: With sloping well-being and material welfare roof and open courtyard

The row of squares surround­ing the Brahmasthanam is the walkway. The corner spaces, oc­cupying 2x2=4 squares, are rooms with specific purposes. The northeast quarter is called Isana, the southeast Agni, the and prosperity.

At right is a typical layout of a square build­ing, with a grid of 9x9=81 squares, meant for family persons (for yogis, scientists and artists, a grid of 8x8=64 is prescribed). The space occu-

southwest Niruthi and northwest Vayu. These are said to possess the qualities of four respec­tive devatas or Gods-Isa, Agni, Niruthi and Vayu. Accordingly-with due respect to

The "built space:" The ideal position hanced by that place's inherent nature. Vas1lu. Shastras, a study of the dynamiCS the architect and town planner of homes still follow this paradisiacal

, .J..

who places a small spoonful in each devotee's right palm. Holy Accoutrements: Puja implements for the shrine are kept on

large metal trays. On these are arranged ghee lamps, bells, cups, spoons and pots to hold the various sacraments. Available from Indian shops, these are dedicated articles, never used for purposes other than puja. Their care, cleaning and polishing is considered a sacred duty. Usual items include: 1) water cups and a small spoon for offering wa­ter; 2) a brass vessel of unbroken, uncooked rice (usually mixed with

turmeric powder), also for offering; 3) tray or basket of freshly picked flowers (without stems) or loose flower petals; 4) a standing oil lamp, dipastambha, that remains lit

ecological friendliness with the subtle forces of the spirit-those spaces (quarters) are assigned as follows: northeast for the home shrine, south­east for the kitchen, southwest for mas­ter bedroom and northwest for the storage of grains. The spaces lying be­tween the corner zones, measuring 2x5=10 squares, are those of the north, east, south and west. They are meant for multi purposes.

For home worship, griha

ptlja, the De- 100 ity icon should be smaller in t size than in a 0

temple. The ---t~""'-r....L agreeable and generally rec-ommended height of the standing im­age without pedestal is ones own fist (mushti) size, measured with the thumb raised.

By V. GANAPATI STHAPATI,

Master Architect, Chennai

throughout the puja; ideally kept lit all day; 5) a dipa (or damp with cotton string wick) for waving light before the Deity; 6) a small met­al bell, ghanta; 7) an incense burner and a few sticks of incense, agarbhatti; 8) sacraments of one's tradition, such as holy ash, vibhuti; sandalwood paste, chandana; and red powder, kumku'l1W (these are kept it polished brass or silver containers); 9) naivedya, an offering for the Deity of fresh fruit and-or a covered dish of freshly cooked food, such as rice (never tasted during preparation); 10) a camphor (karpum) burner for passing flame before the God at the height of puja; 11) brass or silver pots for bathing the mum; 12) colorful cloth­ing for dressing the murti; 13) flower garlands; 14) additional oil lamps to illumine and decorate the room; 15) a CD or tape player.

Purity: Before entering the shrine room, all attending the cere­mony bathe and dress in fresh, clean clothes. It is a common practice to not partake of food at least an hour or more before ptlja. The best time for puja is before dawn. Each worshiper brings an offering of flowers or fruit (prepared before the bath). Traditionally, women during their monthly period refrain from attending puja, entering the home shrine or temple or approaching swamis or other holy men. Also during this time women do not help in puja preparation, such as picking flowers or making prasada for the Deity. Use of the home shrine is also restricted during periods of retreat that follow the birth or death of a family member.

Worshipful Icons: As seen in the main illustrations, the images en­shrined on home altars vary according to lineage and denomination. All icons, however, are either anthropomorphic, meaning human in appearance; theriomorphic, having animal characteristics (for ex­ample, Lord Hanuman, the monkey God); or aniconic, meaning without representational likeness, such as the element fire, or the smooth Shaligrama stone, worshiped as Lord Vishnu. Other objects of enshrinement include divine emblems or artifacts, including weapons, such as Durgas sword; animal mounts, like Sivas bull; a full pot of water, indicating the presence of the Devi; the sun disk, rep­resenting Surya; the holy footprints or sandals of a God or saint; the standing oil lamp; the fire pit, mystic diagrams called yantra; water from holy rivers; and sacred plants, such as the tulsi tree. All these are honored as embodiments of the God or Goddess. The Vedas en­join: "The Gods, led oy the spirit, honor faith in their worship. Faith is composed of the heart's intention. Light comes through faith. Through faith men come to prayer, faith in the morning, faith at noon and at the setting of the sun. a Faith, give us faith!"

/

, MALAYSIA

/

M.uruga~'s N'ew Home Indian craftsmen create a US$I.4 million masterpiece in Kuala Lumpur

ORE THAN 10,000 HINDUS FROM

Malaysia and Singapore thronged the Sri Kanclaswamy Temple on Scott Road in Brickfields; KiJala Lumpur, on March 24th morning for the mahakumbha ab-

hishekarn. priests, some flown specially from Lanka and Eng-land, conducted to reconsecrate the completely temple. Shouts of

general consensus among the temple mem­bers and began construction a few years lat­er." A further motivation was to upgrade the temple's presence as the area had become surrounded by modern apartment buildings.

On January 24, 1992, the Deities were moved to a temporary shelter and the origi­nal building dem01ished. Local fi~ms did the major construction, and twenty temple craftsmen brought from India under the su-

pervision of Sthapati G. Vanmee­ganathan executed the intri'cate stonework and plaster sculptures on the exterior and interior.

A small but intense controversy arose early regarding the perma­nent installation of a Sri Raja Rajes­wary Deity in the "Vayu" corner of the temple. Some members object­ed to the presence of the Goddess

, in a Murugan temple. After con­sulting with Sivacharyas in Sri Lanka and India, the dis}JUte was settled in 1993 in favor of installing the Goddess as an Utsava Parivara High pOint: Blessing the temple Spires with sacred water Moortham (moveable, parade De­

ity). Other aspects of the temple not in ac­cord with scripture were also corrected, es­pecially the location of the navagraha (nine planets) and the shrine for Satur~.

"Muruga," "Shanmuga" and "Kantha" roared forth from the crowl'i as at precisely 10:55 AM priests on narrow scaffolding surround­ing the temple towers poured sacred water fmm India's Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Godqvari and Kaveri rivers over the gold kalasam (spiJ:es) . Arati lights were offered to the towers, as devotees below were show­ered with flowers and sacred water. Follow­ing the consecration and spiritual enlivening of the sanctuary, each individual Deity was ceremoniously installed inside.

Sri Vaitheeswara Sabaratnam Gurukkal, chief priest of Urumparai Sr~ Karunakam PIllaiyar Temple in Sri Lanka, £.lew to Malaysia to advise on the 48 day~ of contin­uous ceremonies which were directed by Kandaswamy Temple's chief priest, Sabarat­na Parameswar Linganathar.

