Arsha Vidya Center
What is Püjä?
From Vedic Heritage Püjä and Prayers Book
Püjä is one of the most beautiful ways to bring out the devotee within oneself and establish a relationship with Éçvara, the Lord. Püjä is called käyikaà karma, an action involving one’s limbs. It also includes speech and mental action in the form of chanting and thinking of the Lord.
In a physical form of worship, such as a püjä, there is a greater field of expression of one’s devotion than it is possible in purely oral or mental forms of worship. The body, mind, and speech are all involved in a püjä. The forms, colors, fragrances and sounds of the various items in worship arrest one’s mind and aid in invoking devotion in oneself.
A püjä is performed in order to express one’s gratitude for all one has been given in one’s life. The very creation in which one is born is considered to be a gift of the Lord. The body-mind-sense complex is made of five basic elements: space, air, fire, water and earth which also constitute the creation. Through the sense perceptions backed by the mind one perceives the Lord’s vast creation and appreciates his glories.
Traditionally, a form of worship known as païcopacä-püjä, worship with fivefold offering, is performed. This worship acknowledges the presence of the Lord and makes a simple offering of the five elements through a symbolic offering of puñpa, flowers; dhüpa, incense; dépa, light; naivedya, food and gandha, sandalwood paste. These objects represent the elements space, air, fire, water and earth, respectively
smpR[m! - Samarpaëam – Dedication to the Lord
kayen vaca mnseiNÔyEvaR bu˜(aTmna va àk&teSSvÉavat! , kraeim y*Tskl< prSmE naray[ayeit smpRyaim. käyena väcä manasendriyairvä buddhyätmanä vä prakåtessvabhävät karomi yadyatsakalaà parasmai näräyaëäyeti samarpayämi Unto Lord Näräyaëa, I dedicate all acts that I perform with my body, speech, mind, senses, and intellect which are born of delibration or natural tendencies.
AaTm pUja - Worship of the Self
dehae devaly< àae´> jIvae devSsnatn>, Tyjed}aninmaRLy< sae=h< Éaven pUjyet! . deho devälayaà proktaù jévo devassanätanaù, tyajedajïänanirmälyaà so’haà bhävena püjayet The body is the temple. The jévä is the deity of this temple since the beginningless time. May one remove wilted flowers that are looked upon as ignorence and worship the Lord with an understanding that he is non-seperate from oneself.
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Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Tradition holds that Lord Çiva in the form of Dakñhiëämürti was the first teacher of Vedänta. He imparted Self-Knowledge to the four åñis seated at his feet, initiating an oral tradition which has been passed down to us through the centuries. We salute and honor this teaching tradition!
Lord Dakñhiëämürti Ādi Śaìkaräcärya Swami Dayananda
Çré Swami Dayananda Saraswati is a distinguished, traditional teacher of Vedänta. His depth of understanding and nuanced appreciation of Western culture makes him that rare teacher who can communicate the vision of non-duality to modern listeners. He is able to make one see, with immediacy, the truth of oneself as the whole.
Swami Dayananda has been teaching Vedänta in India for more than four decades, and around the world since 1976. In his public talks abroad, Swamiji has spoken at many of the most prestigious American universities, and has addressed international conventions, UNESCO and the United Nations, where he participated in the Millennium Peace Summit.
A teacher of teachers, Swami Dayananda designed and taught six resident in-depth Vedänta courses, each spanning 30 to 36 months. Four were conducted in India, and two in the United States. Each course graduated about 60 qualified ächaryas, teachers, who are now teaching around the world. More than one hundred are now swämis and are highly respected as scholars and teachers throughout India and abroad.
Under Swami Dayananda’s guidance, numerous centers for Vedic teaching have been founded around the world. The two main centers in India are the Arsha Vidya Ashram in Rishikesh and the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore. In the U.S., the main center is the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam at Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. At present there are at least sixty centers in India and abroad that carry on the same tradition of Vedäntic teaching.
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Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati
Çré Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati, a disciple of Çré Swami Dayananda Saraswati, is an outstanding teacher of Vedänta. He expounds Vedänta with a simplicity and directness that make it easy to assimilate. Having studied and worked in the United States prior to becoming a sannyäsi, Swami Viditatmananda is familiar with the lifestyles of India as well as the West. With this insight, he reaches out to students across both cultures, with equal ease.
Swamiji is traditional in his teaching and preserves the entirety of the age-old wisdom of the Upaniñads. He takes a contemporary approach in his lectures, which enables the student to relate to his teaching and imbibe this knowledge without effort. Swami Viditatmananda is the resident teacher at Tattvatértha, which is situated in the western outskirts of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. As the name suggests, it is a center for learning the tattva, or truth, as revealed in the Upaniñads and the Bhagavad Gétä. Apart from English, Swamiji teaches and writes in Gujarati as well. He also conducts management seminars with a view to illustrate the relevance of Vedänta in modern management. Swamiji visits the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam at Saylorsburg, PA, every year, to conduct Vedänta classes and camps from spring through summer. At this time, he also travels all over the US and Canada delivering lectures.
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Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati
Swami Tattvavidananda is a true paëòita in both the classical and modern sense. His Vedic studies began in childhood, first under the tutelage of his father, a well-known scholar, and later in a traditional päöhaçälä. He excelled in his Vedic studies and at the age of 11 was encouraged to begin modern academic studies. A brilliant student, he earned a Ph.D in Chemistry, and enjoyed a successful scientific career.
Swamiji continued to retain the connection to his Vedic roots, and at the instigation of colleagues, presented some of his thoughts on the Veda as a formal Ph.D. dissertation. This won him a Gold Medal and a second doctorate, this time in Sanskrit. Although steeped in traditional Vedic learning, Swami Tattvavidanandaji considers his search for understanding Vedänta ended only when he finally heard Püjya Swami Dayanandaji. Since then he has dedicated himself to learning from Püjya Swamiji and recently completed the translation of the Bhagavad Gétä home study program into Telegu. With his rich store of knowledge, his cheerful unaffected manner, and his eagerness to share, Swami Tattvavidananda is a highly appreciated and beloved teacher at the Gurukulam. He is that rare combination of knowledge (vidyä) and humility (vinaya).
Swamiji has been visiting the Bay Area regularly. In 2007 and 2008 he gave a series of talks on Gajendra Mokña, Vedänta Òiëòimaù, Bhagavad Gétä and conducted a one day Meditation Retreat.
We are happy to confirm that Swami Tattvavidanandaji will be visiting us in early August, 2009. He has agreed to teach morning classes and give evening talks. The dates and venue is being worked on.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARSHA VIDYA CENTER 2009 SOUVENIR
What is Püjä ? ...... 1 Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh ...... 6 Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore ...... 7 Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Pennsylvania ...... 8 Arsha Vidya Center (AVC) ...... 9 Çänti Päöhaù/Guruvandanam ...... 11 Gétä Dhyänam ...... 12 Selected Verses From Bhagavad Gétä (Chapter VII) ...... 13 By Püjya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati Bhakti ...... 17 By Püjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati Absolute Value ...... 23 By Püjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati Asti Bhäti Priyam ...... 26 By Püjya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati Kaivalyopaniṣad (new book) ...... 29 By Püjya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati The role of logic in Vedanta ...... 32 By Çré Vijay Kapoor
AgjannpÒak¡ gjannmhinRzm!, AnekdNtm! É´anamekdNtmupaSmhe. agajänanapadmärkaà gajänanamaharniçam, anekadantam bhaktänämekadantamupäsmahe
We worship, day and night, (Lord Ganeça) who had the face of an elephant, who brings joy to Pärvaté, and who is the bestower of many blessings to devotees
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Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh http://www.arshavidhyapitham.org
Swami Dayananda Ashram Rishikesh, situated on the banks of the Holy Ganga, is a unique centre for the study of Vedänta and Sanskrit grammar. It is unique in the sense that although the subject has been around for thousands of years, the teaching medium is English and the campus comfortable and appointed with all the modern conveniences.
The Āśram was established during the 1960s by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, who is an internationally recognised teacher of Vedänta and foremost scholar of Sanskrit. Swamiji and his disciples conduct regular residential courses at the ashram with the focus on Bhagavad Gétä and the ten principal Upaniñads as commented upon by Ādi Çaìkaräcärya. These and selected ancillary texts are analysed and taught along with Sanskrit grammar in the Paninian style. Vedic chanting is also taught during courses.
In addition, throughout the year, a resident ächarya holds daily discourses on the Upaniñads, incorporating analytical examination of Ādi Çaìkaräcärya commentaries.
Dayananda Ashram is the parent Vedänta institute of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam group, established by Swami Dayananda. Known as Arsha Vidya Pitham it means a centre of learning based on the teaching of the ancient åñis.
“Any Vidyä is good, but if you are able to give Self-knowledge to a person, that is the greatest contribution. This is exactly what Vedänta does” --- Swami Dayananda
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Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore http://www.arshavidhya.in
Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is an institute for the traditional study of Advaita Vedänta and Sanskrit located about 25 Kms from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, in the picturesque Nilgiri Mountains.
The word Arsha means that which is from the åñis - the great sages of ancient India. The word Vidya means knowledge. Gurukulam refers to a residential center for learning with the teacher. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is a place where one learns the knowledge imparted by the åñis.
Established in 1990 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, an eminent teacher of Vedänta and an erudite scholar in Sanskrit, the Gurukulam offers an opportunity to study the Upaniñads, Bhagavad Gétä, Brahmasütras and other related classic texts. Here Vedänta is taught true to the sampradaya, the traditional way of teaching, in a setup which is as modern as it is traditional. The students come here and live with the teacher, learning as much from living in the Gurukulam as from the teaching.
