3

The Secret of ÏÏÏÏÏakti akti akti akti akti WorshipDivine Ïakti represents the executive dynamism of the Supreme Spirit and is synonymous withpower, energy, strength, knowledge, plenitude, etc. The grace of Ïakti showers boons of strength,peace, wisdom and prosperity whereas its absence leads to destitution, hopelessness, pain andmisery. Those aspiring to become devotees of Ïakti will have to single-mindedly devotethemselves to panchopchar pujan (five-fold worship) of Mah³ïakti, which manifest as (1) physicalpower, (2) mental power, (3) emotional power, (4) financial power and (5) spiritual power. Thelack or extravagant use of these powers compels a person to live a miserable life. On the otherhand, earning and righteous use of these powers leads to happy and healthy life.

How can we access the grace of Ïakti? This mystery is hidden in the nine words of G³yatrºMah³mantra: (1) Tat – It is the symbol of God, the Supreme Transcendent Being; s³dhak canrealize It through faith and devotion. (2) Savitu¡ - Savita is the fountainhead of Ïakti; we canacquire Its grace through single-pointed s³dhan³ (3) Vareñyam – The Most Exalted. (4) Bhargo –Effulgent like Sun, the destroyer of sins; we should resolve not to commit sins. (5) Devasya –This is a symbol of Divinity; we should cultivate divine virtues within ourselves. (6) Dhºmahi –The capability of overpowering vices and imbibing virtues. (7) Dhiyo – Illumined intelligence;augments wisdom, thoughtfulness, decision-making ability, etc. (8) Yona¡ - This is a symbol ofdivine blessings; we should learn to properly use them. (9) Prachoday³t – Prayer for DivineGrace; may Mother Gayatri inspire us to adopt righteous living. On the auspicious occasion ofÂïvin Navar³tri let us try to understand this mystery behind the worship of Ïakti.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 20054

Contents1. Amrit Cintan :

The secret of Ïakti worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03

2. From Chief Editor's desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05

3. O® -The Primordial Sound, The Eternal Syllable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07

4. Delight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5. Vedic Cosmology-5Vedic Cosmology - A Scientific Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

6. An Emerging Integrative Healing Therapy:Reincarnation Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

7. Companions in Solitude- 4Entrance into the Deeps of the Himalayas -III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

8. On the Auspicious Occasion of Âïvin Navr³triThe Celestial Boons of G³yatrº S³dhan³ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

9. Science and SpiritualityControl and Refinement of Hormones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

10. Whatever may the Eyes See or the Mind Think,Reality is Something Else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

11. Ayurvedic Therapies-5Ayurvedic Decoction Therapy-IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

12. My Life: Its Legacy and Message-15Third Pilgrimage to the Himalayas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

13. Restore Women to their Rightful Status of High Esteem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

14. Your Place in the Life Pattern (Peace Pilgrim's Wisdom). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

15 Amrit V³ñº Amrit V³ñº Amrit V³ñº Amrit V³ñº Amrit V³ñº :Don't Ignore the Call of the All-Conquering Time - Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

16. Make me a Blessing, Lord! Help me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Gurudev prophesied in the January 1979issue of Akhand Jyoti that by the year 2025there will be a global upliftment andtransformation of the divisive, ego-boundhuman consciousness into theSuperconscious realm of Unity, Love, Lightand blissful Life; i.e. emergence of golden Eraof Righteousness or descent of PragyaAwatar in human hearts. He had declaredthat the movements of Yug Nirman Yojanaand Gayatri Mission initiated by him wouldplay a crucial role in this transformativeprocess.

In 1979 he founded a unique laboratory forsynthesis of science and spirituality –Brahmavarchas Shodh Sansthan. Aroundthat period he also initiated a well-planned,vigorous and revolutionary campaign forestablishment of a network of countrywidePragyapeeths / Pragyamandals byundertaking extensive tours around thecountry. In addition, he conducted intensivetraining retreats and sadhana camps forpreparing thousands of volunteers andsadhaks to take charge of the multifariousand widespread activities of the Missionduring 1979-1981.Through his prophetic

vision he could clearly visualize thecatastrophic trials and tribulations that willoverwhelm humanity during the four-decade long era-change period of 1980-2020/25 and published, as forewarnings,two very special issues of Akhand Jyoti –Pragya Awatar in August 1979 and YugSandhi in March 1980.Thus, this three-yearperiod from January 1979 to December 1981was of momentous significance in Gurudev’slife and work. We are, therefore, celebratingthe Silver Jubilee of this Herculean effort ofGurudev during 2005-2007.

I was on a three weeks tour of USA, Canadaand UK in July/August2005. During thisperiod, the Mission organized two youthconferences in USA in which thousands ofyoung men and women of Indian originliving and working in USA and Canadaactively participated. In addition, a three-day World Dharma Summit was alsoorganized by the joint efforts of HinduUniversity of America (Florida), AryaGurukulam’s Swami Dayanand Saraswatiand Professor Ved Chaudhari at RutgerUniversity, New Jersey. About 500 eminentpersons of Indian origin - leading religious

The Spirit of Gayatri Pragya(Superconscious Enlightened Intelligence)

will soon uplift and transformHuman Consciousness Worldwide

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

6

personalities of various denominations ofVedic Sanatan Dharma, scientists, medicalprofessionals, executives - took part in thesummit and deeply deliberated upon waysand means of inculcating the spirit ofSanatan Vedic Dharma amongst the younggeneration of Indians abroad. Theseinitiatives were warmly welcomed by theyouth who attended the conferences and thesummit. They resolved to consciouslyinculcate in their lives the perennial valuesand virtues of Indian culture and heritage.

In my keynote address at the Summit I putbefore the august assembly concrete stepswhereby essence of Indian Vedic heritagecould be kept alive and vibrant in the Indianyouth living abroad and narrated thehumble efforts that the Gayatri Mission hasbeen making in this respect over the pastmany years. It was the unanimous view ofall the participants in the summit thatGayatri Pariwar alone can play pivotal rolein this task. Gayatri Mahashakti wasunanimously hailed as the rallying light forall denominations of Aryan culture andspirituality. It is indeed a befitting tribute tothe vision and work of our Gurudev. Let allof us parijans – his children - work still morededicatedly to make his vision a reality. Theterror-stricken humanity direly cries forpeace, love and understanding.

- Dr Pranav Pandya

A Sufi of forbiddingappearance arrived at thedoors of the palace. No onedared to stop him as he madehis way right up to the throneon which the saintly Ibrahimben Adam sat. “What is ityou want?” asked the King.“A place to sleep in thiscaravanserai.”“This is no caravanserai. Thisis my palace.”“May I ask who owned thisplace before you?”“My father. He is dead.”“And who owned it beforehim?”“My grandfather. He is deadtoo.”“And this place where peoplelodge for a brief while and moveon - did I hear you say it wasnot a caravanserai?”Everyone’s in the departurelounge!

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 2005 7

Ïabdabrah® being generated by the cosmicimpulse of Brah® is eternal; its physical

manifestation in sonic vibrations also continuesto exist forever. As per the Vedik scriptures,its first realization was –– the self-existent,primordial N³da (musical sound) of “˙” (O®).Physical perception of this sound is describedto be similar to what one would hear from theresonant notes of the tinkling vibrations of abig gong struck by a wooden hammer in aconsistent manner (e.g. during the devotionalprayers – ³ratis in the temples). In terms ofphonetics, the pronunciation of O® is describedas – au..3®: ‘au’ stretched with a stress almost3 times higher than ordinary ‘short’ or ‘long’vowels followed by the anusw³ra – sound ofthe nasal sign (®). The syllable “˙” for thisuniversal sound “O®” (often referred as om oraum by the Westerners) in ancient Sanskritscript is a monogram of this sound. All theactivities and the order in this world are saidto be generated and harmoniously regulatedthrough the origin of this omnipresentsubliminal sound.

The phonemes of the Vedic hymns and theseven fundamental nodes – S³, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa,Dha, Ni of the Indian classical music haveoriginated (distinctly recognized by the Rishis)from the vibrations of the sublime sound ofO® in the Nature. The Vedic quote – ‘Ekoha®Bahusy³mº ’ implies that all the sounds, all the

energies, all the motions and everythingexisting in the universe have originated fromthe vibrations of this single an³hata n³da. Thisis the source of the manifestation of the Ïabda-Brah® and the N³da Brah®.

O® (aum) became the sacred word hum of theTibetans, amin of the Moslems, and amen of theEgyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Christians.Amen in Hebrew means – sure, faithful. Thebiblical passage, John 1:1, “In the beginningwas the Word, and the Word was with God,and the Word was God.” The New Testamentdeclares that in the beginning God was theWord. According to the Bible, then, heavenand earth-the cosmos-issued forth from theWord. (By “Word” is meant “pure sound”here, because there can’t be any language or‘word’ in the primordial existence).

Paramahansa Yogananda also mentions of“O®” as the ‘Word’ of the Bible, as the HolySpirit. According to Yogananda, all aspiringyogis seek to commune with “O®” andunderstand it. Audible utterance of this soundproduces a sense of sacredness... However, realunderstanding of “O®” is obtained only byhearing it internally and then becoming onewith it in all creation.

The O® sound of the self-inspired evolutionarypulse of the omnipresent supreme

˙ (O®O®O®O®O®) –The Primordial Sound, The Eternal Syllable

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 20058

consciousness force (Brah®) has three divinemanifestations in the sublime domains ofNature; those of creation (God Brahma),preservation/execution (God Vishnu) andtransformation (God Shiva). The vibratorycosmic energy of this eternal soundregenerates the life-force and vital spiritualenergy of the one who utters it repeatedly atconsistent, rhythmic pace with deep breathing,mental concentration and reverence. As aconsequence one feels emotional soothing andrejuvenation of mind - body system. Thissimple practice also motivates introvertexperience.

The syllable and sound “O®” is a vital partof the science of yoga. It’s a tool, aphenomenon, a mystery. To many people inthe modern times, “O®” (aum) is just a wordchanted in meditation or as a closing prayerin yoga practice. However, as translator andBhagavad Gita scholar Barbara S Miller notes,“according to the ancient Indian traditionspreserved in the Upanishads, all speech andthought are derived from the one self-existent sound – O®. It expresses the ultimatereality.”

The Amrita-Bindu-Upanishad states that, “Theeternal sound (O®) is the supreme Absolute.”It is the musical sound (N³da) generated bythe cosmic vibration of Brah® that resulted inthe manifestation of Nature and all creation.

Paramahansa Yogananda called it “thevibration of the Cosmic Motor.” The greatpioneer of yoga, Patanjali, advised using it toovercome the obstacles and distractions in lifethat are like stonewalls in the path ofenlightenment.

“O®O®O®O®O®” and The Big-Bang Theory of ModernSciences:

“Tao of Physics” by Fritjof Capra presentsintriguing parallels between Yogic philosophyand Western science concerning the originsand nature of the universe. In “Light On TheYoga Sutras of Patanjali” B.K.S. Iyengar, states– “Sound is vibration, which, as modernscience tells us, is the source of all creation”.

Contemporary scientific explanation of thecreation of universe seems to point in the samedirection. And just as exciting, theseexplanations agree completely with theteachings and philosophy of Yoga. Thefollowing report quoted by Schumacherfurther confirms this interpretation.

Washington Post Staff Writer Kathy Sawyerhad presented an interesting review of theresearch findings of astrophysicists under thetitle “Calculating Contents of Cosmos”. Thenewspaper article highlighted the currenttheory that the universe is made up primarilyof stuff astronomers call “dark matter” and“dark energy”. Only 4.5% is ordinary matter,which the author described as “all the shiningstars and galaxies, plus people, computers, catsand so on….”.

It further stated that, “Three independentteams of astronomers yesterday presented themost precise measurements to date of theinfant universe.., exposing telltalereverberations they called the music of creation...The research teams reached back across timeand space to take precise readings of lightemitted about 400,000 years after the Big Bangexplosion that gave birth to the universe”.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 2005 9

The article quoted John Carlstrom of theUniversity of Chicago as saying, “We’relooking back as far as you can go with light– 14 billion years, or roughly the age of theuniverse.. . In a sense, ‘the ancientknowledge’ allow us to ‘see’ sound in theearly universe.”

Indeed “O®” is this sound which wasrealized by the Vedic Rishis (the ancientseers, sages and yogis) through their peersearch (by the inner eye) of the sublimeworld and which is now being conceived(with the help of high-tech telescopes andsuper computers) by the modern researchersas the ‘music of creation’.

Healing Effects of Chanting “O®O®O®O®O®”:

O® is a way of deepening the concentrationof the mind, which leads to realization ofthe divine. This mantra may be soundedaloud, whispered, or repeatedly enunciatedmentally. The correct pronunciation of “O®”is to pronounce it with rhythm so that the“au” (O) sound is blown out and the “m”(®) sound is reverberated within. In “TheYoga Book”, author Steven Sturgess offersa technique for chanting O® (“om” or, “aum”as the author cites). He suggests – beginmeditation by chanting “Om” aloud for tenminutes, then chant “Om” in a whisper forthe next ten minutes, and then mentallychant “Om” for ten minutes. Finally, be stilland meditate on the spiritual eye (the pointbetween your eyebrows, deep inside theforehead). Surrender into the vibrations ofOm….. Feel your awareness expanding stillfurther into the field of pure consciousness,become one with Om–Sturgess says.

As per the experts like John Schumacher andteachers of yoga and mental well-being, whilechanting O®O®O®O®O® (a...u..® a...u..® a...u..® a...u..® a...u..® as we hear it, or as we hear it, or as we hear it, or as we hear it, or as we hear it, or aumaumaumaumaum)we begin with our mouths wide open andgradually close our lips as the soundprogresses, we transition physically as wellas mentally from projecting ourselves into thematerial outer world to redirecting ourselvesinto the sublime world of the inner self.

It is further mentioned in the science of yogathat the sound ‘a’ starts in our chests at theheart center (An³hata Chakra), moves upwardwith the ‘o’ sound in the throat center (ViïuddhaChakra), and ends with the sound ‘®’ (mmmm),which vibrates the higher centers in the head(Âjó³ and Sahastr³ra Chakras). Thus, itrepresents and enhances the upwardmovement of pr³ñic energy along the spine thatoccurs as we progress in our practice.

The “Self-Realization Fellowship”, founded byParamahansa Yogananda in 1920, offersinstructions on its Website for using theYogananda’s “aum healing technique”.Yogananda noted that everything in theuniverse is composed of energy and that theapparent differentiation between solids,liquids, gases, sound, and light is merely adifference in their vibratory rates. Hemaintained that by chanting “O®”, the divinevibration, we can increase the body’s supplyof cosmic energy and even direct it as a healingforce to any part of the body, mind, and soul.

The thorough research works of Dr. Nagendraet al1-3 at the Vivekanand Yoga Kendra,(deemed university “VYASA”) PrashantiKuteeram, Bangalore has scientifically signifiedthe healing power of chanting O® andmeditating upon its syllable (˙).

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 200510

It is said that 12,000 recitations of aum (O®)remove all sins, while 12,000 recitations dailyfor a period of one year bring realization ofthe Absolute (Brah®). If that seems a littleoverwhelming, the yoga teachers say, simplytry chanting au® in your daily meditation andlet the incredible power of sound andvibration work for you. This will bring yourmind to a singular (yet universal) focus.