Hindu temples are normally repaired and rededicated every twelve years~ but in this case a reconstruction from ground up was undertaken. Thiru S. Perampalam, chair­man of the temple committee explained, "In 1984 we discovered the foundation haG! to be reinforced, so we resolved to reconstruct the temple completely. After this, we sought a

34 HINDUISM TODA,Y Al{ GUST , 1997

The new edifice boasts Indias finest crafts­manship, with marble tiled walls and floors. The Deities and shrines are granite and dis­play ornate motifs and carvings. The 33-foot kodirnararn (central flag pole under a glass enclosure) is gold plated, and a $33,600 gold kudarn (ceremonial pot) was acquired for Lord Murugans abhishekam (ritual bath). Heavy teak doors greet worshipers at the main entrance. A $200,000 set of ornate arches flanking the temple _ are still under construction. "It is not mere artistry," said craftsman supervisor Lakshmanan of Kerala, India, "We are literally creating Gods. The whole art is absorbing simply because it is so reverential. Our concentration is, of course, heightened by the chanting of a mantra and a supplication that accompanies the act of cre­ation." Perampalam expressed the communi­ty:'; vision for the new temple, "It is not only an extension of faith, but a center to inculcate knowledge and awareness of that faith. When it reopens, we will stress these points. Knowl-

edge, after all, will lead to harmony, and where better to obtain,it than in a temple?"

Origins: The "Ceylonese" (as they are still known) community who own the temple are descendants of thousands of English-edu­cated Sri Lankan Hindus brought to Malay- / sia at the end of the 19th century. They helped the British plan and build the rail­way system, and staffed hospital and gov­ernmental clerical services. Large numbers

of South Indians came at the same time. But they were put to work as laborers on the rail­way and in plantations, while Sri Lankans, by virtue of their ability in English, gained bette;!: posts. Over the years the two groups have remained distinct, with mini~um so­cial interaction and virtually no intermar­riage. Initially, the Sri Lankans 'benefitted from their better education and higher in­comes, but now the groups are about equal in social and economic status. ,-

By the end of the 19th century, a ~izeable concentration, dubbed "Little Jaffna," had formed in the area of Brickfields (near cen­tral KiJala Lumpur), because of its proximi­ty to the railway administration center. It was this group that met in 1890 and set in motion plans for the Lord Subramaniam tem­ple. A community elder received a vision of a temple at a site located at the end of Scott Road, at 'Klang River. It was acquired short-1y thereafter. The temple developed slowly over the years. In 1927 a new organization,

the all-Hindu "6eylon Saivites Association," assumed management from the original Se­langor Ceylon Tamil Association, some of whose members were of other faiths.

The Japanese invaded Malaysia in De­cember, 1941, and occupied it until 1945. The Scott Road area was deserted, the water sURply cut off, food was scarce and the tem­ple's bank accounts were frozen. The priest and several devotees remained, carrying on the pujas and temple affairs even ~s first Japanese and later American bombs rained from the sky. The temple well supplied wa­ter for the neighborhood, and kanji (rice porridge) was distributed daily.

As normalcy returned after war, the tem­Ple's development resumed. In the 1950s, re­ligious classes on Saiva Siddhanta were insti­tuted for youth, along with the learning of Tamil Devaram, sacred hymns by the saints. By 1965 the temple boasted a library, offices and dining facility. In 1973 a 700-seat wed­ding hall was dedicated by then Pri~e Min-

ister of Malaysia, YAB Tun Abdul Razak bin Dato Hussein. The First National Saiva Sid­dhanta Conference, convened in 1983 and chair~ by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswa­mi, with dozens of religious leaders and schplars from around the world, was the largest such religious conference held to date in Malaysia. Following the temple's renova­tion and rededication in 1984, plans were laid for the reconstruction just completed. Chairman Perampalam offered, "Our com­mittee is happy to leave behind a culturally, religiously and financially rich temple for posterity. We pray to Lord Murugan that our forthcoming generations will perpetuate ,­and nurture their rich heritage and lead.a prosperous and no~le life.'? .I

ADp RESS: Sm KANDASWAM l"'KQVIL. NO.3, LoRONG SCOTT, OFF JALAN TuN SMmANTHAN, 50470, KUALA LUMPUR, M ALAYSIA.

With reports from Eddin Khoo and K Anuradha of The Star,from the

Tamil language Malaysia Nanban and Ramesh Sivanathan, Kuala Lumpur.

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Sri Chinmoy Ayurvedic Institute

The Sri Chinmoy Institute of Ayurvedic Sciences offers authentic training in the ancient traditions of Ayurvedic Medicine. Comprehensive programs taught in all areas: nutrition, pulse diagnoses, Ayurvedic skin care, massage, Panch Karma (cleansing and rejuvenation), and herbal medicine. Taught by Vrrender Sodhi, MD. (Ayurved), N.D. and N.D. staff Now enrolling evening and weekend seminars.

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ASTROLOGY

Suicide and Free Will Five prominent C;lstrologers discuss whether suicide is predetermined or is an act of will

--- AS THE SUICIDE OF 39 members of the Heav­

en's Gate group in San Diego in March an event

predetermined by their astrolo-gy, or was it purely an act of free will, somehow beyond the influence of planets and stars? HIN9UISM TODAY sought the opinions of several prominent jy@tisha shastris, experts in the Vedic science of astrology, on these unusual and tragic deaths.

'" z Z

individual case must be examined in itself Ramana Maharshi said that we are all sui­cides unless we come to realize the Self"

~dlth Hathaway: "I agree that you can have a suicide-prone mind, but not a preor­dained time to commit suicide. I've seen ~ases where the person was mentally and emotionally unstable. But there was a win­dow where things were almost about to turn. around. The person might have made it, if

they had received some kind of guidance. Free will is involved in suicide and the suicide accrues a new, kriyamana, karma, to face in the future. ":

When a political leader is as­sassinated (such as JFK), ' the chart shows the person taking on some kind of major karma for the country. These charts seem to in­dicate 'no way around it. ' They couldn't avoid taking on that fate. But, suicide is another thing. There is mental/emotional insta­bility, and the person experiences difficult transits. In the suicide case of the actor Freddy Prince, he had a chart full of success, but he was incapable of handling a certain kind of upset. Apparently, he couldn't handle that amount of success so suddenly."

Chakrapani Ullal: 'Astrology is a science of indications only. It doesn't say that a particular event should happen, it only says a particular event could happen. The difference be­tween could and would is based on ones free will. In spite of the indications of a particular plan­etary setup, if one uses free will,

Suicide: the complex interaction of planetary influence and free will Dr. Devananda Tandavan: "It

a particular event can be 0vercome or mini­mized. That is the very purpose of astrology. Otherwise it has no value. With this objec­tive, the great sages gave us the knowledge of astrology and also suggested remedial measures to overcome the indicated event or danger. The great sage Parashara has said, "For brahmajnanis [God-Realized souls] the longevity is unlimited." This indicates that people can take measures to overcome the possibilities of an event.

"The type and nature of one's death is gen~ally reflected in the natal chart, but that does not mean a particular person in­evitably dies by a particular event at a par­ticular time. These events can be changed by one's wisdom, understanding and spiritu­al growth. We are not stooges in the hands of destiny from birth, without any recourse. If that is the case, why should anyone make any kind of effort in this world?

"Suicide is an undesirable way to die, for it is said the astral bodies of suicides hover around the Earth withou(peace until their time for resolution comes."

