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Affirming Sanatana Dharma and Recording the Modern History of a Billion-Strong Global Religion in Renaissance
I JANUARY, 1997'
. '1 I .. "7 '.
~~""d'-
.. . ,
"
MITA (P) No: 245/04190 Canada . ... .C$3.95 India .... .... Rs.50 Sri Lanka .. . Rs.BO . COVER: A father lifts his daughter to the heavens. This family of priests, with bttp:!' . . ..HlnlulamTtdQ.kauaLhLusl
PPS 120J/4I96 Fiji ... . .... FJD2.00 Malaysia .... .. RM5 Trinidad . ... TDB.OO four generations under one roof, lives between Cochin and Kerala's capital, Jliru-
Germany .. .. DM4.5 Mauritius .. .. .Rs.30 UK . . . . . . . £2.90 vananthapuram. Such large joint families are now threatened. See pages 22-26. • '
.
PUBLISHER'S DESK
Chronicling Hinduism's
Modern Experience \
J
painting to the right was completed, greeting 1997 and preserv- happening with Hindus in Canada.
ing HINDUISM TODAY'S quantum leap far into the future of fu- Those in London had no connection
tures and beyond. The mathavasis in the painting are not from with their brothers and sisters in Kath-
some distant yuga; they are the stalwart sevaks that produce mandu. Hindus in India thought there I
this magazine each month. Many reader's queries have come on were none elsewhere. Thus, I was divine-
my e-mail, and even through what they call snai\ mail, asking how ly directed by inner orders from our Yo-
and why HINDUISM TODAYappears in so many nations. Here it is. gaswami Kailasa Parampara, by my
Everyone of my 25 monks is involved in its production, in ,ways Satguru in this life, to create a means to
small and large. Yes, they look and dress exactly like that, living interconnect Hindus worldwiae.
simply, meditating and serving with me here in a tropical jungle The editorial policies I have laid down
on our planet's most remote land mass, the Island of Kauai in the for the mathavasis are: to show both sides
Hawaiian Islands. And, yes, the giant banyan tree, sacred river and of every story; to put forward religious
natural waterfall are really here, too, along with par("ots and cows. leaders of all Hindu sects equally, ac-
When you visit some day, we hope not too long from now, you can knowledging their central role in the
meet and talk with some of my swamis, yogis and sadliakas. future of Dharma; to bring into the con-
A thousand years or more ago a great book was written, the sciousness bf Hindus and onlookers the
M.ahabharata, recording the history of Bharat. Now revered as a glories of this most ancient religion ~n the
religious scripture, it speaks of the glories as well as' the problems planet; to support tradition and its matu-
of that era and the wise solutions that dharma provides. Today in rity into contemporary times; to maintain
Bharat, India's official name in its constitution, this great religion a strict nonpolitical point of view, mean-
still flourishes and h~s recently moved explosively into. nearly ing not taking sides; to give a voice to
every country of the world with its temples, ministers, priests and cultural, artistic and spiritual leaders as
holy men and women. HINDUISM T\t>DAY has for the past 18 years well as to 'the common woman, man and
re€orded the history of this billion-strong religion in renaissance. It youth. In summary, our monastic order
has b~en acclaimed by some, perhaps generously, as a mod~rn-day has committed itself to foster Hindu soli-
Mahabharata, once again recording the Hindu experience in a darity as a "unity in. diversity" among all Satguru Sivaya Subramunlyaswaml at his Ha:*aii Ashram: to his right are Acharyas Veylanswami, Palaniswami, Ce yonswami, Kumarswami; t hen (clockwise ) Tyagis Kathirswal11i, S/Ian1~ uga-
new era. The small multi-national team pictured here have beEJn sects and lineages; to inform and inspire Hindus worldwide and 1Ia~lwswanu, Ska~clanatllQswa~nt,. DetJasw~l~t, ~atara)aswar/l1, ~1.unL~aswa.mt Arumugaswami and Muruganatlwsu;ami. Standing behind (left to right, in yellow) arc Yogis Rishinatlw, Tapodluma,
Vatraganat~la, Ekanatha and Kasina t/w . S'tting m front (left to n glIt, til w/"te~Sadhakos Yugan at/lO, Tyagan at/lO, T/lOndunatha, Hotranatha, Adinat/lO, Haranandinatha and Jothinatiia
the scribes and editors for a much larger group in the many na-
tions where live Indian Hindus, Sri Lankan Hindus, Malaysian
people interested in Hinduism; to dispel myths, illusions and mis-
information about Hinduism; to protect, preserve and promote the ,
Hindus, Mauritian Hindus, Singaporian Hindus, South African
Hindus, South American Hindus, Fijian Hindus and, yes, North
Hindu religion and to nUl;ture a truly spiritual Hindu renaissance.
It is the duty of my monastics to continue maintaining HINDUIS~ TraCing an Evolution with i'nnovative
Macintosh comput-
"empowerment
tools," flies team to
1989, August: Unique Yopa Journal as con-
franchise system tent-rich site viSited
American and European Hindus, too. The result is the living epic TODAY as our way of giving back an infinitesimal part of what this After 18 years as a newspaper, ers, tossing out o15so- Kauai to capture developed to print by thousands v.:eekly.
you hold in your hands. • profound heritage has given us, to be a reliable voice, to speak to we've reincarnated as a magazine lete photo-imaging first-ever pl1blica- paper in South
HINDUISM TODAY is just entering its 19th year of publication the ~any needs of all Hindus, to defend ahimsa, noninjury, to technology. tions network for a . Africa, Mauritius, 1995: HT acquires
since its founding on January 5, l B79. My three successors, the persist as a global presence, a resource of Indian spirituality, to 1979: HINDUISMTo- to new quarters; worldwide Apple UK, Holland, India blazing-fast 9500
acharyas seated just to my right in the painting, will carry it all on bring forth the ancient Vedic arts and sciences and. promote the DAY, a quarterly, is adopts newspaper 1987, July: ,,- Macintoshes. Every
training video. and Malaysia.
into the future of futures. Every Hindu order has its public ser- founded in Hawaii size, international - MacConnection monk has robes,japa
Vedas as the number-one scripture of Hinduism. By all this we
honors H.T for its 1987: HT goes 1992: Wow! Full mala and Power Mac.
vice, be it a hospital, eye clinic, orphanage, school, ashram, feeding
hall or priestly training center. This magazine is the primary pub-
may empower the next generation to come up strong in the rich-
ness of theiF heritage, with well-defined metaphysics applicable to
II \ as "a bridge between
East and West."
character.
'innovativ:e Desktop
1985, Sept: Spot col- Publishing. Big
monthly, adds new color explodes on
1996, Dec: Newspa-
lic .service desigr:tated by me for our order-along with teaching modern life, giving them security and faith in their work place, in , Monks trained in features, more color. the desktop.
per transforms into
I
or added, and we Bucks Award; well,
children's classes, building and supporting temples and giving away the corporate office, factory, field, or as a small businessman, en- typesetting and the 1988, Oct: Nine1ust- 1994: HT (and the magazine. New jour-
graphic arts. start publishing $500 was a lot back
money to worthy institutions. It was during a world tour years ago trepreneur, politidan or scientist. These are ambitious goals, but invented Mac lIs Vedas ) published nalists and photogra-
through Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa, we have found and trained, as of 1997, over 100 skilled and articu-
every two motJ.ths. then. ~ple Comput-
1981, Oct: The in;;- added to enHance electronically on the phers appear. Lots of
er, impressed with
India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Europe that I realized Sanatana late lay people around the globe to help make it all happen month house journal moves
1986, July: HT goes Hawaii's largest pub- Web, hailed by Pub- gain, so where's the
Dharma had no global voice and no network of communication. HT's use of Mac
after month. Jai Vasara Hindutva, jai, jai, jai. .. completelY digital lishing network. lisher's W eekly and pain?
I'
6 HINDUISM TODAY. JA UARY , 1997 JANUARY , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 7
,
age of 32. Sankara, having conquered the
EDITORIAL mind, also died at 32. In Europe in the
Middle Ages, life expectancy increased to
36 by the 18th century. By 1841 it was 40
IIJOTES A IIJIPS I
Great:" Departure
.'
for an Englishman, 42 for his wife. Today it
is 70 for men, 75 for women. Hindu tradi-
tion says a natural human life is 120 years;
"As you would not bark back at a dog, do not
waste your t~me arguing with foolis,h people."
so
Exiting life, frequently fraught with fear
some hold this was once the norm in India.
Death may seem st§ltic, but it is changing. '
In modern times life-and death have both Sage Yogaswami (1872-1964) to devotees in Sri Lanka
and,trembling, can be an ex~lted experience been extended. Life has gone from a few
decades of vitality to many decades ending still savages." Thoma~ A. Edison (1847-1931), American inventor
with diminished health; death has changed
BY THE EDITOR from nature's swift reprieve to a man-made,
"I think it would be a good idea." Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
slow-motion decline which ever mo.re fre-
ENERAL. GEOR_\?E PATTON OF WORLD WAR II FAME, NO quently exhausts the em~tions and resources~f families. Death's when asked what he thought of Western civiliza~on '
fi
stranger to personal reincarnational remembrances (he victims have changed, ~o, going from the very young a few cen- .
claimed to recall previous battlefield experiepces as turies back (when most died as children) to the elderly (over 80% Even the ignorant will be reckoned wise, if they refrain from
Napoleon), once observed, "For Hindus deaclt is the most of deaths in the US occur over 65). speaking in the presence of the learned. Tirukural, Verse 403
exalted experience of life." This idea is naturally hard for Technological systems of life-support have introduced moral, le-
nOI1-Hindus to grasp-all the more so for atheists facing Eternal gal and medical questions about what constitutes death; and peo-
Oblivion and those of Abrahamic faiths which define death as a ple are struggling, literally at any cost, to stay alive. Our choice' for DID YOU KNOW?
punishment for man's sinful disobedience. To them, death is the ul- Most Bizarre: Americans having their heads removed and frozen
/
timate sign of man's spiritual failure, a belief which arouses in-
stincts of denial and injustice. One may feel penitent and guilty,
(at great expense) in hopes future medical advances will conquer
presently incura,ble diseases. Psychedelic guru Timothy Leary
Check, Mate!
not to mention uncertain about the'destination ahead. shocked many this summer by arranging after his death to have HE EARLY WAR GAME OF CHESS WAS INVENTED BY THE
No such thoughts attend the dying days of a Hindu. Of course,
there is much sadness surrounding the passing of friends and fam-
ily, but that is honest acknowledgement of our loving attachments.
Inside we know death is OK, natural, that the soul, even if it was
less than perfect in this lift?, is continuing its appointed journey
his head surgically removed as part of a filln shown at the Cannes
Film Festival (some think it a hoax).
