SPRING 2012 ISSUE Canadian Hindu Linkhindueducationlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/...ISSN# 1920-9339 Canadian Hindu Link SPRING 2012 ISSUE A Free Quarterly Journal Dedicated To

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SPRING 2012 ISSUE

A Free Quarterly Journal Dedicated To Educating The New Generation Of Canadian Hindus

Volume 4 . Issue 2 April / May / June 2012

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INSIDE THIS ISSUEFrom Editor’s Desk ............... 3

Significance of Ramnavami .. 4

Saint Tulsi Das (1532-1623)... 6

Hinduism is Rooted in Worldliness.......................... 7

The Life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan ..................... 8

Satyam Shivam Sundaram .... 10

Five Parenting Guidelines .... 11

Christian Missions: Their Place In India ....................... 12

Four Questions People Ask About Hinduism .................. 14

YOUTH CORNER: Beyond My Dual Identity. ....................... 18

Promoting Vedic Knowledge. ......................... 20

Vedic Concept Of Family.. ....21

Status of Woman in Hindu Scriptures.. .............................22

The Ancient Hindu Cultural Empire ....................................23

Yama: Basic Human Values In Hinduism ...............................24

The Avatar Concept & Vedas 26

Evils In Religions.. ................ 27

The Four Major Sects of Hinduism: Part II .................. 28

Tamil Weaver’s Wisdom........29

Reader’s Feedback ............... 30

Ramnavami Greetings

PAGE 2

CANADIAN HINDU LINK | VOLUME 4 . ISSUE 2

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Most of our temples in Ontario have qualified priests, trained in India, to perform our sixteen sanskaras and poojas, sing bhajans, and deliver discourses in Hindi and other regional languages. There are very few traditional priests from India, who are proficient in the English lan-guage. They are unable to deliver discourses in English and are incapable of representing Hinduism at inter-faith conferences. They cannot adequately answer questions posed by our Canadian children or by non-Hindu visi-tors who visit the temples.

This is one of the reasons why our children, born or raised in Canada, are rarely seen in the temples. Those who are forced by their parents to accompany them, feel really bored. When they become adults, they will not be inspired to go to temples to pray or listen to dis-courses. If this situation continues, the future of Hindu-ism in Canada is very bleak.

Imagine a scenario fifty years from now, when the first generation of Hindus who came from India disappear, and the number of new immigrants from India goes down drastically, either due to immigration policies, or drastically improved economic conditions in India. It is more than likely that the temple congregations will gradually become very small, and it will not be possible to sustain the temples that the first generation Hindus, worked so hard to build. Moreover, Young Canadians are just not interested in religion. Our temples will then face the same dire situation as Christian churches are currently facing.

However, there is some flickering light in the otherwise dark scenario. English speaking Arya Samaj lay-priests, priests trained by Institutions like Vedanta Society, Ra-makrishna Mission and Chinmayananda Vedic Mission, are much more capable of explaining the significance of our rituals, the relevance of our beliefs, traditions, customs and social practices, in the 21st century, to our new generation as well as to non-Hindu audi-ences. To meet the spiritual needs of our Canadian born future generations, well qualified English speak-ing Hindu priests from countries like Trinidad, Guyana, Kenya, South Africa and England, would be much better equipped than the orthodox, traditional priests from India, to meet the spiritual needs of our Canadian born new generation. As a result, job opportunities for ritual-centered, traditionally trained Indian priests, would be drastically reduced in North America.

Apart from conducting services in English, a temple priest of the future needs to be capable of providing leadership to our future generations. Like Christian priests, a Hindu priest must possess multi-dimensional talents. He should be able to provide services in mar-riage counselling, mediation, and guidance on social and religious issues which deal with and represent the main stream Hindu community.

In order to deal with this impending problem, some far-sighted Hindu leaders of Hindu Mandir executive Coun-cil of North America and Confluence Integrative Studies Institute are currently in the process of formulating a 11 month long Online comprehensive course to train a new breed of priests, called Chaplin in Christian Churches, who will be well qualified to meet social and spiritual needs of our future generations in the 21st century.

Any sincere, (1) educated Hindu (at least Bachelors De-gree) with (2) sufficient proficiency in English, (3) a letter of recommendation from a recognized Hindu temple, or from a swami of a recognized Hindu guru lineage (Parampara), and (4) an essay explaining the reason for their interest in Hindu Chaplaincy, will be considered for the program.

Dr. Rita. D. Sherma, Executive Director of the Conflu-ence Integrative Studies Institute reported this program consists of: Didactic elements (Courses with textual ma-terial as well as downloadable videos and audios); Core Courses on Hindu Dharma; Course in World’s Religions and Counselling Courses

A graduate priest, or Chaplin of this program would not replace the traditional priest from India; he can assist the primary priest who can focus entirely on his regular activities. If we want to transmit our heritage to future generations, our temple management leaders should give serious thoughts to establishing contacts with Dr. Sherma at [email protected]. Instead of recruiting all the priests from India, the applicants trained by her institute should also be considered. This would also motivate traditionally Indian trained priests seeking employment in Canada, to join this course, to enhance their qualifica-tions and chances of getting a job in Canada.

Ajit Adhopia Editor (asadhopia@hotmail)

From Editor’s Desk: PREPARING PRIESTS FOR 21ST CENTURY

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The festival of Ram Navami dedicated to Lord Rama is celebrated throughout the country with enthusiasm. Lord Rama is one of the ten avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu, and one of the two most popular, along with Lord Krishna. Consequently, Ram Navami is widely celebrated, though not on the scale of festivals like Diwali or Dussehra. It was on the ninth day of Chaitra month of the Hindu lunar cal-endar, Lord Rama was born and hence Hindus the world over celebrate this festival by praying and chanting his name. As per the Gregorian calendar, Chaitra or Ugadi corresponds to the month of March-April. Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of the Shukla Paksha, or bright phase of the moon and hence this year Rama Navami is celebrated on March 31.

According to legend, Lord Rama was born at noon and is the epitome of perfection, the Uttama Purusha, fulfilling all his duties to-wards both family and his people. In the words of Swami Viveka-nanda, Lord Rama was ‘the ideal son, the ideal husband, the ideal father and above all the ideal king.’ Lord Rama was a personality who grew into perfection as he faced the turmoil of life. His life and the life of his wife Sitadevi have become the role models for married couples. By adhering to the ideals of Lord Rama and Sitadevi, one can get guidance as to the right and wrong of a situation when one is confronted with a dilemma in human relationships. Rama Rajya (the reign of Lord Rama) is the ideal rule of a king or the one in power. Mahatma Gandhi aspired for Rama Rajya as it is synony-mous with a period of peace and prosperity.

Rama Navratras, the nine-day worship dedicated to Lord Ram, starts on Chaitra Shukla Prathami and ends

on Chaitra Shukla Navami. Hence Rama Navami or Rama Jayanti marks the culmination of Rama Navratri. Rama Navami is a grand event in the Sri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple at Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh, and Rameshwaram Temple in Tamil Nadu. Devotees narrate and listen to the legends of Lord Rama chant his name,

recite shlokas and mantras associ-ated with him and dance to the tunes of bhajans on the occasion.

Though Rama Navami is celebrat-ed in a grand manner everywhere in the country, the festival at Ayod-hya, the birth place of Lord Rama is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. During Ram Navami, people of Ayodhya take out a Rath Yatra (chariot procession) in order to commemorate the existence of the almighty on earth. The Rath Yatra consists of a merrily deco-rated chariot with four persons dressed up as Lord Rama, Laxman, Sitadevi and Hanuman. The chariot is accompanied by thousands of Ram devotees. They move with the procession throughout the city and chant the name of Lord Rama.

The effigy of the ten-headed Ravana passes through the town, wearing an unusual crown and exaggerated moustache. But once Ravana reaches the open ground, he is suddenly deserted because the noble Lord Rama has already made his appearance. The effigy of Ravana, filled to bursting with firecrackers, is set alight, and explodes into a thousand bits amid loud cheers from the crowd and shouts of Jai Shri Ram. This ritual is an important part of the Ram Navami celebrations.

Though Rama Navami is a major festival for Vaish-navites, it is widely celebrated by worshippers of Lord Shiva as well. It is considered auspicious to undertake a

RAMNAVAMI GREETINGS TO ALL OF OUR READERS, VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS. Ajit Adhopia, Editor ([email protected] / 905.273.9563)

SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMNAVAMI By V.N. Gopalakrishnan, Mumbai

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fast on the day in the name of Lord Rama. Many devo-tees fast for nine days, from Ugadi to Rama Navami. The objective of the fast is to seek perfection as a human being. One significant element of the celebration is the Ramayana parayana (recitation of Ramayana) and a discourse on the Ramayana. Professional story-tellers en-liven the festival by weaving in contemporary anecdotes to attract massive crowds. A special prayer is arranged for the midday, when Lord Rama is supposed to have been born. Throughout the day, couplets of Ramayana and Ramacharit Manas are narrated in the temples.

Lord Rama was the first of the four sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. When it was time for Lord Rama to be made crown prince, his stepmother, Kaikeyi, got Dasharatha to exile him to the forest for 14 years. His wife Sitadevi and his brother Laxman also accom-panied him. In the forest, Sitadevi was kidnapped by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Lord Rama, together with Hanuman and the monkey brigade, built a bridge to Lanka, killed Ravana, and brought Sitadevi back. It is believed that listening to the story of Lord Rama cleans-es the soul and chanting his name eases the pains of life and leads one to liberation (Moksha).

Ram Navami appears to be just a festival commemorat-ing the reign of a king who was later deified. But even behind present day traditions, there are clues which unmistakably point to the origin of Rama Navami as ly-ing beyond the Ramayana story. Since Lord Rama is also one of the most sung about deities in Indian classical music and literature, week-long musical programmes are organized during Ram Navami.