Dennis Harness: "My belief is that there can be definite suicidal tendencies seen in the chart, such as an afflicted Moon, Mer­cury, First and Fourth House. However, the actual act of suicide seems to me an act of the individual will in most cases."

Vamadeva Shastri: "I think there is a gen-

40 gINDUISM T ODAY AUGUST, 1997

eral error in associating karma with destiny. The correct word for destiny in Sanskrit is daivam. In the Mahabharata it is taught that personal effort, or purushartha, counts much more than destiny, or daivam, so we should always act, make efforts and never resign ourselves to fate. Daivam is some divine help or obstruction that enhances the effect of karma, though this also is ultimately based upon karma. There may be a prarab­dha karma [an effect of past actions set in motion for this life] for suicide, but that is karma, not destiny. A person may have, by wro;g actions, set in motion forces that wquld impel him in that direction, just as a person speeding a car may reach a speed when he can no longer control the car and must have an accident.

The birth chart for the person who com­mits suicide should indicate a suicide-prone mind or a vulnerable time in their life. In the forrtler case, the death may have been indicated from birth, but not necessarily in the latter case. For example, people whose charts indicate they are likely to be killed if they go to war can avoid this by avoiding ex­posure to such danger. The HeaV;;n's Gate suicides who were victims of bad timing or psychological vulnerability, rather than a generally suicidal nature, could have been saved. Generally, suicide is looked upon with great disfavor in the Vedas, but each

seems to me that a suicide uses his OWl! willpower to bring about his death prematurely. It is not 'fated' by the birth chart. As for the Heaven's Gate mass suicide, perhaps they were all meant to die at that time because they were together, the same as those who die in an air crash. But they made a choice of will to be together and to bring about this premature death. I haven't seen any of the charts from this group, but I am sure there would be a general tendency to dependency and weak intellects; and also a neurotic dependency on their leader. ~

Solution to Kumar Balani's July puzzle

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Aryan-Invasion Theory Debunked Vedic ~ry~~s and the .Origins of Civilization: A Literary and Sctentifte Perspectwe, by N. Rajaram and D. Frawley, combines new insights into the meaning of the Vedas and other ancient scriptures with scientific analysis of ancient sources .. SysteI?-atic comparisons of Indian, Egyptian and Babyloruan sCIence show that Harappan civilization corre­sponds to that of the Sutric period, after the Vedic period. Hence, the Rg Veda is the product of an earlier layer of civiliz­ation, before Egypt, Sumer and the Indus Valley. As a result, the view of MesoRotamia as the cradle of civilization is no longer tenable.· S$20 + $5 pstg. Checks to: World Heritage Press, 1270 St-Jean, St-Hyacinthe, PQ J2S 8M2 Canada.

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The Fifth International Symposium

ASTROLOGY Vedic Astrology was developed by the ancient

sages of India over 5,000 years ago. Called Jyotisha, the Science of Light, It Is renowned for Its spiritual depth and accuracy In predicting future events.

ThIs SymposIum will Introduce Vedic Astrology to the general public and provide a forum for: * The education of the general public in the principles of Vedic Astrology * The free exchange and discussion of ideas and techniques in Vedic Astrology * The presentation of modern research findings validating ancient astrological principles * The promotion of professional standards in the training and practice of Vedic Astrology

Substantial Savings for early registration! Registration fees for maln symposium: $195 by July 31,1997 $245 after July 31, 1997 ($25 Discount ror ACVA Members)

PI..,., mall this registration form with payment by cIleck, money order or credit card to the Institute address t-----..... below. Registrations paid by credit card may also be faxed or phoned In.

INsmUTE OF VEDIC ASTROLOGY P.O. BOX 2149· SEDONA, AZ 86339

Phone (520) 282-6595 • FAX (520) 282-6097

Dennis Flaherty R.G. Krishnan Andrew Foss Drew Lawrence Dr. David Frawley WillIam Levacy Hank FreIdman Ann Muldoon DennIs M. Harness, PhD Alex Nagel Edith Hathaway T.R. Raghunath, PhD Richard Houck George Roman Nallnl Kanta Das Dr. Dlnesh Sharma LInda Johnsen Prince Hlrfndra Singh James Kelleher Atreya SmIth Sat Sirl Kaur Khalsa Dr. Robert Svoboda Robert Koch Chakrapanl Ullal r------------------------_____________ _____________________ ,

: 0 Please register me for attendance at the International Symposium I ! on Vedic Astrology. October 2-7, t 997, at the Del Mar Hilton Hotel, ! : Del Mar, CA. Endosed Is payment of $ __ for __ Registration c"e{s) :

: 0 Send more Information on the Symposium and hotel accommodations : : * Optional pre-conference Introductory classes and post-conference : : Intensives will also be offered. :

I Name I : .:~ Address : •••

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SIVANANDA ASHRAM

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Swami Vishnu­devananda 1917-1993

1-819-322-3226 Sunday JunelOth-29th Mariamman Temple 1St Anniversary Celebrations The first anniversary of the Mariamman installation will be celebrated with special ten-day pujas, each sponsored by a different family. The tenth day will conclude the series of pujas with a grand pongala festival.

SundaYI June 29th PONGALA Our 6th annual Pongala celebra­tions will commence with a special Homa for Devi from 6-9am. after which fire from the Homa pit will be taken to start the cooking fires. A traditional Tamil festival especially for women for women, for the well being of all.

Thanks and Appreciation We wish to thank all the devotees who helped to make l.Jstyear's program so successful. We especially thank those who worked so hard to install the Mariamman and Navagraha statues in their new shrines. Special thanks to those who built the beautiful 18 foot tall Chariot for the K.lavadi festival.

Some of the wonderful projects planned for next Summer include the completion of an outdoor kitchen and dining hall. These will be used for feasts and celebrations. We pl.Jn to construct 18 steps for Lord Ayyappa . as at Sabarimalai. and continue the steps to the bottom of the hill.

Of course. the Temple requires funds forthe completion of all these works. All donations in time and/or money are very much appreciated. Checks and money order.; should be drawn in favourof"Sivananda Ashram Temple." Contact the Temple manager if you desire a receipt fortd)( deduction. Be sure to send your full postal address and phone number along with your donation.

Founder: H.H. Sri Swami Vishnu-devanandaji Maharaj . .~. , " ',- .... - _. '- , • '~ - ,~" .. , '~ • -< ... " ,_ ••• ~':i .. ~:~ "'~, :.~.' ~ < • _ , ,_" ~ "~< .: ," ,,','", ?,'" " ' .", , ... <

HEALING

Ways to Soothe That Heartburn Antacids, "H -2 ,blockers" and surgery have their place, but it's best to adjust your lifestyle

BY DEVANANDA TANDAVAN, M.D.

HIRTY PERCENT OF THE

American public suffers from it at least once a month and 10 percent suffer daily.

Heartburn is a burIJing pain in the substernal (upper-torso) area or in the back at heart-level be­tween the shoulders. The pain may be localized, but may also extend up to the throat.

