Official organ of World Brahman Federation Canada www.wbfcanada.org EKO'HAM October - November, 2010 Volume 4 Issue 1

Deepawali Continues to Enlighten the World

“Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides. “

- Rig Veda

Bharat during ramayan times

WBF Canada Celebrates Deepawali Milan and Samman Samaroh 2010

Canadian Brahman celebrate Deepawali to enlighten the world on November 14, 2010 at the Payal banquet Hall in Mississauga. The occasion is marked by traditional Deepawali festivities full of spirits where Brahmans dedicate to the cause of Hindu community and humanity at large. Dr. Om Sharma, President of Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA) will kindly deliver the “Deepawali Sandesh”. This would also be an occasion to recognize the contributions of Brahmans who have made a difference to the community by their dedication, efforts and leadership. A Chetana ‘visheshank’ on Highlights: Mahamanniya Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya by Pandit Siam Tripathi will be Deepawali 1-2 released on the occasion. 3 Vedic 4 The WBF Canada has signed a memorandum of understanding with Brahman Samaj of North America to work together for the cause of the 5-7 community. A number of issues continue to affect the community around the 8 world, for example, controversy, neglect of Sanskrit and Hindi language, Kashmiri Pandit situation, entrenched reverse discrimination in the form of educational opportunities and employment, state of affairs of temples, misrepresentation of Sanatan Vedic etc. A need for scholarly research in Vedic scriptures and transmission of this knowledge to the coming generations is acutely felt. This will help strengthen the Hindu community at large to whom Brahmans owe their duties. The spiritual strength of Brahmans derived from the knowledge of the holy Vedic scriptures will continue to prepare them well to continue to enlighten the world no matter how difficult it may be at times.

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WBF Canada Honors Brahmans

2009 2010

Ms. Geetika Bhardwaj, Omni 2 TV, Dr. Budhendranauth Doobay, Toronto, Ontario - Indian culture, Cardiologist and Founding Chairman of civilization and values in Canada the Federation of Hindu Temples of

Canada - Vedic culture, philosophy and * heritage in Canada Shri Amar Erry, Vedic Cultural Centre, Toronto, Ontario - Vedic culture, * philosophy and studies in Canada Shri Bhim Sen Kalia, Social worker, Toronto, Ontario- community service * and Hindu Sanatan Dharma in Canada Shri Ravi Pandey, Editor, Hindi Abroad, Brampton, Ontario - quality journalism * in Hindi through Hindi Abroad in Canada Dr. Devendra Mishra, Poet, Ontario - “The ‘Taittriya Upanishad’ Bharatiya heritage, Hindi language and states, “Out of , * poetry in Canada Shri Jagdish Sharda, President, Hindi which is the higher self, Institute of Learning, Toronto, Ontario – came space; out of space, * Hindi and Sanskrit languages in Canada Shri Shambhoo Dutt Sharma, Social air; out of air, fire; out of worker, Toronto, Ontario – community fire, water; out of water, * service, especially adding to the quality earth; out of earth, Shri Yogesh Sharma, President, RANA of life of senior citizens in Canada vegetation; out of Toronto, Ontario - community service vegetation, food; and Rajasthani culture and heritage in * out of food, the body of all Canada Dr. Tulsi Ram Sharma, Vedic Scholar, humanity.” Toronto - Vedic culture, philosophy and * studies in Canada Shri Raj Kumar Sharma, Social worker, Toronto, Ontario - community service * and Hindu Dharma and heritage in Shri Siam Tripathi, Hindi Pracharini Canada Sabha (Chetna Hindi Literary Magazine), Ontario – Hindi literature, poetry and * heritage in Canada "Whenever I have read any part of the , I have felt that some unearthly and unknown light illuminated me. In the great teaching of * the Vedas, there is no touch of sectarianism. It is of all ages, climes and nationalities and is the "There is no or philosophy royal road for the attainment of the Great so sublime and elevating as Knowledge. When I am at it, I feel that I am ." under the spangled heavens of a summer (Kumbha Mela - By Jack Hebner night." and David Osborn) (Fundamentals of Hindu Religion and Philosophy for All Ages - By Bansi Pandit B & V Enterprises 1996. p 307).