On Ram Navami, the celebrations begin with a prayer to the Sun early in the morning. Lord Rama’s dynasty is said to have descended from the Sun which is called the Sun dynasty (Raghukula or Raghuvamsa). Raghu means Sun and Lord Rama is also known as Raghuna-tha or Raghupati. The names beginning with the prefix Raghu are suggestive of the link with Sun worship. The hour chosen for the observance of the Lord Rama’s birth is when the Sun is at its maximum brilliance. In some Hindu sects, prayers on Ram Navami day start with an invocation to the Sun and not Lord Rama. The syllable Ra is used to describe the Sun and its radiance in many languages including Sanskrit.

Source: The author is a freelance journalist, Colum-nist and social activist. He can be contacted on [email protected].

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PAGE 6


Saint Tulsidas was the author of the Hindi version of the Ramayana. He is believed to have been an incarnation of Valmiki, author of the original Ramayana. Tulsidas was a contemporary of Emperor Akbar. His father’s name was Atmaram Sukal Dube, and his mother’s name Hulasi.

According to one legend, his parents abandoned him as an infant because he was born under an inauspi-cious conjunction of stars and planets. A spiritual man adopted the child, instructed him in religious lore, and took him in pilgrimages to holy places.

Tulsidas married early, and lived in love and harmony with his devoted wife Ratnavaili. During this time an event occurred that was to change his life considerably.

The Emperor Akbar came on a tour of the region where Tulsidas lived. Excited by the grand occasion, Tulsidas accompanied the royal group, leaving his wife with his parents. On that very day his wife received a message to the effect that her mother was seriously ill. She went so see her mother, only to discover it was a false alarm, intended to entice her to her mother’s home.

When Tulsidas returned home that night and found his beloved wife was not there, he became quite restless and upset. Upon learn-ing where she was, he started right away to her mother’s home. But, there was a heavy downpour of rain that night, and the river he had to cross was flooding. But Tulsidas could not be deterred. He braved the deluge and finally reached his destina-tion. At Ratnavali’s mother’s house, he saw in the dark a rope hanging from the balcony. He climbed up to the balcony, using the rope.

Ratanavali woke up with a start, and could not believe her eyes when she saw her husband.

“How did you manage to come in this terrible weather?” she asked.

“Your love brought me here, dear,” he answered. “Besides, you had left the rope hanging on the balcony expressly for me.” Ratanavali denied having done any such thing. Taking a lantern she went out to look for the rope, and to find out how it had been put there. The two discovered that what Tulsidas had used for climbing was not a rope, but a long and poisonous snake!

Ratanavali felt that others in the family would laugh at her husband if they heard the story. So she told him, “If you had for Sri Rama even half as much love as you have for me, a mere bag of flesh and bones, then there will be nothing in the phenomenal world of which you need fear.”

This was the moment of enlightenment of Tulsidas. He fell at his wife’s feet in deep reverence and gratitude, took leave of her to lead a life of asceticism, and even-tually became a great saint.

According to another legend, he saw Rama in a dream in which he was ordered to narrate the

story of Rama to the people at large. And at the age of 42, he began composing his immortal poem, Ram-Charit-Manas: The lake of Rama’s deeds. This work has been read by million of people throughout North India generation after generation.

Tulsidas also composed numerous other works. His Ramayana has been rendered into modern Hindi as well as English.

Though a spiritual leader, he was also a gifted poet. Tulsidas in his lifetime had friends in high places, ministers and princes, and he became very famous.

It was a Asi-Ghat in Varanasi that Tulsidas spent the last decades of his life, and it was there where he died at the ripe old age of 91.

(Source: INDHER, Issue Nov-Dec 1980)

SAINT TULSI DAS (1532-1623) By Y. Gopinathan

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A widespread misconception in the West about the Hindu philosophy on life is its otherworldliness, its emphasis on keeping an eye on the afterlife, a constant preoccupation with the soul and the renunciation and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

This observation is based on thoughts and practices that existed during the period when Europeans first came into contact with India. But it was not always so. The primary Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, not only deal with matters related to God, soul and salvation, but also make direct references to every aspect of society - political, economic and social. Discussions about kingdoms and empires, references to democracy and the social organi-zation of everyday life are also found in the Vedic texts.

The spirit of free inquiry and a strong interest in the en-joyment of life on this Earth has always been present in the writings of Hindu sages and philosophers throughout the ages. They have written on every aspect of human behavior and relationships.

Hinduism emphasizes that before attaining Moksha (salvation), it is essential for humankind to first enjoy worldly pleasures by creating wealth with hard work and honesty, which would also benefit the rest of society. Lord Krishna lays special emphasis on work:

“Do your prescribed duties as action is superior to inertia. Even for the maintenance of the physical body, work is essential.” – Gita: 3.8

The tenets of Hinduism grade the 100 year life span of the individual into four stages:

STAGE 1: Brahamcharya (Studentship). A person must observe celibacy during the early years of life, which are to be entirely devoted to acquiring knowledge and skills in order to fulfill his/her ambitions for the future.

STAGE 2: Grihastha (Family Life). The next phase of life is to get married and live a domestic life by having children and maintaining a household.

STAGE 3: Vanaprastha (Retirement). When a Hindu householder has discharged his obligations toward his family and society, and his children have grown up and married, he is expected to retire in order to focus on the spiritual aspect of his life. Traditionally, Hindu retirees feel they have outgrown the activities of amusement and entertainment, and seek higher things in life; they want to reflect, pursue spiritual studies and meditate. The more active retirees devote their time to selfless community service.

STAGE 4: Sanyasa (Wandering Ascetic). This is the last station in the Hindu’s journey of life. When saturated with spiritual knowledge, a person renounces all worldly pleasures and gives up everything - personal identity, family, wealth, material possessions and all bonds of relationships to become a wandering ascetic. The mind is detached from all sources of suffering and pleasures.

The individual considers the whole world his family. Wearing a long unstitched saffron robe or sari and carry-ing nothing except a begging bowl and a staff, he or she would wander from village to village acting as a travel-ling spiritual teacher. The journey would end at a sacred place like Banaras or Hardwar, where one would live as a hermit, praying and meditating until one’s last breath. But, now days, not many Hindus follow this path.

Hindu texts glorify the second stage, domestic life, considering it the most important one as it supports the other three: “Just as every living being depends on air for its existence, similarly, domestic life is most cru-cial in order to support all other stages of (one’s) life.” (Manusmriti)

Hinduism is a way of life as its texts touch upon every aspect of human behavior, activities and relationships in this world. It would be a fallacy to think it focuses only on renunciation of worldly pleasures and the promotion of asceticism.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared as an Opinion Column in the Toronto Star newspaper on Nov. 17, 1997

HINDUISM IS ROOTED IN WORLDLINESS

By Ajit Adhopia

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Bhagwan Swaminarayan was born on Chaitra Sud 9 (April 3rd, 1781), in the beautiful village of Chhapaiya near Ayodhya. His birthday is also celebrated by reflect-ing on his fearless quest to bring about a socio-spiritual reformation in an era racked by superstitions and evil customs.

Childhood He was given his childhood name Ghanshyam by a well known sage Markendeya Muni. From a young age Ghanshyam was a determined scholar and had a great interest in spirituality. He was always found at the vari-ous mandirs engrossed in spiritual discourses. Once out of curiosity, his father Dharmadev wanted to test Ghan-shyam. Dharmadev had placed three objects on a small stool: a sword, a shiny gold coin, and a book. Within a short time, Ghanshyam got down from his cradle, went to the stool and picked up the book. His parents were convinced that their son would study all of the scrip-tures, and become a great scholar one day.

Adolescence At the tender age of 11, Ghanshyam left his home and set off to travel through India on a spiritual pilgrimage. Journeying barefoot through India’s mystical landscape, he became known as Neelkanth Varni. He trekked through the Himalayas visiting Kedarnath, Badrinath, and other holy places. Using his natural yogic powers, he underwent severe penance at Pulhashram standing on one leg for six continuous months surviving on air alone. While his travels continued over a span of seven years, Neel-kanth purified temples and priests who had gone astray from the path of dharma due to the influences of Kali Yug and morally uplifted countless people along the way.

Initiation In 1799, Neelkanth’s pilgrimage had come to an end when he arrived at Loj, Guja-rat. There at Ramanand Swami’s ash-ram, he happily performed all types of menial seva and did bhakti. He proved to be an ideal yet

humble devotee and was soon appointed as the guru of the fellowship by Ramanand Swami himself, who proclaimed to all that this young yogi was God himself. Upon his appointment he asked for two unique boons: “If ever the devotees face the begging bowl, then let that bowl come to me instead; and if ever the devotees face pain equivalent to the sting of even one scorpion, then let that pain befall me enhanced ten million fold on each pore!” He presented the Swaminarayan mantra to the followers. While chanting, people experienced divine bliss and the vision of the incarnations they personally revered. Henceforth he came to be known as “Swami-narayan.”

Spiritual Workforce Bhagwan Swaminarayan began his mission with un-bounded energy. His divine personality attracted masters of all disciplines and in no time, there were hundreds of thousands of devotees. He initiated 500 paramhansas – saints who upheld the highest form of purity.

These paramhansas reflected strong moral character through their strict vows of asceticism and celibacy. All of his sadhus strictly observed their vows aimed at removing attachment, lust, and pride. For his house-holder devotees, the moral code subscribed abstention from drugs, alcohol, meat, and adultery. They helped Bhagwan Swaminarayan introduce innovative social

reforms and charitable work to help the poor. During famines, they organized alms-houses for the needy and the poverty-stricken. They also inspired count-

less men and women to the path of morality and religion.

Transformations Bhagwan Swaminarayan uplifted the lives of

downtrodden castes in India. He changed the hearts of thieves and sinners, transforming

them into true devotees free from vices.

