Discussion on Indian Epics, Texts, Treatises & Kathas

[naren]

x-post from off topic thread

Deepak Chopra, Robert Thurman: God and Buddha - a dialogue

PS: there's a tiny NSFW icon. watch out.

I just watched this fully. So amazing. Highly recommended.

[Mauli]

Mythic Origins of Ahimsa (non-violence)

Keynote Speaker
Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik

http://www.gandhiji.ca/speakers/Devdutt ... /index.htm

Click for the third video.

[Mauli]

WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY

Mahatma Gandhi

Sir Narayan Chandavarkar and other friends have written an article in which they have condemned non-co-operation in strong terms and said that the scriptures and history are against it. The signatories have stated that the Gita, the Koran, the Bible and the Zend-Avesta of the Parsis, all hold non-co-operation to be wrong. They have cited no texts.

I think I too have been a student of the Gita in my own way. I have seen in it the principle of non-co-operation. The Gita speaks of the war between the divine and the demoniac. It makes it quite clear that good and evil can never be reconciled. If we interpret its teaching literally, we see that when Arjuna refused to fight the wicked Kauravas, Shri Krishna urged him to do so. Thus, literally interpreted, the Gita teaches us not only to refuse co-operation with the tyrant but even to punish him. Though the spirit of the Gita certainly does not teach this latter course, every line of it speaks of the war between good and evil. Just as light and darkness are ever opposed to each other, just as cold and heat can never exist together, so also justice and injustice are incompatible. This is the reason for the age-old practice among us of a person leaving another when hurt. When the subjects can bear a tyrant-king no longer, they keep aloof from him to express their displeasure. When things become unbearable, the subjects even used to leave the king’s territory. Such instances have been quite frequent.
Even today, the thing is happening in two countries. Prahlad non-cooperated with his wicked father , Mirabai with her husband{??} andNarasinh Mehta1 with fellow-members of his community. Today we revere all three. Tulsidas described the difference between the good man and the evil and showed the impossibility of association between the two. Hinduism, thus, teaches that the association of good with evil is ever undersirable. In the Zend-Avesta, Ormuzd and Ahriman are ever at war and, in the Bible, God and Satan. Ormuzd—God—is the perfection of goodness,Ahriman—Satan—is an embodiment of evil. Jesus Christ was nothing if not a heroic satyagrahi. He employed nonco-operation against the hypocrites, the liars andmen drunk with pride. He did not hesitate to introduce divisions in families for the sake of moral principles and he himself opposed, all alone, the mighty Roman Empire. What remains is Koran-e-Sharif. People have written about Islam as if they were ignorant of the life of the Prophet. While he lived in Mecca, he followed the way of non-co-operation with the evil-doers. When the Muslims themselves cite support for non-cooperation in their religion, how very strange it is to tell them that their religion is aginst it!

The evidence of history, too, endorses non-co-operation. By and large, history is a story of war, and war is merely an extreme example of non-co-operation. One side breaking off ties with another is but a form of non-co-operation. War is an example of demoniac non-cooperation. I do not think I am being guilty of presumption in claiming that the non-co-operation I am placing before the country is of the divine type. Non-co-operation which involves violence may succeed or fail, but that non-co-operation which requires nothing but self-sacrifice can end only in success. It simply passes my understanding how anyone can oppose such non-co-operation, for the man who resorts to non-co-operation of the divine type will not resume cooperation till he gets justice. The Germans employed the non-cooperation of armed conflict and so, when defeated, they surrendered. The Dukhobours, in Russia employed unarmed non-co-operation and,
therefore, met with no defeat. When it became impossible for them to continue to live in Russia, they left the country rather than submit to its oppressive rulers. Today, they live as a highly respected community in Canada. When an individual employs non-cooperation, the individual wins; when a community employs it, the community wins. Thus, in non-co-operation of the divine type, effort is never fruitless nor is there any question of moral taint. Its practice even to a limited extent is beneficial and saves the man who resorts to it from great danger. By renouncing the title conferred by a tyrant, the man who practises this renunciation ensures, through such nonco-operation, his happiness. By renouncing his courts, the man wins his own satisfaction to that extent. If a majority of the people perform this act of renunciation, society as a whole will have given up cooperation with injustice, washed itself clean and, to that extent, grown healthier.

Co-operation and non-co-operation have been accepted policies in use since times immemorial—co-operation, always, with the just and non-co-operation with the unjust. Both the Government of India and the Imperial Government have been doing, recently, one injustice after another. The former has been trying to cover up its original injustice with numberless wrongs. Co-operation with it is a sin, non-cooperation a duty.

Separation from the one [the good] kills, while a chance meeting with the other [the wicked] causes the severest pain.1 That is why the Shastras enjoin the rule of non-co-operation with the wicked.It cannot be invalidated by any number of manifestos.

Navajivan, 8-8-1920

Iti Sidham

[ramana]

Murugun, There is a book "The Sirius Mystery" by Robert Temple which talks about the Dogon people. Its available in Amazon.

[Murugan]

Thanks. Will look out for the same.

Recently we met some rustic people from a village. They know about the six chakras and guided us to the place which is above sahastrar! Asked us to meditate on that plexus to know the ultimate reality. Knowledge is not just a prerogative of anybody.

[RamaY]

The other day I heard a logical explanation of Varna structure

Brahmin - One who seeks knowledge
Kshatriya - One who seeks glory
Vaisya - One who seeks wealth
Sudra - One who seeks pleasures

Makes sense to me. Also validates my claim in one of the threads - Today's Indian rulers are like Vyisyas (instead of Kshatriyas) and intellectual class is Kshatriya (instead of Brahmins) and so on...

[Murugan]

RamaY, Listen/read to full Vishnu Sahastranamam - it concludes with

वेदान्ताको ब्राह्मण स्यात (reciting vishun sahastranamam, brahman becomes (more) knowledgeable)
क्षत्रिय विजयी भवेत् (kshatriya gets glory)
वैश्यों धन सम्रिद्धास्यात (vaisya will get more wealth)
शुद्र सुखाम्वाप्नुयात (shudra will avail more sukham)

[RamaY]

Thank you Murugan ji. I was listening to Lalita Sahasram explanation and the speaker made this connection...

[Murugan]

link to chanakya sutrani and play mudra rakshasa

http://sanskritebooks.wordpress.com/tag/chanakya/

[Klaus]

One newbie pooch onlee: Which portion of the Mahabharata details the expedition(s) undertaken by King Bharat before he was crowned supreme emperor, thereby birthing Bhaaratvarsh from Jambudvipa?

