CHINMAYA MISSION (UK) MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2010
Issue 20: Krishna Janmashtami Special
Listen… just listen. The eternal flute plays non-stop to those who know how to listen. You can. Try.
-Swami Chinmayananda Krishna Janmashtami President’s Letter Special SEPTEMBER 2010 Out of Contents India... President’s Letter 3 WHEN YOU READ THIS ISSUE, AND INDEED CHINMAYAMS THAT HAVE TRAVELLED TO YOU BEFORE, IF EVEN ONE OF THE ARTICLES MAKES YOU STOP, THINK, REFLECT Online with the Master: AND PERHAPS REACT, THEN IT HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE. Sri Krishna’s Divinity by Swami Chinmayananda 4
Tips for Joyful Parenting Have you sometimes felt when attending a talk, or reading certainty to carry us through to greater success; our value by Swami Tejomayananda 6 an article that the Master is talking to you personally, system. This is what really defines who we are. Where we addressing your innermost thoughts, whilst still communi- came from and where we will eventually end this part of The Modern Spirit cating with the public at large? the journey (in many cases, back to India!). by Swamini Umananda 7 I know I have – and it is this feeling of intense oneness that Just as crucial, is the need to make the celebrations and Work: A Source of Inspiration the editorial team try to infuse into every issue of Chin- festivals that symbolised these value systems a central part based on teachings of mayam. The words of the Masters, directly addressed to of our lives. Swamini Umananda you, peppered with the experiences of the Swamis, Vanapr- 8 by Milan Samani asthis, CHYKS, children and teenagers. And as they have always done, the Master’s voice through Krishna Demystified the scriptures contain not just the philosophy behind these 10 With that dear reader, let me take you on a personal jour- festivals, but also explanations, descriptions, techniques, in by Bhavit Mehta ney, a journey that probably started out of India. fact the complete science of our religion in ways that can be Clarifying our Vision: Reflections applied by everyone and for all ages and generations. from the Bhagavad Geeta Going back a generation or two generations with you or For many if not most of the next generation, the only con- by Milen Shah 11 your parents or grandparents when they first came here from India or Africa. Imagine how it felt, landing in a nection with our religion and customs are these festivals. The Mahabharata and strange country with hardly any baggage - a mixture of the Art of Warfare fear, anticipation and ambition. Holding on to the one cer- Janmashtami is one of the most important days in our calendar. by Vijay Sodhi 12 tainty - their values, beliefs and cultural identity, sharing a Quite probably for some, the only day that they perform any sort common bond. Celebrations and festivals played a pivotal of ritual. In keeping with the significance of this date in our cal- The One who Steals…our Hearts role in strengthening these bonds and retaining a sense of endars and indeed our lives – I invite you on to the next stage of our journey with a very special birthday celebration – KRISHNA by Swami Swaroopananda 14 community and belonging. A much needed anchor, a sanc- tuary even at times. JANMASHTAMI. The Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu Along the way, take with you this JANMASHTAMI issue of the (Vishnu Sahasranama) 15 A generation later, we are all much more comfortably en- trenched, part and parcel of a multicultural society and Chinmayam packed with articles, stories and explanations. I would Ghee: The Golden have forged a new identity - a blend of that inherited from like to thank all the members of the editorial team, our sponsors and Oil of Ayurveda our ancestors and one that we have moulded as our own. contributors for all their efforts in compiling this special issue. by Zia Rawji 16 The journey continues, as we try to pass on our belief sys- tem to our children. One thing never changes - we always But that’s not all. With this issue we launch a series of Chinmaya Kids Page 17 want our children - the next generation, to have more, to Janmashtami events from the entire range of the Mission’s know more, to achieve more, and underpinning it all, the activities culminating in a grand Janmashtami celebration sense of oneness that keeps us rooted – our Dharma. led and guided by none other than the Head of the Chin- maya Mission Worldwide – Swami Tejomayananda. Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda So at this stage in our journey, I ask you to stop and take – Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide stock. Imagine that once again, like our forefathers we Welcome aboard - Good luck and God speed! Pujya Swami Swaroopananda – Regional Coordinator, Chinmaya Mission UK, Australia, & Far East stand at the start of a new journey. Gathered together, ready to move on – the next generation. We speak differ- Hari Om CHINMAYA MISSION UK ent languages, live and dress in a spectrum of styles and Rupin Vadera 2 Egerton Gardens, London NW4 4BA President, Chinmaya Mission UK Tel: +44 (0) 208 203 6288 Email: [email protected] carry different baggage (considerably more!). The sense www.chinmayauk.org, www.chinmayamission.com of fear, anxiety, as well as ambition and optimism carries overtones from the past, but we still rely on the one absolute Registered Charity Number: 1077522
