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Home , Dhanurveda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Vedas

HHinduindu SScripturescriptures AAncientncient holyholy textstexts rrevealedevealed byby GodGod andand manman

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TThehe WWord,ord, vverily,erily, iiss ggreaterreater tthanhan nname.ame. TThehe WWord,ord, iinn ffact,act, mmakesakes TThanhan whomwhom therethere isis naughtnaught eelselse hhigher,igher, kknownnown tthehe RRigig VVedaeda, tthehe YYajurajur VVeda,eda, tthehe SSamaama VVedaeda, tthehe AAtharvatharva tthanhan whomwhom therethere isis naughtnaught ssmaller,maller, VVedaeda aass tthehe ffourth,ourth, aandnd tthehe aancientncient lloreore aass tthehe fi ffth:th: tthehe VVedaeda nnaughtaught ggreater,reater, tthehe OOnene sstandstands llikeike ooff VVedas,edas, tthehe rritualitual fforor aancestors,ncestors, ccalculus,alculus, thethe auguralaugural sciences,sciences, a ttreeree eestablishedstablished iinn hheaven.eaven. BByy HHim,im, tthehe kknowledgenowledge ooff tthehe ssignsigns ooff tthehe ttimes,imes, eethics,thics, ppoliticalolitical sscience,cience, tthehe PPerson,erson, iiss tthishis wwholehole uuniverseniverse fi llled.led. ssacredacred kknowledge,nowledge, ttheology,heology, kknowledgenowledge ooff tthehe sspirits,pirits, mmilitaryilitary Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara sscience,cience, aastrology,strology, tthehe ssciencecience ooff ssnakesnakes aandnd ooff ccelestialelestial bbeings.eings. Upanishad 3.9, The Principal , Radhakrishnan, p. 727 Sama Veda, 7.2.1. The Vedic Experience, Panikkar, p. 111

july/august/september, 2006 today I-1 PPresentingresenting a mountaintopmountaintop viewview ooff tthehe vvastast llibraryibrary ofof wisdomwisdom thatthat mmoldsolds andand influencesinfluences HinduHindu lifelife WWhathat AreAre

induism proudly embraces an incredibly HHinduindu RevealedRevealed rich collection of scripture. The holiest and Hmost revered are the and Agamas, SScriptures?criptures? two massive compendia of shruti (that which is “heard”), both revealed by God to illumined sages The Vedas and Agamas, revealed centuries and millennia ago. The array of works by God, are Hinduism’s sovereign known as (that which is “remembered”) scriptures, called shruti, “that is equally vast, the most prominent and widely which is heard.” Their timeless celebrated of which are the (epic truths are expressed in the most and history)—the , —and the (mythology). The Vedic arts and sci- extraordinarily profound mystical ences, including , , , dance, known to man. Aum. architecture, statecraft, domestic duty and law, are reflected in an assembly of texts known as Ve- dangas and Upavedas. Moreover, through the ages God-realized souls, sharing their experience, have

poured forth volume upon volume that reveal the art by s. rajam photo, thomas kelly background wonders of and offer passionate of de- votion. The creation of Hindu scripture continues to this day, as contemporary masters reiterate the Above, God holds the holiest of scriptures, the Vedas and timeless truths to guide souls on the path to Divin- Agamas. Around these are an array of other scriptures, ity. In this Educational Insight, we offer a simple enscribed on stone, wood, pillars and scrolls. At left, we dia see a copy of the Rig Veda . In the dimmed back-

overview of Hindu scripture and an anthology of no verses from this luminous library of . dino d dinodia ground, lamps are off ered, as prescribed in the Agamas, by priests at Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Sri Lanka.