[Murugan]

And guess what

IAF Motto is from 11th Chapter of BG Shlok 24

नभः स्पृशम दीप्तम अनेक वर्णं
व्यात्ताननं दीप्त विशाला नेत्रं
दृष्ट्वा ही तवं प्रव्यथितंतर आत्मा
धृतम न विन्दामि समं च विष्णो ||

"O all-pervading Vishnu, seeing You with Your many radiant colors touching the sky, Your gaping mouths, and Your great glowing eyes, my mind is perturbed by fear. I can no longer maintain my steadiness or equilibrium of mind."

[Atri]

Deval Smriti (Hindu Jurisprudence dealing with mass conversion of Non-Hindus to Hinduism.)

It is applicable for individual conversions as well as reconversions. Since all the Muslims and Christians in India are "converts", the ceremony for reconversion can be used with slight modifications. Similar Shastras dealing with reconversion OR conversion of people to Bauddha-Mat, Jaina-mat and Gurumat (Sikhism) should be compiled in this thread. Will try to translate this slowly.. one of the wonderful material to read.. many self inflicting memes of Indic religions are conclusively answered and defeated in this treatise..

सिंधुतीरे सुखासीनं देवलं मुनिसत्तमम
समेत्य मुनयः सर्वे इदे वचनमब्रुवन ॥१॥

भगवन्म्लेच्छनीता हि कथं शुद्धिमवाप्नुयुः।
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैवानुपूर्वशः ॥२॥
hey Bhagwan, how will the brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas, shudras who were forcibly desecrated and converted by mlechhas (Muslims) be purified?

कथं स्नानं कथं शौचं प्रायश्चितं कथं भवेत।
किमाचारा भवेयुस्ते तदाचक्ष्व सविस्तरम ॥३॥
By what procedure should they bathe, repent and get purified and what code of conduct should they thereafter follow in rest of their lives?

देवल उवाच -

त्रिशंकु वर्जयेद्देशं सर्व द्वादशयोजनम।
उत्तरेण महानद्या दक्षिणेन तु कीकटम ॥४॥

प्रायश्चितं प्रवक्ष्यामि विस्तरेण महर्षयः ॥५॥

मृतसूते तु दासीनां पत्नीनां चानुलोमिनाम।
स्वामितुल्यं भवेच्छौचं मृते यौनिकम ॥६॥

अपेय येन संपीतमभक्ष्यं चापि भक्षितम।
म्लेच्छैर्नीतेन विप्रेण अगम्यागमनं कृतम ॥७॥

तस्य शुद्धिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यावदेकं तु वत्सरम।
चांद्रयणं तु विप्रस्य सपराकं प्रकीर्तितम ॥८॥

पराकमेकं क्षत्रस्य पादकृच्छ्रेण संयुतम।
पराकार्ध तु वैश्यस्य शूद्रस्य दिनपञ्चकम ॥९॥

नखलोमविहिनानां प्रायश्चित्तं प्रदापयेत।
चतुर्णामपि वर्णानामन्यथाऽशुद्धिरास्ति हि ॥१०॥

प्रायश्चित्तविहिनं तु यदा तेषां कलेवरम।
कर्तव्यस्तत्र संस्कारो मेखलादण्डवर्जितः ॥११॥

म्लेच्छैर्नीतेन शूद्रैर्वा हारिते दण्डमेखले।
संस्करप्रमुखं तस्य सर्व कार्य यथाविधि ॥१२॥

संस्कारान्ते च विप्राणां दानं धेनुश्च दक्षिणा।
दातव्यं शुद्धिमिच्छद्भिरश्वगोभूमिकाञ्चनम ॥१३॥

तदासौ तु कुटुंबानां पंक्ति प्राग्नोति नान्यथा।
स्वभार्यां च यथान्यार्य गच्छन्नेव विशुध्यति ॥१४॥

अथ संवत्सरादूर्ध्वं म्लेच्छैर्नीतो यदा भवेत।
प्रायश्चितं तु संचीण गंगास्नानेन शुध्यति ॥१५॥

सिंधुसौवीरसौराष्ट्रं तथा प्रत्यन्तवासिनः।
कलिंकौकणान्वंगान गत्वा संस्कारमर्हति ॥१६॥

बलाद्दासीकृता ये च म्लेच्छचांडालदस्युभिः।
अशुभं कारिताः कर्म गवादिप्राणिहिंसनम ॥१७॥

उच्छिष्टमार्जनं चैव तथा तस्यैव भोजनम।
खरोष्ट्रविंवराहाणामामिषस्य च भक्षणम ॥१८॥

तत्स्रीणां च तथां संगं तामिश्च सह भोजनम।
मासेषिते द्विजातौ तु प्राजापत्यं विशोधनम ॥१९॥

चांद्रायणं त्वाहिताग्नेः पराकस्त्वथवा भवेत।
चान्द्रायणं पराकं च चरेत्संवत्सरोषितः ॥२०॥

संवत्सरोषितः शूद्रो मासार्ध यावकं पिबेत।
मासमात्रौऽषितः शूद्रः कृच्छ्र्पादेन शुध्यति ॥२१॥

ऊर्ध्व संवत्सरात्कल्प्यं प्रायश्चित्तं द्विजौत्तमैः।
संवत्सरैश्चंतुर्भिश्च तद्भवमधिगच्छति ॥२२॥

ह्रासो न विद्यते यस्य प्रायश्चित्तं तु कारयेत।
गुह्यकक्षशिरोभ्रूणां कर्तव्यं केशवापनम ॥२३॥

प्रायश्चित्तं समारभ्य प्रायश्चित्तं तु कारयेत।
स्नानं त्रिकालं कुर्वीत धौतवासा जितेन्द्रीयः ॥२४॥

कुशहस्तः सत्यवक्तादेवलेनह्युदाहृतम।
वत्सरं वत्सरार्धं वा मासं मासार्धमेव वा ॥२५॥

बलान्म्लेच्छैस्तु यो नीतस्तस्य शुद्धिस्तु कीदृशी।
संवत्सरोषिते शूद्रे शुद्धिश्चान्द्रायणेन तु ॥२६॥