The usual callse is dietary indiscretion: overeating, overdrinking, too much coffee, alcohol or very spicy food. When one overeats or partakes of the wrong foods, there is a tendency for stom­ach contents to regurgitate into the lower end of the esophagus. This is especially true when one-lies down to sleep. Pain results when the stomach acid irritates and burns the delicate mucosa lining of the esophagus. The cause of heartburn is mal­function of the valve at die lower end of the esophagus. It is most common in the older population. This simple form of heartburn can be readily treated with antacids (Maalox, Gaviscon, etc.) or H2-blockers (Tagamet, Axid, Pepcide, etc.)

AJecent study found that conventional antacids gave quick relief usually lasting two hours. The H2-blockeis often took two hours just to have any ,effect -a good case for not spending extra money on such high­tech drugs. Manufacturers advertise that one should take medication before antici­pated dietary indiscretions, which is really showing a seller's bias. If the heartburn is only intermittent or occasional, antacids and H2-blockers can relieve the symptoms. But if it becomes a daily symptom, the condition should be looked into for more serious problems.

Chronic heartburn is usually caused by a loose esophageal gastric junction (at the entry to the stomach) so that reflux (reen­try of stomach fluids to the esophagus) is frequent. There are also times when herni-

44 HJNDUISM TODAY AUGUST, 1997

ation pushes the stomach into the lower thorax, allowing ready pouring of the stomach contents into the esophagus. Both conditions may require a simple surgical operation. Chronic heartburn must be diagnosed and treated. On very rare occasions it may be a symp- . tom for heart disease and even cance~ . J .

Daily use of antacids may be harmful, due to their content of magnesium or alu­minblm. These metals cause problems when their level in the blood gets too high. Antacids containing calcium can disrupt the sensitive balance of the body's miner­als, leading to bone and joint problems. As safe as the H2-blockers seem to be, exces­sive dosage can lead to a dangerously low level of gastric acid-inadequate for proper digestion or absorption of vitamin BI2 and possibly causing pernicious anemia.

Dietary changes can reduce heartburn. Start by eliminating offending foods, such as caffeine, chocolate, tomatoes, citrus juices and fried, fatty or spicy foods. Have the l~gest meal at midday and limit the size of meals so that the stomach is not overdistended. Do not bend or squat after ea'ting. Perhaps elevating the head of the bed will help'. Eliminating aspirin and alco­hol is desirable. Smoking should be discon­tinued. It has been shown that smoking only two cigarettes over twenty minutes reduces the strength of the esophageal valve bf.fifty percent and increases the stomach's acidity. The simple Vedic diet, even t'hough spicy, is ideal, and will usually not allow this symptom to occur.

DR. TANDAVAN, 77, retired nucleaf physi­cian and hospital staff president? lives in Chtcago, where he specializes in alternative healing arts. Vis# his home page at the HINDUISM TODAY Website.

I ,

EVOLUTIONS COMMEMORATED: Sri Auroblndo's 125th birth anniversary with a conference to be held July 25-29 in New York, spon­sored by Matagiri Center. Devotees from around the wodd will share practices and experi­ences of the great Yogi and the Mother. Sri Aurobindo urged seekers to view our world not as illuso- Yoga synthesizer ry, but the scene of spiritual evolution out of which Divine Consciousness is manifested.

TRANSITIONS: Swami Vidhya Saraswatl to the higher worlds. Born in Glencoe, South Africa, she inspired many to be active in the broader community, pro­moting education in both English and Hindi to perpetuate Hindu heritage. She was a South African original in several ways: or­dained Vedic pan­dita in the early 19805, Hindu san­nyasini in 1983 and fIrst president of Arya Sthree Samaj. Tireless pioneer

In Delhi, Prof. Veda Vyasa, 94, doyen of Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Education Society (DAV) chain of educational in­stitutions and Arya Samaj leader. He was a zealous activist, participating in the Non-Cooperation movement during India's freedom struggle and the Shud­dhi Movement organized by Mahatma Hans Raj and Swami Shraddhanand for reconversion of Malkana Rajputs whose ancestors adopted Islam.

;' 50TH WEDDING: anniversary for HINDU1SM TODAY

supJDorters Shanker­prasad S. Bhatt and wife Ranjan at a 150-strong event held by his six children on May 3 in Illinois. "It is the duty of every Hindu elder to pass on the ancient knowledge of our re­ligion to our chil­dren and grandchil­dren," he said.

Honored parents

7he real life and secret of India's vitality is her spiritual culture, from time immemorial....India has been the unproclaimed reformer, the grand i.nspirer of human minds and souls.

-PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA

On this historic occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Indian independence, Self­Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society members around the world and all of us who reside in the monastic communities of our revered guru and founder,

Paramahansa Yogananda, pay loving tribute to Mother India-to her centuried ideals and timeless spiritual heritage, and to the example that she has given to the world, in this centur:y, of freedom won by peaceful means. May that sublime example inspire

all nations and peoples to continue to strive for a spirit of greater peace, compassion, and understanding, and to live more fully by the truth that evil can be overcome only through love.

Sri Daya Mata, Sanghamata and President

Join the jo.'Jous testivities at Lord Krishn 's appearance da.'J ...