eda, from vid, “to know,” means “supreme written down in in the last few millennia. wisdom or science.” Similarly, Agama, The subtly symbolic language of shruti, the cher- V which names the sacred sectarian revela- ished word of God, is lyrical and lofty. In imparting dinodia tions, means “descent of .” The Vedas religious practice, rules and doctrine, the Vedas are and Agamas are eternal truths transmitted by general and the Agamas specific. The Vedas extol The stack of books at left holds one bound volume from TThehe mmanan wwhoho rrejectsejects tthehe wwordsords ooff tthehe sscripturescriptures God through great clairaudient and clairvoyant and invoke a multiplicity of Gods through elabo- each of the four Vedas in the Sanskrit language. For cen- aandnd ffollowsollows tthehe iimpulsempulse ofof desiredesire aattainsttains nneithereither turies they have been the basis of philosophical discussion, . They are Hinduism’s primary and most au- rate fire rituals called . The Agamas center hhisis pperfection,erfection, nnoror joy,joy, nnoror tthehe PPathath SSupreme.upreme. LLetet study and commentary. The Vedas are also the subject of thoritative scriptures, expounding life’s sacredness around a single and His worship with wa- tthehe sscripturescriptures bbe,e, ttherefore,herefore, tthyhy aauthorityuthority aass ttoo deep study and , to realize the wisdom of the and man’s purpose on the planet. These psalms ter, flowers and lights in sanctified temples and wwhathat iiss rrightight aandnd wwhathat iiss nnotot right.right. ancients within oneself. Their are chanted and of wisdom were disclosed over many centuries, shrines. The lauds, “Two are the 16.23-24, Mascaro, p. 111 used in rites of worship, and . memorized and orally conveyed from generation scriptures that Lord Siva revealed—the primal Ve- to generation within priestly families, then finally das and the perfect Agamas.” Aum Namah Sivaya. © 2006 by Himalayan , 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746 To order additional copies of this booklet, as well as other Educational Insights, visit wwww.himalayanacademy.com/teachingtoolsww.himalayanacademy.com/teachingtools july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-3 WWhathat IsIs thethe HHowow AreAre thethe NNatureature ooff thethe VVedasedas SigniSignifi cantcant VVedaeda Texts?Texts? TToday?oday? The holy Vedas, man’s oldest The Vedas, the ultimate scriptural scripture, dating back 6,000 authority, permeate Hinduism’s to 8,000 years, are a collection thought, ritual and meditation. of four books: the Rig, Sama, They open a rare window Yajur and Atharva. Each into ancient society, has four sections: hymns, proclaiming life’s sacredness and rites, interpretation and the way to oneness with God. Aum. philosophical instruction. Aum. reuters/raj patidar reuters/raj patidar chowdhury afp photo/deshakalyan background: art by s. rajam photo, hinduism today background kash pra Above, using the traditional elutani, stylus, a Above, a young Smarta priest conducts a fi re ceremony, scribes memorized Vedic verses on dried palm leaves. ndra havana, as decreed in the Vedas. At left, a Vaishnava elly jite For centuries the Vedas were passed on orally, then / priest blows a conch horn during in . as k k fi nally transcribed. Left, a devotee leafs through his ers/ Background photo, at Manikarnika Ghat in , a hom thom t reut reu reuters/jitendra prakash thomas kelly holy text as he performs his morning sadhana. priest performs antyeshti, the ritual, last in the series of rites of passage prescribed in the Vedas.

he oldest and core portions of the the Rig, whereas most of the Atharva Samhita’s ike the taoist , the bud- All wholeheartedly accept the Vedas, yet Vedas are the four , “ collec- nearly 6,000 verses of prayers, charms and rites are dhist Dhammapada, the Sikh Adi Granth, each draws selectively, interprets freely and ampli- Ttions.” They consist of invocations to the One unique. The Sama is arranged for melodious chant- Lthe Jewish , the Christian and fies abundantly. Over , this tolerant allegiance Divine and the Divinities of —such as the ing, the Yajur for cadenced intonation. Besides its the Muslim Koran, the Veda is the Hindu holy book. has woven the varied tapestry of Bharata Dharma. Sun, the Rain, the Wind, the Fire and the Dawn— Samhita, each Veda includes one or two - For untold centuries unto today, it has remained the Today the Vedas are published in Sanskrit, English, as well as prayers for matrimony, progeny, pros- nas, ceremonial handbooks, and , ritual sustaining force and authoritative doctrine, guiding French, German and other languages. But it is the perity, concord, domestic rites, formulas for , interpretations, plus many inestimable Upanishads, followers in ways of worship, duty and enlighten- metaphysical and popular Upanishads which have and more. They are composed in beautiful metrical metaphysical dialogs. In all there are over 100,000 ment—, dharma and . The Vedas are been most amply and ably translated. The Vedas verses, generally of three or four lines. The heart Vedic verses, and some prose, in dozens of texts. the meditative and philosophical focus for millions say, “Just as the spokes are affixed to the hub of of the entire Veda is the 10,552-verse Rig Samhita. The Tirumantiram confirms, “There is no dharma of monks and a billion seekers. Their stanzas are a wheel, so are all things established in life, the The Sama and Yajur Samhitas, each with about other than what the Vedas say. Dharma’s central chanted from memory by priests and laymen daily Rig and Yajur and Sama Veda, sacrifice, the nobil- 2,000 verses, are mainly liturgical selections from core the Vedas proclaim.” Aum Namah Sivaya. as liturgy in temple worship and domestic ritual. ity and also the priesthood.” Aum Namah Sivaya.