Rekindling the flame of hope, love, faith, and devotion; he liberated the

masses from illiteracy, ignorance, false beliefs, superstitions, addic-

THE LIFE OF BHAGWAN SWAMINARAYAN

PAGE 9


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tions, and bad habits. He lived with them in their low-roofed huts, while teaching them to lead lives of moral and spiritual purpose. As the very embodiment of love and compassion, he looked upon all with an equal eye: Brahmins or out-castes, rich or poor, princes or paupers, the pious or the downtrodden.

Moral Awakening An advocate of moral and religious respect, he trans-formed the masses by non-violent means such as love, goodness, service, and sacrifice. He preached non-violence, stopping the practice of sacrificing animals in yagnas. He also elevated society by encouraging educa-tion and equal rights for women – considered a revolu-tionary step during that time of Indian history. He fought against the malpractices of female infanticide – where newly born girls were drowned in a pot of milk, and sati – where the widow was forced to join her deceased husband on the funeral pyre.

Scriptures He worked tirelessly in Gujarat for 30 years and inspired a spiritual revolution. The Gujarat landscape – its hori-zon disheveled by the turbulence between 300 warring states and principalities, its soil bleeding with insecurity, and its atmosphere corroded with dark superstitions and ignorance – gradually flowered with his unique teachings.

His religious discourses were transcribed and compiled by four senior paramhansas to form the Vachanamri-tam. This scripture contains his profound teachings and philosophy. In addition to the Vachanamrut, Bhagwan Swaminarayan also wrote the Shikshapatri. Although small in appearance, the 212 verses contained therein hold the quintessence of the code of ethics reflected by the major scriptures of Hinduism. To this day, both scriptures are read daily by the devotees of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

A Continuing Revolution Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s work and philosophy are still being propounded by His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor and the present Guru of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

For more information about Bhagwan Swaminarayan, please visit http://www.BAPS.org.

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Sanskrit is a very complex language. One word may have many deep rooted meanings. This is the reason why complicated texts, unless interpreted by well versed scholars, could be deciphered inaccurately. Satya means true, real, honest, pure, genuine. Shiva means auspi-cious, propitious, fortunate, prosperous. Sundar means beautiful, charming, pleasing, adorable, divine. These are adjectives used in everyday language to describe anything and everything. The first time these words appear in the context of God, are in the Vishnu Purana and Shiva Purana, when Lord Vishnu is referred to by these three names of Sa-tyam, Shivam, Sundaram. The same reference pertaining to Lord Vishnu with these three names appears in the Ma-habharata. Whether used separately or collectively, they are an attribute of the majesty, power and splendour that is God.

Satyam Shivam Sundaram is actually a tribute of God’s manifestation, di-vided into three catego-ries: creation, sustenance and disintegration. Satyam is truth; it does not change, it is eternal. God is im-mortal, that is Satyam. Shivam is auspicious, which is what God’s glory is. His creation of the universe and it wonderful “upkeep” are an essence of His divine power which is Shivam. Sundaram does not pertain to external beauty, but to the beauty of truth which pervades, main-tains and balances the forces of nature.

God created the universe – that is Satyam. Everything pertaining to it is real. No one can be deluded by the bright blue sky, the blazing sun or the winds gusting in space. Fire which sustains life is a reality, as are the vast expanse of waters with the hundreds of creatures that inhabit it. The waxing and waning moon; the myriads of

scintillating stars; the flowing rivers and streams; forests of lush growth, in which abound beasts both big and small; mountains, rivers, valleys full of fragrant breezes; orchards laden with fruit; in short every object both big and small that exists, is there because God created it and abides in it. This very existence of the world, is a revelation of God’s reality, that is Satyam.

God created man to breathe in the air of this wondrous world, to enjoy its bounty and to bask in its glory.

He structured everything in such a manner that the cycle of birth, growth

and death which are Sa-tyam, automatically inte-grate into Shivam where

everything is superb. Hindus believe in a

physical and spiritual existence. Creation is physical, so is

progeny, which is Satyam. Just as the

Almighty abides in His creation and is responsible for its maintenance,

so too does man feel responsible for the upbringing of his progeny. God has

provided infinite resources and opportunities for the

foundations of what He built. He endowed man with the power, the

intellect and strength to lead a life of fulfillment and bliss. Man avails of God’s plenty, makes use of the faculties and resources bestowed upon him, and rears his offsprings in the manner which suits him best. This sustenance, both physical and spiritual, bestowed so generously without expectations of rewards, is a state of bliss and gratitude. This auspicious fulfillment of God’s bounty is Shivam.

The elements of nature change according to the laws of the universe. Climate varies; seasons usher in their beauty by displaying their splendour and abundance. Similarly, man from the time of his birth till his death,

SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDARAM By Aruna Duggal

“God is truth, truth is auspicious, auspicious truth is divine”

PAGE 11


goes through phases enjoying the gifts and opportunities provided by the Almighty. The temptations that are over-come, the positive and negative decisions made in the right direction without aspirations, are Shivam. God is perfect and supreme, so all blessings that flow from Him are auspicious – Shivam. God sustains His creation till such time as He deems fit, to dissolve, destroy or confer on any given element, the fate, for better or worse, de-signed out by Him. The maintenance or balance of this vast enterprise, is the rule of life or Sundaram.

Sundaram means beautiful. Man learns to live in this world and interact with nature and humanity. God has provided him with an intellect, ability and feelings to relish all that is beautiful, wonderful and awe inspir-ing in the world around him. But the wonderful world around him is only an essence of that great power which is God. God expects man to adhere to the Sundaram in life, by maintaining the laws or values that uphold it.

God’s revelation of truth is the very existence of cre-ation, its reality, its meaning and its glory. That unchang-ing fact is Satyam. The wonderful cycle of life and the struggles and efforts to lead a happy, contented life are the noble (Shivam) blessings of the Giver. Sundaram is attained when Satyam and Shivam have fulfilled their needs and attain serenity of mind and purpose, by ab-sorbing the beauty around them. Sundaram is an impor-tant factor of life which is disintegration or death, which is a fact of life.

Actually the three elements as far as God’s creation is concerned, are so intricately intertwined, that it would be almost impossible to separate their entities. God pervades the universe and dwells in every atom of His creation. He is the supreme reality of it existence, its sustenance and its dissolution. Truth is reality – Satyam, which aligns with the supreme auspicious godliness – Shivam, and provides the powers of revelation to absorb and marvel at the richness, beauty, bounty and glory that surround existence – Sundaram. God is truth, truth is auspicious, auspicious truth is divine – Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

“God is truth, truth is auspicious, auspicious truth is divine”

Five Parenting Guidelines Five Parenting Guidelines or “Pancha Kutumba Sadha-na” describe the principles that guide fathers and moth-ers in setting strong religious examples that nurture children and teach them to follow the path of dharma and thus pass Hinduism to the next generation.

1. Dharmachara: Good Conduct Loving fathers and mothers, knowing they are the greatest influence in a child’s life, should behave the way their dear children should when adults. They never anger or argue before young ones. Father in a dhoti, mother in a sari at home, all sing to God, Gods and guru.

2. Dharma Svagriha: Home Worship Loving fathers and mothers should establish a separate shrine room in the home for God, Gods and guardian devas of the family. Ideally it should be large enough for all the dear children. It is a sacred place for scrip-tural study, a refuge from the karmic storms of life.

3. Dharma Sambhashana: Talking About Religion Loving fathers and mothers should speak Vedic pre-cepts while driving, eating and playing. This helps dear children understand experiences in right perspective. Parents know many worldly voices are blaring, and their dharmic voice must be stronger

4. Dharma Svadhyaya: Continuing Self-Study Loving fathers and mothers should keep themselves informed by studying the Vedas, Agamas and sacred literature, listening to swamis and panditas. Youth face a world they will one day own, thus parents prepare their dear children to guide their own future progeny.

5. Dharma Sanga: Following a Spiritual Preceptor Loving fathers and mothers should choose a precep-tor, a traditional satguru, and lineage to follow. They support their lineage with all their heart, energy and service. He in turn provides them clear guidance for a successful life, material and religious.

Reproduced with permission from Himalayan Academy Publications. Parents and educators may visit minimela.com to purchase many of these re-sources at a very low cost, for distribution in your family, community or classes at your temples.

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Editors’ Note: Many Christian leaders and clergymen from all over the world visited and interviewed Gandhiji in South Africa and India. During these encounters, Gandhiji asserted that he admired, and was not opposed to their social welfare services in the poverty stricken rural areas as long as they are rendered in the true spirit of Nishkam Sewa, self-less service, to humanity as preached and practiced by Jesus Christ.

In a series of articles, we will present Gandhiji’s interview with missionary leaders, which Gandhiji himself reported in his two poplar publications, Young India and Harijan. These interview reports and speeches delivered by Gandhiji on this topic in various Christian conferences and events have been embodied in the book Christian Missions: Their Place in India, written by Gandhiji, and published by Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmadabad, and edited by Bharatan Kumarappa.

Gandhiji’s Dialogue with An American Clergyman An American clergyman, Dr. Crane once visited Gandhiji to interview him. Dr. Crane wanted to understand Gan-dhiji’s attitude towards Christianity, as he heard diverse representations made about it, and he also wanted a simple statement regarding Gandhiji’s attitude to religion in general.

Gandhiji’s response “I shall certainly give you my reaction to Christianity. Even when I was 18 I came in touch with good Chris-tians in London. Before that I had come in touch with what I then called, beef and beer-bottle Christianity’, for these were regarded as the indispensable criteria of a man becoming a Christian, with also a third thing, namely adoption of European style of dress. Those Christians were parodying St. Paul’s teaching – ‘call thou nothing unclean.’ I went to London, therefore, with that prejudice against Christianity. I came across good Christians there who placed the Bible in my hands. Then I met numerous good Christians in South Africa, and I have since grown to this belief that Christianity is as good and as true a religion as my own. For a time I

struggled with the question, ‘Which was the true reli-gion out of those I knew?’ But ultimately I came to the deliberate conviction that there was no such thing as the only one true religion and every other false. There is no religion that is absolutely perfect. All are equally imper-fect or more or less perfect. Hence, the conclusion that Christianity is as good and true as my own religion. But so also is Islam, Zoroastrianism or Judaism.”