3 A major part of the story of Krishna is his role as Arjuna’s chari- oteer, friend and spiritual guide in the epic Mahabharata. Arjuna falls victim to conflict at the beginning of the war of Kurukshetra when he considers it a sin to fight against his own preceptors and relatives. What he required was not additional men or weapons ‘ but the guidance of one who was truly righteous and wise. It is Sri Krishna is not during this conflict that Arjuna faced, that Krishna elucidates the merely a historical priceless teachings of the Geeta, the divine song of the Lord. Thus person; the Bhagavad He leads Arjuna’s chariot of consciousness through the maze of Geeta is not written war to victory through Dharma (or righteousness) alone. In the Online end, it is always only the moral force, the spiritual strength that by a historian. The birth with the wins and brings peace to the world. Thus one of Krishna’s names of Krishna is a fact is also ‘DHARMADHYAKSHA’, the Lord of Dharma. repeated every moment
Arjuna represents you and I. His conflict is but a reflection of the inter- in everybody’s life.’ Master nal conflict we face every day. Every human being is constantly seeking a share of peace and happiness, and since one does not know the real source A Glimpse of Krishna’s Divinity of these, one seeks them in the midst of the world of objects, leading to a Based on the teachings of Swami Chinmayananda life of limitation and weakness in the face of conflict. It is at such times that the guidance of Lord Krishna trains us in treading the steep and thorny path that leads to peace. These divine lessons of the Infinite Truth are rel- Why is Lord Krishna a source of inspiration? evant to all everywhere. For the path is one, though it has many names, Why has He been the subject of such reverence by dev- and all souls seek the same goal, though they may not realise their unity. otees across the globe for centuries, the famous Hero of the Puranas (mystical stories) and the epic Mahab- harata, and the giver of Knowledge in the Geeta? We It is this Infinite Truth which, being the same everywhere, rules have all heard of Him and His names. But what do our own world. It is this Truth that pervaded the world of Vrin- they represent? Who is this blue flute player? davan through the Beloved Blue Flute Player, this same Truth, which lives in the teachings of the Geeta as the Charioteer of our Krishna Janmashtami is a celebration of the birth intellectual aspects of our personalities. His names are thus an inspira- Lives, and again the same Truth, which pervades the entire uni- of Lord Krishna. The story goes that Krishna was tion because they restrain the outward flow of the mind towards the verse as the Supreme Teacher of the World. And thus we come to born in a prison. Kamsa, Krishna’s maternal uncle world of things and happenings, enticed by their magical promises of our final great name of Krishna: ‘VASUDEVA’, the all-pervading and Chanura, Kamsa’s minister, imprisoned Krish- happiness. They redirect the mind towards the source of all this magic. Lord. na’s father and usurped the throne of Mathura. The mind is therefore given the most enchanting form to meditate Their tyrannical rule caused confusion and chaos upon and the most heroic stories to revel in. “In and through the clamour of the lower beastly gruntings in everywhere. Krishna came to destroy the tyrants our bosom, we surely hear very often the enchanting notes of a and restore peace and order in the land. No picture of Krishna, the beloved boy of Vrindavan, is complete with- warbling music of Truth and peace. out Him amid the dancing gopis. Their limbs were ceaselessly engaged Just as Krishna was born in a prison, so also it often in activity of their obligatory duties while their minds remained at- The divine flute player is never far away from our bosom. To be alert seems that the infinite, all-pervading Truth, when tuned to the Lord. This is in essence one of the greatest spiritual prac- to catch His melody, in and through the boisterous wooing of the it takes on the finite form of a human being, gives tices, known as karma yoga - the dedication of one’s actions to a higher baser in us, is to live the life of devotion and spiritual seeking. the impression that Truth is limited. Kamsa and altar while working without egocentric desires. Krishna Himself pic- To all those who sit thus in vigil, Krishna is born again and again. Chanura represent two negative forces which exist tured amid the dancing gopis represents the Consciousness within in us, namely the ego and egocentric desires. These all of us, which vitalises our thoughts (represented by the gopis) but Krishna is not merely a historical figure; He is the perpetual Truth. cause us agitations, worries and anxieties. When remains unperturbed and unaffected by them. Hence he is known as He does not belong to the past. He is of the ever-present these two forces are conquered by one’s higher na- ‘GOPINATH’, Lord of the Gopis. immediate moment. On this Krishnashtami day, I expect every ture, the original glory and splendour of the Self is one of you to sit in vigil waiting for His birth within the iron restored. The most beautiful and most beloved of all gopis was Radha. The love doors of our self-made penitentiary. of Radha and Krishna is symbolic of the eternal love affair between the Every aspect of Krishna and His deeds is preg- devoted mortal and the Divine. And thus, Krishna has also come to be WHEN YOU MEET HIM THERE, nant with deep mystical symbolism, indicating the known as ‘RADHESH’, the Lord of Radha. Radha’s yearning for union I SHALL NOT BE FAR AWAY FROM HIM.” highest Truth. His many names come both from with her beloved Krishna is the soul’s longing for spiritual awakening. his