Prayer to Goddess Sarasvaté
srSvit nmStu_y< vrde kamêipi[, iv*arMÉ< kir:yaim isi˜ÉRvtu me sda. sarasvati namastubhyaà varade kämarüpiëi, vidyärambhaà kariñyämi siddhirbhavatu me sadä Salutation to you, O Goddess Sarasvaté,who is giver of boons, and who has a beautiful form! I begin my studies. Let there be success for me always.
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Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg http://www.arshavidhya.org
Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is an institute for the traditional study of Advaita Vedänta, Sanskrit, Yoga, Ayurveda, Astrology, and other classical Indian disciplines.
Established in 1986 by Püjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the Gurukulam is patterned after the ancient gurukulams of India. The Gurukulam offers Indians and Westerners alike an opportunity to study the profound spiritual knowledge of the Upaniñads, Bhagavad Gétä, Brahmasütras, and other classical Vedic texts in English in the USA.
Located on 14 acres in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, a serene setting in the Pocono Mountains, the Gurukulam offers short- and long-term programs of study for guest and resident students of all ages. The campus is adorned by a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Dakñiëämürti, considered the first teacher of Vedic knowledge. Apart from Vedänta, classes on Sanskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedic astrology, Äyurveda, meditation and Iyengar Yoga are also offered. There are ongoing meditation and Vedänta classes on weekends which anyone can attend without prior registration.
The Gurukulam also publishes many books on various topics in Vedänta, including a Bhagavad Gétä Home Study course and a Vedic Heritage Teaching Program for children called Pürëa-Vidyä. The Arsha Vidya bookstore has over 7000 publications on Vedänta, Hinduism, Yoga, Astrology, Äyurveda, Philosophy and Indian History. (phone: 570-992-2339, email: [email protected])
AVG satsang site (www.avgsatsang.org) provides Vedäntic answers to a number of questions on various topics related to the purpose of life, happiness, karma-yoga, ...
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Arsha Vidya Center (AVC) http://www.arshavidhyacenter.org
Arsha Vidya Center has been formed under the guidence of Śré Vijay Kapoor to introduce, promote and establish study of Vedänta for students and seekers in the San Francisco Bay Area in a traditional way through an unbroken sampradäya, that began with Lord Dakñiëämürti, uplifted and maintained by Veda Vyäsa and Ādi Çaìkaräcärya, now handed directly to us by Püjya Swami Dayänanda Saraswati.
AVC Mission
Hold regular classes taught by direct disciples of Püjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati on Self Knowledge by following the traditional teaching methodology handed to us by Püjya Swamiji. Arrange for visiting Swamis from the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam to give discourses on Upaniñads and other scriptural texts. Engage as many groups as possible to participate in the Gītā Home Study course designed by Püjya Swami Dayananda. Encourage and promote the study of the Sanskrit language for a deeper understanding of Vedänta. Conduct Pürëa-Vidyä classes for children (6-15 years old). Pürëa-Vidyä is the first attempt of its kind in imparting a value based cultural education to children. It helps to understand the rich cultural heritage of our country in keeping with the Vedic vision. Hold retreats in the local area where students can learn from äcäryäs while living in an äçrama like setting. Facilitate visits by students from the Bay Area to the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg as well as Püjya Swami Dayananda's other ashrams in India. Facilitate the availability of books, class tapes and satsaìg recordings to local students.
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AVC Activities
(Vedänta, Gétä, Meditation and Sanskrit)
Class Time/Place Teacher Advanced Vedänta Saturday, 8:00-9:30AM Vijay Kapoor, 650-949-5522 Jain Bhavan [email protected] Introductory Sanskrit Saturday, 9:30-10:30AM Vijay Kapoor Jain Bhavan Introduction to Gétä Saturday, 10:30-12.00AM Vijay Kapoor Jain Bhavan Advanced sanskrit Tuesday, 8.00-9.00 PM Skype
Children’s Classes
Class Time/Place Teacher Pürëa-Vidyä Sunday, 9:30AM-12:00PM Kumud Singhal, 408-934-9747 Milpitas [email protected] Pürëa-Vidyä Sunday, 9:30-11:00AM Kumar Padmini, 408-270-3002 Sunnyvale [email protected]
Gétä Home Study Groups There are four Gétä home study groups currently operating in the Bay Area:
(1) In Fremont on alternate Saturdays from 4:30 to 6pm (2) In West San Jose on alternate Saturdays from 3 to 4:30pm (3) In Cupertino on alternate Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9pm (4) At Cisco on Mondays lunch time
In addition, a new group is being formed in the Almaden area.
Please enquire about joining a current group or forming a new one by writing to Dr Anjali Deshmukh at [email protected]
Contact Information
Arsha Vidya Center [email protected] Recordings of Swamiji’s talks Kumar Padmini, [email protected] Books and Tapes Kumud Singhal, [email protected]
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zaiNt paQ> (Çänti Päöhaù)
` ह । ह । ह ह । । ह ॥ ॐ ॥ oà sa ha nāvavatu, sa ha nau bhunaktu , saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai, tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai. oà śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
` । ॥ ॐ ॥ oà pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṁ pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate oà śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
guévNdnm! (Guruvandanam)
ïuitSm&itpura{aanam! Aaly< ké[alym!, nmaim ÉgvTpad< z»r< laekz»rm! . 1. çrutismåtipuräëänäm älayaà karuëälayam, namämi bhagavatpädaà çaìkaraà lokaçaìkaram
z»r< z»racayR< kezv< badray[m! , sUÇÉa:yk&taE vNde ÉgvNtaE pun> pun> . 2. çaìkaraà çaìkaräcäryaà keçavaà bädaräyaëam, sütrabhäñyakåtau vande bhagavantau punaù punaù
$Zvrae guéraTmeit mUitRÉedivÉaigne , Vyaemvd!VyaPtdehay di][amUtRye nm> . 3. éçvaro gururätmeti mürtibhedavibhägine, vyomavadvyäptadehäya dakñiëämürtaye namaù
gukarSTvNxkarae vE ékarStiÚvtRk> , ANxkarinraeixTvad! guéirTyiÉxIyte . 4. gukärastvandhakäro vai rukärastannivartakaù, andhakäranirodhitväd gururityabhidhéyate
sdaizvsmarMÉa< z»racayRmXymam! , ASmdacayRpyRNta< vNde guéprMpram! . 5. sadäçivasamärambhäà çaìkaräcäryamadhyamäm, asmadäcäryaparyantäà vande guruparamparäm
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gIta Xyanm! (Gétä Dhyänam)
` pawaRy àitbaeixta< Égvta naray[en Svy< Vyasen ¢iwta< pura[muinna mXyemhaÉartm!,
AÖEtam&tvi;R[I< ÉgvtImòadzaXyaiynIm! AMb TvamnusNdxaim ÉgvÌIte ÉvÖei;[Im! . oà pärthäya pratibodhitäà bhagavatä näräyaëena svayaà vyäsena grathitäà puräëamuninä madhye-mahäbhäratam advaitämåtavarñiëéà bhagavatémañöädaçädhyäyiném amba tvämanusandadhämi bhagavadgéte bhavadveñiëém
y< äüa vé[eNÔéÔmét> StuNviNt idVyE> StvE-vRRedE> sa¼pd³maepin;dEgaRyiNt y< samga> ,
XyanaviSwttÌten mnsa pZyiNt y< yaeignae ySyaNt< n ivdu> surasurg[a devay tSmE nm>. yaà brahmä varuëendrarudramarutaù stunvanti divyaiù stavair- vedaiù säìgapadakramopaniñadairgäyanti yaà sämagäù dhyänävasthitatadgatena manasä paçyanti yaà yogino yasyäntaà na viduù suräsuragaëä deväya tasmai namaù
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Selected Verses From Gétä (Chapter VII) Püjya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati
}aniv}anyaeg> jïäna-vijïäna-yogaù
}an< te=h< siv}animd< vúyaMyze;t>, yJ}aTva neh ÉUyae=NyJ}atVymviz:yte. 7-2. jïänaà te'haà savijïänamidaà vakñyämyaçeñataù | yajjïätvä neha bhüyo'nyajjïätavyamavaçiñyate || 7-2||
#dm! }anm! idam jïänam • this knowledge; siv}anm! savijïänam • along with knowledge that is immediate; te te • to you; Ahm! vúyaim aham vakñyämi • I will tell; Aze;t> açeñataù • without anything being omitted; yt! }aTva yat jïätvä • knowing which; #h iha • in this world (or in çästra); ÉUy> ANyt! bhüyaù anyat • any other thing that is more than this; }atVym! jïätavyam • to be known; n Aviz:yte na avaçiñyate • does not remain
I will teach you with out any omission, this knowledge, along with immediate knowledge, knowing which, there is nothing more than this remaining here to be known. ______mÄ> prtr< naNyiTkiÂdiSt xnÃy, miy svRimd< àaet< sUÇe mi[g[a #v. 7-7. mattaù parataraà nänyatkiïcidasti dhanaïjaya | mayi sarvamidaà protaà sütre maëigaëä iva || 7-7|| xnÃy dhanaïjaya • O Arjuna!; mÄ> prtrm! mattaù parataram • superior to me; ANyt! ikiÂt! anyat kiïcit • any other thing; n AiSt na asti • there is not; sUÇe sütre • in a string; mi[g[a> #v maëigaëäù iva
• like the group of beads; miy mayi • in me; #dm! svRm! idam sarvam • all this; àaetm! protam • is woven
O Dhanañjaya, there is no other superior to Me. All this is woven (has its being) in Me, like the beads in a string. ______
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ye cEv saiÅvka Éava rajsaStamsaí ye, mÄ @veit taiNviÏ n Tvh< te;u te miy. 7-12. ye caiva sättvikä bhävä räjasästämasäçca ye | matta eveti tänviddhi na tvahaà teñu te mayi || 7-12|| ye c ye ca • and those; @v eva • indeed; saiÅvka> sättvikäù • born of sattva; Éava> bhäväù • beings and things; ye c ye ca • and those; rajsa> räjasäù • born of rajas; c ca • and; tamsa> tämasäù • born of tamas; tan! tän • them; mÄ> @v mattaù eva • from Me alone; #it iti • thus; iviÏ viddhi • may you know; te miy te mayi • they are in Me; tu tu • but; n Ahm! na aham • I am not; te;u teñu • in them
And those beings and things which are indeed born of sattva, rajas, and tamas, may you know them to be born from me alone. They are in Me but I am not in them. ______dEvI ýe;a gu[myI mm maya ÊrTyya, mamev ye àp*Nte mayameta< triNt te. 7-14. daivé hyeñä guëamayé mama mäyä duratyayä | mämeva ye prapadyante mäyämetäà taranti te || 7-14|| ih hi • indeed; @;a eñä • this; mm maya mama mäyä • My mäyä; gu[myI guëamayé • which is in the form of the modifications of the guëas; dEvI daivé • that which belongs to the Lord; ÊrTyya duratyayä • is difficult to cross; ye ye • those; mam! @v mäm eva • Me alone; àp*Nte prapadyante • who seek; te te • they; mayam! @tam! mäyäm etäm • this mäyä; triNt taranti • cross
Indeed this My mäyä, which is in the form of the modification of the three guëas, which belongs to Me, (the Lord), is difficult to cross. Those who seek only Me, they cross this mäyä. ______ctuivRxa ÉjNte ma< jna> suk«itnae=juRn,
AataeR ij}asurwaRwIR }anI c Ért;RÉ. 7-16. caturvidhä bhajante mäà janäù sukåtino'rjuna | ärto jijïäsurarthärthé jïäné ca bharatarñabha || 7-16|| ctuivRxa> caturvidhäù – four-fold; jna> janäù – people; suk«itn> sukåtinaù – who do good actions; mam!