“I therefore do not take as literally true the text that Jesus is the only begotten son of God. God cannot be the ex-clusive father and I cannot ascribe exclusive divinity to Jesus. He is as divine as Krishna or Rama or Mohamed or Zoroaster. Similarly, I do not regard every word of the Bible as the inspired word of God, even as I do not regard every word of the Vedas or the Koran as inspired. The sum total of each of these books is certainly inspired, but I miss that inspiration in many of the things taken individually. The Bible is as much a book of religion with me as the Gita and the Koran”

Dr. Crane responded to Gandhiji’s explanation, “But, when you say that all religions are true, what do you do when there are conflicting counsels?

Gandhiji’s Answer “I have no difficulty in hitting upon the truth, because I go by certain fundamental maxims. Truth is superior to everything, and I reject what conflicts with it. Similarly, that which is in conflict with non-violence should be rejected. And on matters which can be reasoned out, that which conflicts with Reason must also be rejected.”

Question: “In matters which can be reasoned?”

Gandhiji’s Answer “Yes, there are subjects where Reason cannot take us far, and we have to accept things on faith. Faith then does not contradict Reason but it transcends it. Faith is kind of a sixth sense, which works in cases that are without the purview of Reason. Well, then given these

CHRISTIAN MISSIONS: THEIR PLACE IN INDIA By M.K.Gandhi

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three criteria, I have no difficulty in examining all claims made on behalf of your religion. Thus to believe Jesus is the only begotten son of God is to me against Reason, for God can’t get married and beget children. The ‘son’ there can only be used in a figurative sense. In that sense, everyone who stands in the position of Jesus is a begotten son of God. If a man is spiritually miles ahead of us, we may say that he is, in a special sense, son of God, though we are all children of God. We repudiate the relationship in lives, whereas his life is a witness to that relationship.”

Question: “Then you will recognize degrees of divinity. Would you not say that Jesus was the most divine?”

Gandhiji’s Answer “No, for the simple reason that we have no data. Histori-cally, we have more data about Mohamed than any one else because he was more recent in time. For Jesus there is less data and still less for Buddha, Rama and Krishna; and when we know so little about them, is it not pre-posterous to say that one of them was more divine than another? In fact, even if there were a great deal of data available, no judge should shoulder the burden of shifting all the evidence, if only for this reason that it requires a highly spiritual person to gauge the degree of divinity of the subjects he examines. To say that Jesus was 99 per cent divine, Mohamed was 50 per cent, and Krishna 0 per cent, is to arrogate oneself to a function which really belongs to man.”

Question: “What do you say to the attempts to convert?”

Gandhiji’s Answer “I strongly resent overtures to ignorant men. I can per-haps understand overtures made to me, as indeed they are being made, for they can reason with me and I can reason with them. But I certainly resent overtures made to Harijans. When a Christian priest goes and says to a Harijan that Jesus was the only begotten son of God, he will give him a blank stare. Then, he holds out [offers] all kinds of inducements which debase Christianity.”

Note: This article represents excerpts from Gandhiji’s book Christian Missions: Their Place in India with the consent of the Navajivan Trust, Ahmadabad [Gujarat].

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1. Is yoga a Hindu practice? Deeply rooted in Hindu scripture and belief, yoga is, and always was, a vital part of Hindu religion and culture. Today it is embraced by tens of millions of non-Hindus seeking its renowned benefits to physical, mental and spiritual health.

In recent years a vigorous debate has arisen as to whether yoga is intrinsically a Hindu practice or a universal science. The word yoga has changed as the practice moved west. Its original meaning, “union with God,” has been replaced with the more secular definition presented by upscale yoga studios around the world that teach a regimen of asanas along with basic breathing and a little meditation. A typical studio ad focuses on the physicality, stating that “yoga increases the circula-tion of oxygen-rich blood, nourishing and detoxifying the internal organs, musculature, cardiovascular, im-mune, endocrine, digestive, reproductive and nervous systems.” The United States alone has over 20 million practitioners, and there are hundreds of millions worldwide.

B.K.S. Iyengar, a renowned yoga teacher, gives a more traditional definition on his website: “Yoga is one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. The word yoga origi-nates from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means ‘union.’ On the spiritual plane, it means union of the Individual Self with the Universal Self.”

Elaboration: The term yoga actually refers to a wide range of Hindu practices; so it is impor-tant to specify what kind of yoga is being discussed. In common modern usage, yoga typically refers to hatha yoga--the performance of yoga postures, or asanas, which are drawn from ancient Hindu scriptures. Hatha yoga has always been performed by Hindus as a preparation for meditation; today, especially in the West, its health benefits commonly supersede the spiri-tual. Hatha yoga is just one facet of a broader body of knowledge and practice known as ashtanga yoga, which consists of eight stages. (Ashta means eight; anga means limb). The famous Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali,

who lived around 200 bce, is considered the first sys-tematic presentation of the ancient tradition of yoga.

To appreciate yoga’s spiritual and religious nature, one need only consider each of its eight limbs, or facets. The first is yama, the ethical restraints; of these, the most important is ahimsa, noninjuriousness. The second is niyama, specific religious observances, including puja in one’s home shrine and repeating mantras. The third is asana, the widely practiced hatha yoga postures. The remaining five limbs are all related to meditation: pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (sense withdraw-al), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (illumination, or oneness with God).

Can those of other faiths benefit from the practice of yoga--without threatening their religion’s beliefs? Cer-tainly followers of liberal religious traditions can do so.

However, clerics of conservative faith traditions have spoken against its practice for their adherents. For ex-

ample, in 2008 the leading Islamic council in Ma-laysia issued an edict prohibiting the coun-try’s Muslims from practicing yoga. Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husim explained: “We are of the view that yoga, which origi-nates in Hinduism... destroys a Muslim’s faith.

There are other ways to get exercise. You can go cycling, swimming, etc.”

The Reverend Richard Farr, vicar of Saint Mary’s Church in Henham, England, commented in 2001: “I accept that for some people it is simply an exercise. But it is also often a gateway into oth-er spiritualities, including Eastern mysticism.” The Vatican has issued numerous edicts about the pursuit of yoga. In 1989 it warned that practices like Zen and yoga can “degenerate into a cult of the body” that debases Christian prayer.

It is sometimes argued that yoga is not Hindu per se; only the roots are Hindu. The fact that yoga is pursued by many non-Hindus is irrelevant to its

validity as a Hindu practice. The roots of yoga, its scriptural origins, are Hindu. The stem of yoga, its practice, is Hindu; and the flower of yoga, mystical union with God, is Hindu. Yoga, in its full glory, is entirely Hindu. Practice at your own risk!

FOUR QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK ABOUT HINDUISM

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2. How do Hindus view other religions? Hindus honour all religious traditions and the people within them. While regarding our faith as uniquely en-dowed, we believe that there is no exclusive path, no one way for all.

In India, where Hindus are the overwhelming major-ity, the rights of minority religions have always been honored. Hindus have welcomed, embraced and lived peacefully among other religions for centuries. During those same centuries, Hinduism itself evolved into hun-dreds of strains, and thus Hindus are fully at home with many different traditions and viewpoints within their own faith. Hence, they are naturally tolerant of other religions, respecting the fact that each has unique beliefs, practices, goals and paths of at-tainment, and not objecting when the doctrines of one conflict with those of another. Hindus readily accept the idea that it is not necessary, desirable or even possible for everyone to hold the same beliefs. And certainly such differences should never be cause for tension, criticism, intolerance or violence.

An ancient Sanskrit verse summarizes the Hindu at-titude: “As the different streams, having their sources in different places, all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through differ-ent tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

Hindus do not proselytize, meaning they do not try to convert members of other faiths to their own. Pros-elytizing is based upon the belief that one’s religion is the only true religion and everyone else should join it. Hindus hold the view that all faiths are beneficial. A devout Hindu is supportive of all efforts that lead to a pure and virtuous life and would consider it unthink-able to dissuade a sincere devotee from his chosen faith. They know that good citizens and stable societies are created from groups of religious people in all nations. While encouraging others to follow their chosen path with dedication, Hindus hold Sanatana Dharma to be the fullest expression of religion, and do accept sincere souls who seek entrance into Hinduism.

Elaboration: When discussing other religions, Hindu leaders often quote a verse from the Rig Veda (1.164.46): “Ekam Sat, viprah bahudha vadanti,” meaning “Truth is One, sages describe it variously.” It conveys a core Hindu idea: that there can be multiple valid viewpoints

about the Supreme. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, philosopher and former president of India, stressed this point: “The Hindu recognizes one Supreme Spirit, though different names are given to it.”

In expressing religious tolerance, Hindus sometimes cite the above verse to assert that all religions are the same. In reality, all religions are not the same, nor is that indi-cated by this verse. It simply says that all religions revere the One Truth; all believe in the One Supreme Being. Their beliefs and practices are different; their paths are distinct. Instead of saying, “All religions are the same,” it is better to state that “all religions are good.”

Hindus share values common to all faiths: piety, love of God, respect for tradition, a stress on duty, responsibility and basic human virtues, such as nonviolence, truthful-ness, compassion and charity. They know that good citizens and stable societies are created from groups of religious people in all nations. They also acknowledge and honor the many ways that religions differ. For ex-ample, meditation and yoga are commonly practiced in Eastern religions but not usually in Western faiths.

The heart of a religion is its understanding of the soul’s relationship to God. Hinduism and most Eastern reli-gions believe that, at the highest level, God and soul are one, inseparable, while Western faiths maintain that Creator and creation are eternally distinct.

Hindus support and participate in ecumenical gather-ings with other religions, while upholding their own traditions. They confidently defend their faith, proceed contentedly with their practices and avoid the enchant-ment of other ways, be they ancient or modern.