Where, how and with whom we die is also changing. Academic
Geoffrey Gorer describes how death, once a socially recognized
inevitability, has become an.embarrassing private trauma in which
1 Hindus of India. In the BlJaisya Purana (550 BCE ) it is
described as a four-handed dice game. Originally called
Chaturanga ("four parts" ), its strategies are based on the
four branches of the Indian army-elephant (now bishop),
horse (knight), chariot
"Mind absorbed in God, no place to go." Poondyswami when asked
across life's oceanic I1hep.omena toward Liberation and will, in almost all outside solace, except from intimates, is deemed an in- (rook) and infantry
time and without fail, reach the other shore. The Hip.du's pre- trusion. Death, once the familys duty, has become the work 0'£ by a HINDUlSM TODAY staffer why he sat for 10 years at a roadside (pawns). Ponder the
sumption of numerous births mitigates the tragedy of death, paid strangers. Today in North America 75-80% of all ~eaths oc- shrine in South India without 17Wvingfrom his seat ' tactical minds of
whether the passage is his own or another's. So, Hind~ call death cur in hospitals, and 80% of those are "negotiated," shortened or early India when
by lofty names-,-Maha Samadhi, "Great Superconscious State" and extended ffi1tificially. Many terminal patients are under sedation, so World-weary, a man took refuge at an ashram. The swami told your miniature
Maha Prasthana, "Great Departure." instead Of the conscious death Hindus him, "You can stay here, but you must observe a vow of mauna, . army prevails over
To be near an awakened soul at the esteem, there is a dim and drugged in- the enemy and
time he or she gives up the body is sensibility at the end. silence. You will be allowed to speak two words every six months." you triumphantly
considered among the most blessed of In response to the exorbitant and me- He practiced hatha asanas, pranayama, meditation and karma call "Mate."
opportunities. While ordinary people chanical end-game played in hospitals, yoga for six months. Then, brought before the abbot and invited to
are remembered on ijleir day of birth, groups are organizing'to regain control. speak, he said, "Bed haid." After another six months, he spoke
Hindus honor enlightened souls on the People want to die at home, near na- again, "Food cold." Six more months w;mt by, and he informed the "In India from the beginning, in time of war, breastworks have
day of their departure, translated in' ture's soothing presence, with friends
English as "liberation day." having tea in the next room or listening swami, ''I'm leaving." The swami replied, ''I'm not surprised. been built of hQ!:el pillows. It was found that a cannon ball pould
If we view death as the opposite of to the bells from a nearby temple. They You've done nothing but complain since the day you arrived." , go thro' earth or sandbag, but when it hit a pillow it hit it with a
life, life is good and death is bad. But :.: don't want to experience a social mini- dull thud and dropped to the ground." Mark Twain (1835-1910)
death is the opposite of birth, not of life. ~ death first, followed years later by the "Nonviolence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all commenting after his fou,r-month lecture tour and hotel stays
Seeing life and death as collaborative : physical one. , evolution. Until we stop harming all other living:beings, we are in India and .Sri Lanka in 1896
parts of a greater whole called samsara 0 Death is personified in most cultures.
(the cosmic evolutionary cycle of birth- THe Greeks called him Thanatos, and '
death-rebirth), life is good and death is to the Romans he was Mors. In India TO BE MY PERFECT HE MUST NEVE!? &ET /w&RY, AND HE MIJ5T L.OV£ WHAT I WANT }S AN EQlJAL
I'V\STER> A P£R.50N MUST f)lfRYONE ALL THE SAME, O?PORTUNITY GURU·
equally good, though the Vedas are he is Yama, riding on a black wafer FilL 1V\f() QUALIFICATIONS.
f
clear that certain deaths, especially premature ones, are grievous.
The pious Hindu approaches death' ~s a meditation and a spiritu-
buffalo, dressed in red. The pigeoIY and owl are his messengers.
His weapon is a mace. He carries a noose, called kala-sutra, 0
J ! f
al discipline. The body's impendmg demise compels him to prac- "black thread," with which he snares the life force,,prana, and
tice detachment, which is difficult to achieve amid life's tumult. draws it from the body. He is also called Mrityu, "death," Kritanta, I I
Lord Yama's nearness compels new urgency to strive. No longer "the finisher," Bhimasasana, "he of terrific decrees," Pretaraja,
can he put it off No more excuses. No more distractions. Death's "king of ghosts," Kala, "time" and Dharma Raja, ''king of justice."
knock at the door reminds him of what is. transient and what is Hindu insights on death (see pages 30 to 33) include the hopeful
etffi-nal, and he knows instinctive'ly which to embrace. message of awakened sage~ who conquered it by conquering life
Impermanent though life is, we are getting more of it these days. and knew the bogy's dissoiution as liberation into the Light, as a
It is estimated that the average life span for prehistoric man was flowing of the finite into the Infinite.
only 18 years. In ancient Greece and Rome it was 20-22. Alexan- , For those surfing the Web for death resources, here's a good
der t~e Great, having conquered the world, died at the ripe 91d . place to start: http://www.trinity.edul-mkearlldeath.html
Holy Goat
in .Ireland than l'ndia In Hawaii
N HAWAII, MY NEIGHBORS
I
Loving Ganesa by Satguru
up my children to be Hindus aged to read the holy books, me now. I was stunned to find producing herb. In September
in the West than it is in In- scriptures, Vedas, Puranas or to Dalai Lama at the Hindu Center: a blessed spiritual presence one female marked with a re- demonstrations in Tamil Nadu,
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, dia. My children here in Ire-
land have the freedom to ex-
perform pujas and rituals. The
occasion to visit the temple only SOUTH AFRICA
verse white image of the same
Om I wear. In my source book
he produced and burned the
fuel for government officials.
/
at once simple, deep and press their Hindu values and came on certain holy days. As a of names I found -rMahesvari, Other hydro-carbon producing
hJ~,ritage in a non-Hindu society
wllere people are tolerant and
boy, I was told that religion was
the affa1'r of old people. Nothing
Buddha, Most Merciful Great Lady, and Viveka and
named her Mahesvari Viveka.
plants have not yet been com-
mercially 'viable, so when Ra-
practical. teaches ever so many
eager to understand us. The was explained to us about our OUTH AFRICANS WERE BLESSED WHEN THE DALAI LAMA mar projected 10,000 litres a
S
MARY DEAL, HAWAlI
local Irish people take part in glorious heritage. We were even paid them a rare visit in August. Guest of the World Con- day at 5 rupees each, Indian of-
ways that Ganesas grace can be actively discouraged from Hin- ference on Religion and Peace, the political head of the Ti- ficials prepared to fund a plant.
programs of Bhajans. yoga, yaj-
na and the like. Lately, vegetarianism is du observances. My love for Hindu her- betan government in exile and spiritual head of millions of Bud- But, to their chagrin he failed to
attained by sincere devotion, song, becoming popular among them-while itage, if openly displayed, was ridiculed. I dhists addressed capacity audiences in Durban, Cape Town, produce fuel under controlled
Hindus arriving here are taking to meat had to study holy books and other scrip- Pretoria and Johannesburg. Young Africans were enthused. One conditions in October. One ~x
prayer and meditation to bring eating. yve are fortunate to have contact tures in secret because this attitude to 20-year-old Christian, David Pascolo, said, "I find Eastern in- periment revealed a rp.ass in-
with tIre present Avataras like Bhagavan denigrate Hinduism in India is very fluences very interesting and am sure to be spiritually enriched crease from 1138 grams to 1422
Sathya Sai Baba and Mata Ainritan'anda wide spread., by the Dalai Lamas talk." Representatives from the Hindu, grams as well as sulphur, lead
greater harmony. contentment
Mayi and the many Hindu saints who Nehru and the Congress Party's idea of Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Parsee faiths jOined the Dalai and. oleofins in the final prod-
come to the West to propagate Sanatana pseudo-secularism allowed the education Lama at the University of Durban-Westville's Hindu Center. uct-proof, said some scientists,
and spirituality into ones daily life. Dharma. Many of these saints are ridiculed system to give Muslims, and Christians free He emphasized the nonviolence of the Gandhian philosophy that Ramar had surrepitiously
and laughed at in India by "rationalists," voice to practice and teach their religions and voiced his aversion to conversion. "To me Buddhism is best, introduced petrochemicals.
An BOO-page illustrated resource. whereas in the West they receive enor- freely even in state- fund~ schools. The but that does not mean that Buddhism is best for everyone. It is
mous respect. indigenous religions-Sanatana Dharma better to follow your own religion rather than changing to a
I find the opposite situation in india in and its branches-were prohibited from new one. No one has the right to impose a religion on another." DANCE Malaysia:" Odissi dancer, Ajit
$ 19.95 plus shipping (US $2,
the midst of Hindu society. Everyth~ng teaching religion in state-funded ,schools. In B. Dasa, and renowned new
Foreign $4). Also in bookstores.
there is colOI:ed by Western glamor.1>eople India, secularism became something for
REI N'C A RNA T ION
Sacred Paths Delhi-based vocalist and com-
belittle long-held sacred values which not . Hindus, but not for Muslims and Chris- Journal was designed by bgilvy poser O.S. Arun on a uniquely
only India need;;, but the whole world. In tians. Hindu identity was scorned and and Mather, one of the world's INGAPORE' S MARCH DANCE Singaporean set designed as a
1-800-890-1008 the fast-moving Indian society it is very
difficult to bring up children as Hindus in
made a mockery. of
The waves of-Hindu shame of our owp.
Riding a Jaguar six top advertising agencies, I
with annual,sales of over 7.6
S production, "Sacred Jour-
ney," hit a high-
HindulBuddhist mandala.
With English
a Vedic way. It is "uncool" tp have a Hindu, h~ritage swept through even tiny villages. \ V fRAT VALUE DOES WEST- billion dollars. Targeting the water mark in narration, even
http://www.HinduismToday.
identity. Traditional culture is dying in - These deep-planted seeds of self-shame ru;e W ern civilization place on a millions in America and others the new Hindu non-Hindus
kauai.hi.us/ashram/ many big cities. Even in villages, a Hindu being reaped in present India, especjally Hindu theological concept? the world over who are aware classical dance were entranced
who openly displays his lifestyle or goes to among our youth, who ·haye no direction in Well, on October 3, Jaguar Cor- • of reincarnation, their creative trend to "break by the portrayal
the temple is laughed at. . life and are fast succumbing to Western poration spent us$300,000 for a design team followed an old out of over- of a dance stu-
. I was born in post-independen(India in influences. The indigenous and eternal single day's advertisement with Hindu tradition. Gods and the- worked legends dent's fall from
a small village in Tumkur District of Kar- religious heritage of India was neglected this lead line: "Reincarnation ological concepts often "ride" and jaded rou- purity into the
LOVING nataka to ~ Virasaiva (Lingayat) family. My and misunderstood by its own practition- I occurs when an old soul enters symbolically on animals. In this tines" such as egoistic entangle- I
parents never taught me abo~t our glorious ers. The result is that it is easier today to a new -- ~ • case, rebirth "rode" mans most Krishna and the ments of per-
GANESA Sanatana Dharma and, despite the fact that
they did pujas and practiced rituals, they
be a Hindu in the West than it is in India.
