B¿j ktµiw ARSHA SANDESAM B¿j ktµiw Vol. 19 Issue: 11 November 2019 CONTENTS apJ°pdn∏v .. ..........................................4 {ioaZv`mKhXw ...............................................17 hnhÀ¯\w: Fw. BÀ. BÀ. hmcnbÀ Divinising Emotions ............................5 Swami Tejomayananda abqÀ¡mhne½ ............................................... 19 cma¦ï¯p \µIpamc³ Krishna Sukhtas .......................................7 Adv. P. Ramachandran D]\nj¯ vþefnXhymJym\w .................. 20 F.sI._n. \mbÀ Today is "Chathayam" .............................9 Swami Adhyatmananda Saraswathi `mKhXkmcw ........................................... 23 kzman Atijm\µ t{]amZc in£W Nn´IÄ ................. 10 kzman A²ymßm\µ kckzXn ]qX\mtam£w ......................................... 24 ISembnð `hZmk³ \¼qXncn¸mSv Mandala Pooja Programme .................. 13 t£{X hmÀ¯IÄ ................................. 26 Fsâ taml§Ä ....................................... 16 cmPn Fkv. hmcnbÀ aÞeþaIc hnf¡v BtLmj§Ä aÞe ]qP 17þ11þ2019 apXð 27þ12þ2019 hsc KpcphmbqÀ GImZin aIc hnf¡v A¿¸³ hnf¡v imkvXm{]oXn 8þ12þ2019 15þ1þ2020 23þ11þ2019 14þ12þ2019 Editorial Board V.N.N. Pillai, (Chief Editor) Prof. Omcheri N.N. Pillai, C.M. Nagarajan, M.V. Haridas, G. Balakrishnan Nair, Varathra Sreekumar E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.uttaraguruvayurappan.org Tel: 22710305, 22711029 November 2019 3 B¿j ktµiw apJ¡pdn¸v SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY Most often we see debates around Science versus Spirituality. In fact, such debates are mostly based on Western concept of spirituality, where only organized religions are predominant in imbibing spirituality. In ancient India, Science and Spirituality were perfectly in unison so that it was difficult to distinguish a Rishi/Yogi from a Shastrakara/Meemamsaka. Vyasa, Patanjali, Bharatamuni, Kanada, Janaka, Ashtravakra, Sushruta were all Rishis (sages) as well as shastrakaras (experts in various sciences). Mathematics is the base of Science. The fact that India was rich in mathematical knowledge underscores the confluence of mathematical principles and spiritual thoughts. In ancient India, mathematics served as a bridge between understanding material reality and the spiritual conception. Mathematics has only recently been used as a tool to question the existence of God. Ironically, it originally came into use in human society within the context of spiritual pursuit. But in India, there were no attempts to use Mathematics to invent tools that help humans to unduly exploit nature for making life more comfortable and convenient. Such attempts started only in Europe during Industrial Revolution. Then, intoxicated by the gross power inherent in mathematical principles, humans started employing those principles to explore, exploit and conquer nature. The folly of this, as demonstrated in modern society today, is in not understanding that "wisdom" is much more than mere exercise of intelligence. Modern man's worship of intelligence blinds him from the obvious: the superiority of love over reason. Rationality has become an obsession for mankind that we bluntly reject everything that appear to us as irrational. Curiously, something may seem irrational because we do not have the faculty to perceive or because the rationality itself has not yet revealed before us. Still, we hold on to our belief that Science, as much as we know now, is the ultimate! We ridicule everyone who tries to tell us anything that questions our rationality. Blind “faith” in rationality is like the haughtiness of that philosopher who was being ferried across a river in a small boat by a common man. The philosopher leisurely tested the boatman for the latter’s knowledge in different realms of philosophy and laughed aloud saying the common man wasted most part of life. But when strong winds shook the boat, the common man hurriedly asked the philosopher whether he knows swimming. When the panic stricken philosopher shouted “no!”, the boatman smiled and said: “now your whole life is wasted!”. Science has its place in our life, and Spirituality too. One does not go against the other, but complements each other. Being spiritual does not mean being unscientific or being scientific does not mean being agnostic. Srimad Bhagavatam says Lord Krishna was born divine, but it also says that He learnt Vedas/ Shastras/Kalas spanning all aspects of life (SB 10:45:33-36) while studying in the ashram of Guru Sandipani. From His magnificent life of inimitable acts, we can comprehend the greatness of His expertise in science/art/philosophy. No doubt, we should emulate Lord Guruvayoorappan instead of worrying which is right: science or spirituality. For Him, both are one and the same in the path towards Ultimate Bliss. Editorial Board 4 \hw_À 2019 B¿j ktµiw and cultivate the positive emotions; because we Divinising Emotions have already divided this world into good and bad, Swami Tejomayananda beautiful and ugly; we have categorized people into friends or enemies, and all objects into likes (Courtesy: Book 'Ponder