beautiful physical form, as ‘KRISHNA’ which This long forgotten pain of separation is the root cause of all suffer- With Prem and Om, means the all-attractive one, as well as from His ing. To rediscover our Oneness is the source of all happiness and fulfil- Thy Own Self, famed life and actions. Krishna’s every limb and ment. When a devotee turns her entire attention towards the Higher Swami Chinmayananda adornment is not only bewitchingly beautiful she experiences the Immortal, the Infinite, as intimately as we experi- but also immeasurably deep in its philosophical ence the world and its changes. Radha represents this state of devotion import, thus captivating both the emotional and and the consequent merging with the Lord. This page has been kindly sponsored 4 5 by Gul Chandiramani & family The Modern technology. This change in man’s relationship with the world has led to a variety of issues we see in the world today, from the depletion of our natural resources and destruction of wildlife, to the lack of love, forgiveness and understanding that leads to ter- rible misunderstandings and broken families. Spirit Compiled by Preet Majithia Based on teachings by Swamini Umananda It also leads to a strengthening of desires for instant sensual gratification, and the belief that happiness lies in doing whatever you want, often without any restriction or thought to the conse- for The world we live in quences. Tips today is filled with a myriad of challenges. Faith in reason gives all rights, even the right to kill. True faith in God The human worldview gives duties. By Swami Tejomayananda has undergone a dra- Joyful matic change over the From a spiritual perspective, each individual must find his or Parenting last two hundred years. her place, or role in the universe. The concept and framework of A cynicism has devel- Dharma gives us the means to achieve this. Dharma is the eter- oped about the positive nal cosmic law sustaining the universe. By following the values AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES, MOST OF a little more deeply, you will find that all your worries are not because all spiritual message of Ve- that are a reflection of this law in society, and by acting with an US HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE PARENTS. children in general are misbehaving. You are worried because your chil- danta in a world of violence, war and terrorism, all resulting attitude of cooperation, each one of us will feel connected to the This is the most important job we will have and of- dren are misbehaving. All this worry or anxiety is not for ‘the child’, but in a fear of what tomorrow may bring. This ‘Modern Spirit’ world around us. By acting with such harmony not only do we ten we spend the least time preparing for it. Being a actually for ‘my child’. So where does the problem lie? Not in the child can be regarded as having three distinct aspects: move towards lasting happiness for ourselves, but as more indi- parent is not always easy. Raising a child, and guiding but in that possessiveness of ‘my-ness’. Please be very careful because viduals begin to act this way, society as a whole improves. them on their life path to empower them to fulfil their here we are thinking from the highest spiritual standpoint. I. Rationalism: Our thought processes have become lim- own potential is a subtle art, there can be many tri- ited to the frame of reasoning and deduction, and work only III. Knowledge valued as the highest: We value most highly als along the way. However, the rewards of successful ‘When we try to analyse how to on the basis of tangible, perceived data. Reason is consid- the knowledge that provides us with a greater understanding of parenting are immeasurable, both to you and society. remould and recast our future, ered the final authority. the material universe; in particular, scientific knowledge. Over the years, many have approached Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda for advice on parenting. Here we see that it is certainly through This can be seen in the theories of philosophers such as Undoubtedly science has changed and improved our lives. are some of his tips: the children of today who are going Thomas Hobbes, who argued that no one has any duty to to be the leaders of tomorrow. We anyone else but themselves, and that everyone should seek However, scientific progress has not been the panacea that many to satisfy their own best interests. Set an example hoped it would be. For example, while technological advances must supply them with a vision have increased our standard of living, many of these same ad- If we want our children to be nice, intelligent, well and teach them to have the courage This rationalism gives rise to a range of consequences: vances are wreaking havoc upon the eco-system of the planet. behaved, cultured and obedient, we will have to start • Gradual reduction in our ability to comprehend a higher, in- Poverty has not been eradicated, and as one medical break- by developing the same qualities in ourselves. Often and heroism to live up to their convictions.’ visible, transcendental reality. • Depreciation of the higher func- through is made, another disease takes over. At an intellectual parents who want their children to be cultured send - Swami Chinmayananda tion of the intellect and increase in emotionalism. • Priority is level, science rejects whatever it cannot prove, and progresses by them to our Bal Vihar cultural classes for children. given to materialism. • The tendency to organise society in a very destroying the theories of others. The parents say, “You go to BV - we will watch TV!” Take an interest in their interest rational way, which results in the excess of bureaucracy and ‘Big So they want culture only for their children, and not Whenever we want another person to take Brother’ culture that we see today. We have lost the connection that science previously had with the for themselves. There is the famous saying, ‘a family an interest in what we are doing or what we higher unifying principle. Scientists used to see how the Divine that prays together stays together’. When parents and want them to do, we first have to take an in- From a spiritual perspective we must realise that reason has was reflected harmoniously in nature. Science was another path children share the same vision and values, they live terest in their interest. Try and understand to be given its proper place. We must develop discrimina- to approach the Divine Reality. We must refresh our perspective together harmoniously. what they think, what they like and so on. tion, which is the ability to analyse and understand any situ- to restore this connection. Then slowly a rapport is built up. ation fully, to see the subtler realities beyond mere appear- Fulfilling your dreams through your children ances. To develop this discrimination we must control and We must ask ourselves how to live and act with inner balance There is generally a tendency in every human being to Establish a rapport quieten our minds, which can be achieved through spiritual and harmony in our modern societies dominated by rationalism, impose his or her ideas on others. We think we know, It is extremely important for parents to practices. materialism and secularism? How can we contribute in a posi- we are right and therefore want to impose our ideas establish a rapport with their children. In tive way to our world? on the other person. Sometimes, if we have failed to their heart, there has to be love and total II. Individualism: A new scale of values has evolved, in which the rights, freedom and needs of the individual are We must have the boldness to: • Live our values and convictions, achieve something in our life, we want to experience confidence in you. They must be able to seen as paramount. There are positive aspects to this, with regardless of our environment • Act with a larger perspective, in a and enjoy that achievement through our children. We confide in you. When this kind of rapport the universal recognition of human rights and equality to spirit of cooperation, and serve our ideals with enthusiasm• Develop have to be very careful to see if we are trying to fulfil is built up, everything else becomes very people of all races and cultures. our capacity to connect with our inner selves, in search of the deeper our selfish dreams and ambitions through our chil- easy. The child must have so much confi- dimension of our being dren. dence in you that even if he were to commit a serious crime he should be However it also means that man exists for himself, no more able to tell you that he has done so. Children should not want to or have to serve God, or as part of a natural order that transcends Let us learn to live in this modern world, with a full understand- The problem is of ‘I-ness’ and ‘my-ness’ to hide anything from their parents. him. So man does not feel the need to be in harmony with ing, without blindly accepting all modern tendencies. Let us When you say ‘the children’, are you really worried this cosmic order, and is instead convinced that he can do combine the best of modernity with the wealth of immemorial about all children, or only your children? If you think better than God through the achievements of science and tradition. This page has been kindly sponsored 6 by Deepak Vaswani & Family 7 SWAMINI UMANANDA EXPLAINS KARMA YOGA AS HAVING FOUR ELEMENTS:
1. When working, act faithfully, giving all of yourself to the task. 3. Invest all energy into the present task at hand and dissipate When we love what we do, our work becomes inspired. In- none in anxiety over the result or regret over the past. The spired work is filled with dynamism. But the converse is vast majority of our energy is wasted on mental agitation. also true. When we approach our work with dynamism, Think about how many thoughts you have had today. They we discover a joy in the task itself. How many times have just don’t stop – constantly remembering the past or imag- we put off something we didn’t want to do only to discover ining the future. It is exhausting. And when we have a task a sense of fulfilment when we finally stopped dithering and to do, what proportion of our time do we spend actually got on with the job at hand? doing the task compared with the time we spend thinking about what we would rather be doing or how we wished When we act in this manner, our likes and dislikes become we didn’t have to do it or what we will do once the task is less powerful. Likes and dislikes are reinforced through completed. Such mental palpitation is draining, inefficient repetition – if when confronted with a task I don’t want and perpetuates the belief that I will only be happy at some to do, I repeat the thought ‘I wish I didn’t have to do this, I time other than the Here and Now. If instead, we bring our really hate it’ a thousand times in my mind, then that belief minds where our hands are, we discover a mental poise pattern (Vasana) is reinforced. that is both efficient and calming, and our actions become fulfilling and brilliant. Work: However, when we habituate ourselves to just getting on A Source