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must perform all duties in the world in Goddess Lakshmi accordance with dharma. This leads to (liberation), which is symbolized by Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and a lotus in the back left hand of Lakshmi. The prosperity, both material and spiritual. The golden coins falling on the ground from the word ''Lakshmi'' is derived from the front left hand of Lakshmi illustrate that She Sanskrit word Laksme, meaning "goal." provides wealth and prosperity to Her Lakshmi, therefore, represents the goal of devotees. Her front right hand is shown life, which includes worldly as well as bestowing blessings upon the devotees. spiritual prosperity. In , • The two elephants standing next to the Goddess Lakshmi, also called Shri, is the Goddess symbolize the name and fame divine spouse of Lord and associated with worldly wealth. The idea provides Him with wealth for the conveyed here is that a true devotee should “ or ‘’ is a maintenance and preservation of the not earn wealth merely to acquire name and material and creation. fame or only to satisfy his own material immortal, but this desires, but should share it with others in body will be reduced In Her images and pictures, Lakshmi is order to bring to others in addition depicted in a female form with four arms to himself. to ashes. O man, doer and four hands. She wears red clothes with • Some pictures show four elephants spraying of actions, a golden lining and is standing on a lotus. water from golden vessels onto Goddess meditate and She has golden coins and lotuses in her Lakshmi. The four elephants represent the Universal Soul, the hands. Two elephants (some pictures show four ends of life as discussed above. four) are shown next to the Goddess. This The spraying of water denotes activity. The protector of all, symbolism conveys the following spiritual golden vessels denote wisdom and purity. remember your deeds, theme: The four elephants spraying water from the remember your • The four arms represent the four golden vessels on the Goddess illustrate the directions in space and thus symbolize theme that continuous self-effort, in deeds!” omnipresence and omnipotence of the accordance with one's dharma and govemed From Goddess. The red color sybolizes by wisdom and purity, leads to both material activity. The golden lining (embroidery) and spiritual prosperity. on Her red dress denotes prosperity. The idea conveyed here is that the Goddess Goddess Lakshmi is regularly worshipped in is always busy distributing wealth and home shrines and temples by Her devotees. prosperity to the devotees. The lotus A special is offered to Her annually seat, which Lakshmi is standing upon, on the auspicious day of Diwali, with signifies that while living in this world, religious and colorful ceremonies one should enjoy its wealth, but not specifically devoted to Her. become obsessed with it. Such a living is analogous to a lotus that grows in * water but is not wetted by water. Mandukya Upnishad • The four hands represent the four ends of human life: dharma (righteousness), kama (genuine desires), artha (wealth), This short Upnishad belongs to the and moksha (liberation from birth and Atharva Veda. It is an exposition on the death). The front hands represent the meaning of ‘AUM’. activity in the physical world and the back hands indicate the spiritual * activities that lead to spiritual perfection. The Prajna Upnishad • Since the right side of the body symbolizes activity, a lotus in the back This Upnishad also comes from the right hand conveys the idea that one Atharva Veda. Prajna means “question”, hence, its focus is on ‘Self-Enquiry’.

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Influence of Vedic “Rishis and Munees” on Plato

The metaphysics of Socrates and Plato In an ideal state, which he described as influenced so much the Western social and Republic, divine guidance is the maximum spiritual thought and brought enlightenment to and in Tyranny it reaches its minimum and the West that today “West” describes Plato as world dissolution (Vedic Pralaya) comes philosophy and philosophy as Plato. We in when that divine guidance is totally withdrawn. Like Vedic metaphysics Plato seem to have forgotten that that source confirms that life in this vast turbulent ocean of his writings and philosophy was Vedic metaphysics. Before Plato, Pythagoras went of matter- the material world is an illusion of comfort (Vedic ) and described the from Samos (Greece) to land of Ganga to learn Geometry. He would not have gone such gross world as a phenomenal world. Plato held largely similar views like Vedic Rta a long and strange journey had the reputation of ’s (Vedic) science not been long (Laws of Nature) in his theory of Forms and Ideas. A few other glimpses of Vedic established in Europe. (Francois. M. Voltaire). metaphysics can also seen in Plato’s