If one plucks or strikes one of the strings on aguitar, for instance, the other strings, thoughunplucked themselves, nonetheless vibrate inresonance with the vibration from that pluckedstring. In a similar sense, all of creation (inNature) is nothing more or less than stringsvibrating in resonance with the First Vibrationor Word. Rhythmic chanting of this word“O®” and meditating upon its sound is likeattempting to tune our mental vibrations withthis divine sound. Greater concentration anddeeper feeling with sincere practice resonatesthis sound silently within our minds at asteady pace, synchronized with the pulse ofthis Great Cosmic Ooze.

The Syllable:

O®k³ra (the symbol representing the soundO®) is said to have been visualized by the rishisin the state of deep trance. This symbol(syllable of the Grantham or Pr³krit language –the origin of ancient Sanskrit), in modernscientific terms must have been thespectrograph of the sound realized by theVedic sages. They had devised the first everscript of syllables based on the ‘shapes’ of thedifferent acoustic manifestations of this sound.

There are many meanings behind this sacredVedic syllable. Some regard it as a symbolicrepresentation of the core of cosmic energyfield. George Feuerstein in “The YogaTradition” says –– The syllable “˙ ”(O®) isheld to be or to express the pulse of the cosmositself. It was through meditative practicerather than intellectual speculation that theseers and sages of Vedic times arrived at theidea of a universal sound, eternallyresounding in the universe, which they ‘saw’as the very origin of the created world.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramhans used to say:God laughs on two occasions. He laughs when he hears a physician sayto a mother, “Don’t be afraid. I shall cure the boy”. God says to himself,“I am planning to take the life of the child and this man thinks he cansave it!”

He also laughs when he sees two brothers divide their land by means of aboundary line saying, “This side belongs to me and the other side toyou.” He says to himself, “The universe belongs to me and they claim toown portions of it!”

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

11

In terms of Sanskrit phonemes, thedecomposition of the gross (and audible)sound of O® is written (in the Devnagari scriptof this language) as –– • (a) + © (u) + ◊̃Ô (®). Theexperts of the ‘Akshar Yoga’ (science ofsyllables) also attribute the geometricalsegmentation of the shape “˙ ” as acombination of the shapes of the above letters/vowels.

In the introduction to ‘Light On Yoga’, B.K.S.Iyengar devotes nearly two pages to thevarious meanings of “O®”. In his views, theletter ‘a’ symbolizes the conscious or wakingstate, ‘u’ the dream state, and the letter ‘®’the dreamless deep sleep (trance like) state ofthe mind and spirit. The entire symbol,Iyengar says, stands for the “realization ofman’s divinity within himself.” An analogousdecipheration is also applied to the geometricshape of O®k³ra. Spectral analysis of the grosssound of O® and its decompositions andsimultaneous analysis of the brain-impulsesand bio-energy waves while meditating upon

this sacred sound would give new dimensionsto modern scientific research, thus unfoldingthe annals of secret knowledge of the Vedas.

References (on Healing effects):

1. Telles S, Nagarathna R and Nagendra HR(1995): Autonomic changes during “OM”meditation. Indian Journal of Physiology andPharmacology 39(4); pp 418-420.

2. Telles, S., R. Nagarathna, H.R. Nagendra,et al (1994a): Alterations in AuditoryMiddle Latency Evoked Potential DuringMeditation on a Meaningful Symbol: OM.International Journal of Neuroscience 76, no1- 2; pp 87-93.

3. Telles, S., R. Nagarathna, and H.R.Nagendra (1998): Autonomic Changeswhile Mentally Repeating Two Syllables –One Meaningful and the Other Neutral.Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology42; pp 57-63.

Buddha said:

“This land is mine, these sons are mine” – such are the words ofthe fool who does not understand that even he is not his.

You never really possess things. You merely hold them for a while.If you are unable to give them away, you are held by them.

Whatever your treasure must be held in the hollow of your landas water is held. Clutch at it and it is gone. Appropriate it toyourself and you soil it. Set it free and it is forever yours.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 200512

In awakened awareness, seeing beautyresults from one’s perception and not

necessarily from the thing perceived. What weoften describe as beautiful is merely aconditioned interpretation that is trained tosee one thing as beautiful and another asrevolting. Awakened awareness, however,overrides this conditioning and is able to seebeauty in the most unlikely of places becauseit sees the universal essence of things.

Some years ago I was in India to visit myteacher- Poonjaji, when a dramatic shift in myperception occurred. I had become, over manytrips during the previous twenty years, moreand more allergic to India. By that I mean Ihad developed such revulsion for the sights,smells, and sounds that accost one’s sensesevery day that I went around with a slightfeeling of nausea. Nevertheless, Indiacontinued to draw me because of its richspiritual heritage and the great teachers wholived there. I also enjoyed being occasionallyunplugged from the hectic pace of Western life.But I had long ago lost all romantic notionsabout much of India and instead noticed itsdisease, pollution, poverty, and superstition.It seemed after a while that my eye fell uponugliness at nearly every turn. Being withPoonjaji changed all that. I began to sense thepresence of the life force in myself and, soon,in everything around me. While I wasshowering one day, the bath tiles came aliveas I imagined, could almost feel, their

subatomic particles swirling within. Whenwalking, I no longer experienced myself as aseparate body but as a movement in andthrough an all-encompassing landscape. Thisperception in turn produced feelings ofwarmth and appreciation for every strange,wonderful, or ordinary thing I chanced upon.Now, wherever my eye landed, my heart waslit up by the indwelling presence it recognizedthere. The wart hogs eating garbage on theside of the road became beautiful to mebecause I could feel my own essence in them.They and I, embodying different forms, werejust part of the unbounded panorama ofexistence.

In Zen they say, “When you wake up, thewhole’ world wakes up”. One’s awakenedawareness recognizes its own nature ineverything, seeing its source as the source ofall. One then perceives in love and wholeness,experiencing beauty not merely in certainobjects, people or places, but as awakenedheart intelligence at one with the world.

So often our definition and appreciation ofbeauty comes from limited awareness. Sure,we can see beauty in the creamy pink cheeksand shining eyes of a child, in the purple andred glow of sunrise over a snowy field, or inthe languid grace of a gorgeous woman.Identifying these as beautiful requires nospecial intelligence. Our genes and culturalconditioning do that work for us. We easily

DelightAbstracted from Catherine Ingram’s universally acclaimed book- ‘PassionatePresence’. Published with glad consent of the author. – Editor

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 2005 13

respond to typical triggers of instinct and whatwe have been taught to define as beauty.

ut in awakened awareness the experience ofbeauty is not about how a person, place orthing looks; it is about how the one who islooking feels. We are able to see beauty evenin what our instincts or cultural conditioningdefine as horrid. The horrid is also seen andnoted in awakened awareness but is acceptedas part of the whole. As a human animal wemay move away from all unpleasant smell, butwe need not experience the smell as an alienforce, separate from totality. Rumi said,“Imagine the delight of walking on a noisystreet and being the noise”. In awakenedawareness we are not mentally carving up theworld into what should be included or not.We sense the world as a vast extension ofourselves. We belong to it and it belongs tous. Imagine the delight.

The beauty that we experience in outwardmanifestation is a direct reflection of the beautyof our internal reality. Have you ever noticedhow someone you love or one who has simplybeen kind to you may suddenly look beautifuleven though you might have once consideredthat same face to be plain? What was it thatchanged? In awakened awareness we are notsolely dependent on visual stimulation toexperience beauty because we recognize thatthe greatest conduit for the experience ofbeauty is love. When we love, we see beauty;we walk in beauty. In love, we are beautyitself.

There is a story told by Japan’s potter HiroshiEguchi of a visit to his pottery store inNagasaki by Helen Keller and her teacher

Anne Sullivan in 1948. Blind and deaf sincebirth, Keller had by that time spent more thansixty years in a relentless love of learning anddiscovering beauty. The potter Eguchi hadseen his city devastated by the atomic bombjust three years before and felt embitteredtowards Americans. Nevertheless heconsented to show the two women around hisstore and was intrigued when Keller pickedup a special old Imari pot. As she examined itwith her hands, she exclaimed “Oh, howlovely.” Eguchi indignantly thought to himself,“How can this old blind American ladyunderstand the beauty and value of this pot?’”

Seven years later, Helen Keller and AnneSullivan made a second trip to Nagasaki andagain visited the pottery store. ImagineEguchi’s surprise when Keller asked him toshow her the Imari pot she had “seen” yearsbefore. On hearing this Eguchi realized he hadpreviously misjudged Helen Keller’s capacityfor appreciation. He would later write of thisepisode. “It is not by our eyes that weappreciate pottery. It is our hearts that feelthe beauty of pottery”

GRATITUDE

If only prayer you say in your whole life is‘thank you’ that would suffice.

-Meister Eckhart

Gratitude is a precursor to delight. To be trulyhappy is to live in gratitude. In awakenedawareness, we feel grateful simply for lifeitself. That we exist at all, witnessing thewonders of life for the span of our existence,is an immeasurable gift and reason enough to

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 200514

live entirely in gratitude for all kind of things,great and small, happy and sad, within thatexistence.

In Dharma dialogues, people often ask meabout the meaning of grace. I reply that graceis gratitude. Living in grace means acceptingwhatever comes one’s way with thankfulness.Grace is not, as is commonly misunderstood,a situation whereby everything goes yourway. People will mistakenly think that theywere in some sort of grace because they werebumped into first class or chanced to meet theright person at the right time or any other suchlucky occurrence. But true grace is an attitudeof acceptance and appreciation for whatevercomes our way, the hardships as well as thejoys. Grace is openheartedness that whispers“Okay” while everything is falling apart.

CONTENTMENT

“He who binds himself to a joyDoth tile winged life destroyHe who kisses tile joy as it fliesLives in eternity’s sunrise.”

-William Blake

Contentment is perhaps the most underratedaspect of happiness in our culture. Mostly weare conditioned by advertising and society toequate contentment with boredom. From anearly age we are inducted in the message thathappiness means wanting and getting things.About a week after the destruction of WorldTrade Center and the loss of nearly threethousand lives, our government and mediacalled upon its citizenry for their help. Whatthey suggested was not to count our blessings,or to realize life’s uncertainty and be more

kind to one another, or to diminish ourdependence on foreign resources. No,according to the government and advertisingmedia, the most important and patriotic actfor us in the face of national tragedy was topurchase products. Spend money. Get back toconsuming. We are expected to go along in anearly robotic buying trance upon which evena large-scale catastrophe should barelyimpinge.

I don’t see an evil conspiracy on the part ofgovernment and corporations. Theseorganizations are comprised simply of people,just folks. But there are number of fallaciesunder which many of the people in thoseinstitutions operate. They assume that wantingmore and always being hungry for the nextthing is the desirable condition. They areengaged in this assumption, not to pull oneover on an unsuspecting public, but becausethey, too, want more things and are trying toget them. They just happen to be in positionsof power that allow them to readily do so byconvincing masses of people likewise. It is apyramid scheme on a large scale.Unfortunately, the players are slow to noticethat this is not leading to happiness and thatrunaway train of consumption is killing muchof life on earth. If we were all more content,we would consume less. Contentmenttherefore becomes one of the mostrevolutionary acts a person in western culturecan experience. But feeling content goesagainst all cultural norms and conditioning,and that is why it is so rare.

Perhaps the greatest example of contentmentthat I know of is the life of Ramana Maharshi.One of the most revered of contemporary

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 2005 15

Indian sages, Ramana had an extraordinaryawakening in 1896 when he was just sixteenyears old. After school one day, youngRamana was overcome by thought of death.How could it be that everything was destinedto die? More to the point, how could it be thathe was going to die? Stricken with fear, helay down and allowed his awareness toexamine what exactly it was that would dieand what could possibly remain. In a span oftwenty minutes, he realized what he called theSelf, the substratum of existence, which infuseseverything. Because he recognized hisfundamental nature as that substratum. thefear of death left him and never returned.Moreover, he was filled with love, anappreciation of Self in all its forms. Soabsorbed was he in this newfound delight thathe could no longer bear the mundane activitiesof life as a schoolboy. Ordinary studiesseemed to be a distraction from his immersionin Self. Six weeks after his realization, he lefthome and went directly to the mountainArunachala, a sacred pilgrimage spot that hadalways held a mysterious lure for him.

There, on and around the mountain, Ramanaspent the rest or his life. So great was hiscontentment that until his death in 1950 henever left Arunachala, even for a day. Formany of his initial years there he lived incomplete silence, dwelling in caves, clad onlyin loincloth. After sometime, devotees beganto collect around him, drawn by the silent lovethat emanated from him. Eventually an ashramformed to accommodate the devotees andvisitors. Scholars, writers, heads of state,

spiritual teachers, and seekers from aroundthe world also came to sit in his presence. Overthe years, Ramana would occasionally answerquestions but mostly he remained silent,helping out with ashram chores, tending toanimals, or resting on his dais. Having neversought the world, the world came to him. Iwas a young woman- when I first saw a photoof Ramana Maharshi taken in his later years. Iremember looking at the picture and havingthe thought “That is what I would like to looklike at that age.” His face radiatedcontentment; his eyes gazed into forever. Itwas perhaps the most beautiful face I had everseen. I attempted to read few of his teachings,but they were too simple and direct for mycomplicated spiritual needs and beliefs at thetime. It was a long journey to come home tothem. Who could have known that in meetingmy teacher nearly twenty years later I wouldfind myself with a teacher whose own livingteacher had been Ramana Maharshi?

The deepest contentment comes fromrecognizing the pervading life force ineverything. It is the experience of witnessingan infinitely creative intelligence endlesslymanifesting itself. We call its comings andgoings life and death. But from anotherperspective, all is consciousness, endlesslyrearranging itself into form and formlessness.There is no need to demand that its creaturesof form should continue past death in somemanner when the underlying reality fromwhich they spring is infinite. Knowing this,we are witness to eternity, if only for a shortwhile.

Share all you have with the needy so thatno one feels deprived and neglected.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 200516

The approach of Science in the Vedas is thatof searching for the ultimate truth,

absolute knowledge. The knowledgeencompassed there is an expression ofomniscience. The Vedic Cosmology andScience of Nature is therefore derived fromBrahm Vidya – Supreme Knowledge, which isthe nucleus of all the knowledge. The searchof Vedic Science finds the eternal truth in thecosmic as well as the sublime. It begins with“Athato – Brahmajigy³s³”; meaning: let usnow enquire about the Brah®.

In other words, the quest of Vedic Science istop-down whereas that of the modern scienceis bottom-up. The latter has begun its journeyfrom the gross, physically perceivable and hasreached only up to the subtle atoms of matterand physically perceivable energy andaccepted the fact that there do exist subtlerparticles and all pervading energy. Theomnipresent perpetual Consciousness Energyis referred in the Vedic literature as Brah® –the self-existent cause of all existence, of allexperiences, of all knowledge, of allmanifested and sublime truth. The BrahmaSutra remarks – “That which exists in theinfinite cosmos also exists within the tiny atom.This is how the Brah® is indwelling in theinfinite cosmos”.