Editor’s Note: On account of its length, This article has been split into two parts; question 3-4 with will appear with answers, in Part II of our Summer 2012 issue

Acknowledgement: This article is first appeared in the October/November/December 2011 issue of the Hindu-ism Today magazine. It is reproduced with the consent of its publisher.

“Truth is One, sages describe it variously.”

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A young graduate explores the challenges and re-wards in this winning essay “Every day, my Hindu-ness makes me a better American, because...”

Many American Hindus view their lives as having two poles. They display their Hindu side at home or at the temple amongst family, and their American side at school or work. This dual life--almost like a split person-ality--can be confusing when the two areas converge. This however is not the only way to live as an American Hindu. I strongly believe that these two identities are inextricably linked in my existence as a Hindu in the United States.

My Hindu-ness makes me a better American, because I understand that there is a certain essence that links us all. Understanding that the soul (atman) links the entire universe helps me dispel the illusion of distinctions (maya). In the same way, understanding the essence of what makes me American, helps me look past different skin colors and accents.

During my freshman year in college, I looked into the mirror in my dorm room, and for the first time, I really understood that I have looked and will always look South Asian. By my appearance alone, no one would understand how much I believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Internally, I face a struggle. In my interest area of international development and health, some day I would like to work for the US government, and even serve as a delegate in international settings. I also realize that when people look at me, they see a South Asian, and unless I put my pen down to paper or open my mouth to speak, there is no way of conveying my Hindu American identity.

I was forced to consider this dilemma when I recently attended a White House ceremony recognizing the valiant work of Hindus in the Armed Forces. I found myself surprised and wondered how they so bravely

pledged their lives for a country their parents had only immigrated to a few decades ago. What makes us so loyal to the US? What keeps us from working for a South Asian country when that is the region from where my genes, faith and culture come from?

Even more recently, in my hunt to find an apartment, I encountered a young woman who, via email, asked me where I was from. Without thinking much, I wrote that I had always lived in the US. She then replied, “Well, where are you originally from?” Looking at that email, I wanted to shout, “America! I was born here!” I real-ized that was not the answer she was looking for, But why did it matter from which country my parents im-migrated if I told her I was American? Regardless of my feelings of my American identity, she refused to accept me due to the foreignness of my name. That is exactly what makes me a Hindu American.

What does it mean to be Hindu, and what does it mean to be American? Where does the essence of those iden-tities intersect?

My faith helps me understand that while all things in the universe have so many different exteriors, they all have the same atman. What is the similarity between a tree, a human and a mushroom? It seems like little, since they are not even in the same taxonomic kingdom. By dispelling maya, we find that all beings are created from the same soul.

My dedication to my faith does not take away from my American identity, but instead reinforces this message. I see America as a beautiful potpourri of people and cultures--all with the same soul of liberty, opportunity and freedom. Being American is about having a certain invisible essence that links us to all other Americans, regardless of external appearance. No single external feature in body, voice or movement distinguishes an American. There is no answer to the question of what a

BEYOND MY DUAL IDENTITY By Sohini Sircar (USA)

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“typical” American looks like. All people living on this continent came as immigrants, and that is what makes the US such a sparkling mix of gems of different colors, shapes and sizes. While human exterior facial features, skin colors and accents can seem to distinguish one person from another, the atman within links the uni-verse together.

These concepts, so intrinsic to my understanding of Hinduism, are also elegantly woven into the fabric of my belief in the American system. Simply based on citizenship, all Americans can vote, are guaranteed a fair trial and are promised protection. This idea that all citizens are equal in the eyes of the US government, requires that we disregard the maya of external features and, instead, understand the essence of what makes us all American.

My Hindu and American identities intertwine in such a way that I cannot explain one without the other. These identities teach me to respect all living and nonliving things, and this means that we must treat everything with equality and care. This is beautifully depicted in the illustrated pages of my Bhagavad Gita--everything has the same God within it. This concept involves making sure we strive to give everyone access to food, water, shelter and medical care, as the US does through humanitarian assistance.

My belief of this essential equality defines my duty to serve for justice, harmony and peace. This way of think-ing has not come from my identity as either a Hindu or an American, but instead, as the combined identity of both. This convergence of ideas like justice, atman and equality challenge my ideas of race, religion and nation-ality, and I strive to fully comprehend that my soul is made of the same essence as everything else. When the world understands this concept, conflicts over mine and yours will end, and peace will pervade.

Every day my Hindu-ness makes me a better American and my American-ness makes me a better Hindu--because they teach me that people and things have the same essence.

Sohini Sircar is 22, a graduate of Georgetown University, will have joined the AmeriCorps VISTA program as of November, 2011. Her essay was one of the winners of the Hindu American Foundation’s Next-Gen Essay Contest 2011. Email: ss696 _@_ georgetown.edu.

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Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, first Governor General of Independent India opined “students of our Universities know much less about the Gita and the principles of Hindu religion than the undergraduates of European Universities know about the Bible and the principles of the Christian faith”. He published 18 books with the ob-jective of reintegrating Indian culture in the light of mod-ern knowledge and to suit our present day needs. There is still work to be done not only in Bharat, but also in the countries where peoples of Indian origin have settled.

As many have yet to be exposed to the wisdom of a cul-ture that still provides guidance to us daily, the Sanatan Dharm Educational Foundation of Canada was estab-lished a few years ago to promote knowledge associated with the Vedic Saraswati civilisation. A pocket sized Gita in English with comments, quotes, and translation by Mahatma Gandhi was put together with the hope of distributing it globally.

Very often the few people engaged in distribution would be greeted with “You are wasting your time, they will not read it”. Clearly the commentators themselves did not read the Gita which states “we should do our duty without being concerned about the fruits or results”. However to the extent that the comment reflects reality, it is sad considering the fact that we are the descen-dants of a civilization that produced the first Universities (Takshashila and Nalanda), the world’s oldest written language (Sanskrit) and achievements in knowledge in every discipline. In short, learning is stressed.

The view is now well accepted that, in order to preserve and protect Sanatan Dharma, the knowledge must be promoted in more active ways. We cannot just parrot “protect dharma and dharma will protect us” and then complain about widespread conversion and apathy. Courage and active leadership is required. If we believe THE WORLD IS ONE FAMILY then we have a duty to learn and share that eternal knowledge with mankind.

The lack of courage, the reliance upon priests and tem-ples to take a leadership role without realising that every individual can play a significant role, is quite evident. We know for sure that the problem is not funds or the unwillingness to perform Sewa for we readily give funds, clothes and even blood to strangers in need.

Many state that they worship the Gita as book of Uni-versal principles but at their private functions, (from

elaborate birthdays to extravagant weddings) treat hundreds of invited guests to alcohol, loud music, non-vegetarian meals but cannot be persuaded to send their guests home with the best gift of all, knowledge in the form of the Bhagavad-Gita. Often the reason given is that it is not appropriate because it may offend some guests who are from many religions and ethnic back-grounds. This presumption is not only erroneous but may be offensive to the guest who finds out that their host is not willing to share with them the secrets of life itself. Ralph Waldo Emerson stated about the Gita,

“It was the first of books; it was as if an Empire spoke to us ...the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the dame questions, which exercise us.”

What then is the appropriate occasion? Certainly a funeral. But here again the sympathisers come from all backgrounds and one is confronted with the same excuses not to share the Gita even though this may be contrary to the very principles in the book itself. Gan-dhi’s words must have been revolutionary when he stated that that Gita was meant for all including women, the commercial class, the so-called Shudras and the like...who stand in need of its support.

One may then argue that definitely the best place is the temple where we all go to learn about the spiritual teachings. However, a quick observation would reveal that many temples do not have a single book, or for that matter, nothing in writing for the uninitiated to take home and read. Just a few temples have a book store which can help to defray expenses.

One would also have to look very hard to find a priest who shows leadership by taking a few Gitas to private functions at the home of devotees. Yet it would cost a pittance to fund Gitas for the children or neighbours in attendance.

Another observation is that very few intellectuals or businesspersons actively promote the values of their culture, but they also can also play an effective role in filling this void whether or not they attend temples on a regular basis.

Those who have reached the realisation that it is a duty to place A GITA IN EACH HOME are invited to visit www.dharmaeducation.info or email [email protected].

PROMOTING VEDIC KNOWLEDGE By Ramnarine Sahadeo

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The family is a social institution that facilitates the physi-cal, social, moral, intellectual, material and spiritual development of all its members.

Family life in the Vedas As God’s condition of acceptance is purity, the kind of family described in the Vedas portrays all the character-istics that are pristine. Although it is not my intention to dwell on the concept of purity, suffice it to say that we are talking of purity of Thought, Word and Deed.

The Family as Described in the Vedas A family is that in which: 1. There is unity and concern for all its members. 2. Every member must fulfill the five daily duties. 3. A successful and fruitful life is based on Dharma

What is Dharma? Dharma is the way of life. It is the correct way of living. It is a dedication of each member to the overall happi-ness and well being of the family and not an exploita-tion of the one by the other. Relationships in a family should be viewed as an interdependence and a mutual coexistence rather than a painful social institution that is pushed down the throat of the individual, an obligation one is forced to uphold.

Unity: An Important Characteristic of a successful Family The Rig Veda highlights “unity” as an essential char-acteristic for the growth, development and survival of a family. The following mantra for the Rig Veda sub-stantiates the Vedic concept of unity: “Oh man, match onward together, speak with one voice and let there be unity in your thought. Just as in ancient times your ancestors executed their duties with understanding and conviction, in that same manner you too should execute your duties.” It becomes clear that every member of a family is enjoined to think alike, speak with one voice and work together in pursuit of the accomplishment of one goal- the common good of the family.

The Atharva Veda on the Importance of Unity The importance of oneness is emphasized. It is stated in Kanda 3, Suktha30 Verse 1-

“Oh Family Members! May you, united together, live in

harmony. May your minds be one in thought, so that there may be no animosity amongst you. Just as the cow lovingly runs after its new born calf, in the same way, treat each other with love and consideration.”