I-4 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-5 WWhathat IsIs thethe HHowow AreAre NNatureature ooff thethe tthehe AAgamasgamas HHolyoly Agamas?Agamas? SSigniignifi ccantant Today?Today? The Agamas, Sanatana While the Vedas, with myriad Dharma’s second authority, , bind all Hindus together, are on sacred the Agamas, with a single living, worship, yoga supreme God, unify each sect in a and . Saivism, oneness of thought, instilling in and adherents the joyful arts of divine each exalts its own array of adoration. Aum Namah Sivaya. Agamas, many more than 2,000 years old. Aum. ry french institute of pondicherry thomas kelly background, thomas kelly thomas kelly photo, hinduism today background erry err er h dich

pon Above, Dr. Ganesan, a scholar at the French Institute of Pondi- Like millions of Hindus before them, the youth in these

eof e of cherry, , shows the volumes of Saiva Agamas they have two photos are learning precise recitation of liturgy from elly

itut printed to date. They are keepers of 8,000 ancient - the Agamas and Vedas. They will spend years perfecting scripts, mostly palm-leaf books, such as those seen stored on as k k inst i this training, enabling them to perform ritual worship, r. fr. institute of pondicherry fr. f thom th shelves on the left, which one day will be published to the thomas kelly , in temples around the world. In their priest school in world. In the background, a devotee off ers fl owers to the Lord. , India, they will memorize hundreds of mantras.

n the vast agamic , tradition nography, to rules for priests and the intricacies od is , and to love god is the trology and cosmology. So overwhelming is Agamic counts 92 main Saiva Agamas—10 Siva, 18 Ru- of daily puja, annual festivals and home-shrine pure path prescribed in the Agamas. Veri- influence in the lives of most Hindus, particular- I dra and 64 —77 Sakta Agamas and devotionals. The yoga discloses the interior Gtably, these texts are God’s own voice ad- ly in temple liturgy and culture, that it is impos- 108 Vaishnava Agamas. Most Agamas way of meditation, of raja yoga, and , monishing the samsari, reincarnation’s wanderer, sible to ponder modern Sanatana Dharma without are of four parts, called padas, and possess thou- which stimulates the awakening of the slumber- to give up love of the transient and adore instead these discourses. While many Agamas have been sands of metered Sanskrit verses, usually of two ing serpent, . The jnana pada narrates the Immortal. How to love the Divine, when and published, most remain inaccessible, protected by lines. The charya pada details daily religious ob- the nature of God, soul and world, and the means where, with what mantras and visualizations and families and guilds who are stewards of an inti- servance, right conduct, the -shishya rela- for liberation. The Tirumantiram declares, “Veda at what auspicious , all this is preserved in mate hereditary knowledge. The Tirumantiram tionship, community life, house design and town and Agama are Iraivan’s scriptures. Both are truth: the Agamas. The specific doctrines and practices says, “Nine are the Agamas of yore, in time expand- planning. The kriya pada, commonly the longest, one is general, the other specific. While some say of day-to-day Hinduism are nowhere more fully ed into 28, they then took divisions three, into one extols worship and temples in meticulous detail— these words of God reach two different conclusions, expounded than in these hymns, delin- truth of - to accord. That is Sud- from site selection, architectural design and ico- the wise see no difference.” Aum Namah Sivaya. eating everything from daily work routines to as- dha Saiva, rare and precious.” Aum Namah Sivaya.