! hope and pray Hindu Indians wiH realize
body."
Their
,~ ...~ elegant piece of hot rod engi-
neering, the revolution-
cowherd girls.
Producer Mrs. Modern ; multilingual
forming arts and
back to the spiri-
had no idea of the significance of these their folly and regain their lost identity. eigh;'page ary new $70,000 Radhika Srini- tual path at the
ancient practices. To them it was simply .a pitch in the Wall Street Jaguar XK8 vasan brought together Singa- center of the mandala, "strong
A~
Written by Pola Churchill.
Amazing new book! Records meditation and yoga aids ipate in local radio and TV talk
people's dreams, visions and encoun- offered by The Ananda shows to explain their relfgion to
ters with Babaji-known to millions Collection are designed, .Americans and dispel S0me of the /
through Paramahanasa Yogananda's crafted and distributed COLLECTION Taking a stand: Muslims'gather to publicly voice worldwide concerns in New York City
stereotypes and prejudices they
Autobiography of a Yogi. His message from Ananda Village, a face. He also encourages the com-
of Truth, simplicity, Love and spiritual community in munity to open up its mosques and
,n .
karma Yoga. 27 stunning photos of Northern California. POLITICS centers to the larger community.
Babaji. $13.91 (inel. tax, sIh) overseas, Our products include zafu and half moon pillows, zabutons, "When we get a call that a
$15.08. Checks to: Pola Churchill,
PO Box 1537 Beverly Hills, CA
. 90213 USA. Tel: 213-980-7927.
meditation mats, as well as padded benches.
Ctetting Heard · America mosque has' been firebombed, very
often we find that the community
was very isolated-which breeds
suspicion on the part of the larger
Hindus can learn from Muslims' political activism
, .
community," Hooper said.
American Muslims are a diverse
community-in addition to Afri-
((Where Ganges, Woods, Himalayan caves and can-Americans, they include immi-
By DONNA ABU-NASR, WASHINGT~N (AP ) emerge now because of the influx of immi- grants or descendants of immigrants from
BRAHIM HOOPER TRAVELS AROUND grants in the '6Ds that brought Muslims not Asia and the Middle East. They don't vote as
men dream God. I am
hallowed; my body
..
I the country to teach Muslims how to only from the Middle East but also from the a homogeneous block. But Khaled Saffuri of
rhake th~ir voices heard, ~erican style. Far East, said James Zogby, who heads the the American Muslim"'Council said Muslims
For example, writing a letter to the edi- Washington-based Arab-American Institute. tend to vote overwhelmingly Republican be-
tor to criticize a government policy won't U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-
land them in jaiL Long-winded rhetoric will Va. , said, "They're getting a
cause they support conserv-
ative stands on abortion, ho-
touched that sod!":!: not help get their message across. ¥en who little bit more organized and
appear on TV talk shows ~ill have to wear we're starting to pay atten-
mosexuality and the death
penalty.
make-up, and no, it's not a feminine thing. tion, and I think in America Yet, he expects a "big
Hoo!ier's work as national communica- that's the pathway to power shift" this year because the
Marking the 50th anniversary of tions director at the Council on American throughthe ballot box." Clinton administration has
a
Islamic Relations is part of nationwide In Ips speech at the Republi- shown "lots of respect" for .
India's Independence Day, drive by American Muslims to become more can convention, House Speak- the Muslim community, in-
assertive socially and politically as an ethnic er Newt Gingri<;h, at the re- cluding a visit by Vice-Pres-
A Day in the Life of India and religious group. "Muslim political ac- quest of MusliIns, added g ident Al Gore to a mosque in
is a photographic celebration tivism is still in its infancy. We have a lot of "mosque" when he mentioneci ~ Washington, D.G Davis said
work to do," Hooper said. "It's not something "churches and synagogues.'" ; if the Muslim population "is
of this ancient, honored ' thats going to happen overnight." Calling Islam the falitest-grow- ",< L -_ _ _=.c...._ _ _.!=:,;,oJ smart they're going to have
Yet, already, the efforts are paying off The ing religion"1n America, Hill- New York: Street prayers to play 'poth parties because
civilization. Photo directed by community, which American. Muslim groups ary ,Rodham Clinton held a during a demonstration you don1t want to get taken
world-renowned photographer say numbers about 6 million;'v.as gained vis- . celebration iI} February-the for gJ;anted by one party."
ibility and recognition from top leaders that first of its kind at the White House-to mark He said politicians will pay more atten-
Raghu Rai, this stunning . it didn't have just a few years ago. Building Eid el-Fitr, the Muslim feast that en~s the tion to Muslims in the future "the more they
on that progress will be a topic of discussion fasting month of Ramadan. ' become givers and become involved." •
pictorial captures the historic and as the Islamic Society of NQrth America And Rep. JoseRh Kennedy apologized to This article is reprinted with permission
holds its 33rd annual convention in Colum- the ~erican Muslim Council in February ofthe Associate Press and is included here to
the contemporary landscape of
~ Collins Publishers bus, Ohio, beginhing Friday under the ban- for his use of the word "jihad." This central inform and educate US Hindus on how they,
this, the most spiritual of countries. A Division of HarperCollinsP"blishers ner of "Muslims for peace and justice." Islamic conceRt means the personal struggle too, can work effectively in the American
The Muslim community i,s beginning to to make. oneself a better Muslim, but Mus- political arena.
-"Paramahansa Yogananda, from "My India," a poem
J ANUAR Y, 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 17
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"We have no doubt that secularism is not stall the right person there," the Shankara- THE FEARED AND REVERED tiger is quickly ap-
an anti-religious doctrine," the Court ruled. charya resolved. proaching extinction, reports the World -:
Wide Fund for Nature. Two-thirds of the
LONDON'S ARCHWAY Murugan Temple glowed "; SPIRITUALITY ISN'T USUALLY part of a West- world's estimated 4,600 wild tigers live ill
with devotion while six-flamed lamps were ern doctor's curriculum, but North Caroli- ,India, the rest in a dozen other Asian coun- USA Immigration Attorney A Video Pilgrimage through India
waved by six chanting pujaris as the Jaffna na's Wake Fores't University is now one of tries, but not even governments can stop
Tamil community observed the Nallur six US medical schools to receive a $10,000· the decline caused by habitat destruction Y. Krishna Gupta Some 60 sites are covered,
Charlot Festival from half a world away. In grant to teach tomorrow's physicians how to and poaching. And the demand for tiger USA Attorney at Law places as hard to find as
sympathy for Sri Lanka's ongoing blood- incorporate spirituality into patientc are. parts, used in certain Asian tradltional they are hard to get per-
shed, devotees observed a 25-day Vew of "It's as important as good nutrition and ex- medtcines, is on the rise. Representation of clients before USA Immigration Service mission to film. Very per-
strict vegetarianisrn..culminating with puja, ercise. Contemplative meditation IS like a and USA Consulates worldwide. sonal, affectionate. If you
Devaram singing and parading the Deity good drug; the body was made for prayer," THERE GOES THE All immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, "green" cards, can't get to India, enjoy
around the temple. "There was even a mo- said one instructor, an ordained minister. timeline .. . again. work permits, etc. this video- US $39.95
ment of madness that marks a potent Mu- Archaeologists Magda Cianciara
ruga festival, when an amma cried out in MORE TEMPLES MAY MEAN fewer youth stray- . say rock art en- 1515 Clermont St. #302 Brahma Jyoti Studios
anguish for the plight of Jaffna's people, and ing from their· religion. That!> how Hindus graved on stone Denver, CO 80220 USA 2000 N. Ivar Ave #7
Skanda's Vel di~solved her suffering. All was in Toronto are approaching the dil~mma of monoliths iIi Aus- Tel/fax: 1-303-333-6797 Hollywood, CA 90068 USA
holy thts night," writes devotee Easan Katir. kids' growing away from-not into-their tralia's tropical Member: American Immigration Lawyers Association Tel: 1-213-466-9370
heritage. While the community supports Northwest is be-
THIRTY SACRED SIMIAN five temples, "there are not enough temples lieved to be Aborigine rock painting
residents of Kathmandu's in consonance with the growing number of 75,000 years old,
Pashupatinath Temple Hindus," said' Dr. Bhudendra Doobay, Pres- while artifacts found at the base of the
were buried with full ident of the Vishnu Hindu Temple. Ontario stones date back to 176,000 years. One the-
Vedic honors aJter btfing recently granted $750,000 toward a new ory holds that an Ice Age land bridge might
electrocuted by a new $2.5-million Gujarati Community Centre. have allowed migration between Australia
hjgh-voltage barrier. and Indonesia 140,000 years ago-far earli-
Fifty-one chanting Brah- MADRAS IS NO MORE-at. least not officially. er than previous theories allowed.
mins lay the shroud- Following the lead of Mumbai, once Bom-
wrapped monkeys, Nepal temple bay, the Tamil Nadu government obliterat- FIJI'S CONSIDERATION of a settlement abol-
revered as incarnations ed 300 years of Christian colonial influ- ishing constitutionally guaranteed political
of Hanuman, in a mass grave at Nepal's ence by renaming India's fourth-largest city advantages for indigenous Fijians may win
holiest shrine. Temple devotees watched in Chennai. The name is believed to be short that nation's readmittance to the British
helpless horror as monkeys who rushed to for Chennapatnam and traceable to the Commonwealth. Ethnic Indians comprise
the fence to rescue those just electrocuted 16th-century regional ruler Chennappa about 45% of Fiji!> population. A racially-
were' themselves killed. Naic'ker. Ironically, it was he who, in 1693, biased system ensuring ethnic Fijian politi-
sold the village to the British. The govern- .....cal dominance was adopted in 1990, result-
HINDU HUSBANDS seeking divorce in India ment plans to establish Tamil as the official 'ing in the islands' exg,ulsion from the
must go through the civil courts, and are language of ¢is southern state, all of which Commonwealth. The proposal wiTI.require
often ordered to pay alimony and child
support, but not Muslim men. India's high-
was known as Madras until 1967.
. , approval by two-thirds of Fiji's parliament.