lanmashtmi Celebrations Barsana Dham, Austin, TX, USA

~~~--~----~=-Saturda'y, August 2;, 1997

6:00 p.m. - midnight art!

We welcome ;:JOU and ;:Jour famil;:J to attend this memorable and devotional occasion.

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Marriage Rites and Rituals of Hindus

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The Treasure-Trove that That Kept Growing Richer! The New,S th Edition of Dancing with Siva

. C tguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's masterful work, Dancing with Siva, U __ Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism, will soon be available in a new, even richer, more inspired and informative edition! You are heartily en­

couraged to obtain it, even if you already own a current edition. It's a whole new experience. Here are some of the many innovations: :~~':=~ .. d.ian'l!lrit ... ti'l:

• 165 all-new illustrations-paintings (including cover) by S. Rajam, 78, of Chennai, South -'io'''d_Godn''''''h::;''h::;:~ India-a remarkable collection . countless refinements, data and clarifications suggested by SarguruSi"'Yasubramuniraswami

sages and scholars worldwide . "Timeline" (a 40-page chronology of 200,000 years of human ~~ ••••••• ;. .. ~, history) enriched and updated according to new evidence from archeology and ancient texts which is totally reshaping concepts of Indian history and pushing back the dates of its origins . an expanded bibliography . a new, spec­tacular, especially commissioned portrait of Satguru Siva YQgaswami. -

1,008 p . • soft cover: US$2495 • hardbound: US$51 * • Shipping: to USA, add 10%, other countries, add 20% * These collector smyth-sewn copies are available in limited quantities . ISBN 0-945497-97-0

HIMALAYAN ACADEMY PUBLICATIONS 107 Kaholalele Rd· Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-9304 USA Tel: 1-800-890-1008, ext. 238 or 808-822-3152, ext. 238 . Fax: 1-808-822-4351 e-mail: books@HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us • Website: httpllwww.HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us/ashram/

Shri Anandi Ma-Master in the tradition of Kundalini Maha Yoga, will be offering public meditation programs in:

• New York, NY: June 27 & 28 Tel: 212-877-7339

• Portland, ME: July 11 & 12 Tel: 207-799-4449

• Antioch, CA: August 1 & 2 Tel: 510-649-3005

• Cleveland, OH: Aug. 15 & 16 Tel: 216-261-8498

Shaktipat initiation will be offered by appointment each weekend. "With Shaktipat, the student is saturated with Divine Energy. After Shaktipat, the Kundalini is permanently awakened and, like a mother, con­stantly cares for and nourishes her infant. One may be of any religion, caste, or creed to benefit; for all persons, the field of inner joy is the same. After Shaktipat, the Shakti will take the student to the ultimate goal, without doubt."

For general information about Shri Anandi Ma, Kundalini Maha Yoga or Shaktipat contact:

Dhyanyoga Centers • PO Box 3194 Antioch, CA 94531-3194 USA. Tel: 510-757-9361 http://www.dyc.org/

Sai Bhajans: • Golden Voice of the God • Golden Voice of the Avathar, Swamy's own voice. Bhajans on CD for the first time by major producer! distributor • Voice of the Heart I, II, III, by Ravi Raj

, Nasery • Sai Sahara II, III by Kalyani S\lndararajan • Sai Smruthi by Ram Lakshman • Sai Padha Saram by Vani Jayaram (including Sai Padha Asthoram) • Divine Flute

. (instrumental) by Sooriya : Narayan

Tamil Devotional: • Sri Durgai by P. SusheelalThevaram, Sivapuranam • Ninaivellam Muruga by T.M. Soundararajan • Meiganam, Thiruganappa, Sirgazi Govindarajan • Nadeswaram for all occasions • Classicals: Bombay Jeyashri, T. V. Shankara Narayan • Veena by Gayatri. Saxophone by Kadri Gopalnath

Sai Bhajans available at most Sai Centers around the world. Distributors welcome. For information/catalog: Saican-Toronto, Canada • Tel: 888-2 SAICAN (272-4226) or 416-385-2169 • Fax: 416-391-9114 (Canada). E-mail: saican@octonline.com Visit us on the Internet, at: www.saican.com

Surrounding Iraivan Temple is an

extraordinary botanical garden par­

adise, providing an area of

contemplative, natural beauty.

Pilgrims enjoy groves of plumeria,

konrai, hibiscus, heliconia, native

Hawaiian plant species and more.

At the entrance to the 5 I-acre

sanctuary is a forest of healing

rudraksha trees. Send US$ I 2 to

purchase a single-bead necklace of

a sacred rudraksha, receive as our

gift another bead to plant and sup­

port the Ira ivan Temple project.

1-808-639-8886 http://www.HinduismToday.

Kauai.hi.us/ashram/lraivan.html

RUDRAKSHA FOREST

SAN MARGA lRAfVAN TEMPLE

107 KAHOLAlELE ROAD

KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA

A TEMPLE BUILT TO LAST 1. 000 YEARS

ART

Dods, Kings and Tigers

.,-----------

The master artists of . Rajasthan's Kotah regiof,l

MONG THE MANY ART AND PHOTO books published in commemoration of India's 50th year of independence, Gods, Kings and Tigers, the Art of

Kota'h, published by Asia Society Galleries and Harvard University Art Museums, is truly outstand­ing. First credit must go to the now nameless artists who created these timeless masterpieces, but the book's editors deserve kudos fo~ their keen eye in selecting a fascinating range of representa­tive pieces. Superb German litho­graphy renders every painting in vivid detail. The or,iginal pieces are part of an exhibition touring New York, Cambridge (USA) and Zuril!:h, Switzerland, during 1997. Kot~ was a princely state of

Rajpoo~ana, an area that nowadays corresponds more or less to Ra­jasthan in nor~hwest India. It was created in 1631 by Mughal decree, with whom Kotah maintained an alliance until the 1820s when it came under British suzerainty. Its economic prosperity-especially the rich farmlands-invoked envy' in British inspectors.

The refined court culture at Kotah was ~ique in the status it accorded painti¥gs. In sharp con­trast to their role at other me- :: dieval Indian courts, paintings at . ~

part of the picture," and therefore he taught that real Gods and their wives are what viewers see in the paintihgs.

There is a lot of Kotah art; the palace walls are covered with it inside and out, some panels reaching fourteen feet in height. The rulers successfully preserved huge stashes of paintings through the turbu­lent times. The present :p.eir to the Kotah dy~ nasty, H.H. Mahar'ba Brijraj Singh, main­tains a large collection. The book drew upon all sources for its selection.

The paintings are mostly of court life, es­pecially palace scenes, battles and hunts. Artists were brought along to historic meet­ings-much as the paparazzi follow today's

...politicians-to record in detailed paintings the day's ·events. So, too, were individual

Kotah had pivotal roles in impor­tant royal and religious rituals in which they often were (and still

Kotah art: Rajput prince and ladies at a Siva shrine

are) considered to be invested with life. Philosophically, the painttngs reflect the

Vaishnava Vallabha Sampradaya.: to which the royal family and a majority of Kotah's Hindu population have belonged since the early 18th century. According to Vallab­hacharya's shuddhadvaita ("purified nondu­alism"), Divinity could reside in paintings as well as stone or metal images of the Gods. The religious practice of worshiping .and lovingly caring for '1ive" paintings (vchitra seva) condnues at Kotali today. Saint Vallab­ha (ca 1475-1530) said that Lord Krishna asked both bods and their wives to "form

hunts recorded (occasicmally in rath~r grue­some detai1). Animals were a specialty of this school, especially elephants and tigers. Many festivals were depicted.

The religious art, such as seen in the gate.! fold opening this issue of HINDUISM TODAY, is superb, every bit the invocation of the Di­vine intended by Sri Vallabhacharya. Alto­gether, the art is so detailed, so realistic and so successful at conveying emotion as to constitute a vivid and accurate glimpse into ~e life and times of early- Rajasthan. _

ASIA SOCIETY GALLERIES, 725 PARK AVENUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 10021, USA. u5$49.95

MEDIA

The Twist of Fate .. f

Jai~ leader ~truggles to de-stigmatize the swastika

