: P.O.BOX 5728 SRT NAGAR, NEW 110055 (BHARAT); Email: [email protected] No. Sm1207/2069 (For Private Circulation Only) Ashad Shukla 12 Vik Samvat 2069. Yugabda 5114 Tel: 91-11- 23684445; Fax: 91-11-23517722 1 July 2012 1. FESTIVALS: Ashadh Amavasya or the 'No new Swayamsevaks in the current year, who have Moon Day' of month Ashadh (June 19 as per Uttar acquired sangh training. In 13 districts a total Bharat and July 19 as per Dakshin Bharat number of 29 Prathamik Shiksha Varg (7 day calendar) is a very auspicious day when Deepa training camp) were held, where training has been Puja is performed. On this day, people clean and imparted to as many as 3709 new Swayamsevaks. decorate their houses and sanctify a 'Chourang' i.e. The Seva Vibhag of RSS Dakshin Pranth has a table with decoration and rangoli (kolam) organized 6898 different Seva activities at 2434 designs around it. All the deepas are placed on the places. Jalabharatati, a project dedicated towards table and lit to perform pooja. In Andhra Pradesh, the creation of awareness on water conservation it is known as Chukkal Amavasya (Gauri Puja is has published 2 major books on ‘Rain Water performed) and in Karnataka it is called Bhima Harvesting’ and ‘100 ways of Water Amavasya. Conservation’. In connection with this, special Deepa Puja is dedicated to the deity of one's workshop on water conservation was conducted at choice i.e. Ishta Devata and to Pancha Maha 36 places, where 1950 students, 305 teachers and Bhootas (five primordial elements – Air, Water, 907 farmers participated. Fire, Sky and the Earth). In some cases, devotees 3. dedicate Deepa Puja to the Goddess Lakshmi, ORGANISED 35 CAMPS: “There are so many Goddess Parvati or Goddess Saraswati. women at top posts today but it has not benefited On this day, all the diyas are lit once again in the the women. The country should be in the hands of evening and placed around the house just like the sensitive people whether they are men or Diwali Puja. It is believed that the radiations of the women,” Pramilatai Medhe, Pramukha light of the diyas drive out all the evil and bad Sanchalika, Rashtra Sevika Samiti said addressing powers and welcome new brightness into their life. 225 participants seviksa in taining camp of four SANGHA/SAMITI NEWS: BHARAT prants (Kashi, Awadh, Goraksh and Kanpur) in 2. HUGE INCREASE IN THE Kanpur from May 27 to June 14. Rashtra Sevika ORGANIZATIONAL BASE OF RSS - Samiti has organised 35 training camps this year KARNATAKA SOUTH: The overall across the country. About 5,000 activists have organizational base of Rashtriya Swayamsevak been trained in these camps. Sangh, South Unit, Karnataka has been witnessing 4. RASHTROTTHANA BLOOD BANK a steady addition in its numbers. The annual report TOPS: As far as total number of blood collected released recently by RSS says that the figures of and transfused is concerned, Rashtrotthana Rakta January 2011 showed a total number of 2597 Nidhi (Blood Bank) at Chamarajpet - Bangalore is Shakhas in 1698 places under the RSS Karnaaka the number one blood bank of the state of Dakshin Prant ( 13 southern districts of Karnataka Karnataka. Rashtrotthana Parishat is a Rashtriya state); however, the estimate taken in 2012 shows Swayamsevak Sangh initiative for social reforms a remarkable increase in the Shakha number, in Karnataka. taking it to 2715, at 1788 places. Established 18 years ago, Rashtrotthana Rakta Taking into account the Sangha Shiksha Vargs, the Nidhi (Blood Bank) has collected blood from a 20 day long training camps of RSS Cadres, the total of 1, 75,073 blood donors. The collected statistics reveal participation by a total of 1248 blood has been given to 1, 31,593 patients. Rest of 1 the blood was processed for PCV collections, Vigyananand. This is the first Veda Pathasala serum separations etc. The total units of blood outside Bharat. collected till March 2012 is 2, 89,321. CULTURAL NEWS: BHARAT 5. SANT UCHCHADHIKAR SAMITI: Senior 7. RATH YATRA: Annual Rath Yatra Utsav saints of the country have demanded a concrete began at Jagannathpuri on June 21 with the pulling action plan for ensuring free and minimum flow in of the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and the Ganga. They told the Central government to Subhadra repectively known as Nandighosh, enact a law in the Monsoon Session of the Taladhwaja and Padmadhwaja, by lakhs of Parliament to this effect, failing which, they devotees, including many from abroad. The warned, they would be compelled to launch a chariots reached their destination, Gundicha decisive battle for the Ganga. The saints issued temple on June 22. The festival ends nine days this warning at the Sant Uchchadhikar Samiti later when the deities make their way back home meeting of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad held in to