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Why Rituals Are Important? The Essence of Hindu Tradition & Culture E-book from Kanchi Periva Forum Volume – 1 Published: May 2012 Why Rituals Are Important? Authors: Subi & Sumi © 2012 Kanchi Periva Forum www.periva.proboards.com www.periva.org Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 3 About the Authors .......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.0 Background - Religion and Rituals .......................................................................................................... 7 2.0 What is “Sanatana Dharma?” ................................................................................................................... 8 3.0 What is the purpose of our religion?......................................................................................................... 9 4.0 Who created the Vedas? ........................................................................................................................... 9 5.0 The Situation .......................................................................................................................................... 11 6.0 Surging Interest ...................................................................................................................................... 13 7.0 Why Rituals? .......................................................................................................................................... 13 8.0 Types of Rituals ...................................................................................................................................... 13 9.0 Efficacy of Rituals .................................................................................................................................. 14 10.0 Respect for Mother Nature ................................................................................................................... 16 11.0 Reincarnation and Karma ..................................................................................................................... 20 12.0 The Power of Rituals ............................................................................................................................ 21 13.0 Rituals and Practices ............................................................................................................................. 21 14.0 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 22 15.0 Voice of God ........................................................................................................................................ 23 © 2012 Kanchi Periva Forum www.periva.proboards.com www.periva.org Page 2 of 23 Shri Kanchi Maha Periva Thiruvadigal Charanam Introduction Hari Om! Sanatana Dharma, known as Hinduism, is the only religion on the planet that does not have a human founder. It is timeless and ageless. Hindus have a distinguished ancestry to be proud of - an ancestry that goes back to a period of time earlier than any modern nation can claim. A large number of people around the world are keen to know more about this religion and its rituals. While there are numerous books available on the subject, many do not have the time to buy and read them in their very busy schedules. To help readers overcome such problems, we propose to use the medium of internet to present a series of e-books, each of a small size, easy to access and retain attention. This e-book is the result of efforts from the members of the Kanchi Periva Forum www.periva.proboards.com. Like minded members of the Forum have come together realizing the need to insist upon the present generation to observe and keep alive the rich traditions of the Hindu Religion, as prescribed in the Vedas and Sastras. The proposed e-books are intended to serve as a convenient and concise source of information on topics related to Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma as it is called. The aim of the e-books is to provide relevant information on Hindu traditions in simple language and dispel certain misconceptions that often arise in the minds of people. It is also our objective to bring the profound teachings of great saints to the widest possible audience. In providing this service, the authors have derived immense inspiration from the discourses of Kanchi Maha Periva, well-known as the ‘walking God’ and at many places have provided excerpts from his discourses. In this first volume of the series, the authors have attempted to provide a brief background of Vedic religion and why rituals are considered important. We would like to express our profound thanks to Shri Sundaresan Subramanian from Chicago, USA for authoring this book. Our special thanks goes to Smt Sumathi Agambaranathan of Chennai, India for being a valuable co-author in this initiative. We would also like to thank Shri K. Raman from Santa Clara - USA, an active member of the Kanchi Periva Forum, for his valuable suggestions and advice in the making of this e- book. © 2012 Kanchi Periva Forum www.periva.proboards.com www.periva.org Page 3 of 23 This book is not exhaustive and may not answer all your questions nor meet your expectations in full measure. However, this e-book may fuel your curiosity and encourage you to explore more on the topics presented. We welcome your views and feedback for enlarging the scope of future editions of the e- book and improve the quality of presentations. Feedback about the e-book may be shared with us at [email protected] or with the authors directly at their email addresses given in their profiles that follow. For those who are not familiar about our website and forum, we welcome you to visit www.periva.org for a collection of rare videos and complete online library of upanyasams of Sri Maha Periva. Please also register on the forum www.periva.proboards.com to stay updated on devotees’ experiences and to receive our regular newsletters. We also invite you to view the exclusive video footage of Sri Maha Periva divya darshan by clicking on the below link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynAQBHJxNjg We humbly submit this first e-book at the lotus feet of Shri Maha Periva. Administrator - Kanchi Periva Forum [email protected] Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara! © 2012 Kanchi Periva Forum www.periva.proboards.com www.periva.org Page 4 of 23 About the Authors Shri Sundaresan Subramanian Shri. Sundaresan Subramanian, affectionately called as Subi Anna, is an international consultant with an array of global experiences in the field of energy and environment. In his long professional career, he has worked for many years in senior management positions with multinational corporations in India and later with U.S. government agencies. His demonstrated success includes building US-Asia energy and environmental partnerships in cooperation with American and Asian government agencies, non-government organizations and the corporate sector. His professional accomplishments are recognized through several awards from both India and the U.S. Deriving great inspiration from Maha Periva, the Sage of Kanchi, Subi Anna developed a deep personal interest in religion and the ancient scriptures. Based on his continuing study and research, Subi Anna is engaged in propagating Maha Periva’s teachings and unfolding the secrets and wisdom of Sanatana Dharma. His published e-books include: “Mantras and Management” and “Managing Anger – Lessons from the Ancient.” On the academic side, Subi Anna is Graduate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Poona; qualified in Production Engineering, London; in Business Management at St. Xavier’s Institute, Bombay; and as a LEED Green Associate of the U.S. Green Business Council. He was trained in Japan in corporate management and was conferred with a honorary doctorate degree by the University of Berkley, USA. His honorary activities benefited several communities. He served as a member of the selection panel for Fulbright environmental fellowships, a senior member of the Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and the Association of Energy Engineers, USA. He has authored many articles and studies related to energy and environment and served for 3 years as an editor of “The Urja Watch” – a publication of the Indian Association of Energy Management Professionals (IAEMP). He also serves as a member of the committee of “Sri Veda Vyas Gurukul” – a Veda PAtashala functioning on the lines of Gurukula system at the Kanchi Mutt in Pune, Maharashtra. Subi Anna is based out of Chicago, USA and can be reached on [email protected] © 2012 Kanchi Periva Forum www.periva.proboards.com www.periva.org Page 5 of 23 Smt Sumathi Agambaranathan Smt. Sumathi Agambaranathan, shortly called as Sumi, as she is very well known in the Kanchi Periva Forum, is an ardent devotee of Kanchi Maha Periva. She is presently living with her family at Chennai, India, and is working as a Manager at an MNC in Chennai. Sumi is known in her friends and colleagues circle as a no-nonsense person, who is always focused on the results and intensely active in the chosen area of work. She is an avid orator and linguist. Her excellent written and oral communication skills and high level of trustworthiness and confidentiality has always kept her close to the senior management in all her career,
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