पराकं वत्सरार्धे च पराकार्ध त्रिमासिक।
मासिके पादकृच्छ्रश्च नखलोमविवर्जितः ॥२७॥

पादोनं क्षत्रियस्योक्तमर्धं वैश्यस्य दापयेत।
प्रायश्चित्तं द्विजस्योक्तं पादं शूद्रस्य दापयेत ॥२८॥

प्रायश्चित्तावसाने तु दोग्ध्री गौर्दक्षिणा मता।
तथाऽसौ तु कुटुम्बान्ते ह्युपाविष्टो न दुष्यति ॥२९॥

अशीतिर्यस्य वर्षाणि वालोवाऽप्यूनषोडशः।
प्रायश्चित्तार्धमर्हन्ति स्त्रियो रोगिण एव च ॥३०॥

ऊनैकादशवर्षस्य पञ्चवर्षात्परस्य च।
प्रायश्चित्त चरेदभ्राता पिता वाऽन्योऽपि वर्धिता ॥३१॥

स्वयं व्रतं चरेत्सर्वमन्यथा नैव शुध्यति।
तिलहोगं प्रकुर्वीत जपं कुर्यादतन्द्रितः ॥३२॥

संलापस्पर्शनिःश्वाससहयानासनाशनात।
याजनाध्यापनाद्यौनात्पापं संक्रमते नृणाम ॥३३॥

याजनं योनिसंबंध स्वाध्यायं सहभोजनम।
कृत्वा सद्यः पतत्येव पतितेन न संशयः ॥३४॥

संवत्सरेण पतति पतितेन सहाऽऽचरन।
याजनासनयज्ञादि कुर्वाणः सार्वकामिकम ॥३५॥

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रायश्चित्तमिदं शुभम।
स्त्रीणां म्लेच्छैश्च नीतानां बलात्संवेशने क्वचित ॥३६॥

ब्राह्मणी क्षत्रिया वैश्या शूद्रा नीता यदांत्यजैः।
ब्राह्मण्याः कीदृशं न्याय्यं प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते ॥३७॥

ब्राह्मणी भोजयेन्म्लेच्छमभक्ष्यं भक्ष्ययेद्यदि।
पराकेण ततः शुद्धिः पादेनोत्तरतोत्तरान ॥३८॥

न कृतं मैथुनं तामिरभक्ष्यं नैव भक्षितम।
शुद्धिस्तदा त्रिरात्रेण म्लेच्छान्नेनैव भक्षिते ॥३९॥

रजस्वला यदा स्पृष्टा म्लेच्छेनान्येन वा पुनः।
त्रिरात्रमुषिता स्नात्वा पञ्चगव्येन शुध्यति ॥४०॥

स्पृष्ट्वा रजस्वलाऽन्योयं ब्राह्मणी क्षत्रिया तथा।
त्रिरात्रेण विशुद्धिः स्याद्देबलस्य वचो यथा ॥४१॥

स्पृष्ट्वा रजस्वलाऽन्योयं ब्राह्मणी क्षत्रिया तथा।
पञ्चरात्रं निराहारा पञ्चगव्येन शुध्यति ॥४२॥

ब्राह्मण्यनशनं कुर्यात्क्षत्रिया स्नानमाचरेत।
सचैलं वैश्यजातीनां नक्तं शूद्रे विनिर्दिशेत ॥४३॥

म्लेछान्नं म्लेच्छसंस्पर्शो म्लेच्छेन सह संस्थितिः।
वत्सरं वत्सरादूर्ध्व त्रिरात्रेण विशुध्यति ॥४४

म्लेच्छैर्हृतानां चौरैर्वा कान्तारेषु प्रवासिनाम।
भुक्त्वा भक्ष्यमभक्ष्यं वा क्षुधार्तेन भयेन वा ॥४५॥

पुनः प्राप्य स्वकं देशं चातुर्वर्णस्य निष्कृतिः।
कृच्छ्रमेकं चरेद्वैश्यः शूद्रः पादेन शुध्यति ॥४६॥

गृहीता स्त्री बलादेव म्लेच्छैर्गुर्वीकृता यदि।
गुर्वी न शुद्धिमाप्नोति त्रिरात्रेणेतरा शुचिः ॥४७॥

योषा गर्भ विधत्ते या म्लेच्छात्कामादकामतः।
ब्राह्मणी क्षत्रिया वैश्या शूद्रा वर्णेतरा च या ॥४८॥

अभक्ष्यभक्ष्यणं कुर्यात्तस्याः शुद्धिः कथं भवेत।
कृच्छ्रं सांतपनं शुद्धिर्घृतैर्योनेश्च पाचनम ॥४९॥

असवर्णेन यो गर्भः स्त्रीणां योनौ निषिच्यते।
अशुद्धा सा भवेन्नारी यावच्छल्यं न मुञ्चति ॥५०॥

विनिसृते ततः शल्ये रजसो वापि दर्शने।
तदा सा शुध्यते नारी विमलं कांचनं यथा ॥५१॥

स गर्भो दीयतेऽन्यस्मै स्वयं ग्राह्यो न कर्हिचित।
स्वजातौ वर्जयेद्यस्मात्संकरः स्यादतोऽन्यथा ॥५२॥

गृहीतो यो बलाम्छेच्छैः पञ्च षट सप्त वा समाः।
दशादि विंशति यावत्तस्य शुद्धिर्विधीयते ॥५३॥

प्राजापत्यद्वयं तस्य शुद्धिरेषा विधीयते।
अतः परं नास्ति शुद्धिः कृच्छ्रमेव सहोषिते ॥५४॥

म्लेच्छैः सहोषितो यस्तु पंचप्रभृति विंशतिः।
वर्षाणि शुद्धिरेषोक्ता तस्य चान्द्रायणद्वयम ॥५५॥

कक्षागुह्यशिरःश्मश्रुभ्रूलोमपरिकृन्तनम।
प्राहृत्य पाणिपादानां नखलोम ततः शुचिः ॥५६॥

यो दातुं न विजानाति प्रायश्चित्तं द्विजोत्तमः।
शुद्धिं ददाति चान्यस्मै तदशुद्धैः स भाजनम ॥५७॥

सभायां स्पर्शने चैव म्लेच्छेन सह संविशेत।
कुर्यात्स्नानं सचैलं तु दिनमेकमभोजनम ॥५८॥