The Brahma Sutra (2-2-4) and Newton’s Lawof motion have a striking similarity inexplaining the cause of motion as the(gravitational) force applied. Newton andKeppler also agree with each other in this

context with regard to the motion of theplanets but they do not explain the source ofthe mutual gravitation of the different planets.Here again the Vedic concept of “enormouslevels and forms of the unified Cosmic Force”provides the complete answer.

According to the Ryle theory whole universewas born about 10,000 billion years ago as aresult of very great explosion (big bang) of asolid mass. Another theory - The Steady StateTheory was propounded by Bondy and Hoylethat whatever is being born is emerging fromnaught. It is dynamic and the space left by itis filled by another creation also arising fromvacuum. But the Vedic science holds adifferent, rather more comprehensive viewexplaining the relativity and perennialcomplementarity of creation and non-creation,matter and non-matter and existence beyondtime and space. The Shwetashwatar Upanishadfor example states that –– the perpetual sat (thepure eternal light, the infinite impulse, ofBrah®) manifests itself in three forms (calledthree guñas, three intrinsic faculties ofNature) namely sat, raja and tama.

Infinitely many combinations and expressionlevels of these three guñas in a dynamic statecorresponds to the infinitely many forms ofexistence and activity or inertness in theanimate and the inanimate world. As per theVedic theory, the absolute equilibrium of thethree guñas existed before the creation of theworld and will again be in equal proportions

Vedic CosmologyA Scientific Review

Vedic Cosmology-5

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 2005 17

when the world comes to an end. Whilephysical energies like electricity, light, heat,magnetism, etc result from higher proportionsof raja in different forms and combinationswith tama and some sat, those of mentalenlightenment, sagacious awareness arisefrom more of sat and purer forms of raja.Inertness in the inanimate and ignorance anddullness in the animate are because of highproportions of tama with negligible raja andsat; etc.

In his book “Science & Scientists in India”, Dr.N. K. Jain1 has discussed the scientificrelevance of the calculation of the age of theuniverse as per the Indian scriptures and hasalso stressed the fact that the present westerncalculations are gradually coming to the sameconclusion, which were derived by the Indianseers thousands of years ago. He elucidatesthe Vedic proposition, which was alsoemphasized by Swami Vivekanand, that ––there is no such thing as creation (construction)of the universe, rather, it is a manifestation.This can be understood from the story ofexistence of the universe, in the hymn of theRigveda 10/129 the most sublime one in theentire Vedic revelation. The word ‘creation’must not be used in the sense of makingsomething out of nothing but rather as makingsomething shapely out of shapeless.

The Vedas do not call prak—ati (Nature) byany name other than “m³t³” (the divinemother; the mother-cause) by which they referto its sublime Supreme Force – the Âdi Ïakti.Before the grand creation, the element of allexistence and manifestation of Nature – thesubtle impulse of the three guñas (sat, raj andtam) – remains hidden in the eternal,omnipresent Consciousness Force (Brah®).This ‘state’ of the self-existent element of

existence is referred as Aditi (the light infinite,the mother of gods) in the Veda.

Jaidev Vedalankar has cited2 a hymn of RigVeda in this context in his volume entitled“Vaidika Darshan” (pg 179) –

Ap³gó Pr³góati Swadhay³ GrabhºtoamartyoMartyena Sayoni¡ |

T³ Ïaï—vant³ ViÌ¿chºna Viyant³nyanya®Chrkyurna Ni Chikyuranya® ||

–Rig. 1/164/38

He analyzes that the term “Swadh³” hereimplies what we call Nature. He has citedsome evidential argument affirming that thetitles Aditi (the light infinite) and Swadh³ (theomnipresent etheric ‘fluid’, the universalpower) used in the Vedas in deed correspondto “Prak—ati” (Nature) in the Sankhya Darshan(one of the six schools of Indian Philosophywhich emanated from the Vedas).

The approach of Sankhya and VaishashikDarshans seems to be quite close to thedecipherations of Nature in terms of modernsciences. Namely, the idea of perception ofNature and logical analysis of knowledge ispursued here. The Sankhya system considersprak—ati and pur¿Ìa to symbolize the eternalsources of what we understand as themanifested Nature and the Life-Forcerespectively. The logical apparatus that isbrought to bear on the outer world is alsoapplied here to the analysis of the mind. Butthe question remains: How does inanimatematter come to have awareness? Thismetaphysical question was answered bypostulating entities for smell, taste, form,touch, and sound. In the Sankhya system, atotal of twenty-four such categories areassumed. These categories are supposed toemerge at the end of a long chain of evolution

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 200518

and they may therefore be regarded as‘material’ in nature.

The breath of life into the instruments of sight,touch, hearing and so on is provided by thetwenty-fifth category, which is pur¿Ìa, thesoul. The tanm³tr³ (the five senses ofperception) of Sankhya is the potentiality thatleads to cognitive sensors and materialexpression. In this conception it is somewhatlike a quantum potential. The recursive Vedicworld-view requires that the universe itselfgo through cycles of creation (appearance)and destruction (grand transformation). Thisview became a part of the astronomicalframework to study the age of the universeand consequently innumerable cycles ofbillions of years were assumed. The Sankhyaevolution takes the life forms to evolve intoan increasingly complex system until the endof the cycle.

The categories of Sankhya operate at the levelof the individual as well. Life mirrors theentire creation-cycle and cognition mirrors alife history. Surprisingly similar are themodern slogan: ontogeny is phylogeny, andmicrogeny (the cognitive process) is aspeeded-up ontogeny.

As the three guñas are attributes of consciousness,they transcend the limits of the inanimate physicalrules3. The teachings of the Vedas andUpnishads therefore go beyond the boundaryof the theory of Relativity, Laws of Physicsand also deeper than Astrophysics. With thehelp of the Upanishads many new scientificprinciples have been introduced and somecurrent misconceptions have been removed.

Dr. D.M. Mansharmani of the Vedant ResearchCentre, New Delhi argues4 that theUpanishads and the Bhagvad Gita are in fact

superior documents of science. TheUpanishads proclaim that the three-fold space-time continuum, which is today regarded asreal, existent and permanent is in fact transientand perishable. Hence it is a lower kind ofcontinuum. Higher than it is the dimensionless(cosmic) metrical field continuum (AkÌaraBrah®), which is imperishable and realexistent. Thus they have revealed theoutermost and the innermost truth of thecosmos.

While talking of ‘creation’ or the physicalmanifestation, the manifestation of thesmallest particles – broadly speaking, theatoms, is worth discussing. The VaisheshikaPhilosophy describes an atomic world.According to modern atomic theory atomsarrange themselves so as to form a molecularshape. The ensemble of molecules boundtogether in specific fashion leads to specificphysical entity, say matter of specific kind, etc.Their union in an indefinite, infinite bulk formgives shape to the existing universe. In otherwords, all that exists in the universe is amanifestation of the cosmic energy indwellingin the atoms and the subatomic and subtlerparticles. When the atoms dissipate, theymerge into their original subtle form. At thattime they are imperceptible. In Vedic parlance,that position is called Brahmaratri –– end ofthe (manifested) universe.

Modern Atomic Theory – propounded byDalton C, considered ‘atom’ as the smallestparticle and on the basis of this theory, theatom was devised as an indivisible matter. Butthe his successor scientists annulled thishypothesis by breaking the atom into proton,neutron and electron and further intosubatomic particles like positrons etc.However, so far, the modern science has not

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 2005 19

been able to explain how these atoms (or thesubatomic particles or even finer units) cameinto existence and out of what have theysprung up. It merely postulates that the worldis the mechanical resultant of the motions ofthe innumerable motions of the innumerableatoms in infinite space and time and indifferent directions. There is no intelligentpower guiding the operations; it is a randomlaw! But then why there is an order in thesystem of Nature or the so-called universallaws of Nature well recognized and used byScientific Theories?

This lacuna does not exist in the Vedic theory.According to the Vaisheshik Philosophy forinstance, ultimate source of the action of atomsis the creative or destructive will of Brah® –the eternal, omnipresent sublimeConsciousness Force or cosmic energy.

Thousands of years ago, Kapil Muni,profounder of the Sankhya Philosophyestablished the theory of atoms from the pointof view of gross physical manifestations andgave a clear answer to the yet undeciphered(by Modern Science) secrets of physicalexistence. According to this philosophy ––nothing new can come into existence in thisworld.

It must be taken for granted that allqualities, which are to be seen in the createdproduct, must be found, at least in a subtleform. Every cause has an effect and vice-versa. The Chandogya Upanishad and Gitasupport this observation. The Gitaillustrates – “The unreal has no existence,and the real never ceases to be; the realityof both has been perceived by the seers ofTruth. Know that both prak—ati and pur¿Ìaare not only eternal but also independent,but also absolutely complementary of each

other and self-created. Know that theevolutes (vik³ra) and eternal faculties ofNature or the constituents of the Supremecreation – the three guñas – all spring outof prak—ati (Aditi)”.

Rishi Kanada had explained atomic theoryin Vaisheshika Philosophy from the point ofview of decomposion into the subtler formsand explained that the root cause of theworld is añu (atom), which when furtherbroken results into parm³ñu (sub-atomicparticles). As these atoms coalesce, theyacquire new qualities as a result of unionand new things are created.

The attributes of matter like gravity, fluidity,viscosity, elasticity, conjunction anddisjunction are also mentioned in Nyaya -Vaisheshika texts. There are discussions onmotion and non-motion, heat and non-heat,space and time and also sound in variousancient Sanskrit texts. We shall touch uponmost of these in our succeeding articles.

References:

1. Jain N. K. (1990): Science and Scientistsin India.

2. Sharma Bhavna: Vedic Srishti Vigyan.Amar Granth Publications, Delhi. 2002.

3. Swami Vidyanand Saraswati (1989)Srishti Vigyan Aur Vikasvad.

4. Excerpts from Vigyan Bharti Pradeepika(v.s. 2055) Vol. 4 (1): Special Issue onCosmology Part 1.(www.vigyanbhartipradeepika.org)

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

Sept-Oct 200520

A plethora of unknown secrets of this lifehave deep roots in our previous life

experiences stored in our subconscious and so-called unconscious realms. The causes of ourpresent life circumstances can only beunderstood by fathoming the depths of vastrealms of the subconscious and theunconscious. Today many modernpsychologists are trying to find reasons of ourpain, maladies and difficulties in these fieldsof the subconscious and unconscious.Countless observations prove the fact thatwhether a disease is physical or mental, itsseeds are hidden somewhere in a person’sunconscious self. As a result it is necessary todig up and clean the dirt lying buried in ourunconscious layers of the self.

After all what is unconscious self?Psychologists consider it as a storehouse ofthe imprints of our past lives. Yogis call it the“Black Box”, in which the essence of all ourdesires, habits and sanskars (impressions) of thepast are stored in a pell-mell state. Thehypothesis is that an integral part of a person(consciousness or soul) survives each time thephysical body dies, and sooner or later takeson a new body (reincarnation). Whatever wedid, thought or felt in the recent or remotepast is still alive in this unconscious mind asindestructible memories. It can be said thatthe accumulated experiences of the past createthe unconscious self. If it is full of bitterness,

hatred and pain then, it is manifested in thislife in the form of all kinds of disease andproblems. The therapy to solve these problemsis called “Reincarnation Therapy”. “The basicstarting point for reincarnation therapy issimple: problems, whether you experiencethem as mental, emotional, physical orspiritual, originate in experiences that areunresolved, which can be tracked down,exposed and therapeutically re-lived” (RobBontebal, Adam).

Reincarnation therapy can also be calledSpiritual Therapy. This is an in-depth approachto healing and its perspective is wide andbroad. Spiritual therapy is India’s ancientmethod tradition of healing. Nowadays it is amajor subject of research for westernpsychotherapists. Modern psychotherapistslike Dr. Brian Weiss, Dr. Moris Netherton, Dr.Roger Woolger, etc have accepted theprinciples of spiritual treatment. Dr. BrianWeiss found that the reason for any patient’spresent pain usually lies in the deepest layersof his consciousness. To some extent he wassuccessful in understanding some of the factsof a patient’s previous life while delving deepinto the personality. Because of this successhe came out with a new psychotherapeutictheory, according to which, withoutunderstanding a person’s previous life, onecannot get rid of the problems of this lifecompletely.

An Emerging Integrative Healing Therapy:

Reincarnation TherapyDR.R

UPNAT

HJI( D

R.RUPA

K NAT

H )

21

Many of our involuntary reflexes to certainlife situations keep creating an unknown fearin us. For example, walking over a bridge,swimming in water, seeing a fire, seeing blood,sleeping on roof top, encountering darkness,being in the crowd, being administered aninjection, swallowing a medicine, using anelevator, etc make us uneasy. There is noremedy for these fears. Similarly some diseaseslike asthma, migraine, schizophrenia, obesity,addiction to drugs, depression, tension, etcrefuse to respond positively to treatment.According to modern therapists, thesediseases have roots hidden deep in ourunconscious. By probing properly and deeplyyou may find that the reasons for thesereflexes are related to either something thathappened in childhood or even in previouslife. So to cure such diseases, it is necessary todiagnose its original cause. Without doingthat, with routine treatment the symptomsmay subside temporarily but will re-appearwhen the conditions again become favorable.

If the causative incidents of the previous lifecould be known, understood and rooted out,such incurable fears and diseases can be curedsuccessfully. Many experiments have beendone in this direction. As an instance,treatment of a woman named Margaret is veryinteresting and exciting. Margaret was anasthma patient from her childhood. Noallopathic medicine worked for her. Evenalternative therapies were not beneficial.While in the process of finding reason forher condition through reincarnation therapy,it was found that she had died in herprevious incarnation by drowning in theriver. In the present life that fear hadappeared in the form of asthma. With the

help of therapeutic procedures her fear wasremoved and she got permanent relief fromthe affliction.

Similarly in another incident a girl namedJerena was suffering from phobia of height.Her life had become very difficult because ofthat and she was constantly in fear. She usedto hesitate entering into high-rise buildingsand felt suffocated in elevators. This phobiawas not related to any of her present birthexperiences but was related to her previousbirth. When her unconscious was deeplyprobed through reincarnation therapy, it wasfound that Jerena was locked in a wooden boxand thrown from the top of a mountain, whichhad caused her death. This unknown incidentof her previous life was imprinted so deeplyon her unconscious self that she used to getdeeply disturbed by such situations. Duringthe therapy she was made to realize that thereis a big difference between the past andpresent and that her past should not have anyeffect on her present life; and her fearvanished. After the fearful imaginations of thepast were removed, her present life becamehappy and free from the involuntary fear reflex.

Usually we are eager to find solutions forour health and healing problems through thecure of symptoms and when that does notwork we start looking upon all therapiessuspiciously. Spiritual healers advocate ameaningful and integrated therapy.According to them the boundaries of yourpast are not limited to your childhood orpresent life but could go beyond yourpresent birth and are stored in the unknownself. It has, in its storage, all good and badexperiences of our past life. Good experiences

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

22

give us happy feelings and bitter ones giverise to bad ones.