the Jagannath temple. Haridwar from June 19 to 20. About a hundred The Rathyatra was also held in other cities of senior saints from different parts of the country Bharat like Kanpur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, including Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevananda Ranchi, etc. and also in many parts of the world. Saraswati, Pejawar Swami Vishvesh Teertha, 8. AMARNATH YATRA BEGINS: Jammu and Swami , Swami Kashmir Governor NN Vohra was among the first Ramdharacharya, attended the meeting. Shri batch of pilgrims and participated in the “pratham , VHP working President Dr Pravin darshan and pooja” to the holy cave shrine of Shri Togadia, general secretary Champat Rai, general Amarnath in the Kashmir which commenced on secretary Shri Dinesh Chandra and others also June 25. The yatra commenced simultaneously attended the meeting. from traditional and longer Pahalgam and shorter SANGHA NEWS: OVERSEAS but treacherous Baltal routes. The pilgrims began 6. SYDNEY VED PATHSHALA: More than their journey from both the Baltal and Nunwan 650 people experienced pleasance when Vedic base camps. The yatra will conclude on Raksha chanting and Sanskrit poems resonated their minds Bandhan on August 2, 2012. as the Sydney Ved Pathshala celebrated its fourth 9. CAMP: anniversary on 17 June. The anniversary “Muslims in Bharat have not come from outside celebrations culminated with brilliant cultural but belong to this country and are an inseparable performances in Vedic chanting, Sanskrit skits and part of the national life of this country like the poems, and depictions of the Hindu epics, Hindus”, observed K S Sudarshan, former Ramayana & Mahabharata. More than 150 Sarsanghchalak of RSS in Pushkar, Ajmer on June children, 90 Youth, and Adult showcased their 26, at the 11th National Training Camp of Muslim talents on the occasion. Rashtriya Manch (MRM). Delving into the Vishwa Hindu Parishad National General historical beginning of Muslim Rashtriya Manch a Secretary Akila Ramarathinam and her team of 55 decade ago the former RSS Chief said that he had voluntary teacher conduct Sanskrit classes in over asked former President of All Imam Council 55 schools and more than 6,000 children in Maulana Jameel Iliyasi as to why the Muslims Australia, are getting benefit out of this project. considered themselves as ‘minority’ when they Akila Ramarathinam said that VHP is satisfying belonged to this society and country as much as community demand for Vedic chanting, Hindu the Hindus. MRM National Convener Mohd scripture and Sanskrit classes, and is uniting Afzal, co-convener and incharge of the camp Hindus and the Australian community. VHP has Abbas Ali Bohra, Chhattisgarh Waqf Board 150 volunteers working every week and 40 youth Chairman Salim Ashrafi and former national volunteers as one of the biggest volunteer convener of MRM Salavat Khan were present on organization in Australia. Sydney Veda Patasala the dais. The thre-day event was attended by over was started in 2008 under the guidance of Swami 200 activists from 25 states. 2 CULTURAL NEWS: OVERSEAS 13. BHARATIYA-AMERICAN NAMED US 10. CHARIOT FESTIVAL IN ALABAMA: VARSITY VC: Mitra Dutta, a distinguished Rath Yatra was celebrated in Harvest city of US Bharatiya-American engineer-physicist, who has on 24th June in which former ambassador studied at Guwahati and Delhi universities, has Pramathesh Rath, along with Athens Mayor been named vice chancellor for research at the Ronnie Marks and Ravi Nath Sharma, a University of Illinois at Chicago. Dutta, a former philosopher from Bharat were guests of honor. To senior executive with the US Army Research the clamour of gongs, conch shell, trumpets, Office, has served as interim vice chancellor at cymbals, tambourines and ghanti, devotees and one of America's leading research universities visitors helped carry the wooden images of Lord since January, overseeing a research enterprise Jagannath along with his brother and sister deities with annual expenditures of more than $340 from the main temple of the Hindu Cultural Centre million. of North Alabama to the annexe building. Announcing her appointment, Chancellor Paula 11. SWAT BUDDHA GETS FACELIFT: Allen-Meares said: "Her distinguished record as a Thanks to the efforts of Luca Olivieri and his researcher, administrator and teacher make her the partner Italian archaeologists, the 6-meter-tall ideal choice to take on this vital role." image near the town of Jahanabad is getting a 14. HANDICRAFTS IN KUTCH: “Sewa facelift, and many other archaeological treasures International and Sewa Bharati are among the few in the scenic Swat Valley are being excavated and who have continued serving the affected after the preserved. devastating earthquake of 2001 and this is the Hard-line Muslims have a history of