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mäm –me; ÉjNte bhajante – worship; AjuRn arjuna – O Arjuna !; AatR> ärtaù – the one in distress; AwaRwIR arthärthé – the one who wants security and pleasure; ij}asu> jijïäsuù – the one who desires to know; c ca – and; }anI jïäné – the one who knows; Ért;RÉ bharatarñabha – O foremost in the family of Bhärata!
O Arjuna, the people, given to good actions who worship me are four•fold. They are, the one in distress, the one who wants security and pleasure, the one who wishes to know (Me), and the one who knows (Me), O foremost in the family of Bhärata ! ______kamEStEStEùRt}ana> àp*Nte=Nydevta>, t< t< inymmaSway àk«Tya inyta> Svya. 7-20. kämaistaistairhåtajïänäù prapadyante'nyadevatäù | taà taà niyamamästhäya prakåtyä niyatäù svayä || 7-20|| tE> tE> kamE> taiù taiù kämaiù – by those particular desires; ùt}ana> håtajïänäù – whose discrimination is robbed away; tm! tm! inymm! tam tam niyamam – whatever are the stipulations for that; AaSway ästhäya – following; àk«Tya Svya prakåtyä svayä – by their own dispositions; inyta> niyatäù – driven; ANydevta> anyadevatäù – other (lesser) gods; àp*Nte prapadyante – they worship
Those whose discrimination is robbed away by their own particular desires, driven by their own dispositions, worship other gods following what is stipulated. ______nah< àkaz> svRSy yaegmayasmav&t>, mUFae=y< naiÉjanait laekae mamjmVyym!. 7-25. nähaà prakäçaù sarvasya yogamäyäsamävåtaù | müòho'yaà näbhijänäti loko mämajamavyayam || 7-25|| yaeg-maya-smav&t> yoga-mäyä-samävåtaù – completely covered by yogamäyä; svRSy sarvasya – for everyone; n Ahm! àkaz> na aham prakäçaù – I am not recognised, known; Aym! laek> ayam lokaù – this person/world; mUF> müòhaù – being deluded; Ajm! ajam – one who is unborn; AVyym! avyayam – one who is changeless; mam! mäm - Me; n AiÉjanait na abhijänäti – does not know
I am not recognised by everyone. A person, completely covered by yogamäyä (mäyä united with three guëas) is deluded and does not know Me properly as the one who is unborn and changeless. Alternate Reading: I, completely covered by mäyä, united with the three guëas, am not recognised by everyone. A person is deluded and does not know Me properly as the one who is unborn and changeless.
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______#CDaÖe;smuTwen ÖNÖmaehen Éart, svRÉUtain sMmaeh< sgeR yaiNt prNtp. 7-27. icchädveñasamutthena dvandvamohena bhärata | sarvabhütäni sammohaà sarge yänti parantapa || 7-27||
Éart bhärata – O the one who is born in the Bhärata race! (Arjuna); prNtp parantapa – O Scorcher of enemies!; sgeR sarge – in the world; #CDa-Öe;-smuTwen icchä-dveña-samutthena – born of desire and aversion; ÖNÖmaehen dvandvamohena – due to delusions of opposites; svRÉUtain sarvabhütäni – all beings; sMmaehm! yaiNt sammoham yänti – go to total delusion
O Bhärata, O the Scrocher of the enemies, all beings, due to delusion of the opposites arising from desire and aversion, go into a state of total delusion in this creation. ______jramr[mae]ay mamaiïTy ytiNt ye, te äü tiÖÊ> k«TõmXyaTm< kmR caiolm!. 7-29. jarämaraëamokñäya mämäçritya yatanti ye | te brahma tadviduù kåtsnamadhyätmaà karma cäkhilam || 7-29|| jra-mr[-mae]ay jarä-maraëa-mokñäya – for freedom from old age and death; mam! AaiïTy mäm äçritya – having taken refuge in Me; ye ytiNt ye yatanti – those who make effort; te te – they; tdœ äü tad brahma – that Brahman (the cause of creation) ; k«Tõm! AXyaTmm! kåtsnam adhyätmam – wholly as themselves; kmR c Aiolm! karma ca akhilam – the karma in its entirety; ivÊ> viduù – know
Having taken refuge in Me, those who make effort for freedom from old age and death, they know that Brahman wholly as themselves and they also know karma in its entirety. ______` tTst! , #it ïImÑgvÌItasu %pin;Tsu äüiv*aya< yaegzaôe ïIk«:[ajuRns
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Arsha Vidya Center
Bhakti Püjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati
In gaining knowledge of Brahman, once one has obstacles like a quarrelling neighbour, and so on. the çästra and the guru, what more is needed? Then, there are obstacles from unseen forces. These three types of obstacles causing sufferings, Nothing more is needed. If a person has a guru, are caused by durita. One has to pile up enough he will definitely know, for if the guru is there, grace of Éçvara, through prayer and prayerful the çästra is there, and if the çästra is there, it karmas, to neutralize the duritas so that one can means there will be knowledge. Therefore, the be at the right time at the right place. The çästra says, ``äcäryavän puruño veda, one who following narration will enlighten us on the need has a teacher knows.'' This is a very bold for Éçvara's grace. statement. But someone may say, ``Swamiji, I have a guru but nothing happens.'' One blind person was returning from the fort after seeing the king. He had to come out of the fort. ``Did you do what the guru asked you to do?'' Nobody was available to guide him to the door except the inner gatekeeper, and he would not ``He only says to do japa, etc.'' That points out leave the gate. The blind man asked for some help one more thing that one needs--- bhakti. Bhaktyä and the gatekeeper said, ``You take the help of this wall by passing your hands along it until the avehi know through bhakti. main door comes. Then you can go out and there someone will help you.'' So the blind man went The grace of the çästra and the guru are not along the wall, but again came back to the enough. You need the grace of Éçvara and the gatekeeper's post. The gatekeeper asked, word `bhakti' indicates that need. Being from the ``Why did you come back here?'' ``I thought this was the gate.'' bhaj bhakti Sanskrit root, , conveys the meaning of ``How did you miss the gate?'' doing seva. There are a lot of duritas, results of ``I went along the wall, but there was no gate.'' past wrong actions, which manifest in the form of ``How can you say there is no gate? There is a various obstacles that come in the way of gate.'' accomplishing one's goals. In our daily prayers like sandhyä•vandana or in performing rituals on How did he miss the gate? This man kept walking special days, there is a saìkalpa that we do. We and touching the wall, but then he had an itch, removed his hand to scratch, and went on say, ``I do this karma to please Éçvara through the walking. Thus, he went round and round because neutralisation of all duritas I have accumulated so he had the itch exactly when the gate came for far.'' The phrase `to please' means to earn the him to go out. The itch came only at that time. grace of Éçvara. You achieve this by removing all Think of that. This is only because of some your duritas. durita.