of with whatever task comes our way rather than complain- 4. If you have worked in the spirit of the above 3 principles, Inspiration ing or reluctantly doing a half-hearted job, the belief pat- whatever the result, accept it. You win some, you lose some. Written by Milan Samani tern that forms is ‘no matter what comes to me, I get on If our work is half-hearted, then we have brought failure Based on teachings by Swamini Umananda with it’. upon ourselves. If we worked with the first three principles in mind and still failed, then the desired result was not to A mind with such belief patterns is less concerned when it be. Accepting this instantly takes the sting out of any fail- Vedanta states that the happiness we are all seeking is not has to do things it does not like doing – consequently it is ure and can lead us to experience happiness regardless of in the world of objects but is in fact our true nature. While happier more of the time. the result. we can appreciate this intellectually, to come to believe it requires directed, self-effort known as ‘Yoga’. 2. When working, work with the highest possible perspective. Collectively living these 4 principles of Karma Yoga makes All work is service of some kind. In the office, I serve my us happier in the present moment as well as, over time, Of the 4 Yogas, Karma Yoga seeks to change the way we act. clients; at home I serve my family. However, many of us shifting our belief patterns away from ‘I need
The Mahabharata In 216 BC Hannibal Barca lead his small and the Art of army into Italy to fight the mighty Ro- man Imperial power. At the Battle of Cannae, he aligned his strongest forces Warfare on the flanks and engaged the enemy, By Vijay Sodhi who were superior in number. The Ro- mans, who were strongest at the centre, quickly pushed it back. But in doing ALL THAT WAS, IS, AND EVER of 40 enemy soldiers. Most traditional so created a pocket similar to that in SHALL BE IS CONTAINED IN THE soldiers would hold their ground and the Mahabharata. Hannibal’s strongest MAHABHARATA. fortify their positions. The SAS - ad troops had been placed towards the vanced upon the Iraqi positions, in a sides, where they contained the pocket’s ‘Seeing the Kaurava forces ranged in swift and coordinated formation. Within integrity that sucked in the Romans, battle array, Yudhisthira gave the orders 10 minutes of the first bullet being fired, crushing their comrades at the front. to Arjuna; the action was over; the SAS needle had punctured and decimated the Iraqi lines. On the plains of 18th Century Southern “The enemy force is very large. Our army Africa, the young king, Shaka Zulu, fo- being much smaller our tactics should be All that was, is, and ever shall be is con- cused his eyes on the impending clash concentration rather than deployment, tained in the Mahabharata. Arjuna and of two armies. He had trained his Impis which will only weaken us. Array our forc- Yudhisthira’s needle formation has been (warriors) for many months, rehearsing es, therefore in needle formation.”’ repeated in conflicts across various the- his battle formation that would surely atres of war ever since. For the needle to be defeat any and all of his enemies. His Men, horses, elephants and chariots successful, it requires the tip to be whetted strategy was known as mpondo zekomo, crashed and wheeled. The larger enemy and sharp. The anvil would only flatten a or buffalo horns. As the two armies ap- bore down upon the Pandavas, like an dull and lifeless tip. Often our teachers re- proached, the dust of the plains rose in anvil crashing on a nail. The force would mind us that our mind must be sharp, for the air partially obscuring the view of be felt at the tip and should it hold, then a dull instrument would be quite useless the impending battle. The decimation the energy is dissipated upon its flanks. when it comes to dissecting this world’s ap- of the enemy was rapid. They had never Archers from deep inside the Pandavas’ parent overwhelming forces. In addition encountered such a formation, and did lines loosed off volleys of arrows into the to being sharp, the needle requires its core not know how to counter it. Shaka Zulu enemy ranks. The needle is swift and -ag to be strong, an unbending rod of steel. was famed for an ingenious strategy that ile, and when manipulated efficiently it Were it not strong, the overwhelming pres- placed him alongside the ranks of great holds it strength well. It can easily punc- sure would bend the needle at its weakest battlefield tacticians. ture the thickest of skins when used by a point, only to give way completely after a faced with the tremendous moral dilem- death their entire lives, they took the found in this great classic. We can em- skilled leader. sustained period of time. A man that walks All that was, is, and ever shall be is con- ma of having to fight our beloved teach- very essence of the what they experi- ploy those same values used in battle in with a straight back and upright spine, tained in the Mahabharata. ers, or our own brothers and neigh- enced on the battlefield and that same our daily lives to the same effect. Disci- Some 1000 years later, Alexander the tends to live a healthier life, staving off dis- bours. The Mahabharata deals with this essence was transmuted into the way of pline, to calm an anxious mind, courage, Great, used the same formation to ease and ill health. All that was, is, and ever The epic Mahabharata allocates almost a directly; Arjuna’s reluctance to fight the the sword, the tea ceremony, calligraphy to face our internal