The diseases that have gone deep in our livescannot be cured without pulling out theirroots. That is why it is necessary that a spiritualtherapist should have the knowledge ofpatient’s previous life. Without that the patientwill not be healed completely. According tothe teachings of Gita, the chain of our life isinfinite. We have had many births before thisincarnation and may have many more afterthis life span. Concrete and clear knowledgeof this fact makes a spiritual therapist; withoutthis qualification his credentials will bequestionable.

Two jewel merchants arrived at a caravanserai in the desert at about the same time onenight. Each was quite conscious of the other’s presence, and while unloading his camel,one of them could not resist the temptation to let a large pearl fall to the ground as if byaccident. It rolled in the direction of the other who, with affected graciousness, pickedit up and returned it to its owner saying, “That is a fine pearl you have there, sir. Aslarge and lustrous as they come.”“How gracious of you to say so, “said the other. “As a matter of fact, that is one of thesmaller gems in my collection.”A bedouin who was sitting by the fire and had observed this drama, rose and invitedthe two of them to eat with him. When they began their meal, this is the story he toldthem:“I, too, my friends, was, once upon a time, a jeweler like you. One day I was overtakenby a great storm in the desert. It buffeted my caravan and me this way and that till Iwas separated from my entourage and lost my way completely. Days passed and I waspanic-stricken to realize that I was really wandering about in circles with no sense ofwhere I was or which direction to walk in. Then, almost dead with starvation, I unloadedevery bag on my camel’s back, anxiously searching through them of the hundredthtime. Imagine my excitement when I came upon a pouch that had escaped my noticebefore. With trembling fingers I ripped it open hoping to find something to eat. Imaginemy disillusionment when I found that all it contained was pearls!”

Indian seers and sages had long backdeveloped the foundational basis for this kindof treatment: analyze the unconscious self andmake a patient realize his mistakes / misdeedsdone in the previous life (or lives) and thensuggest an appropriate procedure ofrepentance for all those sins. Once thisprocedure is completed, the patient is curedautomatically. As this theory has beenscientifically verified in recent times and anumber of psychotherapists are using it forcuring their clients, we should also accept itand be ready and prepared for repentancethrough spiritual therapy to be completelyfree from our present day problems andafflictions.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

23

The weeping mountain

On our way today we saw the weepingmountain. Its stone was soft. Some spring

water was blocked above and had no meansto pass through. The soft stone began toabsorb it, but where will the absorbed watergo? It was seeping through the mountain rock.This seepage, when accumulated, began to falldown in drops. People’s fertile imaginationcalled them the drops of tears. At placeswhere wetness accumulated, soil particlescarried by wind got stuck and soft green mossbegan to grow there. Moss is called KºcaÃain the hilly language here. When the mountainweeps, its eyes must be aching as the resultof which KºcaÃa is excreted by its eyes. Thisis a simple imagination. We saw this weepingmountain today and wiped its tears, too. Wefelt the moss with our fingers. We could onlydo this much. Who would ask the mountainas to why it was weeping? And if asked, couldit have replied?

But imagination is uncontrollable. Mind beganto ask the mountain. . “Oh! Mountain King,you are blessed with so much of wild beautyand grandeur. You do not have to wanderhere and there. By simply sitting at a placeyou are enjoying your existence. Then whatis it that worries you? Why do you weep?”

The rocky mountain stood silent. But themountain’ in my imagination began to talk.“How can you understand the pain I feel in

my heart? I am very high, am decorated withnature’s beauty and am living without anycare and worries. Apparently I haveeverything, but can this inert, indolent,inactive life be called a life at all? The lifedevoid of movement, action, struggle, hope,enthusiasm, effort etc. is akin to lifelessness.The joy lies in action. To remain eternallyrooted at one place is different from enjoyingrest after activity. Mine is the peace of thegraveyard. No sensible person will call it restor happiness. Those who play on theplayground of nature, feel more and morefresh and energized as they play on. Everymoving life form in nature marches ahead likea valiant warrior, vanquishing one opponentafter the other. On the contrary, here I amsitting pretty hoarding the wealth of naturalresources and exhibiting splendor. Dear childof imagination, you may call me rich, wealthyand lucky but I am simply inactive. Othersleave their indelible imprint on the pages ofhistory, by serving others with their talents,earn eternal fame and feel proud on seeingothers getting benefited by their deeds. But Ihave hoarded like a miser all the resourceswithin myself. If I emit the mossy excretionthrough my eyes due to weeping out of self-pity, there is nothing to be wondered at.”

My little imagination conversed with theMountain King and was satisfied with theimaginary explanation by it. But at the sametime it was sad, too. The imagination wished

Entrane into the Deeps ofHIMÂLAYAS -IIIHIMÂLAYAS -IIIHIMÂLAYAS -IIIHIMÂLAYAS -IIIHIMÂLAYAS -III

P¿jyaP¿jyaP¿jyaP¿jyaP¿jya Gurudev’s Travelogue of the Pilgrimage to the Him³layasHim³layasHim³layasHim³layasHim³layas

Companions in Solitude -4

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

24

how nice would it have been had it (mountain)made pieces of itself and offered these to beused for making roads, bridges, buildings etc.In that case it might not have looked high andhuge or it would have even lost its identity asa mountain, but its life would have beenfruitful and accomplished. Being deprived ofthe -chance of such sharing, it is only naturalthat the Mountain king was weeping over itsmisfortune.

The load carrying sheep

Sheep, which is a small animal, isindispensably benevolent K³madhenu (theheavenly cow which fulfils all desires) for thismountainous region. It gives milk, wool, andlambs. It also carries loads. On the way today,a flock of sheep numbering about 100 to 125,having long wool, were seen loaded withgoods, They were carrying goods like jaggery,rice, flour etc. to Gangotri. Depending on itsheight and capacity, each sheep was carryingload weighing about 10 to 15 pounds. Apartfrom mules, sheep is the only means fortransporting goods in this hilly region. Otheranimals or vehicles are of no use on these hillypaths.

I began to think: It is not necessary to stresson the availability of mega means to solve thebasic problems of life. A man can live happilyand peacefully with meager means. Limitedindustrialization is acceptable. But bigindustries would grab the livelihood of thesesheep as well as the people who depend onthem and all the wealth would be concentratedin the hands of a few industrialists. The rootcause of all the war clouds hovering over theworld today is the insatiable greed forcapturing and monopolizing the markets forindustries.

On seeing the line of sheep, I began to wonderwhy it is not possible to live peacefully byadopting simple life style with limited meanslike these simple innocent folks who tend thesheep and live on their limited earnings. Inolden days, India followed the ideal ofdecentralization. —ïis and munis (Saints andSages) lived in hermitages forming a unit.Villages were integrated, interdependent,socially bonded units. They mostly fulfilledtheir requirements from within their own area,from their own society and lived happily inco-operation. There was little scope forcorruption, criminality or inharmony. Intoday’s mad race of industrialization, villagesare being uprooted; small portions of citiesare flourishing; the poor are being trampledupon and the rich are growing richer throughmanipulative and foul tactics. The terriblemachines roaring like demons are destroyingthe health, social relations, and morality.Unbridled industrialization, and capitalism,which are being called the pillars of moderndevelopmental process, will eventually leadto violent social upheavals.

My thoughts are getting incoherent. So let mestop this discussion here. But the sheep cannotbe forgotten, even if tried to. They remindme of the ancient social system prevailing inIndia. In the present culture, who will considerthe utility and helpfulness of the poor sheep?These poor creatures will only be ridiculed asa symbol of old era. Yet truth will remain thetruth. For actualizing humanity’s dream ofuniversal peace and contentment, power andresources will have to be decentralized andin that system everyone will be living happilyand contented by one’s own labor, just as thesheep-tending folks along with their bleatingsheep are living here.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

25

The G³yatrº Mantra is an invocation to Godfor bestowal of sadbuddhi (luminously

righteous intellect). This prayer, made withliving faith, fills the devotee’s mind, thoughtsand emotions with the inspiration to followthe righteous path. Contemplation on theessence of this mah³mantra makes the s³dhakrealize that the world’s greatest wealth andhighest success are nothing but to acquiresadbuddhi. Once he is firmly established in thisbelief there arises a strong urge in him toacquire this attribute. This longing generatesa kind of magnetic force in his inner space.Pulled by this force, all the virtuous traits,thoughts, emotions and inspirations presentin the ether element of the space begin toconverge in the devotee’s soul. The scienceof the magnetic power of thoughts is wellknown. Thoughts of one kind attract likethoughts from the etheric space. Theindestructible thoughts and resolves of greatsouls, both dead and alive, remain inperpetual circulation in the great void. Theyinfuse the G³yatrº S³dhak with a rich stockof this divine wealth.

The enrichment of this righteous element inthe body greatly changes its normal activitiesand habits. The tendency of the sex-organs towallow in indulgences is slowed down. Badhabits like gluttony, frequent eating andeating all kinds of food without considerationfor the eatable and the non-eatable graduallydiminish. Light and s³twik food starts givingcontentment, and r³jasik-t³masik items repel.

Similarly, the passions of the sex-organs aretempered by the soothing effect of refinedemotions. The mind runs lesser and lesser inthe direction of lust and sensuality, and beliefin brahmacarya grows firm. The organs of sexand taste are the two most powerful senseorgans. Their control is essential for integrateddevelopment and health of body, mind andsoul. Activities like bathing, sleeping, workand other daily chores develop authenticsimplicity and purity, which in turn nourishthe feeder roots of health, happiness, peaceand longevity.

In the mental sphere, augmentation of virtuesleads to a gradual reduction in vices and badhabits. As a result of this mentaltransformation, many problems and anxietiesthat routinely arise in the course of daily lifebegin to be solved easily. With the awakeningof vivek or subtle discriminative power theignorance-bred negativities of anxiety, fear,apprehension, attachment, loss etc. go away.Absolute faith in God keeps the citta calm andcomposed, and one remains happilyunconcerned about the future. Spiritualdisposition does not permit indulgence in sin,injustice and exploitation. Consequently, thereis no question of suffering punishment byeither the state or society, or by the DivineLaw, or by self-remorse. Virtues of selflessservice, humility, charity, honestly etc. benefitothers, and so the people in general turngrateful admirers and protectors. There is aneffusion of love and contentment in life,

The Celestial Boons of

GÂYATRÞ SÂDHANÂGÂYATRÞ SÂDHANÂGÂYATRÞ SÂDHANÂGÂYATRÞ SÂDHANÂGÂYATRÞ SÂDHANÂDR.R

UPNAT

HJI( D

R.RUPA

K NAT

H )

26

which make it increasingly joyous and happy.In this way, increase of righteous and piouselements in the physical and mental spherecreates spring-wells of happiness in both.

The soul being a spark of the Divineencapsulates in seed form all the powers andattributes of Divinity. These divine attributesremain latent and unknown under the debrisof vices, indulgences and mental turmoil.People tend to think that they are petty andpowerless. But the S³dhaks who are able topenetrate through the thick veil of thesedefilements get a glimpse of the pure ³tmajyoti(soul-flame) and become vividly aware thatthis divine flame is present in them. When ashis removed, the glowing ember appears frombeneath. This ember, even though tiny indimension, contains the potential of a hugeeruption of fire. Likewise, when the veil isremoved, the ordinary and petty looking ³tm³(soul) becomes the mah³tm³ (great soul). Thesoul is a fathomless reservoir of amazingpowers. When the doors to this treasure areopened, an ordinary mortal becomes asiddhayogi (accomplished master). To achievesiddhis (supra-normal powers), nothing has tobe brought from outside; no grace or mercyof any deity or demon is required; only thethick covering on the inner self needs to beremoved. The dazzling radiance of G³yatrºS³dhan³ removes and dissolves this thick veilof darkness and the soul stands revealed inall its resplendence – endowed with all theriddhis and siddhis.

The enhancement of virtues by G³yatrºS³dhan³ is the progenitor of many kinds ofspiritual and worldly riches. When the soul isenriched with Vivek and inner power, manyproblems, which appear insurmountable toothers, become light for the S³dhak. None of

his work remains pending. Either thecircumstances change according to his will, orhe changes his will according to thecircumstances. It is the mismatch between thedesire and the circumstances that is the causeof suffering. The person endowed with thefaculty of subtle discrimination forestalls thesuffering by adopting either of the twocompeting courses, and is able to enjoyheavenly bliss right here on this earth.

Indeed, happiness does not depend on anyexternal source, but on the state of mind. TheS³dhan³ of mind is a powerful transformingforce whereby a person, who at one time wasnot satisfied even with kingly feasts andluxurious mattresses, begins to find bareground as the best bed and jungle fruits asthe most delicious food.

Mother G³yatrº is the presiding deity ofprajó³ and the S³dhak prays to her forrighteous intellect. When such an intellectdawns, it illuminates all the possible ways,which can lead to removal of pain and misery.There are apparently many kinds of sufferingsin this world. Everyone has his own typicalproblems and difficulties. But it is not thatthese different sets of problems have differentcausative factors. In reality, the root causesof all the sorrows in the world boil down toonly three: (i) ignorance (ii) lack of strength,and (iii) want. G³yatrº, in the form of tripad³,removes all these three factors.

Ignorance of the reality vitiates man’s mind.His thoughts and deeds become ignoble.Consequently, he sinks deeper and deeper intothe morass of misery and suffering andbecomes unhappy. Selfishness, indulgences,greed, ego, intolerance, lust etc. divert a manfrom the right path. The certain result ofignoble deeds is suffering. Secondly, on

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

27

account of ignorance, he cannot grasp thefundamental forces that lie underneath all theworldly activities of his own and the entireworld. Consequently, he harbors impossiblehopes, desires and imaginations. Ordinary androutine happenings assume highlyexaggerated and distorted proportions andcause pain. Death of beloved ones, differencein the likes and dislikes of companions, upsand downs in situations are all naturalphenomena. But an ignorant person thinks thatevery event must always occur according tohis wish; that nothing contrary to it shouldever take place. And when the undesiredhappens, he starts bewailing. Thirdly,ignorance also leads to many kinds ofmistakes. Available opportunities are missed,and this is also a cause of sorrow.

Lack of strength means physical, mental,social, intellectual and inner weakness, whichprevents one from shouldering his naturalresponsibilities. If the health is poor and thebody in the grip of ailments, the most deliciousof food, overflowing wealth, beautiful women,melodious song, and enchanting scenery – alllose their meaning and charm. If the mind isdull, the pleasures of literature, poetry,philosophy, and contemplation cannot besavored. When the inner psyche is weak andwavering, one finds no interest in satsang,devotion, love, or worship. Not only this,even the nature’s law of ‘survival of the fittest’works against the weak. Many factors andcauses arise to torment him. The most naturaland innocent things assume an adversarialrole. The winter season, for example, whichincreases the stamina of the strong and feedsthe imaginations of the romantic becomes theharbinger of pneumonia, asthma and gout forthe weak. Conversely, what could be harmful

or fatal to the weak turn into opportunitiesfor growth and enjoyment for the strong.