माता म्लेच्छत्वमागच्छेत्पितरो वा कथंचन।
असूतकं च नष्टस्य देवलस्य वचो यथा ॥५९॥

मातरं च परित्यज्य पितरं च तथा सुतः।
ततः पितामहं चैव शेषपिण्डं तु निर्वपेत ॥६०॥

स्त्रीणां चैव तु शूद्राणां पतितानां तथैव च।
पञ्चगव्यं न दातव्यं दातव्यं मंत्रवर्जितम ॥६१॥

वरुणो देवता मूत्रे गोमये हव्यावाहनः।
सोमः क्षीरे दघ्नि वायुर्घृते रविरुदाहृतः ॥६२॥

गोमूत्रं ताम्रवर्णायाः श्वेतायाश्चैव गोमयम।
पयः काञ्चनवर्णाया नीलायाश्चपि गोर्दधि ॥६३॥

घृतं वै कृष्णवर्णाया विभक्तिर्वर्णगोचरा।
उदकं सर्ववर्ण स्यात्कस्य वर्णो न गृह्यते ॥६४॥

षण्मात्रिके तु गोमूत्रं गोमयं च कुशोदकम।
त्रिमात्रिकं घृतं क्षीरं दधि स्याद्दशमात्रिकम ॥६५॥

व्रते तु सर्ववर्णानां पञ्चगव्यं तु संख्यया।
प्रायश्चित्तं यथोक्तं तु दातव्यं ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥६६॥

व्रते तु सर्ववर्णानां पञ्चगव्यं तु संख्यया।
प्रायश्चित्तं यथोक्तं तु दातव्यं ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥६६॥

अन्यथा दापयेद्यस्तु प्रायश्चित्ती भवेद्द्विजः॥६७॥

कपिलायाश्वगोर्दुग्ध्वा धारोष्णं यः पयः पिबेत।
एष व्यासकृतः कृच्छ्रः श्वपाकमपि शोधयेत ॥६८॥

तिलाहोमं प्रकुर्वीत जपं कुर्यादतन्द्रितः।
’ विष्णो रराट ’ मंत्रेण प्रायश्चित्ती विशुध्यति ॥६९॥

बहुनाऽत्र किमुक्तेन तिलहोमो विधीयते।
तिलान्दत्त्वा तिलान्भुक्त्वा कुर्वीताघनिवारणम ॥७०॥

संपादयन्ति यद्विपाः स्नानं तीर्थफलं तपः।
संपादी क्रमते पापं तस्य संपद्यते फलम ॥७१॥

प्रायश्चित्तं समाख्यातं यथोक्तं देवलेन तु।
इतरेषामृषीणां च नान्यथा वाक्यमर्हथ ॥७२॥

सुवर्णदानं गोदानं भूमिदानं गवान्हिकम।
विप्रेभ्यः संप्रच्छेत प्रायश्चित्ती विशुध्यति ॥७३॥

पञ्चाहान्सहवासेन संभाषणसहाशनैः।
संप्राश्य पंञ्चागव्यं तु दान दत्वा विशुध्यति ॥७४॥

एकद्वित्रिचतुःसंख्यान्वत्सरान्संवसेद्यदि।
म्लेच्छवासं द्विजश्रेष्ठः क्रमते द्रव्ययोगतः ॥७५॥

एकाहेन तु गोमूत्रं द्वयहेनैव तु गोमयम।
त्रहात्क्षीरेण संयुक्तं चतुर्थे दधिमिश्रितम ॥७६॥

संवासं च प्रवक्ष्यामि देहशुद्धिं द्विजन्मनाम।
पंचाहं पंचगव्यं स्यात्पादकृच्छ्रं दशाहिके ॥७८॥

पराकं पंचदशभिर्विशेऽतिकृच्छ्रमेव च।
उदरं प्रविशेद्यस्य पंचगव्यं विधानतः ॥७९॥

म्लेच्छैर्नीतस्य विप्रस्य पंचगव्यं विशोधनम ॥८०॥

पंचगव्यं च गोक्षीरे दधि मूत्रं घृतं पयः।
यत्किंचिद्दुष्कृतं तस्य सर्व नश्यति देहिनः।
पंच सप्ताष्ट दश वा द्वादशाहोऽपि विंशतिः।
प्राश्यापरेऽहन्युपवसेत्कृच्छ्रं सांतपनं चरेत ॥८१॥

पृथक्सांतपनं द्रव्यैः षडहः सोपवासकः।
सप्ताहेन तु कृच्छ्रोऽयं महासांतपनः स्मृतः ॥८२॥

पर्णोदुम्बरराजीवबिल्वपत्रकुशोदकैः।
प्रत्येकं प्रत्यहं पीतैः पू ( प ) र्णकृच्छ्र उदाहृतः ॥८३॥

कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रः पयसा दिवसानेकविंशतिम।
द्वादशाहोपवासेन पराकः परिकीर्तितः ॥८६॥

एषां त्रिरात्रमभ्यासादेकैकस्य यथाक्रमम।
तुलापुरुष इत्येष ज्ञेयः पञ्चदशाहिकः ॥८८॥

तिथिवृद्ध्या चरेत्पिण्डाञ्शुक्ले शिख्यण्डसंमितान।
एकैक ह्रासयेत्पिण्डान्कृच्छ्रचांद्रयाणं चरेत ॥८९॥

यथाकथंचित्पिण्डानां चत्वारिंशच्छतद्वयम।
इति देवल ( ले ) नकृतं धर्मशास्त्रं प्रकीर्तितम ॥९०॥

समाप्तेयं देवलस्मृतिः

[Mauli]

It is wrong to deny that yoga has its origins in Hinduism

Thus, when a neophyte yoga student, hanging on to Jesus, anxiously queried, "Is yoga part of Hinduism?", the savvy marketer claimed that the origins of yoga were lost in myth and mystery and that there "was no indication that it was ever part of an organised religion", accomplishing two things simultaneously – reifying Hinduism as a "religion" in the sense of "Abrahamic religions", and denying it as the fount and foundation of yoga.

Joining these local marketers were the Indian-origin marketers, with the lead being taken by the savvy Deepak Chopra – the glib, red-sneakers-and-red-designer-glasses-wearing Hollywood guru who would make PT Barnum proud. Thus, when Aseem Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation wrote an essay in The Washington Post in April this year arguing that there had been a deliberate attempt to represent yoga as separate from its origins in Hinduism, Chopra came pouncing. Ironically, he was joining hands with those demonising Hinduism and disemboweling it of its grand traditions. And when The New York Times, in a front-page article, recently commended the Hindu American Foundation for its intelligent activism, the nay-sayers screamed: "Hindu fundamentalists!"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ed-wrongly

Just look at one of the comments:

No it's whatever the people who practice it want to call it. Just because it emerged from an environment of superstition and belief in the supernatural doesn't mean it has to stay that way. People are perfectly entitled to take what they see as the useful part of a system and discard all the irrelevant superstition.