I-6 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-7 DDoo SmritiSmriti andand WWhathat TextsTexts SSacredacred LiteratureLiterature AAmplifymplify Vedasedas DDiffer?iffer? aandnd AAgamas?gamas? Hindu sacred literature is a Many texts support the Vedas treasury of hymns, legend, and Agamas. detail mythology, philosophy, science conduct, astrology, language and ethics. From among this and . Upavedas vast body of writings, each unfold politics, health, warfare lineage recognizes a select and music. Upagamas and portion as its secondary Paddhatis elaborate the scripture, called smriti. Aum. Agamic wisdom. Aum. dinodia productions seshu badrinath/pipal manas das manas photo by thomas kelly background

Above, Masako Ono voyaged from Japan to India to learn Above, a bride and groom are in the midst of their wed- the ancient dance style and remained there to ding; at left they hold an off ering of sacred grasses; wed- teach it. The many human arts are found in ancient scrip- ding chants derive from the Vedas, Agamas and ancillary

dia ture. At left, a collection of Hindu holy texts stacked in a dia texts; attitudes and guidelines for family life are found in no dino d dino dinodia dinodia Delhi store. In the background, two girls reverently touch the and . In the background photo, a girl the holy feet of Lord at a shrine in Tirupati. receives sacraments after a puja.

hile the vedas and agamas are shared tradition,” for it derives from human insight and uch of hinduism’s practical knowl- The Upavedas expound profound sciences: Arthave- as part of every Hindu’s primary scripture, experience and preserves the course of culture. edge is safeguarded in venerable texts da unfolds statecraft; Ayurveda sets forth medicine Wshruti, each sect and lineage defines its own While shruti comes from God and is eternal and Mwhich amplify shruti. The Vedangas and and health; discusses military science; unique set of smriti. The sacred literature, universal, the ever-growing smriti canon is written Upavedas are collections of texts that augment and Gandharvaveda illumines music and the arts; and , from which smriti is drawn consists of writ- by man. Hinduism’s sacred literature is the touch- apply the Vedas as a comprehensive system of sa- Sthapatyaveda explains architecture. In addition, ings, both ancient and modern, in many languages. stone of theater and dance, music, song and pag- cred living. Jyotisha delineates auspicious the Sutras detail erotic pleasures. The Agamas, Especially central are the ancient Sanskritic texts, eantry, yoga and sadhana, and ethics, timing for holy rites. Vedanga defines pub- too, have ancillary texts, such as the Upagamas and such as the Itihasas, Puranas and Dharma Sastras, exquisite art and hallowed sciences. The Vedas in- lic rituals in the Srauta and Sulba Sutras, domestic Paddhatis, which elaborate the ancient wisdom. which are widely termed the classical smriti. In re- quire, “In whom are set firm the firstborn seers, the rites in the Grihya Sutras and religious law in the The Jnaneshvari says, “The Vedas in their perfec- ality, while many revere these as smriti, others re- hymns, the songs and the sacrificial formulas, in Dharma Sastras. Four other Vedangas ensure the tion are as the beautiful image of the God of which gard them only as sacred literature. Smriti means whom is established the single seer—tell me of that purity of mantra recitation, through knowledge of the flawless words are the resplendent body. The “that which is remembered” and is known as “the support—who may He be?” Aum Namah Sivaya. phonetics, grammar, poetry and the way of words. are the limbs thereof.” Aum Namah Sivaya.

I-8 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-9 DDoesoes HinduismHinduism AArere TTherehere HHaveave EpicsEpics andand OOtherther TTypesypes ooff MMyths?yths? SSacredacred TTexts?exts? The Mahabharata and Ramayana India’s lofty philosophical texts are Hinduism’s most renowned expound diverse views in exacting epic histories, called . dialectics. Yoga treatises unveil The Puranas are popular folk the mysterious path to ultimate narratives, teaching , belief . Intimate devotional and ethics in mythology, allegory, hymns disclose the raptures of legend and symbolism. Aum. consummate Divine love. Aum. dinodia photo by thomas kelly background dinodia

Above, a woman performs a dance depicting a scene from Above, a recluse, clearly immersed in his yoga sadhana, the Ramayana in Java, where the world-renowned epic sits in meditation beneath a gnarled banyan tree. At is widely depicted in gala dance and theater. At left, San- left are displayed two primary yoga scriptures, Yoga dia odia

skrit volumes of the famed poem are shown, along with o Sutras and Yoga Vashishtha. In the background, a in diin d dino din dinodia diinodia Hinduism’s other epic, the Mahabharata. young lady lights a lamp to off er in personal worship, as her ancestors have done for centuries.