targeting indication of their commitment and perseverance”, Buddhist, Hindu and other religious sites they exclaimed Gujarat Chief Minister consider heretical to Islam. Six months before the while inaugurating the Sewa International Design Sept 11, 2001 attacks, the Taliban shocked the & Development Centre, in Jiapar Village, Kutch, world by dynamiting a pair of 1,500-year-old Gujarat on June 21. The centre is already serving Buddhist statues in central Afghanistan. more than 400 women drawn from 16 villages, The Jahanabad Buddha, etched high on a huge from a nearby rented location. More than 7000 rock face in the 6th or 7th century, is one of the people gathered for the inaugural function with largest such carvings in South Asia. It was women in dominant number. attacked in the fall of 2007 when the Pakistani Narendra Modi said in his typical style in Gujarati Taliban swarmed across the scenic Swat Valley. “mane yad chne das varas pahelan meyn ACHIEVEMENTS Narayanpur nu lokarpan karyun hatu” (I very well 12. IN NAXAL HEARTLAND: In a first, as remember that I had inaugurated this village many as 149 students from Naxal-hit areas of Narayanpur a decade earlier). He did not miss to Chhattisgarh have cleared the AIEEE while two pay homage to the founder of Rashtriya have cleared the IIT entrance exam this year. Most Swayamsevak Sangh Dr. Hedgewar by offering of them hail from tribal BPL families. They are all flowers and reminding people of his contribution a part of the first batch of students of Prayas, a to nation building activity. Chairman Sewa residential school-cum-coaching institute for boys International Jai Prakash welcomed the guests set up by the state tribal welfare department in while Ramesh Bhai Mehta elaborated the Sewa Raipur in 2010. International activity in Kutch post rehabilitation. “At least 50 will be selected for NITs, while the 15. ASSAM GIRL TO CARRY OLYMPIC remaining will find seats in IIITs. If we keep TORCH: A class X student from Assam will producing similar results, the face of Naxal areas represent Bharat at the Olympic Torch Relay in will change in five years,” said hostel London. Pinky Karmakar from Barbaruah in superintendent Sripati Azgar. “They will go back Assam's Dibrugarh district will be among the with stories of academic success, pushing others to torchbearers from 20 countries at the relay in take the same route.” Nottinghamshire on June 28. 3 "I'm very excited. Only exceptionally talented Representatives of countries, including Tanzania, people get such opportunities. I am honoured that I Lagos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Dar es was chosen to represent my country," said 17- Salaam, have visited the city to study and adopt year-old Pinky. the system. Today, Ahmedabad BRTS, officially Pinky's mother works as a tea-plucker and father is known as 'Janmarg', offers commuters an average a painter in a Dibrugarh tea estate. In the evenings, speed of 27 km per hour -- one of the highest Pinky teaches about 40 women, including her among public road transport in the country. "Not mother, in the tea garden. She also talks to elders just did we win some global awards like the Best at village meetings on social issues, including Sustainable Transport Award and Best Mass child marriage, alcoholism and adult literacy. Rapid Transit System but also caught the attention OTHER NEWS STORIES: BHARAT of other countries who now want to study and 16. ODISHA KIDS RESCUED: A total of 18 adopt the success of Janmarg." said Shivanand children from Odisha, below 10 years of age, who Swamy, associate professor, CEPT University and were illegally confined at a church near team leader of the BRTS project. (Source: Kulasekharam in Kanyakumari District were http://www.business- rescued on June 22. Fifteen of them were boys. standard.com/india/news/ahmedabad-rapid-bus- Clarat (47), a Pastor from Puthenthurai, was system-catches-fancyseveral-countries/405368/) tracked down by the Social Welfare Department OTHER NEWS STORIES: OVERSEAS (DSW) officials and handed over to the police. 19. THOUSANDS PERFORM YOGA AT The officials said the children were brought by TIMES SQUARE TO WELCOME SUMMER: Clarat on June 20 from Blessing Trust, an NGO Thousands of New Yorkers converged at the run by his friend, Rajkumar, near Coimbatore, and popular and crowded Times Square in sweltering lodged at the church. heat to celebrate the summer solstice, the longest 17. DELHI, MUMBAI ARE CHOSEN ONES: day of the year, by rolling out their yoga mats and Delhi and Mumbai, the two most vital metros of performing the ancient Bharatiya art for over 12 Bharat, have been chosen for DRDO’s Ballistic hours. Missile Defence system that can be put in place at The Times Square Alliance hosted the 10th edition a short notice. The strategic planning has already