Durita means päpa, the result of a wrong action, Similarly, when one has to understand the çästra, which is the cause for sorrow and pain. Centred while listening, one falls asleep. The guru is on one's body there can be obstacles in the form teaching well, and the person also listens, but at of diseases. Centred on the world there can be
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Arsha Vidya Center the time of an important revelation he falls asleep. prärabdha•karma, karma that has begun to fructify Then he wakes up and hears only the grammar. and is getting exhausted now. This This is durita. When I was attending a Vedänta prärabdha•karma has some good karma. We class on Brahmasütra in Rishikesh, one Swami cannot say when it was gathered. We cannot say it used to sleep in the class. He did want to listen, was gathered in the previous janma, for that could but he used to fall sleep. The teacher would not have been as a donkey. From the saïcita, talk about it. He would continue teaching. One day, he himself could not take it anymore. He said accumulated karmas, certain karmas precipitate looking for a body, clamouring for a body. Those in Hindi ``ye sunne ki bät hai, ye sone ki bät nahé karmas that clamour for a body are many. One set hai, this is a matter for listening and not for of karmas may be ready to give you a janma of a sleeping.'' Sleep is a durita, an obstacle to one's cat and another, a janma of a rat. Different types effort. One must do a lot of püjä, japa etc., and then only things fall in place. There is no other of karmas are clamouring, `I want', `I want', `I want'. Among them, the powerful ones cause this way. To earn the grace of Éçvara, bhakti is particular body. necessary.
If you come to Vedänta, then the next janma is Bhakti is to be understood as action done with assured to be a good janma for you, because you bhakti. In the Gétä, Arjuna asks a question, have to pick up the thread. Already, because of ``What happens to a person who, even though good karma done now or before, you have come endowed with çraddhä, puts forth inadequate effort and hence, does not make it in this life?'' to Vedänta, you desire mokña; you are on an onward track and you never trace back. Why? Çraddhä is there, but something else is not. What Because this journey is a journey you have set for is that missing `something?' Éçvara anugraha. yourself and you are given an assurance in the Gétä by the Lord, ``Any one who performs good The word `anugraha' is translated as `grace' in actions never reaches a bad end. Having gained English. There is a difference between the two. the worlds belonging to those who do good Éçvara determines grace but you earn anugraha. actions, and having lived there for countless years, If Éçvara decides to whom he should give grace, the one who did not succeed in yoga, a spiritual every day he should make a lucky dip. pursuit, is born in the home of the wealthy and cultured people who are committed to dharma. Or Otherwise, on what basis will Éçvara extend his he is indeed born into the family of wise yogés''. grace? If you say that there is some good karma, Even as a child he would be listening to Vedänta. then the result of that good karma alone is anugraha. Why should we use the word `grace' I once went to Ahmedabad from Bombay. In the Bombay airport there was a big queue for security then? It is a graceful translation of anugraha. We check. Boarding was announced for the do not know which karma was responsible for this Ahmedabad flight and I was standing in the blessing, for this favourable situation, so we can security line; the line was very long. Then an use the word `grace'. If we cannot connect the airline staff member came and called action with the desirable result, then we say it is ``Ahmedabad.., Ahmedabad.., Ahmedabad.., grace. Ahmedabad...'' Now, all those bound for Ahmedabad were taken out of the queue and led In this janma, birth, we have brought along with to the security lounge separately, ahead of others. us some karmas. They are collectively called So, even if you are in queue, you cross all the others and board the flight. This is also how
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Bhagavän calls: ``mokña.., mokña.., mokña.., There were vaidika•karmas in all the eras, in all mokña...'' If you are ready to board the mokña yugas, but in kali•yuga they are not often flight, you are taken out of the big queue of other pursued. Who performs karmas like agnihotra karmas waiting to give you a body and taken these days? Even if a person does agnihotra forward by Éçvara. So this is the law of karma. karma, he may be doing it just to be able to say, ``I am an agnihotri,'' rather than for neutralizing The law of karma is not ordinary. Once you start his duritas. That is why this is kali•yuga. Then, this journey, everything else has to just stand and what can one do else? What is the redress for watch. In fact, the power of all other karmas gets people in kali•yuga? What is the way out? weakened. Their glamour becomes less. They all have power if you do not have this pursuit. If you Hari•näma, taking to the Lord's name, is the only have this pursuit they have no power. You are refuge. Hari•näma stands for all actions done taken forward. That is the assurance. with bhakti. It will, therefore, include püjä, arcana, päräyaëa like Viñëu•sahasranäma, and Therefore, even if you have çraddhä but do not so on. have the grace of the Lord, the mind has to undergo a certain process of purification to We divide karmas in a three•fold way on the basis remove the duritas. If you have more duritas, you of the means of accomplishing them. There are have to have more grace. A durita will have its käyika, physical; väcika, oral; and mänasa, mental own say and you have to neutralise it. You karmas. Mental, mänasa•karma, comes under remove the power of a durita by bringing more dhyäna, while iñöa, and pürta karmas are physical Éçvara into your life, then you find that duritas and oral. Any karma is will•based because you have no big say over you; they are mechanical. They can create some uncomfortable situations, choose to do a karma. Physical, käyika•karma, but those situations really do not affect you. That includes all types of püjäs. In it, all three means--- capacity to be not carried away by durita, is body, speech and mind ---are employed. Limbs, like hands, are involved, and you are repeating the earned by you, the jéva, through Éçvara•anugraha. names of Bhagavän and various chants. The mind How do you earn Éçvara• anugraha? It is only by is also involved. There is an altar of worship, and karma. varieties of materials such as incense, flowers, water and so on. Here we have to note one thing. There are two types of karma that earn grace. One The limbs, like hands and väk, the organ of is iñöa, Vedic rituals, and the other is pürta, seva speech, are both organs of action. If so, actions activities. There is no third type. These are the done by speech will naturally be considered only two means of earning anugraha. And for this käyika•karma. Why has it been mentioned you need to perform your daily püjä, japa and so separately as oral, väcika•karma? Even though on. both the limbs and speech are organs of action, there is a slight difference. The function of speech Everyone has an unprepared mind in the form of is special, because through it the thoughts become duritas and räga•dveñas, likes and dislikes. One manifest. When you speak you throw light, thus has to neutralise these so that one does not come Agni, fire, is the presiding deity who controls under their spell. For this, one must have Éçvara in speech. Sometimes when you speak, heat is one's life. generated, but Agni is of the nature of light, and therefore, speech is meant to throw some light upon a subject. Therefore, even though speech is
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Arsha Vidya Center an organ of action, it is not like hands and legs, so religion, and that is why we do not accept all other it is considered separately. When you wish religions, which are false.'' The discussion ends. someone `Happy Birthday', it is an oral karma, There is no discussion here. They do not accept and when you give a gift, it is a physical karma. what you say. It is not true that all religions lead to the same goal. This is a bluff; it has to be Of course you had to remember the birthday and called. But you can say that all prayers are valid. decide to do all this. Thus, when you do physical, That is correct. We accept that. All prayers are käyika--karma, all three means are employed, so valid and every prayer has its own result. We have the result it can produce is greater than that of a an elaborate system of prayers, with specific purely oral or mental karma. prayers for different purposes because of our vision, our understanding, and knowledge of Now, there are two types of phala, result, for a Éçvara. We have devatäs, deities, for different karma; dåñöa the result that is immediately seen, functions and we can invoke a specific devatä for and adåñöa, the result that is unseen. Puëya•päpa a specific purpose. are adåñöa. The adåñöa•phala for käyika•karma is definitely greater because all three means are For instance, you pray to Lord Dhanvantari for employed. This karma can become more and removal of diseases. When you undergo a more elaborate, increasing the result. When fire is treatment, you do not know what all happens. For modern allopathic medicines, the involved, priests are involved, daksiëä is contraindications are written on the sheet enclosed involved, one incurs a lot of expenditure and puts with the medicine. It may say that there is a one forth a lot of effort; that certainly has more percent chance of developing a brain tumour, but results. otherwise, the medicine is wonderful. So when you read all this, you understand that you had All types of prayers are karmas, and being a better say a prayer. One in a billion wins the karma, prayer has a result. All prayers are valid. lottery. For that also you have to pray. Here you Whether you pray in Hebrew or in Sanskrit or in pray to Goddess Lakñmé. We have to have daiva Tamil, a prayer is a prayer. Bhagavän is not going with us. In every attempt we have to take prayer to be confused. He will take note of it. I do not into account to control the hidden variables. say all prayers are one and the same. I never say Therefore, our Vedic tradition has varieties of that. prayers and not simply broad•spectrum prayers, but very specific prayers. I also never say that all religions lead to the same goal. All religions cannot lead to the same goal Since the käyika•karma produces more result because our goal is right here. Others think that than a väcika•karma, we need that result. I am their religious goal is after death. If they lead a just giving you the psychology of it now. When faithful life with prayers, probably, they have a chance in the afterlife---but there is no guarantee. you perform a karma, a ritual, you are making an For us, the goal is right here. We may accept all effort. Whatever little bhakti you have is religions, but all religions do not accept even that. converted into real bhakti when you make effort.