G³yatrº is the ‘K³mdhenu’. He who devotedlyworships and reveres Her savors Her milk-elixir. He is rid of every kind of pain born ofignorance, weakness and dearth. The G³yatrºS³dhan³ done under the guidance of an adeptguru bears the desired fruit. It may require alittle more time and dedication, but comparedto other laborious S³dhan³s this S³dhan³fructifies sooner. G³yatrº S³dhan³ makessmooth and easy the long painstaking path ofthe yogis, and through it even the householderachieves the results obtained by the forestdwelling tapasvºs. No other path is simplerthan this to take one to the ultimate goal bycutting the powerful trammels of worldlyattachments and indulgences. Besidesconferring the benefits of mental refinement,personality development, removal of pain,and inner progress, G³yatrº S³dhan³ bestowsupon the seeker many special siddhis, too. Bygradually acquiring these powers, the S³dhakacquires a radiant, incomparable andextraordinary personality.

In the Rochester town of America, the Mayobrothers run a health clinic. The poor andthe wealthy both are treated with equal careand attention there. The Mayo brothersassign one-third of their income to this nobleventure. They accept from the ailing onlythat much as he can pay according to hiscapacity. Once a patient, suffering from aserious disease, got himself treated at theclinic. He paid the bills by mortgaging hisgarden. The Mayo brothers came to knowof this. They returned the operation fee bycheque and also compensated for themonetary loss suffered in the mortgagingprocess.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

28

At a superficial level, it appears that somechemical processing of the food intakes

generates blood, and that the flow of bloodis the source of heat and energy in the body.However, deeper analysis has shown thatthere is a separate mechanism at the root ofall functions inside the body, which gives riseto the formation of blood and maintenance ofbody-energy. The auto-regulatory system ofthe neurons and the influence of the consciousand unconscious mind on it are also nowregarded as a manifestation of some subtlerprocesses. The hormone secreting endocrineglands constitute this subtle system, which isnow found to be the basic controller of allfunctions, qualities, abilities or disabilities ofthe bodily and mental functions.

The thyroid gland secrets a hormone calledthyroxin, which enters the blood stream andreaches different parts of the body. Deficiencyof this hormone reduces the absorption rateof oxygen, which often results in disruptionof metabolic functions, excessive fatigue, lossof memory and bluntness of mind. Also, theskin and hair become dry, lips and eyelidsbecome lose and appear as pulleddownwards. The body fattens and itsplumpness is such that pressing a finger makesa groove (depression) in the swollen part. Oneis unable to bear chill and feels tired becauseof the reduced level of this hormone. Growthof the thyroid gland results in a swollen,protuberant throat and gives rise to thediseases like goiter. The reasons for abnormalshrinkage or growth of this gland are notfully understood. It may malfunction even ifone’s diet is balanced and the daily routine is

also maintained at a level, which is normallyprescribed for a healthy person...

So far, the deficiency of iodine in food is foundto be a major cause of disturbing the normalfunctioning of the thyroid gland. The doctorsrecommend that the daily meals shouldcontain at least 20 micrograms of iodine.Seawater, natural salt, sea grass and fishes arerich in iodine contents. However, in manycases even the desired intake of iodine andiodine based medicines do not help controlthe abnormal functioning of this red colored,butterfly shaped tiny gland whose two ‘wings’in leaf shaped structures cover the upper endof the respiratory canal. The discovery of ayellow protein colloid in the deep core of thisgland had raised hopes that this colloid mightbe the source of thyroxin secretion. Furtherresearch annulled this possibility.

Experiments on controlling the deficiencies ofthyroxin by injecting the extract of thyroid ofother animals have not been successful becauseof lack of biocompatibility. Drs. E. C. Kendall,Harrington and Berger of Britain hadsynthesized thyroxin in the laboratory bytaking appropriate combination of carbon,hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and iodine.Although this artificial substance resemblesthyroxin in chemical structure, its injection inthe patient’ body could not substitute for thedeficiency of the latter. Use of iodized salt isregarded as a preventive measure; howeverit has not been successful in permanentprevention of the thyroid related problems.

Excessive secretion of this hormone alsocauses a variety of problems: the ‘engine’ ––

Control and Refinement ofHormones

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

29

source of energy of the body gets ‘over-charged’ and, as a result, different metabolicand biochemical reactions and physiologicalfunctions are accelerated untimely. This oftengives rise to increase in pulse rate, professedperspiration, high blood pressure, excitation,hypersensitivity, mental restlessness andirritation etc. Throat swallows due to whichthe neck also fattens. At present, radium basedX-ray therapy and radioactive iodine, calciumetc are being experimented as the possibleremedies against an over-active thyroid gland.

From the medical experts like Dr. Eimley tothe chemical scientists like Dr. Collins ofCanada, efforts of many researchers have beendedicated since long time to finding methodsof controlling the thyroid gland. Role of thetiny parathyroid glands in influencing thethyroid functions has also been investigatedin several laboratories. However, the secretsof these glands still remain unfolded –– hiddenbehind iron curtains.

The chemical processing of extraction ofenergy from the food constituents begins assoon as it reaches in the stomach. Starch andsugar are converted into glucose. Part of thisglucose goes in the blood stream and helpsenergize the body and maintaintemperature.... The remaining quantity ofglucose is stored in the liver in the form ofglycogen, making a stock for future energy-requirements. In diabetic patients, the sugarlevel in the blood increases and thecorresponding shortage of energy supplied byglucose gradually weakens the body. Thisdisorder in blood sugar arises due to thedeficiency of insulin –– a hormone secretedby the pancreas. Dr. Fredrick Vytating haddone remarkable work on this hormone, whichwas earlier known as ‘igelitine’. He and Dr.Mac Lloyd had received the Nobel Prize fortheir research work on insulin.

In healthy blood, the normal level of sugar isabout one sixtieth ounce per liter. This smallamount is the fuel (source of energy) thatkeeps the cellular and muscular machinery warmand active. Insulin along with another hormoneadrenaline helps regulate this function.

Growth of the body is maintained by thepineal gland in the brain. Drastic changes inone’s growth –– especially of height, arecaused by the disorderly functioning of thissmall ‘dot’ sized endocrine gland. Dr. HarveCusching, a surgeon at the Harvard Universitymedical school had removed the pineal glandof a puppy in an experiment. The growth ofthis dog had stopped after this operation andit remained a puppy there after... In someother experiments of this kind, the growth ofsome young rats was arrested since theirpineal glands were cut out. In spite of beingfed with ideal nutritious diet in controlledconditions, these rats neither grew in size norgained any weight. They appeared like babyrats throughout their lives. In another case,surgeon Philip Smith had fixed the pineal glandof one rat into the brain of another normal rat.The latter, because of two such glands, grew atexceptionally fast rate and became a giant—almost three times bigger than the normal rats,ever found in that family of rats.

Imbalance of the endocrine glands createsamazing disorders in natural living system.The pair of a 25 inches ‘tall’ man, Tomthumband a 24-inched lady, Lebonia is countedamong the great wonders of nature in thehuman society. However, the experts knowthat such wonders are results of slightdisorders in the endocrine system. Tomthumbweighed 9 pounds 2 ounce at the time of birth;but, due to some deficiency in hormonalsecretions, his body-weight remained thesame. His body had become a source ofearning for him through jugglery. He hadmarried a matching dwarf woman and

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

30

enhanced his business through their jointshows. The other extreme of hormonalimbalance leads to uncontrolled growth ofheight and/or weight. Robert Widelio’s heightof 8 ft 11 inches was a live example of this effect.He used to look like a moving Palm Tree. A 7 fttall man Tilwar lives like a ‘show piece’ for thepeople of Palamou in Bihar (India).

Czar Peter of Russia was very tall. He used tolike tall people. When one of his favorite,exceptionally tall Sargent died, the Czar hadordered to preserve his skeleton in theKuntzkare museum. This specimen was about200 years old when some scientists tried toinvestigate the cause of its abnormal heightwith the help of X-rays. The analysis carriedout by them identified excessive secretionsthrough the pituitary gland as the cause of thisexceptional growth.

Alfred Lenzvan of Detramat, Michigan (USA)had a peculiar ability to breath through theeyes instead of the nostrils. During testexperiments he used to quench candles bystaring at them while his nose and mouth werecovered. Fed Patgel’s voice was so loud thatit could be heard from a distance of over 3miles whenever he spoke at high pitch withforce.

The above examples present a small sampleof the varieties of abnormalities in the body-functions that could be caused by theimbalance in the endocrine secretions.

Renowned psychoanalyst, Dr. Edgar hasconducted research on effects of hormoneson behavior and attitude. His resultsindicate that many individuals, despitehaving excellent physique and charmingappearance, do not have the naturalmasculine (or feminine) tendencies becauseof the abnormal levels of certain hormones.Impotency is also attributed to hormonaldisorders in general.

The importance of hormones in regulating thedefense mechanism of the immune system inthe body is well known. Whenever the germsand viruses or any substance, which is ‘foreign’or ‘toxic’ to its normal functioning, invadesthe body, some of the hormones secreted bythe endocrine glands react instantaneously.These stimulate the B-cells in the blood torecognize the antigens and harmfulmicrophages and produce specific antibodiesto eliminate the invaders. The hormones alsoparticipate in the struggle of the body to fightthe infections/diseases during this defensiveactivity. This struggle of hormones inducespsychological effects that are manifested as –– restlessness, irritation, anger and anguish inthe diseased persons.

As stated earlier, the endocrine glands areaffected by internal state of the mind andemotions and accordingly generate thefeelings of joy, enthusiasm, courage andalacrity, or that of dole, dullness, despair andapprehension etc. Modern scientists areactively engaged in finding hormone-basedtherapies to control one’s physical and mentalhealth. Partial success has been gained in thecases where major cause of hormonalimbalance is identified as deficiency of certainchemicals as a result of some disease or knownphysiological disorder…. ’

Scientific investigations have revealed thathormonal secretions do not have any directrelationship with the quantity and quality ofthe food intakes and physical activities ingeneral. Neither the geneticists have been ableto establish any correlation between drivenfunctions and hormonal regulation, nor anypsychological study has yet confirmed anycorrelation model between specific functionsof the endocrine system and the state of theconscious mind, which could be regarded as auniversal model. Possibilities of some inherenttendencies of the subconscious and unconscious

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

31

mind influencing the hormonal secretions do notfind ground because of the lack of coherence.Then a natural question arises –– what is thereason of variation in the levels and types ofhormonal secretions from the endocrine glands?We will have to look into the deeper depths ofthe subtle levels of human consciousness in orderto find possible answers....

A human being is an ensemble of threesystems: one is physical –– made up of pancatatvas, which is known as the physical or thegross body. Food, atmosphere and physicalactivities affect this system. Disorder ormalfunctioning of this system is treated withthe help of medicines and external devices.

The other component of a human is the subtlebody consisting of the conscious and theunconscious faculties of mind. Thoughts andintellectual levels of environment influencethis system. Logical analysis, thoughtprovoking discussions and studies, training ofdiscreet planning and decision making, etc areused as the means for healthy developmentof this body. Intoxication and steroids affectthe brain-functions and thereby exert an effecton the system of the subtle body also to someextent. Ambiance of life, quality of work,mental tasks, habits and deeds affect and areaffected by the status of this system.Epistemology, Psychology, Parapsychologyand allied branches of neuroscience andphilosophy of mind deal with orderlymaintenance and refinement of this subtlecomponent of a human being.

The third and the innermost component ofhuman consciousness is the astral body whichis also known as –– the causal body, the eternalemotional core of the heart, the inner self, theabode of soul, etc. The natural beliefs, faith,inner emotions, intrinsic instincts and desires,and ascetic appetence etc emanate from thiscenter. The feeling of ego, haecceity andafflatus also have their roots in this innermost

core of human consciousness. The inherentcharacteristics –– the reflections of the sins(p³pa) and the virtuous, pious, altruist deeds(puñya) of an individual are manifested in theseexpressions of the inner self. The intrinsicstate, purity and spiritual level of thesereflections are found to affect the activities ofthe endocrine system. Thus, the hormonalsecretions appear to be subtly controlled bythe pr³rabdha –– destiny formed according tothe collection of the p³pa and puñya of theprevious births. Reactions of the p³pa andpuñya of the present birth also get accumulatedin the stock of pr³rabdha and play an importantrole in respectively deteriorating andameliorating the order and efficiency of theendocrine system and thereby influencing thephysical and subtle bodies too.

The treatment of the disorder or abnormalitiesin hormonal secretions would be mosteffective if it is focused at refining andarousing the subliminal causal body. One canregulate the hormonal levels in a desiredmanner by purifying the intrinsiccharacteristics (sansk³rs) of the inner self andcontrolling the emotions, faiths andaspirations assimilated in its core. This cannotbe achieved by gross level treatments basedon nutritious diets, physical exercises andmedicines etc. Intellectual activities andcreative methods of mental elevation are alsoineffective in reaching the causal body. Theendeavors (s³dhan³) of spiritual refinementappear to be the only solutions. Asceticpractices of these s³dhan³s offer multiplebenefits of regulating the endocrine systemand thus helping –– harmonious functioningof the physical body, avoiding hormone drivendisturbances in mental fluctuations andcreating enchanting effects on the subtle andcausal bodies. These s³dhan³s have thepotential to culminate the individual self upto the divine heights.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

32

It is the law of nature that things in closevicinity appear big and assume

disproportionate significance whereasmuch bigger things begin to lookinsignificant with increasing distance. Thisfact becomes apparent when we observe thevast expanse of the universe around us.

The small moon has a stature no more thana satellite of the earth. But its nearness toearth gives it an importance next only to thesun among the celestial bodies. In the nightsky, massive stars appear tiny to the nakedeyes while a ridiculously small moonbecomes the largest bright object.

Among all celestial bodies moon is closestto us. Scientific investigations haveprovided us with a lot of information aboutit. Its average distance from the earth isslightly less than 4 lakh kilometers. We canreach it in one month by an aeroplanecruising at a speed of 500 kms per hour invacuum. In size, too, moon is much smallerthan the sun or the earth. With a diameterof 5000 kms it would take 49 moons to equalone earth. In weight, it is 81 times lighterthan the earth. The rocks of the earth andthe moon form a ratio of 5:3. The moon hasa very weak gravitational force. An objecton the moon will fall from a height with 6times lesser velocity than it would do on theearth. Similarly, a 100-kg object on earthwill weigh only about 17 kg on the moon.These modern findings are at completevariance with the previously held

presumptions about the moon. It is not the‘Nishanath or ‘Tarapati’ as the traditionalbelief is wont to eulogize it. Many otherplanets of the solar system are larger thanthe earth in size but they look insignificanton account of great distances involved.

Truth is not limited to the pool of knowledge,which we presently have. Powerful radiotelescopes constantly observe very distantstars and have gathered much informationabout them - their birth, death, size,expansion, position, temperature,gravitational pull, etc. They have discovereda tenth planet of the solar system.Nicknamed Xena by the discoverers, it ispositioned farther than the Pluto, its mass is300 times that of the earth and it completesone revolution around the sun in 558 earthyears. The strangest thing about this planetis that it revolves around the sun in adirection opposite to all other planets.

The farthest planet in the solar system isPluto. But some findings indicate thatNeptune is the farthest. According toscientists, Pluto and Neptune kept changingtheir orbits regularly for thirty years fromJanuary 1969 to March 1999. Thereafter,Pluto reverted to its original position.Astrophysicists consider this uniquephenomenon as indicative of the mystiqueof the universe.