00 Mar;r[ed sons
and spouses
grandsons
and spouses
great-grandsons
and sp0uses
Matters I t§nmwried
~~
Staying Together: ~ sons
Unmarried ~tl~ Um:: rried
grandsons gr
R. PREM SARAl OF IOWA, A fully developed grands0ns "
USA, is an authority on 1 0int family com-
ft
~
Unmarried nmarried ft~ft Un.married
the Hindu joint family. prises at least
His years of study were ' four generations Q daughters granddaughters Q 9 grreat
largely motivated by the desire L -_ _ ~=-________ ! ~
granddaughters
to keep his own family togeth-
er. Below, he succinctly sum- ance of his mother and support educates them fer proper deci- 3. No one owns anything. Each.
marizes for HINDUISM TODAY of spouse. Ifi the absence of sion-making in her absence. is a trustee for-t he joint family, •
the basic structure and duties. the elder brother, a competent extended-family, society and
Religious ceremonies: The el-
Membership: Father and moth- younger brother takes over. ' the nation.
dest son is to perform all these
er; sons and wives; daughters Distribution of duties: The. duties. His spouse joins' him. 4. Everyone\; voice and opinion
until married; grandsons and head of the family assigns has value and importance.
Others share and cooperate as
wives; granddaughters until ml(mbers according to their they are able. • 5. Everyone\; conduct is stIch
that intentions can never be
married; great grandsons and
wives; great grandda~hters
abilities and availability. The
mother is responsible for nurtu-
Basic principles: questioned. This includes hen- /
1. Every member sees that oring the traditions and fulfill-
until married. rance, clothing, household ac-
others get the best and most of ing spoken and unspoken
tivities, gift giving and
Head of the family: Father resources. Each person himself expectations of'the extended
acceptance of gifts. She con-
with support of mother. In the asks for the least, and last. family, society at large and
sults her daughtersoin-law and
abs'ence of the father, the most 2. All are willing to endure to the venerable principles of
wives of younger brothers arid
capable elder SOil with guid- relieve t.he oth~rs' burdens. Sana1ana Dharma.
publicly known more by family name than with each other and be prepared to sacri- miss those evenings after dinner when
individual identity. The socipl security, both fice- the essential principles of every lasting grandfather would collect all the "grandies,"
material and psychological, that a joint fami- commmunity. . tell us a story and show us the various con- '
Filial unity can bring prosperity: Four happy generations of Harilelas at their Hong Kong mansion; (inset ) George Harilela,family elder ly provides is unique and inestimable. Shared Failing families: I grew up in a joint fami- stellations in the sky. As I recall it now, it
- ./ responsibilities result in minimal \ seems like a bygone dream.
SPECIAL REPORT concern ever the basics of life- Our family disintegrated for all
money, food,.shelter and clothing. the reaso~s that a socjology text
, _SucE' concerns typically become would enumerate. It's s~d, but
/
24 HINDUI S M TOD A.Y J ,\NUARY , 1997 J A NU A R Y, 1 997 HI N D U ISM TODAY 25
Indo-US Books and Journals, Inc. Women of Power and Grace
"
would do so ~hylY'from behind the door. Ed- yearn for togetherness. Usually, these are in- ily, they have had to face the pain o£ death of Butala Emporium- Nine Astonishing, Inspiring
ucation and women's liberation have beck- dividuals have no family of their own or family members, divorce between some cou- Wholesale, retail, mail order, subscription agent. Luminaries of Our Time.
oned women to break free of such ~hackles. whQ live far from their birth family. Their ples and the loss of severhl who have left the
As the rural class finds new avenues to ex- common desire for a safe neighb'orhood and group. Yet, some say they like their foster • Books and Magazines: • In this landmark book,
plore, enticed toward urbanization, the urban secure home environment with .friendly, family better than their birth family. Largest selection of all Indian books on yoga, ayurveda, meet 9 of the greatest holy
fan;J.ilies give way to grpwing individualism caring faces binds them together as a new Wherever we look, the continuance of the astrology, Hinduism, Buddhism, history, philosophy, cookery, women of the modern era,
and self-reliance. Want of privacy and con- family. The elders adopt the younger mem- joint family seems precariously perched on language-learning, dictionaries, children's books, literature, five from Mother India.
sumerism induce a cert~h selfishness that bers and Decome their grandparents, while the aspirations arid allegiance of each of us. poetry, vedas and puranas in English, Sanskrit and all re-
leads towards a nuclear family syst~m. The they i~ turn are looked after and given spe- Are we out to fulfill our own interests? Or, are gionallanguages.• An authorized agent for all Indian maga- .Enjoy their awesome
accelerated growth of metropolitan cities and cial care -as they grow old. we willing to sacrifi~e a little of ourselves for zines and newspapers in English, Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, miracles of Love and 120
Wester~ influences fuel this trend. . It began in tile early 1970s, a time when the greater whole? Tradition tells us such sac- Urdu, Punjabi, and South India languages. pages of powerful wisdom-
Reforming family: Ironically, the West many felt that families we!"e breaking dowp, rifice reaps rewards in excess of that which • Ayurveda: sayirlgs revealing the deepest
may be approaching the other end of that a time of loneliness and isolation The idea of was forgone. It also confirms that we each Free consultations by a reputed Vaidya from India. We secrets of God-Realization.
materialistic road. Members of an "inten- forming new families with people who bare- learn in our own time, at our own pace. "To stock all ayurvedic herbal products from Zandu,
tional family" essentially adopt each other ly knew each other was a risky proposition. keep a joint family, a spirit of selfless service, Baidnath, Sandu, Dabur, Thakur, Himalayas, Sevashram, "I love W omen of Power and
and live together as a j<'lint or extended fiffil- But many of these families survive today. tolerance and broad-rmndedness is a must. In Multani, Shahnaz Husain, etc. Grace. I was completely
ily. They may have been to~al strangers be- Cliildren who have grown up within these -modern living, to find these virtues is ex- • Unique Varities under one Roof: enthralled. The quality of your work is outstanding."
fore .their merger, but they instinctively kinships are now parents. Like a nOFmal fam- tremely rare," concludes Murthy. ...,.; Musical instruments, religious and pooja materials, sporting Linda Johnsen, author: Daughters of the Goddess.
goods, wedding, festival and funeral items, handicraft
.I paintings and statues, incense, Ganga Jal, rudrak malas and "Your beautiful book is a delight-a feast for the soul. The great
family functions. Viewing more! Mother-heart of God can be experienced on every page."
One City's Successful Family movies is very rare.
How does the family adjust
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materialism conspire to continues to err, I correct them
make urban joint fami- once and' recall ten nlistakes of
lies irrelevant or even extinct. theirs in a row. There is no . '
Many city-dwellers feel that scolding or punishment. Si-
the Narasinganavars (see page lence is our secret agent. Soon,
24) have achieved their rare tlJey realize their mistake and
" uccess only because fhey live fall in line," Krishnamurthy
in a village, with agriculture as explained. Talking back to
their occupation. But the fami- elders and disobedience are
ly of M.M. Krishnamurthy has absent here. 'The elders by
been living jOintly for four their exemplarx concluct have
generations in the 'midst of paved the way for unity.
bustling Bangalore. They even ''All the earning members
run a family business. contribute a portion of their
Krishnamurthys 40-member income to a common finance
fanrily is known as the "MM Garden City: ,Where the MM Industries family blossomoo together pool. All family expenses are
Industries family," MM indus- I met by this account. A perfect
try being the family business. landmark. "We prosper only the RK swamis. recorq of all expenses is kept
Septuagenarian Krishna- ~because of our unity. Everyone The family maintains aston- with .vouch~rs," says Krishna,
murthy, second. of four broth- in the family is expected to do ishil)g harmony and together- murthy. Youngsters are not
ers, is the head. He rejoices in their own job," Krishrramurthy ness. The ladies share given pocket money-Only the
joint living, he told me, "I can- told me. housework equally and get earning members handle .I
not explain the joys of living t The men were educated at along well. "No one is jealous of money. All requirements are
"'together. One has to live and Ramakrishna Vidyasala of the the other. Everyone has what filet by the elders. '(outh can-
experience it. It requires so Ramakrishna Mission in they want,) find that the ladies not go out without the permis-
much adjustment and patience. Mysore, where their culture often exchange their saris' and sion of their parents or elders.
It teaches you so many things." and discipline have their roots: jewelry. They take a rare joy in To me, Krishnamurthy di-
KTishnamurthys father, Mu- At home, upon rising, every this," reveals Krishnamurthy. vulged two secrets of a suc-
nivenkatappa, and uncle Mal- member first goes to the puja Girls in the MM family are cessful joint family, "To live
lappa, who live.d together alon&,: room and only after praying allowed to study as much as together like this, every~)lle
With their parents, started the comes for breakfast. They cele- they want, but they are not must contribute to the family,
business in South Bangalore. brate Ganesh Chaturthi and permitted to work. "It's agffinst not just money, but also shar-
Their children still live together Janmashtami on a grand scale, the family tradition," states ing the work equally. .lAnd
and continue the family enter- and host a spiritual retreat at . Krishnamurthy. The women there must be a strong leader,
prise which today is a local their house, preSided over by visit their relatives and attend a kind of benevolent dictator."
/
28 HJNDUISM TODAY JA NUARY, 1997 J ANUAR Y, 1997 HI'NDUISM TODAY 29
INS LG H T subtle body that the soul, if. needed, reincarnates, as described in fhe or' retire to' a seoluded place to practice japa'and yoga sddhanas, The
" . Shukla Yajur Vep,g., Brihadamnyaka Upanishad (4.4.5-6): "A man faJ:TIily takes c;rre not to disturb these efforts, !lor his retirement from
acts according to t4e-de,sires to which he clings. Aft~r death he goes t6 social obligation or interaction, realizing h,e has entered life's final
:'Death'"and,',Dying" ilie riext world bearing in his mind the subtle impressions of his
de~ds; and after reaping there tilie harvest of his deeds; he fe.t urns.
again to this w@rld of ~otion, Thus, he.who' has tlesires continues sun--
ject to rebirth," Death"according to Hinduism, is not the contradic-
tion bf life. Death' and birth are two si~es 'of life's ,cosmic cycle. The
culmination of that cycle is liber:ation ..As the venerable S~tguru Yo-
stagej that of ilie renunciate, or sannyasin.
. Maldng, the Transitiun Conscious!y: Knowing -that a conscious
.