That is why Lord Kåñëa says, ``One who gives There was a big discussion once in Delhi. An even such small things as a leaf or a flower or important leader from the Hindu religion was there, and a leader from another religion was also fruit or just water, but with bhakti, I accept it.'' present. The Hindu leader said, ``We accept all Why should one give a leaf etc., when Bhagavän religions.'' The other person said, ``That is your does not take anything? It is not for Bhagavän to problem. You do not have a religion, and that is take, but to make your bhakti real. why you accept all religions. We have the right
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Bhakti is meant for a prepared mind, With bhakti you make an effort: you get that antaù•karaëa çuddhi. Çraddhä itself will lead one tulasi leaf, you get the fruit, you get a little water to bhakti. We must do this käyika•karma to keep for offering as arghya, oblation. In all this, action away all the obstacles. So too, väcika•karma. is involved. What is important is karma. When Daily recitation of the vaidika•süktas is the best you do that karma with bhakti, whatever bhakti thing to do if you know them; even listening to you have becomes real bhakti. You fake it and them is wonderful. Or any recitation like Viñëu• make it. When you do an action, the emotion sahasranäma is good. You can also sing in praise becomes real, therefore, you act it out. You act of Bhagavän, if you know music. Even though out your emotions; you actualise them through an Bhagavän likes çruti etc., he will not run away if action. The action makes the emotion real, and the you do not have it, because he has no place to go; real emotion makes you act, and thereby, you turn he is a captive audience. You can sing what is to into a bhakta. Otherwise, this bhakti remains only be sung. What is to be recited you recite. What is as some kind of a feeling. Karma is necessary to to be chanted you should chant. You should not make it real, because you have to make some sing gäyatri mantra. All the Vedic hymns are to effort in doing the karma. You may ask, be chanted. What should be read should be read. ``Can I do this karma mentally?'' Prose is to be read, a verse is to be recited, a Vedic ``You can do it mentally, but why not hymn is to be chanted and a song is to be sung. physically?'' Generally, we have all three karmas in our daily ``What will others think? prayers käyika, väcika and mänasa. This three•fold ``Others will think that you are doing püjä. They prayer produces anugraha and keeps all the will think that you are a bhakta.'' obstacles away. Even if you have understood ``I do not want to be branded as a bhakta.'' Vedänta, the clarity increases. You never do away ``Let them brand you as a bhakta. Get a name like with Éçvara. Either he is in the form of you, or he that. Earn the name`bhakta'.'' is in the form of your worshipful altar. He is never gone. All the above come under iñöa•karma. The For all the wrong reasons, such as laziness, false other set of karma is pürta•karma, in which you ego, etc., we want to escape. Because of the very fulfil the needs of the society, community, country fact that you want to escape, you have to do it. There can be different types of problems in your and humanity in general. All reaching out karmas, çravaëa; for instance, understanding may not take so called charitable activities, are pürta•karmas. Charity is not a very charitable word. We all live place while listening to the çästra, because the on others' charity. Where is the question of our unconscious creates a disturbance in the mind. doing charity? We have our breakfast because of The more you bring in Éçvara, the less is the hold others' charity. Somebody has to produce, harvest, of the unconscious over you, because Éçvara transport, distribute, prepare, etc. the food. We are becomes father, mother, everything. That is how always indebted to a number of forces. So when I you deal with the unconscious. Simple things can give I give, and when I have to take I take. become a problem because the unconscious will Everybody is a consumer and everybody is a not let that knowledge happen. It will only create giver. When you give more than you consume, doubts. What is obvious never becomes obvious. that is maturity. That is called pürta•karma it One always wonders why one does not understand produces puëya. this. Therefore, Éçvara•anugraha is necessary here. A list of pürta•karmas are given in småtis:
Providing for water sources such as wells, ponds,
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Arsha Vidya Center and lakes, building temples, distributing food, and our duritas. You do them with bhakti, and by building rest houses are called pürta•karmas. these acts of bhakti you gain the adhikäritva, You can include more according to the present competence, to study the çästra. Once adhikäritva day needs like providing a clinic, a hospital, a home for children and so on. We have only these is there, which includes çraddhä, you gain this two types of karma, iñöa and pürta, to neutralize knowledge with the guru's teaching.
Prayer to Lord Çiva
nm?Ste AStu Égvn! ivñeñray? mhad/e/vay? ÈyMb/kay? iÇpuraNt/kay?
iÇkalai¶ka/lay? kalai¶é/Ôay? nIlk/{Qay? m&TyuÃ/yay?
sveRñ/ray? sdaiz/vay? ïImNmhade/vay/ nm?> . namaste astu bhagavan viçveçvaräya mahädeväya tryambakäya tripuräntakäya trikälägnikäläya kälägnirudräya nélakaëöhäya måtyuïjayäya sarveçvaräya sadäçiväya çrémanmahädeväya namaù
Salutation to you, O Lord, the master of the universe , the great Lord, the three-eyed one, the destroyer of Tripura, the extinguisher of the Trikäla fire and the fire of death, the blue-necked one, the victor over death, the Lord of all, the ever-auspicious one, the glorious Lord of all deities.
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Arsha Vidya Center
Absolute Value Püjya Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Everybody struggles to be happy, to be secure, to not be a happy one, like following a certain diet. be something bigger, to be significant. This one The diet is desirable, but it is not desired. I am word ``significant'' is enough, it includes avoiding the word `desirable' because all that is everything. That I want to be secure, I am desirable is not desired and all that is desired is frightened of my future, feel that nobody approves not desirable. That is why they say that anything of me, respects me, are reasons for unhappiness. you like is immoral, illegal or fattening. You have to gain the respect of everyone in the Therefore, when the desired thing is there and it is world who, according to you, is significant. But also desirable, you are lucky. If the desired thing all those persons also expect respect from you. is there and it is not desirable, then there is This is an unfortunate thing, because they are also conflict inside. When what is desirable is there mortals, human beings, and therefore, it becomes and it is not desired, then there is a lack inside. a problem. But when there is the desirable and desired situation, then, you are happy. All these struggles that we have, like seeking approval, etc., are the common problem of every That is why the mountains make you happy---they human being, and not peculiar to any given are incapable of evoking the demanding person in person. That seeking is called saṃsära. Seeking to you. Unless of course, you want the mountains to be different from what I am now, because as I am, be different. They are people like that also, who I am not acceptable, is saṃsära. Whenever you see the mountains and think, ``See. They have cut all the trees on the mountain. Previously there have a happy moment, you see yourself as a were trees; now they are gone. At this rate whole person, but for that you need a person everything will be denuded. Humanity is going to whose words or deeds make you feel pleased, as a suffer. People are destroying the environment.'' person. Then you become happy. You are pleased. Then they champion the cause of the So what you require then, is not the absence of the environment. Some people need a cause; world, but the absence of the demanding person in otherwise they feel empty inside. They have to you. The person who has agenda, that person has fight for some cause, because when they fight for to be absent for the time being. And whenever something they feel that they are real. It is all a that person---the demanding person, the psychological need, really speaking, and not a calculating person, the scheming person, the great awareness. Very few people have that, manipulating person, the sad person, the though some do. Well, then, if you find that the struggling person, the longing person, the lonely mountain is O.K., you enjoy the mountain and person, the forlorn person---is absent for the time find that it does not evoke in you the demanding, being, you are happy. Because that person is not the needing, the longing person. true. Otherwise he can never be absent I tell you, you will be stuck. But because that person is only The mountains are the objects known, knowledge incidental, because a particular way of thinking is the cognitive thought process which brings in about oneself makes the person sad, longing etc., the cognition of the mountains, then there is the and because that person is not true, that person one who knows the mountains. All three are one can be suspended for the time being. consciousness. The knower consciousness, the
knowledge consciousness and the known The demanding person is suspended in the wake consciousness become one whole consciousness, of a desired situation. I say desired and not because the known does not evoke the longing desirable, because a situation may be desirable but person. The knowledge naturally does not evoke
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Arsha Vidya Center the longing person because the known and Doll because the age for that is over. Therefore, knowledge are together, knowledge being of the that mutilated, that unfulfilled desire left me sad known. When you are not a longing person, you and high and dry, and that sad person is still there. are, naturally, just a conscious, appreciative That person is me. It is not a different person. person and there is wholeness. This is the These are the core issues. Not getting a Cabbage wholeness that is you. The knower, knowledge, Patch Doll is the core issue. Thus, there is a and known become one whole, and then you person who is sad and who is constituted of these experience happiness. This wholeness that is you unfulfilled desires--- umpteen in number. is what you want to be, because you know that this is the height that you can reach. You cannot When this is the situation, there is no possibility go any further; up to wholeness you can go. of my being happy if this fact is not there. What is Beyond wholeness? There is no beyond the fact? I am free. I am free in the sense that I am wholeness. Now, this wholeness is experiential; it free from any limitation. I am the whole. This fact is not born of knowledge. But that you find means that I cannot completely avoid being yourself whole, in spite of your self•condemning happy. It is impossible. Why? What makes me attitude etc., in spite of a low self•image, in spite miss my wholeness is all my notions, memories, of whatever value you think you lack, in spite of etc., which are variable. They all get suspended yourself, means that you find the truth revealing because they are not real, mithyä. If they are real, itself. they will always be there, but because they are variable, they go away. Something captures my You have doctrine, you have dogma that tells you imagination, in fact, captures me as a person. It that you are basically imperfect, and you have may be a star, a lone star in the sky that I see. been told this from childhood again and again. Is Everything else is all vague, covered with clouds, there anyone who is perfect ? Everybody accepts and this star stands out. Or it may be the setting that. ``True, I cannot see that well, I cannot hear sun or the rising sun. Or my son being successful that well, etc.; there is imperfection everywhere. in his exam, which I never expected because of My knowledge is imperfect, everything is the way he was going about it. He surprises me, imperfect and therefore I am imperfect.'' This is so I am happy. Or it may be anything---like the conclusion. My own estimation of myself is music, or a joke, or whatever captures me. It not that great at all, and my partner in life does captures me for the time being and I am happy, I not really improve it. He is a person who always am the whole. That is a window to understanding says, ``Didn't I tell you?'' So naturally, in this that I can be different. situation, how am I going to be happy at any time? Most of my likes and dislikes, my desires, In spite of all my problems, if I can be happy, then were unfulfilled. I was able to fulfill a few, but all to be happy I need not solve all these problems. It the important ones I could never fulfill at all. is simple logic. You need to be a great thinker for From childhood we always settle for something this---only some marbles are good enough less---and less and less. The deck was never because you are dealing with realities. Details cleared; it always had some pending desires. Then need a lot of learning, but to know the whole, you we find we have grown up. But it is just as it was don't need a lot of details. That is why a pot is when we were children. There were some toys we good enough for me as an example. I do not need wanted, that everyone else had, and we didn't get. complex things. I need something as simple as Like that Cabbage Patch Doll. I did not get my possible, because we are talking of the whole, Cabbage Patch Doll, and now I have become which is not made up of parts, and which makes a nineteen. What should I do? That I did not get my difference in my life. The difference is between Cabbage Patch Doll was a sad situation that I had to live with. Now I cannot get a Cabbage Patch Souvenir 2009 24
Arsha Vidya Center struggling to be whole, and recognizing that I am Kià jñätavyaà kià ajñätavyam, Sarvaà the whole. That is the difference. brahmamayaà.What is there for me to know, kià
When I recognize that, when ignorance of that is jñätavyaà? I know one thing by which everything not there, when can I struggle? I can only do. is known, because everything is me and that me is Everything becomes a privilege---desiring is a Brahman. Where is the question of there being privilege, doing is a privilege, knowing is a anything else to know? What counts is one, and privilege. One swami sang: that I know. Everything `else' is a manifestation of that. What is there for me to know? What is it that sv¡ äümy< re re sv¡ äümym! I should not know, kià ajñätavyam? Is there a ik< AktRVym! ik< kktRVym! ik< }atVy< ik< A}atVym! rule---you are a jñāni, you are a wise person, therefore you should not know this? sarvaà brahmamayaà re re sarvaà Why? brahmamayam, kià akartavyam kià kakartavyam This is all dot.com. You should not know this. kià jñätavyaà kià ajñätavyam Why? If you know this, you are not a jñāni.