of the 'Solstice in Times Square' on June 21 , begun to install the BMD system in the two cities. holding free 'Mind Over Madness' yoga classes To ensure maximum protection against air-borne and transforming one of the world's most popular threats, DRDO will put a mix of counter-attack tourist and commercial destinations into a yoga missiles which will be able to shoot down enemy village to celebrate the arrival of summer. missiles both within earth’s atmosphere (endo- Four free yoga classes from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm atmospheric) and outside it (exo-atmospheric). (local time) were organised for New Yorkers who The shield, developed by Defence Research and braved record temperature levels of about 33 Development Organisation, has undergone a series degree Celsius to find their "inner peace and of successful tests. It can destroy an incoming tranquillity." The event also included one-on-one ballistic missile with the range of up to 2,000 km. yoga instructions and free giveaways for 18. AHMEDABAD BUS SYSTEM A HIT participants. The event was broadcast on some of WITH SEVERAL COUNTRIES: Despite a the giant LED screens that are a characteristic four-wheeler and a couple of two-wheelers parked feature at Times Square. at his residence, Manubhai Dhruva prefers to take 20. BHARATIYA AMERICANS FUND the public transport. On being asked the reason, HINDU STUDIES CHAIR IN US the 78-year-old retired English lecturer answered UNIVERSITY: Bharatiya American organisation with a smile, "It takes me a good 10-15 minutes has made a contribution of US$ 3.24 million to less to travel by bus than my own vehicle." establish Swami Vivekananda Visiting Faculty Ahmedabad BRTS project has caught the fancy of and Dharma Civilisation Foundation Chair in not just the local commuters but of several nations. Hindu Studies at a prestigious US university in 4 California. This is the first chair of Hindu studies not believe in a thing because another man has in the US funded by the Bharatiya American said it was true. Do not believe in words because community and will be established at the they are hallowed by tradition. Find out the truth University of South California (USC) School Of for yourself. Reason it out. That is realization.' - Religion with funds from the Dharma Civilisation Swami Vivekanand Foundation. The Los Angeles based Dharma Civilisation Foundation aims to fund studies of the JAI SHREE RAM Bharatiya civilisation, focusing on Hinduism, Buddhism, Jain and Sikh religions. The objective IMPRESSION OF A USA SHIKSHARTHI: is to promote Dharma education through research TRITYA VARSH 2012 scholarship, degree courses and endowed chairs. Imagine going into a varg not knowing anyone, 21. CHRISTIANITY DOWN, HINDUISM UP where everyone is speaking in sentences that range IN AUSTRALIA: Christianity remained the most from Hindi to Oriya to Malayalam, where the commonly reported religion in Australia, with 61.1 average temperature during the daytime is around per cent of the population in 2011 - a decline from 115 degrees farenheit, and where there is a huge 63.9 per cent in 2006. The Australian Bureau of open ground where the Smriti Mandir—a Statistics reported that the most common non- memorial to Doctorji and Guruji—are there before Christian religions in 2011 were Buddhism (2.5 you. Thus began tritiya varsh. per cent of the population), Islam (2.2 per cent) Tritiya Varsh was different than all other camps I and Hinduism (1.3 per cent). "Of these, Hinduism attended. It was inspirational, and in some ways had experienced the fastest growth since 2006, also very challenging. With 1007 people in the increasing from 148,130 to 275,534, followed by varg, ranging from farmers to bus conductors to Islam from 340,394 to 476,291 and Buddhism lawyers to students to teachers as well as doctors, from 418,749 to 528,977," the census reported. it was indeed a unique setting. In my gana itself 22. PUNJABI SECOND ONLY TO ENGLISH there were people from Punjab, Delhi, IN BRITAIN: Punjabi is the most commonly Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, spoken language among one million children who Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, do not speak English as a first language in the UK. Orissa, and Rajasthan. Ganas were divided based According to figures released, which were part of on your aicchik Vishay (you had to choose one of an official census of schools taken in January, Danda Yudha, Niyudha, and Ashtanga yoga—all other widely spoken languages are Urdu, Bengali, other vishays such as danda, samata, yogasan were Gujarati, Somali, Polish, Arabic, Portuguese, common), and there were 45 ganas in total. My Turkish and Tamil. A separate analysis released gana had 24 people, and interestingly one of them earlier this year showed how children