A few points that may be stressed for their value on unity are:

1. The burden of pain and suffering is lightened because it is shared.

2. Happiness and pleasure earn maximum reward in unity, in being shared with loved ones.

3. The Vedic Rishis assert that where there is unity and equality, justice prevails.

A fair deal and equality result in satisfaction and in contentment. This binds the members if the family and allows the family to function as a unit. It is this founda-tion that never erodes and thus leaves this family intact. According to the Vedas a few other characteristics of a family are:

1. One in which every member is held in esteem by the rest

2. One in which there is neither dissention not difference

3. One in which joys and sorrows are equally shared

4. One in which love, respect and sympathy reigns

5. One in which everything (especially money and other material wealth) belongs to every member

6. One in which the egotistic attitude, “I am, or my husband, is earning the most,” is nonexistent.

If the family lives according to the ideals of the Vedas, man’s tensions, insecurity and stress are considerably reduced. The ideals handed to the family form the moral code on which the morals of society are based. The effectiveness will lie in or willingness to practice these ideals. Do unto others what you like done unto you.” The Athrava Veda lays emphasis on the attitudes of the individual members of a family. According to the Vedas, nobody in the family can claim superiority over another. Everybody enjoys the same status irrespective of his physical or mental abilities or earning powers. What goes into the pool belongs to everyone.

Source: Veda Jyoti, published by Ved Niketan, Durban, S.A.

VEDIC CONCEPT OF FAMILY By N. Kissun

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Generally speaking, Western scholars and popular media paint a very depressing picture of the way women are treated in Hindu society. Many movies, documentaries, articles and books have been produced on such topics as arranged marriage system, bride burning, Sati (self-immolation by widows), dowry custom, mistreatment of widows, etc. These issues are overplayed, and the stories, although correct, are exaggerated and spiced up by popular media in India and the Western world, as it makes for good entertainment. Many writers and com-mentators tend to create the impression, intentionally or not, that the genesis of these social problems is in Hinduism. Western evangelist, prostlyzing missionaries also use these issues as a tool to denigrate Hinduism, in order to win converts from amongst poor, uneducated Hindus in the tribal and rural remote areas of India. Because of this negative perception, many young Hindu women, born or raised in the West, are afraid to choose a Hindu life partner.

Does Hinduism really de-grade a woman? What is the status of Woman in Hindu scriptures? Let us focus on these questions, and exam-ine the four Vedas, the primary Hindu scriptures to find the answers. The Vedas contain the divine revelations received by a number of seers when they reached the zenith of intense medi-tation. It is believed that twenty of them were women.

The loftiest status accorded to woman by the Vedas, despite their antiquity, is not to be found in any of the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The Rig Veda [1.89.10], the earliest of the four, and the first known scriptures of humankind, conceives Divin-ity in human terms, both as male and female Spirit, i.e. mother, father and son. In Yajur Veda [9.5] the Divine Spirit is described as Aditi, the Mighty Mother.

Atharva Veda [20-128-2] warns man, “He who defiles women folk, deliberately harms his friend, and unwisely insults his elder, meets with doom and downfall”.

This is how a self-confident mother describes herself in this verse found in the Rig Veda [10-159-2], “I am the

banner; I am the head; I possess excellent eloquence; my husband co-operates with

me and follows my will”.

In much later times, Tantric Cult, the feminine Divine Power or Spir-it became an object of worship. “The Goddess who exists in all beings as Mother, Obeisance to her! Obeisance!” [Markandeya Purana, Part II 5.73]

The Brhadaranyaka Upani-shad tells the story of a highly learned woman, called Gargi Vachaknavi, who had chal-lenged the illustrious but arrogant philosopher sage, Yajnavalkya, for a theological debate in the court of a king.

He was overwhelmed by Gargi’s probing questions, and lost the intellectual duel to her.

The representation of the Divine Spirit both in male

and female forms in pre-historic India, is evident from the

figurines of male and female deities found in the archeological findings

at the Mahonjodaro and Harappa sites in Western India (now in Pakistan).

STATUS OF WOMAN IN HINDU SCRIPTURES By Ajit Adhopia

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THE ANCIENT HINDU CULTURAL EMPIRE By Chaman Lal

As the seeds of herbs and trees are carried to distant places by wind and birds, so in ancient times mankind and culture spread over the world through the tides of great Indian and Pacific oceans. The Hindus were mighty navigators and pioneers of culture centuries before Columbus was born. They established their cul-tural empires in Java, Bali, Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines, Cambodia, Champa, Annam and Siam and ruled there until after the 14th century. Evan today Cambodia’s King bears the title of the great Varman rulers of India, and Bali has a Hindu Raja. Hindu migration to America was vigorous from the first to the twelfth century A.D.

Cambodia, the ancient Kamboja, was one of the earli-est to receive the culture of India. The name of its river Me Kong was derived from Ma Ganga (mother Ganges). In the first century A.D., a Brahman called Kaundinya came to Kamboja from Kanchi, the capital of Pallava kings in South India, married the Kamboja Princess Soma and was elected king of the country. Champa, at present Vietnam, figures prominently in the story of India’s cultural expansion. Vietnam was the footboard for the pilgrims to America. A prince of Kalinga (Orissa) founded the Hindu State of Java in the first century AD. Java is the ancient Yava Dveepa mentioned in the Ra-mayana and other Sanskrit texts. Bali Dveepa is still a stronghold of Hinduism. Borneo is the ancient Suvarna Dveepa or Sri Vijaya. On the Indonesian national flag still flutters our Garuda. From Angkor Vat to America Hinduism and its gods and temples have left their im-print. Siam was the centre of Hindu culture for centuries and boasts of rulers with names such as Rama, Praja Deepak and Dharmaraja. The same pioneers of culture who ruled such large areas in the Pacific for fourteen centuries also went to far off Mexico and Peru and es-tablished cultural empires.

SHIP-BUILDING Indian ship-building had developed at least 2000 years ago and according to Dr. Ekholm, Director of the Museum of Natural History in New York, and Dr. Robert Heine Geldern, there appears to be little doubt that ship-building and navigation were sufficiently advanced in southern and eastern Asia at the period in question to have made trans-Pacific voyages possible. As early as the time of Ptolemy in the second century A. D., Indian ships sailed to the Malayan Peninsula and Indonesia not east wise but across the Bay of Bengal. In the third century horses were exported from India to the Malayan Peninsula and Indo-China on indication that

there must have been ships of considerable size. When the Chinese Buddhist scholar Fattein returned from India around A.D. 400 he embarked on a ship which carried more than 200 sailors and merchants and which there-fore must have been larger than the ships of Columbus and early Spanish explorers. Ships of that size able to cross the Indian Ocean and the China Sea with their dangerous cyclones could certainly cross the Pacific as well. According to French and British historians, the Hindus excelled in the art of constructing ships for cen-turies. The British and the French borrowed from Hindus many improvements in naval architecture.

Only two authorities will suffice: In ancient times the In-dians excelled in the art of constructing vessels, and the present Hindus can, in this respect, still offer models to Europe, so much so that the English, attentive to every-thing which relates to naval architecture, have borrowed from the Hindus many improvements which they have adopted with success to their own shipping. The Indian vessels unite elegance and utility, and are models of patience and fine workmanship. (Les Hindus- P. 181).

Indian vessels are so admirably adapted to the purpose for which they are required that, notwithstanding their superior science, Europeans were unable, during an intercourse with India for two centuries, to suggest or to bring into successful practice one improvement.

(Sir John Malcolm, Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. 1) Aztec Calendar

The fact that the Hindus were capable of sailing to far off countries like Mexico and Peru is proved by the of-ficial historian of Mexico, who in his book, published by the Mexican Foreign Office, states:

Those who first arrived on the continent later to be known as America were groups of men driven by that mighty current that set out from India towards the east.

The U. S. Ambassador Miles Poindexter states in his book The Ayar-Incas that primitive Aryan words and people came to America especially from Indo-Arya by the island chains of Polynesia. The very name of the boat in Mexico is a South Indian (Tamil) word: Catamaran.

Editor’s Note: This Article is a shorter and edited ver-sion of the author’s long, original article Who Discov-ered America that was gleaned from a website, and edited by Ajit Adhopia.

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As a Hindu, I have to believe in and accept certain basic human values. If I can adopt and practice them, so much the better. These values are sometimes referred to as “Yama”. Some scholars say there are five Yama, others say there are ten, yet others say there are eight. On a comparison of various views, the following emerge in consensus:

1. Satyam: As a Hindu, I believe that I should speak the truth. Here, truth must be tempered with kindness and compassion when needed. If a truth causes harm, when it may sometimes do, it is better not to say it. For example, it may be better not to reveal to a terminally ill patient the nature of his illness. This depends upon a variety of circumstances including the personality of the patient. Individual circumstances, and no general rule, must decide which truth must be tempered in which manner. Our great texts are full of many discussions, illustrations, stories, etc., on this very point. It is said, “Satyam Brooyat, Priam Brooyat”, i.e. the truth and the pleasant truth should be spoken.

2. Ahimsa: A Hindu believes in non-violence. This does not mean vegetarianism, for if sacrificing animal life is violent, then destroying plant life is the same. One reason a vegetarian gives for not eating meat is that it comes from violence,”Hims”. Then, if taking life is cruel, why does he eat at all? After all, even plants have life and also feel pain as well as pleasure. In India, cows are milked by first using their calves to begin the flow of milk from the udder. As soon as the first few drops of milk begin to emerge, the milkman forcibly drags the calf away and collects the milk to sell it to the “pure” vegetarian (for some reason, the vegetarian likes to call himself as “pure”. Is it not Himsa to snatch away food from the mouth of an innocent and helpless creature, all for the “pure” vegetarian person’s selfish consumption?