Sarvaà brahmamayaà, everything is a What is freedom? Please define that freedom for manifestation of Brahman. Everything includes me. What is the freedom that you are talking your mind, please. In fact everything is the mind, about? What is it that I should not do? What is it really. All that you know, everything, is only that I should do? What is there for me to know? through this mind. That doesn't mean that the What is it that I should not know? Kià jñätavyaà mind is everything. I am saying that through the mind alone you see everything. It is the platform kià ajñätavyam. of all that you experience. Therefore, sarvaà The idea is this: there is no such thing as brahmamayaà, including my mind. something to be done and something not to be done, something to be known and something not Then he sings, kià kartavyaà, what is there for to be known for a jñāni. You don't use a me to do? Nothing. Somebody worried, measuring tape to find out whether a person is a ``Swamiji, if I become Brahman, does it mean jñāni or not. Sarvaà brahmamayaà---if this is that I won't do anything?'' Why should you do you, there is no more ignorance. If the mistake is anything? Why do you have this problem? corrected, you know what is what, and therefore, Suppose you are Brahman, you are everything, there is no more confusion and no hindrance for and suppose you don't do anything, what is the your being what you are. That is why for every problem? swami the last word in his name is änanda--- ``No, no, I have a lot of things to do.'' Dayänanda, Saccidänanda, Cidänanda, If you have a lot of things to do, well, that is what Gopälänanda, Govindänanda. Whatever it is, this requires Brahman. You don't need to do anything. `änanda' is there because whatever is done or is ``Oh, should I not do anything?'' Kià akartavyaà, not done, you are what you are. This being the what should you not do? What is the rule? situation, the value for this knowledge is absolute. You are free not to do. You are free to do anything, kià kartavyaà, kià akartavyam.
Souvenir 2009 25
Arsha Vidya Cnter
Asti Bhäti Priyam Püjya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati
In the prakaraëa text dåk-dåçya vivekaù, a verse is used to teach viveka or discrimination between I love that which is a source of joy. Naturally I dislike that which is a source of unhappiness or dåk the subject and dåçya, the object: pain. So both love and joy go together, which means that there is joy or happiness everywhere. AiSt Éait iày< êp< nam ceTy Aa*Çy< äüêp< jgÔƒp< ttae Öym!. 20. “But Swamiji, I do not see happiness everywhere. asti bhäti priyaà rüpaà näma cetyaàçapaïcakam I see happiness in a few things but not in other ädyatrayaà brahmarüpaà jagadrüpaà tato things”. I do not see happiness somewhere, either because it is not there or because I have not tuned dvayam up the instrument required to see that it is there. I The group of five constituents, “Exists, shines, may have pronounced raga-dveṣas (likes and attractive, form and name” pertain to all dealings in the world. The triad of first three is the nature dislikes) in my mind about what happiness is. I of Brahman and the pair of remaining two is that may have a pre-conceived notion that this alone can be called happiness and that something else of world. [dåk-dåçya vivekaù, 20] cannot be called happiness. If all these pre- conceived notions are dropped, and if my mind is In our lives, there is mixing up of the subject and open and free of any demand as to how a thing the object. The text teaches us how we need to should be, there will be no difficulty in recognize an object as an object and a subject as a appreciating happiness everywhere. As the subject. While talking about the truth of the Taittiréya Upaniṣad says: universe, the author draws our attention to the fact that everything in the universe has five aspects. AanNdae äüeit Vyjanat! , AanNdat! @v oiLvmain Everything has a name (näma) and there is a form (rūpa) corresponding to the name. The thing is. It Éutain jayNte , AanNden jatain jIviNt , AanNdm! exists (asti). Why do I say that it is or it exists? I àyiNt AiÉs Souvenir 2009 26 Arsha Vidya Cnter are sustained by clay and go back to become one of what attractiveness is, I can see it everywhere with clay. All pots are nothing but clay. Similarly, because it is everywhere. This happiness or love is when it is said that everything is born of änanda, everywhere. In short everything has a potential is sustained by änanda and goes back to become capacity to make me happy. What I need to do is to invoke or explore that potential. one with änanda, it means that even now, everything is änanda. Thus from what the Every name and form is associated with asti bhäti Taittiréya Upaniṣad says, everything is nothing priyaà. It is, it shines, it is attractive, it is dear but the manifestation of änanda. and it is a source of happiness. Every object is unique in that it has its own name and form. This How is it that I do not see it? Is it because it is not means that every name and form is different from there? Some people insist that they can accept every other, but every object also has universality, something only when they see it. Just because we in that everything is asti bhäti priyaà. Let us look do not see something, it does not mean it is not again, into the example of the pot. There is there. I may have a problem with my eyes or some something that distinguishes one pot from the defect in my eyes, and therefore I do not see it. So other, which is its unique name and form or shape. even if something is there, I may not see it. But there is something universal in all the pots, Perhaps the instrument of perception needs to be namely clay. Similarly, in this world, there is tuned up. If I remove that defect then I can see. something that separates each object or being Similarly, the mind is the instrument with which from another and this is, its particular name and we experience happiness, and if we do not form. On the other hand, there is also something experience happiness it may not necessarily be that is universal, and this is asti bhäti priyaà. because it is not there. Maybe my mind needs some tuning up. There is some problem and it What is the relationship between the clay and the needs to be removed. The problem is the presence pot? The clay is the truth of the pot. In fact what of all my likes and dislikes, the räga-dveṣas, we call pot, is nothing but the clay. The pot has no attachments and demands. When they are existence apart from the clay and therefore the pot removed my mind becomes totally accepting and is nothing but clay. Similarly, if asti bhäti priyaà totally non-demanding. When I am non- is the universal aspect of all objects, what does it demanding with reference to a person, I am mean? It means that the truth of all objects is comfortable with that person. Whenever I am non-demanding and am able to respect and accept nothing but asti bhäti priyaà! This means that everything as it is, I find that I enjoy it, whether it even when I perceive the object as a particular is a flower, a tree, a river, a lake, a dog or a person name and form, its underlying reality is asti bhäti or anything. If I make a demand, I cannot enjoy it. priyam. Asti means that a thing is. Bhäti means that it Everything is priyaà; änanda; wholeness; shines in my knowledge. Priyaà means fullness or Brahman. This is what it is. If I try to attractiveness. This is the truth that prevails in determine the truth of an object by progressively every name and form. The attractiveness part is sub-dividing it into its building blocks, nothing not clear to us. It is not experienced. That ‘it is’, is will remain. But then we say that something still an experience. That ‘it shines’, is an experience. remains. What is it? It is the one who divides, But to experience the attractiveness, I must give who remains! Similarly, where is the asti bhäti up my demand of what ‘attractiveness’ is. If I can see attractiveness only in a certain kind of a nose priyaà, which is associated with every name and or a certain kind of eyes, I can see it only there form? Is it out there? Where is it? It is the nature and not elsewhere. But if I drop all my definitions of the very subject who asks! With reference to Souvenir 2009 27 Arsha Vidya Cnter the subject, the asti bhäti priyaà, which is in the । third person, will get transformed into the first person. It will be asmi bhämi priyaà instead. We ॥ have changed the case. As pūjya Swamiji would ॐ ॥ say, that “Brahma is” is called the parokṣa jñänaà pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṁ or indirect knowledge. It gets transformed into “I pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya am Brahman”, which is aparokṣa jñänaà or direct knowledge. To begin with, we recognize that the pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate essence of everything is asti bhäti priyaà or oà śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ saccidänanda. Then we recognize that this That creation is complete, and this self is also saccidänanda is myself. A text called the Advaita complete because this arises from that Makaranda, opens with the verse: completeness. [śanti mantra from Yajur Veda] AhmiSm sda Éaim kdaicÚahmiày>, äüEvahmt> isÏ< Adaù, the self, is pūrëaà or complete. Idaà, this creation, is also purṇam because pūrṇāt pūrṇam si½danNdl][m.2. udacyate, or from pūrëaà arises pūrëaà. This ahamasmi sadä bhämi kadäcinnähamapriyaù, creation, which is pūrëaà, has emerged from the brahmaivähamataù siddhaà self. Therefore, recognize this pūrëatvam, the saccidänandalakñaëam completeness. Recognize that every name and Always I am. Always I shine. Never am I an form is in reality asti bhäti priyaà and that asti object of dislike to myself. Therefore it is bhäti priyaà is the very nature of my self. established that I am the Brahman which is of the nature of existence, awareness, and fullness. Pūrëaà eva vaśiṣyate, whatever remains is also [Advaita Makaranda, 2] pūrëaà. There is no duality. Ekaà eva advitéyam, [Chändogyopaniñad, 6-2-1] everything is one and Ahamasmi, I am always. Sadä bhämi, I always without a second. shine in my consciousness. Asti bhäti priyaà is all that remains. Kadacinnahamapriyaù, I never dislike myself. I may dislike other things but as far as my love for myself is concerned, it is an unconditional love. My love