Neptune takes 164 years to complete oneelliptical revolution around the Sun.

Whatever May The Eyes See or The Mind Think,

Reality Is Something Else

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

33

Astrophysicist Lowell had predicted aboutthe possibility of another planet, at a distanceof 6.4 billion kilometers from the Sun, whichwould take 284 years for one revolution.Fourteen years after his death in 1916, anAmerican scientist Clyde W. Tombaughdiscovered Pluto, the ninth planet. Pluto is5.86 billion kilometers from the Sun andmakes one revolution in 284 years. But thepath of its orbit does not appear to be veryprecise.

After the discovery of these two planetsscientists do not rule out the possibility ofthe existence of more planets in our solarsystem. Even though invisible to the nakedeye owing to distance they might be verylarge and important.

In the vast expanse of the universe our Sunis merely a tiny bright speck. The universecontains numerous known and unknownworlds. Evolutionary biologist J .B.S.Haldane observed about the universe,“The universe is not as strange as weimagine, it is much stranger than we canimagine.”

American astrophysicist Shapley foundthat the distance from earth of the clusterof stars forming the Milky Way galaxyranges from 20,000 to 2,00,000 Light years(1 light year = the distance traveled by lightin 1 year at the speed of 3 lakh kilometersper second). These form a very large saucerlike circle whose center lies in the MilkyWay, which, like a wood panel, cuts acrossthe middle of this circle. The center lies50,000 light years from the Sun. ThusShapley proved that, unlike what earlierscientists had said, the Sun is not at thecenter of the Milky Way. Thousands of

galaxies form a super-galaxy and there aremyriads of such super-galaxies in the vastspace. ‘Coma Cluster’ is such a super-galaxycontaining thousands of Milky Way-likegalaxies. Galaxies are millions of light yearsapart from one another.

The reasons behind the apparent big size ofthe moon and speck-like smallness of thestars scattered throughout the universe arethe same – importance we give to thingsnearby and neglect of those far away. Theseekers of truth know how misconceptionsand errors keep cropping up about theexistence and significance of both near andfar objects. The above examples prove thatnot everything that the eyes see or the brainpictures is the reality. What looks close maynot be actually so. The present being veryclose, its results tend to acquire the greatestsignificance, whereas the future, beingdistant, is given only cursory attention.Actions done in self-interest give immediateresults, while service to others bears fruitonly in the future. This induces man toindulge in acts of immediate self-interest. Forhim, wisdom lies in such a course ofbehavior. But the reality is contrary to thiswrong notion. If we were to develop atelescopic vision to look into the distantfuture and see its permanent brightness, wewould realize that good deeds and rightmeans are not fruitless; they prove in thelong run rewarding and important. Thevastness of the moon and the smallness ofthe Milky Way are nothing but an opticalillusion. Similarly, it is myopic to remainengrossed in the present only and in itsnarrow selfish considerations, to thecomplete exclusion of the ultimate goal. Onlythose who rise above this temptation are ableto reach the ultimate truth and attain bliss.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

34

In the previous article of this series, we hadread about the materials and methods for

two Ayurvedic decoctions (kw³tha) andsupporting medicines against the diseases anddisorders of V³ta Dosha and High BloodPressure. The present article is a continuation.Important information extracted from theresearch findings at Brahmavarchas ShodhSansthan is given here on kw³thas that arefound to be effective remedies against someother diseases/disorders that are also quitecommon complaints these days. The Englishand Botanical names of the herbs referredhere may be found in [1].

3. Kw³thaKw³thaKw³thaKw³thaKw³tha for Relief from Insomnia

Insomnia or lack of sleep is a psychosomaticdisorder, which not only reduces patient’sefficiency, but also invites different kinds ofother mental and physical health relatedproblems. In most cases, an over-ambitiousand self-possessive attitude and/or stressfulirregular routine, unbalanced diet andartificial, luxurious life-style are attributed toits occurrence. Patients often start consumingtranquilizers (sleeping tablets) that inducesome kind of intoxication and drowsinessrather than regulating the natural cycle ofsleep or inducing peaceful ‘natural like’ sleepeven for a few hours. The patient gets usedto them and starts consuming more of these,as the initial quantity becomes ineffective aftersometime. Thus, instead of healing, these

‘medicines’ eventually increase the patient’ssufferings.

Sometimes, one does not get sleep because ofacute pain in some part of the body, fever,indigestion, asthma, cardiac problems, tensionor worries due to some adversities, etc. But,sleeplessness of this sort is temporary. Cureof the sickness or improvement in the situationrevives the original sleep. But the lack of sleepin case of hypertension and consequentrestlessness or due to psychologicalcomplications is often unbearable. One takesshelter of sedative medicines in such cases aswell. The doctors also often have no otherchoice but to advise such drugs in general. Thefollowing kw³tha offers an excellentalternative. If taken with prescribed dietrestriction under Ayurvedic treatment, it notonly uproots insomnia, but also allays andcontrols the problems of blood pressure,restlessness etc.

Ingredients of the Insomnia Relieving Kw³tha:(1) Br³hmº– 5gm, (2) ÏankhapuÌpº– 5gm, (3)JaÚ³m³nsi– 10 to 30gm, (4) Vijay³– 5gm, (5)HaraÃa– 5gm, (6) Aïwagandh³– 2.5gm, (7)Sarpagandh³– 2.5gm, (8) Khurs³ni Ajv³yan–1.25gm, (9) Giloya– 5gm, (10) Punarnav³– 5gm,(11) Arjuna– 5gm (12) Var¿ña– 2.5gm.

Method of Preparation and Use: Take theabove herbal (plant) medicine in the indicatedamount (or a multiple of these, maintaining

AyurvedicDecoction Therapy – IV

Ayurvedic Therapies-5

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

35

their mutual proportions as per those in theabove mentioned amounts). Grind them tomake a coarse powder. This mixed powdermay be kept in an airtight container to protectit from moisture. For one day’s average doseof the kw³tha, soak about 5-6 teaspoons(approximately 30 gms) of this mixture inabout half-liter water sometime in theevening. Like for the other kw³thas, this soakedsolution is boiled the next morning on mildheat till it concentrates to one fourth of itsoriginal volume. It is then cooled to normaldrinking temperature and filtered through aclean cloth piece. The filtered decoction is nowready for use. About half of it should be drunkin the morning itself and the remaining in thelate afternoon/early evening. Care should betaken to keep the remaining amount of the

kw³tha protected from light, dust etc, and coolenough so that it remains in good conditiontill evening.

Diet restraints should be strictly followed incase of insomnia, especially when it is causeddue to hypertension. Intake of fried foodshould be avoided; meal in the night shouldbe very light and devoid of all fats and friedthings. Its quantity should also be about halfof that in the morning (lunch). Two tablets ofthe Ayurvedic drug “Mah³shankhavaÚº” shouldbe taken with water after each meal. Thisprevents acidity and heaviness or restlessnessdue to disturbed metabolism.

Practice of meditation and japa provideexcellent support in soothing the nervous

China’s Emperor Mao was then a small child. His grandmother fell ill and hence was unable tomove. She gave her grandson the responsibility to take care of her small garden. The grandsonassured her that he would not let the garden dry up.

After a month the old lady recovered and went to garden only to find most of the plants withered.A few had even wilted completely.

The grandmother called the child and said, “Mao, you have not kept your words. You hadpromised to keep this garden fresh and blooming.”

Tears rolled down the child’s eyes. He said, “Grandmother, I wiped the leaves daily, loved them,and kept bits of my bread in their roots. Even then they dried. Where did I go wrong?”

Seeing the nervous boy, the grandmother said gently, “Child, you should have irrigated theirroots. They are strong enough to extract their nutrition from earth for survival, if kept moist.”

The child sank deep into thoughts and asked the grandmother, “Then where are the roots ofman?”

“They lie in his courage and his arms. If these are not nourished no man can prosper andflourish,” she replied.

The grandmother died but Mao Tse Tung kept her words in mind. To keep people prosperousand flourishing, he followed her advice and became the sovereign leader of China.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

36

system and relaxing and rejuvenating themind-body system. Patients of insomnia mustpractice these regularly. As such, earlymorning and evening are the best times, but,as part of remedy against sleeplessness, thefollowing easy practice may be adopted aftergoing to bed. Lie down in the calming postureof “shav³sana”. The body should be straightbut left loose, with hands and legs spread intheir natural relaxing positions. Take a slowbut deep breath and then exhale all yourworries and tensions while breathing out inthe same manner. Let the breathing go on at anatural pace thereafter; close your eyes andpractice silent (mental) chanting of the GayatriMantra or the Mahamritunjaya Mantra; feelas though the subtle vibrations of the mantraare soothing even the tiniest nerve cells of thebrain and the rest of the body. Gradually thepace of chanting should be slowed down andcalming current of sleep should be invokedsimultaneously in the imagination. Thisimagination should be coupled with a feelingthat the soothing sense of sleep is embracingevery part of our being…. Within a few days,this simple practice together with themedicinal effects of the kw³tha blesses thepatient with the boon of good sleep.

4. Kw³tha Remedy Against Malaria

The following kw³tha therapy has been foundvery useful and effective against all kinds ofmalarial fevers.Ingredients:(1) K³lmegha– 10gm, (2) Chir³yat³– 10gm,(3) S³itar³– 10gm, (4) Padm³kha– 5gm, (5) RedChandan– 5gm (6) Giloya– 10gm, (7) BlackPepper– 15 seeds, (8) Ajv³yan– 10gm, (9) smallHaraÃa– 10gm, (10) Clove– 5 pieces, (11)

Kh¿bakal³– 10gm, (12) Tulasº– 15 leafs, (13)Roasted white Alum– 5gm, (14) Artimisia–10gm, (15) Neema leafs– 10gm, (16) KuÚakº –5gm, (17) Bhui Ânval³– 10gm, (18) PaÚola leafs–10gm, (19) N³garmoth³– 10gm, (20) K¿ÚajaChh³la– 10gm, (21) Karanja– 10gm, (22) Âkaleaf– 2gm.

Method of Preparation and Use: Same as thatdescribed earlier, except that here only 4-5teaspoon (approx. 25gm) of the coarse powderof the constituents (listed in sr. no. (1) to (22)above) is to be used.

In case of severity, one teaspoon of very finedry powder of these medicines should alsobe eaten with water in addition to the kw³thain the morning and in the evening. This finepowder (churña) is obtained by thoroughgrinding of the coarse mixture on a handgrinder or on a kharal made up of smoothstone and then sifting with the help of aclean, dry, thin cloth piece.

The following remedy is also found veryeffective in preventing Malaria at the initialstage itself. Minutes before the onset of highfever, the patient feels cold and shivering.At this moment, he should be given a tinydrop of milk of Âka mixed in one teaspoonof ghee or butter; this medicine works likean antidote because milk of Âka suppressesthe infection/attack of Malarial virus. In casethe patient feels excessive heat because ofthis counter reaction, he should be givenone or two teaspoons of ghee or about 250gmmilk with sugar. It should be rememberedthat these pacifiers (milk or ghee) should alsobe given before the rise in temperature. Milkor ghee is not suitable in the state of fever.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

37

5. Kw³tha to Cure Diseases Due to Cold-effects

This kw³tha is an effective remedy againstchronic as well as allergic bronchitis andsimilar complaints of accumulated effects ofcold.

Ingredients: (1) Rudantº– 5gm, (2) Rudravantº–5gm, (3) V³s³– 5gm, (4) KanÚak³rº – 5gm,(5) Bh³rangº– 5gm, (6) Tejapatra– 2.5gm,(7) MulahaÚhº– 5gm, (8) TrikaÚu (saunÚha, pºppalºand black pepper in equal proportions)–1.25gm, (9) Pittap³paó– 5gm, (10) Naus³dara(Ammonia salt)– 0.6gm, (11) Daïam¿la– 5gm,(12) Pippalº Panch³ng– 5gm, (13) T³lºsa Patra–2.5gm, (14) Chitraka– 5gm, (15) Tulasº– 2.5gm,(16) Gulabanphï³– 5gm, (17) Atºsa – 0.4gm.

Method of Preparation and Use: About 4-5teaspoon (~ 30gm) of the coarse powder ofthe above listed herbal (plant) medicines – inindicated amounts of a constant multiple ofthese – is used for preparing the kw³tha. Themethod of preparations of the decoction anddoses are the same as those for the kw³tha forrelief from insomnia.

6. Kw³tha Remedy Against Bronchial Asthma

This Ayurvedic decoction is an excellentmedicine in uprooting Bronchial Asthma,chronic cough and some pulmonary infections.Its ingredients are – (1) Somalat³– 10gm, (2)Atºsa – 0.1gm, (3) Naus³dara (Ammonia salt)–0.2gm, (7) KanÚak³rº – 10gm, (8) Bh³rangº–10gm, (9) MulahaÚhº– 10gm, (10) TrikaÚu– 10gm,(11) V³s³ root– 5gm, (12) Rudantº fruit– 10gm,(13) Rudravantº– 5gm, (14) Gulabanphï³– 5gm,(15) G³zv³n– 5gm, (16) R³sn³– 5gm.

Method of Preparation and Use: Each of theabove listed herbs (or dried plant medicines)in the prescribed amount – or its constantmultiple – is first grinded separately into acoarse powder/paste. Then, the coarsepowders thus obtained are mixed thoroughlyand packed for use. Everyday 4-5 teaspoons(~25gm) of it are to be used for preparing thek³Ãh³ or kw³th (fresh decoction) in a mannersimilar to that described earlier. Two dosesof it are taken everyday – one in the morning(empty stomach) and one in the evening.

As mentioned for the other kw³thas, careshould be taken to protect the dry powderfrom moisture and light. It should not bestocked for too long; as some of the plantmedicines are most effective only when driedfresh. The evening dose of kw³tha should betaken when it is still fresh – it should tasteand smell as it was in the morning.

Many people find it difficult to prepare thedecoction (kwatha). They may make a very finepowder of all the twenty medicinalingredients listed above while using therespective amounts as specified against each.(The amounts could be in some constantmultiple of those indicated above; but thesame proportion should be retained). The firstset of fourteen could be first powdered usingany grinder. But the final grinding should bedone using a kharal; the fine powder finallyobtained should be further filtered using a dry,clean thin cloth. The smooth, filtered powdershould be then kept properly in a dry, clean,airtight container. As was mentioned earlier,the above listed amounts would generally besufficient for complete dose for six days. Sothe amount of the medicinal powder to be

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

38

eaten per dose (twice a day) could becalculated accordingly. This much amountshould be taken every morning and eveningwith water or as a paste prepared in the ‘juice’of the pulp of gh—atakum³ri.

It may be more convenient to take an amountof this powder, which is appropriate for aweek’s dose and make tiny tablets (eachcontaining the amount of one of the two dosesper day) from the paste prepared in the ‘juice’of the pulp of gh—atakum³rº. This way, thepatient will just have to swallow one tablet inthe morning and one in the evening. Thetimings could be those prescribed for thekw³tha. They will not have to drink kw³thaseparately or eat the piÌÚi’s mixed powder, asall the twenty medicines prescribed abovewould be present (in appropriate amounts) inthe tablet. It should be remembered again thatthe tablets are to be protected from moistureand exposure to light or air.