No, the meaning of Ahimsa is not vegetarianism. Rather, Ahimsa means not doing violence beyond that bare minimum without which we ourselves cannot survive. As a Hindu, at least I do not cause untold suffering to an animal by slowly bleeding it to death in the name of religion. Muslims have been known to make very small incisions in the windpipes of large animals like camels

and leave them to die a slow, hours’ long and agonizing death.

Non-violence towards human beings is too well-known a concept to merit discussion in a small article such as this one.

3. Asteyam: This means not taking that which does not belong to us. “Stena” means “stealing”. As an aside, notice the phonetic similarity between the two words – an example, among many hundreds, of similar sounding words across Sanskrit and many languages, indicating the widespread dissemination of Sanskrit culture rather than Sanskrit borrowing from other cultures. And, for the benefit of the vocational critics who journey through life with the sole self-assigned goal of picking perceived holes in others’ arguments – and being vocal and vituperative about it rather than counter/educate with cogent debate – yes, I know about the common root of Sanskrit and Latin, the ancient Indo-European Language. I submit my statement does not contradict this theory of a common linguistic root. As a Hindu, I will not steal or appropriate for myself that which is not rightly mine. Greed and selfishness have no place in the scheme of things of a practicing Hindu.

4. Daya: A Hindu has compassion and sympathy for all living creatures. Hinduism is a “religion” of love, kindness, mercy, selflessness and rendering assistance to the needy even at great cost to oneself.

5. Kshanti: This is an amalgam of related virtues – the combined virtues of patience, forgiveness and tolerance and withstanding suffering. As a Hindu, I am catholic of outlook, believing in a “live and let live” policy. I am not a fundamentalist or a bigot. Religious persecution is rarely found in the history of Hinduism. When Charvaka propounded his anti-Vedic and materi-alist theories, no order (or the equivalent of the Muslim Fatwa) was passed by any religious head baying for his life. On the contrary, the merit of his scholarly approach to his theory was recognized (though the theory itself was not accepted) by the very people against whose ideology he wrote and they called him Maharishi Char-

YAMA: BASIC HUMAN VALUES IN HINDUISM By Chintamani Rath

PAGE 25


vaka. Such is the catholicity and tolerance of Hinduism. Similarly in the case of Gautama the Buddha - although Buddhism is anti-Hindu, anti-Sanskrit and anti-Brahmin, Buddha has been recognized as accorded the place of the ninth Incarnation of the Supreme Godhead (Vishnu).

6. Arjavam: This refers to simplicity, straightfor-wardness and absence of deceit. A Hindu is one who believes in such openness and who is free from hypocrisy. “Kayena Manasa Vacha” (by body, mind and speech – this last includes deed), he is one and only one person. The Shantipaatha of the Rig Veda begins thus:

“May my speech (this includes deed) be established in (meaning be in conformity with) my mind, and may my mind be established in my speech...”:--

“Aum Vaang Me Manasi Pratishthitaa Mano Me Vaachi Pratishthitam ...”

This was a prayer written about eight millennia ago, showing the refinement of the Hindu mind even at an age so ancient. Which other culture had such heights of thought as early in human history as then?

7. Madhuryam: A Hindu believes in possessing sweetness of disposition and a pleasing and pleasant personality. He is not rude or impolite and comes across as a balanced and likeable person.

8. Dama: This is self-control, i.e., the control of passions. A Hindu does not allow his baser impulses to the get the better of him. He does not surrender to the demands of his sense organs to perverse limits.

9. Dana: This means to give, to teach, to distribute, to share, to purify and to protect. A Hindu is ever ready with these attributes. He gives till it hurts.

10. Akalkata: This means being free of sin. In Hinduism, the word “sin” is not used in the same way as in a religion like Christianity. In Hinduism, sin is not an

action. It is the reaction to an action. The above-mentioned nine values prevent a person

from committing a bad deed (a “sin” in the Christian sense of the word). This

value of Akalkata prevents one from reacting negatively to perceived evil.

It does not mean being proac-tive in remedying the wrong.

It merely means not being judgmental and condemn-ing somebody without a full appreciation of the facts and

circumstances. It means not adopting a superior, virtuous “holier-than-thou” mental attitude.

In one of our texts, a story is told of a righteous vegetarian Brahmin who would leave home every morning on his daily work. His rounds would take him along a certain narrow lane in which there was a butcher’s

shop. As the Brahmin would pass the shop, he would say to

himself, “My God, my God, what a sinner this butcher is. He kills many innocent animals every day”. When both died, the

butcher went to heaven and the Brahmin went to

hell. The butcher had not sinned (because he did not think about

his actions) but the Brahmin had, by his reaction to the butcher’s actions.

Source: www.religioustolerance.org

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Our planet, the Earth, was created 1960,853,028 years ago, and then came the seeds, the plants and trees (vegetation), the animals, and finally the human beings. To distinguish human beings from other animals, God blessed us with a special gift – The Buddhi, the intellect or thinking power so that we can think logically, ratio-nally and scientifically.

We can acquire knowledge by reading, receiving oral instructions from others or by observing the course of events. In the beginning of the creation, there was no sys-tem of teaching and learning, nor were there any books to read. Since human beings were not independent in the matter of empirical knowledge, and innate knowledge alone being insufficient for the ac-quisition of knowledge, the only course left for them was to receive instruction from the primeval source of all knowledge – GOD. – Yajurveda 31.7

Thus GOD revealed His eternal knowledge, in the form of four Vedas, to four Rishis while they were in meditation. The Rigveda to Rishi Agni, Yajurveda to Rishi Vaayu, the Samaved to Rishi Aaditya and the Atharvaveda to Rishi Angira

– Rigveda 10,181, Yajurveda 31.7

There are many mantras in all four Vedas depicting infinite attributes of GOD. I am going to focus on mantra 8 from Yajurveda chapter 40. This mantra is as follows:

Sa paryagaat Shukram akaayam avranam asnaaviram Suddham apaapaviddham. Kavirmanishi paribhuh Svayam bhur

yaathaatathyatoarthaan vyadadhat Shaash-vatibhyah Samaabhyah.

MEANING: GOD is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Efful-gent, Bodiless, Scathless, without any nerves or muscles (Sinews), Pure, Omniscient, Wisest, Transcendent, Self-existent, never born nor dies, who for the infinite ages of eternity creates, organizes, reveals, nurtures and sustains all forms of existence as they are or ought to be.

The mantra emphatically states that GOD is Omnipotent and Formless. He has

no limits to His powers. He can dis-pense equitable justice to the souls

without any external help. GOD never manifests in any anthro-pomorphic or physical form nor does He ever incarnate as a human being. – Rigveda 6:18:12, Yajurveda 32.3

Many Hindus say that GOD has to take human form

in order to kill demons like Ravana, Kansa etc. Being all

powerful, He does not require any assistance from anyone. If He

wants to destroy devils like Ravana, He can do so in a flicker. The Sanskrit

word for God’s incarnation is Avatar mean-ing something that descends from Heaven. Since

GOD is Omnipresent, therefore how can HE descend from anywhere. Therefore as far as eternal knowledge of Vedas is concerned, Avatar is not possible.

We believe that Shri Ramji, Shri Krishnaji, were highly elevated souls sent to us by GOD to teach us the tenets of Vedic Philosophy and to lead us towards the path of self-realization or Moksha.

Source: Author, Dr. Srivastava is a volunteer priest for Arya Samaj, Mississauga

THE AVATAR CONCEPT & VEDAS By Dr. Ravi Srivastava

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Hinduism is a very humanistic religion. It permits the individual enormous liberties, within a few rational and humane boundaries. As a result, many schools of philosophy have blossomed within its benevolent fold. Hinduism is therefore essentially a convenient word or a convenient concept to denote diverse ways of life that are all good, noble, pure and morally and spiritu-ally elevating. Yes, there have been corrupt and sinful practices by people calling themselves Hindus – prac-tices that have been quickly and gleefully pounced upon by various Christian missionary sects to dispar-age the religion itself. If these evil practices (and admittedly there have been many through the course of Hinduism’s long history) are proofs that Hinduism itself is evil. Can the same not be said of Christian-ity or Islam, for there have been many equally corrupt and sinful practices per-petrated by people calling themselves Christians and Muslims?

The Christians may say: “These evil people are not actually Christians”. The Muslims may say: “These evil people are not actu-ally Muslims”. Well, I too can say “These evil people are not actually Hindus”. The Christians can say “If all were to follow the Bible the world would be a happy and problem-free place”. The Muslims can say: “If all were to follow the Quran the world would be a happy and problem-free place”. Well, I too can say: “If all were to follow the Bhagvad Geeta (or one of several great Books from the Hindu Scrip-tures) the world would be a happy and problem-free place”. Is this something to quarrel about?

If those who seek to push their own Book, willy-nilly, would instead study, with an open mind, that of the person whom they are trying to win over to their fold, and, thus understanding the greatness of that Book too,

would but assist that person to follow his own Book rather than convert to the missionary’s belief system, the world would be a better place. Is it too much to ask the missionaries with the “altruistic” material handouts they so kindly dish out to those who will convert to their belief system to make the handout truly altruistic by assisting the recipient be a better person by properly un-derstanding and following the recipient’s own religious tenets? Alas, I fear as things stand today, it perhaps is.

If I were a philanthropist with the resources to better the conditions of, say, a Christian in need, I would assist the Christian, saying to him, “Your own religion is a great one. Understand it properly and live by the Bible.” I would do more: having read and under-stood the Bible (as I have) I would help him under-stand the Bible. This mind-set makes me a Hindu. I am glad and humbly grate-ful I am one.

* Note: In Hindu thought, “senses” are subtle organs – represented in the physi-cal world by corresponding physical organs – through which:

Perceptions are gained from the external world, and impacts are made upon the external world,

They are:

Five “perception” senses (sight, audition, smell, taste, and touch)

and

Five “action” senses (speech, hands, feet, reproduction and excretion).

Very often the mind itself is referred to as the eleventh sense. This is for a sound reason, but a discussion of that is beyond the ambit of this article.