.R·ites of Transition
the clothes and drape it with.a body with wood and offer 'in- part in marriage arrangements. On the 3rd, 5th, 7th or 9th day, . to' the crows, -to a cow or ·thrp'wn
w~te clGth.. (If there is no potch, cense and ghee. With the clay Some observe this period up to. relatives gather for a meal of the in a river for the fish. Some per-
the hody can be sponge bathed ' , pot on his left shoulder; the . one year. For the death of deceaJied's favorite foods. A por- form't;his rite on the nth day af- '
and prepared where it is.) Each chief mOUFner'cirGles the pyre friel'lp's, teachers or students, ob- tiar/ is offered.beforehl.s photo ·ter cremation. Others perfo.rm it
applies sesame 'oil to the head, while holding a fire brand' be- servanc~s.are optional. While . : 'and htter.ceremonially left at an ·t wice: on the' 31st day or (11th,
INOU OE~IfH RITUALS . • lit near'his head and he is urged th~ big t0es. In a hospital, the and the bodY'is "bathed with wa- li,i.nd his back. At each turn mourning is neve~ supp'resseq. or , abaml.Qned pla~e-, alOI]g with 15th, etc.) and af~ei one year.
in all traditions f0110w a ' l0 conc.entr;:1te on his mantra. family has the death pertiTicate . ter £.rom the nine kutnbhas, aroU1)d the pyre, ~ relative ,detljea, scriptures admonish , some lit camphor. Customs fo]; Once the 'first sapindikarana is
uniform patter.n · Kindred keep vigil until the • signed immediately and trans- dressed, placed in a coffip (or knocl$s a hole in the pot with. a against excessive lamentation . this period are varied. Sdme of- 'completed, the ritual impurity
from theVeqas, great depwture. singing hymns: · po~fs the bady home. lJnder no on a pal~quin ) and carried to:. knife, letting water ('Jut, signify- . alxd encourage joyous·re- , fer pinpa (rice ~alls ) .daily for enps. Monthly repetition is"also
'Variations accord- praying and reading scripture. If circumstances shouIU the body . the homa shelter. The young . rng.lifes leaving its vessel. At the lease. The departed'soul ~=___ nine days. Otbers corribine all common for' one year.
ing to sect, regioP, caste ahd he 'calmot corne home: this hap- he embalmed or 0rgans re-' children, holding small lighted end of three turnS, the chief . ' is acut~ly conscious of these offerings with tfue fol- '
family traclitio~. Most. rit~s are , pens at the hospital, regardless move<;l for use by others. Reli- stick~, encirde the body, singing mourner drbPS fue pot. Then, ' emotional forces direct- lowing sapindikarana rituals 10. One-Year Memorial
fulfilled by the familY., all.of '. of institutional objections; ~ gious pictures are turnlfd·to the hymns. The women 'then walk without turning to·.f;:1ce the ' ed. at him. Prolonged for ·a few days or one qay At die yearly anniversary of the
whom participate, ipcluding·the wall, and in. some traditiops nllrr . rarouno the body and offer body, he lights the pyre and ' grieving can bold ' of ceremonies: , death (according to the moon
children, who need not be
•
2. The Moment of D'eath roES are covered. Relatiye:;'are puffed rice into the mouth to leaves the cremation grounds. hi~ in earthly con- ~ .. cruendar ), a' priest conducts the
shielded from the death. Oertain If the dying persop. is U:-nco.n- · beckoned to bid farewell and nourish the deceased for the The others folloW: At a gas-fu- . sciousness, inhibit- 9. 31st-Day Memorial shraddharites in' the home, of-
dies are traditionally performed scious at eiepartiUfe, a fariJily sing sacred sonw at the side' of journey ahead. A widow will . ele@ crematorium, sacreej. wood .. ' ing full transition On the JIst day, a , fering pi,{da to the' ancestors. '
.' by' a; priest but may also b~ per- . member chants the mantra sott- · the body plac'~ her tali (wedding pen- . and ghee are placed inside the to the heaven memorial service is This ceremony. is done. yearly as
formed by the family if no priest. ly in the right ear. If ll(me is dant) wound her husbands .' . coffin with the body. Where ' worlds. In Hindu helcl.. In some tradi- long as the sons of the deceased
• Bali,' it is sharne- ~
is available. Here is asimple out- known, '~um Nqrno Narayana" 3. The Homa Fire Ritual / • neck, signifying her enduring 1?ermittecl., the body is car.ried tions it is a repeti- are alive (or'fm a ~pecified peri- .
line of rites that CaJIJ be per- or '~um Nama Sivaya" is in- If available, a &'pecial funeral tie to him. The coffin is then ". around the 'chamber, and a ful to cry for ~ tion of the funeral od). It is now common in India
formed by Hindus.in any locali- toned. (This is 8lso done for sud- priest'is.calied. In a shelter- built closed. If u~able to bring the .small pre. is H.t in the coffin be- the dead. z, htes.'At.home·, all to observe shrail1J.ha for ances-
ty'Yariations are no.ted and den-death victims, suGh as on a by the.family, a fIre ritual (homa) 'body home, the family arranges ' fore it.i;:; consigned to the ~ thoroughly clean" tors just prior to the yearly
suggestions made for Hindus i,n battll'lfreld 9f. in a s:ar accident.) , is performed to bless nine brass to clean and dress 'it at the mor- flames. 'The cl,"emation switch 7,lIone-Gathjlr- ~ the house. A Navaratri festival. This time is
Western countries. Holy ash or sandal paste is ap- . 1Wonbhas (water- pots) and..onl'l tum;y rather than leave these then is engaged 'by the chief ing Ceremony " Yama: Lor~ of Doot.h · priest purifies . also appropriate for cases where
plied to the forehead, Vedic clay pot. Lacking the shelter, an duties to strangers. The ritual mourner. About 12 hours • '. the home, and . the day of death is unknown.
1. As Death Approaches verses are chanted, and a few· appropriate fire is<IDade-in 'the ~ homa fire·can be made at home . . . aft~r cremation, family men re- , performs the sapindikaranq;,
Tra<ditionally, a Itndu.dies at · drops o£ftnilk, Ganga or other home. The "Gruef mourner" , or kindled !it the crematorium. 6. Return Home; Ritual Impurity turn to colleft the remains. Wa- making on~ large pinna (repre- ffindu funeral rites. cap be sim;
home. Nowadays the dying are boly ~ater are' trickled irlto the leads fhe rites. He is the eldest Returning home, all bathe' and ter is sprinkled on the ash; t1].e senting the deceased) and three pIe or exceecli.ngly complex.
increasiRgly kept lin hospitals, mouth. After death, the body is son iLl the,case of the father's 5. Cremation share i~ cleaning the Muse. A remains,we collected on 'I- large small, representing the father, These ten steps, devotedly com-
even when recovery is dearly . laid in the homes entryway, death and the y~ungest son in Only men go to the cremation lamp and wat~(pot are set ~here tray. .At crematoriums the family grandfather and greatgrandfa- . pleted' according to the customs,
not p0ssible. Knowing the mer- with the head facing sOl}lh, on a the case of the mother's. In site, led by the chief mourI!-er. the body lay in state. TI,le water can arrange to personally gather. ther. The large ball is cut in means, and abi'lity of the family, '
it~ of <dying.at home among · 09t or the ground-:reflectihg a · some tradihlons, the eldest son T\,'Io pots are carried: the cl!l-y is changed. daily, and, pictures ' the l'emains: ashes and small tnr;ee'pieces and JOIned with' the will properly conclude one.
loved' ones, l;Iinqus bring the ill rElturn,to t~e lap of Mother; serves for_both, or .t he wife, SOLl- kumbha and another'containing remain turned to the wall. The pieces'of white bon~ «?iled small pimdas to ritually unite the earthly sojoum of any Hindu
home. When death is imminent, Earth. 1lle lamp is kept lit n~ar . in-law or near~st male relati..;-e. burning.embers from the homa. shrine room is closed, \:V1th "flowers." In crematoriums soul with the' ance.sfors in the soul.
, kindred are.notified. The per- the head and incense burned. A • The body is carried three times white cloth draping all icons. . these are ground to dust, and.
son is placed in his room or in doth is tied undeu the chin and .4. Preparing the Body counterclockwise around the ,During these days of ritual im- arrangements must be made to ·Rec,ommended.ResGurces·: Caring for Your o~n Dead, Lisa Carlson. Upper Access Publi~her.;,
the entrYWay of the house, with over the top of the head. The The chief mourner now per- pyre, then placecd upon it. All purity, family and close relatives preserve them. Ashes are car~. PO Box 457, Hinesburg. Vermont 05461. Dialogue with Death, Eknath !';aswaran. 1>Iilgiri Press, Box 477,
Petaluma, California 94953. Funeral and othe~ Sacramenis After Death, Jnana Prabodhiili. 510 Sadoshiv
ried or sent to India for deposi- . Petha.
do not visit othel's' homes,
.
the bead facing east. A lamp.'is . thun;lbs . are tied together,, as pre forms arati~ passing an oil lamp
over the remains, ·then offering
circumambulating, and some
arati, in the rites is counter- though neighbors and relatives, .- .tiOlJ.in fhe Ganges or placed,.
Pune 411.030; India. Qrihya Sutras, Sacred Books of the East Series. Motilal Ban=idilss. Bungalow
Road, Jawaharnagru; N,,,,. De!hi 7, India. Hindu Samskaras, pro Raj Bali Pandy,.Motilal Banarsidass. Life Af-
ter Life, Raymond A. Moody, B.mtam Books, 1540 Broadway. New York. New York 10036. Medl'tatlon and
Kasi, the Holiest Place to Die: A man awaits f1,is.gr..eat·deparliure; at . flowers. The male (or female, ' . clockwise. If a coffIn is 1!lsed, bring daily meals to relieve the them in an auspicious river or
. the Art of Dying, Pruidit Usharbudh Aryo. Himalayan Institute, Honesdale. Pennsylvan ia 18431. The Transi-
the moment of d:eath Ganga water is trickled into the mouth at the Clepending on the gender of the the cover is now removed. The . burdens during mourning. Nei- the ocean, along'with gm:lands t ion Caned Death, Charles Hampton, Theosophical Publishing House. 306 WesfGeneva Rd. Wheaton, illi·
Mukti Bhavan free hospice; oremamo1t grounds; women in mourning. deceas~d) relatives cm;rY,the men offer puffed rice as the 'ther.do they attend festivals ~d and flo"Yers.· nois 60187. Dilemmas of Life and Death, S. Crorn,well Crowley. SUNY Press, Albany; New York 12246.
Narayana Dharma Sangham
Trust. All these efforts were
thwarted by Saswatheekananda.
His followers claimed the coUrt
9rders did not apply to them .
. They even enlisted the PQP (the
Muslim People's Democratic Par-..
ty) on their side, whose cQ:air-
man, Abdul Nazar Madani, said,
"There should not be another
Ayodhya in Kerala, so the PDP in-
tervened in the Sivagiri issue."
The PDP was banned by the Ker-
ala government after the incident.