induism’s poetic stories of rishis, philosophy, dharma, ritual, language and the arts, n addition to the epics, legends and sup- literature are the Bhagavad Gita, Gods, heroes and demons are sung by gift- architecture, agriculture, magic charms and more. plements to the Vedas and Agamas, there is a Sutras, Tiruvasagam, the Vachanas of the Sivasha- Hed panditas and traveling bards, narrated Of 18 principal Puranas, six honor God as Siva, I wealth of Hindu metaphysical, yogic and de- ranas and the hymns of mystic like , to children and portrayed in dramas and festivals. six as Vishnu and six as Brahma. The witty Pan- votional writings. Considered foundational are the , Ramprasad, , , , The Mahabharata, the world’s longest epic poem, chatantra, eminent among the “story” literature, or early texts defining the six philosophical darshanas: Tulasidasa, Tayumanavar, Lalla, Tagore, Auvaiyar is the legend of two ancient dynasties whose great katha, portrays wisdom through animal fables and the sutras by , , , Badaraya- and the saintly and . The Bhagavad battle of Kurukshetra is the scene of the Bhagavad parables. The Bhagavad Gita proclaims, “He who na, and Gautama. Hailed as leading occult Gita explains, “As a blazing fire reduces the wood Gita, the eloquent spiritual dialog between Ar- reads this sacred dialog of ours, by him I consider works on yoga, , nadis, , kundalini to ashes, O , so does the fire of knowledge re- juna and Krishna. The Ramayana relates the life Myself worshiped through the sacrifice of knowl- and are the Yoga Sutras, Tirumantiram, duce all activity to ashes. There is nothing on Earth of , a heroic king revered as the ideal man. edge. And the man who listens to it with faith and Yoga , Siva Sutras, Siddhanta which possesses such power to cleanse as wisdom. The Puranas, like the Mahabharata, are encyclo- without scoffing, liberated, he shall attain to the Paddhati, Jnaneshvari, Pradipika and The perfect yogin finds this knowledge in him- pedic in scope, containing teachings on sadhana, happy realm of the righteous.” Aum Namah Sivaya. . Widely extolled among the self by himself in due time.” Aum Namah Sivaya.

I-10 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-11 As when a fi re is lit with damp fuel,

elly diff erent clouds of smoke come

as k k forth. In the same way from this om thom th thomas kelly great Being are breathed forth the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. Shukla Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka How Didd theh Upanishad 2.4.10 SSageage ofof KanchiKanchi EExtolxtol thethe VVedas?edas?

Sri Chandrashekharendra wrote, “The Vedas are eternal and are the source of all creation. Their en greatness is to be known in many vo s s art by s. rajam ways. Their sound produces in dinodia hade ma

our nadis (subtle nerve channels), , ma

as well as in the atmosphere, esse Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati [1894–1994], 68th Above, an Indian boy piously pours ghee on the sacred epr e pr vibrations that are salutary not only pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham, depicted above, fi re, keeping the fl ame of devotion alive. At left, devotees to our own Self but to the entire walked throughout India teaching of the Vedas. Here he ranc worship the Sun in during Chhat festival, when, for world—to the good of mankind is shown before an image of Siva as Dakshinamurti, the ce f f one night and day, the people live on the banks of the gen

silent guru seated beneath a banyan tree. Above left, an sen france presse, mahadevo agence agen a river making off erings to , the gracious Sun as well as of all other creatures.” earthen mandala on a wall of Temple in . God, a primary Deity honored in the Vedas.