enemies, humility to cut through the numerically superior shall be is contained in the Mahabharata. quarter of itself to the war of Kurukshet- grandsire Bhishma is illustrated at sever- and other arts. So the same mindset of realise our place in the broader vision of Persian army of Darius. With the two ra. It speaks of valiant acts of heroism, al times during the course of the battle. dispatching the enemy with a strike of life, and steadfastness and determina- armies facing each other, Alexander On the third day Yudhisthira lined his brothers and comrades rushing to the But through Lord Krishna’s instruction the sword was used to paint the most tion to hold on, when faced with over- moved with his cavalry out to the right army into the crescent formation. At the aid and support of those that had fallen on Dharma, Arjuna eventually fells the complete strokes with brush. The clarity whelming odds. All that was, is and ever of his lines. The Persians, seeing this ma- tip of each horn leading their respective or were outnumbered. But it also speaks Grandsire, a most noble and honour- of wielding a spear against multiple op- shall be is contained in the Mahabharata. noeuvre also moved their horses along divisions, were Arjuna and Bhima. The much on the atrocity of war, of the thou- able warrior. In doing so there was no ponents became the practice of Zazen, their lines, mirroring Alexander’s move- twin tips of the crescent meet the force sands that lay dead at the end of each hatred, anger or venom involved in the or continuing mind. The same mental ments. Now with Persians spread more of the enemy first, funnelling the en- day of the battle. There has not been a action, which is usually required when it clarity that the Samurai had in battle thinly, Alexander suddenly wheeled his emy into the centre, where the densest generation of man that has not in some comes to taking another’s life. Instead it can be found in the Mahabharata and its men, and shot forth into the enemy lines mass of troops and elephants wait for way experienced a war or conflict. War was with great reluctance and humility famed warriors. in a narrow file. With Alexander leading them. The Kaurava army was forced into and violence has plagued our species that Arjuna fired the fatal shots. As the the charge, the Greeks found the weak- this confined space, where they faced since our inception. The Mahabharata most skilled of warriors, he was aware All that was, is, and ever shall be is con- est point in Darius’s lines and threaded two immediate problems. The first was recognised this, and hence has spoken of the far-reaching implications of such tained in the Mahabharata. The folly their army through the opening. the enemy encircled them from both so much about it. violence. of man and his transgressions against the side and the front. The second was Dharma are found within this mighty In 1992, 8 men of the SAS special forces even more deadly. With their own men Most of us will fortunately never have In Japan, the samurai of old were famed epic, so too are his heroic and inspiring regiment, were on a mission to cut Iraqi and elephants pouring in from the rear, direct exposure to war, one of the most not just as fearless warriors but also as actions and adherence to Dharma. The supply lines in North-Western Iraq, the men at the front were trapped, and traumatic experiences one can undergo. men and women with a heightened ap- strategies employed and characteristics when they were surprised by a platoon with nowhere to go, not even backwards, Even more fortunately, we will never be preciation for the value of life. Facing required of a disciplined warrior can be 12 13 The one who steals... Heartsour Compiled by Trishna Gulrajani based on The Thousand teachings by Swami Swaroopananda Names ofLord When we talk of Krishna stories, what often comes to mind is how Krishna stole butter from the gopis. And there is a definite element of shock that the Lord of the Universe would ever steal anything! Swami Swaroopananda unveils the beauty and symbolism behind the story… Vishnu(Vishnu Sahasranama) What is stealing? Stealing is when you take something from someone without the wish of that person. By that definition, Krishna never stole Sri Veda Vyasa, the author of the Puranas, composed the great Rishis (seers), they were helpless in directly defining, explaining butter! The Bhagavath speaks of how much the loved Krishna. They gopis the Vishnu Sahasranama and we meet this great chant or demonstrating it to their students through finite tools. All such indica- made butter for Krishna and Krishna alone. While they milked the cows, in his classical work, the Mahabharata. Prince Yudhis- tions pointing out the Infinite, through the world of manifested finite ob- they would think of only Him, and while they would churn the butter, thira, the eldest of the Pandavas, at the end of the war jects, are His Glory only. Each one of them is a ‘Glory’ of the Lord, which they would think only of Him. Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna! They approached Bhishma Pitaamaha, when the mighty used to hang it in pots so that Krishna would come into their houses. is considered in religion as a ‘sacred name’ of the Lord. grandsire of the Kuru family was lying on a bed of ar- These Thousand Names of Vishnu provide us with a thousand clear -ar Krishna was the only son of Nandbaba, a chieftain who had thousands rows, unconquered and unconquerable, awaiting the row-marks rising from the known, indicating the unknown. Contempla- of cows. His mother Yashoda maiyya would spend the whole day making sacred hour of his departure to the feet of the Lord. tion upon these can deepen our faith in, broaden our devotion to and steel gallons of butter. Then why would He need to go and steal butter from our understanding of the All-Pervading Reality (Vishnu). somebody else’s house? Who is the greatest Lord in the world? Who is the one refuge for all? By glorifying whom can man The Sahasranama gives both devotionally inclined seekers and contem- LOVE. It was the love that the gopis put in the butter that made the Lord reach the Auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)? plative philosophers a thousand props: each phrase has its appeal to the of the universe become a butter thief. For love, Krishna would happily By worshipping whom can man reach the Auspi- devotee, and each one of them also has a suggestion to rocket the contem- be called a thief! ciousness? What is in thy opinion the Greatest plative intellect to sublime heights of understanding. Dharma? By doing japa (contemplation) of what can Moreover, the gopis wanted Krishna to come and steal. When take the form of soft, pure, sweet, white butter. These actions are we go beyond the bonds of samsara (cycle of birth Vishnu, the Supreme, cannot be defined. He is beyond both the ‘Known’ Yashoda maiyya hits Krishna for stealing the butter, it is the dear to the Lord of the universe and He comes and steals the and death)? These are the six questions asked by and the ‘Unknown’. He is the very illumining principle of Consciousness gopis who come and tell her, “O mother, why are you hitting devotee’s heart. That is the butter that Krishna stole. That kind of the righteous Yudhisthira to Bhishma, the constant that illuminates all experiences. And yet He has many manifestations, and Him? So what if he took our butter? After all, He’s only a stealing cannot be bad! If He can steal away your bondage, if He devotee of Krishna and gigantic Man of Action. therefore infinite names. Definitions should directly describe the object child.” And she answered, “You are the ones who keep com- can steal away This is how we find the Vishnu Sahasranama, the defined. Here we have a thousand indirect definitions with which the plaining.” Then they said, “We keep complaining because we your Vasanas, Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu, introduced in Real, the Infinite, is being indicated in terms of the unreal and the finite. want to come here and see Him all the time.” Such are the if He can steal the immortal classic, the Mahabharata. These thousand names of the Lord have been coined and given out by lovely stories of Krishna and the gopis. They can melt hearts away the fruits the Rishis. They were collected and strung together into a joyous hymn of stone. of your actions The Infinite is one. It can only be one. Its- mani to Vishnu, a garland of devotion and reverence, by the poet-seer Vyasa. and if He can festation is the world of plurality with its endless There is a nice way of interpreting this story for children. So steal away your varieties of names and forms. Just as all forms that many of us are so prosperous. While children in slums are sorrows, how have been created from gold are also gold, so too can that type of hungry, we have so much and yet we still hoard things for our- the world of forms can only be His own manifes- selves. He taught the gopis not to hoard. Whatever you hoard, stealing be bad? tations. In fact, the effects have no existence apart will get taken away, including your love. If you keep butter from the cause. for more than one day, it starts stinking. If you keep wealth We all chant for only yourself, it will destroy everything worthwhile you Hare Krishna. have. Krishna teaches us never to hoard, because if you hoard Hara in Sanskrit means to steal, so it actually means that we’re The finite alone can readily be comprehended by somebody will come and steal from you. asking Krishna to take from us. That’s what we’re praying for. the sense organs and the mind and intellect of man Come Krishna, steal away our hearts, steal away our sorrows, at his present ‘state’ of consciousness. The attempt For seekers, there is greater depth in this story. Butter is sym- steal away our imperfections, and steal away our ignorance. If of the spiritual student is to transcend his pres- bolic of the results of pure actions. It represents soft, pure the Lord were to steal your heart, there is no loss, only gain. The ent instruments of perception and awaken to the hearts. When the devotee does all his actions remembering Lord is the greatest thief and he has no shame about it! Higher in him, from where he can experience the the Lord and dedicating everything to the Lord, he does not one ‘objectless-Awareness’. Though the Reality be- gather Vasanas (belief patterns or innate tendencies), his actions hind the universe was intimately experienced by 14 15 such as inflammation and ulcers. • Ghee softens the skin. It is used in beauty products and also as a topical remedy for burns and blisters. • Ghee balances all three doshas, vata, pitta and ka- pha;* and though kapha types generally need to avoid too much oil, ghee is best for them too. • Ghee is one of the five ingredients of ‘Panchamrit’, roughly translated as ambrosia of five nectars: sugar, honey, cow’s milk, yoghurt and ghee. Panchamrit is used in many pujas (worship); a few drops are given to new mothers daily for several days after their delivery, for the health and wel- Ghee has been given the cherished title of ‘Rasayana’ in Ayurve- fare of both mother and