[svinayak]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ed-wrongly

Just look at one of the comments:

No it's whatever the people who practice it want to call it. Just because it emerged from an environment of superstition and belief in the supernatural doesn't mean it has to stay that way. People are perfectly entitled to take what they see as the useful part of a system and discard all the irrelevant superstition.

Let them say the same thing to Christian practice or Islam practice. This is childish and immature.
They feel sheepish to acknowledge when they have for the most part mocked and made fun of Hindus in the last 40 years.


This guy is defently jealous that secular religion does not have something like Yoga.

jyeshta
2 December 2010 4:12PM

Rao seems to want all those who want to practice yoga in the world to get back to its true roots, to reracinate yoga. But a quick look at the yogis in India now and in the remote past shows that the yogis, sadhus and anchorites who practice and taught yoga as a path to spiritual liberation have deliberately lived outside the constraints of orthodox Hindu religion.
I don't wish that the yoga enthusiasts outside India become more Hindu and certainly not wish that they believe this rewriting of history that says yoga emerged from Hinduism. It just didn't. Yoga was practiced in Vedic times long before the recognizable form of Hinduism, with its rituals and beliefs arose. Hinduism can trace its origin from Vedic knowledge, but that doesn't mean it owns the knowledge that those enlightened Vedic seers revealed. Evangelical Christians derive their religion from Christ's teachings, but they don't own Christ's message or its interpretation (even though in their missionary work they think they do.)
What most readers don't realize is that there has been a surging Hindu nationalism in India the last couple of decades that is trying to consolidate political and cultural power throughout the country in the name of Hindu pride. This is the group fomenting much of the violence between HIndus and Muslims in Indian. This rising Hindu nationalism is the real backstory, and this is why they are playing the Rodney Dangerfield line "we get no respect for our yoga" as a way of trying to legitimize their larger Hindu agenda. It seems Dr. Chopra with his fancy glasses sees through this subterfuge.

[SwamyG]

HAF is waging a valiant and necessary battle; but they are against a billion-dollar industry.

[negi]

When I read comments made by likes of Deepak Chopra I am reminded of some of the teenagers from middle class in our country who show this marked change in behavior when they start college, they shy away from accompanying their parents to the local market or refuse their father from dropping them to the bus stand or even college it appears they feel it is 'uncool' to be seen with a SDRE dhoti clad father amongst yuppy crowd.

Same is the case with these Hindus born with silver spoons who have settled in the west or posh suburbs in India, Hinduism evokes an image of country of 'Mola Rams' in the west hence the wimpy ba$tastards that former are they try to distance themselves from their roots. I say good for them we don't need such faggots.In this case Chopra would have even disowned Yoga but then he makes a living by selling it so he is hell bent on disassociating it from Hinduism.

[SwamyG]

^^^
IMO, adolescents go through that phase. It is not restricted to a particular gender. I remember time when I used to rebel against traditions and anything parents or grand parents said. I used to have good debates (arguments as my mom would put it) with elders. But with age, one mellows down. Also when one begins to "re-discover" traditions and India, one begins to gain immense respect. Flaws in the system become tolerable and one can see historical or economical reasons for various thoughts and actions. Thanks to the internet, the knowledge. that illuminates, enlightens and sets us free, is easily accessible.

People accept and adapt a system that they think is positive. That is where organizations like HAF come into picture. They battle to protect the positive image. This is crucial for India in the long run.

[Murugan]

Schopenhauer and Upanishads

Indology
Schopenhauer read the Latin translation of the Upanishads which had been translated by French writer Anquetil du Perron from the Persian translation of Prince Dara Shikoh entitled Sirre-Akbar ("The Great Secret"). He was so impressed by their philosophy that he called them "the production of the highest human wisdom", and considered them to contain superhuman conceptions. The Upanishads was a great source of inspiration to Schopenhauer, and writing about them he said:

It is the most satisfying and elevating reading (with the exception of the original text) which is possible in the world; it has been the solace of my life and will be the solace of my death.

It is well known that the book Oupnekhat (Upanishad) always lay open on his table, and he invariably studied it before sleeping at night. He called the opening up of Sanskrit literature "the greatest gift of our century", and predicted that the philosophy and knowledge of the Upanishads would become the cherished faith of the West.

Schopenhauer was first introduced to the 1802 Latin Upanishad translation through Friedrich Majer. They met during the winter of 1813-1814 in Weimar at the home of Schopenhauer’s mother according to the biographer Sanfranski. Majer was a follower of Herder, and an early Indologist. Schopenhauer did not begin a serious study of the Indic texts, however, until the summer of 1814. Sansfranski maintains that between 1815 and 1817, Schopenhauer had another important cross-pollination with Indian Thought in Dresden. This was through his neighbor of two years, Karl Christian Friedrich Krause. Krause was then a minor and rather unorthodox philosopher who attempted to mix his own ideas with that of ancient Indian wisdom. Krause had also mastered Sanskrit, unlike Schopenhauer, and the two developed a professional relationship. It was from Krause that Schopenhauer learned meditation and received the closest thing to expert advice concerning Indian thought.

Most noticeable, in the case of Schopenhauer’s work, was the significance of the Chandogya Upanishad, whose Mahavakya, Tat Tvam Asi is mentioned throughout The World as Will and Representation.

Schopenhauer said he was influenced by the Upanishads, Immanuel Kant and Plato. References to Eastern philosophy and religion appear frequently in Schopenhauer's writing. As noted above, he appreciated the teachings of the Buddha and even called himself a "Buddhist". He said that his philosophy could not have been conceived before these teachings were available.

Concerning the Upanishads and Vedas, he writes in The World as Will and Representation:

If the reader has also received the benefit of the Vedas, the access to which by means of the Upanishads is in my eyes the greatest privilege which this still young century (1818) may claim before all previous centuries, if then the reader, I say, has received his initiation in primeval Indian wisdom, and received it with an open heart, he will be prepared in the very best way for hearing what I have to tell him. It will not sound to him strange, as to many others, much less disagreeable; for I might, if it did not sound conceited, contend that every one of the detached statements which constitute the Upanishads, may be deduced as a necessary result from the fundamental thoughts which I have to enunciate, though those deductions themselves are by no means to be found there.