writings relating to divinity in the noble vocations, social classes, education system “OM or AUM – the eternal Plato left Athens for about one decade and visited Prasava (Persia), Ariana (Iran) and extending up to 48 years, value system and Word is all: What was, what North West part of the then India-land of need based living, nature of right is and what shall be, and Aryans. He seems to have discussed a number and wrong and many other concepts. Like Vedas he mentioned worst thing about what beyond is in eternity. of metaphysical concepts with the then Vedic corruption is that it distorts the concept of All is OM. Brahman is all Rsis and Munnies. On his return to Athens, he propagated those thoughts without making any knowledge. He must have learnt about the and ‘Atman’ is Brahman. reference to Vedic rsis and munnies. However, ideal philosopher king of Bhagavad- This ‘Atman’ is the eternal the influence of Vedic metaphysics is clearly Gita assisted by Yajnvalkya and Rsika Gargi and developed the theory of word OM comprising four visible in Plato’s writings/books. Like the Vedic concept of moderation and “philosopher kings” for his Republic. His states of .” Iddm nan mam (enlightened liberalism) Plato concept of economics and global trade has Mandukya Upanishad mentions in his Laws (174-f) and also in great resemblance to Vedic economics and Utopia that in an Ideal state the range of global trade. economic disparities should be within 1:16. If the range of disparity increases marginally, the While Plato propagated the Vedic concept of state is less ideal. However, if it increases scientific temper, his disciple Aristotle considerably, the state is either a Democracy spread the message of Physical Sciences of or an Oligarchy. The rulers in both tend to be matter with unsuspected vitality without tyrannical, corrupt, and hypocritical. referring to Vedas. Later many of these thoughts are found in the metaphysics of In his metaphysics, Plato says that the soul of Aquinas, Augustine, Immanuel Kant virtuous people becomes lighter and goes and many others including some scientists toward heaven by moving upward after death like Newton, Einstein etc. and that of the non-virtuous, being heavier, it stays near the earth and is the cause of rebirth. Is it not surprising that seekers of Vedic On rebirth, people may be born in one of the knowledge can get PhD Degree in Vedas in nine kinds of families professing different USA- the bastion of and a few , , as well as in the different other Western countries but not in secular regions of the earth. Plato thus becomes one of India? the few ancient Western philosophers who gave a perfect philosophical theory on By Prem Sabhlok secularism and universal brotherhood which in the East Vedic rishis and munees had already conveyed through Vedas.

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GOTHRA SAGES The purana describes the story of the 12-year famine during which Gautama There are 49 established Hindu gotras. All fed all the Rishis and saved them. members of a particular gotra are believed to possess certain common characteristics by The Brahmaanda-purana mentions that way of nature or profession. The term gotra one of the sub-branches of the Raanaayani “Our actions reveal our feelings, was used in its present sense for the first time branch of Sama Veda was initiated by this Our speech our ancestry, in the Brahmanas. It was systematised by Gautama. Some famous disciples of about the 4th century BC to accommodate Gautama were Praachina-yogya, Our children our integrity, changed social rules and laws and by the time Shaandilya, Gaargya, and Bharadwaja. Our bodies that which we eat and of the , it was a well-established system. drink, Our expression our Gothras have their orgin in saptharshies who According to the , Rishi thoughts….” change with Manvanthara. We are in the Gautama once went to take bath in the seventh Manvanthara now. river early morning. The king of the devas, , was fascinated with - Lizelle Reymond in her book My Many of the seven sages have been repeated Gautam's wife, . Indra came in the life with a Brahmin family (1958) and replaced. In the first manvanthara the form of Gautam and made love to Ahalya saptharshies were , , Angeerasa, ⦀ . Pulasthia, and Vasistha. They are believed to be the mind-born sons of Gauatama was also the author of Dharma- Brahma. According to the known as Gautama Dharma sutra. It Baudhâyanas'rauta-sûtra Vishvâ, is in fact the earliest Dharma Sutra. Sage , Bharadvâja, Gautama, Atri, Gautama was the most ancient sage of all , and are 8 sages; Brahmin law-givers. He was quoted by the progeny of these eight sages is declared to Baudhayana and belonged to be gotras. School. Gautama♀ s teachings are called a. Gouthama Gothra. Gautamasutra or Gautamasmriti.