tionally sacred to the Jains, it was our right to use it. But when the Vancouver, Canada, Multi-faith Action Society printed a 1996-1997 g.alendar they only used the palm por­tion of the Jain symbol and removed the up­per, half of the design, which included the swastika. I wrote and asked them to use the complete image in the future, but they have

not responded." He recently con-:PRAKASH MODY PULLED HIS vinced the Canadian Gage Dic-

24th issue of Ti~ maga- tionary to carry the auspicious out of the mailbox, he felt· his me{IDing of the swastika. sink. There on the cbver was a The Nazi stigma carries real

huge gold swastika set against a backdrop of hazards to Jains and Hindus. At-starving victims of the holocaust. It was the tacks apparently promoted by , lead-in for an article on gold originally be- the presence of the swastika as longing to Jews which the German Nazis religious building decoration~ had stored in Swiss banks during World War have occUrred at several temples. II and which had never been returned to its A South Indian lady settled in rightfuvowners: The image was used to New Jersey told HINDUISM To-evoke the horrors-some never put to rest- DAY correspondent Radhika Sri-of Nazi Germany. But for Mody, a devout nivasan that she used fo draw Jain, it was just one more vilification of his auspicious rangoli, floral designs cherished swastika, sy;nbol of good luck, which included swastikas, in prosperity and all things auspicious, not front of her hom€, as is the uni-only to followers of his faith, but to Hindus, versal custom in India, but Buddhists and dozens of ancie~ cultures. promptly discontinued the prac-

He complained to Time that such promi- tice after receiving anonymous nentAlse of the swastika with no acknowl- threats. Nearby residents of Irish

. edgement of its au~picious meanings to oth- and' Polish descent Radhika er religioI)s was creating problems for spoke with could hardly associ-minority religions. He received a polite re- ate the name swastika with sanc-ply stating: "You are correct in pointing out tity, piety or anything positive'. -that that swastiKa is an,anclent symbol that Adolf Hitler adopted what was is often used to represent prosperity and known as the "twisted or broken good fortune. Hitler adopted the swastika, cross" to promote "German or but with a major change:'he switched the di- Positive Christianity." He re-rection of the arms so that the top arm faced Sullied Symbol:'Time magazine's February cover placed the cross with the swasti-righlj insteaq of left. We were glad to hear ka in all c£urches. He selected

• _ from you about this subject. Symbols often the North American Federation of Jain Or- the dynamic sWClstika from several hundred have very different meanings-to people." ganizations adopted the same logo, but f8,- alternatives as a counter to the communist

Time stopped short of printing any clarifi- moved the swastika, fearing the association harnmer-and-sickle emblem. The swastika is cation, likely unaware of the depth of the of Jainism with Nazis. Four years ago when one of the most widely used symbols, found problem. They also repeated the common the Jains applied to join the Ontario Multi- in the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, error-found even in rep.utable .dictionar- Faith Council, 1 asked that we use the origi- Greece, Central Asia, SGythia, Partp.ia, pre­ies-about the swastika: that Hitler used the nal symbol with the swastika. The' council Columbian Mexico and the Americas. The "right-handed" (clockwise rotating) swasti- agreed,jaying that even if some objected American Navajo Indians called it tsil no' ka and everyone else the left-handed one. that it was a Nazi symbol, since it was tradi- ali, "whirling winds." It is found on the In-This is simply not true. The ____ ------------------,"-_ dus Valley seals, on rock petro- . right-handed swastika is the glyphs near ~ayan tombs and, most commonly used in world Jainism's Official Sacred Emblem according to 'one expert~ even religions including Jainism, Hin- King Solomon's temple. duism and Buddhism. Mody Abode of Liberated Souls To those in India, all this may proposes the Nazi swastika al- Three Paths: Right faith, right conduct, Right seem needless fussing, for they ways be set at 45°, as the Nazis Knowledge are not aware of the potent emo-did in later' years, in order to at Four destinies: Heaven, human, animal, hell tional associ9-tions of the swastika,

"Ahimsa" (Nonviolence) least partly distinguish it frpm "Mutual ASSistance of All Beings" nor of the Jews' collective 0ath to the sacred usage. ~ "never fOJ;get" (or allow the world

Jains have faced this problem -. Based on ancient scriptural cosmological to forget) what happened to them . repeatedly in the West. Mody designs, the s.ymbol to re~resent a unified under the Nazis. But the Nazis are told HINDUISM TODAY, "In 1973 Jam commuruty was adopted in India in dead and gone, and Jains, Hindus Jain leaders of all sects met ip. :: 1973, and is now accepted in Canada. It and others would prefer that the India and adopted a single sym- ~ represents the realm ot transcendence, Nazis not be allowed this one last bol, to be used Ey all Jains, re- 8 three paths to liberation, the destinies of victory of snatchfug away our an-gardless of theIr denomination _ z reincarnating souls, nonviolence and the cient, holy and much-beloved [see right]. Over a csl.ecade ago, ~ mutual interdependence of all beings. symbol of good fortune. _

/

AUG U S T, 1 997 HI N D U ISM TO DAY 49

,

/

-~" --- -----~~-----------.---

BOOKS ,/

Dissolving , Bound~ries After a lengthy near-death eXRerience, Divakaruni casts storyteller magic

By JULIE RAJAN, PHILADELPHIA

T IS NOT AN EASY TASK FOR A HINDU

writer born in India to break into the mainstream Amer-ican market. But Chi-

, tra Banerjee Divakaruni has dohe just that with her very first noveL The Mistress of S):Jices has received rave reviews from major newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and S'an Francisco Chronicle and in­fluential trade publications including Li­bran) Journal and Publisher's Weekly. This and her equally-acclaimed, earlier collec­tion of short stories, Arranged Marr:iage, ex­~~e a poetic, realistic and mystic voice that set them 'apart.

Divakaruni is getting recognition not just from reviewers, but also top writers, Amy Tan, author ofthe Joy Luck Club, desoribes The Mistress of Spices as 'fa dazzling tale of misbegotten preams- and" desires, hopes and expectations, woven with poetry and story­teller magic." Author Pat Conroy exclaims, "It is a splendid novel, beautifully conceived and crafted. I want to read everything that Divakaruni has written before and every­thing that she will ever write in the future."

The concept for The MiStress of Spices grew out of a 1994 near-death experience that Divakaruni haq following her second pregnancy. Followin~ mishaps dl!lring deliv­ery, Divakaruni found herself hospitalized, caught in the boundary somewhere be­tween life and death for one month. She did not ~perience the typical tunnel of light or out-of-body experience that many en­counter when near death, Rather, she went into a meditative state that allowed her to experience a profound understanding and appreciation for life. "I felt as though I float­ed between states of life and death, and that it didn't matter which side I Illnded on. The b'6undary we humans. had drawn between these two states was not as impOJ;tant, nor as irrevocabl~, as we believed," she wrote. "And it seemed to me, in some wordless way, that the art of dissolving boundaries is what liv-ing is about." I

':But I didri't know how," she ~es on, "un­til'Tilo, my heroine, the Mistress of Spices, came to me. I wrote the book urgently-al­most breathlessly. Having beeh so close fo death, I could no longer take even a single day fur granted. It was a book full of risks for me. I ventured into paths I hadn't traveled

50 HINDUISM TOD A;Y At( GUST , 1997