Swami Saswatheekananda de-
nies wrongdoing and complains,
"Even the British police re-
frained from attacking such pro-
testers during the independence ~ Narayana Guru [1856-1928]
str:uggles." He says the board ~ '--________________________________---'
cannot assemble, as such a meet- .
ing must be called by the out-go-
ing president, who is-himself
"The goal of qIl reli-
"They have come to power vio- gions is the same.
lating the bylaws and rules," he
. . argues. - Once'riv.ers reach
Tile cominunity is generally
relieved. . The trust's oversight the ocean, is there
State Body is firm!>, in sUfPort of
the new administration. An difference like shal-
<- Ezhave elder said, "The change
low and deep? Reli-
'"
";;
<
. of power is aPl?reciated by the
people." Prof M.K. Sanu, a fol-
gion has the role of
~~______~2-~~~____~~~~~ lower of Narayana Guru, told
Sarada Temple: Mountaintop center of Sree Narayanct-Guro movement that changed all of India's Southwest state of Kerala HINDUISM TODAY, "Had the po-
., . lice not intervened in time, Siva- creating in humans
MOVEMENTS , giri ,,"ould have become a land of
sin. It is the blessing of the Lord
the trend to ascend."
Kera~aControve~sy
that they came in."
- SREE NARAYANA GURU
The great reformer: During
his lifetime, Sree Narayqna Guru
was responsible for the-social and religious man." Asked to explain what he meant by industry." He implemented these ideals
transformation of the Ezhava commvnity, one religion, he replied, "If this war 'ofreli- through establishing centers of education in
who today constitute 50% of Kerala's 20 mil- gions should end', with self control all have each of his temples. He reformed the mar-
... lion Hindus. In his day, the "untouchable" to learn about afl religions. Then it will be- riage rituals to make them simpler and less
Narayana Guru's ashram stabilizes after violent power transfer Ezhava -Caste was barred entry to the tem- c.ome clear that, as far as basic tenets are .costly, dictating, for example, a maximum of
ples, and could not approach the outer walls concerned, there qre no substantial differ- ten guests. In a famous incident, Narayana
By VRINDAVANAM S. GOPALAKRISHNAN
closer than fourteen feet. Narayana Guru ences. The religion which thus evolves is the Guru arrived at a follower'S home just in time
HE KERALA POLICE ANTICIPATED RE- Devotees of Sree Narayana Gur.u, virtual ing his ten-year- term as pontiff, he wa~ ac- plotted a strategic response. He chose not to 'one religion' that we advocate." He did not to summarily terminate an overly elaboratt;
, ':.:!
)' . . f
\··1
1 .'. :.
~
\
/. I I ~ Muruga. The following m'onth, Aprilis, was in
celebration of the Goddess Venus, or Aphro-
dite, Goddess of love and beauty. Next was
Maius, from Maia, "the great one," Goddess
of spring. Then came Junius from the prin-
16 to Feb 2, 1997. The
focus is national integra-
tion and the general well-
being of the Indian
people through peaceful
Institute, with visiting faculty,
offer the Ayurvedic Studies
Program, seminars and pri-
vate consultations.
,., ; L,:'
I \' ,; , '
I
f" ) ) -1. . ! " ciple Goddess of the Pantheon, Juno, God-
dess of marriage and the well-being of
social change. 108 Pandits Yearly Curriculum:
). .. \ ," ' ( .' ~'. ,.1' will participate. We seek generous contributions for this • I: Introduction to philosophy,
:.. t, : 1' J women. The remaIhing months kept their worthy cause. Make checks payable to: Sri Shirdi Sai Baba theory and systems (Fall).
./ "
1
• I
J Latin numbers from the fifth to tenth: Quin-
tilis, Sextilis, Septembris, Octobris , Novem-
Temple, 1449 Abers Creek Rd., Monroeville, PA 15146-3603
USA. • Tel: 1-412-374-9244 • Fax: 1-412-374-0940.
• II: Introduction to Ayurvedic
assessment (Winter).
...
~
,' ."I
, J (
bris and Decembris. The count began with • III: Introduction to manage-
< the original first month: March. Hence De- ment of imbalances (Spring).
cembris means the tenth month. After Cae-
E
U
• • sar's assassination, tl1e fifth month was re- • Correspondence Course by
Z
< 'named Julius; the sixth month was renamed Dr. Robert Svoboda, Ayurvedic Physician
Roman calendar: Early breakthrough; pegs mark month (left), day (top ), year (right) after his grandnephew and heir, Augustus. Pooja International Gifts • Weekend and Intensive Seminars: Ayurvedic Cooking, Psychol-
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Happy Roman New Year clared it official and made a few minor ad-
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compensate for an error of 12 seconds per
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I year. This error had caused the calendar to seed • Men's, children's kurta, pajamas, sari blouses, sari falls and video tapes and a quarterly journal.
flail to Janus; the Cod of January! gradually fall 10 days behirid the seasons
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ODAY'S WORLDWIDE CIVIL CALENDAR Janus is listed first in prayers and invoked became known as the Gregorian. But apart Pooja International • 34159 Fremont Bvd Albuquerque, NM 87192-1445 USA
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Egyptian, Greek and Roman culture month and year. The main temple of Janus adopted the changes, Protestant nations re-
and calculations in 46 BCE. Under the ad- at the Forum in Rome has two doors, one jected them and kept to March 25th as -their
vice of an Egyptian astronomer, Caesar facing !he rising sun, the other the setting New Year for some time. Great Britain and
reengineered the calendar, instigated the sun. Inside, the statue of Janus has one face her colonies held out until 1752. By then
leap year and 'added 90 days to bring the looking out each door. Wlien the Sabines they were II days behind the rest of Europe.
year back in step with the seasons. In addi- captured Rome, they were kept out of the When the American colonies finally made Vedic Astrology
tion, he ordered the New Year moved from Forum by fountains of boiling water that the switch from Julian to Gregorian, Ben .
March to the first day of Januarius. The new The Major Distributor of By Umananda/
miraculously gushed from the temple's stat- Franklin wrote: "It i~ pleasant for an old
first month was named after the Roman man to be able to go to bed on September 2, books from India. Stephen Quong
ue of Janus.
In Practice Since 1970
God Janus, whose t\'iO faces look both back- The following month, Februarius, came and not have to get up ~til September 14."
ward and forward in-time. As God of begin- from Februa-the period of purification, and It is interesting to reflect that since our A sampling from our catalog:
nings, gates and doorways, He is strikingly a time to make offerings to the 'dead. The present civil calendar began with Caesar, • Ganesha: The Auspicious .. .
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86065, Oakville, ON L6H5V6, Canada. Tel: 1-800-890-1008, x 235 (USA ). E-mail:
Email: dsharma@worldchat.com. Distribu- Sadhaka_Adinatha@HinduismTodaykauai.hi.us Amar Chitra Katha for children. Illustrated col-
torship available. orful tales on Hindu mythology Discounts to
Help Wanted schools, distributors. ACK Agency, PO Box 1414,
Remover of Obstacles-The story of Ganesha on Los Altos, CA 94023 USA. TeVfax: 415-961-7878
CD-ROM. Arvind Kumar in India Currents Help distribute Hinduism Today! Send your THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT!
wrote, "Parents will like this new CD-ROM, but name E-mail address, postal address, fax and Sri Aurobindo books: Complete works of Sri Au- The Complete Indian American Magazine
kids will love it. It tells the story of Ganesha in phone number to Tyagi Kathirswami at "Iet- robindo, the Mother, Shri Madhav Pandit. A.d- ~
clear, simple language. Easily the best Indian ters@hinduismtodaykauai.hi.us"fax to 1-808- ditional titles on Yoga, Philosophy, Ayurveda "Thank you for the extraordinarily balanced view Your true voice ... India Currents has grown to be a valuable resource
software product I have had the opportunity to 822-4351, or call 1-800-890-1008 ext. 230. and Alternate Health. Exclusive distributors for you strive to provide on the various issues relating
in the Bay Area to reach people interested in the
to India and its people. I can't say that I have seen like never heard before. culture of India about events, and as a resource of
review." $34.95 plus $3.00 s/h. Call 1-800-220- Discounts available for standing orders in large Samata Books Classical Spiritual Texts. Free artists, writers, and pelformers. "
another publication that matches the quality and
2043 or fax 215-242-5448. CC accepted. quantities. Ask for the "Wholesale Price Catalog: Lotus Light, Box 325HT, Twin Lakes, diversity India Currents has. " "India Currents is a monthly magazine aimed at Aislinn Scofield
Schedule for Standing Orders." WI 53181 USA. S.N. Chandrasekhar California's large East Indian population. Profes- OutreachlPublic Programs Coordinator
Snbscriber from Long Beach, California sionally written and edited with Northern and Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Devotional Supplies Southern California editions, this would seem to
dewelry Reach out to Hindus worldwide. Your classified "The magazine has continued to blaze its way to be essential reading for Indian expatriates. " «I find your magazine comforting, exhilarating, and
Ganges Clayfired Murthies, meticulously hand- or display ad in Hinduism Today will reach out high quality and comprehensive coverage. It also Los Angeles Times uplifting."
Arlene Sagan
painted. Sixty statues in stock, including Highest quality astrological gems, amulets, to more than 100,000 Hindus in over 120 coun- plays an invaluable role as a link between the
Narasimha, Kalki, Jagannatha, Laxmi, Visnu, custom jewelry, crystals,minerals. For infor- tries every month. Tel: 1-800-850-1008/808- community of Indian origin and Americans inter- (408) 274·6966 Subscriber from Santa Clara, California
I
HE
children. Please give freely to has not only been a prominent cultural posed the trend, claiming it is against Vedic "One should not become a father, da, have their philosophical ques-
~enter, but has also been swift to assim- ~aw. Ac~ord~?g t~ tQem, this is. the first time mother, teacher, or king;' the Vedas tions answered, and dance and
llate modern trends. It was here in Ma- m the VedIc Hmau religion that women
the Endowment Fund for the harashtra state, for example, that many_first have assumed the priesthood: say, "unless one can deliver his de- chant happily with their family
came forward and called for the education Dr. T. H. Dharmadhikari, a well-known pendants from the cycle of birth and peers.