he concern for all creation that finds tures have aroused the wonder of people of other they have the mantric power to do immense good to follow: an answer to these—stated in the form of expression in the Vedas is not shared by any lands, of other . They are moved by the poetic to each one of us and to the world, they also contain laws—is to be found in these scriptures. “ other . beauty of the hymns, the subtle manner in which teachings embodying great metaphysical truths. “My duty is to impress upon you that it is your T Shanno astu dvipade shancha- tushpade—this occurs in a mantra. The Vedas pray principles of social life are dealt with, the metaphys- “It must here be emphasized that on the doctri- responsibility to keep the Vedic tradition alive. If for the good of all creatures including bipeds, quad- ical truths embedded and expounded in them, and nal level the Vedas deal both with worldly life and in India the Vedas retain their original vitality even rupeds, etc. Even grass, shrubs, trees, mountains and their moral instruction as well as scientific truths. the inner life of the Self. They teach how to conduct today, it is because they are being continuously re- the rivers are not excluded from their benign pur- “There are mantras that are specially valuable for ourselves in such a manner as to create atmic well- peated by students and teachers of the Vedas, and view. The happy state of all these sentient creatures their sound but are otherwise meaningless. Similarly, being. And their concern is not with the liberation the purity of the sounds and accents of the words and inert objects is brought about through the special there are works pregnant with meaning but with no of the individual alone; they speak about the ideals are retained in that process. But it is only by prac- quality of the Vedas. mantric power. The remarkable thing about the Ve- of social life and about the duties of the public. How ticing the Vedic injunctions that we can obtain the “The Vedas are also notable for the lofty truths das is that they are of immeasurable value as much the ought to lead his life and how the king grace of God, both for our individual welfare and expressed in the mantras. The tenets of these scrip- for their sound as for their verbal content. While must rule his subjects and what ideals women are for the welfare of the whole world.”

I-12 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-13 Life illumined with scriptural wisdom

urudeva, , founder of genetic code that makes a starfish a starfish. It is reflected HINDUISM TODAY, was once asked, “What can I in the beautiful Hindu style of music, art, , dance, say if a missionary comes to my door and asks, work ethics, law, domestic values, spiritual striving, rela- ‘Does Hinduism have a Bible?’ ” He answered, “You can tionships, rites of passage, astrology, medicine, games, love say, ‘Yes, we have the Vedas and Agamas, plus a hundred and business, architecture and storytelling, government other scriptures that serve us very well, thank you.’ ” In- and diplomacy, and the working together of this physical hinduism today dinodia bernbaum edwin deed, this diverse body of knowledge is unlike the one world with the heavenly realms of existence. This grand vveneratingenerating gurusgurus bblessinglessing a newnew homehome lloveove ooff nnatureature Holy Book of other world faiths. It is diverse, a bit neglect- legacy helps make Hindus the gracious people they are, ed, some nearly lost, some actually lost, but all of it pre- with qualities of humility, appreciation, love of God, for- cious. In truth, it yet defines and colors Hindu life like the bearance, joy and soulful depth of character. Mantra yields early success due to practice up his personal discipline by receiving lessons in the done in previous life. Self-fulfilling, too, is the sciences; and endear himself to the people by bringing mantra which is received according to the line of them in contact with wealth and doing good to them. The soul is born and unfolds in If daily to his home the friends tradition, with due diksha, obtained in the right Book I, Chapter 7, The Life of a Holy King, Kautilya’s a body, with and desires who love him come, and coming, way. Innumerable are the mantras; they but distract , R. Shamasastry and the food of life. And then it is bring delight to eyes that kindle the mind. Only that mantra which is received reborn in new bodies in accordance bright, a man has found the through the grace of the guru gives all fulfillment. Once Rama asked , “How do you look at with its former works. The quality whole of life within his soul. Kularnava Tantra 11.3, Woodroff & Pandit, p. 112 Me?” And Hanuman replied: “O Rama, as long as I of the soul determines its fu ture , Ryder, p. 218 have the feeling of ‘I’, I see that Thou art the whole body—earthly or airy, heavy or light. O thou who pervades all space, both now and and I am a part; Thou art the Master and I am Thy , 5.11–12. In the beginning of worship, at hereafter, as the Soul of souls! The Vedas, Agamas, servant. But when, O Rama, I have the knowledge of The Upanishads, Mascsaro, p. 94 the conclusion of the rite, in the Puranas, Itihasas and all other sciences inculcate Truth, Then I realize that Thou art I, and I am Thou.” dinodia fully the tenet of nonduality. It is the inexplicable mmarriagearriage & ffamilyamily offering of water, in the anointing From the Ramayana, as quoted by Sri With earnest effort hold the senses in of the image, in the bathing of the duality that leads to the knowledge of nonduality. check. Controlling the breath, regulate image, in the offering of light, in the This is consonant with reason, experience, tradition, Let us have concord with our own people, and con cord the vital activities. As a charioteer sprinkling of the image with sandal, and is admitted by the dualists and nondualists. with people who are strangers to us. Aßvins, create holds back his restive horses, so does a in the bathing of the image with Tayumanavar, 10.3, The Poems of Tayumanavar, Coomaraswamy, p. 44 between us and the strangers a unity of hearts. per se vering aspirant restrain his mind. consecrated liquids, in the offering Atharva Veda Samhita, 7.52.1 Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 2.9. The Upanishads, of , in the act of worship, and By overthrowing the aggregate of the six enemies Prabhavananda & Manchester, p. 192 in all other things to be done, the [lust, anger, greed, vanity, haughtiness and overjoy], In him who is pure of mind, intellect and ego, Sivacharya should strike the great bell. he shall restrain the organs of sense; acquire wisdom the senses and their perceptions are pure, in The guru who has attained Karana Agama 190-191, Motivations of Temple by keeping company with the aged; see through his fact, and he finds everything pure as well. Self Realization can alone help Architecture in Saiva Siddhanta, p.160 spies; establish safety and security by being ever Sarvajnanottara Agama, Atma Sakshatkara 62, the aspirant in acquiring it. active; maintain his subjects in the observance of Collected Works of Ramana Mararshi, p.110 Siva Sutras 2.6, Jaideva Singh, p. 102 their respective duties by exercising authority; keep agence france presse, indranil mukherjee agence bblessingslessings baps hindraj divekar pandit amin war upi photo service, index stock imagery dinodia dinodia ddiet,iet, ayurvedaayurveda ffestivalsestivals mmusicusic ppilgrimageilgrimage ddevotionalevotional artart nnurturingurturing cchildrenhildren