He summarised the influence of the Upanishads thus: "It has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death!"

[ramana]

When I read comments made by likes of Deepak Chopra I am reminded of some of the teenagers from middle class in our country who show this marked change in behavior when they start college, they shy away from accompanying their parents to the local market or refuse their father from dropping them to the bus stand or even college it appears they feel it is 'uncool' to be seen with a SDRE dhoti clad father amongst yuppy crowd.

Same is the case with these Hindus born with silver spoons who have settled in the west or posh suburbs in India, Hinduism evokes an image of country of 'Mola Rams' in the west hence the wimpy ba$tastards that former are they try to distance themselves from their roots. I say good for them we don't need such faggots.In this case Chopra would have even disowned Yoga but then he makes a living by selling it so he is hell bent on disassociating it from Hinduism.

What would you say when Richa Sharma, the Hindi playback singer shows up on SaReGaMa on Zeetv in a frock outfit and belts out some rabba number? I thought what a confused desi. Atleast the Amercian born have an excuse.

There is a movement in small town India to adopt Western clothes even if they are inappropriate to show they have arrived. Its a social fad that is sweeping the country.

[RamaY]

This guy is defently jealous that secular religion does not have something like Yoga.

First of all they are not secular when they cannot accept the underlying religion while steeling yoga from it.

Secondly it is all temporary onlee. When they say that they can take only part of a religion and discard what they do not like, they are laying IEDs in the path of EJs and Islamists.

What will they do when someone tries to take only useful part of islam/christianity and throw the rest under a Chinese maglov?

What will happen to the holy book?

Reminds me a good joke I read today in "GreatAndhra.com". Like Christianity AP Congress also have a father, son, and holy spirit; it is YSR, YSJ, and KVP

[ramana]

A nice description of the Telugu movie Malleswari and how it relates to Kalidasa's Meghasandesam.

While at it look at the sidebars on various topics.

[Murugan]

making a list of 100 classics of india including vedic/puran literature

1 Mudra Rakshas
2 Madhyam Vyayog
3 Ravindra Nath Tagore - Gitanjali
4 Work of Svami Vivekanand
5 Autobiography of a Yogi
6 Four Veds
7 All 11 Upanishads
8 Volga to Ganga
9 Swmi Dayanand Saraswati - Satyarth Prakash
10 Kalidasa -- Meghaduta
11 Kalidasa -- Srutbodha
12 Kalidasa -- Vikramovarsiyam
13 Kalidasa -- Raghuvansam
14 Kalidasa -- Abhijnanasakuntalam
15 Kalidasa -- Kumarasambhava
16 Kalidasa -- Malavikagrimitra
17 Kalidasa -- Raghuvamsa
18 Kalidasa -- Vikramorvasiyam
19 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Pancaratra
20 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Swapanvasdatt
21 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Charudattam
22 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Dutaghatotkach
23 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Dutavakya
24 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Pratima Nataka
25 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Karnabhara
26 Mahakavi Sri Bhasa -- Urubhangam
27 Bana Bhatta -- Harshacarita
28 Bana Bhatta -- Kadambari
29 Shudak -- Mricchakatikam
30 Narayan Bhatt -- Venisamhara Natakam
31 Vishnu Sharma -- Panchatantra
32 Jaideva -- Chandraloka
33 Jaideva -- Prasannaraghava
34 Mahakavi Shriharsha -- Ratnavali Natika
35 Mahakavi Shriharsha -- Naishdhiyacharitam
36 Sri Magh -- Shishupalvadh Mahakavya
37 Mahakavi Bharavi -- Kiratarjuniyam
38 Dandi -- Dasakumaracarita
39 Dhananjayavirchit -- Dasarupkam
40 Ksemendra -- Bharatamanjari
41 Ashvaghosh -- Budhacharitam
42 Aryashur -- Jatakmala
43 King Somesvara -- Manasollasa
44 Dhanvantri-Nighantu -- Studies on Medicinal Plants & Drugs
45 Bhaskaracharya -- Beejganitam (Alzebra)
46 Manusmriti
47 Arthashastra - Kautilya
48 Yog Vashishthya - Vasistha (English Translation 'The Supreme Yoga')
49 Somdev - Katha Sarita Sagar
50 All Purans

[Murugan]

Purans

महा-पुराण - mahaa-puraaNa - Main Purana-s
ब्रह्म - brahma वैष्णव - vaiShNava शैव - shaiva
ब्रह्मपुराणम् brahmapuraaNam
ब्रह्माण्डपुराणम् brahmaaNDapuraaNam
ब्रह्मवैवर्तपुराणम् brahmavaivartapuraaNam
मार्कण्डेयपुराणम् maarkaNDeyapuraaNam
भविष्यपुराणम् bhaviShyapuraaNam
वामनपुराणम् vaamanapuraaNam
विष्णुपुराणम् viShNupuraaNam
नारदीयपुराणम् naaradiiyapuraaNam
भागवतपुराणम् bhaagavatapuraaNam
गरुडपुराणम् garuDapuraaNam
पद्मपुराणम् padmapuraaNam
वराहपुराणम् varaahapuraaNam
मत्स्यपुराणम् matsyapuraaNam
कूर्मपुराणम् kuurmapuraaNam
लिङ्गपुराणम् liN^gapuraaNam
वायुपुराणम् vaayupuraaNam
स्कान्दपुराणम् skaandapuraaNam
अग्निपुराणम् agnipuraaNam

[satyask]

A nice description of the Telugu movie Malleswari and how it relates to Kalidasa's Meghasandesam.

While at it look at the sidebars on various topics.

Thanks..

[RamaY]

Fate, Karma, Action, Inaction

Any guess on who said this

In this world whatever is gained is gained only by self-effort; where failure is encountered it is seen that there has been slackness in the effort. This is obvious, but what is called fate is fictitious, and is not seen. Self-effort, is that mental, verbal and physical action which is in accordance with the instructions of a holy person well versed in the scriptures. It is only by such effort that Indra became king of heaven, that Brahma became the creator, and the other deities earned their places.

Self-effort is of two categories; that of past births and that of this birth. The latter effectively counteracts the former. Fate is none other than self-effort of a past incarnation. There is constant conflict between there two in this interaction; and that which is more powerful triumphs.