child. • Cow ghee is highly revered in In- da, a name given to herbs and foods that promote overall health, dian culture and considered as food for the devas (gods); as such wellbeing and longevity. Ghee, clarified butter, has been used as it is used generously in homas and yagnas (religious ceremonies). a cooking medium in India for thousands of years. It is also used in lamps in temples and pujas all over India. It is Why God helps us Himself… said that the light of a ghee lamp is brilliant and beautiful, and Tell me a Story... It is a time-honoured alternative to hydrogenated oils. Ghee is helps to ward off negativities and evil influences. • Of all foods, made by the clarification of butter by a process that removes -al cow ghee is most like a mother. It is nourishing and healing. It is One day King Akbar asked Birbal, “Why is it that Hindu most all of its natural water content. This allows the milk solids steady and dependable and always supportive of life and living. Gods behave so strangely?” to separate out, leaving behind a lighter lactose-free golden oil Ghee always brings an excess of goodness wherever and whenever highly resistant to spoilage. In this way too, butter, a tamasic*, it is appreciated and used. Birbal thought, “Our king respects Hinduism and Islam heavy food is converted into a highly sattvic* product, which equally. He must be trying to tease me by asking such a is more easily digested and has wonderful cooling and healing SO CHERISH AND ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL question.” properties. NECTAR AS DID KRISHNA. King Akbar continued, “Lord Krishna is a fine example of Ayurvedically, the older the ghee the better its healing proper- that. Doesn’t your Lord Krishna have any servants? Each ties. Such ghee was always kept in temples in large vats and fami- time a devotee calls for help, the Lord runs himself to see Chinmaya lies passed on aged ghee to the next generations to be used as the devotee’s needs. Surely he can employ others to do medicine. A hundred-year-old ghee is highly prized, and is said such work?” Kids to be able to cure all diseases. “Oh yes, surely he can,” Birbal replied, but he already had a How to make Ghee: Place 1lb of unsalted, organic, churned plan to explain the facts to the King. butter in a stainless steel saucepan over a low heat. Allow to Page melt completely, and then raise the heat to medium. When Birbal knew King Akbar loved his grandson, Khurram, butter starts to boil, giving off its water content, lower the heat very much. Birbal asked a statue-maker to make a wax idol again and cook slowly. The ghee is ready when all the moisture of Prince Khurram in his exact image. When the idol was stops bubbling off and milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn *Sattva, Rajas and Tamas – the 3 gunas or qualities. They are ready, he called Khurram’s guardian and said, “Take this a light, golden brown. It will have a nutty aroma. Remove from sattva (knowledge, purity), rajas (action, passion) and tamas idol and dress him up in the Prince’s clothes and jewels. Go heat; cool, strain and preserve in an airtight jar. This will keep (inertia, ignorance). to the lake in the royal garden with the idol in your hand. for many weeks at room temperature if care is taken to avoid At my signal act as if you have slipped, then let the idol fall introduction of moisture and other impurities. *Vata, Pitta and Kapha – These are the 3 biological energies in in water.” Ayurveda. Vata (space, air), pitta (fire, water) and kapha (wa- In traditional Indian culture, ghee was made from the cream of ter, earth). The Prince’s guardian agreed. Birbal came into the garden cow’s milk. This was first cultured with yoghurt and after 5-6 with King Akbar. At Birbal’s signal, the guardian dropped hours the whole mixture was hand-churned using a rolling back the wax idol into the deep lake. As soon as King Akbar and forth motion. (Nowadays most industrially produced butter saw this, he jumped into the lake’s cold water to rescue his is not made by churning, and if churns are used, they have only a grandson. He realised later that it was just a wax idol. one-way motion.) The subtlety of this whole process gives ghee its highly healing sattvic qualities. As King Akbar was helped out of the lake by the guardians, Birbal commented, “Your Majesty, why did you jump into Benefits of Ghee: • Ghee has supreme penetrating properties and the cold lake to rescue the young Prince when you have so is used for transporting herbs and other ayurvedic preparations deep many guards and servants at your beck and call?” into the tissues to promote healing. • Ghee is considered to be ‘the single most ojas-producing food on earth’. Ojas is the underlying ba- “Oh, I have hundreds of them but my grandson is my pre- sis of all immunity and the essence of all bodily tissues. • Ghee builds cious one, so I couldn’t stop myself.” up ‘Rasa’, the internal, nourishing juices of the body, and increases the aura. • Ghee is known to nourish brain and nervous tissue; it “Now, you see, your Majesty, that’s why Lord Krishna, who increases intelligence, refines the intellect and improves memory. • loves each of his devotees, comes to their help Himself.” Ghee is prized for its ability to increase agni, the digestive power of the body without increasing pitta.* • Ghee is cooling for pitta and is “As always, I agree with you, Birbal,” smiled King Akbar as used in the management of fevers and other pitta-induced conditions he walked away. 16 17
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