Gautama Maharishi is one of the of the current (seventh). He was one Gautamas are originally settled of the Maharishis of Vedic times, known to in Brij region of North India have been the discoverer of Mantras -- 'Mantra-drashtaa', in Sanskrit. The Rig Veda b. Gothra has several suktas that go with his name. He Garga is the son of Rishi Bharadwaja and was the son of Rahugana, belonging to the line Suseela . Gargya (son of Garga) is the of . The Bhagavatam says that author of some of the Sukthas of the the river Godavari is so named because of its Atharvana Veda. Sage garga was the association with Gautama. He had two sons by family priest of the family of Nanda (the name and Nodhas, both themselves foster-father of ). He named child discoverers of Mantras as "Krishna" after receiving the name by . Garga is the author of Garga There is a called Bhadra in the Sama Samhita. “Consciousness is Veda which again is ascribed to Gautama indeed Maharishi. His wife is Ahalya. The The Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra In this AUM-Brahman, speak of the story wherein it is described how sastra in chapter 21, Parasara quotes Greater than the Gautama won the hand of Ahalya by Garga and Brahma on the effects of the greatest without end. perambulating the divine cow. The Chief 10th bhava (house). Sri Prasanna Parvathi He or she who understands ‘that’ priest of King Janaka of , by name Sametha Gargeshwari temple near Mysore Meditates on AUM Shatananda, was the son of Gautama and is named after the Garga where Ahalya. Gautama's sixty-year long is He or she conquers all Ardhanareeswara appeared before him. worlds” mentioned in the Shanti parva of the -Chandogya Upnishad .

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c. Agsthaia Gothram Sage Agastya appeared to when he was Agastya was a Vedic sage. Agastya and his despondent at the impending war with clan are also credited to have "authored" and instructed him in the use of Aditya many mantras of the Rig Veda Agastya is Hridayam, a hymn praising the Sun . also the author of Agastya Samhita In some Agastya also composed Stotram.

reckonings, Agastya is the greatest of the Seven Sages or Saptarshis. The word is also d. Bhargava Gothram written as Agasti. A-ga means a mountain, Maharishi was one of the seven great Asti, thrower. Agastya the Rishi, was born sages, one of the Saptarshis in ancient India, of , from Urvashi .Another one of many Prajapatis (the facilitators of reference to him is in the Mahabharata in Creation) created by Brahma (The God of Sauptikaparva as the teacher of Drona. Creation), the first compiler of predictive astrology, and also the author of Bhrigu As with all other Hindus, it was necessary Samhita, the astrological (Jyotish) classic for Agastya to marry and sire a son, in order written during the Vedic period, Treta , to fulfill his duties to the Manus. Once he most probably around 3000 BC. Bhrigu is a “Be a member of WBF resolved upon doing this, Agastya pursued ManasaPutra (wish-born-son) of Lord Canada Today by an unusual course of action. By his yogic Brahma, who simply wished him into powers, he created a female infant who , to assist in the process of creation, visiting possessed all the special qualities of for this reason he is also considered one of the www.wbfcanada.org character and personality that would be Prajapatis. He is married to Khyati, the appropriate in the wife of a renunciate. At daughter of Daksha. He has two sons by her, this time, the noble and virtuous king of named Dhata and Vidhata. He had one more Vidarbha was childless and was undergoing son, who is better known than Bhrigu himself and for the gift of a child. - . The sage coming in the Agastya arranged for the child he had pravara of Srivatsa Gothra is also his son. created to be born the daughter of that noble Sage Bhrigu finds mention in the king of Vidarbha. The child was named Purana, where he shown present during the “Om Asato maa sad- "Lopamudra" by her parents. Agastya great Yagna of Daksha Prajapati (his father-in-