before, 'breaking ethnic barriers, showing people of different races at war and in love. I dipped into the l~guage and imagery of my childhood, the folk tales I grew up on, 'and alterl).ated them with slang from Oakland's inner-city streets. And I wrote in a~pirit of , play, collapsing the divisions between the re­alistic world of twentieth-century America and the timeless one of myth and magic in my attempt to. create a modern fable."

"I am the Mistress of Spices," Tile: says to opeI1/ his fable. "I know their ori-

.gins, and what their (wlors signi- ' fy, and their smells. I can call each by the true-name it was given at the first, when earth split like skin and offered it up to the sky. At a whisper they yield up to me their hidden properties, their magic powers. Yes, they ,all hold magic, even the everyday Amer.ican spices you toss un­thinking into your cooking pot."

Tilo, following her t¢ning in the healing power of spices, sets up practice in the unlikely loca­tion of an Indian grocery store i!,1 Oakland, California. She takes on th'e body of an old woman to

. disguise herself. S,he was first . taught that the spices are meant to heal only South Asians, But she soon is helping everyone.

In the way of fables, the spices talk. For example: "I am turmer­ic, who rose out of the ocean of milk when the Mvas 1angels] and asuras [demons] churned for the treasures of the universe. I

I ' am furmeric who came after the

male experience.:' All her heroines must find themselves within the constraining bound­aries of thetr cultures and. religions. "My characters struggle in the balance between family responsibility and indjvjdual happi­ness, which is, in a way, at the center of the conflict between our Hindu culture, which always shows the mother as the giver, as the nurturer, and' as saorifJcing herself for the good of the family, and the Western concept of self-happiness." ",

, A Pol 0 'V E L

rumayi's spiritual guidance has allowed Di­vakaruni to understand her direction and purpose in life and to be more lo\(ing and unive~al in her thoughts.

"Mille is a very simple life. I found that bec,ause I do several things that are very im­portant to me, I've had to make my priori­ties clear," she said. "I think one of the things that our religion teaches us is to try and make our lives simple amI to cut out things that are not necessary, so that we

har e time for the important thiT,lgs." As a w.ife and mother of two sons, family is a strong pri­ority in her life. She is a creative r writing professor at Foothill Collegs. "I leve teaching," she said, "Ins a great satisfaction." Divakaruni is also president of MAITRI, the first help line for abused women of South Asian descent in California, \

In Bengal, India, Divakaruni underst00d that ,the spirituality of Hindu women,was as impor­tant as that of Hindu men: "The worship of the' Mother Goddess is a big part of the Bengali cul­ture, It's given· me a sense of the power of the Goddess in women. I was brought up to think that women can do any­thing that they want, that women are successfuL They are powerful guiding forces in the family and outside the family"

"I think one of the first things that I learned about Hinduism,

Chlt.a Bane.lee Dh'a~a.un; AUTHOR OF A.RRANGEP I1A IUUP.GE

",

nectar and before the poison and thus lie in-between." Divakaruni works through the medium of spices because she feels they are ~ one of Hinduism's most i.mpor- . z tant symbols. Spices play a large : role in 1J.Ujas (worship), as spiced food is a'common and central rit­ual offering.

"I see my writing as a gift and as a sacred activity," Divakaruni states. "I think it comes not from the conscious mind but from some place deeper within us." Divakaruni broke into the US market first as a poet-for which there is precious little readership (even her husband showed sC:ant interest)-then five years ago '

'1 'am turmeric who rose out of the

. and that ~ always loved about Hinduism, is its inclusive and all-embracing attitude to the world." She acknowledges that it is sometimes difficult to bridge the gap between the Western mindset and experieI).ce and true Hindu principles. And for Divakaruni, modern-day Hin­duism does. not always seem so loving, so understanding. She points to the:.,selfish and 1ateful acts that Hindus comID.itted during recent religious riots in -India, "How can we believe that the same divine Self is in every­one, and then turn around and do somethipg horrible to anoth­er person who calls G0d by an-

ocean of milk the de'qas 9.lld asuras churned for treasures,' I came after the nectar and before the poison and thus li~ in-between," other n~e? It distresses me."

Divakaruni's next n0vel details . made/ the transition to ~tories (which her husband loves). "Once I started writing fiction, I was very fortl,mate. I really do think of it as God's grace in my life," ~he says of her mettoric success. Divakarunis books are directed mainly to women of all races and faiths who share a common "fe-

It has been 19 years since Divak~i left Bengal to live in Sunnyvale, California. Leav~ her homeland has only strength­ened her Hindu beliefs, She is an avid fol­lower ~f Gurumayi Chidvalasananda of SYDA, successor to Baba Muktananda. Gu-

. ,

the relationship between two fe­male cousins bound by love but separated by distance, time and culture. Her newest col­lecti9n of short stories, Leaving Yuba City is set for publication in August 1997. _

Contact: Anchor Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, USA.

AUGUST, 1997 HI'NDUISM TODAY 51

/'

MINISTER'S MESSAGE

Reacbin~ for . The Golden Ring Seek the transcendent power of the true Self in a world that forgets the soul with painful results.

BY SWAMI SHUDDHANANDA BRAMACHARI

guna-truth, non-violence, forgiveness, love and service to the less privileged-gradual­ly developing a higher leVel of energy in the body-mind system Whether visiting temples or churches or not, those nurturing the quali­ties of sattwa guna are on the path of dharma.

A close disciple once asked Baba Loke­nath, "What is the benefit of contemplation on the higher qualities of human life?" The Living Siva replied,""Just as darkness disap­pears with the rising of the sun, just as the thief runs away when the householder wakes up, in the same manner if you con­template the higher qualities, the lower instincts will run away from you, and your body will be transformed into a temple of

..the Divine. Later, when the power of Braa­man awakens in you, you will become Brahman." Through these words the Awak-

LESSED ARE THEY WHO DWELL ON THE DEEPEST ened One calls us all to awaken from the of human life, especially in a wor'ld:z: sleep of unawareness and recognize our in-

tnrTYl".nt~.rl by crisis, violence, poverty and despair. ~ nate divine qualities. The Guru is the dis-Yes, the news of the world is oppressive. It erodes ~ peller of darkness. He is the one who fans to

confidence in the potential of humanity and your ~ fire the awareness of the highest purposes own life. Natural resources are shrinking. Cultures are be- :3 of human birth. Baba is only repeating the coming degraded. Corrupt governments, unwilling to ~ words of the Vedas: "You are what your respond to the ills of society, sell the future to the highest ;; deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so bidder. Inhumane crimes and ethnic genocide are common- " is your will. As your will is, so is your deed.

III place. Suffering and ~cological devastation abound. ~ As your deed is, so is your destiny."

The illusion of success, the possibility of laying claim to the ~ You are what you think. The need for good life beckons, a welcome escape from desperation. In a 3 contemplation of higher human values and blind rush, people reach for the golden ring. It is an under- '-----'------'-=-~-'----' for determined efforts to live up to them standable defense from chaos and uncertainty. shapes your destiny toward the ultimate-the Brahman.