Self-effort which is not in accordance with the scriptures is motivated by delusion. When there is obstruction in the fruition of self-effort one should examine it to see if there is such deluded action, and if there is it should be immediately corrected. There is no power greater than right action in the present. Hence, one should take recourse to self-effort, grinding one's teeth, and one should overcome evil by good and fate by present effort.

The lazy man is worse than a donkey. One should never yield to laziness but strive to attain liberation, seeing that life is ebbing away every moment. One should not revel in the filth known as sense-pleasures as a worm revels in pus.

One who says: "Fate is directing me to do this" is brainless, and the goddess of fortune abandons him. Hence, by self-effort acquire wisdom and then realize that this self-effort is not without its own end, in the direct realization of the truth. If this dreadful source of evil named laziness is not found on earth, who will ever be illiterate and poor? It is because laziness if found on earth that people live life of animals {in that they are not intellectually evolving. Animals are not lazy in earning their livelihood} miserable and poverty stricken.

As is the effort so is the fruit. this is the meaning of self-effort, and it is also known as fate (divine). When afflicted by suffering people cry 'Alas what tragedy' or 'Alas, look at my fate', both of which mean the same thing. What is called fate or divine will is nothing other than the action or self-effort of the past. The present is infinitely more potent than the past. They indeed are fools who are satisfied with the fruits of their past effort (which they regard as divine will) and do not engage themselves in self-effort now.

Sometimes it happens that without effort someone makes a great gain: for example, the state elephant chooses (in accordance with an ancient practice) a mendicant as the ruler of a country whose king suddenly died without leaving a heir; this is certainly neither an accident nor some kind of divine act, but the fruit of the mendicant's self-effort in the past birth.

Sometimes it happens that a farmer's efforts are made fruitless by a hailstorm; surely, the hailstorm's own power was greater than the farmer's effort and the farmer should put forth greater effort now. He should not grieve over the inevitable loss. If such grief is justified, why should he not weep daily over the inevitability of death? The wise man should of course know what is capable of attainment by self-effort and what is not. It is ignorance however to attribute all this to an outside agency or to say that God sends me to heaven or to hell or that an outside agency makes me do this or that - such an ignorant person should be shunned.

One should free oneself from likes and dislikes and engage oneself in righteous self-effort and reach the supreme truth, knowing that self-effort alone is another name for divine will. We only ridicule the fatalist. That alone is self-effort which springs from right understanding that manifests in one's heart which has been exposed to teachings of the scriptures and the conduct of holy ones.

One should, with a body free from illness and mind free from distress, pursue self-knowledge so that he is not born again here. Such self-effort has a three-fold root and therefore threefold fruit; an inner awakening in the intelligence, a decision in the mind and physical action.

Self-effort is based on there three: knowledge of scriptures, instructions of the preceptor and one's own effort. Fate (or divine dispensation) does not enter here. Hence he who desires salvation should divert the impure mind to pure endeavor by persistent effort - this is the very essence of all scriptures.

The tendencies brought forward from past incarnations are of two kinds - pure and impure. The pure ones lead you towards liberation, and the impure ones invite trouble. You are indeed consciousness itself, not inert physical matter. You are not impelled to action by anything other than yourself. Hence you are free to strengthen the pure latent tendencies in preference to the impure ones. The holy ones emphasize: persistently tread the path that leads to the eternal good. And the wise seeker knows; the fruit of my endeavors will be commensurate with the intensity of my self-effort and neither fate nor a god can ordain it otherwise. Indeed such self-effort alone is responsible for whatever man gets here; when he is sunk in unhappiness, to console him people suggest that it is his fate This is obvious: one goes abroad and one appeases one's hunger, by undertaking a journey and by eating food - not on account of fate. No one has seen such a fate or a god, but everyone has experienced how an action (good or bad) leads to a result (good or bad). Hence, right from one's childhood one should endeavor to promote one's true good (salvation) by a keen intelligent {not blind faith} study of scriptures, by having the company of the holy ones and by right self-effort.

Fate or divine dispensation is merely a convention which has come to be regarded as truth by being repeatedly declared to be true. If this god or fate is truly the ordainer of everything in this world, of what meaning is any action (even like bathing, speaking or giving), and whom should one teach at all? No. In this world except a corpse, everything is active and such activity yields its appropriate result. No one has ever realized the existence of a fate or divine dispensation. People use such expressions as "I am impelled by fate or divine dispensation to do this" for self-satisfaction, but this is not true. For example, if an astrologer predicts that a young man would become a great scholar, does that young man become a scholar without study? No. Then, why do we believe in divine dispensation? Viswamitra became a Brahma-Rsi by self-effort; all of us have attain self-knowledge by self-effort alone.

[Pratyush]

Dronacharya's act was shameful, says SC

Just what is the need to bring this in the judgement mentioned above. This is another example of ignorence of masqurading as knowledge.

My response to the judgement.

This is an example that is totally out of context. Eklavya had accepted Drona as his master. He lern't by watching him. While, the thumb was taken as a Dakshina. It was more to teach Eklavya a lesson. Which being that as a warrior he should not loose his cool at minor provocations. Which is what he had done just before the incident.

His (Eklavya's) muzzling the barking dog was unwarranted. In the circumstances. The taking of the thumb was to teach him a lesson in controlling his anger. (As much as collection of Guru Dakshina)

This is a context that is largely forgotten by the people who are condemning the act by Drona. In doing so they are also doing injustice to the subsequent teachings provided to Eklavya by Drona.

All in all it is extremely sad to watch this quoted out of context, by the Supreme court.

[Murugan]

Earlier the judges justified live-in relationship giving example of radha-krishna's relationship.

(But the positive spin is that they are are actually believing in the existence of Krishna and Dronacharya and Radha too!!!)

[naren]

Man, if only it had happened in the US ! They make so much fuss over that separation of church and state thing. In India, we so lovingly make references to our holy texts ! Thats a win for Dharma.

[Yagnasri]

In case of Dhrona an other aspect was forgotten. Powerful weapons can not be given to all and sundry. Today why we are concern with nuclear weapons or huge armies of some countries and not concerned about teh same things with some other countries? Nishdhas or the people of the forests were not given weapns those days. We may find it wrong with todays caste identity and equality ideas. But even not there is no eqality for getting weapon training. If the state or society thinks that some set of people should not be given some kind of training then they will not be given.

For example do you imagine indian army giving commando training at huhe scale to tribals in Naxal areas and muslims in Kashmir. I am not saying all these people are bad. But certain section will be kept out of this kind of abilities.