Tirunavakkarasu Nayanar of women and for widow remarriage. shrauta pandit, told HINDUISM TODAY and death." In London, for example, mem-
In 1975, one ranking harbinger of social there is no precise mention disallowing
Gurukulam in Barricaloa. change, Shri Shankarrao Thatte, began the women to recite Vedic mantras. There is In other words, we shouldn't just bers of ISKCON'S Manor Youth
training of ladies in priestly duties. At his certain evidence of womens pe;forming the give our kids the best that money can Forum hold regular weekend
r~si~ence he initially established two mar- thread ceremony, but there is no clear Vedic
1 - 800-890-1008 Ext. 245 nage,halls where he tutored a small group of sanctioI?- one way or the other. buy. We must offer them the best that get-togethers, spiritual retreats, and
1q to 20 ladies in various stotras and pujas. ,. These ladies are said to be more honest life has to offer. discussion sessions to help them bal-
http:// www.Hinduism Today. He also trained them in the intricate and 'and pious than thejr male counterparts. Young people need a world view that ance the pressures of growing up-
mystical kno:.vledge of Sanskrit mantras, Sri While male priests today may oot under-
kauaLhLus/ashram/ Rudram, Mahima, sacrificial tantra, mar- stand the meaning of the mantras they re- focuses not just on earthly success, but without forgetting God.
HinduHeritageEndowment.html riage rituals and thread cere:monies. The cite, the ladies are trained to offer explana- spiritual fulfillment. Without a deeper under- Throughout 1996 people of many faiths
distaff priests began to perform yajnas 'to tions. Day. by day there is a growing standing of one's self, God, and the purpose oflife, it's and traditions will celebrate the centennial of Srtla
. the various Deities. After a few years, hav- shortage of priests in our society, while peo-
ing grac!'u ated 8 to 10 groups, Shri Thatte pIe are becoming wore and more religious. tough to avoid peer pressure and the allurements of Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International So-
arranged a trip for them to demonstrate Some have begun to "depend on modern drugs, casual sex, and selfish materialism. Today kids ciety for Krishna Consciousness. You are invited to
their liturgical prowess to Indian and Hindu technol~gy suc~ \is tape recordings of pujas·. don't just do things because their elders say so- they join in saluting the life and work of this great soul.
ENDOWMENTS residents in England and Germany. The ladles are taking responsibility for these
Since his death .in 1987, his wife, Mrs. religious families, who express satisfaction
Pushpabai Thatte, has advanced"'-his work with their sacred duties.
HINDU HERrrAGE ENDOWMENT
I 07 KAHOlAlELE ROAD
under the name of Shankar Seva Samiti. It Communities outside India are also dis- Thanks to Srila Prabhupada ...
has:now spread to all parts of Maharashtra. qovering the value of competent priestesses.
KAPAA. HI 96746 -9304 USA The .idea of Hindu priestesses has been ac- In South Africa and Tri1idad, for example,
cepted by I?ost educated people, welcomed the Arya Samaj panditas are much in de-
Vedic culture is preserved for generations to come
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF HINDUISM as a revolutionary step in Indian society. mand for ceremonies and ministry. fI For more information please call ISKCON Communications at (301) 299-9707.
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ffiN6UISM=-~ ~'="
~ums
ic illnesses. Today every hospital
also has a teaching and mon~tor
the antibiotic and the offending
organism. Frequently this is
bhajans. She has
dedicated her
& Illustrations
ing responsibility for the health without patient consent and life and prodi-
aild wellness of its community. considered part of the blanket gious voice to
The larger teac}ling hospitals permit signed at admis;;ion. healing people
harbor specialists in various disease cate- TheEutritionists do not understand Sop ranD with guru through song.
gories and are elaborate structures for the concept of vegetarianism, and a patient
teaching every phase of the medical profes- cannot get a good vegetarian meal. Other VINDICATED: The US Equal Employ-
sion. Hospitals now 'range from the barely food is also often inadequate, and it has ment Opportunity Commission ruled
adequate to the best there is to offer. been said that malnutrition is very com- that Bruce Anderson, a vegetarian bus
Commonly, the cost of running the hos- mon in the modern hospital without sup- driver fired in June for refusing to
pital continues whetlier or not there are plemental and very expensive feeding. hand out coupons for free hamburgers,
empty beds. Hospitals are the most con- The current litigious nature of our soci- was discriminated against by his Cali-
hp lled illdustry in the USA by federal} ety encourages excessive testing-merely to fornia employer. He may return to his
state and local regulatory agencies. These satisfy medical and hospital protocols- job as well as receive attorney's fees
agencies, as well as the hospital commit- . especially the latest and most expensive and back pay. Yea, dharma prevails.
tees, put constraints upon the quality of
medical care, mortality, morbidity and
techniques.
The patient can control many of these LIBERATED: Swami Bhashyanandiijl, 79, Patterns & Borders
medical 'ethics. The most recent invasion is "errors" by insisting that he be an active on October 4th, former head of the
by insurance companies, which pay most participant in every decision that his physi- Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chi- othing lends a sense of Indian-ness to a design
of the patient's bills, but deny certain
ch~es, often without any good clinical
reason-all in order to keep their payouts
cian makes and demanding that some
thin~s be treated on an outpatient or hos-
pice basis. He has the right of a second and
cago, of heart failure after a long ill-
ness. He was born in India in 1917 and
earned degrees in English and Sanskrit
N better than traditional borders and patterns.
There are hundreds to choose from on this creative
as low as possible. They dictate the maxi- third opinion and to know his disease and before joining the Ramakrishna Mis- CD. Fall in love with the visual magic of Bharat and
mum length of hospital stay, regardless of th~ options of treatment. Most hospitals do sion Order at age 20. He served in any images are or-
the clinical condition of the patient. not allow alternative methods of treatment various capacities at Indian RK centers enhance your personal or institutional image.
M ganized in
The hospital's stated mission is the
preservation of life. This often means
that in spite of "living wills" (orders to
not resuscitate) the patient may be put on
and deny to patients the options of allopa-
thy, homeopathy, ayurveda, hert)al medi-
cines, acupuncture, laying on of hands,
. Reiki or even chiropractic adjustments.
and was sent to the US in 1964. A
dynamic religious leader, he was in-
strumental in developing the Chicago
Society and the
.~~~~.f~ ~~~~~~~e
.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... ... ., .......... ... ... ...... ... ...... ......... ... ... ...... ... ...
themes, like nature,
Deities, people, borders,
life-support machines, contrary to his Many.....other issues are contrary to the Vivekan.a nda Monas-
symbols, etc. Use the
wishes or those of the family. Once on the patient's interest in the modern hospital, tery and Retreat in Fetch browser to get a
machine, removal is alm~t impossible, but we must admit that we have the most Ganges, Michigan, as quick overview, then
even though costs are mounting and no sophisticated treatment in the world today. well as founding double clic on a page
benefit is derived by the patient. many Vedanta
The greatest hazard is nosocomial (hos- DR. TANDAVAN, 76, retired nuclea( <physi- groups in the US and for a detailed preview.
pital acquired) infections from the many cian and hospital staff preSident, lives in Canada. We at HIN-
germs, viruses, toxins and allergens that do Clvi'cago, where he specializes in alternative DUISM TODAY fondly
not exist at home. The patient is suscepti- healing arts. Visit his home page at the remember his visits
ble to massive new infections since he has HINDUISM TODAY Website. with us in Hawaii. Bhashyananda
I
44 Bj NDUISM TODAY JANUARY , 1997
., Macintosh format only. No PC version available .
Pictured is our featured This extraordinary With this knowledge firmly in her heart
product-of-the-month from new book is and mind, she walked as a prayer and a
our assortment of aroma- authored by chance to inspire others to pray and work
therapy massage oils. These H.D. Swami for p~ace, averaging 25 miles a day. She
are rare Indian fragrances Prakashanand wore navy blue shirts and slacks, and a short
from ingredients carefully Saraswati, founder tunIc with pockets all around the bottom in
selected for their therapeutic of the International which she carried her only worldly posses-
value and for being natural Society of Divine sions: a comb, a folding toothbrush, a ball-
and non-animal in origin. Love, Barsana point pen, copies of her message and her
Dham and Shree current correspondence. She carried no
"Male Skin Toner" Raseshwari Radha money and would walk until offered lodging
A blend of hardy oils and Rani Temple. or food. At times she would miss a few
fragrances needed to meals, but generously complained, "My real
penetrate rough or dry skin. The Divine Vision of Radha Krishn is a Divine gift by Shree problem is everyone wants to overfeed me!"
Sesame seed oil, ashwagandha, Swamiji. It is a practical guide for all who sincerely desire to Her travel was not without danger. On --
turmeric, geranium and other experience the loving Bliss of Radha Krishn or any other one occasion a disturbed youth started to
natural flower essenses and essential oils. form of God as described in our scriptures. It fulfills the de- beat her. "I bathed ,his hatred with love even
votional quest of everyone, from a highly educated open- while he hit me," she said. 'l\s a result, the
This is but one from our over 225 Ayurvedic products minded aspirant to a simple-hearted devotee of God who is hitting stopped, and this boy was never vio-
imported directly from India. Buy directly from the USA's longing to receive His love and vision. • It incorporates the ·lent again." Another time she accepted a
largest bulk importers of Ayurvedic products. For the past philosophy and theme of more than 400 scriptures and gives ride from an unseemly character. She woke
25 years, our buyers have been traveling to India 3 or 4 times a crystal-clear view of the path to Supreme God. • For the after a short nap to find the man crying and
a year to insure our herbs are up to import regulatory standards. first time in hundreds of years, such a book in the English confessing he meant her harm, but simply
language has been published that reveals, in extensive detail, could not touch her. Such incidents were
Bazaar Of India Imports • Since 1971 the true Divine form of Radha, Radha Krishn, Divine Vrinda- rare. "No one walks so safely as those who
1810 University Ave ban and raganuga bhakti. • 464 pg. • $30 • Available from: walk humbly and harmlessly with great love
Berkeley, CA 94703-1516 USA and great faith," she said.' She did spend a
Tel: 800-261-7662 or 510-548-3332 The International Society of Divine Love, Barsana Dham, few nights in jail, but was always released
Fax: 510-548-1115 • E-mail: Tabla@ix.netcom.com 400 Barsana Rd., Austin, TX 78737 USA. when the police understood her mission.