for other things is always conditional. But I never hate myself. I always love myself regardless of where I am or how I am, whether I am good or bad, rejected or accepted. Therefore where is this asti bhäti priyaà? It is in fact nothing but my own self. What does it mean? What am I seeing? If asti bhäti priyaà is my nature and we say that all that there is, is ast bhäti priyaà, what am I looking at? My own self! What, then, is this creation? It is nothing but a projection of my own self. Souvenir 2009 28 Arsha Vidya Cnter Kaivalyopaniñad (new book) Püjya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati Foreword by Vijay Kapoor Swami Vidtatmanandaji taught Kaivalya him. It has taken some time, but I am happy that Upaniñad to 30 of us in a 3-day retreat during the the tree of this saëkalpa is finally bearing fruit. summer of 2005 in a serene surrounding in Ben Lomond, about 50 miles south of San Francisco. This has been a wonderful team effort. First, half Listening to him so clearly reveal the nature of the audience signed-up to transcribe the audio Ätmä, the self, I could not but wish more people tapes of the different classes. Then, my job was to meld it all together. In this, I am particularly had the fortune of seeing the incredible truth grateful to Lisa Curren, Kumud Singhal and Phid about themselves, directly from Swamiji. How Simons for the painstaking job of transcription, of clear he is about the subject, how skilled in obtaining accuracy of Sanskrit words and to handling words to convey the vision, how ensure that the syntax is good and sentences flow diligently he works to convey the subtle through well. Despite best efforts, some flaws may have years of teaching experience. been left in, for which I ask for the reader’s forgiveness and feedback. So I thought that if more people cannot listen to him directly, surely we can capture the unfolding My salutations to the entire teacher-student of this beautiful Upaniñad in the form of a book. lineage that has enabled this book, and prayers Not just any book, but one that tries to convey the that many will find it worthwhile in the quest for live teaching of a Vedäntic master. All the more, Self- knowledge. since there are so few English language books by Preface by Swami Vidtatmanandaji Upaniñad means Self-knowledge, the knowledge only means to reach that goal. The text that that reveals the identity of jéva, the individual self reveals this knowledge is also called Upaniñad and brahman, the limitless. It reveals that the “I” and Kaivalyopaniñad is one among many such is brahman, the whole, the limitless. All the sense Upaniñads. It belongs to Atharva Veda. of inadequacy and all the desires arising from that inadequacy disappear with this knowledge. All the Upaniñad imparts the knowledge in the form of a knots of the heart are cut asunder, all bondage is dialog between the teacher and the student. The removed and the aspirant gets established in his or aspirant approaches the teacher with humility, her true nature which is kaivalya, the nondual, faith and reverence and requests the teacher to the limitless. This is the culmination of all impart the knowledge of the Self or brahman, seeking, knowing which, nothing remains to be and the teacher unfolds the subject matter in known, gaining which nothing remains to be response to that request. Upaniñad intends not gained and nothing remains to be done. This is the only to impart the teaching, but also intends to see goal of life and Upaniñad, Self-knowledge is the that the seeker gains that knowledge and becomes Souvenir 2009 29 Arsha Vidya Cnter free from grief and delusion. Hence Upaniñad is a sorrow, arising from false notions about the Self, live teaching tradition and even though, the there is no other way. subject matter of all Upaniñads is same, the methodology may vary. In that sense every Then the teacher takes the mahä-väkya-vicära, a Upaniñad is unique. Kaivalyopaniñad is in the discussion on the mahä-väkya or the great form of a dialog between the teacher, Lord proposition viz., tat tvam asi, That thou art, Parameñöi (Lord Brahmäji) and the disciple where “That” stands for brahman, the limitless Äçvaläyana. It is a relatively short Upaniñad and “thou” stand for the limited self. With the consisting of 24 mantras, but does justice to the analysis of the three states of Consciousness viz., waking, dream and deep-sleep states, the teacher subject matter very well. shows that the true nature of the jéva passing The very first mantra describes how through the three states is the substratum of the three states; it is the limitless happiness, the Äśvalāyana approaches Lord Parameñöi and indivisible Consciousness. From him has sprung requests for the knowledge that is the noblest, up the diversity called the universe, made of vital gaining which the seeker crosses all sins and air, the mind, the sense organs and the five attains the highest puruña or completeness. The elements. The teacher says, “Oh disciple, that teacher Brahmäji, at first, gives instruction about which is the supreme brahman, the self of all, the the means of knowledge viz., çraddhä, faith, great support of the universe, subtler than the subtle, the eternal- That is thyself and thou art bhakti, devotion and dhyäna contemplation and further says that the Self, that ever reveals itself in That”. Realizing the truth that “I am brahman which illumines the three states and which the cave of the heart, is not to be gained by karma transcends them”, one is liberated from all or rituals, prajä or progeny, or dhanam or wealth, bondage. which are means of material prosperity, but rather by renunciation leading to the knowledge of the The last six mantras reveal this identity of Self Self. Those who are of pure mind, who have well and brahman in the form of declaration by the ascertained the knowledge of Vedänta, attain this disciple of the vision that he has gained as a result knowledge through renunciation. of the teaching. He reveals how he is the pure Consciousness that illumines the three states and The fifth mantra provides the necessary is still distinct from them; how he is brahman, the instruction for contemplation upon the Self and nondual, from whom everything is born, by whom the sixth mantra describes the nature of the Self everything is sustained, unto whom everything is that is free from all attributes. Seventh mantra dissolved. Declaring his transcendental nature, he recommends meditation upon Lord with attributes says that he is without the organs of action and for those who cannot meditate upon the still has unthinkable power, without the organs of attributeless Self. Then, the teacher Brahmäji says perception and still perceives everything, he is the same Self manifests as various deities such as beyond merit and demerit and has no birth or Brahmä, Çiva, Indra and others. It is the very destruction. substratum of time or death. The one, who Concluding the teaching, the teacher says that realizes one’s own self as the self of all, attains knowing the supreme Self that abides in the cavity the highest. The Upaniñad makes it very clear of the heart, that is partless, and witness of all, one that it is the Self-knowledge and that alone, that is attains the pure Self itself. the means of liberation. For liberation from Souvenir 2009 30 Arsha Vidya Cnter The Upaniñad concludes with an instruction on This book is prepared on the basis of classes reciting the çata-rudréyam which may mean, conducted by me at a retreat in California. A number of students contributed to the either the famous Rudram which is a hymn in transcription of the audio tapes of the classes and praise of Rudra found in Yajur Veda or it can be Mr. Vijay Kapoor assumed the burden of the text of this very Kaivalyopaniñad. The coordinating and editing the transcribed material. purpose is to remove the past sins which may I pray to Lord Dakñiëämürti to bless them all and become obstacle to gaining the knowledge. For a also bless that this book be found useful to the sannyäsé or a renunciate, the prescription is to students of Vedänta in their study and recite the mantras all the time and if not, at least, contemplation. once a day. And that applies to all the seekers also, because even the repetition of the sacred mantras brings about purification of the mind and prepares the seeker for the knowledge. Verses 1 & 2 from Kaivalyopaniñad The Upaniñad, which is in the form of a dialog between the teacher and the disciple begins with a request from the disciple. ` Awañlaynae ÉgvNt< prmeiónmupsmeTyaevac, AxIih ÉgvNäüiv*a< viróa< sda siÑ> seVymana< ingUFam!, yya=icraTsvRpap< Vypaeý praTpr< pué;< yait ivÖan!. 1. om athäçvaläyano bhagavantaà parameñöhinamupasametyoväca | adhéhi bhagavanbrahmavidyäà variñöhäà sadä sadbhiù sevyamänäà nigüòhäm | yayä'cirätsarvapäpaà vyapohya parätparaà puruñaà yäti vidvän || 1|| Thereafter the sage Äçvaläyana approached Brahmäji, the revered grandsire and said, "Oh Lord! Please teach me brahma-vidyä, Self-knowledge, which is the noblest and is always resorted to by the good people, which is the highest secret, and by knowing which the learned ones cross all sins before long and reach the highest puruña. Now the teacher responds to the request of the student. tSmE s haevac iptamhí ïÏaÉi´XyanyaegadvEih. 2. tasmai sa hoväca pitämahaçca çraddhäbhaktidhyänayogädavaihi || 2|| To him, the grandsire said, "May you know through çraddhä, trust in the teaching, bhakti, commitment, and dhyäna, meditation." Souvenir 2009 31 Arsha Vidya Cnter The role of logic in Vedanta Śré Vijay Kapoor Accepted scientific principles, such as ‘anything he wanted to see from their notes the logic they that is true must be measurable and verifiable’, would use in trying to solve the equations. That would render Vedäntic conclusions to be is how he would grade their work. ‘unscientific’, and so untruthful. Yet, Vedänta I find this very applicable to us, the students of says that even though scientific enquiry may be self knowledge. The only difference is that the appropriate for things to be observed, but because of failing to take into account the truth equation, That Thou Are - that the limited jéva is about the observer itself, it is basically fact non-different from the unlimited Brahma incomplete, and ultimately flawed. So logic in that each one of wants to be – is not an unsolved Vedänta, far from being absent, is far more equation. It is already solved, but it appears rigorous and comprehensive than mere scientific unsolved to me so I need to solve it. logic. Nevertheless, our teachers say, that the way we try to understand, the very logical principles we The role of logic is actually crucial in employ, is more important than trying to take understanding the puzzle that Vedänta tries to short cuts to the final answer. Below is list of 12 logical principles that, even though not unravel. In this regard, I am reminded of some complete by any means, may be taken as aids to excellent advice I once received from Dr our understanding: Donald Glaser, who won the Nobel Prize in physics for the invention of the bubble chamber. 