So what the great guru did is right though it may be unjest to Ekalavaya personally. But who will remember him but for his devotion to his guru if for that one insident to day. Today all the students are shown his example for the devotion to study and respect for his guru. Great person.

[Murugan]

Powerful weapons can not be given to all and sundry.

Also, Powerful ministries like telecom should not be given to all and sundry.

[RamaY]

Dronacharya's act was shameful, says SC

I am sure SC judges have more knowledge on these things but this is what comes to my intellect upon contemplation.

Drona has a rule that he would teach only Brahmins and Kshatriyas. Can someone blame/sue Harvard/MIT etc for their admission policies? Do they determine one's candidature purely and unambiguously on merit basis, then what is the need for Essays, Recommendations, Background info (anyone in your family a harvard-alumni?) etc?

Ekalavya approaches Drona to learn Astra-vidya and Drona rejects that requests. Now Ekalavya learns it on his own, but keeps Drona in guru apostle.

Now there is a rule in learning - One has to give something to guru in return for the knowledge. It can be money, service, and exchanging different knowledge (Nala and that king who wanted to marry Damayanti did that exchanging Nala's Aswa vidya in return for king's Aksha vidya).

Without offering guru dakshina Ekalavya's vidya amounts to stealing knowledge. It is kind of today's Intellectual Property Rights. One may argue does such a IPR clause demand Ekalavya's blood? Then one should ask Pfizer/Merc on what basis it holds its AID's drug patent and suing Indian companies for selling generics, even when millions of lives are at stake.

When encountered with Ekalavya's skill against the barking dog, Drona sought that Guru dakshina. Now Ekalavya is not a Kshatriya; and any Kshtriya's desire is fame thru bravery.

Drona asked for Ekalavya's thumb and Ekalavya gave that. With that action, Ekalavya proved his Kshatra dharma - fearlessness and desire for fame/Kirti.

Drona accumulated this bad karma. He paid it thru the way he was killed in Kurukshetra war. When he heard Dharmaraja's "Aswatthama Hatah, kunjarah"; he behaved like a true brahmin filled with denouncement towards material life. One can contrast this with how Arjuna reacted to Abhimanyu's death. Drona resigned to 'Astra Samnyasa' and sat on the Chariot. Dristadyumna held drona's hair with one hand why he severed drona's head from his body.

***

I am glad that SC is talking about Drona and his existence, actions etc., India doesn't believe in Krishna's existence and actions but believes in the (perceived) adharma done to Karna and Ekalavya. India doesn't believe in Rama's existence but believes in Ravana's Dalit background and Aryan/Dravidian divide. They conveniently forget that Ravana marrying Mandodari (who is patala kingdom princes) and Ravana being utmost authority in Vedas (there is a story that Ravana is the one who separated Vedas when he chanted them while lifting Kailasa) which is supposed to be an Aryan text.

[suryag]

I dont like this tribal-non tribal prism through which the supreme court views Dronacharya's treatment of Eklavya. Dronacharya had a soft corner for Arjun, he had tried to prevent Karna too from becoming a contender to the greatest archer legacy. So to extrapolate this incident and generalise this to reflect tribal-non tribal conflict is not right. Ofcouse, the characteristics of Eklavya are not known totally, so did Dronacharya have something in his mind when he asked for this sacrifice also needs to be looked at.

[Samay]

Lolz SC judges have also got attention syndrome as if being corrupt wasnt enough

[Murugan]

^ I liked it

[Abhi_G]

What is the story about Vivaswat and Saranyu in the Rigveda?

Western scholarship scouts for stories that would fit as "scandals" in the contemporary psyche. Connections are made with Helen (of Troy?). Can anybody tell the story?

[ramana]

Looks like Max Muller himself came up with stuff!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saranyu

[Murugan]

Today 12th January is Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand

The greatest educator of Bharat. He changed the way bharatvaasis used treat our heritage, vedas, vedanta and epics. He brought a new understanding and pride.

Some news reports published today

Prime Minister to Launch 150th Birth Anniversary Celebration of SV Today

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/PM-to ... ons/736456

Celebrations spread over four years will be held across the country during which programmes would be conducted to help the youth connect to Swami Vivekananda's teachings.

Deepak Chopra on SV

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life ... 258790.cms

Zee Blog
http://www.zeenews.com/blog/66/blog480.html

The Neo-vedanti

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life ... 252241.cms

12th January is also celebrated as a National Youth Day

http://living.oneindia.in/expressions/f ... d0111.html

Biopic on SV

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110112/j ... 419368.jsp

[Murugan]

Fearless Steps HT

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Fearless- ... 48760.aspx

The world celebrates from tomorrow the 150th birth anniversary of one of the greatest sons India has ever produced. Swami Vivekananda lived a short life of 39 years but did a thousand years’ work of revolutionary nature. Here was a monk from Kolkata who wanted us to be fearless and acquire the spirit of a rebel. He was relentless against the undesirable and dogmatic and ritualistic ways of life.

“I will die a thousand deaths than lead a jelly-fish existence and yield to every requirement of this foolish world.” That is the very essence of the Swami’s philosophy and he lived and proved his belief until the very end. One can say, the Swamy inspired and transformed millions and brought them out of the rut of the times.

Success in life, whatever the field, does not come if one tries within the conventional comfort. One has to think of ways to rebel and kick off the oft-trodden path to achieve one’s goal and make a difference to one’s self and thereby to society at large.

The rebel in the young Swami was so ignited that once he remarked,” Human help I spurn with my foot. He who has been with me through hills and dales, through deserts and forests, will be with me.”

The Swamy was a born optimist, and he was sure that his life was meant to show the world a meaningful life and that won’t come by being a nice, obedient and hardworking person. That could be left to the animals who would work as per their master’s calling. The Swamy’s sense of belief in himself and his capacity to overcome obstacles on the way to his destiny is reflected in these words. “Have faith that you are all born to do great things. Let not the barks of puppies frighten you --- no, not even the thunderbolts of heaven --- but stand up and work.”

Yes, as the New Year has set in, we need to stand up and act with the zeal, fearlessness and rebellion of the scale the Swamy had. Success does not come being a couch potato!

[Murugan]

Nepal Celebrates SV's Birth Anniversary in a Big Way

http://www.sify.com/news/vivekananda-mo ... jihgf.html

[Murugan]

Swami Vivekanand speaking at first world religious conference, quoting bhagvad gita

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxUzKoIt5aM