I-14 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-15 One who is established in the At the time of the sacrifice, O Lord contemplation of nondual unity will of the wood [], the worshipers abide in the Self of everyone and smear you with sacred oil. When you realize the immanent, all-pervading stand upright or when you repose One. There is no doubt of this. on Earth’s bosom, you still will grant Sarvajnanottara Agama, Atma Sakshatkara 14, us good fortune. Set up to the East Collected Works of , p.107 of the sacred fire, you accept our prayer, intense and unflagging. Hold The Self resides within the lotus of yourself high to bring us prosperity. the heart. Knowing this, consecrated Drive far away dearth of inspiration. to the Self, the enters daily Lord of the wood, take now your that holy sanctuary. Absorbed in stance on this, the loftiest spot of all mmeditationeditation the Self, the sage is freed from Earth. Well-fixed and measured one, identity with the body and lives give to the worshiper, who brings a in blissful consciousness. sacrifice, honor and glory. Sama Veda, Chandogya Rig Veda 3.8.1-3, The Vedic Upanishad 8.3.3-4, The Upanishads, Experience, Pannikar, p. 373-374 Prabhavananda & Manchester, p. 122 There is no difference between With the help of the gardeners called devotion and perfect knowledge. A Mind and Love, plucking the flower person who is engrossed in devotion called Steady Contemplation, offering enjoys perpetual happiness. And the water of the flood of the Self’s perfect knowledge never descends in own bliss, worship the Lord with the a vicious person averse to devotion. sacred formula of silence! Siva Purana, Samhita. 23.16, Ancient ppenanceenance Lalla, The Sources of Indian Tradition, p. 360 Indian Tradition and Mythology, vol 1, p. 380

The Lord of Appati is both inside As wide Earth, as fire and water, as and outside, form and no form. He is sacrificer and wind that blows, as both the flood and the bank. He is the eternal moon and sun, as ether, as broad-rayed sun. Himself the highest the eight-formed God, as cos mic good mystery, He is in all hidden thoughts. and evil, woman and man, all other He is thought and meaning, and forms and His own form, and all these embraces all who embrace Him. as Himself, as yesterday and today 4.48.7. Poems to Siva, The Hymns and tomorrow, the God of the long, of the Tamil Saints, Peterson, p. 114 red hair stands, O Wonder! Tirumurai 6.308.1. Poems to Siva, The Hymns

of the Tamil Saints, Peterson, p.113 estcourt/herald picturepaul muhammad reuters, bazuki hinduism today ddanceance reuters, dipak kumar reuters, dipak baps hinduism today iinn thethe mmilitaryilitary gguidinguiding childrenchildren mmonasticonastic llifeife

I-16 hinduism today july/august/september, 2006