gamaya; tamaso maa approached the king and sought the hand of law). The , also known as Bhargavas, jyotir-ga-maya; mrtyor- his daughter when she was grown up. She are a clan of sages descending from the maa amrutam was utterly intent upon exchanging the ancient fire-priest Bhrigu. They instituted the gamaya. Om Shaantih palace of her father the king for the forest- of offering the juice of the Soma plant to Shaantih Shaantih” hermitage of Agastya. Lopamudra and the old This treatise is said to contain Agastya were duly married and lived a life over 5 million horoscopes, in which he wrote O Lord ! Lead me of extraordinary felicity. It is believed that down the fate of every being in the universe. from the unreal to the they had two sons - Bringi & Achuthan. In Bhrgu lineage: Bhrgu was the son of Brahma. real. Lead me from Mahabharata (Vana Parva: Tirtha-yatra (Mahabharata, Pauloma Parva). Bhrgu the darkness to Parva), there is mention of his penance at descendants: Bhargavas: Bhrugu was the light. Lead me from Gangadwara (Haridwar), with the help of his father of Sukracharya, the grandfather of death to wife, Lopamudra (the princess of Vidharba). Devayani and the great-grandfather of Yayati immortality. May and the great-great-grandfather of Yadu. there be peace, peace, Agastya is famous for being the first siddhar Indraâs€ daughter Jayanti was married to and perfect peace. in the siddhars tradition. He created many Bhrgu’s son Sukracharya (who also called medicines, and jadhakam( Agasthia nadi?), - Brihadaranyaka Kavya). (Devi Bhagavatham) 1.3.28 mandhrikam and he said all of them. Two of his students and disciples were Therayar and Bhrgu was the grandfather Rchka (Richika), Tholkappiar. According to Akilattirattu great-grandfather of Jamadagni, great-great- Ammanai, the religious book of Ayyavazhi, grandfather of Parasurama. Rchka was the son Agastya was created from the mind of lord of Cyavana. (Mahabharata). Cyavana was the Siva in order to offer boons to son of Bhrguâ through wife Pauloma, who (See:Boons offered to Kaliyan). As per the married Sukanya. Bhrgu and Bharadwaja had order of Siva, Agastya offered many boons discussions on many subjects. (Mahabharata). including all worldly knowledge to him.

PAGE 7 OF 8 e. Bharadwaja gothra Saptarishis in the seventh, i.e the present Manvantara. Attri is also a rishi present in The Marut Devatas found sage Bharadwaja all manvantras. He was among the three near ganga river, raised him and taught him main seers who propounded the sacred about the Vedas. He was adopted by thread (after Brihaspati) which has three , the son of Sakuntala and strands symbolising Creation (Brahma and Dushyanta. He performed a yajna so that his the letter A), sustenance (Vishnu and the foster father Bharata would have another son letter U) and Dissolution ({m} and the (Bhumanyu) and handed that kingdom back letter M). to him. He was a disciple of Gauthama Maharshi as well as of . He was a Atri Gotra is from the lineage of Brahmarsi first hand wi tness to the incident of the Atri and Anusuya Devi. Brahmarsi Atri is Krauncha birds . He married Suseela and had the seer of the fifth (book) of the a son called Garga. His son Dronacharya . He had many sons, including was born as a result of his attraction to an Soma, Datta, and . Atri's wife is Ghrtaci. He trained Drona in use of Anasuya or Anusiya devi, a daughter of weapons. Drona also learnt the use of Kardama Prajapati and an embodiment of weapons from Agnivesha, Parasurama’s chastity. student and from Parasurama himself. Bharadwaja had a daughter called Rama, the son of Dasaratha, visited Atri Devavarnini. She was given in marriage to Maharishi's Ashram during his fourteen Visravas and was the mother of . years of stay in the forest. It was Atri who , the author of the Satapatha showed the way to forest to Brahmana was a descendant of Bharadwaja. Rama, after showering his hospitality on Bharadwaja was a host to Dasaratha’s son him. There were also other great Rishis in Bharata when he was en route to meeting Sri that line: , Uddaalaki, “If these characteristics be Rama, to persuade him to return to Shaakalaayani, Chaandogya, etc.Attri- observable in a Shudra, and if they be not found in . samhita and Attri- are two works a Brahman, then such a attributed to Attri. Shudra is no Shudra, and Bharadwaja had a debate with Bhrugu about (To be continued) such a Brahman is no the system and he said that * Brahman.” physiologically there was no difference “This is the Truth, between members of any caste. He As from a blazing fire, (Mahabharata, XI, P.305; performed the Putrakameshti yajnam for Sparks fly up IX, p.34) , so that he could get a son. A thousandfold,