EVILS IN RELIGIONS By Chintamani Rath

Food For Thought...When a bird is alive, it eats ants. When a bird is dead, ants eat the bird. So, fortunes can turn at any time.

Don’t devalue anyone in your life. You may be powerful now, but time is more powerful than you.

Olives are pressed to get oil, fruits are squeezed to get juice, flowers are crushed for perfume.

These are some of the methods used to get good-ness out of things.

So when you feel pressured in life it’s just GOD trying to get the best out of you.

— Anonomous

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In our March-June 2010 issue, we explained Shaivism and Vaishnavism. This is the last installment that explains the remaining two other major sects, Shaktism and Smartism.

Shaktism Shaktism is also pronounced as Saktism. The followers of this sect are called Shaktas or Saktas who perceive and worship God as Devi Mata, the Universal Mother Goddess representing the potency, power or energy of God. A variety of expressions of the Mother Goddess are worshipped at all times all over India. However, the concept of female divinity gained more prominence and attention during the Middle Ages, says Basham. There are numerous representations of the Mother Goddess, but the most popular ones are the eight-armed Durga riding a lion, to protect her devotees; Lakshmi, the god-dess of wealth; Saraswati the goddess of knowledge, music and art, and Kali, the terrible, fierce looking god-dess who destroys the wickedness and evil forces. Many entertaining and interesting stories were narrated in the Puranas glorifying the various expressions of Devi Mata. Mother Kali is widely worshipped in the State of West Bengal while Mother Durga in various forms is more popular in the Northwest regions of India. Mother Durga’s idol adorns almost every Hindu temple in Canada.

In rural India, folk Shaktism is more practical than philosophical. Every village has its indigenous Devi

worshipped in a small shrine, to seek gifts – fertility, heal-

ing, good harvest, a suitable husband for a daughter or

the birth of a son. A village shaman can

invoke the presence of a Devi in a chosen me-dium, usually a woman.

In the cities of Northern Indian states, a very popular way of expressing devotion to Durga is called Jaagran, an all night music concert.

Jaagran is also very popular among Canadian Hindus who come from this area. A Jaagran is either held at a local temple or at home, sponsored by a devotee. Usually, a devotional music group, called Kirtan Mandli is invited from a temple. A temporary altar of Mother Durga is installed in the basement, and the host family invites their friends and relatives to attend. The offerings of fruits, flowers, dry fruits or a coconut is made at the altar by the invited guests who also donate money. The offerings are distributed amongst the departing guests while the money goes to the temple that sends the performing Kirtan Mandli. The Jaagran goes on all night, and concludes in the early hours of the next morning. The shorter version of the Jaa-gran is called Chowki, which only lasts till midnight.

Smartism This the most liberal Hindu sect related to the Smritis literature. Its adherents rely upon the teachings of classi-cal sacred literature – Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and Gita, which promote the understanding of the Vedas. Its teachings were formalized by Adi Sankaracharya, a reformist of the 9th century. The followers of this Hindu denomination, called Smartas, believe that all gods are various depictions of the one formless, impersonal God called Brahman. Smartism harmonizes Hinduism by pro-moting the unity-in-diversity concept, and discouraging sectarianism. Their worship is eclectic, including a wide range of deities instead of focusing on one personal deity. In order to achieve Mukti, it recommends Jnans or Gyana yoga, the path of spiritual insight, in order to destroy igno-rance called avidya. However, at the same time, Smartas are not discouraged from following the other three paths – Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action) and Dhyana (meditation).

It is noteworthy that most modern Hindus in India as well as in Canada are not strictly loyal to any one of the first three Hindu denominations. Almost all temples in Canada have idols of various major deities, in order to cater to the worship needs of Hindus of different de-nominations. A Canadian Hindu visiting his or her local temple would bow in front of all idols, attend Jaagran; may read Gita or Ramayana, do meditation at home, and volunteer work for a charity organization, thus following a combination of all four paths mentioned above. It seems that most Canadian Hindus follow Smar-tism without even being aware of this fact.

Source of this article: Ajit Adhopia’s book The Hindus of Canada [Pub.1993]

THE FOUR MAJOR SECTS OF HINDUISM: PART II

PAGE 29


TAMIL WEAVER’S WISDOMSaint-poet Kabir is a household name in the North-West Regions of India. In their every day conversation, people often quote Kabir’s cou-plets to back up advice or an argument. Saint Kabir came from a humble weaver’s family. People of the Southern States, too, have their version of Kabir who lived many centuries before him. His name was Tiruvalluvar and was born in the hamlet now called Chennai [formerly Madras] in 2200 B.C.E. Like Kabir, Tiruvalluvar also belonged to a weaver family. His work, called TiruKular, which means sacred or holy verses, consists of 1330 couplets. His verses cover every aspect of human life and relationships. Saint Tiruvalluvar’s wisdom is not obsolete, but relevant to daily living even today, and represents traditional Hindu values.

In this issue, we present his precepts related to various topics. His wise advice for a perfect life seem relevant to our daily living, and our relationship with our fellow human beings, even today. Outlined below are his TiruKular or sacred verses on Truthfulness & Avoidance of Anger translated into English by the Late Sat guru Savaii Subramuniyaswami of the Hawaii Hindu Monastery.

Truthfulness [Section III Chapter 30, Kural 301-310]

What is truthfulness? It is speaking words that are totally free from harmful effects.

Even falsehood is of the nature of truth If it renders good results, free from fault.

Let one speak as true what he knows to be false For his conscience will burn when he has lied.

One, who lives by truth in his own heart, truly lives in the hearts of all people.

Those who only speak truth from the heart, Surpass even penitents and philanthropist.

No prestige surpasses the absence of falsehood; all other virtues flow from it effortlessly

Not lying, and merely not lying is beneficial, for those who cannot or will not practice other virtues.

Water is sufficient to cleanse the body But truthfulness alone can purify the mind

Not all lamps give light The lamp of not-lying is the learned mans light

Among all great truths we have ever held, not a single one rivals the goodness of telling the truth

Avoidance of Anger [Section III Chapter 31, Kural 301-310]

It is restraint that restrains rage when it can in-jure, If it cannot harm, what does restraint really matter?

Wrath is wrong even when it cannot cause in-jury, but when it can, there is nothing more evil.

Forget anger toward all who have offended you, for it gives rise to teeming troubles.

Anger kills the face’s smile and heart’s joy. Is there any greater enemy than one’s own anger?

If a man be his own guard, let him guard himself against his own rage. Left unguarded, his own wrath will annihilate him.

Anger’s fire engulfs all who draw near it, burning even friends and family who risk rescue

As a man trying to strike the ground with his hand can hardly fail, just as surely will one who treasures his temper be destroyed.

Though others inflict wrongs as painful as flam-ing torches, it is good if a man can refrain from inflammatory tantrums.

If hostile thoughts do not invade his mind, all his other thoughts may swiftly manifest.

As men who died resemble the dead, so men who renounce rage resemble renunciates.

PAGE 30


READER’S FEEDBACKwell. This is why the nagging question remains: where is the Hindu community when it is needed by those in distress? If we accept that the reason why people convert into Christianity is only because they are “il-literate and vulnerable” then we are missing a genuine opportunity to be self-critical and reflexive about some of the problems within the Hindu community such as caste, hierarchy, social immobility, and perhaps a lack of community support in times of need. Ours is a religion that proclaims many paths to enlightenment and that all roads lead to the same end. Yet Hindutva in (some) practices have adopted an approach to “reclaiming” people that is far too reminiscent of conversion prac-tices or the narrow-minded determinism of some of the “monotheistic” faiths. I think Hindus are correct to stand tall and proud, resisting the idea of conversion. But I think the strongest way to do that is to be reflexive of our own practices and not to replicate the dubious practices of those who would seek to subordinate our culture to their own.

Ajay Parasram Ottawa, Ontario

I enjoyed reading the From the Editor’s Desk by Sri Ajit Adhopia. We feel happy to note that Hindus of Ontario are making steady inroads into the political arena.

Aruna Duggal’s article speaks volumes about the uniqueness of Lord Ganesha. The essence of Ma-hashivratri is amply illustrated in the article of Ajit Adhopia. R.K. Riana’s article throws special light on the importance of Havarti in Kashmir context. We are enthralled to read about Holi, with all its manifestations (reproduced by Sri Ajit Adhopia).Sri Manohar Kamath has done yeomen’s service by drawing our attention to the conversion and re-conversion issue through his well-timed article. We feel emboldened to know that the women were held in high esteem in India in the Vedic age. The articles on Holi and Chat festivals broaden our mental horizon. The article of Sri J.S.Rajput is very thoughtful and timely. V.N. Gopalkrishnan has paid glo-rious tribute to Sri Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the most promi-nent figure of the Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate. The article (Intellectual Giants of Ancient India) will go a long way in inculcating a sense of pride among the Indian youth about our cultural heritage

Dr. Dilip Chakraborty (Rtd. Principal, Rajasthan, India) Brampton, ON

I enjoyed reading Volume 4.1 of the Canadian Hindu Link very much. Thanks for sending it along. I would like to make following comments regarding the article Hindus Fighting Back Christian Conversion by Mano-har Kamath.

The point I want to make is that, while I understand and am sympathetic to the outrage experienced by the Hindutva resurgence, I think Hindus would do better to question the material reasons underscoring why groups of people have chosen to leave a Hindu way of life for a Christian way of life. Historically, Christianity was indeed a vehicle of colonialism and it remains a vehicle of colonization today. I respect the Swami’s declared mission of interrupting the processes of conversion - I think the very idea of “conversion” is repugnant, and my family has been very personally touched by this process as

Your feedback is truly valuable and as such, we encourage more readers to send us their comments, thoughts and/or feedback. Look forward to hearing from you.

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SPRING 2012 ISSUE Canadian Hindu Linkhindueducationlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/...ISSN# 1920-9339 Canadian Hindu Link SPRING 2012 ISSUE A Free Quarterly Journal Dedicated To