who speak was a fisherman who had never gone to school in English as their first language are now a minority his life. His name was Chitti Babu—he only in more than 1,600 English schools. spoke telugu and little bit of tamil, so he barely 23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri talked most of the time even though as a gana our Saumitra Gokhale – samyojak Vishwa Vibhag nivaas was in the same room. He would simply finished his tour to Suriname and Guyana to reach smile when people in our gana would shout his Trinidad. Shri Ravikumar – sahsamyojak is on a name in a friendly way to attempt to communicate tour to USA and Trinidad. Dr.Ram Vaidya- with him. sahsamyojak would also tour Trinidad. Shri One thing I found with him, as well as the farmers Shyam Parande, secretary Sewa International will and people from agricultural background was that be in HongKong in 1st week of July. Visitors: they are extremely simple. Anshul Agrawal & family - USA, Praveen Dhir – Their motivation in Sangh is not based primarily USA, Kitty Nawani – Thailand. on an intellectual understanding of or FOOD FOR THOUGHT: 'Do not believe in a Sangh ideology, but simply on a deep feeling of thing because you have read about it in a book. Do desh bhakti towards Bharat mata. It was very 5 refreshing to see such simplicity and devotion in swayamsevaks to LITERALLY dive into action to them. handle such issues is extraordinary. As part of the varg we visited Doctorji’s home as Although there were many many more well. We saw the swing (jhula) where he used to experiences I could share, suffice it to say that sit, the balcony where he would walk back and tritiya varsh is like living a whole life in Sangh forth thinking about Sangh, as well as the rooms Shiksha Varg. For 30 days I honestly had no idea where the baithaks were held (and where they what was happening in the outside world. You decided to actually start Sangh). The home had an will see Sangh then truly from a global atmosphere of peace and silence, and one could perspective, both from Bharat as well as from a feel that Sangh simply was a natural expression of Vishwa Vibhag point of view. And of course on a Doctorji’s being. lighter note, the 30 days will surely make you One challenge for me was simply being able to lighter as well! explain how shakha is in the USA is and how it is different from shakha in India (many were also HOW FATHERHOOD HAS MADE quite shocked to know how much it costs to travel ME A BETTER HINDU from US to India !). Talking that much isn’t my Vineet Chander specialty, but one gets used to it J. Even the food A popular narrative in the Bhagavata Purana, one was very simple with daal, rice, roti, buttermilk of Hinduism's most beloved and venerated and some subji. Interestingly the bhojan vibhag wisdom texts, involves a king who meets a forest- used to have to make approximately 7000 rotis dwelling sage. The sage's peaceful demeanor and every day to feed the swayamsevaks at varg! And obvious contentment, even amidst apparent not only that, most of the work in vyavastha was poverty, astound the king. "Who is your guru?" done by kishore swayamsevaks (middle/high the king asks, eager to know where the sage school students)! The energy that they put in each learned in such a way. In response, the sage and every day was absolutely amazing to see. enumerates a list of 24 gurus -- a list of unlikely On a different note, with regards to sources of wisdom that even includes natural charcha/baudhik there were some topics that were phenomenon, and animals -- each of whom difficult to relate to coming from a vishwa vibhag demonstrated to the sage a valuable lesson that he perspective. In addition, being from USA was both incorporated into his spiritual practice. Of course, a blessing and a challenge. There were some who the numerical list is merely illustrative; for one had preconceived notions of what life is like in the who is eager to learn, the sage explains, the world USA, although through time and some long is filled with countless teachers. Though most of conversations those misconceptions did clear up. us tend to think of gurus in a strictly singular Overall the experience was truly special and life sense, and while many Hindus do accept one changing. One interesting thing I noted that particular guru as their primary spiritual guide or swayamsevaks in Bharat are used to dealing with mentor, they are also encouraged to learn from conflict virtually all the time. I heard stories of others. Indeed, Hinduism holds that anyone -- and events in Kerala from some of the malayalee ultimately, everyone -- can be a part of our swayamsevaks in my gana (interestingly I became spiritual growth if we can develop the ability to the translator for the malayalee swayamsevaks and see them in that way. the Hindi-speaking swayamsevaks) and how they I have had to remind myself of that principle, and dealt with conflicts with communists. Many face of the story of the sage and his 24 gurus, as I've various challenges socially due to caste and other played the role of a father to my daughter, Shruti social problems in society. In some of the charcha Sara, for the past three years. At certain times, sessions some of them also shared how they bogged down by the seemingly mundane aspects successfully dealt with these problems using the of child rearing, it has been hard to discern the strength of shakha. In that way the ability of spiritual dimension. At others, though, the