But what is true success? Success is always a mixed blessing. Your dream state continues as long as you are unconscious, but (Look closely at the Western world!!! ) Success never cemes with- the moment you become aware of the dream, the dream stops. As out tentacles of' attachment, maya, eventual crises, or haunting long"as you live the life of flesh and. ego-identification, however insecurities and fear. Success is never the end. It is inevitably. fol- high you may rise in the world, fall is inevitable. But one who lowed by failure and difficulty. Ups and downs are Unavoidable. builds on the rock of Self-contemplation and who performs all That is the way of things in a self-balancing, ever-evolving work as worship to the Divine, gradually a~ens to the higher universe. Life painfully brings to light all that is unfit for the next, energy of the Cosmic Source. Drawing from the wellsprings of new level of consciousness. Within struggle the seeds Gf Truth are creativity, you are never exhausted, never cheate~. You are contin-hidden. Behind all Stlperficial, transient struggle lies a brilliant uously renewed by the Infinite. Become aware 01 that Infinite reality waiting to be revealed through transcendence. Fountain within your own Soul! Experience the rising Sun of eter-

.True success refines harmony and peace in the heart. It confers nal illumination in your inner being! You are the builder of your emotional and psychological balance, profound wisdom. It l;>rings own destiny. Build it on the rock of faith in your true Self It will the 19lessings. of health and vitality, not only to yourself but to the stand against all odds. Finally, the Grace of the Divine will bring world around you. True success uplifts all life. Today, humanit}l' is the highest transformation of Brahmanhood. For you are That. at the threshold of a new evolution of consciousness. The patholo- The Divine Designer is Truth and Bliss. In the midst of deepen-gies ofthe old world are erupting. But conscj..ousness works out its ing darkness, nature takes humans toward the-dawn of higher qon-destiny, emerging through crises, moving humanity inevitably to- sciousness, leading us from asat to sat, from lower to higher truth. ward perfection and realization. May we all cooperate in our small, humble way with nature to

The Vedas speak of dharma, which involves the expression of manifest a higher culture of Spirit which breaks the shackles of all the intrinsic essence, property or quality. The dharma of fire is to human bondage. May we work to usher in an era of conscious love give light and warmth. The dharma 0f ice is to give cold. And the and blessedness. You and I are bofn to achieve this in this birth!! dharma of the human being is t~ manifest innate divinity. All pain No small ~ffort goes in vain; all good actions must yield fruit of derives from the failure to understand and act in accordance with blessedness for all. Om shanti. the waiting dharma of divinity. The Vedic rishis propounded the ~ unchangeable principles which transcend the limits of time, geog- r-J /':J. /J _ P _ L . ~ raphy and society to give insight into our manava dharma [human 2::; '" \...:I" V~ ~"</I.A.... dharma] and to lead us back to our intrinsic, true nature. These principles are the natural, operabonallaws by which the Divine Cosmic Intelligence unfolds in manifestation. That is the essence of manava dharma-the ultimate, deeper reality. Manava dharma liberates the divine being. It manifests the potential divinity in each human soul. It nurtures the humanizing qualities of sattwa

52 HINDUISM TODAY A.UGUST , 1997

SWAMI SHVDDHANANDA, 47, founder Lokenath Divine Life Mission, "India and Lokenath Divine Life Fellowship, USA, works to alleviate poverty in Calcutta's slums and hundreds of surrounding villages.

,

Benefit Performance

Bharata Nat yam

byGarani & Divani Nadaraja Daughters of Drs. Ravi and Iswara Gowri Nadaraja and disciples of Smt. Mythili Kumar, California, USA

Sunday, August 24, 1997 6:30 PM

Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey

ENGLAND Suggested donation: £6 or more per person (No audio/video taping or flash photogrpahy during the performance, please. All gifts in cash.)

All proceeds will be gifted to the San Marga Iraivan Temple of Kauai, Hawaii, USA This white granite temple will be the first of its kind in the West. It will be made entirely and exclusively of stone, totally hand carved, designed according to Agamic architectural canon, and will weigh more than 3.8 million pounds. In its center will reside the world's largest spnatika (crystal) lingam. The carving, being done near Bangalore, is now half complete, and f\lmcls to CCJnstruct the temple's foundation are urgently needed. Please donate gener:ously and. rese(Ve your seats early.

Contact: Easan Katlr, 2 Old Brompton Road, sm 30Q London, UK. Tel: 44-181-994-5425, Fax: 44-181-987-9270, E-mail: easan3@aol.com

Mr.

Shree Pramukh Swami (left); Neasdon temple opening in UK (above)

ORGANIZATIONS

Swaminarayan Mission Swells

standard of their organization's other accomplishments. Similar­ly selfless members created the Neasdon temple (now a Guin­ness World Record), the incredi­ble Akshardham complex in In­dia and the Cultural Festivals of India in the UK, USA and India. Prarnukh Swami Maharaj heads BAPS, one of three present-day branches of the followers of Lord Swaminarayan (l781-1830CE).

The website is wonderfully com­prehensive, with the history of Swaminarayan and BAPS, full text of their principal scriptures Vachanamritm and Shiksha­patri, their monthly magazine Amrut, "100 Questions and An­swers" about the Swaminarayan sect, poetry, and location of all BAPS temples and e-mail con­tacts worldwide. Search for: wp.coml Aksharnetl

I ONDONMEMBERSOFTHE L.Bochasanwasi Akshar Pu­rushottam Sanstha (BAPS) creat­ed a webpage matching the high

TRAVEL

Beautiful Bali

IF YOU ABE EN ROUTE to Bali, experience it

vicariously first by visit­ing the island's highly ac­claimed, colorful web­site. Guidance is all here-a travel planner, maps, lists of nature ex-

cursions, directions to hotels, temples, muse­ums, art galleries, histor­ical places and more. You will read how Bali Hin­duism differs from In­dia's and why no Bali­nese ever feels alone. Every action is intended to please the Gods and Goddesses. Therefore, one "cannot separate the religious life of Bali from its daily life"-the secret

Lake temple a11 Candi Klu.ning

of Balis endur­ing indigenous identity See the Calendar of Events and be sure to attend a temple festival and ritual dance-they oc­cur daily! Travel to indo. com! .,

1995 Purush show

ARTS

Arangham

DISTINGUISHED AR­tiste Anita Ratnam

established Arangham ["Performing Arena"] Trust in Chennai, 1992, to create synergy be­tween Indian dancers and traditional sculptors,

poets, painters and other visual artistes. This col­laboration is encouraged by the trust's frequent dance and theatre pro­ductions. Other activi­ties include eance work­shops for urban Chennai school students and mask making and pup­petry classes for street children. A tantalizing glimpse is given of Narthaki, a printed di­rectory (unfortunately not available online). it contains 4,000 names and addresses of dance teachers and institutions, along with information about jewelry, costumes, dance critics and more­a valuable resource in­deed! Pay a visit to Arangham.com!

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SCRIPTURE

The Gita As it Is

G ITA LOVERS WILL be delighted. with a

high-powered, interao­tive, multimedia GD of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is publIshed by Knslyla Software Inc. Excellent music and full-screen, vivid color video images are generously spread throughout. You can fol­low the "Disciplic Suc­cession" from Krishna to Swami Prabhupada, read Swami's full Gita transla­tion and study his illus-

" IIltl>Mneo.... ~ A.C.ShaktiYedaDta SwamI Probbuplda I:Q ~floit...........,,,.... .......... a.....-

Widely used translation

trated biography. A beautiful production as it is, future versions of the CD could be im­proved in some areas. Window:; only. Write: Krishna Software, 19 Ventnor Drive, Edison, New Jersey 08820, USA. Phone: 908-283-166l. Web: krishnasoft.coml

Him whQ is withQut beginnin~ and withQut end, the CreatQr of all,

Qf manifold fQrm, the One embracer Qf the univers~-by knQwing GQd, one is released frQm all fetters,

KRISHNA YAjUR VEDA SVETASVATARJI. UPANISHAD 5.13