Awhile' published by or dislikes, or as positive and negative. And as long Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, Mumbai) we continue to divide, our problems, the conflicts and struggles will remain. Contd. from the August Issue Anger and jealousy are only desires manifesting in other forms. If we desire something and In the last few years there has been a great deal someone else gets it, we become jealous. But if we of talk about E.Q., the Emotional Quotient, as it never wanted it, we are unaffected. In the same is becoming increasingly evident that in spite of way, we may love someone but the moment a sense being intelligent, educated and rich our emotional of possessiveness comes in, troubles are created. problems of anger, jealousy and frustration remain. Emotion is a power and desire is also a power – Issues like how to deal with praise and criticism, they are one and the same force. A razor blade in or success and failure, still remain unresolved. the hand of a barber is a blessing but in the hand Emotions are feelings, which have great power of a young child, it can be dangerous. When desire and influence on all our thoughts, actions and is not fulfilled, it gives rise to a display of negative entire life. Certain emotions bring agitation, emotions. Desire for self-purification and spiritual unrest, unhappiness, conflict, struggle and unfoldment elevates us, but self-indulgent desires frustration and cause misery. These are considered only succeed in bringing us down. as negative emotions because finally they result Let us, therefore, not create the division of in unhappiness. Other emotions evoke feelings positive and negative. Understand that it is one of calmness, peace, happiness and harmony. As and the same force taking different forms. We a result we feel elevated and consider them as need to understand that emotion is simply a positive. With positive emotions of love, kindness power, neither good nor bad, and we need to learn and compassion the mind automatically becomes to use that power. When we criticize someone too calm. much, it appears as hatred, yet recognizing that The negative emotions of anger, hatred and somewhere deep in our hearts there is admiration jealousy immediately cause agitation. Love, on the effects a change in our attitude. Secondly, look other hand, always brings proximity and closeness. upon all as your own Self, but don't consider When we are close, there is no need to shout. Have them to be 'like' yourself. Everyone wants to live you seen two people in love sitting together, two and live happily. Everyone wants to be loved and close friends having a chat, or a mother caressing forgiven. Therefore, let me become loving and her child? They all speak softly. Furthermore, forgiving! Lastly, let us "divinize" the emotions. when we pray to God with devotion, our heart just For example, attachment is a wonderful quality for whispers and total silence follows. For when there it gives us energy, but if attachment is for objects is full identification, there is communion without or sense pleasures it will bind us. On the other words. hand, if attachment is for higher ideals and for the Nowadays, seminars on how to develop positive wise people representing them, it will lead us to thinking, positive attitudes and positive emotions spiritual fulfillment. In this, there is no bondage. are extremely popular. We are told, "Fill your heart The wise master will love us without attachment with love!" But the problem still remains. This is and he will also help us realize our true Self. because we separate our thoughts into positive Take the example of an ordinary wire, and what and negative. We want to eliminate the negative happens to it when an electric current passes November 2019 5 B¿j ktµiw through; it becomes charged and is suddenly Thus, when we see ourselves in the other person, transformed. Even though the wire looks the love comes naturally. And when there is love, same, a different quality has entered into it. In the there is no room for violence, hatred, enmity, or same way, emotions can bind us, but if'divinized' jealously. Love alone is a substitute for everything, they can elevate us. For example, attachment is a but there is no substitute for love. And when that wonderful quality for it gives us energy, but if the love becomes divine, nothing else can be said attachment is for objects or sense pleasures it will about it! Someone asked Mahatma Gandhi, "What bind us. is God?" He answered, "God is Love!" "And what is The solution is to 'divinize' our life! If you have love?" He answered, "Love is God." desire, divinize that desire by turning it to God We need to understand the place of emotions and pray, "O Lord, I want You! My eyes are longing in our life; that is very important. But that is not to see You only!" In our Hindu Scriptures we are enough! We also need to bring harmony and taught to divinize all aspects of life. They enjoin integration to our thoughts and emotions, and us to look at our parents as God, our teachers as to our emotions and actions.