Bharadwaja’s Vedic mantras were placed So are different beings Created by the Eternal Source, in the sixth Mandala of the Rig Veda by Veda And return there too.” - Mundaka Upnishad

Dharmasutra and Srautasutra were written by Bharadwaja. The manuscript of the latter * "We, on the contrary, now send to the Brahmans “the had was in Pandu script and is available with the English clergymen and evangelical linen- its origins in the holy Visvavidyalaya of Bombay(). As weavers, in order out of sympathy to put them per the Rktantra, pratisakhya of the land of bharat from right, and to point out to them that they are samaveda, Brahma taught grammar to created out of nothing, and that they ought to be the great rishis, the Brhaspati who taught it to Indra, who in turn grateful and pleased about it. But it is just the enlightened ones.” taught it to Bharadwaja. He was one of the same as if we fired a bullet at a cliff. "In India, great sages (rishis) descendant of rishi our religions will never at any time take root; Angirasa, whose accomplishments are the ancient wisdom of the human race will not detailed in the Puranas be supplanted by the events in Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom flows back to Europe, and will produce a fundamental change in our f. Atri gothra knowledge and thought." (The World as Will In , Attri is a legendary bard and and Representation By Arthur Schopenhauer scholar, and a son of Brahma, and one of the Volume I, & 63 p. 356-357).

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What is Sanskrit – The Language of Ancient India? Sanskrit was considered as "Dev Bhasha", " Devavani "or the language of the Gods by ancient Indians. The word sanskrita, meaning "refined" or "purified," is the antonym of prakrita, meaning "natural," or "vulgar." It is made up of the primordial sounds, and is developed systematically to include the natural progressions of sounds as created in the human mouth. Jawaharlal Nehru has said that Sanskrit is a language amazingly rich, efflorescent, full of luxuriant growth of all kinds, and yet precise and strictly keeping within the framework of grammar which Panini laid down two thousand years ago. It spread out, added to its richness, became fuller and more ornate, but always it stuck to its original roots. The ancient Indians attached a great deal of importance to sound, and hence their writing, poetry or prose, had a rhythmic and musical quality. Our modern languages of India are children of Sanskrit, and to it owe most of their vocabulary and their forms of expressions.

Sanskrit (meaning "cultured or refined"), the classical language of Hinduism, is the oldest and the most systematic language in the world. The vastness and the versatility, and power

of expression can be appreciated by the fact that this language has 65 words to describe various forms of earth, 67 words for water, and over 250 words to describe rainfall.

The Sanskrit grammarians wished to construct a perfect language, which would belong to no one and thus belong to all, which would not develop but remain an ideal instrument of communication and culture for all peoples and all time.

" The Sanskrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than the Greek, more copious than the Latin and more exquisitely refined than either: yet bearing to both of them a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs, and in the forms of grammar, than could possibly have been produced by accident; so strong indeed, that no philologer could examine them all without believing them to have sprung from some common source which perhaps no longer exists..." (source: Discovery of India - By Jawaharlal Nehru p 165).

"In ancient India the intention to discover truth was so consuming, that in the process, they discovered perhaps the most perfect tool for fulfilling such a search that the world has ever known -- the Sanskrit language. There is at least one language, Sanskrit, which for the duration of almost 1000 years was a living spoken language with a considerable literature of its own. Besides works of literary value, there was a long philosophical and grammatical tradition that has continued to exist with undiminished “I am a Hindu because vigor until the present century. it is Hinduism which makes the world worth Friedrich Max Muller (1823-1900) in Science of Languages p. 203, calls Sanskrit the living.” "language of languages", and remarks that "it has been truly said that Sanskrit is to the Science of language what Mathematics is to Astronomy." (source: Hindu Superiority - (Young India 1-12-26) By Har Bilas Sarda p.205).

Young Brahmans must lead by example

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