Send for free, full 64-page catalog. Tel: 1-512-288-7180. After walking 25,000 miles, which took 11
years up to 1964, she stopped counting
miles, and speaking became her first priori-
ty, though she continued her daily trek. She
met with people on city streets and dusty
roads, in ghettos, suburbs, deserts and
trucks tops. She became a popular and
For centuries, the West has enjoyed beautiful translations of Perfect peace: Th1s self-proclaimed American renunciate lived like a Hindu sannyasini revered figure often interviewed by the TV,
the Upanishad, known as the Vedanta, "end:' or "oulmination" radio and press, invited to talk at schools
LIFESTYLE and churches across the country.
of the Vedas. But, alas, the other three major parts of the -J I Peace Pilgrim believed we hav~ entered a
I
rhythms of nature, history and man. Translation and com- ENUNCIATION IN INDIA IS ARDUOUS
enough, even though there it has been tual awakening was com- tioned by a reporter about .
mentary are the work of the brilliant renaissance thinker, Rai- the most esteemed spiritual path since pletely spontaneous, tied to her "tru~ identity," she re-
mon Panikkar. It is the fruit of twelve years of sadhana on the before recorded history. In America, no organized religion, East sponded, "This clay garment
it is even harder, where striving to live a or West. She was not a is one of a penniless pilgrim
banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, living in a Siva temJ5lle; I:le- homeless renunciate's life could well result Christian, never even en~ journeying in the name of
tween 1964 and 1976. Scholars consid€r it perhaps bis most in ridicule and arrest for vagrancy. Yet, from tered a Christian church un- peace. It is what you cannot
significant contribution to the liter-ary wor.ld. 1953 until her great departure in 1981, an til" she was 16, and then only see that is so very important.
extraordinary silver-haired American wo- to attend a friend's wedding. I am on,e who is propelled by
man lived this life to perfection. She gave "It came to me that God is the power of faith. I bathe in
Chapters on: 4. /rail and Decay herself the name "Peace "-Pilgrim" and . a creative force," she re- the light of eternal wisdom. I
SACRED 1. Dawn and Birth 5 . Death and Dissolution vowed: "I shall remain a wanderer until man- vealed, "a motivating power, am sustained by the unend-
2. Germination and Growth 6 . New Life and FreedoliYl . kind -has learned the way bf peace, walking an over-all intelligem:e, an ing energy of the universe.
ANTHOLOGY 3. Blossoming and Fullness 7, Twilight until I am given shelter, and fasting until I ever-present, all-pervading the Road: Her
am given food. " Walk she did, criss-crossing spirit-which binds every- ho1[W wandered with her
This is who I really am!"
Friends of Peace Pilgrim
the United States many times. She refused thing in the universe togeth- will send a free book on her
HIMALAYAN ACADEMY PUBLICATIONS Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1977, smythe sewn, e/oth bound, to reveal her preVious name, or be identified er and gives life to everything. That brought I life anywhere in the world.' Write to Peace
107 KAHOLAlELE ROAD
5 112" x 8 1/2", 1,.000 pages. US$35 .00 . + slh $3.50 in US; in any way other than "Peace Pilgrim." God close. I could not be where God is not. Pilgrim, 43480 Cedar Avenue, Hemet, Cali-
KAPAA HI 96746-9304 USA
$7 .00 outside US. Tel: 1-800-890-1008 ext. 238, Outside US: What she taught will strike the Hindu as You are within God. God is within you." fornia 92544 USA. __
BOOKS YOU CAN TAKE, SER I OUSLY 1-808-822-3012 ext. 238; Fax~ 1-808-822-4351 J ANUARY , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 47
ART
N through the cultivation of individual peace. If each commanding people. . inspirational power of
person is at peace in his home, in his city, in his Many people come for spiritual solace.
country, there will be peace in the whole world. Why They ask, "What must we do to overcome Indian spiritual music. /
is there discord and unrest in this world? It is selfish- all these miseries of life?" I tell them that
ness which perpetuates mortality and sensual life which meditation is the only method which can
leads to hell. Wisdom, dimJa prema, divine'love qpd forgive- give us a balanced mental state. Start with
ness all lead to immortality. at least 15 to 20 minutes early in the morn-
All religions should be honored. They all teach truth, and ing. The brahma muhurta hour is ideal,
they all seek to realize divinity. In following the teachings of between 3:30 and 4:30AM. If you're not
their own religIons, diose followers should lead a very simple able to do that, at least meditate before the
and very peaceful life. Whatever has been said in their scrip- sun rises, not after s.unrise. Gradually in-
tures is what they must'practice in their daily lives. They crease the meditation to one hour. Start the
must cultivate universal love and self control. This will make their day with meditation and end the day with meditation. As we..f>ro-
lives peaceful and happy. . ceed on the path of constant meditation, bad qualities.such as
The lifestyle we see everywhere in the world now is--very color- anger; jealousy and hatred will be reduced. External worship in-
ful, but when we look closely and examine it carefully, it is com- volving man.y rituals and requiring ;many things may be a bit hard
pletely empty. The emphasis on the material is why there is so for everyone. That doesn't mean that it is not important, but that it
much frustration and tension in daily life, and why people cannot is different from meditation which does not require externals.
find peace. To avoid such unnappiness is why a person must be- Amma's blessing is meditation. The meditation I give is the
come spiritual. Only then will he aohieve inner peace. Saraswati Mantra meditation, which is so pow~rful. It is the bijak-
He who has intens~ desire for God, who has the inner vision, sharas ("seed syllables") which inspire and enric~ the mind. They
only he understandN he universe. Your heart must be pure. When grant memory, the power of concentration and give the mind
you have inner vision, you can righ~ly understand the universe and peace. This meditation is a very simple process. You have to be
know what life is. This is the goal of life and to achieve that state like a baby iNfant who has no thoughts at all. The meditation state
of ab~olute consciousness, that poorna pragna, the seeker s~eks. is also without thought. Silently, closing one's eyes, one turns the His original
ThaNs why holy people from all religions come down to the level mind inward, concentrates and does the meditation by chanting
of ordinary human beings-to elevate them to that awareness. I the Saraswati Mantra. There is a lot of difference between prayer Meditation and Healing music
Body, mind and spirituality-these are three cages. A spiritual and meditation. In prayer we are always, talking with God. But in
seeker will go beyond all these cages. In his natural state, samadhi, meditation, God will be speaking to us, ,
the entire unive'r se is nothing but his Self. Whatever he enjoys in Liillguage is for sharing feelings with each other in this world. fuses ancient Indian instruments
this world is nothing but Self; time is Self only; wisdom is Self only. But in absolute silence is the connection with the entire universe .
He realizes he is not this body. In fact, when he achieves that without any disturbance. This is how, directly, soul to soul, goly with modern electronic synthesizer.
highest state of absolute conscjousness, he 'sees no differences at people transfer divine energy and elevated feelings without even
all. He sees everyone the same, and he sees the whole world as his open,ing their mouths. They transmit their feelings in silence. The powerful result promotes
own, knowing that the entire u~'verse belongs. to him: the rivers, Silence is the language of Divinity. I like silence very much.
the mountains, the trees, the birds, everything belongs to him. He
sees nothing as separate from himself. He knows that he belongs t6 / physical, mental and spiritual harmony.
nature, and natur~ belongs to him. In U. S.A., Call Toll Free
We must love and serve nature. Nature teaches us so much and 1-800-869-6616
giv.es every thing. But in return we do nothing for nature. So we FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON ADDITIONAL AUDIO/VIDEO PRODUCTS, BOOKS OR ABOUT PIN CODE #90
mbst not pollute. Not only physically. Pollution goes beyond the THE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS OF SRI SWAMUI, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE: www.dattapeetham.(om
visible and the material. It includes impme thoughts. Negative
thoughts will pollute nature, th'erefore our thoughts must always be KARUNAMAYI SRI VIJAYESWARI DEVI , 38, considered an' embodi- lu~~::l EINDIA:1. J E U RQJ~ E_:
pure. When thoughts are pure, nature also will be pure. Nature ment of the Divine Mother, lives at her forest ashram in Andhra
DATTA YOGA CENTER * SRI GANAPATHI SACHCHIDANANDA ASHRAM DATTA YOGA KREIS E.V.
has to be saved and respected. One who loves nature and who . Pradesh. After years of tapas, she now travels and teaches globally.
139 (HINOUIPIN (OVE. RIDGELAND, MISSISSIPPI 39157 DATTA NAGAR. MVSORE 570004 OBERKASSELER STR. 99 • D·40545 DUSSELDORF
, PHONE: (601) 856-4783 FAX: (601)856-1068 PHONE: (821) 22662 fAx: (821) 521797 PHONE:/FAX: (211) 552582
50 HINDUISM TOD AoY J <\NUARY , 1997
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HI N DUISM TODAY JANUARY , 1997
JOB S ' MEDIA
I\NT A HIGH-TECH
Imost weekly find a new
Bharat magazine or
W job in America but
can't get a green card?
newspaper on line. One
ne.ed no longer spend
No problem. Get an in- $50 and up for a "snail
ternet connection, and mail" subscription-and '
you can work for any get the news two weeks
company in the world. late in the bargain. Up-
Such electronic immi- to-date links to electronic
grants "will be able to editions of Indian Ex-
work as quickly and eas- press, The Hindu and
ily as if they were sitting Deccan Herald newspa-
pers, as well as Outlook
and The W eek magazine, One of the on-line media
can be found at http:// /
Four cartoon characters guide yol).r jou:mey ugweb.cs.ualberta.cal-srinivaslindial. The presenta-
CD - ROM tion is stylish at these sites. Articles are frequently
accompanied by color pictures. Back issues are
Let's Tour India! archived and provided with e8$y-to-use search func-
tions. Recently, the popular almanac, Kalnimay, was
ONGRATULATIONS TO PADMINI MULTI- added at http://www.indiaworld.com.
Parishes
from the pope and a
guided tour of Vatican
art. Most ambitious is a
in a cubicle 100 yards scene is narrated and accompanied by sonorous plan to set up 19,500
, down the hall from the Indian music. The digital sound effects are so Online AmericaQ Catholic
boss," says one US news- good, the lion's roar may cause the bravest among churches with their own
paper. We're not talking us a moments pause. The first character, Lalloo, ATHOLICS WORLD- Web home page. Hindus
about low-end data en-
try either. The same re-
tours you through India's major cities and all of
the states, introducing eleven domestic and wild
C wide are wasting no
time putting the Internet
would benefit from simi-
lar comprehensive plans
port says, "Highly animals. Raj helps you meet different people and
trained engineers and attend diverse Hindu festivals. Bhim travels with
technicians in Banga- you from present-day Bharat back through histo-
lore, India, will pump ry to 2500 BCE. Lastly, Munni invites you to visit
out computer software monuments, listen to music, see works of art,
code for a fraction- view vignettes of Indian dancers and clips from
sometimes one-tenth-of Bollywood films. Along the way are games and
the salaries of their puzzles to play. Any member of the family from
Western counterparts." four years old and up can learn much about the
Fast software production vastness that is India. Available for Windows (no Take a net tour of MichelangelO's Sistine ceiling
is beiIlg done by Mac version) for US$29.95. Order: Multisync
matched teams in the Trends Inc., 540 Gotham Parkway, Carlstadt, to use for their faith. Al- to put every temple and
US and India who work New Jersey 07072 USA. ready available are vast ashram on-line, plus en-
during each other's night Catholic resources, in- gineer easy web access to
on the same project. cluding weekly messages Hindu wisdom and art.