1. Anything cannot come out of nothing. Dr Glaser was my teacher in a computer science Existent things must be born out of course in UC Berkeley. He once recounted a existence; thoughts of existent things, graduate level course in mathematics he once both gross and subtle, must come of took at Caltech in Pasadena. For the final exam, awareness; the different degrees of joy his professor handed out 6 questions, and that things give us must have originated walked out, saying it was an open book exam from the nature of joy. So big bangs may and he would come back in 3 hours to collect be possible, but not in the sense of the papers. “O, incidentally, make sure you creating things from a state of staple your rough notes to the answers, and hand nothingness; they can only be relevant those to me as well.” from a state of unmanifestation to manifestation, in a sense of continuation. Dr Glaser said that after spending a fruitless half It is not unlike the periods of waking and hour to answer the first question, he moved on sleep alternating in our lives. Each day to the next one, and so on, until the full 3 hours can be considered ‘new’, but only were gone and not only he but the rest of the relatively. class did not seem to have solved a single 2. Existence and awareness must be the mathematical equation given to them. As their smiling professor came back to collect the same vastu, thing. Existence to be papers, he told them that he never expected independent cannot be non-awareness, anyone to solve a single equation – after all they because anything not aware, as a stone, were among the unsolved questions vexing even must depend upon an awareful entity, the brightest mathematicians of the world – but which is different from it, to prove its Souvenir 2009 32 Arsha Vidya Cnter existence. So the truth must be self- makes it possible for each individual existing and self-aware. mother to have a loving nature. 3. A formful thing can only be mithya, an Individual women, especially as they appearance. This is because form must become mothers simply invoke the depend upon its basis, or substratum. incipient love which is already there. Conversely, the final substratum or truth 7. A belief in Éçvara/creator is simply a must be formless. A shirt depends upon placeholder, only to be replaced by the yarn, which in turn depends upon cotton, knowledge of Isvara, much as belief in which in turn depends upon the proven scientific principles is only underlying molecular structure; this temporary, leading to understanding. A taken to the logical conclusion depends belief is based on the peculiarities of the upon awareness. believer; knowledge is only true to the 4. The creator of this infinite creation must thing to be known. A student of the not only be all powerful and all equation e=mc² by Einstein may choose knowing, but must have the resources – to believe in it, but ultimately needs to in the form of material for creation – understand it. As a believer, he/she may within him/her. Otherwise, the have some peculiar notions about what it unlimitedness would be compromised. means, but in understanding, it reflects This means that the entire creation is the theory of relativity as it is. nothing but the body of the creator. 8. The creator being all-knowing, the 5. In the 7th chapter of the Bhagavad Géta, following catch-22 situation facing all Çré Kåñëa says that ‘I am the unseen human beings – that of neither being thread holding the whole creation, just as able to achieve unconditional happiness a thread, even though hidden by the nor to give up the desire to attain it – pearls that are strung closely together, cannot be ascribed as an oversight on holds them together’. In the modern Isvara’s part. Indeed it is not. Just the example, it is like the unseen electricity nature of it needs to be understood, not moving through a variety of appliances. one of the gain of the not yet achieved, Without it, where is the possibility of but one of the already achieved but not their working? In the Vedas, the space is known. likened to be the womb of the mother, 9. Indeed, the world cannot give us holding the entire creation together. uncondional happiness. As the Åçi Here, the gravitational and other inter- Yägïavalkya explains in the stellar forces play a major part in Båhadäraëyaka Upaniñad, the closest holding the spinning heavenly bodies thing to reliable joy is one’s mother, and together. even she is not totally reliable (at the 6. The total should be seen as the least she cannot always be there for me). embodiment of possibilities, the So if I want unconditional happiness, I individual as the expression and choice must already be that but perhaps I am of what can be. For example, it is not confused about it. In fact, as we are told, very useful to look upon the entire ocean our quest is like that of a sugar crystal as a collection of waves etc. Instead it whose nature is sweetness itself, looking should be seen as an entity where alone for something sweet to eat. waves are possible, even though it is not 10. A sense of bondage cannot be real. If it always stuck with waves. So Devé was, it would never go. But it is in the should be seen as the total mother, who form of a notion, and has to be dealt with Souvenir 2009 33 Arsha Vidya Cnter it entirely differently. If the snake I see complex; I must be someone different is real, I have to take appropriate from it. measures for my safety. If it is imagined, 12. I am told by the teaching that the sense then beating it etc. will not solve the of doership and enjoyership is not my problem. The solution lies in nature. If I do not accept it, because I understanding that it was an error on my feel that I am the wielder of my mind part to take the rope to be snake. and sense organs, I am asked to study 11. In nature, anything that is intelligently the example of a magnet, or fire. A put-together, such as an automobile, is magnet, just by its silent power to meant for a person other than it. So cars attract, makes iron filings move about. are not for the sake of cars, but for The fire burns things in its proximity. people. Now I see that my body-mind Neither needs to have a sense of complex is something which is very doership. intelligently put together. It is clear from this that I cannot be the body-mind Experience the elegance of a bygone era while enjoying today’s modern amenities in one of the world’s most loved cities. Mention this ad and receive a 10% discount off regular rates now through December 2008. Your stay includes deluxe continental breakfast, morning newspaper, afternoon tea & sherry, local courtesy car service on weekday mornings and high speed internet service. 800-227-3970 -or- www.queenanne.com Souvenir 2009 34 Arsha Vidya Cnter NEW INDIA BAZAR YourYour one one-stop-stop Best Quality friendlyfriendly neighborhood neighborhood BestFriendly Quality Service & grocerygrocery store store FriendUnbeatablely Service Prices & Unbeatable Prices Now Open in DUBLIN/PLEASANTON California's Largest Indian Grocery Store Chain ALL NEW DVD FREE RENTAL WITH FRESH VEGETABLES AVAILABLE AT PURCHASE OF GROCERY ALL LOCATIONS WITH LOWEST PRICES NEW INDIA BAZAR NEW INDIA BAZAR NEW INDIA BAZAR NEW INDIA BAZAR NEW INDIA BAZAR 2213 El Camino Real 4552 Dublin Blvd 460 Persian Dr. 1340 S. Mary Ave. 438 S. Main Street Santa Clara, CA 95050 Dublin, CA 94568 Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Sunnyvale, CA 94087 Milpitas, CA 95035 (408) 249-2599 (925) 875-1692 (408) 744-0777 (408) 530-9555 (408) 262-5300 E-mail: [email protected] Souvenir 2009 35 Arsha Vidya Cnter 485 S. Main St., Milpitas (by Great Mall) Email: [email protected] (408) 946-8383 Low –Low - Prices Ultimate Honeymoon Experience in our elegant exotic King Round Bed HBO & Pay Per View Comcast Cable with over 70 channels Business Center Continental Breakfast Fridge & Microwave Free High Speed Internet Jacuzzi Suites available Special Weekly Rates Also in Mountain View: 1012 W. El Camino Real, CA 94040, (650) 961-6720 Pürëa Vidyä A unique and structured program to teach Vedic culture to children in the Bay Area What is Pürëa Vidyä? Pürëa Vidyä is the first attempt of its kind in imparting a value based cultural education for children. It helps one understand the rich cultural heritage of India in keeping with Vedic vision. It is a guide for schools, families and communities that have been asking for teaching Vedic heritage in an authentic, systematic manner. It is in response to a need that most of us ourselves do not grasp the subleties and depth of this ancient culture, and if we do, we cannot easily communicate it to the young minds. How is the syllabus organized? The syllabus consists of 3 volumes in 12 parts. Volume 1, for children of ages 6 to 10, includes plays, games, and illustrations from the Rämäyaëa, Bhagavata Puräëa and Mahäbhärata. Vol. 2, for ages 11 to 14, has two types of books, text books for students and Guidelines for Teaching. It also has püja that covers values, Éçvara, religious disciplines, religious culture and Vedic knowledge. Vol. 3, addressing teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17, covers topics on the fourteen-fold Vedic knowledge, including Bhagavad Gétä and contemporary teen issues. The program is accompanied by instructional chanting tapes. Classes: Dr. Kumd Singhal and Kumar Padmini have been conducting Pürëa Vidyä Classes for children ages 6 to13 in the Bay Area for the last three years . Please contact Kumud Singhal ([email protected], 408-934-9747) for additional information. Souvenir 2009 36 Please contact Kumud Singhal ([email protected], 408-934-9747) for additional information.