In all the types of Ayurvedic decoction-therapies described in this series – namely,that for curing the diseases and disorders dueto v³ta dosha and that for controlling highblood pressure up to the normal levels – there

has been one set of medicines that plays asupportive role. It helps strengthen the effectsof the kw³tha, alleviate common complaints(e.g. acidity) associated with these diseases,and/or induce soothing psychological effects.The constituents of these – viz., the piÌties,rasas, bhasms, etc – are very special kinds ofAyurvedic drugs/prescriptions that can beprepared only by experienced experts ofAyurvedic pharmaceutics. These should bepurchased from authentic pharmacies inconsultation with some experienced doctors.

It should be noted and remembered for allthe other kinds of kw³thas as well, that the herbsavailable in the market need not always befresh or their condition and quality may notalways be useful. Moreover, the doses andmethods of use we are citing here are onlyaverage estimates for common cases, thesemay vary from patient to patient dependingupon the extent and nature of the disease/disorder and the types of other ailments,deficiencies, if any, …etc.[1] Brahmvarchas (2001): Ayurved ka Pran –Vanaushadi Vigyan.Publ. Sri Vedmata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj,Haridwar.

A miser hid his gold at the foot of a tree in his garden. Every week he would dig it upand look at it for hours. One day a thief dug up the fold and made off with it. When themiser next came to gaze upon his treasure, all he found was an empty hole.The man began to howl with grief so his neighbors came running to find out what thetrouble was. When they found out, one of them asked, “Did you use any of the gold?”“No,” said the miser. “I looked at it every week.”“Well, then,” said the neighbor, “for all the good the gold did you, you might just aswell come every week and gaze upon the hole.”It is not by our money but by our capacity for enjoyment that we are rich or poor. Tostrive for wealth and have no capacity for enjoyment is to be like the bald man whostruggles to collect combs.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

39

After the work at Mathura had beenstabilized on a satisfactory footing, I

received the third call from the Him³layas inwhich there was indication about the nextphase of the assignment to be given to me.There had been considerable pressure in thecontinuing phase of work, which had resultedin exhaustion, although success had beenachieved. Under these circumstances, thisinvitation for recharging the battery was mostwelcome.

I set out for the pilgrimage on the prescribedday in June 1971. There was no difficulty as Iwas familiar with the route. The cold was alsonot as severe as it was at the time of my firstpilgrimage. I also did not feel loneliness. I wasescorted by Gurudev’s messenger fromGomukh to Nandanvan, as usual. Theauspicious moment to which I was keenlylooking forward throughout the journeyultimately arrived. After exchange of reverentcourtesies and blessings, the impartation ofguidance started.

Gurudev said, “You have to leave Mathura andshift to Hardwar and start the work ofreviving the —ïi traditions. You will recall thatwhen you came here for the first time youhad met —ïis living in this region in their astral

bodies and each of them had expresseddistress at the extinction of their traditions andyou had promised that you would accomplishthis task. This time you have been summonedfor this purpose”.

“God has no physical form. Wheneversomething epoch-making is sought to beachieved, —ïis, who remain engrossed intapascary³ bestow their powers on Devatm³s,great personages and get the work donethrough them. Viïv³mitra took Bhagav³n R³mato his Âïram (hermitage) on the pretext ofdefending his yajóa, trained him in Bal³(G³yatrº) and Atibal³ (S³vitrº) Vidy³s (spiritualknowledge) and got the citadel of demoniacforces demolished, thus paving the way forthe establishment of R³ma- R³jya (rule of truthand righteousness). Ïrº KriÌñ³ had gone forstudies to Sandºpan —ïi and returned after hehad been duly imparted the message of theGºt³, his role in Mah³bh³rata epoch and incarrying forward the —ïi tradition of Sud³m³.Ancient scriptures are full of descriptions how—ïis moulded great personages and gotimportant work accomplished through them,although they themselves always remainedengrossed in spiritual pursuits, s³dhan³,research etc. It is this work which you have toaccomplish”.

Third Pilgrimage to the Him³layasHim³layasHim³layasHim³layasHim³layas -Sowing the seeds of —ïi traditions—ïi traditions—ïi traditions—ïi traditions—ïi traditions

Autobiography of P¿¿¿¿¿jya Gurudev continued from the previous issue.

My Life: Its Legacy and Message -15

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

40

“The seer of G³yatrº mantra was Viïv³mitra whohad lived in Sapta Sarovar, Haridwar and hadacquired mastery in the miraculous power ofG³yatrº. That place is now reserved for you.You will be able to find it out easily. Name itas Shantikunj, G³yatrº Tºrtha and sow the seedsof all the life transforming traditions, whichwere established by the —ïis when they livedin their physical forms. They need a physicalmedium to get their work done. I, too, hadfelt a similar need; found in you a competentperson, contacted you and initiated you inthis task. These other —ïis have also similaraspirations. You have to sow anew the seedsof old —ïi traditions, which is no doubt adifficult task but you will be getting guidance,patronage, blessings and divine gifts ofexecuting competence from me as well as fromall these —ïis and you will proceed in carryingout the given assignments undeterred.”

Briefly describing the still incomplete workof the —ïis, I was asked to acquaint people withthe power of G³yatrº Mah³mantra according tothe tradition of Viïv³mitra —ïi and to establisha Siddhapºtha G³yatrº Tºrtha; to write books andeighteen volumes of Prajó³ Pur³ña in Vy³satradition; to revive the science and philosophyof yoga s³dhan³ in P³tanjali tradition; to buildup an atmosphere of refined and ennoblingvibrations by eradicating evil tendencies fromthe minds of the people according toParaïur³ma tradition; to conduct scientificresearch and popularize use of medicinalherbs according to Caraka tradition; to heal andset right mental disorders by holistictreatments of yajóopathy in Y³jóavalkyatradition; to establish S³dhan³-Ârañyakas forpromoting the growth of goodness andcharacter building in Jamadagni tradition; to

lead wandering life of a religious mendicant(parivr³jaka) with the aim of imparting trueknowledge and guidance for the spread ofreligious and spiritual consciousness in N³radatradition; to provide guidance through themedium of ethics to the administrative set-upin the tradition of Âryabhatta; to build up Prajó³sansth³ns at different places in Ïankar³c³ryatradition; to promote all-round health with thehelp of proper dieting (³h³ra-kalpa) accordingto Pippal³da tradition and to convene Prajóasammelans from place to place for educatingthe masses according to S¿ta-Ïaunika tradition.Gurudev also indicated the outline ofestablishing Brahmavarchas Research Institutefor conducting research on scientific linesaccording to the scientific traditions of AtharvaVeda, as was done by Kañ³da —ïi.

I was explained, in detail, what I had to do atHardwar and how difficulties coming in myway were to be resolved. I assimilated eachand every word uttered by Gurudev. Last timewhen I had visited the Himalayas, I was to actaccording to the directions given by Gurudevalone. This time I was assigned the onerousresponsibilities of undertaking additionalmomentous tasks. This poor donkey was tobe more alert and more diligent. Withoutelaborating, Gurudev simply gave a hint thatafter doing all this, I will have to pay a fourthvisit to the Him³layas and shoulder still greaterresponsibilities and take steps to withdrawinto the astral body.

I was informed that the work at Hardwarwould be more difficult than that at Mathura.The onslaughts of devilish elements wouldhave to be faced more resolutely and therewould be several ups and downs. After

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

41

explaining where and how I had to live andperform my daily routine, I was told that Ishould regard it as a joint programme ofGurudev and all the other —ïis. I assuredGurudev that for me he was the representativeof the Supreme Lord and all the —ïis andDevat³s; and all his instructions would becomplied with till my last breath.

Our talks ended. After bidding farewell,Gurudev disappeared. I was escorted uptoGomukh by his Vºrbhadra. It is not necessaryto mention the places where I was required tostay for about a year, as they are inaccessibleplaces in the Him³layas.

While returning, I stayed at the place indicatedby Gurudev in Hardwar. It was the tapobh¿miof Sapta-—ïis, which was lying deserted andwas for sale. It was marshy. Ganga used toflow through this land in the past. I liked it.The owner of the land was contacted; the dealwas struck and reduced into writing. I had totake the decision all by myself. The counsel ofthe advisors was of no avail, as I failed tomake them understand the mysticalsignificance of the place, the purpose for whichit was being acquired and the blueprint of theproposed construction. Even the supervisorywork of construction had to be done by me.Thus came into being the Shantikunj Ïaktipºthaat Hardwar.

A miser had accumulated five hundred thousand dinars and looked forwardto a year of pleasant living before he made up his mind how best to investhis money, when suddenly the Angle of Death appeared before him to takehis life away.

The man begged and pleaded and used a thousand arguments to be allowedto live a little longer, but the Angle was obdurate. “Give me three days oflife and I shall give you half my fortune,” the man pleaded. The Anglewouldn’t hear of it and began to tug at him. “Give me just one day, I beg ofyou, and you can have everything I accumulated through so much sweatand toil.” The Angle was adamant still.He was able to wring just one little concession from the Angel - a fewmoments in which to write down this note: “Oh you, whoever you are thathappen to find this note, if you have enough to live on, don’t waste your lifeaccumulating fortunes. Live! My five hundred thousand dinars could notbuy me a single hour of life!”

When millionaires die and people ask, “How much did they leave?” theanswer is, of course, “Everything.”And sometimes, “They didn’t leave it. They were taken away from it.”

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

42

The Scripture says, “ It is woman whocreates man. The creative power of

woman should be rightly understood.”

Man is born from woman’s womb. Mother isthe child’s first teacher. A drop of father’ssemen is only the cause; the whole body andorgans are formed by mother’s blood. Child’sbody, mind and character are formulatedaccording to the qualities, traits and charactercontained in her blood and her health, talents,trend of thinking and sentiments. If womenremain unhealthy, uneducated, undeveloped,uncultured, dependent and pitiable, thechildren born of them will be afflicted with theseflaws. Barren land cannot yield rich crop.

If an orchard yielding good crop of fruits isto be made, it needs soil of good quality. Ifhumanity wants to progress, it is essential tomake women develop their talents andcapabilities in physical, intellectual, social andeconomic fields. Only then can qualities likestrength, competency, noble sense, virtue,greatness etc. develop in society. Keepingwomen chained in backwardness is doinggrievous harm to society.

Society consists of two parts – men andwomen. Efforts are made for betterment,comfort and safety of man, but woman islagging behind in every field. As a result, halfof our nation, half of the society, half of theworld, half of the family, half of the life force

remains backward. If a cart is fitted with onebigger and one smaller wheel or one big andone small bullock are yoked together, theycan’t work properly. Our country, society andcommunity cannot be deemed developed inthe true sense, so long as women do not getthe opportunity to develop their potential,intelligence and talents.

To-day man’s distrust, restrictions, narrowmindedness, etc. toward women are very muchvisible. We distrust all women – be they oursisters, daughters, wives or mothers – andthink that they would become profligate, ifallowed to live unfettered natural lives. Underthis false apprehension, all their simple naturalhuman urges are suppressed and heavilyfettered. To view our own sisters anddaughters as unworthy of trust is a much moreheinous sin than distrusting our own self andour own soul. This degraded mentality istotally against the greatness and magnanimityinherent in the Indian culture.

The trait of piety in women is much more thanin men. Women are much more abundantlyendowed with the virtues of love, kindness,compassion, pity, generosity, gratitude, etcthan men. In the same way, from the point ofview of character, restraint, morality andsanctity, her place is much higher than that ofman. So there is no reason why man shouldconsider her inferior to him, distrust her andobstruct her all round progress.

Restore Women to Their Rightful

Status of High EsteemDR.R

UPNAT

HJI( D

R.RUPA

K NAT

H )

43

More than the sons, Mother Gayatri adoresthe daughter, because they abound in virtues,which the mischievous boys lack. So it is themessage as well as the command of MotherGayatri that women should not be kept inweak, illiterate, undeveloped and dependentcondition and efforts should be made to makethem strong, developed and self-reliant.There are many obligations of women on men.Her obligation in the form of mother makingthe body of the child by giving a portion ofher own body and nourishing it, enduringimmense pain, is enormously great. Theobligation of woman by becoming the better-half, surrendering her entire self is also no lessgreat. As of sisters and daughters, they puton us loads of obligations by pleasing us withgentle sentiments. Man cannot pay back forthese obligations even by surrendering his allat her feet. In spite of it, if man remainsungrateful, considers her inferior and becomesa hurdle in the development of her life, it ismanifestly unfair and even sinful.

In the dual divine names such as Prakriti-Brahma, Sita-Ram, Lakshmi-Narayan, Radhe-Shyam, Gauri-Shankar etc., woman comes firstand man next. In the same way in respect ofeminence and natural greatness woman’s placecomes first in our social life. If proper respectis given to her, if proper opportunity forprogress and development is given to her, shewill prove to be a boon to the society andhumanity at large. Man’s quarrelsome andselfish tendency having gained supremacy, hascreated the horror of near-total destructionof the world today. But if womanpower is

developed properly, she can reverse thiswidespread devilishness and fill today’shellish world with gentleness, simplicity,affection, art and beauty and heavenly peaceand happiness.

Many schemes are being devised for takingthe nation ahead. Many methods are beingworked out to make a better future forhumanity. All these will yield no worthwhileresults so long as womankind remains in thepresent sorry state. If the soil itself is notgood, how can any good crop be expected?Only through noble culture and virtuouswomen can great men be born. A country orsociety becomes truly rich, not by money ormaterials, but by its citizens. The country orrace whose pedigree is spoilt, whose ill-cultured mothers give birth to evil-mindedchildren will ever remain in degradedcondition even if they were materially rich.More attention is paid to the sick and theweak. More efforts are made for their careand treatment. In the same way today moreattention needs to be paid for the bettermentof womankind than of men.

Mother Gayatri brings about revolutionarychanges in our attitude and outlook. Sheordains us to look upon womankind withreverence and to treat them accordingly. Inwestern countries a movement for equal rightsto women is going on. In Indian culture, muchmore higher status than equality has beengiven to woman. By implementing this highideal we can bring about true well-being ofour country and society.

To deceive others is to deceive oneself.The inner self recognizes this downfall and constantly rebukes us.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

44

All human beings have a calling - which isrevealed through an awakening of thedivine nature.

We are all cells in the body of humanity -all of us, all over the world. Each one hasa contribution to make, and will knowfrom within what this contribution is.

Of course you have work to do in thisworld. Your first job is to awaken yourown divine nature. You can do that byputting yourself into inspirationalcircumstances and looking within - andwaiting in receptive silence for answersfrom within.

All human beings are of equal importancein God’s sight, and have a job to do in theDivine Plan.

All people are chosen or called - but wehave free will as to whether or not we willfollow that calling.

You begin to do your job in life by doingall of the good things you feel motivatedtoward, even though they are just littlegood things at first. You give these priorityin your life over all the superficial thingsthat customarily clutter human lives.

The awakening can take place very earlyin life, ‘For instance, a child who is to be amusician will know in childhood that musicis the way to go.