6 presence of the Divine has been palpable and vandanam, a form of worship that many Hindus awesome. perform at set times every day. I sat with closed Has being a father helped me to be a better Hindu? eyes, trying to concentrate on the prayers, when I In a certain superficial sense, the answer is no. As felt a slight tugging on my janoi, three sacred much of a joy as Shruti has been, and continues to threads Hindu priests wear looped over the torso, be, she has also dramatically uprooted our lives. meant to symbolize purity in thought, word and My wife and I have had to severely reduce our deed. I looked down to see Shruti -- only a few involvement at our local temples, and cut back on months old at the time -- crawling into my lap and seva (service) that we can perform there. gripping the three consecrated cords in her tiny Attending festivals and holiday observances have hands; suddenly, she bit down on the threads and become less about honoring the deities being began chewing on them! Whether a plea for celebrated, and more about juggling diaper bags attention or simply a consequence of teething, the and car seats or managing temper tantrums and incident seemed a fitting metaphor for Shruti's picky eating. Meanwhile, at home the situation has attitude toward ritual and principle. While scarcely been better. Regimented practice and orthodox Hindus might be horrified by the thought worship have taken a backseat to keeping up with of a baby teething on items that must be kept a toddler's largely spontaneous and unpredictable ritually clean, it may help to remind us what those needs. Being woken up in the middle of the night items are supposed to symbolize for us in the first by a crying child has rendered early morning place. If we become so focused on the ritual that meditation a near impossibility. Our home altar, we cannot recognize purity and innocence in the once diligently maintained as our family's form of a child, might we not be missing the forest dedicated sacred space, now suffers from bouts of for the trees? neglect or only sporadic tending to -- an As she has grown older, Shruti's own blossoming abandoned shrine amid the ruins, a temple devotion has brought this idea of essence and besieged by Mickey Mouse plush toys and Dora ritual home for me. She insists on offering her the Explorer dolls. And Ami and I have sometimes own stick of incense at the altar each day. She felt like relics as well -- ridiculously exhausted dutifully and devotionally twirls the unlit stick of versions of our pre-parental selves, clutching our incense before the sacred images while reciting wooden japa beads and trying to focus on our her own simple prayers; afterward, Ami or I light prayers, but fighting a losing battle against sleep the incense and allow it to burn out in a holder a and distraction instead. safe distance away. To some, the whole thing And yet, on a deeper level -- on a level, perhaps, might seem like nothing more than a game of that invokes the spirit of the sage and his 24 gurus make-believe. From my vantage point, though, I -- my first three years of fatherhood have taught see a profound spiritual exchange take place. For me a great deal about what it means to be a person those few moments, Shruti's eyes are keenly of faith, and have forced to evaluate and re- focused on the altar, her attention seems fixed, her evaluate how I wish to live out my spiritual path, heart is open and her mind is captivated. That she my Dharma. Being a father has been a blessing in is not deterred by the fact that the incense is unlit my life, yes, but it has also been a catalyst for my when she offers it just underscores this; it is spiritual development in a way that I've never almost as if she intuitively understands that the experienced before. In this sense, Shruti has not scent is meant exclusively for the benefit of the only helped me to be a better Hindu; she has Divine -- and he certainly accepts it, and the love helped me to re-define what being a Hindu is all with which it is offered, with or without the act of about. striking a match. She challenges me to separate the essential from In her own way, she