Your job is something you will be happydoing.

If what you are doing is not easy andjoyous you can ask yourself two questions:what is my motive for what I am doing?What would I be happy doing?

How good it is to earn your livelihood bycontributing constructively to the societyin which you live - everyone should, ofcourse, and in a healthy society everyonewould.

What you do in the present creates thefuture, so use the present to create awonderful future.

Concentrate on giving so that you mayopen yourself to receiving. Concentrate onliving according to the light you have, sothat you may open yourself to more light.

When you look at things emotionally, youwill not see them clearly; when youperceive things spiritually, you willunderstand.

When God guides me to do something Iam given strength, I am given supply, I amshown the way. I am given the words tospeak.

Whether the path is easy or hard I walk inthe light of God’s love and peace and joy,and I turn to God with psalms ofthanksgiving and praise.

Peace Pilgrims’s wisdomYour Place in the Life Pattern

Besides God’s laws, which are the same for all of us, there is also God’s guidancethat is unique for every human soul. If you don’t know what God’s guidance for yourlife is, you might try seeking in receptive silence.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

45

Let us begin with the collective chanting of theGayatri Mantra:

“Om Bhúr Bhuva¡ Swa¡, atsaviturvareñya® BhargoDevasya Dhºmahi, Dhiyo Yona¡ Pracoday³t ||”

Sisters and Brothers,

The present times are of extraordinarysignificance! It is the period of yug-sandhi

–– the crucial juncture of era transition.Junctions of day and night are called eitherthe “evening”, when the day ends and thenight begins; or the “morning”, when the nightis over and the dawn declares the advent ofday. This yug-sandhi is a junction of an epochalchange that is going to mark the end of theDark Age (Night) of the Devil and the dawnof the Bright Age (Day) of Divine Radiance.

The almost magical materialistic achievementsof the present time are truly amazing! But thatis only its outer glaze; the inside is dark andfilthy. This advancement of material scienceand technology is a blind, egotist and luxury-driven growth, which is hazardous, as it hasignored and even suppressed the foundationalelements of human nature and culture. Theglittering progress of today is like the goldenkingdom of Ravana. It is mighty and giganticlike his ten allegoric heads and twenty hands.

Don’t Ignore The Call of theAll-Conquering Time-Spirit

Although Ravana was a great warrior andintelligent emperor and had also attainedsuper-human capabilities by devout tapa, hisdemonic ego overshadowed everything. Hetortured every one, be that the innocentmasses or the sages and saints, whosoever didnot accept his slavery. He wanted to possesseverything for his pleasure, as per his will. Aswe all know, his kingdom was charred intoashes and he too was eventually obliteratedwith all his kith and kins, power and pelf. Thegiant, apathetic, single-tracked, selfishprogress of the modern times, that hasundermined human values is also going tomeet a Ravana-like pathetic end in the lastphase of yug-sandhi. This yug-sandhi will pavethe way for the emergence of benevolence,cooperation and compassion among thepeople, harmony between progress andNature, and, simplicity and truthfulness in life.

Today’s man is entrapped in demonicmentality and is no less devilish than thedemons of the ancient times. Why do I saythat? Just see! Every one is engrossed in blindpursuit of petty selfish ends in some form orthe other; mad rush for possessing morewealth and power by any means dominate thehuman psyche. This is the basic instinct ofdevilish nature. Avarice, worldly passions,unchecked ambitions and corruption are the

Translation of a discourse on “Mah³k³la Kº Puk³ra Ansuni Na KareóMah³k³la Kº Puk³ra Ansuni Na KareóMah³k³la Kº Puk³ra Ansuni Na KareóMah³k³la Kº Puk³ra Ansuni Na KareóMah³k³la Kº Puk³ra Ansuni Na Kareó”

Amrit V³ñºAmrit V³ñºAmrit V³ñºAmrit V³ñºAmrit V³ñº

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

46

solders of devil’s army, nurtured by mass ofhumanity within themselves. Tell me, who hastime for selfless service or altruistic missions?Who cares for divine discipline and ideals?Who is truly sincere in God’s devotion? Ourprayers also revolve around worldly rewards–– to achieve some difficult goal, to fulfill someaspiration, or to ward off or alleviate someadversities. It looks like a demon (daitya) hasentered the human psyche whose hunger andthirst keep on growing endlessly. Theirperverted self-seeking devotion and worshipare in no way less single-pointed than thoseof Ravana and Marich. We see many such‘demons’ all around us, among us – havingenormous powers, resources, high degrees,talents, wealth, advanced gadgets and whatnot. But you just wait! All the evils that haveturned humans into demons are going todiminish in the coming decades.

Whether you believe it or not, the new erawill witness revival of divine culture – theculture of virtues, sensitivity, humanity,morality, altruism, integrity and righteousintellect. The modern culture of opportunism,commercialization, advertisement, power-

grabbing, oppression, deception andexploitation is worse than the culture of daityas,because it is hidden in the glitter of intellectualdiplomacy and cleverness. But thefoundations of falsehood, howsoever giganticits expansion might be, are always shaky. Thelight of truth dispels it in no time. I am clearlyvisualizing this happening in the near future.The searchlight of a ship is seen in the radarat the shore, much before the ship’s actualarrival. Many of us sometimes get the glimpsesof premonition but only a few pay attentionand decipher them correctly. Several animalshave the extrasensory sensation of naturalevents such as – tremors, cyclones, tornadoes,heavy rains, etc. Study of their hecticmovements and unusual behavior, togetherwith computer analysis of remote-sensing dataare often used for preventive measures. Theclairvoyance of prophets works beyond these,at the level of seer-vision.

The advent of yug-sandhi has already dawnedin the subtle world and is advancing to visiblymanifest the magnificent change in ourperceivable world. Is ‘all this’ going to happenlike magic? No! Nature does not allow

A reporter was attempting to get a human interest story out of a very,very old man in a government-run home for the aged.

“Grandpa,” said the young reporter, “how would you feel if yousuddenly got a letter telling you that a distant relative had left you tenmillion dollars?”

“Son,” said the old man slowly, “I would still be ninety five yearsold, wouldn’t I?”

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

47

anything to happen against its universal laws.These are the moments of the ‘birth’ of a newera. The ‘labor pains’ are also going to behistoric and will be experienced within andbeyond the physical peripheries of the world.The demonic forces won’t accept defeat soeasily. As you might know, the losing gamblerputs at stake all that he owns in his last vainattempt to win the game. The intensity ofdarkness is thickest before the advent ofdawn. The flame of a candle shines andspreads its light best before it’s extinguishing.The respiration rate of a person accelerates themost at time of death. Similar is going tohappen now with the devilish forces; theirnegativity would put up a last ditch resistancebefore annihilation.

Uptill the past few decades, most foretellerswere mum on the future of the world, andinterpretations of some ancient prophecieswere also decoded in a negative sense. Theunabated pollution, toxicity of air, scarcity ofwater, pathetic exploitation of naturalresources, population explosion, malnutrition,multifaceted corruption, etc, seen across theglobe signal the possibilities of tragicextinction of life on the earth. All the statisticalanalyses and environmental andmeteorological predictions support thislikelihood. The efforts of to starve off thecolossal catastrophe, technological, social andeconomic levels have so far, proved to besporadic, superficial and ineffective. Ecologicalinferences indicate high probability ofdevastating natural calamities, spread ofvarieties of diseases, epidemics, famines,earthquakes, cyclones, floods, etc, even theimagination of which appears horrifying. Inits craze of overpowering Nature, the human

race has driven itself to the edge of ghastlysuicidal precipice.

As we all know, existence of life on our globeis blessed by the grace of balanced energyradiations from the Sun. Without it our planetwould have been either a snow ball like Plutoor Neptune or burning volcanoes on Mars orthe gaseous ensemble around the Saturn withno signs of life. It is only the harmoniouslinkage between the Earth and the Sun, whichhas made our survival so comfortable togetherwith diversity of other creatures, flora andfauna, here. Perturbation in this harmonyresults in devastating effects on the Earth. Thedamaging of ozone layer has invited harmfulultraviolet and other radiations. Adding to theconcerns of our future, the occurrence of theextraordinary series of ‘Sun spots’ has begunsince 1989 and is expected to continue for twodecades. Each such ‘spot’ is due to unusualflames (of over hundred thousand mileslength) emitted from the Sun that causedangerous effects on the earth giving rise todreaded natural calamities. Moreover, in thisphase of yug-sandhi (lasting for a few decadesfrom 1980 onwards….), there will be series ofrare solar eclipses that have not been recordedsince the past 800 years. The excessive heatingof the Jupiter is going to further aggravate theobnoxious changes in earth’s atmosphere.

We have been presenting detailed reports onthe above aspects in Akhand Jyoti (Hindi) toapprise the readers of the facts. From time totime, we have also cited the predictions ofnoted prophets, interpretations of thescriptures –– ranging from Bhavishya Puran,Kalki Puran, to the ‘Prophecies’ of the Bibleand ‘Qayamata in the 14th Century’ referred in

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

48

the holy Quran. All these indicate one thingfor sure that the period we are going throughat present is really going to be testing. It isthe phase of the climax of the struggle betweendeath and life, between the devil and thedivine.

But there is no need to panic. If you have faithin God, rest assured that Almighty would notlet His supreme creation to end this way. Thepresent phase of yug-sandhi is an emergencytime, repercussions of which are to be foughtcollectively by the elevated souls and all thosewho regard themselves as His devotees andcare to save humanity. The present calamitiesshould be viewed as the process ofgermination of a seed. The seed dissolves anddecays beneath the soil, sacrifices its identityto let the sapling sprout and gradually growinto a mighty tree. The tumultuous times oftoday are witness to the ‘digging’ before the‘laying’ of foundations of a new edifice (NewEra). The awakened souls have a uniqueresponsibility in the yug-sandhi phase to lookafter this preparation and dedicate theirpotentials for the firm establishment of thefoundation of the new era against all odds.

I consider you all as awakened souls in thesense that you are not the ones who live onlyto feed the stomach and quench sensual thirstas most other people do. They don’t realizethat ‘eating and reproducing’ is easily doneby every animal, every creature. But I believe

you are humans not only in form but also innature and conduct. You as awakened, duty-bound citizens, intelligent, talented beings,and above all, kind-hearted persons, devoteesof Gayatri owe this collective responsibilityof working on a war footing in these criticalmoments. Indeed, this is an emergency time.Do you know what does that mean? Forexample, if a major fire is spreading in yourcolony, in front of your eyes, then you willnaturally leave all other things and rush torender urgent help. If there were a train-accident in which several lives were lost andhundreds injured, then will anyone present inthe nearby houses relax or be occupied in hispersonal chores or important work? Will sucha fellow deserve to be called a human?

Well, I was warning you that the presentperiod of yug-sandhi is a state of globalemergency. Mah³k³la (The Almighty Lord ofTime, the infinite force of eternity) has blownthe bugle of a decisive War between the divineand devilish forces. The Divine Power hascalled upon all of us to be the part of the divinearmy; to be the true disciples, devotees ofPragy³vt³r –– the divine incarnation ofpreeminent discerning intellect. Please notethat you are not (and should not be) mereordinary devotees –– I mean those whoworship the deities for worldly desires andthus attempt a bargain with the Almighty.Their conceptualization of God is mean andfalse like their faith; they have commercialized

Cultivate the habit of seeing the bright side of people. Itwill develop the roots of your personality and will preach love,tolerance and good will in the world.

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

49

religion and their god as well. You can’t belike them. You have to be different, worth thedignity of your divine faith.

You all have come here for the three months’s³dhan³ course to refine your personalities, toinculcate elevated qualities. You should knowthat God is Supreme Ensemble of divinequalities, noble ideals and principles. Thydevotion therefore requires adoption ofvirtuous tendencies, integrity of character,purity of thoughts, enlightenment of intellect,sincerity and modesty of conduct andrighteous service of human culture. Every bitof your devout endeavors in this regardwould bring you near God. As you know, thebright rays of the rising Sun first fall on thehigh mountains and then come down on thetall tree and later, on the earth’s surface.Similar is the case of divine descent. TheDivine Light first reaches those who have adeserving heart and mind of a true devotee.Godhead won’t arrive in some distinct satire,playing divine flute or damaroo or holding amiraculous bow; rather, His incarnation wouldmanifest in the form of pure love, compassion,sensitivity, righteous illumination of thoughts,intellect. So, awaken your inner self, realizethe need of the hour and the graciousopportunity God has bestowed upon you, uponevery human to be a part of His divine missionof transformation of this dark age of crisis offaith and moral turpitude into the Age of truth,spirituality and angelic evolution.

Apart from the hundred points of our YugNirman mission of social reformation, moralupliftment, mass awakening and educationand eradication of blind faith and evil customsthrough religious platforms, total health,

altruistic service, revival of Rishi-Culture innew scientific light, etc, I have designed fourspecial plans for participation in the yug-sandhiproject of Mah³kala. You might be well awareof the Yug Nirman activities and may getfurther information and guidance on it fromGayatri Pariwar Centres. But these fourexperiments of gradual rise to higher spirituallevel are very distinct. Doing the first one itselfwill initiate your spiritual ascent andenlightenment. For this, you will have topractice your daily Gayatri Upasana moresincerely and incorporate the s³dhan³s of³tmabodh for a few minutes in the morning soonafter getting up and tatvabodh for a few minutesin the night before going to sleep. (The detailsof these will be published in the next issue ofAkhand Jyoti).

The second experiment is the Yug-SandhiMahapuraïcaran for awakening of collectiveconsciousness in which the dedicated Gayatris³dhakas across the globe will collectively do aspecific meditation and pr³ñay³ma at aparticular time interval during the Sunrise timeevery day. The third one is that of Deva-Sth³pan³ and higher-level s³dhan³ by thedeserving s³dhakas amongst you to prepare thedesired atmosphere in your family for thearrival of elevated souls who are assigneddivine tasks for the new era. The fourthexperiment is sublime in nature and is beyondyour comprehension. It is the SukïmikarañaS³dhan³ of spiritual illumination of the innerrealms of consciousness and awakening of theKuñdalini of the World.

|| OM SHANTI ||

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )

50

MAKE ME A BLESSING, LORD

Make me a blessing, Lord! Help me

To help those needing help, to beA blessing to my fellow men.Instruct me to speak and whenTo hold my speech, when to be boldIn giving and when to withhold;And if I have not strength enough,Then give me strength. Lord, make me toughWith my own self but tender towardAll others. Let there be outpouredOn me the gentleness to blessAll who have need of gentleness.Give me a word, a touch to fillThe lonely life, faith for the ill,And courage to keep hearts up thoughMy own is feeling just as low.When men have bitter things to meetAnd quail and would accept defeat,Then let me lift their eyes to seeThe vision of Thy victory.Help me to help; help me to giveThe wisdom and the will to live!

- James Dillet Freeman

[Published (from Unity Book, Unity, USA) with deep gratitude to late James D. Freeman(1912 – 2003), a true friend and a great teacher, whose moving and musical words haveprovided spiritual inspiration to millions around the globe. -Editor]

DR.RUPN

ATHJI(

DR.R

UPAK

NATH )