has tapped into the simple the ritual. essence of this practice in a way that I still I remember being struck by this idea one day struggle to. For all my technical proficiency and when I was attempting to perform sandhya adherence to complex ritual, I am humbled and 7 inspired by her simple devotion. She teaches me She inspires me to be better. how to see with wonder, and hear with my heart. "True victory is not being better than another," a It is amazing to see Shruti discover something or Hindu aphorism advises us, "but in being better hear something new. Her eyes grow wide, her than your previous self." As a father, I've come to cheeks become flush, her speech quickens and her realize that the joy of parenthood is inextricably voice gets higher. There is not a trace of cynicism tied to the loving burden of responsibility. My or a hint of taking anything for granted. The words, actions, and even consciousness are no underlying fears and doubts that often plague us, longer my own -- they are now part of the subtle even as we are being blessed with wonderful or and explicit reality I am creating for Shruti. She is profound experiences, are conspicuous by their a constant observer and student, and the words I absence. speak and things I do are creating impressions in This is obvious in the way Shruti approaches the her world. Hindu philosophy calls these stories we tell her from sacred texts and Hindu impressions samskaras and considers them the folk traditions. She has an insatiable appetite for building blocks of spiritual development. these stories -- "Tell me Ramayana stories," she I was given a wake-up call on this front when often demands of me as I'm trying to change her Shruti began speaking. I found myself slightly into her pajamas -- that seems to only grow with embarrassed to hear my own words coming out of each re-telling. This amazes us. For her, these her mouth. I started to notice her picking up on aren't mere fairy tales to entertain her as she drifts other things -- my inflections, or speech patterns, off to sleep. They are living statements of truth, as or phrases I just uttered by habit. Soon she was real and meaningful to her as my literal also imitating the way I sat, the way I slammed descriptions of what I did at work earlier that day. doors, even the way I lazily scrolled through my When we describe Hanuman leaping across an iPhone at the dinner table. ocean or Lord Krishna lifting a mountain, she One day she picked up my meditation beads, accepts it with a simple and grateful heart and adopted the exact posture that I had been sitting in, allows herself to be fully delighted by it. and began to mimic my chanting. It was as I know that realists will likely dismiss this, and sobering as it was endearing. She is watching. She critics may even fault us for filling our daughter's is learning. I have been blessed with a beautiful head with "superstition." Frankly, the cynical side and precious gift, but I have also been entrusted of me is also tempted to write it off as childish with a serious responsibility. The Bhagavata innocence that will fade away when the real world Purana, the same text that described the sage and comes crashing in. But Shruti has taught me that I his 24 teachers that I referenced earlier, has strong don't have to give in to the cynicism. If Shruti can words of caution for parents. "One should not be delighted by Krishna lifting a mountain, then become a mother or father," the text says, "if one why can't I? And if I truly believe that he is the is not prepared to help their children achieve cause of all causes, the one who created the liberation." If I want to be a Hindu father, or a mountains in the first place, shouldn't I see life father who lives his life based on Dharma, I have itself as just as much of a miracle and source of to take that advice seriously. I have to constantly wonder? strive to be better than my previous self. In teaching me to hear more with my heart, Shruti Shruti Sara helps to remind me to strive, even -- has radically transformed the way I approach my especially -- when it is hard and seems hopeless. own faith. I am beginning to realize that, She gives me the most elegant reason to try. I am ultimately it is less important whether my intellect certainly far from perfect, but in sincerely trying to can prove that the stories in the texts are literally share my love and guidance with her, perhaps I true or not. What is critically important is that can give her a tiny glimpse into the love and there is Truth there, and that it has the potential to protection of the Divine, the perfect parent of us deeply touch my soul if I can approach it with a all. (Writer is Coordinator for Hindu Hindu Life, sense of child-like wonder and gratitude. Princeton University.) Huff Post 17 June 2012. 8